Steven Garber
The Ordering of Our Loves

Ordo Caritatis. Some words and ideas are worth holding onto, especially ones that take us to deeper places of the heart, that ask us harder questions of the heart — and even more, ones that offer the hope that all is not lost, and that our fragmented selves can be reordered, that we can be […]

Jeff Haanen
Work, Profession, Job, Vocation, Occupation, Career or Calling? Getting Clear on Language About Work

“You don’t just have a job, you have a vocation!” Really? It feels more like I need a vacation. “Some people have a calling,” my father said to me. “But most of us just have a job.” “Profession? Sounds like what rich people do. ‘Round here, we just work.” “I think I’m gonna quit. I […]

Brian Gray
Life-Giving Purpose

Candice Whitley has always loved working with kids, and she felt her passion deepen as she pursued multiple degrees in education. As she navigated the field of teaching and discovered her strengths in serving students, she felt a strong desire to learn about the greater purposes of work, and God’s vision for that sphere of […]

Jeff Haanen
Calling – What, How, Why

“Everybody has a vocation to some form of life-work. However, behind that call (and deeper than any call), everybody has a vocation to be a person – to be fully and deeply human in Christ Jesus.” – Brennan Manning Christians often allude to a sense of calling that guides their lives, but they may mean different things […]

Jeff Haanen
That “Eye-On-the-Object” Look

The world is a distracting place. Email, Facebook, open office spaces, iPhones, and insanity-inducing apps with red pop-up bubbles demanding attention. What would the opposite of a distracted work day look like? Check out this statement by W.H. Auden: “You need not see what someone is doing to know if it is his vocation, you […]

Jeff Haanen
Let Your Life Speak

The beloved Saint Francis is remembered for saying “Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” It’s an appealing thought. What if we never had to risk talking to a friend or colleague about Christ, but instead “let our lives speak” to communicate the gospel message? Unfortunately, there’s no evidence that St. Francis […]

Elizabeth Moyer
Is Shame Thwarting Your Calling?

The teacher called my name and I felt my face ignite. Blood rushed to my cheeks and I knew immediately that I resembled a tomato. I quickly answered the question and tried to wish away my blushing cheeks, which was fruitless after a classmate whispered, “Why are your cheeks so red?” This was a far […]

Joanna Meyer
When A Vacation Isn’t Enough (Part 2)

Five Principles for Deep Rest Years ago, I spent a year living in Zaragoza, Spain, a vibrant city between Barcelona and Madrid. One of highlights of that year was adopting a more European way of life — trading comfy American sneakers for more fashionable dress shoes and developing an addiction to manchego cheese that remains […]

Joanna Meyer
When A Vacation Isn’t Enough (Part 1)

Discover God’s Life-Giving FreedomWho among us hasn’t dreamt of getting away from it all? On steamy summer afternoons I long to escape my overly-air-conditioned office to relax on a sunny beach or hike a mountain trail. I crave for the unhurried pace and deep relaxation portrayed in travel magazines, but have learned that few vacations […]

A Theology for “All Things”

I’ve often found that God first teaches me something about my work (such a practical place to learn) and then kneads that lesson throughout my life. Here’s an example: Through seeking wisdom from scripture about the role of work in the kingdom of God, I first noticed the repeated use of the phrase “all things.” Scripture shows us that Christ is the Lord who […]

God’s Sabbath Confronts Our Success

By Ryan Farrell By the end of the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and demanding long and brutal workweeks from working class adults and children alike. Then Henry Ford came along and concluded that something had to be done. So he instituted a 40-hour workweek for all of his factories — and […]

Work is the New Sex (Part 2)

By Skye JethaniOur culture is not very good with boundaries. We frequently confuse license with liberty; we think that freedom requires the absence of any restriction. This is certainly true in our cultural attitude about sex; Previous generations passed laws regulating acceptable sexual behavior, defining marriage, limiting appropriate dress for women and men, or restricting […]