About Us
We value Curiosity, Imagination and Wonder
We grew up in non-denominational spaces, consider ourselves contemplative followers of Jesus, and were missionaries for over a decade. We think creativity, humor, authentic community, and delight are some of the best parts of being human.
We have a vivacious son and live in Tulsa, OK. We love to write, play music, eat amazing food, laugh til it hurts, and create quiet space to hear others' stories. One of us may have an obsession with buying books, and the other may or may not have a green thumb that has gotten completely out of hand.
Our Story
After years of leading others in the non-profit space, we realized that most people needed help doing what they loved. It wasn't a lack of motivation that was keeping them from caring for the world around them or connecting to God, it was exhaustion. Wounded hearts. Frustration. Changing belief systems. Anger.
Weary hope. Starved passion.
So we began to help in the best ways we knew how. We asked questions, and listened without judgment. We counseled and we challenged limiting beliefs. We wondered with our friends and coworkers, "Where is God in this?" We prodded and provoked, "What's the goal? Where are you heading with your mission?"
After years of caring for others like this informally, we launched Flourish Direction in 2019 to formally offer what we do so people like you know how we might help. We received training and certifications in things like coaching, debriefing, spiritual direction, and mediation, so you can receive time-tested methods of care & support.
We meet with people in one-on-one and group spiritual direction, we train groups in discipleship and Christian Formation, we meet with individuals to provide pastoral care or to facilitate a coaching journey, and so much more. Check out our services menu at the top of the page to see more of what we do.
We work with amazing groups like The Shepherd's Collective, Integer Network, and Olive Tree Mediation. We are part of Believer's Church in Tulsa, and have spent years helping people make disciples of Jesus with All Nations and Youth With a Mission. We are members of ESDA (a Christian spiritual directors accreditation and networking org), and use tools like CliftonStrengths, Enneagram, and vocational discernment, but the tools and organizations aren't the most important part of what we do. That's you - to hear your story, to care for you, to journey with you towards a flourishing life.
John Arndt
Coach, Spiritual Director, Trainer and Consultant
I fell in love with helping people through coaching and Christian formation in 2011, when I became a certified coaching professional using Gallup's CliftonStrengths while training people in church-planting and discipleship tools. I loved seeing coworkers come alive when they explored how unique they were, and how they could intentionally develop themselves by paying attention to their patterns of feelings, thoughts and emotions.
Living in South Africa for almost a decade, I experienced how necessary patient attention and consistent encouragement is for people from diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds, especially those with big dreams and surrounded by overwhelming need.
SInce 2011, I've delighted in developing leaders through spiritual formation, helping ground them in practices to grow, propelling them outward as learners and storytellers. I'm passionate about helping others discover their purpose through their design and unique background.
My Masters's in Christian Formation and Discipleship set the groundwork for my coaching today, which focused on how asking open questions instead of just relying on giving advice could contribute to leadership and character development.
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I've been offering spiritual direction since 2019, and love to offer prayerful presence to the spiritually restless, the questioning, the frustrated, the hungry, those familiar with wilderness, and the long-suffering hopefuls to wonder where God might be, and how we might experience God.
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I've been working with Integer Networks since 2018. Check out our coaching towards authenticity and wholeness here. I'm also a member of The Shepherds Collective.
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Whether you're looking for team strengths coaching for greater collaboration, coaching support for your personal goals, or identifying your unique design for your most fruitful life, I'd love to help you.
If you need a companion on your spiritual journey, I'm here.
Bethany Arndt
Spiritual Director, Pastoral Counselor, Mediator, and Trainer
After years of social work and cross cultural ministry to the poor I found myself attuning to other leaders I worked with, to offer compassionate spiritual & soul care to support them as they labored to bring Love & Hope to the impoverished communities they served.
I found that Christian leaders, myself included, who are spiritual, emotional and sometimes physical caregivers of others, are often on a trajectory that is not sustainable. Without intentional self care & healthy belief systems about who God is, how he postures towards us, what He expects of us and who we truly are, we are destined for burnout, weariness, and sometimes irrevocable damage to our health, connection with God & others, and our family systems.
My journey has lead me into deep exploration of what union with God and healthy rhythms of soul care can look like. I would love to be a gentle companion to you in your own journey and behold together the steady & present movement of God. I am a spiritual director and pastoral counselor and love connecting with anyone to see if we might be a good fit for each other, I especially love serving those in or coming out of crisis or trauma, people whose faith is evolving, weary caregivers, and leaders in the liminal places.
I have a bachelors and masters degree in social work, have been trained in clinical counseling, inner healing prayer, church planting and disciple making methods, restorative mediation, individual and team debriefing and experienced a two year training program in spiritual direction, through Novo.
I am a founding member of The Shepherd's Collective, a team of ministers that cultivate relational, emotional and spiritual wholeness among pastors, Christian leaders, organizations and teams. I am also a founding member of Olive Tree Mediation, where we offer conflict resolution and restorative mediation to families, churches, orgs and teams.
