By Claire Greenwood, reprinted from the Salt & Light Australia Daily Devotional. “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12 Most of us want to get continually better at what we do. However, have you reached the point…
By Matthew B. Harper, a resident in a Virginia prison. Reprinted from Living God’s Mission. “What is your ministry?” As I have worked my way through the church’s discernment process, I have struggled when someone asks me this. And it gets asked a lot. It is a good question because it seeks to understand my role in community, and how I…
By Michaela O’Donnell Long, reprinted from the De Pree Center. Recently, I had young woman approach me after a speaking engagement and ask with admiring eyes, “How do you do it all?” When I prodded more, I learned what all meant: she liked the things I taught about, she thought it was wonderful that I have two young children, and she hoped…
By Jeff Haanen, reprinted from Made to Flourish. Anne Bell, a recently-retired researcher at the University of Northern Colorado, spent one of her first years after retirement volunteering with the 5280 Fellowship, a leadership program for young professionals in Denver. Bright and soft-spoken, wearing dark-rimmed glasses that match her innate curiosity, she confessed one day to a group of early…
Last week I flew out of the airport in Buffalo, New York, and saw a new thing: Sally, a machine that makes salads. It was just opposite my gate and next to a Which Wich? outlet where humans make sandwiches with their own two hands. Sally is basically a vending machine, except it makes food to order. It also lays bare…
I have an essay about work and meaning in the current issue of The Hedgehog Review. The essay has elicited some good responses from friend and stranger alike; I’m grateful for all. I always have mixed feelings when people write to say my essays about work resonate with their experience. On the one hand, my entire goal is to put words to the experience…
I have mentioned many times, probably too many times, the seeming Mount-Everest-height stack of books published over the last 7-10 years relating to the integration of faith and work. One could justifiably argue we do not need any more books, but rather to read the books already written and apply their principles to our work. But for good or ill,…
Deeply and faithfully loving and caring for oneself is enough – it’s not just a pause between activities, writes a seminary professor and psychologist. This was first published in Faith & Leadership. By Chanequa Walker-Barnes I couldn’t move, it seemed. I was hungry and needed a shower, but I couldn’t force myself to get out of bed. It was as if somehow…
Note: This book will be launched tonight with a special event at the Chicago Faith at Work Summit. Many subjects can move a conversation in an unintended direction as the result of preconceived notions or baggage associated with the material. One topic that is often difficult to discuss for this reason is capitalism. I am pleased that Kenneth Barnes has…
We have much to celebrate in the faith and work movement as individuals and organizations are drawn into and contribute to this conversation. Hearts and minds are being shaped by the truth that all of our work matters. God desires to use each of us to advance His Kingdom in this world. At the same time, an attitude of continuous…
The Green Room 