Taking Bold Steps in Faith: A CCU Graduate’s Journey To Transform Lives

Transformation and innovation often emerge from unexpected paths, and Martin Kaufmann's journey exemplifies this truth. As the founder of OrthoPets, a pioneering veterinary orthotics and prosthetics company, Kaufmann revolutionized animal healthcare by developing custom devices that restore mobility to pets who would otherwise face limited movement or amputation. His work touched the lives of over 30,000 animals across more than 35 countries.

But Kaufmann’s story doesn't end with his successful engineering career. Following a deeper calling, he transitioned from building external support structures to focusing on internal transformation. This led him to pursue a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Colorado Christian University, where he discovered how faith could integrate with clinical practice in profound ways.

Today, he combines his engineering background with his counseling expertise as the founder of New Minds, an innovative educational technology company. The company develops software solutions that help schools address behavioral health and emotional support needs, bringing the same level of care and systematic thinking from his previous work into the realm of mental health and education.

The God Gap: Embracing Faith in Life's Journey

For Kaufmann, the "God gap" concept represents the space between our current reality and divine calling. This foundational truth, rooted in Jeremiah's promise of God's prosperous plans, guides his approach to life's challenges and opportunities.

"I hold a fundamental truth called a God gap,” he said. “I know that there are plans for me, plans to prosper me, not harm me – Jeremiah 29:11. And I know that I'm supposed to just take a step and then just take another step."

Kaufmann embraces this gap as a space for growth and learning when faced with new possibilities. Even without complete knowledge or expertise, he recognizes that being pointed in a direction is often enough to take that first step of obedience.

The God gap became particularly relevant when Kaufmann considered developing educational software despite lacking a background in software engineering.

"I think we can make this thing work,” he said. “I have no idea how to do it. I'm not a software engineer. But, I can learn. Because now that I've been pointed in this direction, my job is to be obedient to the next thing that's put in front of me."

Boldness and Creation: A Faith-Driven Path

Kaufmann’s journey exemplifies how faith can inspire boldness in pursuing new ventures. His understanding of walking in faith with God provides the courage to tackle challenges that might otherwise seem overwhelming.

This faith-driven approach to creation isn't just about building something new – it's about participating in God's ongoing work of bringing order to chaos. For Kaufmann, each new project becomes an opportunity to partner with God in creating solutions that serve others.

"So when I think about the boldness with which I just attack something new and create, which I believe is another calling, that's really defining my faith,” he said. “I'm here to co-create. I'm here to follow this path, this plan that's been made for me."

This belief fuels his perseverance and passion, enabling him to approach each endeavor with the confidence that his efforts align with a greater purpose.

Steps Into the Unknown

One of the most powerful aspects of faith is its ability to sustain us through uncertainty. Kaufmann’s experience demonstrates that while the path forward may often feel unknown or overwhelming, breaking it down into simple next steps makes progress possible.

"Part of faith is being able to take bold steps into the unknown with uncertain outcomes, with incomplete information,” Kaufmann said. “That's just part of our deal, but we're called to take a step."

Even while managing multiple responsibilities – running a business, raising a family, and pursuing full-time education – Kaufmann found that faith provided the framework to make seemingly impossible tasks manageable. The key was focusing on one step at a time rather than becoming overwhelmed by the entire journey.

"And if I justify the two opposing terms together, it's just a simple next step,” he said. “It's just one thing. You schedule your classes. You can do that. There's so many things that are possible for you with the understanding that you don't have to have full certainty."

With faith as his foundation, Kaufmann continues to demonstrate that even the smallest steps, taken with trust and obedience, can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

Listening to the Call

Sometimes God's call comes as a gentle whisper, other times as an unmistakable sign. Kaufmann’s experience teaches us to be attentive to both forms of divine guidance, recognizing that each has its place in our spiritual journey.

"When I think about a whisper nudging you, I think it's time,” he said. “I think you should do this now. Or it's the big sign that drives right in front of you. It's like, thank you. That's my sign."

The call to serve others in community and relationship provides the context for our individual callings. For Kaufmann, this meant leveraging his CCU education to better serve his community and help others develop their God-given talents.

"We have a purpose, and we have a meaning to help others and to be involved in other people's lives in community, in relationship," he said.

This intentional service not only fulfills our own calling but also ignites transformation in the lives of those around us.

Integrating Faith Into Professional Work

The integration of faith and professional practice became a cornerstone of Kaufmann’s experience at CCU. Through his master's program, he discovered how biblical principles could transform not just clinical practice but also technological innovation.

"One of the things that I treasure most about my time, learning at CCU and going through the master's program, was this integration that we had in everything we did of how does our faith fit into our clinical identity and our clinical practice," he said.

This integration led to the development of software systems built on Christian principles, designed to empower students and educators alike. Rather than creating just another educational tool, Kaufmann sought to incorporate Christ's teachings into the very foundation of his work.

"So if we're building a software program that is to empower students to self-lead and to have life in abundance and learn, let's integrate that core philosophy into software that will fundamentally change the way teachers and educators serve into their students," he said.

The Importance of Faith in Clinical Practice

Perhaps the most surprising discovery for Kaufmann was how crucial faith integration would become in his clinical practice. What began as a desire for a well-rounded educational experience became an essential foundation for professional success.

"I didn't know how important having faith integration would be for self-care just to handle myself as I serve a population of patients who are going through unbelievable things in their lives," he said.

The integration of faith and learning proved particularly valuable in maintaining empathy while serving clients through difficult circumstances. These "subtle ways" in which faith influences daily practice created a more holistic and sustainable approach to clinical work.

"All of these little subtle ways in which faith just oozes itself into your daily practice, it fundamentally changes the way that I could operate as a private practice clinician,” he said. “I didn't know how significant it was, until I looked in the rearview mirror."

Faith-Driven Education for Lifelong Impact

Kaufmann’s experience at CCU was more than an academic journey – it was a profound spiritual transformation that prepared him for both the challenges and opportunities of professional life.
By integrating faith into every aspect of his education, Kaufmann gained the tools, resilience, and perspective needed for long-term success in his clinical practice and beyond. This is the lasting value of a Christ-centered education, equipping professionals to thrive with purpose and compassion.