How I Became a Coach after a Life as a Pastor

I first “heard the call” into ministry when I was 14. Unheard it at 16, and heard it again at 23. I entered a 4-year seminary after college, was ordained, and appointed to my first full-time church by the time I was 29.  It’s the only life I’d ever wanted aside from my dream of becoming a ballerina or a TV broadcaster when I was in young. 

Although I served a brief stint in Texas, most of my ministry was in Louisiana. No job reaches to the level of ideal 24/7. Not even ministry.  Nonetheless, I loved it. In the denomination in which I served, clergy (pastors, ministers,) are appointed to a church by a Bishop. The average stay at one church is 4 years, and my average was no different. 

In all but 2 of the churches, I was their first female pastor. I’m used to making waves and breaking down barriers. Besides, opening the door for women in a predominately male role added to the joy and beauty of my vocation. It also helped that I truly love people. 

A number of years ago, I started thinking about new ways to develop and grow. I’d long before learned that we all go farther, faster when we have help. I’d been to therapists over the years and knew how helpful they can be. But what I needed wasn’t a therapist. I’d also gone back to school for a doctorate in Leadership. Traditional school wasn’t what was called for, either. I’d met periodically with a mentor and participated in peer groups throughout the years. All of those had been helpful for what they were, but they weren’t what I knew I’d need truly to level up my life. All of life.

I wanted an approach that would help me grow and improve every aspect of my life. So, for the first time in my life, I hired a professional coach.

All it took was one session and I was hooked!

One session.

In fact, I turned to my husband and said, “this is what I want to do in the next.”

 Always supportive of anything I want to do, he was certainly game—though more than a little surprised. Until that moment I’d never even considered doing anything other than ministry. But like the saying goes, “when you know, you know.”

 As soon as I could, we invested in me—and I became a Certified High Performance Coach through Brendon Burchard’s science-based coaching program. One couldn’t ask for a better mentor, writer, and teacher.  

 Pursuing anything worthwhile requires effort, growth, mixing new skills with existing ones… but the results have been remarkable. I’ve loved helping clients discover their own next steps, whether it’s meant changing professions altogether, leveling up their relationships, becoming better parents, embracing hobbies, and/or finding more success and joy in their own professions. There have been engineers, musicians, physicians, CEO of a non-profit, to name a few. 

 Was I nervous about leaving the only career I’ve had? Of course. And there’s a time in my life when I might not have had the courage. (That’s another topic for another day.) But I decided a long time ago that nerves—however big-- wouldn’t stop me from doing what I knew to be the right thing.  Afterall, life is meant to be LIVED.

 Being a Coach has given me the freedom to relocate back to Texas where we’re nearer to family. Plus, it allows me to help people in ways that I never could as a pastor. In other words, it’s been and continues to be nothing but blessings.