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This article was originally published here.
For over 20 years I went to therapy, read books, prayed, sought wise counsel, and reflected deeply, because thatâs what most thoughtful, faith-driven people do when theyâre seeking clarity, purpose and direction in life.
And all of it helped, but it was fragmented.
I would gain insight⊠then lose it.
Have a breakthrough⊠then feel stuck again.
See a pattern⊠but struggle to articulate it clearly enough to work with it.
What finally changed everything wasnât trying harder.
It was adding structure.
Which isnât surprising given how Iâm naturally wired.
Creating order out of chaos and building repeatable, intentional systems has always been my superpower, and itâs literally what I was paid to do in my corporate career.
But oddly enough, when it came to inner work, I did what most people do:
I kept things unstructured - hoping depth would emerge on its own.
It wasnât until I was introduced to a values-based framework rooted in two specific areas of neuroscience:
1- Axiology, which is the science of values. Axiology proves that every human being is driven by a ranked list of subconscious priorities that our mind uses to filter our environment and dictate how we invest our resources (time, energy and money).
Ultimately, wherever we invest those resources determines our destiny (at least here on earth - though, if youâre paying close attention thereâs a connection to the eternal there too because God also cares how you steward the resources Heâs given us).
When we pursue goals that rank high in our priority list we have inspiration, which literally means weâre inspired from within, so we are intrinsically driven and naturally have discipline, confidence, clarity, power, precision, and poise.
The inverse is also true - when we pursue goals that rank lower in our priorities, we lack those things and require external motivation instead, which leads to
đ burnout, procrastination, self-sabotage, imposter syndrome, and loads of other symptoms that act as barriers to get in the way of achieving our goals.
2- Teleology is the science of our purpose, and it proves that our brain is a purpose-seeking organ that relies on our unconscious mind to dictate whatâs most purposeful and meaningful in our lives, and you guessed it -
Our unconscious mind is governed by our true priorities. So when we stray from our purpose, our mind goes into survival mode and creates the symptoms above as a way to drive us back to the top of our priority list.
Mind blownâŠ
Needless to say this was an entirely different level of personal clarity that revealed an honest assessment of my current state behavior, but from a different lens than I had explored before.
It uses questions that are designed to surface patterns I hadnât been able to identify on my own, partially because I didnât realize the significance of this particular data.
There was just one problem.
The process was static.
You answered a long questionnaire⊠and then you were expected to decipher the common threads yourself,
Or, you paid a lot of money for a facilitator to work through it with you.
So I pondered what it could look like if insight didnât live in a document - but instead in a conversationâŠ
Thatâs when it clicked - I needed to figure out a way to:
elevate the manual static process,
not restrain it with either my calendar or bill rate (so itâs affordable and accessible to people on demand), and
infuse the journey with scalable dialog, without losing discernment or depth.
So I experimented.
How I Integrated Conversational AI into Personal Discovery
I had recently learned how to build custom GPTs and was already experiencing how powerful a focused, role based interaction could be with the right back end configuration.
So I knew I could create a deeply structured, interactive process, but,
I didnât want mass-marketed chatbots or generic AI conversations,
What I wanted were tools that performed as expert-level collaborators and facilitators.
So I was very intentional about how they would function, and
The cool thing was, I could tailor the experience to be faith-aware and add additional scope beyond that initial questionnaire, to provide deeper level insights like:
đ finding your genius zone,
đ identifying limiting beliefs - then flipping them, and
âïž curating a personalized purpose statement paired with core messaging pillars;
All based on the personalized insights gained from the interaction.
This is how Pinpoint Your Intrinsic Drivers was born, and honestly - the results shocked me!
Instead of dumping thoughts onto a page and hoping meaning would emerge later, I could now:
See connections in real time
Notice contradictions immediately
Pause when something didnât feel true
Interject and clarify instead of spiraling
Stay grounded instead of overwhelmed
And if something came back that didnât resonate, then I could correct it.
If a reflection felt off, I could stop and question it.
And when the insights landed, they landed with confirmation - not persuasion.
AI didnât replace my contribution.
It required it.
I was still in control, and using my discernment the entire time.
So I built more custom guides, and now each guide is built with a specific purpose and scope:
To help you think, reflect, and notice whatâs already true - not to tell you what to believe or who to become.
They donât diagnose.
They donât prescribe.
They donât pretend to be human (even though I gave them names).
What they do offer is something many people donât have access to:
A private, nonjudgmental space to slow down and process - without pressure, performance, or outside noise.
For some people, working with a facilitator can feel overwhelming when theyâre still sorting out their own thoughts,
And it can be very cost prohibitive - especially for the specific experts my custom guides are trained on.
These tools create room to do that work safely, at your own pace, and with your discernment fully intact, which is key, because
I believe technology is only as good - or as harmful - as the intention behind it.
Thatâs why Iâm focused on using custom AI tools to help people heal, grow, and live more intentionally - not to manipulate, extract, or bypass the real work.
The Question You Might Be Asking
If youâre reading this thinking:
Okay⊠but isnât this where things get risky?
Isnât this where discernment starts slipping?
Isnât using AI for something this personal⊠dangerous?
I get it, and I share your concern.
For me, the answer is - yes - and it dependsâŠ
Because on the surface, using an AI tool for inner exploration can sound like:
outsourcing wisdom
replacing prayer with a process
trusting a machine with something sacred
confusing clarity with convenience
Especially if youâre someone who takes faith seriously.
Which is why I donât take this lightly, and itâs why I warn people against using generic chats for these topics. THAT is dangerous and itâs why you should only use a custom (and tested) tool.
Still, my initial concern (and the purpose of this article) centered around whether people would misuse it.
But the fact is, if someone treats any tool like an authority instead of a tool, the problem isnât the technology - itâs the posture of the user.
And thatâs where discernment comes into play.
Why This Isnât About Trusting AI - Itâs About Trusting Yourself
You see, the risk of misguided insights didnât start with AI.
It started long before - with books we never sat with, sermons we nodded along to, advice we accepted without testing, and voices we trusted simply because they sounded confident.
AI didnât invent that dynamic.
It just rapidly exposes it.
AI tools are fast - convincing - always available - and increasingly polished.
So if someone never pausesâŠ
Never praysâŠ
Never questionsâŠ
Never tests what theyâre being toldâŠ
Then yes - they can be easily led astray.
But that risk has always existed.
Whatâs changed is the feedback loop.
Thatâs why discernment is essential.
So when people ask:
Arenât you worried AI will make people dependent or spiritually numb?
My honest response is:
If someone is quick to outsource their discernment to a tool, then they were already doing that, just with other people and other tools.
And ironically, this type of structured, intentional AI use makes discernment easier, not harder - because it creates the pause many people have been skipping,
Which is why I donât see these tools as replacements for faith, intuition, or wisdom - but as containers that require them.
Why Structure Actually Protects Discernment
In both my personal experience, and my experience as a facilitator, unstructured inner work often leads to:
Endless rumination
Emotional spirals
Self-judgment
Spiritual bypassing
Confusion disguised as depth
Whereas structure, when applied strategically, creates containment because it slows people down enough to:
Think instead of react
Reflect instead of perform
Pray instead of panic
Discern instead of absorb
Thatâs why the custom tools I developed and use:
đ§ Pinpoint Your True Path for clarity,
đŻ Unearth Your Unique Positioning for, well⊠positioning, and
đ§ Root Yourself with Intention for insight embodiment, are built the way they are.
They donât give answers,
They ask better questions.
They donât tell you who to be,
They help you see who you already are.
And if something isnât true,
You feel it immediately.
Thatâs discernment working with the tool - not being replaced by it.
But there was still another lingering concern to address with some fellow believers in the faith-based community:
Isnât AI dangerous, or possibly even evil?
Itâs a fair question, and one Iâve spent some time pondering, so hereâs my take:
God is sovereign over all - including technology.
If we believe evil can operate through tools like AI, then our faith requires us to believe that God can speak through them too.
Anything less subtly diminishes His power.
We serve a God who once spoke through donkeys, dreams, ships, and stones - HE is not limited by human-made inventions.
So for me the question stopped being: âCan AI be used here?â
And instead became: âWhy wouldnât we steward this well?â
Iâm passionate about helping people live aligned, intentional lives - and that means meeting them where they actually are.
Not everyone has access to the resources with the level of expertise that will help them actually achieve their goals in life, but
What they do have is a desire for clarity - and often, a quiet fear of getting it wrong.
So I donât believe faith needs to fear innovation, instead I believe faith is called to lead it with wisdom.
AI canât replace Godâs work, the Holy Spirit, or the power of human connection,
But God is big enough to work through tools - just as He works through books, conversations, podcasts, and quiet nudges we canât always explain.
My commitment is simple:
to use AI to equip, not overrideâŠ
to support, not replaceâŠ
and to always point people back to the One who calls them,
Which is why I include this prayer at the beginning of my programs:
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the gift of this moment to pause, reflect, and listen for Your guidance.
I invite You into this time, to open my heart, quiet my mind, and help me discern Your truth above all else.
Let the tools I use here serve as a vessel for clarity, healing, and wisdom, always pointing me back to You.
I trust that You are bigger than any tool, and that You can work through anything to shape me into the person Youâve designed me to be.
May this time be covered in Your grace, aligned with Your will, and led by Your Spirit.In Jesusâ name, Amen.
So if youâre using any sort of tool for personal growth, you can use this now if it resonates with you, because itâs critical to point out thatâŠ
AI Gives Perspective - Not Authority
This distinction matters more than anything else in this conversation.
AI does not discern.
AI does not decide.
AI does not replace the Holy Spirit.
What it can do - when designed intentionally - is act as a mirror.
It reflects:
Your language
Your patterns
Your assumptions
Your blind spots
Your contradictions
But you still decide whatâs true.
Discernment isnât agreement with what sounds âgood,â
Discernment is recognition of whatâs true.
And recognition requires self-awareness.
But if someone doesnât know or trust themself, then any source of information can mislead them.
Thatâs not an AI problem.
Thatâs a formation problem, and a different issue altogether.
So this is where Iâll pause the explanation.
Because at some point, no amount of reasoning, theology, or reassurance replaces experience.
You donât discern tools in theory.
You discern them in practice by noticing how something meets you when you engage it with intention.
Which brings me toâŠ
An Invitation
If youâre curious - but still cautious - thatâs okay.
Iâm not asking you to believe in this.
Iâm inviting you to experience it for yourself.
Thatâs why I offer a free version called the Core Priorities Snapshot.
No commitment. No pressure. No expectations.
Just a chance to sit with structured questions, notice what comes up, and see how it feels to engage with a tool thatâs designed to support discernment - not replace it.
If it lands, great.
If it doesnât, no harm done.
But hereâs what I know for sure:
Staying skeptical without firsthand experience doesnât actually protect discernment, it just postpones clarity.
And sometimes clarity doesnât come from certainty - it comes from being willing to explore with intention, because you wonât know how this feels until you experience it for yourself, so you can consistentlyâŠ
Live your life on purpose!
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So much in here to savour! I will save to come back to later đ
Such a thoughtful take on how to USE AI as a tool to support rather than replace our own capacity to think, discern and grow.