Life and Times of The Abundant Life Coach
Aya Fubara Eneli, M.A., J.D.
Earlier this week, an acquaintance asked me, “Who coaches the coach?” A simple question; but one that I pondered carefully before I answered. Who coaches me? Why is it so important that a coach has a coach? His question conjured up images and stories of people in high places who had taken great falls because (in my opinion) they no longer sought out or heeded wise counsel. They did not submit themselves to be coached by a person or persons of wisdom.
I thought of all the times I had been too lazy, too cheap, too arrogant, too scared, to confident, too disorganized, too depressed to seek wisdom in my affairs; I crashed and burned each time. It is as a result of all the lessons learned the hard way, coupled with my desire to be the best I was called to be for Christ, that I have committed to always submitting myself to be coached by persons or persons God leads me to.
The decision to be coachable and be coached is particularly important for people who are making in a difference in the lives of others and can be lulled into sin by a false sense that their skills alone are bringing them the success they see in the lives of the people they touch. A few days ago, I had my first sessions with two clients. It was such a rewarding and honestly a heady experience. I mean, God showed up in his glory and I had an insight and clarity into their lives that was surreal. I remember hearing questions come out of my mouth and I actually looked around to see who was feeding me lines! One client was so moved that she had uncovered the source of the biggest stressor in her life, she couldn’t stop crying. I had God-bumps as Shannon Ethridge would say. Those kinds of experiences, while wonderful, can easily lead to a false sense of self. I have chosen to surround myself with people whom I have permitted to always keep me grounded.
I thank God for my coach, Dwight Bain, who is also on the faculty at Light University Online. I thank God for my parents who were my first coaches and continue to positively influence me today. I am fortunate to have mentors such as Pastor Gary Grogan who reaches out to me and makes out time to teach me and reveal biblical truths about specific situations in my life. I thank God for my training at Light University Online. I still refer to my class notes and am excited at continuing my training there. I am so blessed to have a husband who is not only a wise man of God, he is also a certified Health Coach and he often lends insights where I have blind spots.
Are you a coach? Who coaches you? Who speaks into your life and helps guide you to become more of who God wants you to be? Are you still buying into all the reasons why you don’t have and will not have a coach anytime soon? Well, ponder this: How can you lead a person where you have not been and are unwilling to go?
Of course, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the ultimate coaches. However, God often speaks to us through fellow men; consider David and Samuel, Ruth and Naomi, Joshua and Moses, Timothy and Paul, the list goes one. The greatest coaches have coaches. The most successful people work with coaches. Get a coach!
Aya Fubara Eneli is a best-selling author, Christian Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Attorney, and Life Coaching student at Light University Online. Her life’s purpose is to empower and equip people to live up to their highest potential. For more information on her seminars, coaching or to book her for your next event, visit http://www.ayaeneli.com, or e-mail her at info@ayaeneli.com.