I absolutely love this article. I have always loved my work. The sense of accomplishment, the collaboration, the fulfillment. It really is a matter of attitude. So often, I hear the exact same comments that lack satisfaction in the workplace. It leaves me wondering...when we spend 8 (or more) hours a day in disatisfaction, how does that attitude bleed into the rest of our lives? So much of our lives are habitual. The same attitude we exhibit at work will naturally bleed into our personal lives. Thank you for your words of encouragement.

That's great! Sounds like my husband, although I wish it sounded more like myself :(

I think the reflection of this inmer contentment is a wonderful gift that parents can offer their children. I have no doubt that your attitude is a result of theirs.

You gave me something to work at improving :)

Thank you for the reminder of how our attitudes should be. I must admit that of late, I have missed the mark. Things have been extremely stressful and dysfunctional at work and I often long for the weekend: for renewal and refreshment, as well as quiet.

It's all God's work and we must remember who and whose we are.

Nancy, great article. I'm giving it to Steve. We keep following as God leads you and John. Love to see the opportunities and your faithfulness.

Blessings!

Great article. I, too, have always loved to work, but have struggled to find balance. So I particularly appreciate Nancy Ortberg's idea of self-leadership. I have spent far too much of my life wishing I had someone else's stamina, rather than listening to what God wants me to do.

There are two instances in life where I clearly knew I was doing exactly what I was designed to do: The first was when I gave birth; the second is when I work. I have no delusions of being the world's best writer or editor, but I do know that when I work with words, I'm using the gifts God hardwired into me for his purposes. I experience a deep soul satisfaction that is hard to describe. My favorite thing in working with people is helping them find their own "sweet spot," as John Ortberg would say.

I appreciate how God has lead you to challenge us in this area of work and leadership, thank you. I worked in the home, until the kids were in school and started working in the schools. Every year I would ask God to lead me in the work that he wanted me to be involved it. I knew that if I allowed Him to be in charge of this, everything would fall into place. Every year has been better than the year before. Through this process I was lead to work with an autistic student for 11 years! He graduated last year, and during the time I worked with him, I also volunteered at church in the women's ministry. God allowed me to transfer from the job in the school to a job at our church. I like to work, I like to work with others and I like to be in leadership. Mostly, I like to watch God at work, placing us where we should be.

I have been running my own business for sixteen years. It has been exciting. I love getting up in the morning with something to do other than plan meals and clean the house. (Sorry homemakers, I really admire what you do - I'm just not cut out for it). I recently learnt that work means ministry as well, so I asked God to give me work in His vineyard and He's done so. I love what I do and I pray that my minstry grows even more than my business. It doesn't mean that I don't get stressed or tired, I do, more often than not. Meals are late. Shopping's not done on time. The house isn't too tidy. Laundry's kept until it gets irritating. I have learnt to accept my limitations and thank God for everything.

Work: exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil. Yes, it is so satisfying to be who one is created to be, and to get to use those gifts on a regular basis to bless others. I have been blessed to be able to stay at home and homeschool my kids for the last 13 years, and to see them and listen to them today leaves me with incredible satisfaction. There are many other things in church life that I have been able to stick my hands into too, but the biggest blessings, the ultimate success, is in my obedience to His guidance, and somehow that has never seemed like work; it is more like a daily excitement.

I love my job, but I also love my calling. My job gives me goals to accomplish and reward for achievement and girlfriends to minister alongside, but I also know that it's temporary. It pays the bills, provides us with insurance and meets our needs financially as a family. But my calling is as a pastor's wife. I am in leadership wearing a variety of "hats". I loved what Nancy said in point two about opportunities, challenges and relationships. Sometimes I get engrossed in the ministry task that I forget about the bigger picture. I loved the way those three points were summarized and I look forward to consciously putting them into practice.

Thanks for reminding me of these facts. I sure need a reminder on self-leadership. Reading this article I actually stopped to give thanks to God for what seems like a coincidence but surely not. I enjoyed my work a great deal (which invovles travelling, infact I am reading and writing this from an out-of-station dutypost) and I have always bothered about the little time I have for my family. But God has arranged for me a dearly family who helps my children with their school works thus filling my place when I am not around. I am writing from Nigeria, West Africa.

I wonder if this is one way the image of God in us "shines through." In work we create something in some way, tangible or intangible. In my vocation, I create an environment in which children hear the gospel, and adults experience fellowship through serving (and learning right along with the kids). It is a good feeling.

At home, my husband and I work to create an environment that is welcoming, comfortable, and healthy for my family. My kids are learning that it is a good feeling to work to help accomplish this.

At the end of the day we can all reflect on our work and see that it is good.

Im a doctor trying to build a team...this healps

Leadership is a sacred trust, but we don't all necessarily receive a paycheque here on earth to be qualified as a leader. Surrendering to God's path, might mean he hedges us in (or keeps us out of the workforce) for other purposes.

I enjoyed the paid workforce fulltime for years before having children, then quit. Having moved several times and having a husband who travels with his job, my being the foundation has made life easier for us all.

Did I just stay home and cook and clean all these years? Definately not. Did I ever wish I were at an outside job instead? You bet. But I feel God hedged me in so that I could be a Leader to the Neighbourhood Children (mine was the house on the block the kids spent their time at), Leader and Prop Creator at Church Day Camps, Sunday School Teacher, Home Day Care Provider, School Trip Assistant, Creator of a Care Closet and Mentor for Teen Moms, Builder of a Church Library, Writer of Newsletters, Leader of Bible Studies, Pastoral Search Team Member, Teacher of Greeter Seminars, Prayer Warrior for the Public Schools with Mother's Who Care, Prayer Warrior for my husband and children, Visitor of the Elderly, Teacher of Conversational English as a Second Language, Creator of a Children's Writing Club...Homework Mom, Carpooler, and on and on. As you can see, those that don't technically "work", do work.

Now some working women do all this too, but personally I don't have the energy to work fulltime and do these types of ministy assignments.

Contrary to what nancy wrote, "I love to work. I love getting up in the morning and getting dressed for work... I love working with a team ..."

My quote says, "I love not having to rush to a paid job, I love getting my kids off to school, and supervising them when they return, I hate getting up in the morning although I have to, but I can stay in my pj's as long as I want to. I love working alone and not having to report to anyone..."

Just thought a different perspective should be respresented.

I appreciate the challenge to have an attitude of Christ-likeness while we engage in our work. However, i think that we must make a distinction between the work we were given "post-fall" as part of our curse and the "pre-fall" work of tending the garden. Use of our gifts and talents within the context of the kingdom is always rewarding and exhilarating when used with the promise of "Christ in me the Hope of Glory", but the daily grind of a job whose sole purpose is to pay the bills for my family cannot be the joy that using my gifts can be. The work of the curse is just that - a curse. It is still a sacred trust to be the embodiment of Christ in the world, but we present a message of bondage if we tell men and women who are in "non-fulfilling" jobs (such as the slaves in the book of Colossians who are challenged to obey their masters) to live as if this was the best thing that God intended for them. Just a thought.

Dave & others, perhaps you can clarify for me with Scriptural references this question of pre-fall and post-fall. I'd like a clearer picture on the requirements of "work".

I had the same reaction as Dave. Although I appreciated Nancy's enthusiasm and thoughts on self-leadership, especially as I apply it to leadership not only in women's ministry but in my home and to my children, I thought the "love, love, loves" regarding work to be unrealistic. We sweat and toil in a world of thistles. After the fall God told Adam, "Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life, Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground . . . (Gen. 3:17-19). In Colosians 3 Paul instructs wives, husbands, children, fathers, and slaves: "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Not all work may be a "love," but it can become sacred when it is done for the right reason and the right Person.

I got onto this blog hoping to get some inspiration, because I'm not enjoying what I do. I have an idea of what I want to do, tried getting there but its not been possible yet. I pray that if it's God's will He will take me where I want to be. But the one thing, I've got from this blog is to ask God to lead me to do whatever He wants me to do.

Terry Lynn, thanks for those Scriptures and your point of view about having the right reasons for work.

Not all of us end up in jobs we love as much as the author has. She is fortunate. Or, maybe she has just disciplined herself to embrace the job before her with Christ's eyes and is doing really well on being grateful (sometime some of us have trouble with).

JC what is important to know is that as believers, whereever we are has a purpose. The purposes can be in your relationships with others, in developing experiences that will be called upon later, or in developing character traits. I know you are looking for something more interesting, but don't miss the lessons you are to learn or the ministry you are to do right where you are. We are all missionaries.

I recently came on as the director of a christian counseling center and it is amazing to me how much I needed this article. I have been in leadership in secular jobs and have not experienced the stress and turmoil that I have encountered here in such a short time. I have been doubting whether I want to continue to stay on and yet know that this ministry we offer here is so crucial to the people we help. Thanks for an article that reminded me of the things that I need to focus on. If you think of it, please pray for me and our ministry as we press on through the difficult issues of being a non-profit organization that is in the trenches of people's lives while trying to shed the light and hope of Christ!