Kelsey Hendrix had always been the person others turned to for help. As a member care leader for missionaries in her field of service, she watched dedicated servants of God in hard-to-reach places around the world struggle in isolation and wrestle with leadership challenges.

Prior to becoming a coach “giving advice sometimes helped but frequently didn’t,” Kelsey recalls about those early days. She could see the gap clearly – these leaders needed more than quick fixes or encouraging words. They needed someone who could truly empower them to thrive, but she wasn’t sure how to bridge the geographic or emotional gap.

The breakthrough came unexpectedly. After receiving coaching herself through Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills, Kelsey experienced something she’d never felt before – the power of being truly heard and guided, rather than simply advised.

But when the idea of formal coach training surfaced, fear crept in. What would that coaching relationship actually look like? How would I need to work differently? The unknowns felt overwhelming.

Then came the moment that silenced every hesitation: “God told me to become a coach.”

Clear. Unmistakable. Undeniable.

What surprised Kelsey most during her Essentials of Coaching training wasn’t what she learned about techniques or frameworks – it was discovering who she really was.

“I learned I actually function more fully in the life coach world,” she explains. All those years focused on leadership development had been valuable, but they weren’t her sweet spot.

The breakthrough moment came when she expanded to coaching both women and men. Something clicked. Suddenly, her mindset shifted beyond to incorporate the entire body of Christ. “Now I see how God shows up and is allowed to be the center of coaching,” Kelsey reflects. “It’s not people being self-focused, but allowing transformation to be a holy process.”

Today, Kelsey runs a Coaching and Counseling Center in Tbilisi, Georgia – something she never could have envisioned five years ago. But the most beautiful part isn’t the successful practice or the clients she serves.

It’s the once-a-week donation-based sessions her center offers, ensuring anyone from the community can access coaching or counseling regardless of their financial situation.

“I feel passionate about partnering with others to change their life,” she says. The shift is profound – from someone who gave advice to someone who truly partners with others in their transformation.

But perhaps the most personal change runs deeper: “I can actually listen to someone and be inquisitive about their life, no longer just thinking inside my head.”

When Kelsey thinks about people hesitating to take the leap into coach training, her question is simple but piercing: “What would happen if you don’t go through training? Where will you be in five years?”

But then comes the hope: “If you do go through training, you might not be able to guess where you will be as God will continue to open new doors for you.”

To anyone sensing that quiet stirring, that gentle nudge toward something more, Kelsey’s words ring with the confidence of someone who chose trust over fear:

“You don’t have to be afraid of change. God is leading.”