At this time and place, who are you meant to be, and what are you called to do? According to Gordon T. Smith, vocation is not a goal on the horizon but a present reality we can discern and explore. Whether you're navigating career transitions or looking for meaning in the ordinary, these theological reflections and spiritual practices invite you to step into God's call in the present moment.
At this time and place, who are you meant to be, and what are you called to do? According to Gordon T. Smith, vocation is not a goal on the horizon but a present reality we can discern and explore. Whether you're navigating career transitions or looking for meaning in the ordinary, these theological reflections and spiritual practices invite you to step into God's call in the present moment.
What is the good work to which I am called? Gordon T. Smith acknowledges that this is not a simple question to answer in the midst of our very complicated lives. That's why he has written this brief and accessible book: to help us explore six core questions in community with God and others in order to discover our calling.
All of us have a yearning to understand where we belong in this world. As Christians, most of us understand from Scripture that God has a purpose for each of us and has gifted us differently. But discovering our unique giftedness and where God calls us to use those gifts eludes so many. In his new book, Discover Your Calling: The ABC of Vocational Discernment, Soo-Inn Tan provides biblical and down-to-earth support for those who seek to better understand how God is shaping their lives. Whether you’re a student, entering the workforce, a homemaker, a mid-career worker, or a retiree, discover how God may be preparing you for the continuing challenge and joy of a lifelong walk with Jesus Christ across all aspects of vocation.
Though one in four pregnancies ends in loss, miscarriage is shrouded in such secrecy and stigma that the woman who experiences it often feels deeply isolated, unsure how to process her grief. Her body seems to have betrayed her. Her confidence in the goodness of God is rattled. Her loved ones don't know what to say. Her heart is broken. She may feel guilty, ashamed, angry, depressed, confused, or alone. With vulnerability and tenderness, Adriel Booker shares her own experience of three consecutive miscarriages, as well as the stories of others. She tackles complex questions about faith and suffering with sensitivity and clarity, inviting women to a place of grace, honesty, and hope in the redemptive purposes of God without offering religious clichés and pat answers. She also shares specific, practical resources, such as ways to help guide children through grief, suggestions for memorializing your baby, and advice on pregnancy after loss, as well as a special section for dads and loved ones.
Amy Sherman unpacks Proverbs 11:10--"When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices"--to develop a theology and program of vocational stewardship. Here is practical help for churches, ministries and other faith communities to navigate the complex process of following Jesus in those places where we happen to prosper.
When you understand it properly, the doctrine of vocation—"doing everything for God's glory"—is not a platitude or an outdated notion. This principle that we vaguely apply to our lives and our work is actually the key to Christian ethics, to influencing our culture for Christ, and to infusing our ordinary, everyday lives with the presence of God. For when we realize that the "mundane" activities that consume most of our time are "God's hiding places," our perspective changes. Culture expert Gene Veith unpacks the biblical, Reformation teaching about the doctrine of vocation, emphasizing not what we should specifically do with our time or what careers we are called to, but what God does in and through our callings—even within the home. In each task He has given us—in our workplaces and families, our churches and society—God Himself is at work. Veith guides you to discover God's purpose and calling in those seemingly ordinary areas by providing you with a spiritual framework for thinking about such issues and for acting upon them with a changed perspective.
When Suzanne rescues a handsome stranger from the ocean, she has no idea that she’s found a man from another era—who is also the love of her life. Suzanne McDermott is a strong, modern woman. She’s fully prepared to face the world after her spoiled, philandering husband leaves her. But, as she awaits the arrival of her new baby, Fate brings her another unexpected guest…a guest from the past. The last thing Charles Garrity remembers was being shot and falling into the ocean off the New Jersey shore. That was in 1926. Now, he’s being dragged into the present day—literally dragged out of the water by Suzanne. How he got here is a mystery. It’s a mystery Charles doesn’t have time for, because right now the beautiful, pregnant woman in front of him is starting labor. Can Charles overcome the differences between the past he knew and the wonders of the present? Can Suzanne put her life and finances in order in the face of a petty, trust fund husband? And, most importantly, can Charles move past his old-fashioned pride before it gets in the way of the love growing between them? In HERE AND NOW, Constance O’Day-Flannery, the original “Queen of Time Travel Romance,” crafts a beautiful story of souls reaching across time to find a love everlasting.
All Christians yearn to live at the center of God's will. But how to discern his will is an art that eludes many of us. And the advice we get often conflicts. Some tell us to look for a divine "blueprint"-the one perfect plan for our lives that we need to find. We are encouraged to search the Scriptures and hunt for signs, trying to uncover the map of our lives that God has drawn. Others have rejected the blueprint school of guidance for the "wisdom school." With minds renewed by the teaching of Scripture, we are to develop the wisdom necessary to make wise choices. We are told not to expect that there is just one answer to God's will for every decision we face. Several may be possible. The difficulty with both approaches, writes Gordon Smith, is that they minimize the presence and voice of God in times of choice. Instead, he argues for a third way. He suggests that we develop discernment as a spiritual discipline. By stressing the personal aspects of growing in our relationship with God, we can understand his will, not just in times of crisis but throughout our daily lives. This book provides no magic formulas, no recipes for guaranteed success-just a lot of insight, gleaned from centuries of lived Christian experience, that will guide and encourage you in the art of discerning God's will.
How can we cultivate both fresh understanding and fresh experience of the Holy Spirit, no matter what our theological tradition? This much-needed master class on pneumatology from Gordon Smith encourages us to hold biblical convictions firmly but gracefully as the guiding principles of discernment and humility help us intentionally live Spirit-responsive lives day by day.
