Do you ever feel sick of your job? Do you ever envy those people who seem to positively love what they do? While those people head off to work with a sense of joy and purpose, for the rest of us trudging back to the office on Monday morning or to the factory for the graveyard shift or to the job site on a hundred-degree day can be an exercise in soul crushing desperation. “If only we could change jobs,” we tell ourselves, “that would make it better.” But we don’t have the right education . . . or we don’t have enough experience . . . or the economy isn’t right . . . or we can’t afford the risk right now. So we keep going back to the same old unsatisfying jobs.

The wonderful truth, though, is that almost any kind of occupation can offer any one of us a sense of calling. Regardless of where we are in our careers, we can all find joy and meaning in the work we do, from the construction zone flagger who keeps his crew safe to the corporate executive who believes that her company’s products will change the world. In Make Your Job a Calling authors Bryan J. Dik and Ryan D. Duffy explore this powerful idea and help the reader navigate the many challenges—both internal and external—that may arise along the pathway to a sense of calling at work.

Over the course of four sections, the authors define the idea of calling, review cutting-edge research on the subject, provide practical guidelines for discerning a calling at all stages of work and life, and explore what calling will look like as workplace norms continue to evolve. They also take pains to present a realistic view of the subject by unpacking the perils and challenges of pursuing one’s higher purpose, especially in an uncertain economy.

The lessons presented will resound with anyone in any line of work and will show how the power of calling can beneficially shape individuals, organizations, and society as a whole.

Whether you feel stuck or overwhelmed, hopeful or uncertain, or energized and ready to go, the Make Your Job a Calling Resourse Guide can assist you in that journey.
 
It is designed to assist instructors, book study leaders, career counselors, human resources professionals, and individual readers who seek to delve deeper into the book, Make Your Job a Calling. In each chapter of the guide, the reader is given (1) a chapter summary, (2) general themes, (3) discussion questions, and (4) suggested activities. The suggested activities often involve a free write where you are encouraged to write your thoughts down without editing yourself. In a free-write you are not concerned with proper grammar or punctuation. Rather, you write your immediate thoughts down in a free-flowing manner. This allows for deep exploration and can inform rich discussion of ideas in a productive learning environment.
 
The elements in this guide are designed to facilitate the reflection and discussion process, providing readers with useful starting points. Of course, not all group leaders will find every question or activity useful for their particular group, which is why we encourage flexible use of the material. By all means, pick, choose, add to, and adapt according to your sense of what will be most helpful for the group you are leading.
 
Whether you feel stuck or overwhelmed, hopeful or uncertain, or energized and ready to go, this guide can assist you in that journey.

The world of work is changing rapidly. As a Christian trying to discern the right career path, you might perceive the marketplace as a bewildering and anxiety-provoking place. You might even worry you’ll have to sacrifice your values to have a successful career. How can you hope to find work that is informed by faith and that serves God’s will? Redeeming Work was written to answer just this question.   
The author, Bryan Dik, PhD, is one of the leading psychologists in the world who specializes in vocation. A professor, entrepreneur, and follower of Christ, Dik wrote this book as a labor of love after devoting his career to research and development of practical strategies for helping others find purposeful work. His message: there are abundant opportunities for Christians to forge careers that answer God’s calling for their lives. In Redeeming Work, he shares the tools you need to find these opportunities and pursue them successfully.
Your purchase of Redeeming Work comes with a special bonus: free access to an evidence-based online career assessment system called PathwayU. By taking this assessment, you’ll learn about what makes you unique, including what you enjoy (interests), what matters to you (values), your general tendencies (personality), and what you most need from an organization (workplace preferences). Then, you’ll be able to explore career paths (and current job openings) that fit the pattern of gifts God has given you.