Courage and Calling

I bought this book at an InterVarsity Conference a long time ago and it collected dust for years. I tried to get rid of it to lighten the load before my move to L.A., but it inexplicably came with me since none of my friends or neighbors decided to take it off my hands. A few weeks ago, the book title popped into my head randomly and I dug it out of a box tucked away in storage. Recently, I opened up to a random page and started reading and felt CRAZILY HAPPY that this author seemed to get what I was going through and knew what I needed to hear...and He was Christian! As an aside, I love how God knows what you need to read, and will put things on your heart to look at - to the point where you just know, deep down, that it's a little love note from Him. So many things like that have happened to me over the years. I can't even begin to tell you. [Like the one time when I REALLY wanted a copy of the NYtimes (I can't remember why) and I was sitting in a cafe. I was praying at the time and just decided off the cuff, to mention that in my prayer. The next thing I know, a man heading out the door of the cafe, stops in his tracks, turns around 180 degrees, heads directly over to me on the other side of the cafe! and says, "Would you like a copy of this newspaper?" I kid you not. I started tearing up and getting emotional (He probably thought, whoa, crazy lady.) and I responded, "Why yes, I would." He gave me a big smile and said, "You have yourself a wonderful day." and walked out the door. I immediately started babbling a prayer of thanks to God. It was such a SMALL THING, but GOD TOTALLY spoke to me through that incident, showing me He that he was there, that He listens, even to the small, little details we lay before Him.]

Anyway, back to this book. This is one of those crazy incidents: having this book entitled, "Courage and Calling: Embracing Your God-given Potential" by Gordon Smith now in my hands. Without further ado, I will share a few short passages. I hope they are encouraging to you as well.


"When we think in terms of vocation and reject careerism, we can accept with grace that God will call us in ways that would confound people who think only in terms of getting ahead."

"Students of adult psychological development recognize that the transition from early to mid-adulthood is critical. It happens at different times for different people, but for most it begins in their mid-thirties. Regardless of when the transition comes, it must come. It is a point at which we move directly and intentionally into our vocation, understanding what our vocation is and accepting, indeed embracing, the call of God."

"It is probably fair to say that we do not really know ourselves until mid-life, which is why we cannot make the transition to mid-adulthood - full adulthood until this time....clarity for vocational purposes can only come after we have lived ourselves long enough, and this usually takes us into our mid-thirties...Then we have a decision to make, an inevitable decision: Will we respond to our vocation with focus, direction, purpose and courage?...

The decisions involved may be difficult. Many of us will have to say no as much as we say yes. If we are gifted in more than one way, then we need to discern and affirm what is most significant to us and what brings the fullest expression of our identity.

One of the critical concerns of these years of our lives will be the simple but profound question of whether we will be our own person, true to our conscience and identity, or whether we will sell our souls for the 'company.' Are you a 'company man' or 'company woman' or are you your own person? Are you willing to live by your own convictions and your own conscience, regardless of the implications, or will you believe only what the 'company' believes? Will you be you, or will you live by pretense, by an identity, conscience and belief structure that is not your own but merely one which you think will win you the acceptance of those in power?

Eventually we will be forced to face up to who we are and what we fear.

This crisis of identity is fundamentally a spiritual crisis. In terms of our faith development we are far enough along in life to know what matters to us and what our faith represents - a complete adult trust in God as reflected in our resolve to love God and others. If we face ourselves honestly, doubtlessly we will know that no matter how accomplished we are or how talented or capable or connected we might be, we are not really in control. Facing this and accepting it is fundamental to both our spiritual maturity and to our capacity to embrace our vocation....(vocation is not the same as career or role. We do not have to be gainfully employed to have a vocation.)"

There are many more amazing passages that spoke to my heart, but I guess you'll have to read the book yourself to get the entire picture. :)