Hello, Friends.I’m hopeful that this letter finds you well and encouraged for your future. It’s hard to believe how quickly this year is flying by, and we are continually amazed at all the opportunities Coaching: Life Matter is blessed to experience. We’ve made many new friends this year which has led me to reflect on one of the greatest friendships in my life.In the spring of 1967, my wife and I were newly married and living on the campus of Harding University in Memphis, TN. In a communications class that I was attending, I met a man named Landon Sanders. Little did I know at the time, but Landon would become the person who I reached out to more than anyone else when I needed help and guidance on how to live with joy, on how to overcome the obstacles in my life.Over the years of knowing Landon and reaching out to him for counsel and wisdom, he became not only a trusted friend, but he became a visionary for how I wanted to live my life. He was able to help me process my traumatic childhood and find hope, meaning and peace amidst personal struggles and the struggles I observed taking place in the world around me. He taught me how to find peace in the storm.In 1971, Landon began a non-profit radio program called Heartbeat, which was heard by millions over the NBC, CBS, Mutual, and Armed Forces networks, as well as on hundreds of independent local stations. With Heartbeat, Landon had a vision to reach out to suffering people who needed healing, hope and words of encouragement. It was Landon’s work with his non-profit that influenced me to start Coaching: Life Matters. Like Landon, I wanted to reach out to people all over the world and bring messages of encouragement, hope and healing.If you have been encouraged by the work and mission of Coaching: Life Matters, I think you will also be encouraged by my dear friend, Landon. (You can learn more about his life and work at Heartbeat.org.)More so, I want to encourage each of you to seek out and nurture friendships in your life that bring joy to your heart, that inspire you to live in peace no matter what life may bring your way. I know my friendship with Landon has changed my life and I wish the same kind of friendships for you.Lastly, I want to share with you some highlights from our work this year:
- January 2019: My wife Charlotte and I lead a couples retreat and were able to provide messages of hope and healing for marriage to 80 couples.
- June 2019: Charlotte and I traveled to El Salvador and spoke to families and individuals about creating peace in the home and dealing with personal trauma.
- Speaking Engagements: I spoke in Memphis and Nashville on the topic of “The 6 Most Important Questions I Have Asked in My Lifetime.”
- Prison Work: CLM completed the 5th Academy of the Wild Ones in the CivicCore Prison. This is the 5th nine-week class completed by female inmates over this last year. The joy in these ladies who graduate this program is inexpressible.
It is the most amazing experience to provide a safe and secure setting for individuals, couples and inmates to process their Core Story. One of the greatest lessons I learned from Landon is that if you provide safety, good information and time, people can figure their lives out.It is our joy and great honor to help people understand that they have immeasurable value, that they are beloved, forgiven, not alone and that they are a gift to this world. And it is through your generous support that all of this is possible!Thank you for joining us on this amazing journey. Joyfully,Terry S. Smith Photo by
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