• First, God reminded me that no matter the challenge we face, the most important question is ‘Who’
• Second, God showed me again that each job I have in life is one in a series of assignments, each with its unique God-authored objectives. God is in the work I do, no matter what it is.

First, Who. At the very start of the job transition, I made the commitment to walk and pray every day, so out the door I went with Piper, our faithful retriever-mix 4 year-old puppy (as you probably know, retrievers take a little longer to grow up! :). And, boy did we walk. Often with ear buds in listening to the Bible on my iPhone (that was me, not Piper), I walked sometimes 4-5 miles, often further. One day I returned exhausted from an 11-mile walk. What happened during that time was this: I reconnected with the most important Person in the Universe, my Savior and Lord. It was all about “Who” I reached for, not what, or where or when. I’m not sure what your best approach is to reconnect with God, but start there.

Calling is always first about the Caller.

The second big take-away–that each job I have comes from God–definitely wasn’t a new revelation. This is something I have known for many years. But the affirmation from the Lord that He is absolutely involved in every aspect of my job search gave me peace. It also helped me to stay focused on the purpose of work: just like a farmer clearly understand the connection his efforts have to the end result, so is my daily effort connected to the practical outcome of a salary or paycheck.

It is easy to lose sight in our modern world of jobs and professions and careers and callings and vocation and occupation and line of work and…you get the idea…that first a job is just that–a means for working the soil God has given to us, in order to provide for our family. If we can also do ministry or pursue a passion we might have also through that, great. Many times, however, God asks us to express our calling in other areas of our lives than our job or profession.

At these times, I am reminded of Gerard Manley Hopkins beautiful notion of the value of work:

“It is not only prayer that gives God glory but work: smitting on an anvil, sawing a beam, whitewashing a wall, driving horses, sweeping, scouring, everything gives God glory if being in his grace you do it as your duty. To go to Communion worthily gives God great glory, but a man with a dung fork in his hand, a woman with a slop pail, give him glory too. He is so great that all things give him glory if you mean they should.”

What freedom there is to know that God will meet us today in our work–no matter what that work is. Whether we are in our ideal job, or working hard to get to a better fit, when I give him my best today, and trust Him with the increase, I can rest in his confidence. That’s what it means to be a steward in God’s family. It’s all His, and because He is the one giving each of the job assignments, we can trust that He values every bit that we bring to Him through the sacrifice of our lives.

Calling is about trusting the Caller Who provides the work we’re given.

Well, to finish the story, I am back to work these days with Alliance, with Don and Rodney and the team, as well as with Del Tackett to produce the follow-up to the Truth Project (more on that in the weeks ahead). I’m still walking, though I’m a little busier these days, and sadly without our beloved Piper who we had to say good-bye to in January, too early in her short life. And listening to the Caller, who I know has many more things to share with me in the days ahead. Just as He has to share with you!