By Lisa Slayton; part four of a series. Reprinted from The Wholeness Journey. Last time we examined Myth #2: that a life of comfort and ease will somehow magically occur once we’ve “figured out our calling.” Tied very closely to this is our broken and reductionistic understanding of “God’s will.” Myth #3: God’s will for me is a job, or house, or…
By Demi Prentiss, reprinted from Living God’s Mission. The call that God places on each person’s life sometimes shows up as their ministry. But more often, when we look more closely, our call is bigger than our ministry. Our call could be described as the melody of God’s song in our life. Our ministry could be understood as the lyrics…
Part three of a series. Reprinted from Ethos. In this series we are looking at six categories of spiritual formation while working. This concluding post looks at the final three categories in detail: Incarnational Working, Spirit-Empowered Working and Social Justice Working. Incarnational Working Just as Jesus, who is God, humbled himself to be born and live as a human to enable us…
Earlier this summer, I joined the launch team for Jeff Haanen’s An Uncommon Guide to Retirement with the goal of getting a review out to you all on this blog as part of the book’s launch. Unfortunately I then broke my nose, which is not a recommended productivity technique – so now I am late to the party. Sorry, Jeff! If you…
By Klaus Issler; part four of a series. Reprinted from the Oikonomia Network. Three main passages in the Torah address the topic of lending and interest: Exodus 22:25: If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor…you shall not exact interest from him. Leviticus 25:35 and 37: If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with…
By Lisa Slayton; part three of a series. Reprinted from The Wholeness Journey. MYTH #2: CLARITY OF CALLING BRINGS EASE AND COMFORT This series was first presented as a talk to college seniors and young 20-somethings. If the #1 Myth is ‘Pursue your Passion’ and ‘Make an Impact’, then Myth # 2 will unpack further why this is problematic and the implications…
By Sarah Heynemann, reprinted from the Salt & Light Australia Daily Devotional. Photo by Sarah Heynemann, taken in Chora Church, Istanbul. “Whom do you position on the throne of Heaven?” Some things in life are truly unpredictable and beyond our control. As a doctor I have a responsibility to inform my patients regarding the desired benefits of a proposed treatment strategy,…
Part two of a series. Reprinted from Ethos. In this series we are looking at six categories of spiritual formation while working. This post looks at the first three categories in detail: Holy Working, Gospel Working and Prayerful Working. Holy Working Once I was writing about work and spirituality, and someone commented: “I don’t know why you are making it so complicated.…
By Klaus Issler; part three of a series. Reprinted from the Oikonomia Network. This series wrestles with the question: Does the Old Testament teach that charging interest on a loan is sinful? Deuteronomy 23:19 states: “You shall not charge interest on loans [nāšak II, verb] to your brother, interest [nešek, noun] on money, interest [nešek] on food, interest [nešek] on anything that…
By Meryl Herr, reprinted from Made to Flourish. Ten years ago, I was the woman who neurotically hummed “Great is Thy Faithfulness” wherever she went. My husband and I had completed a two-year pastoral residency in the middle of the Recession, and we struggled to find full-time work in our fields. I worked retail while my husband worked odd jobs. With…
The Green Room 