Meet Eric: A Minster's Take On Coach Training!
Next up in our "Meet _________" series is my absolute favorite - my husband, Eric. He's been in this with me from the beginning, so I asked him a few questions.
How did you first hear about coaching?
I first heard about coaching from my wife, Cindy, who started Bridges Coaching. I must admit I did not understand it at first, and what I did not understand, I became skeptical about at first. I wanted to know how it came from a biblical foundation. Little did I know, Jesus used coaching regularly as He worked with His disciples in the Bible. I just needed to look for it!
What prompted you to take the training?Â
Because a large part of what I do in ministry involves caring for people, I was burned out. Eventually, I sought counseling help through a ministry called Care for Pastors in Orlando, Florida. My problem was that I was caring for people, but I was also carrying people. In time, the counseling and the coach training helped me let go of the ownership of a person’s problems and al...
Should I or Shouldn't I? And The Reasons That Drive Us
We all ask that question about a pile of things every day- little things, big things, present things, future things, relational things, tactical things, all. the. things.
Let's take a look.Â
Here are some common questions > Here are some common ways we reason.
Should I get a latte on the way to work? > It's been a rough week, any little extra comfort is worth it.
Should I talk to my friend about her situation? > Ah... She knows I am available if she needs me.
Should I pursue a different position? > If it's meant to be, it will come to me.
Should I finally start that project? > I'm not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze.
Should I be making any adjustments to my routine (diet, exercise, devotional patterns, joining a small group, investing more in retirement)? > I've got a lot on my plate right now, best not to upset the apple cart.
Maybe you have had some of these questions. Maybe you have reasoned some of these reasons.
The Proverbs are all about choosing well. In fact, mo...
What Is Coaching? [The Skinny and The Blunt Truth]
"What is Coaching?" I whispered to the rep from Southwestern Christian University when I was considering getting my Master's there.* I was a little embarrassed that I didn't really know.
How about you? Coaching is a buzzword and has been steadily gaining popularity since I first asked that question over 15 years ago.
Webster's primary definition for coaching is the noun version - like Cinderella's coach, or a stagecoach from the Wild West. In that case, coaching is a means to get from one place to another - like our modern-day Uber or Lyft. The second definition Webster gives is "a tutor" or "one who instructs or trains".
Here's the blunt truth. No one owns the word "coach," and it is used differently by different people. The first thing that probably comes to most people's minds is some sort of sports coach, or maybe a skills coach that trains you in a specialty area. Some nutrition and fitness coaches would fall into this definition as well. These type of coaches have their own pa...
Meet Sarah: Her Story from Coach training to Coach Trainer!
Sarah has been a part of Bridges Coaching from near the beginning. Like many, when she first looked into coaching, she thought she could help people by sharing what she was seeing. She had grown up in the faith and had considerable training, she wanted to care for others and help them grow in their faith. Â
Here's a bit of her story:
What motivated you to take coach training?Â
I took coach training because I wanted to help people. I had my ideas of what helping looked like, but those ideas got radically changed during that initial course. Turns out there is a far more effective, efficient, transformative way to help people!Â
What are a couple of things you learned that you didn’t know about coaching before your training?
The power of truly listening and the power of curiosity. For my entire life, I had underestimated how just those two things can create a space where problems get solved and creativity happens.Â
What did you love most about coach training?
Coach training didn't j...
How About You - Whatcha Working On? or Where are you investing?
Can you answer one or both of these questions?
Being grounded as a growing follower of Jesus means we are going somewhere and/or doing something. We should be able to share how we are growing personally, what God is working in us, and where we are heading professionally in our work or volunteer investments.
If I were asked these questions, I could answer wholeheartedly. I'm growing in trust and rest, working on a new book on pendulums and investing in this next chapter of Bridges Coaching.Â
There are also personal applications for these questions. We may be working on health goals, cooking proficiency, a project in our home. We may be investing in building friendships or our retirement account.
The bottom line is that when we can answer these kinds of questions without reservation, we are on a journey. We are living life intentionally and not simply letting life happen around us.Â
Unfortunately, letting life happen to us is fairly common.Â
Oh, sure, maybe people have a retirement...
Summer 2025 Cohort Important Dates, Links, and Discounts
Cindy Scott here from Bridges Coaching. Here's some important info if you are interested in coach training this summer. Please let us know if you have any questions or if we should chat!
We are excited about our upcoming summer Life Coach Certification cohort! Have you considered joining in? Should you think about it? We are starting to fill the slots and wanted to make you aware of some important dates, links, and discounts.
Though it is gaining popularity more and more "Coaching" is more than a buzzword. There is a craft to Active Listening and Asking Powerful Questions. In fact, we believe Coaching is a modern word for discipleship as we help people engage with God and His plans for them. (If you haven't looked at the website lately we have updated a bit. It has more info and I would love your feedback!)Â
If you would like to have greater impact for the kingdom of God while not taking the weight of another's journey on your shoulders, maybe it is your time for Coach Training!
H...
What Do You Want Your Middle To Look Like?
Middles are important!
They are, in essence, a type of bridge. A bridge connects one place to another. A middle does the same.
They can span the gap between one job and another, one relationship and the next, hurt and healing, an end to a beginning or a beginning to an end, and more.
Are you in a middle right now?
Most people are inn one way or another. So the question remains: What do you want your middle to look like?
Here are some options it could look like.
1) Angsty - It feels "responsible" to worry. I mean if wherever you are headed is important to you, shouldn't you be "concerned" about it.
2) Depressing - It can be overwhelming to think of how far it is to get there. The costs scream at you, "Is this really worth it?"
3) Confusing - You may not know exactly what got you into this middle, or you may not know exactly where it is that you will be when it is over.
4) Long - Usually there is not a clear deadline to the end of a middle. If you knew "it" would be over in a fe...
Celebrate With Us!?
Recently I had a dream come true!
Can I share? Bridges Coaching is just about 14 years old now and for at least half that time has employed others besides just me. (Shout out to those of you who have facilitated a peer pair!! I'd list you all but am entirely fearful I would miss someone.) Two colleagues stand out - Sarah Fulton and Michelle Pavasars have been working with me consistently for quite a few years now! Sarah facilitates the Coaching Culture Life Coach Certificaiton cohorts and Michell hosts the Next Level Coaching Training cohorts.
Earlier this year Michelle contacted me and said she was planning a trip East and wondered if we could get togehter. Michelle lives in California - so it is a real treat when I get to see her in person. This trip would be our third time including the day we met in California and one other brief brunch when her family was visiting DC.Â
Of course I said YES!!
As the time apporached I got a God-idea! What if we invited Sarah, who lives in FLorid...
2 Options Rather Than Coaching
Coaching is actually an alternative word for discipleship. The foundations of coaching call for the person being coached to wisely choose a focus and then make quality action steps to move toward that end. Sounds like using our God-given free will wisely right?
There are two other options for interacting with people.
- We can tell them what to do.
Here are a few things about “telling”. There IS a place for it! When someone is young they need to be told things. You don’t work with a child discussing the values of whether they should make a goal about crossing the road safely - you just tell them, “You have to look both ways before you cross a street.”
When a believer is young, they need to be told/taught things. They need to learn about what it means to walk out your faith, the importance of having a quiet time, how to live in a God-honoring way.
But as they grow, they will come to decisions they NEED to make on their own. If we tell them what to do we are kind of stepping in bet...
The Great Commission IS Coaching?!
Matthew 28:19 is commonly referred to as the Great Commission. You know the verse,Â
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."
So - what's that got to do with Coaching?
Other versions of that verse say, "Go and make followers of all the people..."Â
What Disciples and Followers have in common is that they are not stagnant. Followers by definition take steps and the word disciple shares the same root as the word discipline.Â
Discipleship = forward movement. Being a disciple is not a one-time decision, it's a series of yes's as we connect with God and His pathway for our lives.Â
It's not easy though. Being a disciple, or follower, means being intentional about discerning and then moving toward whatever God has for us personally. It's hard sometimes.Â
While forgiveness and salvation are free to us, whatever God wants for our lives moving forward will likely involve a cost. We may need to forg
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