
I have been coaching and discipling Christians since 2001 (well, I did some before that but after I was broken by God it all changed - for the better! So let's start there). Much of this coaching has been in the realm of marriage issues although I am coaching and discipling others in core life principles. I first came to Christ over forty years ago and walked with Him as a "good" church-going Christian. I learned a lot of ministry techniques through the Christian organization I was involved with in college. As I went out into the real world, I found that the theoretical Christian principles I learned in college did not seem to always transfer readily to the practical Christian life. Unfortunately, the training process I went through did not integrate the knowledge deeply into my character but just left most of it as head knowledge. I did not really "know" it experientially in my heart where it became life changing conviction. It got bounced around a lot in the midst of my dysfunctions. So I had all this great Christian head knowledge, but my character was filled with dysfunctions. Not good. I could reason intellectually with people, but wasn't too good at loving them through all my dysfunctions. The rubber wasn't meeting the road.
I got married to a good Christian woman, but found out although I had spiritual head knowledge, I had never truly reasoned with God at the heart level to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to properly support a marriage. I was very hesitant to venture into the emotional realm due to a dysfunctional childhood. Well, eventually this lack of emotional marital skills and fear of exploring didn't meet her perceived needs and she left me. I was an emotional wreck. I had always yearned to get my mother's approval and now the second significant woman in my life showed me her disapproval. That was devastating. She left me due to my and her dysfunctions – but as the head of the household I take responsibility (I didn't at first...but God eventually brought me there). It was through this process that God broke me. It took awhile. I fought it. At that time, for some reason He directed me to cling to my covenant – and not just “get on with my life”, as many Christian friends were telling me to do.
I have to say that it was through that clinging, that He peeled the dysfunctions and lies of the thief off my life pretty well down to the core. It was like holding on to a post for dear life in the midst of a tornado that lasted about two years as the dysfunctions were peeled off. That’s how He broke me. I cried a lot - first tears of pain and sorrow and then tears of joy as His redemption took solid root in my heart. Thank goodness. No footprints in the sand for me…just heal marks as I initially resisted and He dragged me – lovingly. At the core of this we had a BIG on-going argument for one and half years about my self worth. He told me to explore my emotions and I said no way was I going to look down there. What if I found out I was no good like I felt. What would I do then? He said I was fearfully and wonderfully made and I felt I had little worth – so we argued. I resisted by throwing every argument I had at Him, but over that year and a half He gradually convinced me that He was right and I was wrong. That’s what impressed me - He still kept coming back in spite of everything I threw at Him. It was His continually coming back that showed me how valuable I was more than any words He said. What a God! He must be serious about this thing called love – and not care that much about judging my sin (Christians seemed to care about my sin – judging and trying to fix it…but He…He just loved me – and delighted in me - which totally transformed me!). I fell in love with Him. How could you not when He peels back and exposes everything wrong in your life and still says I love and delight in you because you ARE fearfully and wonderfully made - contrary to what you may think. Awesome!
That all happened before 2001. I remember being so spiritually broken during that time that I wondered, "God, how are you ever going to use me?" Well, to my surprise, He began to draw me boldly into situations where He said your experience of being broken has given you great authority in walking others out of their dysfunctions and the lies of the thief. Now go! He took me from wimp to warrior, from victim to victor, from playing defense to offense, from seeking outward satisfaction to finding internal fulfillment, from external happiness to the joy of the Lord being my strength, from living in fear to boldly joining the battle. He met me in the midst of the muck and mire, walked with me out of it and put my feet upon a rock - the Rock of Christ. He didn't judge me, He came alongside to help and delight in me and lift me up. And based on what He got me involved with, He said, now go and walk alongside others to help them put their feet upon the rock. This was a tremendous privilege and honor. Here I was destitute - and now He has so lifted me up that I have the privilege of sharing in His vision forming in others to let them come to their fulfillment in Him. It was through this experience that He confirmed in me that my gifts were in teaching and counseling. And more important, He cloaked the gifts in love. Thank goodness!
Oh, I also have a B.S. and M.S. in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering. But I've always been a student of watching people. I have worked for myself as a consultant since 2000 and have spoken at state and national conventions. I have been a Big brother for over ten years and am on the local board of directors. I ride motorcycles, drive boats, fly airplanes. I was involved in an airplane crash and walked away from it. As the pilot, I was interviewed on television and the paper and was able to give glory to God (I was surprised they went with the God thing, but they ate it up. Great!). I figured He still has a purpose for me here. They asked in the interview what I felt about the crash. I said, "That was Tuesday's adventure with God, today is Friday's. God is sufficient either day." And, interestingly, that's exactly what I felt. It revealed further to me that He truly had put my feet on the rock above circumstances. I grew up in Chicago and now live in Brown County, Indiana in the woods. I attend a Bible believing church in Nashville, Indiana where I have had opportunity to preach, teach classes on material I developed and lead a number of small groups. I am presently involved in coaching and discipling others to peel off the lies of the thief and set them free to the fulfilling life God desires for them. It is humbling...knowing my limitations...and seeing Him work awesomely in and through me. Let's keep it that way. Don't get cocky kid!
I got married to a good Christian woman, but found out although I had spiritual head knowledge, I had never truly reasoned with God at the heart level to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to properly support a marriage. I was very hesitant to venture into the emotional realm due to a dysfunctional childhood. Well, eventually this lack of emotional marital skills and fear of exploring didn't meet her perceived needs and she left me. I was an emotional wreck. I had always yearned to get my mother's approval and now the second significant woman in my life showed me her disapproval. That was devastating. She left me due to my and her dysfunctions – but as the head of the household I take responsibility (I didn't at first...but God eventually brought me there). It was through this process that God broke me. It took awhile. I fought it. At that time, for some reason He directed me to cling to my covenant – and not just “get on with my life”, as many Christian friends were telling me to do.
I have to say that it was through that clinging, that He peeled the dysfunctions and lies of the thief off my life pretty well down to the core. It was like holding on to a post for dear life in the midst of a tornado that lasted about two years as the dysfunctions were peeled off. That’s how He broke me. I cried a lot - first tears of pain and sorrow and then tears of joy as His redemption took solid root in my heart. Thank goodness. No footprints in the sand for me…just heal marks as I initially resisted and He dragged me – lovingly. At the core of this we had a BIG on-going argument for one and half years about my self worth. He told me to explore my emotions and I said no way was I going to look down there. What if I found out I was no good like I felt. What would I do then? He said I was fearfully and wonderfully made and I felt I had little worth – so we argued. I resisted by throwing every argument I had at Him, but over that year and a half He gradually convinced me that He was right and I was wrong. That’s what impressed me - He still kept coming back in spite of everything I threw at Him. It was His continually coming back that showed me how valuable I was more than any words He said. What a God! He must be serious about this thing called love – and not care that much about judging my sin (Christians seemed to care about my sin – judging and trying to fix it…but He…He just loved me – and delighted in me - which totally transformed me!). I fell in love with Him. How could you not when He peels back and exposes everything wrong in your life and still says I love and delight in you because you ARE fearfully and wonderfully made - contrary to what you may think. Awesome!
That all happened before 2001. I remember being so spiritually broken during that time that I wondered, "God, how are you ever going to use me?" Well, to my surprise, He began to draw me boldly into situations where He said your experience of being broken has given you great authority in walking others out of their dysfunctions and the lies of the thief. Now go! He took me from wimp to warrior, from victim to victor, from playing defense to offense, from seeking outward satisfaction to finding internal fulfillment, from external happiness to the joy of the Lord being my strength, from living in fear to boldly joining the battle. He met me in the midst of the muck and mire, walked with me out of it and put my feet upon a rock - the Rock of Christ. He didn't judge me, He came alongside to help and delight in me and lift me up. And based on what He got me involved with, He said, now go and walk alongside others to help them put their feet upon the rock. This was a tremendous privilege and honor. Here I was destitute - and now He has so lifted me up that I have the privilege of sharing in His vision forming in others to let them come to their fulfillment in Him. It was through this experience that He confirmed in me that my gifts were in teaching and counseling. And more important, He cloaked the gifts in love. Thank goodness!
Oh, I also have a B.S. and M.S. in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering. But I've always been a student of watching people. I have worked for myself as a consultant since 2000 and have spoken at state and national conventions. I have been a Big brother for over ten years and am on the local board of directors. I ride motorcycles, drive boats, fly airplanes. I was involved in an airplane crash and walked away from it. As the pilot, I was interviewed on television and the paper and was able to give glory to God (I was surprised they went with the God thing, but they ate it up. Great!). I figured He still has a purpose for me here. They asked in the interview what I felt about the crash. I said, "That was Tuesday's adventure with God, today is Friday's. God is sufficient either day." And, interestingly, that's exactly what I felt. It revealed further to me that He truly had put my feet on the rock above circumstances. I grew up in Chicago and now live in Brown County, Indiana in the woods. I attend a Bible believing church in Nashville, Indiana where I have had opportunity to preach, teach classes on material I developed and lead a number of small groups. I am presently involved in coaching and discipling others to peel off the lies of the thief and set them free to the fulfilling life God desires for them. It is humbling...knowing my limitations...and seeing Him work awesomely in and through me. Let's keep it that way. Don't get cocky kid!