Friday, December 29, 2023

CARE-Ready Life Coach Graduate Sworn-in to Serve as a Harrisburg Council Member

 

Lamont Jones
Lamont Jones


Harrisburg, PA --- Lamont Jones is a graduate of the CARE-Ready Life Coach Certification class from May of 2019, a community mentor, and a re-entry service provider.

See the article (BELOW) from The Burg, written by Maddie Gittens.


The last time Lamont Jones stood in a Dauphin County courtroom, he had to defend his ability to hold public office. But on Friday, in the same courthouse, he was officially sworn in as a Harrisburg City Council member.

“This isn’t about me; it’s for you guys,” Jones said to a room full of family and supporters during the ceremony. “I celebrate you for having the courage and willingness to look at me and say ‘this is the guy we want to represent us.’”

In May’s primary election, Jones became one of three Democratic nominees for council. In July, two city residents challenged his nomination petition, arguing that Jones’ past criminal convictions disqualified him from holding office. However, Judge Jeffrey Engle ruled in Jones’ favor, allowing him to remain in the November election, when he was elected to council.

On Friday, Jones shared that, just a week prior, he received a full pardon from the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons for his convictions, which dated back over 20 years.

“As we stand in yet another courtroom […] a room that has arguably taken so much from you, today you’ve gotten it all back,” said Ana White, a member of Jones’ campaign team.

According to Jones, he was aware that his previous felonies could impact his ability to run for office. But with the support of people like county District Attorney Fran Chardo, he decided to go for it.

“I wanted to challenge the law,” he said. “I broke the chain.”

At the swearing-in ceremony, which was officiated by Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Royce Morris, several community members spoke about the role that they’ve seen Jones play in the community as a mentor and re-entry service provider.

“Today, history is being made,” said Dorothy Scott, who spoke during the ceremony. “He has faced many challenges along the way. Not only did he persevere, but he lit the way for many to follow.”


Editor's Note:

Watch video of Lamont Jones' Life Coach Certification graduation presentation (May 2019)

Click HERE to watch

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

First CARE-Ready Master Life Coach Trained and Certified

Amethyst Roberson

STEP Forward Life Institute, Pennsylvania, USA: Amethyst Roberson became the first CARE-Ready Master Life Coach trained and certified through the STEP Forward Life Institute by its founders and lead instructors, Chris and Carol Green (Hon.Causa, BCMHC, CMLC).

Amethyst Roberson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). She has specialized in Christian Counseling, Life Coaching for women and couples, and in Professional development services to those in need for 20+ years. She is also a dynamic speaker and author. Now she has added to her long list of credentials by becoming a certified CARE-Ready Master Life Coach and Trainer. This means she is credentialed and qualified to train, produce and provide certifications for life coaches in her powerfully effective coaching model.

The Greens have known her for many years prior to her enrollment in the STEP Forward Certification programs; and have followed her journey to becoming a master-degree counselor, and a highly sought after therapist and practitioner in her own right. Not only did she become a certified CARE-Ready Life Coach back in the fall of 2021, but then she took on the challenge to become a certified Master Life Coach and trainer as well.

 "We are passing on the legacy of the CARE-Ready method within coaching through the training and certification of extraordinary professionals like Amethyst," Chris Green remarked enthusiastically.  "Dedicated people like her are assuring us that our CARE-Ready concepts will continue far beyond ourselves." 

The people that Amethyst will train in her new Elevate 2 Impact life coaching certification program will not only receive principles and strategies that are built upon a proven coaching model, but they will benefit from her many years of professional experience as a licensed professional counselor, certified life coach, and a cutting edge innovator who will walk them through a learning experience that will transform each of them as a person and empower each of them as a life coach. 

"We wholeheartedly endorse Amethyst Roberson as a master life coach and trainer," Carol Green said. "The investment that her students will be making to become trained and certified in her coaching model, is worth more than they can possibly imagine. With Amethyst, they will do much more than memorize material and parrot back facts and information on quizzes and exams. Through her training, they will become the person they need to be, so that they can reach their highest potential as a life coach."

Amethyst has the full support of the STEP Forward Life Institute, which provides the accreditation of her Elevate 2 Impact certification programs. She now joins with the STEP Forward Life Institute's other partnering groups and organizations that are all working in collaboration to bring a fresh and effective approach to life coaching during this critical time in our world. 

Amethyst also accepted an invitation to become a STEP Forward Life Instructor, and already has three training series embedded in the platform's online courses.



Monday, November 6, 2023

People Get Our Vote, but Only GOD Gets Our Hope


As we prepare for another round of elections, we offer no political opinions. We simply present the spiritual and moral issues that are identified in the Bible. Unfortunately, the issues and interpretations of morality, justice and equality have fallen on two different sides of the dominant political parties in America.

This dilemma causes many Believers to vote for a president who is a Democrat while others vote for Senators and Congressmen who are Republicans. Or they vote for a Republican president while others vote for Senators and Congressmen who are Democrats. This is why it’s so difficult to navigate through the political process in our country. It’s also the reason it’s so difficult to explain one’s choices to family, friends and colleagues.

I wrote the following words after Obama was elected president, and they still hold true after the elections of Trump and Biden. Here is what I wrote nearly fourteen years ago and it is incredibly amazing how it still applies to us today:

After we sent an email on the day of President Obama’s inauguration and quoted from the Bible that we are to pray for him, several pastors and leaders in this community, who opposed Obama, discontinued support and communication with this ministry and us. On the other side, friends and family who supported the new president took our email to mean that we were merely offering some form of insincere political patronizing.

We thought we were (and our intentions were) fulfilling our Pastoral leadership responsibility to bring our divided congregations together and to focus on the things that God desires to do in our nation. Our email had nothing to do with either endorsing or rejecting the President.

Here is what we sent out on January 21, 2009:

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers and intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone---for kings, and for all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Savior." ---1 Timothy 2:1-3

Make no mistake about it; yesterday (the inauguration) was a profoundly significant day. We still don’t agree with some of President Obama’s policies and agendas. Many of them conflict with Biblical teachings. However, that still doesn’t change the fact that God will use anybody to accomplish what HE wants to do in a nation.

Where did we get the idea that a political leader MUST be someone who follows all of the principles of the Bible in order for God to use that person to accomplish His purpose and plan?

Again, we're not ignoring the agenda of any particular President. We’re actually acknowledging the sovereignty of God. As flawed as we are as human beings, it’s amazing that God chooses us to do anything in this life.

God called Nebuchadnezzar His servant even though he was the emperor that destroyed Jerusalem, killed thousands of people, and carried their best and brightest into exile. God chose him to execute judgment; therefore he was God’s servant even though he wasn’t a Godly man.

Political elections are about more than trying to get a scripture-quoting, Bible-toting candidate into Office. This is about getting synchronized with what God is doing in our lifetime in America. If America is under judgment, (and many Christian leaders believe it is) then God will set the person in place that needs to be there at the time of judgment, repentance, recovery or rebuilding.

So we’re going to stay focused on the bigger picture. It doesn’t matter so much who sits in the White House, State Capitol, or sits in the Congress. It still comes down to who is sitting in the Office of MY heart.

We'll close this week's newsletter with the lyrics of a song written by a dear mentor and friend more than 40 years ago.

If you want a brand new world, you gotta have brand new people.
If you want brand new people, we've gotta have a brand new life.
If you want a brand new life, you gotta have a brand new spirit.
If you want a brand new spirit, you gotta come to Jesus Christ!
- Dr. Myles Munroe

We encourage you to cast your vote, but do not cast your cares on a human being. A potential candidate will get our votes, but only GOD gets all our confidence.

Christopher G. Green 
Fruitful Life Educator and Community Servant

Monday, October 16, 2023

Advancing from Inspiration to Manifestation of the Dream

Chris Green

You have a world-changing idea, business, initiative or vision, but where do you begin? How do you move from inspiration to manifestation? How do you launch a big dream?

We certainly had a big dream when we first arrived in the capitol city of Pennsylvania. We tried most of the popular  and highly-endorsed methods that the so-called gurus had suggested and none of them worked for us. 

We quickly learned that what works in one city doesn't work in another. What works in one region of the country or the world, doesn't work in another.

I offer what we learned in our journey.

 1. Invest in your own community. Your community has to know and believe that you really do care for them. Think globally and work locally. Begin by investing on your home front. Make a genuine effort to help strengthen what others are building.  

For us that meant collaborating with others; joining our ideas with their strategies. This was also where we discovered the validity of our ideas and vision. Please know that an idea might work in your head, but not work in the real world, with real people, in real situations. So this became our way of finding out if we had something that was legitimate and effective in real time. 

Your vision should boost their mission. We didn't actualize success through random marketing campaigns. presentations, seminars and workshops that promoted our vision, alone. We had to test our dream in the real world. 'Buy-in' to your vision will be built on tested and proven evidence within your community. 

2. Engage key community leaders. Get to know the leaders in the community, and get to know as many of them personally as possible.  You must step outside of the four walls of your world (organization, church, ministry, or familiar circles). We began attending monthly community meetings, as well as government-sponsored luncheons and non-profit fundraisers, and made great connections. 

3. Listen to your community’s concerns. This is a statement that we posted on our business website: "Build a successful business, not only by selling a dynamic product and providing great customer service, but by connecting with your local community to help solve problems."  Listen to learn what is most important to them. For instance, if youth suicide or homelessness are your community's biggest concerns, but you don't feel called to these areas, then find a way to connect what you do with the solutions. You may not work directly with youth or homeless people, but you might work with those who do.

4. Lift what's already working – Instead of making your initial focus all about the solutions you have to offer, find out about the positives in your community and celebrate those successes. Become a voice of encouragement for those who are already doing good work. 

5. Learn your community. Do you know your community’s demographics? Do you know its historical significance? Do you know its recent history? Do you know the under-served populations within your community. Study what has already been attempted to bring about change. Learn about what was successful and why. Learn about what failed and why. 

6. Less is more.  Instead of trying to set up large events, conferences and campaigns, scale back and focus on 1:1 encounters, smaller groups and high-impact invitational gatherings. It's far better to meet with 4 highly influential people in your community in a private meeting, than to host a 500-people event in a hotel that produces no momentum for you. The best way to reach the masses is not by mass media or massive events. The best way will always be by connecting with one key person at a time. Let your good reputation create a word-of-mouth buzz. 

7. Serve somewhere in your community. Build Goodwill through volunteerism. For example, we volunteer in the local high school’s annual poetry writing contest. At that time, we’re not representing our company. We’re just citizens, helping out. We don’t talk about our business or solicit for clients. Through this, we have built goodwill within the education community. 

We also volunteered our services in an employment agency for 9 months and in a women's shelter for about 10 months. If your community has to pay for your time and (untested) services, you run the risk of being viewed as just another predator. By the time they learn about your business, ideas, solutions or outreach, they should already feel and know that you care about them.

8. Prioritize. One of the mistakes we made was to spread ourselves thin by saying yes to too many people, organizations, initiatives and activities. Eventually we had to prioritize our time and efforts, and focus on the development of our team and their growth. We had to drop the weight of good ideas and run with a clear, clean and lean vision.

You probably read all of this and thought: This is going to take a very long time; and you're right. It will take a long time. The speed by which the dream will come into fruition is based on the speed by which relationships develop. You can't make it grow faster than the relationships that you build in your community. It simply won't work any other way. Remember that as ambassadors of God's Kingdom, we bring HIS ideas to the table in our communities.  However, we must embrace the Godly wisdom and steps that will get us to that table.

You are Success in Process,

Chris Green

Fruitful Life Educator and Community Servant

*Intellectual Property of Professor Christopher G. Green
Modified, and adapted from a 2017 article by Rod Edmonson




Saturday, September 16, 2023

Chris and Carol Green Endorse New Book That Unravels Shame and Rejection


We spoke today at the official launch of Lisa Kessler-Peters' new book, How I Learned to Hide: Unraveling Shame and Rejection.

She featured our written endorsement of her book as the Foreword and this is what we wrote and what we read to the audience at today's event:

"Lisa is like an instrument in the hands of a skilled surgeon, in the way she navigates the fine line between education, experience and faith. She brings forth knowledge and wisdom for those who are struggling every minute of every day in the aftermath of trauma, neglect, addictions and so many other overwhelming issues that are destroying people today.

Her sensitivity to explain clinical terms minimizes any feelings of intimidation for those who will read this, and it brings understanding and hope for those who are living with shame and rejection. In the most remarkable way, she encourages and empowers those who are walking along side of family, friends or colleagues who are still in hiding.

We highly recommend this book for people-helpers in all professions, no matter how long they have been working in their field of expertise. It’s time for all to come out of hiding, even those of us who are in the daily work to guide, coach, counsel or console others. This book must be in your library, and it must be referenced often."

Chris and Carol Green


Purchase her new book from Barnes and Noble at https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1143941609

Purchase her new book from Amazon at

https://www.amazon.com/How-Learned-Hide-Unraveling-Rejection/dp/1960007106/





Friday, September 15, 2023

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Bishop Paul T. Veney, Sr.

Minister Chris Green gives the invocation at the funeral service
held at Life Center Ministries for Bishop Paul Troy Veney Sr., 82, of Harrisburg.
September 15, 2023. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

Today, I was humbled and honored to be given the opportunity to minister the Invocation to begin a royal Home-going celebration of one the most regal and noble souls that we will ever meet in our lifetime.

Before lifting up words of prayer, I shared the following:

"Twenty years ago, in the summer of 2003, my wife and I were in the midst of a two-year preparation to plant a ministry in Harrisburg, PA. It just so happened that Bishop Paul T. Veney, Sr. was going to be traveling through our home city of St. Louis, MO. 

His daughter, Lisa was a good friend of one of the young women in our church, and this young lady, knowing that we were going to be moving to Harrisburg, contacted us to arrange a meeting with the Veneys. We shared a meal at a restaurant and this mighty man of God, without hesitation, welcomed us to Harrisburg a full year before we ever arrived.

Little did we know that God was making us part of, what I now call the Veney Thread. We’re all here today because of the way God used this great man and his family, like a thread that has connected people across ethnic, social, economic, denominational, and generational boundaries and barriers. 

Little did we know how God was going to use this great man to tie us in to, weave us in, sew us into this community the same way God used Barnabus to connect Paul with the elders of the early church.

If you look across this community, you will see the results of the Veney Thread and the powerful way that The Father has used this man to connect all of us in our various callings, appointings, anointings, giftings, and assignments in such a masterful orchestration of relationships."

Bishop Veney's legacy will be kept alive and well in our STEP Forward Life Institute through the  Bishop Paul T. Veney, Sr. Scholarship.


The Invocation:

Father God, we stand here today in the name of Jesus Christ, and we give You all the Glory for the things You have done.

When we look across this auditorium, we see the true representation of what it looks like when Your Kingdom comes and Your will is done in the hearts and lives of the countless men, women, boys and girls whose destinies have been impacted by Your servant, one Bishop Paul Veney.

We thank You for his life! We thank You for pouring out Your love upon us through his life. We heard Your voice when he spoke. We were flooded with Your wisdom when he was teaching us. We felt Your heart when he embraced us. We even experienced Your joy when he smiled and laughed with us. 

Although we didn’t always recognize it, we look back and we recall Your love when he had to correct us. And we were amazed by Your presence when he would lift his hands in worship with tears streaming down his face.

God we thank You!

And as testimonies and stories are shared throughout the remainder of this gathering, we declare that You are welcome in this place, even as we honor Your servant whom You used to show us the Father’s Heart. 

Let everything that is said and done from this point forward bring honor to Your matchless name. 

And it is in that great name that we pray, In Jesus' name; Amen.


Monday, September 11, 2023

Our Hearts Were Broken: 9/11 Anniversary Tribute

 


Our Hearts Were Broken

9/11 Anniversary Tribute (Originally Written 9/11/2011)


Ten years ago today our hearts were broken.

In horror we watched, no word could be spoken.

Time stopped, Could this be really happening?

My eyes can’t believe what I’m seeing.


Did the news flash really say what I'm hearing?

Sirens and screams in the background searing.

I cannot imagine what people are feeling.

As loved ones perish while thousands are fleeing.


Overwhelmed with grief, sickened by sorrow.

It’ll just be a nightmare when I wake up tomorrow.

How could something so evil be unleashed on the world?

Snatching the innocence of every boy and girl.


We’ll never forget the moment the second plane flew in.

The exclamation of the commentator,

"O my God, It happened again!"

And panic begin to set in as we learned

The terror plot wasn’t done,

Another plane had crashed into the Pentagon.


We’ll never forget the thoughts as we watched events unfold.

Is this the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies, foretold?

Is it just the random deed of some religious maniac?

Is it the start of world war three, is our nation under attack?


We’ll never forget the moment

When those towers came crashing down.

Our hearts were crumbling with it,

Knowing lives were being snuffed out.


I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry,

But I could only kneel down.

I prayed to God, 

In whom peace and solace could be found.


God alone can avenge the taking of innocent lives.

For the first responders who left behind

Grieving children, husbands and wives.

For the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters

Who faded away with no warning;

For the brothers and sisters

Who did not see the next day’s dawning.


It’s taken me ten years,

To put words on these thoughts.

Ten years of processing feelings

Of profound sadness and loss.


I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully express

What happened to us that day,

Except that I know we came to understand

The tears on God’s face!


For ions of time

He has watched mankind destroy one another.

He stepped in from the beginning

After one brother killed the other.


What religious view is so important

That so many lives need to be shattered?

What political agenda means so much

That nothing else matters?


America, America, 

God poured out His grace on Thee

As crying and wailing rang out 

From sea to shining sea.


Ten years ago our hearts were broken,

But I have to wonder somehow.

Where will we be within our hearts

Another ten years from now?


Chris Green, 9/11/2011



In addition, Chris Green wrote this song three days after the tragic events of 9/11/01. The lyrics are based upon the prophetic words of Jeremiah Chapter 5 (Will I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?). 


This song intends no disrespect to those who died and have suffered since that day.  However, it is a sobering message to people of Faith, that still resonates to this day.


This song is addressing the American Church and its responsibility to follow the life and mission of Jesus Christ in ministering to a nation in crisis.



Monday, September 4, 2023

STAYING IN YOUR LANE

 


STAYING IN YOUR LANE - Is one of the most valuable lessons we have learned over the last few years. For a while, in our sincere efforts to help others, we said YES to almost everybody and ventured into other lanes beyond our calling. We found ourselves involved in organizational conflict resolution, business on-boarding, and well-intentioned trainings that only triggered people who were not ready for deep inner healing. Then Chris got really sick and we have had to take a few steps back to recover from blows that came within battles that we were never meant to fight. Now we're resetting and getting back on track with the original call and commission that was given to us. That has meant prioritizing and pacing ourselves to run the race (marathon) that has been set before us. We don't mean any disrespect to anyone else, especially to those organizations and ministries that we worked with over the years. But we have to stay in our lane, and if our paths cross with those who feel they may need us, we now have the wisdom to weigh our options, assess our availability and ability, discern if it's a good thing to do versus a God thing to do, set boundaries, and do what we can, if we can. We know when to say 'no', 'not now', or 'let us think about it first'. We know for sure that our best way of helping is to stay in our lane and defer to others who might be able to serve them better.

We can no longer allow the visions and dreams of others to pull us away from the call and commission that it upon us. Our priority is to equip Believers in the region where God sent us, to do the work of ministry and service in their families and communities. God gave us one business, one school and one mission: The renovation of hearts and homes. In the words of the awesome poem by Helen Steiner Rice, we’re no longer trying to light up the whole world; we’re just going to brighten the corner where we have been placed. It's actually a beautiful thing.


Brighten the Corner Where You Are

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~


We cannot all be famous

Or be listed in “Who’s Who,”

But every person great or small

Has important work to do,


For seldom do we realize

The importance of small deeds

Or to what degree of greatness

Unnoticed kindness leads—


For it’s not the big celebrity

In a world of fame and praise,

But it’s doing unpretentiously

In undistinguished ways


The work that God assigned to us,

Unimportant as it seems,

That makes our task outstanding

And brings reality to dreams—


So do not sit and idly wish

For wider, new dimensions

Where you can put in practice

Your many “good intentions”—


But at the spot God placed you

Begin at once to do

Little things to brighten up

The lives surrounding you,


For if everybody brightened up

The spot on which they’re standing

By being more considerate

And a little less demanding,


This dark old world would very soon

Eclipse the “Evening Star”

If everybody brightened up

The corner where they are!


Thursday, August 3, 2023

Chris and Carol Green Earn Board-Certified Mental Health Coaching Credentials

Chris and Carol Green (BCMHC)
Chris and Carol Green (BCMHC)

Today, Chris and Carol Green officially became Board-Certified Mental Health Coaches (BCMHC) upon completion of the 'Dare 2 Care' Mental Health Coach - First Responder Training program administered by the American Association of Christian Counselors through Light University. 

“We've seen a lot of indifferent, cold and callous responses from many Christian leaders and their congregations regarding the mental health crisis in our country,” stated the Greens. “Many of them have been misinformed and still approach this issue from ignorance, stigma, fear, and very bad theology. Many still believe that all people need to do is just quote a scripture, say a prayer, and God will take care of the mental health issue by injecting peace into their minds. But God says through Biblical text, that His people perish because of the lack of knowledge. In this aspect of our human experience, we suffer from debilitating ignorance.

In response to this niaive mindset and theology, we just wanted to get educated, trained and empowered to address this crisis by learning from other, more knowledgeable and experienced Christian organizations and institutions who bring a balanced and holistic approach to helping individuals and families who are struggling with mental health challenges. We wanted to immerse ourselves in proper education, so that we could better understand the mental health crisis in our own families and communities."

 This rigorous training program included:

 1.) First, the completion of a 14-hour course called Foundations of Mental Health Coaching - This introductory course was designed to provide students with an orientation to the field of mental health coaching. Topics covered included the role and scope of mental health coaching within the local church, ethical guidelines and professional standards in coaching, crisis intervention techniques, and the integration of faith and biblical wisdom in coaching.

 2.) Next, the completion of a 14-hour course called Mental Health Coaching Skills -The purpose of this course was to provide students with the fundamental theories and skills of Christ-centered mental health coaching. Key elements of the coaching process, included methods of change, listening, effective communication, giving hope, operating small groups, and counseling theory.

 3.) And finally, the completion of a 14-hour course called Mental and Behavioral Health Disorders - This course introduced students to the fundamentals of mental and behavioral health disorders. Particular emphasis was placed on factors that cause mental disorders, as well as conventional treatments. Conditions discussed included addiction, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

As Board Certified Mental Health Coaches, backed by the International Board of Christian Care (IBCC), the Greens have earned a voluntary global credential that trains and charges its recipients to maintain the highest clinical, ethical and biblical standards of practice.

“We are very pleased to have earned this credential," concluded the Greens. “Now we are better prepared to assist people through our coaching business and ministry. We're also able to become a more successful connection and liaison between those who need help, and very capable mental health professionals. We are part of an army of mental health coaches that are being trained and deployed across the United States. It's a new day for those who have been suffering in silence in our families, neighborhoods, church pews, classrooms and office cubicles."

Chris and Carol Green are the creators of the CARE-Ready Life Coaching® model of inspiration, education and certification, and the founders of the STEP Forward Life Institute, an online community service preparatory platform. Through their business and school, they empower people to become the change they want to see, and to become the kind and caring light this world so desperately needs.

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Chris and Carol Green Uplift Dauphin County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children

Pennsylvania - Chris and Carol Green were the guest speakers for the Dauphin County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) monthly volunteer online meeting, at the request of its Executive Director, Will Foster.

The mission of CASA is to recruit, train, educate, and supervise dedicated volunteers to become agents of change for every abused and neglected child from Dauphin County. Through investigating, listening, and involvement in the courtroom as well as the child’s community, a Court Appointed Special Advocates will assist children to achieve their full potential.


“We understood that the CASA initiative is still relatively new,” the Greens explained. “By that we mean, its existence is dwarfed by the massive scope and infrastructure of the foster care system. We told the volunteers that like us in our early years in this community, their presence in various meetings, sessions and encounters may be seen as the new kid on the block. And even though they have an extremely important role to play, and even though they can add value to the system, the challenge is that they may experience awkward moments with social workers, case managers, parents, court officials and many others.”


The Greens offered tips and tools to help the Advocates break barriers in the human service community, based upon the training they provide in something called CARE-Readiness. Then they spoke to the online group from the topic: Three Ways You Can Start Making a Difference that Last.


They concluded the session with a Q & A/ Conversation about Pioneering, Persevering and Staying Motivated as Advocates for Children.


“I felt that our volunteers needed some encouragement and inspiration because they have a very difficult and often thankless task,” Will Foster expressed. “It was great to have speakers who understood what it takes to be effective in the field of human service. I’m very grateful for the way the Greens connected with our volunteers. Our people were fully engaged and came away from the session uplifted and motivated.”    


Thursday, July 6, 2023

Chris and Carol Green Release New eBook: Processed for Success

A catalyst and a compass for your future.

Using excerpts from their book, "Rest, Retreats, Revival and Other Comedies", Chris and Carol Green compiled and produced a scaled down 45-page publication to continue to push their 'You are Success in Process' campaign.


 





  • This 'eBook' compilation is for that person who is sick and tired of projecting a brave front while hiding their deep disappointment behind spirituality.  

  • It's for the person who is no longer looking for a typical self-help manual, filled with inspirational stories and motivational meditations. 

  • Both of these books are for that soul who is ready to challenge their core beliefs about why their life keeps going off the rails, to stop blaming 'the devil' for everything that goes wrong, and truly desires to finally break FREE from the unending cycles of dead-ends, defeat and discouragement.

  • These books aren't for everyone, but they are for those who are ready to embrace the reality that, "Your Life Matters to God."


Download your FREE eBook HERE

Thursday, June 1, 2023

109 Certified CARE-Ready Life Coaches Across 11 States


Pennsylvania, USA --- Professors Chris and Carol Green, the founders of the STEP Forward Life Institute and owners of C and C Connections, LLC, hosted their final online CARE-Ready Life Coaching®  Certification graduation ceremony for 2023, in a powerful and impactful live virtual event.

The newest CARE-Ready® Life Coaches are: Karen Renee Johnson, Christine Quinn, Danelle Wolfe and Timothy WolfeThey completed weekly coursework, submitted reflection presentations to express how they were each going to meet the challenges of implementing their unique coaching models, created personalized life coaching field manuals, and successfully passed an online exam. 

"This class was incredibly motivated, hanging in there when sessions went over the time limit," the Greens observed. "They scheduled additional office appointments with us, and quickly developed comaraderie with one another."

The online ceremony featured congratulations and encouragement from Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Coach, Amethyst Roberson (CARE-Ready graduate of Fall 2021).

"The most important thing is to be the kind of coach that people can rely on,"  exhorted Counselor and Coach Roberson, speaking virtually to the new coaches. "Discover your niche and find out who you work best with; whoever you resound with and whoever you can share your heart with, reach those people. Be the mentor you needed one year ago, or perhaps the guide that you needed when you were a child trying to navigate and comprehend the world. 

Be the life coach who is authentic and transparent, and be true to yourself. You don't have to be like the next life coach. There's so much in social media that can pull on you, but don't compare yourself to anyone else. Be who God has called you to be.

Show people that you are human and that you have weathered hard times. When people realize that you are genuine and sincere, they will be more inclined to trust you and open up to you. 

Maybe you're going to be a pit stop, maybe you're going to be a train, or maybe you're going to be a support, or maybe you're going to be just a good listener. Some of you are going to be a launching pad for someone's life."

With the successful graduation of this class, Master Life Coaches, Chris and Carol Green have now trained and launched 109 CARE-Ready Life Coaches and 38 CARE-Ready Responders, who are disbursed and embedded in 40+ organizations, businesses, agencies or ministries across 11 states including: Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Student course survey quotes included:  

"This was a fantastic experience and I did find out more about myself that I had known before. Thank you!"

"This has definitely been life changing! Care Ready Life Coaching is a hidden gem! We are so grateful that God led us to this course."

"The facilitators where very encouraging and positive. They are a power couple that know how to present and motivate a class. This has been a great experience and well worth the time and investment. I highly recommend this Life Couch Certification program for anyone with a interest to help others to reach their potential and develop in areas that can increase success in life."

The Greens, through their online institution and coaching business, partnered with United Graduate College and Seminary International (UGCSI), I Change Nations™, and Fruitful Life Network, Inc. in 2017 to offer this accelerated, ministry-accredited life coaching certification program. Their collaborative purpose and mission has always been, to equip leaders, working in under-served communities, with high-quality tools that empower them to be more effective in their humanitarian efforts. 

“Congratulations to our new CARE-Ready Life Coaches," commented Chris and Carol Green, whose coaching and consulting business has served as the organizer and facilitator of the training. "This ceremony was bitter-sweet because this will be our final live training and graduation in this format for a while. Moving forward, we will offer this program exclusively as an on-demand-video course."

However, the Greens are making plans to possibly launch an annual CARE-Ready Conference in which Coaches and Responders from all over the country can meet, network, and gain more tips and tools on how to bring the CARE-Ready mindset into their fields and industries of expertise.

"We're looking to expand into more professional development for our coaches," Chris Green explains. "So keep a watch out for more exciting breaking news with CARE-Readiness."

Editor's Note:
Watch the full online ceremony HERE

Learn more about CARE Ready Life Coaching® and its Certification Program at
https://www.candcconnections.com/life-coach-certification

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Chris and Carol Green Launch Spiritual Wellness Support Group

Fruitful Life Educators, Chris and Carol Green officially launched a Spiritual Wellness Support Group as part of their overall commitment to provide a safe space where people of faith can share their struggles in mental, emotional, physical, financial, occupational, social or spiritual health issues with others who will listen to, offer support, and pray with them. 

Their ministry, known as the Fruitful Life Learning Community, also resources participants through an online teaching platform; providing what is called FRUITFUL LIFE EDUCATION: which is practical instruction, Biblical wisdom and spiritual insight for participants to receive healing within their own hearts, and then the ability to share their extraordinary transformation with the rest of their family or friends.

“Smaller-sized gatherings don't work for everyone,” concede the Fruitful Life founders Chris and Carol Green, “but they might work for some or just a few. But this smaller percentage does not mean that these Believer's journey to healing and fulfilling their purpose does not matter. We must make room for them as well. And we have been called to dedicate our time and energy for those precious few.”

Before there was a religion called Christianity, there was a movement known as THE WAY.  Participants gathered primarily in their homes for centuries; long before religious and governmental leaders persuaded them to congregate in massive buildings. 

Chris and Carol Green launched the Fruitful Life Learning Community as an intentional effort to help people of Faith and Christian leaders return to some of the original simple lifestyles and the mission that demonstrated God's love and healing daily in hearts, homes, neighborhoods and cities.

“We know that our participants were simply looking for relationship, first,” the Greens explain.  “That's why our ministry seems to identify best with people who seek a non-traditional faith practice. Yes, we are still part of the Church-at-large, but we are connecting with those who were missed, skipped over, passed over, or they simply slipped through the cracks of congregational settings.”

The Spiritual Wellness Support Group meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM Eastern Time, on Zoom

Learn more at https://www.fruitfullifelearningcommunity.org/spiritual-wellness-support


Tuesday, April 4, 2023

CARE-Ready Life Coaching® Receives USPTO Registered Trademark Approval

Community Life Coaches, Chris and Carol Green received an official Notice of Acceptance of Statement of Use from the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO), for their nationally and internationally recognized Coaching model known as CARE-Ready Life Coaching.

"This has been a long time coming," the Greens commented. "We started this process in June of 2021. We began to recognize very soon after we implemented our new model in our local community, that we had something special. When it extended to other states, we knew we had to go through the necessary steps to protect our coaching model idea and the brand."

According to the USPTO, in accepting the Green's Statement of Use documents and verification, which were filed as part of a series of steps that eventually led to the final submissions in the trademark application process, "The mark will now register and the registration certificate will issue in due course barring any extraordinary circumstances."


The official certificate arrived today!

Celebrating CARE-Ready Life Coaching®