Elizabeth Mourer’s Christian Coaching Ministry Story

Learning Who God Says I Am

It took me decades to understand that God defines who I am.

I am a Christian, a child of God, a daughter of the King, an heir of His promises, and someone deeply loved by my holy Creator.

That truth was not always easy for me to receive. For many years, my identity was shaped by pain, disappointment, difficult relationships, and the many ways I tried to find peace outside of God.

I am now an oncology registered nurse, a mother of three, and a grandmother of seven blessings. I have also completed Christian coaching preparation and continue serving in several areas of ministry.

Every role God has given me is part of a larger story of restoration.

A Childhood Desire to Please Jesus

My Grandma Connie taught me to love Jesus with my whole heart and soul.

Because of her influence, I grew up wanting to please Him. Faith became a source of comfort and stability during a childhood affected by dysfunction.

I knew about the love of Jesus, and I wanted to follow Him. Yet the wounds and circumstances of my early life left me vulnerable to choices that eventually drew me away from the faith that had once sustained me.

Choosing a Path of Escape

After high school, I chose what I believed would be a path of escape.

I married the first man who promised to save me from my difficult childhood situation. I was seeking security and relief, but I looked to another person to provide what only God could ultimately give.

During that marriage, I was blessed with three amazing children. They remain precious gifts from God and an important part of my life.

Despite those blessings, I turned away from the Lord. I felt abandoned by the faith that had helped me maintain hope and sanity as a child.

Thirty Years of Spiritual Wandering

For approximately 30 years, I wandered through what felt like a desert of darkness and pain.

I searched for peace in many different places. I explored other religions, art, crafts, homesteading, knowledge, and the approval of other people.

I believed that if I learned enough, created enough, served enough, or pleased enough people, I might finally feel whole.

None of those pursuits could provide the lasting peace I needed. The living water of God could not be replaced by dry wells.

Outwardly, I continued functioning and caring for my family. Inwardly, however, I remained spiritually thirsty and disconnected from the One who had loved me from the beginning.

Falling to My Knees

In 2011, my husband of 30 years left me.

The end of the marriage brought deep grief and forced me to confront how much of my identity and security had been placed in circumstances that could not sustain me.

I fell to my knees and begged God to come back into my heart.

In reality, God had never stopped calling me. I was the one who had wandered away. When I turned toward Him, He began changing everything.

God Began Remaking My Life

God took my mess and began turning it into His message.

I started a new walk with Him by studying His Word and reading the Bible completely through twice.

The more I read, the more I wanted to understand. Scripture revealed the character of God, corrected my assumptions, and gave me a new foundation for life.

I also completed Bible basics courses through Christian Leaders Institute. The online training gave me a structured way to deepen my knowledge and continue growing in faith.

Changing the Way I Lived

My renewed relationship with God began affecting my daily choices.

I attended church every Sunday, watched Christian programming, studied regularly, and changed the way I lived.

These changes were not accepted by everyone around me. I lost relationships with friends and family members who disapproved of the person God was shaping me to become.

That loss was painful, but it also revealed how necessary it was for my identity to rest in Christ rather than in the approval of others.

God was sculpting a new life, and I needed to trust His work even when the process cost me familiar relationships.

Discovering the Difference Between Works and Faith

By 2016, I thought I had arrived spiritually.

I was studying, attending church, changing my behavior, and completing activities that appeared faithful.

Yet much of my effort was still driven by works rather than faith. I was trying to prove myself through what I did rather than resting in the grace and strength of God.

Then the floor fell out from beneath me.

Illness, Surgery, and Loss

I became seriously ill and needed surgery and ongoing medical treatment during the following year.

I also lost my job and my living situation. The parts of life I had relied upon for independence and stability were suddenly gone.

I felt helpless and unable to repair everything by myself.

That season showed me that surrender is different from simply working harder. I could not earn my way out of the situation or control every outcome.

I had to give myself completely to God.

Allowing God to Mold Me

I began allowing God to shape me into the person He wanted me to become.

I spent a year without television and immersed myself in Scripture. Removing distractions gave me more time to listen, pray, study, and confront the areas of my life that still needed healing.

I also participated in Christ-centered therapy. That support helped me process painful experiences, recognize unhealthy patterns, and continue moving toward emotional and spiritual wholeness.

Faith and wise support worked together. God used His Word, prayer, Christian community, and professional care to help me grow.

Carried by God

During that difficult season, God carried me the entire way.

He eventually provided a new job, stable housing, a church family, and a godly husband.

Each provision reminded me that restoration was not the result of my own strength. God was opening doors, sustaining me, and rebuilding the life I had surrendered to Him.

The hardships did not disappear from my story, but they no longer stood as evidence of abandonment. They became places where I experienced God’s presence and faithfulness.

Hearing God’s Call to Ministry

As I continued growing, I clearly sensed my Master saying, “Gather My sheep. I will save you from the wolves.”

God placed those words upon my heart repeatedly until I was willing to listen.

I understood that He had given me a mandate to serve. The more responsibility He entrusted to me, the more responsible I became for living according to His Word in both example and speech.

Ministry was not merely a position I wanted. It was a calling to serve, teach, encourage, protect, and demonstrate the love of Christ.

Completing My Ministry Education

I completed a Bachelor of Divinity degree through Christian Leaders College.

I also pursued several ministry certification courses that I believed would help prepare me for the different forms of service God was placing before me.

Ministry education gave me a deeper understanding of Scripture, theology, pastoral care, leadership, and practical service.

The education did not replace dependence upon God. Instead, it helped me become a more responsible steward of the calling He had given me.

Growing into a Pastoral Role

I became a Licensed Ministerial Candidate at Harvest FM Church.

There, I have the opportunity to participate in community outreach programs while continuing to grow into my pastoral role.

Outreach allows me to meet people where they are, listen to their needs, offer encouragement, and demonstrate the love of Christ through practical service.

I continue learning through every person I serve. Ministry constantly reminds me that we do not simply bring truth to others; God also uses relationships and service to teach and shape us.

Building an Online Ministry

I am also beginning an online ministry to share God’s Word with a generation that is increasingly connected through technology.

Some people are comfortable searching for spiritual answers online but may hesitate to walk into a church or ask for help face to face.

Digital ministry can create an initial point of connection for people who feel isolated, uncertain, or spiritually curious.

My goal is to use online tools responsibly to teach Scripture, encourage spiritual growth, and help people recognize that Christian community is available to them.

Serving Through Christian Leaders Alliance

I am a founding member of the Christian Leaders Alliance Global Ministers Commission.

This opportunity allows me to participate in a wider ministry movement focused on equipping Christian leaders and supporting recognized clergy throughout the world.

I also volunteer with Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders College through the MM CLI News Response Team and as a YouTube correspondent.

Through these roles, I encourage others to grow in Christ and help spread His love through digital communication.

Serving as a Parish Nurse

My nursing experience has also become part of my ministry calling.

I am a Certified Parish Nurse through the Western New York branch of Parish Nurse Ministry.

Parish nursing brings together healthcare knowledge, spiritual care, education, encouragement, and support for individuals and families.

This form of ministry serves people from many religious and cultural backgrounds while recognizing that physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual concerns often affect one another.

My years as an oncology nurse have taught me the importance of presence, compassion, careful listening, and walking alongside people during seasons of fear and uncertainty.

Supporting Global Ministry

I also serve as a prayer partner with Wycliffe Bible Translators International.

This role allows me to support the work of bringing Scripture to people in languages they can understand.

Prayer is not a secondary ministry. It is a meaningful way to participate in the work God is doing across cultures and nations.

I also volunteer with Compassion International and sponsor a young child in East Indonesia.

We remain connected through letters and photographs. This relationship reminds me that Christian service can cross geographical and cultural boundaries.

Serving Through Operation Christmas Child

I volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child as a regional logistical coordinator.

This role involves practical organization that supports the delivery of gifts and gospel opportunities to children throughout the world.

Behind every visible ministry effort are people serving through administration, transportation, planning, communication, and countless other tasks.

God can use both public and behind-the-scenes service to advance His purposes.

Ordained as an Officiant Minister

I have also received ordination recognition as an Officiant Minister.

This preparation allows me to serve people during important covenant and ceremonial moments in their lives.

Whether serving through weddings, pastoral ministry, nursing, outreach, digital communication, prayer, or volunteer coordination, my desire is to represent Christ with love, truth, humility, and grace.

Prepared for Christian Coaching Ministry

Christian coaching training has added another valuable dimension to my ministry preparation.

Coaching provides a structured way to listen, ask thoughtful questions, help people clarify their goals, and encourage them as they pursue faithful action.

Christian coaching recognizes that growth is not only about achieving external success. It also involves character, relationships, spiritual maturity, calling, stewardship, and alignment with biblical truth.

My experience in nursing, pastoral ministry, outreach, and Christian service has taught me that people often need a safe place to process their next steps.

Coaching can provide that space while respecting appropriate boundaries and recognizing when someone needs pastoral care, counseling, healthcare, or another specialized form of support.

Those who sense a similar calling to encourage and guide others can explore the Life Coach Ordination pathway through the Christian Leaders Alliance.

Bringing My Ministry Roles Together

I am looking for ways to bring together all the areas of ministry God has entrusted to me.

Nursing has taught me compassionate care. Pastoral preparation has strengthened my biblical foundation. Outreach has helped me meet people in their everyday circumstances.

Digital ministry gives me opportunities to reach people who may not connect through traditional church settings.

Global volunteer work reminds me that the body of Christ reaches across nations and cultures.

Christian coaching offers practical tools for helping people identify goals, overcome obstacles, and move forward with greater clarity.

God can weave these different roles together according to the purpose He planned from the beginning.

Waiting Faithfully for the Master

By God’s grace, I have been saved.

Because of His grace, I continue learning how to do His will, share the gospel, and serve the people He places before me.

My deepest desire is to serve God faithfully.

I want to be ready when He calls, willing when He sends, and obedient in the responsibilities He has given me.

Looking Toward Eternity

I eagerly look forward to the day when I will be eternally with the Lord, our Creator and our All-in-All.

Until that day, I want to continue serving through every opportunity He provides.

My story includes wandering, loss, illness, restoration, education, ministry, and renewed purpose.

God has used every chapter to remind me that He is still the Potter and that I remain in His hands.

Continuing to Serve with Gratitude

I remain grateful for Christian Leaders Institute, Christian Leaders College, the Christian Leaders Alliance, my church family, and every person God has used in my journey.

My education and ministry recognition have helped me serve with greater knowledge, accountability, and confidence.

I will continue volunteering wherever I am needed, learning from God’s Word, encouraging others, and seeking to reflect the love of Christ.

May God’s blessings be upon each of you.