We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amanda Byrd. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amanda below.

Amanda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

After working in the Pharmaceutical/Banking industry for years I noticed that folks were drawn to me. I would sit and listen to their stories, encourage and pray for them. One day while working in my home office I felt led to write a new vision and I did just that. This vision included Biblical Counseling and a farmhouse to work in. This meant that we would have to sell our home that we built, and I would have to resign from my job and go back to school. After much prayer and so much confirmation we sold our home and moved into a small farmhouse nearby. I volunteered for a non-profit, went back to school and later opened up my own Christian Life Coaching business. A year after I started The Porch Christian Coaching we were blessed and afforded the opportunity to use a beautiful farmhouse in the heart of our community. The process from the vision to opening the doors was about four years.

In addition to The Porch I started a non-profit called The Restored Table, a community outreach ministry where we are restoring lives through community outreach projects. We just launched in August and thus far we have hosted a Community Day with free food and fun, a clothing giveaway and worship night. We are currently planning a community Thanksgiving meal and will host a bonfire and worship night for a recovery home.

This is only scratching the surface of the great risk we took. However, each day I get to sit with someone and love them back to life it makes it all worth it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

One day my pain became my purpose, and I knew it was only because of something bigger than me.

I grew up an only child- living in a broken home with an addict father and a mother trying to hold it all together. I learned how to be a survivor, but little did I know my wounds of childhood would one day catch up with me.

I became a wife and mother myself- I focused on being what the world would call successful. At this particular time, I was working from home for a large pharmaceutical company. I began to face many obstacles related to my parents and their health. The pain I never dealt with was now staring me in the face.

This is when the trajectory of my life changed. I began going to Biblical Counseling to work on myself. The more I showed up, the more healing took place. The anger faded, and I realized I didn’t really have control of anything but myself. And, for the first time in my life, I was okay with that. I began transforming from the inside out.

During this time, I listened to many sermons and inspirational messages. One in particular really made me reflect on where I was in life and where I wanted to go. The Pastor spoke about being a vessel- he encouraged me to use what I have and let God use my story. Something happened inside of me that day. He said to write your vision- so I pulled out my journal and wrote: “God has called me to Biblical Counseling. I will be a resource to point people to the feet of Jesus. Broken will be made whole in Him. I will no longer have the job I have now….”

A couple of weeks later my personal counselor, Cathy, told me that she was moving to the coast and that God had laid me and two other ladies on her heart to keep the ministry going. I pulled out my journal and showed her that I had already been shown this.

The rest is a whirlwind of crazy faith- I learned to put feet to my faith. On the way home that day, I said a simple prayer asking God to show my husband what I had been shown. It isn’t easy telling your husband you feel led to give back and quit your job. A few days later, my husband was out blowing the driveway off after mowing the lawn and two nails were in the driveway crack. He brought them to me in my office and said, “He sacrificed for us. Now, it’s time for us to sacrifice for Him, but I am just looking for the third nail”. He walked outside to the backyard with our golden retriever and beside his foot lay a roofing nail. After walking the dog, he came in and said, “Here’s the third nail, and here is our answer.” Soon after, I resigned from my job and signed up for classes to be a Certified Biblical Counselor and Christian Life Coach. We listed our house for sale and, until the house sold, I mentored folks on our back porch- this is where the name comes from. We rented a small farmhouse nearby, and we still live there for now.

I helped and was mentored at the ministry where my healing began for a while. After my parents got sick and Dad later passed away, I took some time to help at our church. After completing my certificate, I started my own Biblical Counseling/Christian Life Coaching business in February 2021. I am committed to giving back all I have been given. My mission is to help individuals and families live out their God-given purpose by caring for their soul. My vision is to be a “City on a Hill”, meeting people where they are in life and watching transformation take place from the inside out. I desire to provide coaching that is affordable and effective.

I get to go to a farmhouse in the heart of our community each day and sit on the front row while God transforms hearts and lives right in front of me. I will always be grateful that I GET to do what I do.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I truly believe being transparent with my own life creates a connection for people. I get to tell them “me too” quiet often and I believe this to be one of the most effective ways to inspire others. When clients’ hearts and lives begin to change, they tend to go and tell others. Word of mouth is the greatest way my business has grown.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I started volunteering for a nonprofit and going back to school both of my parents got sick. Actually, my mom had a minor surgery and became septic due to complications and on the same day my dad was admitted to Hospice. Being the only child and caring for both of my parents at the same time was very hard. I am also a wife and mother to three children, so this was a very difficult time in my life. This all took place when I was going back to school to be certified. There were times I wanted to give up, but I knew that I couldn’t. I took this time to push harder, and I even met with folks in the parking lot of the hospital to give them encouragement and prayers. I will not say this season was easy, but I made it through by God’s grace as I was determined to never stop.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theporchcoaching.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theporchchristiancoaching/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theporchchristiancoaching/