Deeper Still Mission

“Coaching is helping people to learn instead of teaching them.”

John Whitmore

How it Started For me

October 2023-

We were in the midst of many life transitions – newly married, moved across the world, then again across the states, in the middle of a Sabbatical, not knowing what our next ‘thing’ was going to be as a new family unit.

I was personally in a really hard place mentally and emotionally after leaving New Zealand. It felt like a door that was closed before I was ready for it and something that came unexpected, at the time. I was tired and so many things were new. I was trying to figure out what I was being called into, while also taking the time to rest and recover from hard work in years of ministry. As I was processing all of this with a dear friend that walked alongside of me for my time in New Zealand, she encouraged me and mentioned life coaching and that she could see that being something I would be really good at. Holy Spirit, is that you? I felt Him tugging at my heart, Anika, there is deeper still for you to walk in this ministry and calling. I am not done with you yet.

This felt like such a cool God moment where He brought language to a seed that was already planted in my heart. Before this moment I had been processing my desires to walk alongside people through hard transition seasons, and too see people supported and encouraged through those times. I also had a huge heart for YWAM staff and making sure they were well taken care of during their years of serving. And of course my heart was so invested in DTS students from my years of leading in the DTS that I also had these desires to see students flourish in whatever environment they entered after DTS.

I started looking into becoming a certified life coach, and thought, I could use this to bring more training and staff development to YWAM bases. I could use this to help YWAMers through transitions and to thrive in whatever season they are in. This is going to be really important.

Fast Forward Three Months

January 2024-

Isaiah and I were planning on doing the DBS (Discipleship Bible School) at YWAM North Cascades in April, so in January we visited the campus that was only 20 minutes from where we were living – to check it out and meet the staff. During our conversation, my desire to become a coach came up and Jonathan was like, “Oh! We have a life coach on base that runs coaching programs…. hold on let me go get her!” So then I got talking with Sarah and so much of what God had been storing up in me started to come to life. The picture was becoming clearer.

Sarah has been developing a coaching initiative within YWAM and the DTS for the past few years and has been praying for someone to come alongside her to help further the work and impact we can have in the students lives, globally. Over this time she has created a few different ways to bring coaching to YWAM bases: the LCD, a one-week seminar to train staff in basic coaching skills; the LCG, a three-month certification course to go deeper into coaching skill and create “student journey guides” that would become coaches for DTS students; and the LCC, a third level course to help those student journey guides continue in their learning to become fully certified by the ICF (International Coaching Federation – which is recognized worldwide). This was exactly what God had put on my heart, and He brought me directly to the person who has already laid the groundwork and who was needing a second person to come alongside her!

This has been very cool to witness how He has been leading us both individually and together and so exciting that I can come alongside Sarah and continue in the work that God has for us. It is also amazing to see that there is interest and desire for coaches popping up ALL OVER YWAM internationally, and we get to be a part of seeing more people trained to do this!

What is coaching in the dTS?

At YWAM NC, we coach every DTS student that come through our programs. This means meeting with them 4 times during their DTS, and connecting with them 3 times after they graduate. We have seen the impact of coaching and that students who have a plan for their next steps end up much healthier through the transition and re-entry. I also believe that having a person that is checking in with them through their entire DTS journey AND three months after helps with the continuity of relationship and support. There is someone routing for their success who believes in them, and it doesn’t just stop once they graduate!

During our coaching sessions with each student, they get to explore any topic they want to, set goals, and make actionable plans for the things that they want to do. Coaching is all about helping someone find their own internal motivation. It’s not about telling someone what their best course of action will be, or making them feel like they should be doing something, or even giving advice or saying this is what worked for me in the past. It’s about uncovering the potential and desires that are already within them. It’s about seeing where God is at work and where there is fertile soil in their life. And then helping them explore that through good question asking and curiosity. We have seen students become so unlocked in their thinking and exploration simply through our belief in them and our belief that God speaks to them and that He will lead them. It is such a fun process and so rewarding to see students come alive about what they were made for and figuring out how they can accomplish the things they deeply desire to do.

What is my role / what am i doing?

In June 2024, I started the LCG course to become a certified “student journey guide” meaning that I am trained to coach DTS students. During our parental leave I took on a few administrative responsibilities to help Sarah have more space to continue developing curriculum and programs that we can offer! We also spend lots of time dreaming, exploring, and creating goals for ourselves with all we want to see established globally – sound familiar?

In September 2024, I took started coaching my first two DTS students. Since they are now on outreach, we will finish our 4th coaching session in a few weeks when they return, and then I will keep coaching them for the three months after they graduate. I am so excited to see what they decide to do and it has been really fun to keep practicing skills and growing as a coach.

In November 2024, we took a trip to YWAM Kona with Sarah to meet up with a group of people there that are creating space at the campus for students to discover what they are called to do and what next steps to take. We had lots of dreaming and prayer times together where we would consider what coaching looks like in that space. We hope to continue connecting with this base and seeing how God might use coaching there to help students make plans for their next steps, whether that is continuing in their education, going into full time missions, going into the workplace, etc.

January 2025, we welcomed a new DTS group which I had the honor of introducing coaching to. I will be coaching 5 new students over the next 9 months. It will be stretching and so fun! I am really excited to see how unique each session will be with the different students, and how God will lead each one.

February 2025, I will be a student in our LCC, to upskill and complete my learning hours to become certified with the ICF as a life coach. I will be able to apply for that certification once I have 100 hours of coaching, some mentor coaching completed and my portfolio all put together.

And in the midst of all of these fun new opportunities, I am also continuing in all of the coaching admin work, helping Sarah with weekly tasks, and working on things for our long-term goals. I am also going to be learning how to teach the LCD (one week seminar) to train staff and hopefully will be able to start bringing that to YWAM bases around the world! In June, I will also have some opportunities to teach on the LCG. Yay!

So many amazing opportunities and so many fingerprints of God in my life. It feels like as I hit my 30s (shocker), this has become a more clearer picture of part of my calling as a “mother to the nations” and “being a place for young people to be trained and sent out.” I am excited to continue in my own learning, to start teaching, and to continue the exciting journey of coaching!