A Life of Value
In 2013, Debi Markland found herself on a conference call. She can’t quite recall why she dialed in, but she listened as John Maxwell shared his vision for bringing transformational leadership to Guatemala. When she hung up, she was crying. “The John Maxwell Team found me and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to develop myself so I could make a difference in other people’s’ lives.”
By April, she’d followed her faith and become a member. She quickly became aware that she needed to adjust her beliefs if she wanted to grow. “It was a challenge to believe that I have something of value to offer that other people will pay for. For the longest time I was doing it for free.” With a passion for speaking and inspiring others to make positive life changes, Debi decided to start her own business to lead others to a path of significance. “When I really began to believe that I could invest in and change peoples’ lives, I began to acknowledge and embrace the idea that I have a lot to offer the world. Having overcome that obstacle I now have the courage to do just that.”
Eventually, Debi heard that the John Maxwell Team was going to take their message of transformation to Paraguay. Having been so moved by the work they did in Guatemala, Debi knew immediately that she wanted to be a part of it. “It was incredible,” she smiles. “They wanted change, transformation, and they wanted to learn. It was amazing seeing the hunger in people’s eyes.”
Throughout her time at the John Maxwell Team, Debi has helped new members to navigate while at the same time leaning on the community of members for support. At one point she spent a long bout in the hospital with her son while he was struggling with Sickle Cell Disease. One day Paul Martinelli called her on her cell phone to encourage her and offer his personal support. “When someone who leads a team of over 17,000 people takes the time to call one person because their child is sick, that is something special.” Many more members of the team continued to reach out and to encourage her as she helped her son recover.
Today, Debi is finishing a book and focusing on adding value to herself and others. “I went from just wanting to develop myself to impacting people and now I have my own business for coaching, speaking, and virtual classes. I never thought that was possible.” Just like she teaches, when you value yourself, anything is possible.