In this devotional‑style video, M.t. Clark announces the launch of his part‑time Christian life coaching business, M.t. for Christ Christian Life Coaching LLC. He outlines the practical steps he has taken—forming an LLC, setting up banking, a website, and a booking system—while emphasizing that, unlike licensed counseling, life coaching is unregulated in New York, allowing him to integrate his Christian faith without state restrictions. Clark shares a personal testimony of overcoming addiction, depression, and anxiety through a relationship with Jesus rather than secular therapy, and recounts his failed attempt to obtain a state‑recognizable counseling degree from Liberty University. He explains why he chose the coaching path: legal freedom, theological conviction that true healing comes from God, and the desire to speak openly about faith. The video includes a biblical meditation on 1 Peter 1:3‑9, highlighting the promise of an imperishable inheritance amid trials, and a devotional excerpt from Stephen F. Alford on Acts 15 and the sacrificial love of believers. Clark details his limited service availability (Thursdays after 5 p.m.), offers pro‑bono work, and invites listeners to book consultations via his website. The session concludes with a heartfelt prayer for listeners, friends in need, and for guidance in his ministry.
Chapters
To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.com or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter. Good morning! Today's photo of what I am guessing is a Hawaiian black sand beach with aquamarine waters and a mountainous shoreline comes to us from an unknown Facebook friend who shared this spectacular scene on social media on or around April 12th, 2022. If this is your photo, update, uh, let me know and I'll update the blog after the fact. Well, it's Monday, and as that old '90s hip-hop classic from Soul II Soul says, it's back to life, back to reality. But as we begin another work week, things are decidedly different in my life. Even though I will be rushing out the door to, to my day job as per usual, a new chapter for my life has begun as I am not— I am now officially open for business as a Christian life coach. Albeit in a limited part-time capacity. Yup, the LLC is formed, M.t. for Christ Christian Life, uh, Coaching LLC. Uh, the business bank accounts are established, business PayPal is set up, uh, M.t. for Christ dot com is up with pages describing my business services with links on the blog today and even have buttons that will take you to my bookings page, uh, for, for your initial consultation. Uh, let's see. And if you wanted to support my efforts at ministry or business, there's even a page where you can make a payment or a donation, although they would be— would not be tax deductible currently. Uh, it's crazy, but the dream, uh, to be a Christian life coach has been accomplished. It will be even crazier when I have clients, but as I— but as it stands, I am really content with how things have progressed to this point in my life. Saturday I testified about my frustrations of trying to find my purpose in God's kingdom since becoming born again and how the role of pastor just doesn't seem to be in the cards. And today, before I present on what a mental health coach is, as it will be one of the services I provide, uh, as a Christian life coach, and it really deserves some explanation I wanted to complete my testimony regarding how the two obvious paths for my future in Christ as a pastor or as a Christian counselor seemed to split in three paths this year. Three paths this year. This path less traveled is that of a Christian life coach, and although it's a path that is by far less clear, I believe that it will be the one that makes all the difference in my life and was the one that was suited perfectly for me. But before we go running into the wilderness of Christian life coaching and describing the goals— describing the role of a mental health coach— I want to stay at the crossroads one last time before moving ahead to take one last look, taking one last look at the path that would have led to me becoming a licensed Christian counselor. So why do I phrase it like that? Why a licensed Christian counselor? I make that distinction because the state I live in, the Empire State, New York, more or less makes it illegal for anyone to call themselves a counselor without a license. Anyone. Uh, thus you will not be hearing about me counseling anyone. I'm a coach, so drop and give me 20. Uh, but seriously, Beyond the legality in my state, the decision to be a Christian life coach instead of a licensed counselor has a lot more to do with the term Christian than it does with licensed or counselor, really, because not only do I not concern myself with being approved and recognized by the state as a counselor, I also do not necessarily want to be identified by, by some form of psychological therapy. I am first and foremost a Christian. And the tremendous freedom and victory that I have experienced in my life was not the result of what the government did or from what I learned in my psychology classes at SUNY Oswego. My change from someone who struggled with addiction to drugs, alcohol, and sex, and who suffered from anger, depression, and anxiety was not due to a government— government programs or psychological theories. My freedom and joy came from the Lord, and it was through a deep personal relationship to God, the study of his word, and applying his wisdom to my life that I have been transformed. And as much as I want to help those who suffer from mental health problems like I did, uh, I know that to do so from a secularly approved psychological standpoint is, is like trying to win a boxing match without being allowed to throw any punches. Sure, Psychological therapies may offer ways to cope or manage pain, but they don't have any real power behind them to defeat the affliction or to bring healing and freedom. The power to heal and to be free comes from God. When we think we are wise in our own sight because of the methods or therapies we know, we are acting independently of Him. However, I have to admit that I was ready to play ball. I I was ready to go out and get one more degree from an accredited Christian school, Liberty University, to get a doctorate in pastoral counseling that would hopefully meet the criteria of the state to get licensed. So earlier this year, this year, with dreams of one day being called Dr. Clark, I applied to Liberty and waited for the journey to begin. But Liberty Being an accredited school, Coylee but eventually definitively stated that they wouldn't recognize my master's degree in Christian counseling from Vision Christian Bible College and Seminary because although they are a member of the International Association of Bible Colleges and Seminaries for accountability and accreditation, they are not accredited with the federal government. So in essence, Liberty's rejection meant I would have to pursue a second master's degree in some course of study from them or a secular school to obtain a degree that would be recognized and allowed me to be licensed. So why go to Liberty at all? I could just get a master's degree in social work and get licensed. And I even entertained that idea until I saw that a part of those programs required an internship where I would basically have to work for a mental health agency for a couple days a week. In order to jump through all the hoops necessary to be a licensed counselor in New York. Something I haven't ruled out completely because I try to never say never, but something that seems highly unlikely at this point. I was working part-time, uh, for mental health as a psychiatric technician for Columbia Green's Mobile Crisis Assessment Team a couple years ago, but I eventually moved on because I saw that I wasn't really able to tell anyone the things they needed to overcome their mental health problems. I couldn't talk about my faith to the extent I wanted to, and so I stopped picking up shifts when I saw that the clients we were serving were chronic and really beyond any hope of healing without Christ. So rather than upsetting anyone with my faith or myself becoming more— further disillusioned I left. So as I pondered my future with, with the Liberty rejection, I didn't know what to do until I heard about mental health coaching and pondered the idea of being a Christian life coach. Life coaching is unregulated by the state of New York. You don't need a license to practice. You don't have to censor yourself when you practice as a Christian life coach. So I had to think outside the box for my future, and the more I considered being a Christian life coach, the more I realized that this was the path that was meant for me. As a Christian life coach, I don't have to wait for someone to call me up or to have me— or for me to jump ship into a denominational church like I would have— and like I would if I wanted to be a pastor. And I don't have to go back to school to get some state secularly approved degree to get a license to practice. I can just be who I am, a Christian who can show people the way to a relationship with God that will lead them to experience the freedom and victory that only he can make happen in their lives. So my course is set. Not a pastor and not a counselor. I will be a Christian life coach because really, that's who I already am. And just like my walk of faith has been a path less traveled, I'm comfortable to set out in the wilderness by being a Christian life coach because I know the Lord will be with me. Today's Bible verses come to us from the Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling by John G. Kruis. Today's— this morning's meditation verses come from the section on death and eternal life. And today's passage of scripture is 1 Peter 1:3-9. And the word of God says: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while it if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it, though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have, have not seen him, you love him. Though you have not now seen him, you believe in him. You do not now see him. You believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Today's verses fall under the 23rd point of our Counseling Reference Guide resource section on death and eternal life, and that 23rd point is: Christians are guaranteed an inheritance that can never be destroyed. Today's verses tell us that we will experience various trials and be tested, but if we stay in the faith, we believe and continue to follow Jesus, we will one day receive our imperishable inheritance, eternal life. Short on time— I am short on time this morning, and the word is enough. So enjoy the hope you have in Christ and the precious promises that are guaranteed through him. As always, we invite you to go to mtforchrist.com where we We always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament by Stephen F. Alford. Um, and in Alford's devotionals, um, he prompts us to read a chapter of scripture. Today's chapter is Acts 15, and, um, from Acts 15 he shares a portion of verse 26 which says, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Stephen Alford writes, another scripture which comes to my mind is, they did not love their lives to the death, Revelation 12:11. And he writes, what a compelling love for their Lord these men must have had, ready to be offered at any moment, ready to suffer dangers, persecutions, or poverty, yet Yes, they were that had risked their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ himself said, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." It is the love that is ready for sacrifice, even if it is the sacrifice of life. And Alfred ends with the prayer, O Lord, Give me this love for you that come what may, I may be faithful to you. Amen. Yeah, come what may, we'll be faithful to the Lord. And, um, yeah, so that's what we're doing. We're stepping out in faith. We stepped out in faith and established a Christian life coaching practice, um, because the Lord's led us to do so. Um, and we'll see how it goes. Um, granted, it was a small step of faith. I haven't you know, I didn't risk poverty by quitting my day job, but I did want to establish my— the path for the future and to give me a purpose. And I'm really excited by it. I was really blessed yesterday when I realized, hey, guess what, you're more or less done. You're there. I mean, there will probably always be more to do for the kingdom and for my bit— the business as a Christian life coach, but You know, we, we did what we needed to do, um, you know, and there'll be more to do in days ahead, but, uh, we're there. If somebody wants to sign up and get a consultation today, they could do so. Um, I would meet with you on Thursday to talk about possibly coaching you in whatever manner, you know, we deem necessary. My, my availability right now is extremely limited, as Thursdays would really be the only day of the week I'd be able to work, Thursday afternoons after 5. So I appreciate your understanding. I have a busy, busy ministry schedule that keeps me— that'll keep me busy really for the next month, Monday through Wednesday. And I'm doing a continual ministry at my church on Wednesday nights. I'll only have a short break for a few weeks in the summer. But you know, that's okay. I don't mind. And that's, you know, pro bono work, if you will. So we do what we will for the kingdom. And I might be busy, but I'm not tired. And I love it because this is what our life is supposed to be about— pointing to Jesus and serving his kingdom in whatever way we can. And I just love how the Lord has moved me. To do these things and how he's changed my life individually as I followed him. So, you know, why do I blog and podcast 6 days a week? Because God is good, and I'm going to tell everyone I can about what he'll do for your life when you put your faith in Jesus and follow him. So, uh, but as much as I've been blessed, uh, we still have to do that day job. So let's pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. Lord, we, uh, thank you for anyone who's listening or reading today's message. Lord, we pray for you to come beside them and their prayer request and their walk of faith. And, um, we pray for you to bless them, uh, and bless their prayer request. Lord, there's a lot of friends who are suffering currently. You know who we prayed for this morning. We asked for you Lift them up today and help them. And Lord, while you're at it, we're praying for you to help us too. We pray for you to go before us today, open our eyes to the things you want us to see, and lead us in the way we should go. Because all we want to do is represent you in your kingdom, Lord, and we need as much help as that— with that as possible. And we're praying for your help. Um, today for sure. Lord, so we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
