The Differences Don’t Matter

Life Coach Christopher G. Green

Many years ago, in the early days of our community outreach, there was a particular Sunday on which our family went out to eat at one of those all-you-can-eat-smorgasbord restaurants. People from other churches, fellowships and assemblies were scattered around the room, all sitting at their tables laughing and talking.
  
Suddenly I heard the awful sound of someone gagging and choking. Children began to scream and without hesitating, I jumped up and ran over to that table across the room. When I got there, a woman leaned back in her chair, her eyes bulging and a horrible noise, like a gargle, was coming from her throat. The people at the table were yelling and the children were crying. I quickly got behind her and tried to lift her up to perform the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge whatever was stuck in her throat. My effort was futile as fear and despair began to fill my heart. 

Then, out of nowhere, a rather tall and husky young man was standing next to me and helping me to lift the woman. Once we got her to her feet, he got behind her, wrapping his arms around her, and with a couple of powerful thrust, dislodged the food. She began to breathe and burst into grateful tears. 

There are no words to describe the tears of joy that came to everyone at that table. The young man and I just shook hands. Eventually, the paramedics arrived and we all returned to our tables, gathering with our various families, where we rehearsed the event over and over again.

It occurred to me as I rejoined my family, that in that moment of crisis, that none of our differences mattered. It did not matter what church the woman attended. The young man did not stop and ask me about my religious or political beliefs. We did not ask the woman her religious or political beliefs. All that mattered was that her life was slipping away before our eyes, and we could not just stand there and watch it happen. 

I remember how my wife hugged me and told me how proud she was, and even though that did a lot for my confidence as a man, even that was not the reason for trying to help the woman. All that mattered was the saving of that life. An actual crisis changed our lives forever. It changed the very reason we’re working in the urban community today.

That day in that restaurant, it became clear that this is the way we are to see life. People are choking and dying all around us, yet those of us who have the power to change things, are spending our time fighting over our differences instead of saving the lives of those who are choking on injustice, poverty, strife and division. My wife and I work with the homeless and the unemployed, so we’re always around people who are choking on despair, disappointment, and discouragement. Wouldn't it have been ridiculous for me and the young man to have gotten into a fight with each other instead of working together to help the choking woman?

I tell you this true-life event from my life because I felt you needed to understand a little more about the Golden Rule Movement. You see, when we say we really don’t focus on the division and strife amongst people, we really mean it. We realize there are people who won’t agree with all of our religious beliefs, our core values and our strategies for connecting with people in the urban world. We won’t agree with all of theirs. But it doesn’t matter when we hear that choking sound coming from hearts and homes. 

We realize there are people groups who have had negative clashes and personal conflicts in their history with one another, but we’re working for the time to come when we can lay down the social, economic and political weapons that are pointed at one another and start responding to the choking people all around us.

I feel the same way now as I did that day when I ran over and tried to help the woman. The key was that I couldn’t do it all by myself.  I needed the help of another man, who was most likely from another religious or political background, who probably did not agree with all of my beliefs or all of my core values. We didn’t even ask each other any questions after saving the woman’s life.  It just didn’t matter.

Golden Rule Ambassador Christopher G. Green

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World Peace Ambassador, Dr. Clyde Rivers calls Life Coaches Chris and Carol Green the leading skilled experts in rebuilding, restoring and renewing hearts and homes. The Greens are certified master life coaches who founded the Fruitful Life Network, Inc. an innovative community care and coaching outreach. They are international columnist/writers with the award winning team of Dr. Clyde Rivers and iChange Nations Social Media News™.  

All I See Is Beautiful

I find it amazing how my wife, who is such a gorgeously beautiful woman, does not see what I see when I look at her. She eats right, exercises regularly, and has impeccable taste in clothing. Sometimes I walk up to her and simply say, "Hey beautiful..." 

Still, every time I say it, she blushes and blinks in complete astonishment. She has told me that I have a habit of telling her that she's beautiful when she feels like she's looking her worst.

Have you ever wondered how a husband can kiss his wife after the trauma of childbirth and tell her that she's beautiful? Isn't it funny how it can be a T-shirt and sweat pants day and a husband will tell his wife that she's pretty? There are times when everything is going wrong, the makeup is not working and the hair is not cooperating, but a husband, fiancé or boyfriend will say, "You are just so beautiful."

One day I heard Carol telling someone that now that she's getting older and battling with time, she doesn't understand why her husband keeps chasing her. I waited a while before picking up on that conversation. We were sitting on the sofa together when I told her that I heard what she said about herself. I just looked at her and said, "All I see is beautiful."

This made me realize that when true love is present, you don't focus on the flaws. You see with the eyes of love. You see who your wife truly is inside and outside. It's not just her hairstyle, but her hair is beautiful. It's not the makeup or the room lighting that makes her eyes beautiful. Even when there are tears and weariness in them, it does not take away from the reality that her eyes are beautiful.  

Then I had the most wonderful thought. If I can feel this way as a mere man about my wife, then how much more does Creator/God feel about mankind.

Unfortunately, since a lot of human to human interaction is focused upon fault finding, many people find it difficult to see differences and flaws in a healthy way. Instead of seeing the beauty in a person of another ethnicity, culture or nationality, we make pre-judgments about them. We even question their mannerisms, customs, practices and speech, comparing them to our own, through the filter of our life’s experience.

This is where I see the Golden Rule as a most vital key to help us see that which is beautiful in another person. The Golden Rule is always there to remind us that we must treat others the same way we want to be treated. We must respect another person’s culture in the same way we want them to respect our culture. If someone has customs, practices or speech that is very different from ours, we must be very careful to never assess their expressions as being inferior to our own.

This failure to see the beauty in the culture of others has been part of the root cause in our cultural and ethnic wars all over the world. 

Just think how different the world would be if a cross-cultural golden rule was embedded in hearts and homes. Children would never be told they should not play with that other child because they are different.  Instead they would learn to see the beauty.

These same children would grow up to become adults who carry the golden rule into every sphere of their lives. Even though there will be times of trauma, conflicts and disagreements, they would still possess the ability to see what is inside of others; past the external flaws and differences to declare from a genuinely golden-ruled heart, “All I See is Beautiful!”

Golden Rule Ambassador Chris Green




World Peace Ambassador, Dr. Clyde Rivers calls Chris and Carol Green the leading skilled experts in rebuilding, restoring and renewing hearts and homes. The Greens are certified master life coaches who founded the Fruitful Life Network, Inc. an innovative community care and coaching outreach. They are international columnist/writers with the award winning team of Dr. Clyde Rivers and iChange Nations Social Media News™.  

The Golden Rule in Marriage

We stood before a minister, taking those sacred wedding vows, but five months later we were beginning to feel like this was not going to work.  Our marriage was in the first stages of disintegration. No matter how sincerely we were trying to communicate, we could not connect. Words, phrases and actions said something different to one than what the other was meaning. We didn’t have the same language because we didn’t have the same words.  We didn’t even have the same alphabet.

Chris’ A was not the same as Carol’s A. Chris’ B was not the same as Carol’s B. Chris’ C was not the same as Carol’s C. If our letters were not the same, then certainly our spelling wasn’t the same. If our spelling wasn’t the same, then our words were not the same.

We had to find a way to stay connected with one another while we engaged in this process of understanding one another.

We cannot recall the exact date and time, but following another one of those frustrating and futile moments of trying to communicate, we sat down together to try to reach some agreed place from which we could deal with one another.  It was really out of desperation that we came up with an agreement.  We weren’t trying to be deep or super spiritual. We were just trying to find some common ground.

So we made a PACT and it went something like this:
“I choose to believe that no matter how you say, what you say to me, that you are not intentionally trying to hurt me. I choose to believe that no matter how you say, what you say to me, that you meant it for my good. I choose to believe that no matter how you say, what you say to me, that you love me.”

Our pact was simply the golden rule being applied to our relationship. When we made this pact, we had no idea how significant it was going to be. We just felt a new sense of peace. It was like we were finally, really married. We had slowly moved beyond the soaring emotional connections of love and advanced to a solid unconditional acceptance of one another.

We had forged the Golden Rule into our marriage. We had each said, “I will treat you the way that I want to be treated. I will trust you the way that I want to be trusted.”

We had a new security. We had tapped into a secret place from which we could begin learning one another’s alphabet; and thus begin to piece together words and sentences.  Simultaneously, we could build a stronger connection between us. It was like working on our health while working on an injury at the same time.

The golden rule has been a huge part of the foundation of our marriage for more than 35 years. For many years we have been teaching it as a healing prescription for the couples that we coach.

Sometimes our family and friends comment on our present ability to communicate in a manner that seems almost telepathic. We can just say one word or give a brief glance across a room and we are able to conduct an entire conversation in a few seconds.

This new level of communication began when a couple that had only been married for six months, in a moment of desperation, made a golden rule choice for their relationship.

Marriage Coaches Chris and Carol Green

World Peace Ambassador, Dr. Clyde Rivers calls Chris and Carol Green the leading skilled experts in rebuilding, restoring and renewing hearts and homes. The Greens are certified master life coaches who founded the Fruitful Life Network, Inc. an innovative community care and coaching outreach. They are international columnist/writers with the award winning team of Dr. Clyde Rivers and iChange Nations Social Media News™.  


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The Creative Download

Countless mornings I have awakened with all kinds of wonderful thoughts and ideas. Sometimes it’s a single idea or it might be lyrics to a new song. It’s amazing how you can wake up with fresh new thoughts. Then as you become even more awake, all those wonderful ideas fade away with the realization of the bills, the deadlines and the various struggles you may be having with the people. Then you spend the rest of the morning simply rehearsing the monotonous movie that can sometimes be your life. 

I have written 14 books and well over 100 songs. I’ve produced 70 online video channels (1100+ videos), I’m a blogger, and I write for a Global Journalist award winning team. 

How can I possibly keep my creative flow when, at the same time, were running life coaching initiatives through our NPO (Fruitful Life Network) and our business (C & C Connections, LLC).  We have the constant pressure of fundraising and seeking customers, so that our work can do more than survive, but actually thrive.  

I have learned to pay attention to the overnight download.  Those first thoughts that come to me as I wake up, are usually pure creativity. It’s as if though my brain was given a total reset while I slept. Often the thoughts have nothing to do with what I dreamed. Many times they are simply ideas, images, impressions that just come in the very first seconds and minutes when I wake up or in the early hours of the morning while the house is quiet and the sun is just peeking over the horizon. I learned, through the years, to get up and write what’s coming to me.

I don’t try to organize the thoughts. I just write them down. I don’t know if it’s going to be an article, a song, a poem, or an idea for our business. That’s not the point. I’m not trying to edit, organize or categorize. That will come later. The only thing that’s important in the moment is to get the overnight download on to paper.   

Most of our best articles, songs, or business strategies have come from last night’s download. So I encourage you to do the same. Before you let all the cares and concerns of your life drive away that creative flow that fills your first-awakening thoughts, pay attention to the download. Exercise the discipline of getting up and writing it down.    

I realize the wonderful, rapturous feeling of enjoying the last seconds of the snooze. You may want to simply roll over and go back to sleep. I’ve lost some million-dollar ideas when I did that. I always assumed I would remember it later, but it never came back.   I discovered that hidden within those downloads, were solutions to my problems. When I was actively trying to come up with a solution, many times I simply could not find it. But many of those overnight downloads had answers buried within the thoughts. It was amazing.   

Besides, it is far better to get up and continue in the creative flow, than to allow yourself to just lay there drowning in worry, fear and all the negativity that you can’t change anyway. Why waste the moment with worry, when you could have seized the creative download and released ideas that can often times, provide the solution to many of our problems.  

It may not happen every time you wake up, but when it does, it’s important that you recognize it and get up immediately to write it down. You could be on the verge of the greatest breakthrough in your life.  

They are Still Just Lost Souls

As the election draws closer and the lines of division increase, we have found ourselves privy to a wide variety of views and opinions concerning Black and Brown people in the cities of America. With their often-times violent responses to police actions, reactions from many Christians have ranged from “Shoot to kill” to “They’re just getting what they deserve.”

In this era of very low social media IQ, I won’t waste time trying to explain the negative history that has led to the explosions of violence and the eruptions of protests that we have watched on our televisions and mobile devices from the comfort of our homes and offices.

A couple of years ago, a brother in the Lord asked Chris if it was true that Blacks get stopped by police officers for no reasons. Tears filled this man's eyes when Chris told him that it was just a normal part of our lives. He was one of the few who have actually tried to understand what was happening beyond the headlines, sound-byes and the 10-second video clips of riots.

For the record, Chris grew up in the city where the Black Lives Matter movement got its launch, following the shooting of Michael Brown in the same St. Louis suburb and apartment complex where we lived as a young couple trying to make our way in the world. Although we do not agree with all of the ideologies of the movement, you need to know that in some cities in America, these terms are synonymous: KKK, Christian, Republican, Conservative, Racists. Chris' home town is such a place. Following the shooting of Michael Brown, the KKK was passing out flyers that read: Be a Good Christian Brother and Join the Klan.

Our personal history there is very, very negative. It is nearly impossible to describe what it is like to live in a city where the following words were spoken from its downtown historic courthouse: “The black man has no rights, that a white man is bound to respect.” And the spiritual powers and influences of that statement dominate all aspects of society there; be it business, education, media, government, family, law enforcement, etc.

Just last month, a black employee came in to work, in a major downtown corporate office, to find a noose hanging over his cubicle. That just happened in 2016!  So there are many pockets in America where many things have not changed since the 1960’s. So we simply cannot sit in judgment of people’s reactions, basing our verdicts solely upon our own personal experiences from our small parts of the world. 

It was the late 1980’s, when we lived in Ferguson, and police pull-overs were regularly part of life. It was frustrating. It was humiliating. Did you hear me? It was humiliating. What do you think happens to a person who has to endure constant and persistent moments of humiliation?

It's easy to judge from the outside and say,"All you have to do is just comply." But you don't know what happens to you over months and years of this type of humiliation. And somehow, you’re supposed to try to maintain your composure and not give any officer, any reason to mistake your actions as aggressive or threatening, because in all fairness, he or she does not know if you are carrying a weapon or not.

Now we fast forward thirty years and from our perspective, things are far worse for everyone. Another generation of young adults has come forth and they are not like us at all. Many of them are not optimistic and hopeful for the future like we were at that time. The systems have failed and they have been raised on a steady diet of fatalism and despair.  They have grown weary of the stories of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents. We’re the ones who were alive in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80, and 90’s; and we have passed on that history to them. 

Special note* - the phrase, “Slavery and racism was a long time ago.” - has no meaning in our communities. It wasn’t a long time ago. It was yesterday. It’s today. It’s tomorrow.

Many of our family members, since they were not necessarily Believers, could not pass on any spiritual understanding regarding the future. So we must stop expecting a Godly, biblical, or spiritual response from desperate, hurting people.

And that’s what many don’t understand or choose to ignore. The historical disconnect is REAL. There is a reason for the unrest. It’s not just a bunch of lawless, wild and out of control animals. This is a multi-generational outcry of lost and hurting souls, who are desperately searching for peace and justice. We are not condoning their methods, but we are asking for TRUE Believers to stop this ungodly reaction where there is no compassion, love, or mercy for lost souls. 

Do you see them as lost souls, or have you allowed the media and your personal prejudice to make you hardened and indifferent? 

When you blast away at what is happening in our community, you are talking about OUR people and OUR families; the same people God called us to reach with His love and power. We do not and cannot see them as a problem in society. We feel like Moses did about his people, who were under the heavy hand of Pharaoh. Our people are under the heavy hand of satan, and true followers of Christ must see it that way or else, they will become just another st of religious executioners. 

When we hear Believers say that a kid deserved to be shot because they talked back to a cop, ran from a cop, or was disrespectful to law enforcement, then I wonder if that’s the way God responded to you when you were rebellious against Him.  Did the Holy Spirit take on the role as Judge, Jury and Executioner when you lashed out against Him in your moment of hurt, anger, rage and despair?

As long as Believers see the emotional responses of people of color as merely acts of lawless rebellion, instead of an agonizing cry for help in the midst of unimaginable despair, then they are no different than the religious folks who wanted to stone (execute) the woman who was caught in adultery. 

Jesus saw a woman who was so desperate for love that she was willing to risk death, just to be with a man who was not her husband. Do you see hurting people who are willing to risk death, just to experience what it is like to have peace and justice?

Many Believers say they live by the Golden Rule; wherein we are supposed to treat others the way we want to be treated. That does not mean you wait until people of color respond to life in the same way that you do. It means just what Jesus said. In fact He actually gave Believers a new commandment under the golden rule. He said we are to love others in the same way He loved us. 

If we actually live by the Golden Rule, we will realize that we’re called to reach the lost. Why is it so easy to reach across the globe and help the less fortunate on the other side of the world, and yet remain callous and unfeeling with those who are trying to survive only a couple miles away?

After all, they are still just lost souls.

For the least of these, 

Chris and Carol Green (doctors honoris causa)



World Peace Ambassador, Dr. Clyde Rivers calls Drs. Chris and Carol Green the leading skilled experts in rebuilding, restoring and renewing hearts and homes. The Greens are certified master life coaches who founded the Fruitful Life Network, Inc. an innovative community care and coaching outreach. They are international columnist/writers with the award winning team of Dr. Clyde Rivers and iChange Nations Social Media News™.  
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Partnering With Local Shelter to Help Women Rebuild Their Lives

Pictured L to R

Chris Green, Executive Director Denise Britton,

 Board Chair La-Kita Gilmore, and Carol Green

Pennsylvania, USA ----Urban Life Coaches, Chris and Carol Green were part of a special gathering of community partners and volunteers who were acknowledged at a Recognition Reception hosted by the Shalom House Women’s Shelter.

“When I first met Chris and Carol and learned of the work that they do, I knew they could have a significant positive impact on the lives of the residents we serve at Shalom House,“ says Executive Director of the shelter, Denise Britton. 

“Without hesitation, they jumped in to begin engaging the residents and furthering the potential of turning an experience of homelessness and often hopelessness into hope and possibility. Further, they committed to helping us raise the bar of effectiveness for our staff, offering their coaching expertise (and encouragement) in regular staff training sessions. Our gratitude is unending.”

The Urban Community Ambassadors were merged into the Shelter's calendar to provide life coaching support for both the staff and residents of this special outreach situated in one of the most challenging  high-crime neighborhoods in the City of Harrisburg.

“We’re just following the Golden Rule mandate that tells us that we must treat others the way we want to be treated,” says Carol Green who leads the staff coaching sessions.

“The location of an urban community outreach should never deter you from the mission to lift all of humanity. The women and children that come to the shelter have been through incredible trauma. The Shalom House staff is to be commended for the outstanding work they do in guiding the residents to a place where they are ready to receive life coaching from us.”

Chris and Carol Green became part of the Shelter’s strategy to transition the residents out the shelter and back into everyday life. Their coaching tools proved to be vital in enhancing the resident’s life coping skills; enabling them to take confident steps toward rebuilding their families and recapturing their lives.

As the world's leading producers of CARE-Ready Life Coaches™, Chris and Carol Green teach and train community, government and education leaders, human service organizers, business visionaries, and neighborhood dreamers how to be much more effective by embracing the principles of CARE (Compassionate Accountability with Respect and Empathy) in their professional and personal lives. They LISTEN to people, LIFT people and LAUNCH people. Then they equip and empower them to do the same for others.

Many coaching, mentoring and community outreach programs employ what is known as a "deficit model" of working with people. That's where you focus on the problems (deficits) of a person, and then apply a set of pre-determined, cookie cutter steps and treatments to address their issues. The deficit-based model is what many well-meaning Helpers use, but it rarely works long-term, leaving Helpers wondering why their clients fail to break the cycles of addiction and recidivism.

However, CARE-Ready Life Coaching™ mirrors the principles found in the proven, Best Practice strategies of Strength-based, Solution-focused models. CARE-Ready life coaches are trained to connect with people in order to build a relationship/ partnership that empowers the client; thus allowing the client to discover the solutions that will work best for them.

Also, while many coaching programs focus on how to target potential high-paying affluent clients, and high-paying speaking opportunities, the Greens train, equip and empower Care-Ready Providers and Coaches™, who are willing to take on the most often overlooked people of society; those who live in under-served communities, who can least afford, but benefit the most from professional guidance.

If you want to be trained and empowered to coach or mentor with a purpose that's greater than yourself, EXPLORE THAT POSSIBILITY at http://www.CandCconnections.com/lifecoachtraining



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What is a Christian?

...And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.   ---Acts 11:26b

As most of you know, we are ministering on the front lines in Harrisburg as community life coaches. God has been using this aspect of our ministry to provide practical tools for people who are trying to rebuild their lives in the midst of great devastation. Part of that recovery process involves helping them to work through the pain of the past and begin making plans for the future.

As we have coached our clients, worked with professionals, consulted with heterosexual couples, and had impromptu conversations with a gay couple, we have been astounded by a very negative theme that has been at the core of nearly every encounter; and that has been people's understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

Before I go any further, I need to ask you to intentionally lay aside all feelings of offense and don't get defensive about what I'm about to tell you. This is more of an informal survey and an observation, but it is extremely important if we are going to be serious about reaching people today.

From what people have expressed to us, these are their definitions of the word Christian, at least according to what they all have experienced first-hand, primarily from family members, co-workers, classmates and various professionals.

Christian: Someone who abuses you physically, sexually, mentally and emotionally, and then stands in a pulpit and preaches about love.

Christian: Someone who hates Blacks, Latinos and Asians, and then preaches about love on Sunday morning.

Christian: Someone who is vindictive, cruel, unloving, and vengeful, but they attend their church every week, participating in its many activities and events.

Christian: A religious group who slaughtered the natives of this land, brought in slaves, and use big business and politics to continue to promote their way of life.

Christian: Dominating, imperialistic people who have an agenda to force everyone into their way of thinking and living.

Christian: Evangelical, right wing, conservative, Tea Party, racist, KKK, Bible quoting, hypocrites.

Christian: African American pastors who impregnate young girls in their churches, force them to get abortions, manipulate people to give money, and do nothing but grandstand in the public to draw attention to themselves.

Christian: Gullible congregants who continue to follow and support corrupt church leaders and will defend those leaders, no matter what. 

Christian: African American congregants who live out nothing that they profess. They are often the worst employees, and the most unreliable business people.

Christian: Someone who buries all of the family secrets with religious talk. They never talk about their own dirt and never explain themselves. They never answer real questions and shun anyone who is not perfect like they pretend to be.

Christian: Fake people, phony people, liars, and hypocrites.

This is just a small sampling of the type of descriptions that have invaded our conversations. Ever since God led us to the front lines of Harrisburg, we have been brought face to face with where people REALLY are in their thinking and beliefs. 

We realize there are some people who are just looking for excuses to live any way they choose, but these descriptions came up in the midst of conversations about past trauma, NOT religious debates. After many of our coaching sessions and private conversations, we could only sigh and say, "No wonder people don't come to our churches anymore."

We even found opposition to our Life Coaching because of this misconception. One young lady cancelled several appointments with us because her abusive, religious mother has the same title of Life Coach within the church she attends. So this young woman thought our coaching was going to be like her mother's coaching.  When this came out in our session we told her, "Life Coaching is not about dictating to people and doing things to try to run another person's life." She was so relieved to find out that we were not like her religious, mean, unloving, and hypocritical mother.

The challenge is quite daunting as we work past decades and centuries of a type of Christianity that was never of God. But people don't know that, so we are out there showing who Jesus (Yeshua) Christ really is. 

We encourage you to take on the challenge as well. Instead of merely proclaiming that you're a Christian, just show them the true love of Jesus.  Personally, when asked, I find myself telling people that I follow The Way, which is what this new move of God was called before Believers were given the name, Christians in the city of Antioch. 

"But this I confess to you, that according to THE WAY, which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets." ----Acts 24:14

• 
  
• I find this description disarms their prejudices and makes them a little bit more curious.

During the last century, the word Christian has developed a very different meaning. In this century, for the most part, in the understanding of many, if not most people, a Christian has very little to do with Christ. I used to get very upset with that conflicting reality, but now, I no longer fight it. We don't have time to waste, trying to change everyone's personal definition of what it means to be a Christian. 

However, we can work and live to change their understanding of Christ Himself. On the front lines of this battle, that's what we are doing with greater success every day.

For the least of these, 

Coach Chris Green 

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Chris and Carol Green Honored for Innovative Community Service

Capitol Hill, Washington, DC ---Chris and Carol Green were publicly confirmed and acknowledged for their innovative community service with Honorary Doctorates in Christian Leadership (Chris) and Humanities (Carol). The distinctions were officially conferred upon them back on February 1, 2016, by the Chief Chancellor of the United Graduate College and Seminary International (UGCSI).

However, a public acknowledgment took place tonight during a special evening of honor by iChange Nations™ at the Washington Court Hotel, United States Capitol Hill, Washington DC.

iChange Nations™ recognizes Distinguished Leaders and those who are already part of their International Alumni who are effectively changing their community and nations through their efforts.

This is a recognized Honorary Ministry Degree that was conferred in acknowledgment of 11+ years of building and implementing a new life coaching model that embraces the Best Practice principles of Participatory Teaching methods and Group Life Coaching, to produce an effective, quantifiably successful, and community-impacting outreach in south central Pennsylvania.

The Greens ventured out into the human service field in a transition that began by working on a Master Certification for Coaching and expanding their work beyond the walls of the local church. Their practicum work, for earning their certification, included 60 hours of coaching individuals, but they immediately went well beyond that by taking their coaching into an unemployment center and a women's shelter. This led to open doors for them to speak in local churches and organizations, including their home city of St. Louis, MO.

In 2002, the Greens started a business called C and C Connections, LLC, which they revived to encompass their life coaching work.

Now plans are on the table to launch a focused leadership initiative that will train and certify others in life coaching and equip them to go into and help various established community outreaches that are already working with under-served populations.

"We are honored by this acknowledgement and we appreciate the kind words that are spoken about us," says the now publicly confirmed honorees, Chris and Carol Green, "It is another key that we have been given to unlock doors that had been previously closed to us. Now we can go further in our mission to transform the lives of people."

As the world's leading producers of CARE-Ready™ Coaches, Chris and Carol Green teach and train community, government and education leaders, human service organizers, business visionaries, and neighborhood dreamers how to be much more effective by embracing the principles of CARE (Compassionate Accountability with Respect and Empathy) in their professional and personal lives. They LISTEN to people, LIFT people and LAUNCH people. Then they equip and empower them to do the same for others.

Many coaching, mentoring and community outreach programs employ what is known as a "deficit model" of working with people. That's where you focus on the problems (deficits) of a person, and then apply a set of pre-determined, cookie cutter steps and treatments to address their issues. The deficit-based model is what many well-meaning Helpers use, but it rarely works long-term, leaving Helpers wondering why their clients fail to break the cycles of addiction and recidivism.

However, CARE-Ready™ Coaching mirrors the principles found in the proven, Best Practice strategies of Strength-based, Solution-focused models. CARE-Ready coaches are trained to connect with people in order to build a relationship/ partnership that empowers the client; thus allowing the client to discover the solutions that will work best for them.

Also, while many coaching programs focus on how to target potential high-paying affluent clients, and high-paying speaking opportunities, the Greens train, equip and empower Care-Ready™ Responders and Coaches, who are willing to take on the most often overlooked people of society; those who live in under-served communities, who can least afford, but benefit the most from professional guidance.

If you want to be trained and empowered to coach or mentor with a purpose that's greater than yourself, EXPLORE THAT POSSIBILITY at https://www.candcconnections.com/life-coach-certification

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Helping Unemployed Find More Than New Jobs

Chris and Carol Green with Jack

Pennsylvania, USA ----Community Life Coaches Chris and Carol Green, have been hosting monthly workshops in the Pennsylvania Career Link’s Job Club, a state-run program offered to assist the unemployed and under employed. Invited in by the program’s Job Recruiter, these Urban Community Ambassadors were provided the privilege of hearing several successes stories at the conclusion of their latest presentation.

One particularly outstanding testimonial came from Jack who was one of many who attended the Job Club programs for more than six months and is now declaring successful employment. Jack was full of gratitude and praise for the input of the Life Coaching, which led to not only improving his interviewing skills, but a new outlook on life.

"I just had to thank you for providing your services to us at CareerLink-Harrisburg,” Jack shared with Chris and Carol Green.

“What you both have said and providing your time to speak at our Job Club Classes has been well appreciated by myself and others in Job Club. I went from feeling disparity and anger about losing/separating from my employer of 14 years, to having hope and faith for a chance at a better future in what lays ahead.”

The Green’s monthly workshop is driven by the principles of the Golden Rule, ‘Treat others the way you want to be treated.’ The presentations are rooted in the foundation that people are created in the image of God and the world needs the contribution of every life. These Life Coaches give their attendees tools and practical wisdom, which instills a greater understanding of oneself; resulting in better performances during job interviews.

“I (and others) truly value what you have spoken about through your personality assessments and relating your family's personal struggles, with what we in Job Club are/were going through,” Jack continued to expound.

“The way you relate to people is non-judgmental; critiquing without criticizing. If you offer your other services in the same caring manor,  I know people will come out feeling uplifted rather than downtrodden. I know I certainly have."

As the world's leading producers of CARE-Ready Life Coaches™, Chris and Carol Green teach and train community, government and education leaders, human service organizers, business visionaries, and neighborhood dreamers how to be much more effective by embracing the principles of CARE (Compassionate Accountability with Respect and Empathy) in their professional and personal lives. They LISTEN to people, LIFT people and LAUNCH people. Then they equip and empower them to do the same for others.

Many coaching, mentoring and community outreach programs employ what is known as a "deficit model" of working with people. That's where you focus on the problems (deficits) of a person, and then apply a set of pre-determined, cookie cutter steps and treatments to address their issues. The deficit-based model is what many well-meaning Helpers use, but it rarely works long-term, leaving Helpers wondering why their clients fail to break the cycles of addiction and recidivism.

However, CARE-Ready Life Coaching™ mirrors the principles found in the proven, Best Practice strategies of Strength-based, Solution-focused models. CARE-Ready life coaches are trained to connect with people in order to build a relationship/ partnership that empowers the client; thus allowing the client to discover the solutions that will work best for them.

Also, while many coaching programs focus on how to target potential high-paying affluent clients, and high-paying speaking opportunities, the Greens train, equip and empower Care-Ready Providers and Coaches™, who are willing to take on the most often overlooked people of society; those who live in under-served communities, who can least afford, but benefit the most from professional guidance.

If you want to be trained and empowered to coach or mentor with a purpose that's greater than yourself, EXPLORE THAT POSSIBILITY at http://www.CandCconnections.com/lifecoachtraining

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