The Courage Coalition

Today, as I celebrate my 50th birthday, I’m reflecting on the one lesson that has changed my life more than any other: Courage doesn’t come when the fear goes away. It comes when we choose to move forward with the fear. Growth isn’t meant to be easy. It isn’t meant to feel comfortable. Growth demands that we step into places we’ve never been, ask questions we’ve never dared to ask, and believe in...

What does it mean to truly serve? To go beyond good intentions and step into the messy, unpredictable, life-altering work of making a difference? My conversation with Kim Johnson was nothing short of transformative. Kim and her husband, Jed, didn’t just see a need—they felt it in their bones. They didn’t wait for the perfect plan, the guaranteed roadmap, or the safety of certainty. They said yes t...

Talking about money with our kids isn’t always easy—but it’s necessary. In fact, it’s one of the most impactful conversations we can have, and yet it’s the one most often avoided. If our kids don’t learn about money in the safety of our homes, they’ll learn it in the noise of culture—where more is always better, and worth is measured by labels, spending, or access. That’s not the legacy I want to...

Entrepreneurship is a wild, exhilarating ride—one that often starts with passion, purpose, and a dream. But when it comes to money, many business owners find themselves feeling lost, overwhelmed, or downright intimidated. That’s where courage comes in. In my conversation with Serena Shoup , a corporate CPA turned entrepreneur and mentor for bookkeepers, we dug into the power of financial clarity a...

What if I told you money could be easy? That might feel laughable when you’re staring down debt, stuck in survival mode, or carrying around the weight of a story that says you’re not “good with money.” But here's the truth I’ve learned through experience, not textbooks: money is not just about numbers—it's about beliefs. Most of us inherited stories around money before we ever had a payc...

Money isn’t just about dollars and cents—it’s about behavior, confidence, and the choices we make daily . In my conversation with Dawn Dahlby , we unpacked a game-changing mindset shift: money should work for you, not control you . Too often, we grip onto scarcity, afraid to spend, invest, or even look at our finances. But real financial empowerment comes when we earn from our strengths, spend fro...

It’s easy to show up when everything is working—when success feels effortless, when relationships are flowing, when the path ahead is clear. But what about the days when it’s not? The days when you feel stuck, exhausted, or like nothing is going as planned? Those are the days that define us. In those moments, we have a choice: to sit in our comfort, to retreat into what feels safe, or to take even...

Growth isn’t meant to be linear. It isn’t meant to be predictable or comfortable. And yet, so often, we resist change because we’re afraid of what it will mean for those around us—our family, our partners, our friends. What happens when you start showing up differently? When you decide that you want more, not because you’re not grateful, but because you know deep down that growth is part of who yo...

Authenticity is a word we hear often—a badge of honor, a goal, a way of being. But what does it truly mean to be authentic? Is it simply stripping away the masks we wear for the world, or is it something deeper? Lately, I’ve been sitting with this question, not just as a passing thought but as an inquiry into my own life. The idea that our identity is shaped by others' perceptions is both uns...

Two years ago, I met Jennifer Lazarus without knowing the dream that was quietly forming in her heart. Today, she is the founder of Heart Expressions Micro School , a holistic, passion-based learning environment designed to integrate mind, body, and soul into academics. What started as a silent prayer, a whisper to the universe, has become a thriving space where children learn not just subjects, b...

Money isn’t just about numbers—it’s about alignment. It’s about how we use our financial resources to reflect what truly matters to us. That’s why I talk about spending in your values so often, because when we align our money with what we believe in, we create a life that feels right, abundant, and intentional. But let’s be real—money is also one of the biggest roadblocks that stops people in thei...

This was a raw conversation with Amberly that felt more like a heart-to-heart than a formal interview. We sat down and talked—really talked—about life’s brutal challenges, the kind that leave you reeling and questioning everything. Amberly shared how she navigated a near-fatal accident, 34 grueling surgeries, and the harsh sting of loss, yet still managed to find sparks of joy in everyday moments....

Endurance. Fear. Mindset. These words have been sitting heavy on my heart lately, and today, I want to invite you to look at them differently. Because here’s the truth: our journeys are full of roadblocks—the kind that cut us off at the knees, that make us feel like we’re sinking in quicksand, that whisper, “You’re not strong enough.” But I need you to know that every single obstacle, every single...

Robin's story isn't one of overnight success. She didn’t have a tech degree or a clear roadmap, but what she did have was an unwavering commitment to learning, curiosity, and the courage to take imperfect action. From helping a friend launch a handbag business to experimenting with network marketing, Robin's entrepreneurial journey has been anything but linear. And yet, every step l...

As I approach my 50th birthday, I keep hearing the same theme among those around me: "Aging sucks." The aches, the changes in our bodies, the loss of energy—it’s all too familiar. But what if we viewed these changes not as something to fear or regret, but as an opportunity to choose a different narrative? For much of my life, I dealt with chronic pain and had to ask myself one tough ques...

Navigating our financial journeys is rarely a straight path. In a recent podcast conversation with fellow financial coach Kristin Ricupiero, we explored the twists and turns that come with managing finances in both business and life. What stood out most was our shared belief that while financial challenges can feel overwhelming, they also offer opportunities to pivot and grow. We acknowledged that...

As we step into 2025, many of us are filled with the drive to set new goals and create plans for the year ahead. However, we often forget that true growth happens not just from action but from healing. The journey of healing is complex and often uncomfortable, but it’s also where the real transformation occurs. For me, this journey has been about unraveling old stories, particularly the belief tha...

Healing often starts with vulnerability, and for my mom and me, that journey was sparked by a letter of gratitude—a thank you for the struggles, the scars, and the lessons learned along the way. For much of my life, I sat in what I didn’t receive, focusing on what was missing. But when I decided to write my mom and thank her for what she had given me, everything shifted. It wasn’t about denying th...

Love isn’t just about romance—it’s the foundation of every relationship in our lives, including the love we give ourselves and the way we show up for our community. As I reflected on my conversation with Chad about marriage and commitment, I realized that the same dedication applies to all meaningful connections. Yet, one of the biggest struggles I see—both in my own life and in the lives of other...

Marriage isn’t about finding a perfect match—it’s about creating something strong, season after season. This July, Chad and I will celebrate 30 years of marriage, and one of the most common questions we get is, How do you keep going? The truth? It’s not about keeping a perfect balance or avoiding hard times. It’s about commitment—to the person, yes, but also to the marriage itself. We’ve had to ch...

Fostering the Summit represents a passion that’s bigger than anything we’ve set out to do before. After 13 years of being foster parents and adopting four children, Chad and I recognized that the traditional route of foster care wasn’t our next calling. But we also knew that we couldn’t stay silent or inactive. We had to step forward, even if it was messy and imperfect. That’s how this dream was b...

Beth Guckenberger’s journey is a powerful example of courage—courage to trust in a greater plan, to heal from personal wounds, and to step into stories that are hard yet transformative. Her life’s work with Back2Back Ministries, an organization serving orphans and vulnerable children worldwide, is a testament to what can happen when we surrender control and allow faith to guide us, even through pa...

At a recent conference, a speaker said something that stuck with me: "Start ugly." It was a powerful reminder that we don’t have to wait for the perfect timing, resources, or plan—we just have to begin. Too often, we get caught in the cycle of achieving, checking off tasks, and moving forward without pausing to ask: What story am I leaving behind? Legacy isn’t built in grand gestures; it...

In today’s world, where we’re often bombarded with surface-level connections—quick likes, heart emojis, and passing hellos—it’s easy to lose touch with who we really are. Yet, the journey to our authentic self is not just essential—it’s transformative. This week on The Courage Coalition , I had the privilege of speaking with Sandra Coates, co-author of More Than Enough and founder of the nonprofit...

I want to lean into a concept that has profoundly shaped my life—the "33-foot jump." It’s that moment when we’re standing on the edge of everything we’ve ever known, facing the vast unknown, and we make the choice to leap. It's not about perfection, certainty, or a neatly wrapped plan; it’s about courageously stepping into something new despite the fear that comes with it. Because h...