Genesis Coaching

I've been taking Spiritual direction. It has transformed my daily walk with God, and will undoubtedly influence my coaching. If you are new to the concept like me, Dave Olsen and Dr. Jeremy D. Sims do a great job of introducing it here.

Reviving the Ancient Practice of Spiritual Direction with Dr. Jeremy D. Sims Podcast Episode · The Ask a Theologian Podcast · 15/10/2025 · 41m

2 years ago, but my hope is the same. Jesus, a light in the darkness.
Merry Christmas.

Christmas message 2023 Thanks for following, liking, sharing, and commenting on my work all year!GCS Nation - you rock. Thanks for coming along on this wild ride.Merry ChristmasIsa...

Can I axe you a question?

"Using a dull ax requires great strength,
so sharpen the blade.
That’s the value of wisdom;
it helps you succeed."
Ecclesiastes 10:10 NLT

I've been restoring an old axe recently. It’s turned into quite a story. If you’re the “get to the point” person, who hates reading the long tale, and just wants the stupid pancake recipe, then feel free to skip to the end.
I’ve recently got into playing with fixing up axes. I was showing my son our huge double sided lumberjack axe. The old rusty one we sometimes use to chop and clear ice buildup in the back alley. I was telling him the story of how I got it as a young man, after helping a widow clear out her property after her husband died. It was left over in his emptied blacksmith shop, and she said I was welcome to keep it. I had assumed he had made it. I put a handle on it and it became another tool. But on this day, as I told the story to my son, I noticed for the first time that there were markings on the blade. It looked like faint stamped letters under the rust… curious. So I set about to do a proper job of cleaning it, and removing the rust. What I found was the word “SEGER 1”. A little research informed me that this was made in Pennsylvania by the Warren Axe & Tool co. and is likely almost 100 years old. Now I don’t expect this is some valuable antique, but it had suddenly become a little more valuable to me. It has more to its story than I had known. As I lovingly (yes that is the appropriate word) restored this old axe I could not help but wonder; who had used this over its life? What great trees had it felled before chainsaws were common? How did it come to be in this man’s workshop?
Here’s the point. ..
Your story is not over, you are worth the work. Clean off the rust, oil the handle, sharpen the blade. Honour your story, and understand that you have more to give. Seek wisdom to help you succeed. You are not alone; God is able to restore you. Will you do the work?

What your Skyrim character says about you.

I was designing lightsabers at the time, a few years ago. This was in real life. Fantastic mystical weapons that looked so cool. For many years I thought of it as a dream job, and it was. So what does someone who loves what they do, do for a hobby? I was playing Skryrim. It might have even been my first epic playthrough of the game’s storyline (there have been many). I could be anyone I wanted. My character could be tall, short, Elf, Barbarian, whatever I could imagine, and I consider my imagination to be above average. So it came as a surprise to me, the day I realized that much of the time I spent in the game, in my escapist hours of unfettered imagination… was to design and build weapons. Fantastic mystical weapons that looked so cool. So, in my imagined life after hours, my chance to be anyone I wanted to be… I was doing the very same thing as in my real life day job.
At the time I laughed. I used it as an interesting anecdote in conversations with inclined friends. But I’ve always remembered that revelation. I guess my Skyrim character at the time showed me that I was pretty happy where I was. I had no discernable desire for any other life. It’s quite a gift to feel that way, for a season, and I am grateful for it.
So what does your escapism show you? It may not be a persona in a game like Skyrim, but most of us have some kind of escapism that we indulge in from time to time. This can of course, like many things, become unhealthy when it is out of balance. But I personally believe in healthy escapism. I’m no psychologist, so rather than ask what it is you feel like you’re escaping; I’m more interested in what you have imagined your life to be with the constraints of reality removed. I fully expect you have no ready answer to that question, but what if you were to ponder that for awhile. Will you? What if a profound yet hidden insight into your desires or motivations lies within your character in Skyrim.

The cat is out of the bag! (What a curious image). I have decided to start offering coaching services again. I'm a different person than I was the last time I coached professionally, and I believe I have different things to offer now. I hope to focus on coaching pastors, and artists. I think this is because I am familiar with those callings, and most resonate with the challenges and victories of these life journeys.
I am also, more than ever choosing to be known as a Christ centered coach. It's not news to most of you, but I greatly desire to guide people on their journey toward Christ Jesus, as I continue my own journey with, and toward Him.

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Home - Genesis Coaching Discover your creativityignite your vision CoachRob Petkau I'm trained in the coactive model of coaching, coupled with 15 years of experience as a pastor and