Cheryl Bridges stood at a crossroads she hadn’t expected.

After 31 years in corporate America, she had walked away from a successful career. She was a leader people trusted—a deaconess, a mentor, someone others came to when they needed guidance. But beneath the accomplishments, there was a persistent whisper she couldn’t shake: There’s something more.

“I kept feeling this nudge,” Cheryl remembers. “I was already helping people see their potential, but I wanted to do it in a way that honored both their humanity and their faith.”

She had the heart. She had the experience. What she didn’t have was the structure—a framework that would take her from good intentions to intentional impact.

That’s when the nudge became a clear directive: You’re already doing the work. Now get equipped to do it well.

Still, Cheryl hesitated. What if she didn’t do well? What if coaching felt too corporate, disconnected from the Kingdom work she cared about? But when she discovered PCCI’s Christ-centered foundation paired with ICF credentialing, something clicked. She wouldn’t have to separate her faith from her profession.

And then she heard the stories—graduates who weren’t just credentialed coaches, but called coaches. That sealed it.

The training surprised her from the start.

As a leader accustomed to giving answers, Cheryl discovered something counterintuitive: the power of silence. Of holding space. Of asking questions instead of solving problems.

During one practice session, her peer coach asked a question that stopped her cold: “What are you really, really afraid of, Cheryl?”

The question broke something open—a deeper layer of self-awareness she hadn’t accessed before. “It reminded me that God meets us in our honesty,” she says. And in that moment, she learned what would become her most valuable skill: trusting the process. Trusting God. Trusting herself. Trusting that her role wasn’t to rescue or direct, but to create space for discovery.

Today, Cheryl is the Founder and CEO of Bridges 2 Life Solutions, a faith-based coaching and consulting organization. She’s also the Director of the EMERGE Academy, a leadership development program for women in technology. She’s a published author. She coaches executives, ministry leaders, and everyday people seeking authenticity and balance.

One client came to her feeling “stuck”—disconnected from her purpose, unsure of her next step. Through coaching, the woman discovered something profound: she wasn’t stuck at all. She was simply “standing in a story she’d outgrown.” Cheryl challenged her to turn the page, pick up the pen, and begin a new story. She left their sessions renewed, confident, walking in alignment with her calling.

“Coaching has become both ministry and mission for me,” Cheryl reflects. “It’s how I serve and love others.”

To anyone sensing that same nudge she felt years ago, Cheryl’s message is simple: “Don’t ignore it. You don’t have to have it all figured out—just be willing to say yes. There will never be a perfect time. Coaching could be the very tool God uses to expand your influence and deepen your impact.”

Cheryl’s journey began with a nudge she couldn’t ignore—and a single conversation that helped her gain clarity about what God was calling her to do next. If you’re sensing that same stirring in your heart, let’s create space to explore it together. Schedule a complimentary, no-pressure conversation with an Academic Advisor who can help you discern your calling and discover if coaching is your next faithful step.