Testimonials

"James has helped me find clarity on my vision and goals and has been there every step of the way, helping me build Redeeming Productivity from a hobby blog into a full business.

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All along the way he has helped me keep my eyes on Christ and not sacrifice my family on the altar of work.

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He isn’t just a productivity coach, he’s a Christian coach. And he isn’t just a Christian coach, he bleeds the principles of Redeeming Productivity.

James is the only productivity coach I’ve ever recommended to anyone."

James helped me take abstract goals and translate them into daily actions. Writing can be overwhelming, but with James’ help, I was able to develop a plan to get the project done on time. The biggest strength that James provides is the biblical worldview through which he helps me to prioritize goals. Any other coach can help me set goals, but James actually shepherds me through good, better, and best goals—the best goals always being those which bring glory to God.

When working with James, you’ll have a ministry partner—not taxation without representation. His pastoral care for his clients helps us to be effective but also enjoy the process. I’d encourage anyone to work with James for this particular reason. He is clear, decisive, and pastoral in his approach to coaching. Many times I felt James cared more about my own project than anyone else around me. He understood the nuances, depth, conversation, and helped be a biblical and reasonable sounding board. In all seriousness, writing Heart & Habits would not have been what it was without James’ insights. It was an absolutely fantastic experience.

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"James has changed my life in ways I could not have imagined when I signed up for my introductory call!

One of the things I love about coaching with James is that I never have to choose between "productivity" or "Jesus." They are completely enmeshed! I'm more convinced than ever that my productivity ultimately expresses my love for the Lord, a response to the fact that I am perfectly loved.

James has helped me understand that every hour of my life matters to God. He gave me clarity like never before as we talked about what stewardship looks like in all the domains of my life. There was so much I hadn’t thought about before! There was a gut-level accountability that was painfully revealing at times, but it was always worth it. The result was that I believe more than ever that God has a purpose for every day of my life and will give me everything I need to fulfill it, moment by moment.

I had done some homework on productivity before coaching with James, but I often struggled to make headway on much of anything—and I didn’t understand why! James goes beyond what books and online courses can do: He gets to know me and how God made me. He has this uncanny ability to listen to me ramble for ten minutes and then nail me with a single question or statement that leads to a breakthrough. It’s great to feel like I don’t have to sort myself out before meeting with him because I can trust his guidance and ability to get to the root issues. Multiple times after a coaching session, I’ve thought, “Wow, that wasn't the conversation I thought I needed...but somehow he figured out that's what I needed and got me there.”

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As a woman, I’ve deeply appreciated how seriously James takes me. He is more concerned about helping me honor God's calling on my life than putting me in a “box.” When it felt like no one took my vocational desires and hopes seriously, James did—so much that he even held me accountable to them! At the same time, James is sensitive and deeply kind in the sessions (you can tell he has had counseling training). He has an excellent balance of tenderness, accountability, and life-giving encouragement.

The results of coaching have been, well, pretty spectacular. Since working with James, I have a daily schedule and a morning routine…for the first time in my life! My work and spiritual life are much more integrated—and bring me so much more joy and fulfillment. I am doing more of the type of work I love than ever before! I am more productive, more rested, and more at peace with where I am in my life and where I’m going than I have ever been.

There is nothing like striving to be a faithful, productive steward unto the Lord…and I can’t imagine a better person than James to walk that journey with you!"

"I was initially hesitant to sign up for coaching with James, because: 1) I wasn’t sure what coaching is and does; 2) I wanted to know more about his background and experience; 3) the cost of coaching; and 4) having a little bit of the “I-don’t-need-help-I-can-figure-it-out-by-myself” attitude.

Now that I’ve been coaching with James, he has helped me tremendously. I’m more focused on the specific thing I need to be working on. I now have frameworks to ask questions and help provide clarity on things in the day to day. I’m less afraid to take action. James is always honest and candid. He asks great questions, forces me to think through issues, and is patient as I work towards the answer.

I now have a clear mission/vision that I’m working towards with my wife and family. I am more focused on the main thing I need to work on each day, and I’m more equipped to say “no” to things I shouldn’t be working on. I would absolutely recommend coaching with James. There are questions you ought to be asking yourself that you don’t know you should be asking. A coach can help you get to where you need to go.

P.S. I wrote this testimonial in 2023. This P.S. was written in 2025. Almost 2 years later, coaching with James was still one of the best decisions I made. If you're on the fence, go for it!"

"As a solo-preneur who works from home, it’s easy to get distracted by all of the things I need to do. James helped me zone in and take action on some BIG business projects I’d been procrastinating on and/or nibbling at for many, many months. I’m now a whole lot further along, with a clear picture of what I need to do next.

I really appreciated the clarity and focus James helped define as we processed all the tangled spaghetti in my brain. He’s very easy to talk to. And super organized. And on time. And focused… All of the things I need to be more of ????.  

What I appreciated the most was the ability to dump all my random and disjointed thoughts, without judgement, and walk away from the coaching session with a clear outline of what needs to be prioritized.

I probably accomplished more in a month working with James than in the previous 6-12 months working on my own, which was HUGE for me. Working with James is a valuable investment, whether you’re a solo-preneur like me, a stay-at-home mom, a full-time pastor, or a student. Just try it for a month and see how it goes."

"It’s hard to put into words how incredible my coaching experience with James Parker was. He was thoughtful, professional, and simply excellent in every way. He is so good at helping you see the obvious that you are not seeing. He supercharges with not just clarity, but hope and belief.

There is no other experience I have ever done that offered such clarity so quickly. James was able to get to the root of an issue incredibly quickly and work from there (instead of where I thought I needed to start).

Without the slightest hesitation, I would recommend James Parker’s coaching to anybody who is ready to significantly accelerate the results in their life. If you’re on the fence, consider the cost of all the mistakes you will never have to make, along with the greatly accelerated progress you will make in a fraction of the time, and you will see it is far more costly than the cost of coaching. This is one investment that requires work but pays massive dividends in your life and future."

"James is exceptional at taking ALL the information from me and asking strategic questions that distill down to the essential components that yield the most results.

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He helps unstuck me so I can direct my strength and power at the things that matter most. He does this with the utmost sincerity. He wants me to achieve what is most important to me and he coaches with that level of care and commitment.

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I’m in a business launch phase and was very stuck at the immensity of all the foundational/internal pieces and it was paralyzing me. He’s consistently helped bring clarity to what’s most important NOW and as a result, we’re about to make a key hire that will hugely impact the growth of the company."

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"Since coaching with James, I have gotten more organized, gained clarity on what I should be aiming for, made specific goals for my business, and have started to implement systems to help me reach those goals. It has been a huge help to have someone from the outside looking into my life and business to help me focus on what is important to meet my goals, provide clarity on the right thing to do next, and hold me accountable.

I love that James is a Christian with a shared worldview (I didn’t want to find a coach that only cared about profit/making money). He is a great communicator and has already made a huge impact on my business and organizational skills. I also love that his methods are not overly complicated and am excited to accomplish commitments that we agree upon.

I was initially hesitant to sign up, because I thought the idea of having a coach was cheesy, and James was not in my line of business. I had never had a coach and I didn’t want to spend the money (although it was way more affordable than other coaching I had looked into). If you have any hesitations, I would say try coaching for a month and see for yourself what type of impact it can make in your life."

"Coaching with James has given me the ability to look at my current time/work obligations to see if they are something I should continue or discontinue. I am more aware and able to look at “opportunities” that come my way and decide if they are something I should pursue.

I appreciate that James does not try to sugarcoat things he thinks I might not want to hear and is willing to ask the tough questions. He knows a great deal about how to improve productivity with a focus on being effective–doing things well, not just doing them and checking them off a list.

As a result of coaching with James, my ability to look at whatever my current situation is and identify the next thing I should do has greatly improved, along with the ability to consider that some things I think need to be done should not even be on the list.

If someone wants to develop the skills and knowledge to become effective (productive) and do so from a solid biblical foundation, then working with James is essential."

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"James has helped me make sure I move toward my goals on a weekly basis and I now have more confidence in doing things outside of my comfort zone. He has the ability to use the information I give him to ask me pointed questions to bring clarity so I can decide for myself what the next action should be.

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If you are hesitant, as I was, to coach with James due to the cost, I would just say that all the testimonies about his ability to bring clarity are true. And if you’re a Christian whose goals are all motivated by the desire to please the Lord and give Him glory, wouldn’t you want someone to come alongside to help you realize those goals? Not only is James phenomenal in his coaching abilities and business acumen, he also is a brother in Christ who loves the Lord, so you have someone whose counsel you can trust."

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"Before coaching with James, I was concerned he might offer more of a cookie-cutter approach and wouldn’t be granular enough. However, coaching with James has given me clarity on how to reach my goals, as well as the ability to prioritize what is important. I have a clearer pathway to my goals, a more balanced lifestyle, and improved relationships with family. James is direct; we get straight to the point and move to actionable items without entertaining any excuses.  He’s helped me see blindspots–things I never considered before–in providing solutions. He is about measurable results and not fluff. If you are serious about life change–and not just talking about life change–see James."

"I was initially hesitant to coach with James, not knowing if he had the overall knowledge and experience to help me. Since coaching with him, I have gained clarity in terms of what I am and am not capable of doing in regards to specific goals I want to accomplish. I love that he is very positive, encouraging, straightforward, knowledgeable, and that he is a Christian. I really appreciate the fact that James is willing to change the “game plan” if it is not working or if adjustments need to be made.

Since coaching with James, I have been able to get more out of my day by getting up earlier, and going to bed at a consistent time. The overall quality of my life has improved. I would definitely recommend coaching with James."

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