Working from the Inside Out
paperback
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Many today are experiencing social isolation, deep anxieties about the future, and various difficulties in the workplace. For too many of us, work seems tedious, painful, or meaningless. And we don't know what to do about it.
Working from the Inside Out pulls back the veil on the deep emotional and vocational challenges faced by the majority of workers and shows how work can become a way to love God, serve our neighbors, and demonstrate the gospel to the world. Bringing together emotional, relational, vocational, intellectual, and civic health through the seamless thread of vocation, Jeff Haanen offers a way out of the disintegration of our culture and toward a reintegrated life lived in response to God's voice.
The inner work of transformation leads to external transformation of our relationships and our work, and that good work influences our cities and the culture around us. Living from the inside out can change our work and heal our world.
"Jeff Haanen invites both an elevated imagination and a grounded application of a practical theology for work and the human condition. Whether an educator or an executive, the invitation is to renew your mind on work, engage a deep calling, and spend more days fully alive. I wish I had read this twenty years ago!"
"In this thoughtful, inspiring, and practical book, we are reminded that the perilous Sunday-to-Monday gap is not only about doing work differently but about becoming a different kind of person. The matter of who we are becoming is of the greatest importance. We love, serve, and lead others in the world out of the overflow of our inner world. For anyone who desires to experience a more seamless life of integral faith in their Monday world, Jeff Haanen is a wise and seasoned guide. Working from the Inside Out is a welcome and needed voice in the broader faith and work movement. I highly recommend it."
"Working from the Inside Out provides a much-needed foundation and framework for the integration of spiritual and cultural renewal. It calls us to a vision of costly discipleship through pursuing spiritual vibrancy, sacrificial relationships, and good work for the betterment of society. This is a book that leaves the reader inspired to live for the kingdom in every square inch of creation. Followers of Jesus—read this book."
"Jeff Haanen is one of the foremost thought leaders of this generation on the topic of faith and work. In Working from the Inside Out, Jeff provides anecdotal and prescriptive insights that will inspire and move you to action. Jeff's wisdom and perception is profound in helping readers bridge the sacred/secular divide. This book helps you understand how your work can serve as the most valuable tool Christians have to make a difference in the world. However, we must change internally before we can change the external world."
"Working from the Inside Out is a book I will recommend to a broad range of people without caveats. It's accessible and profound at the same time, as Jeff Haanen puts flesh on theory, pairing his insights about spiritual formation and our need for wholeness with real-life narratives. It's also theologically astute while keeping a foot on the ground—as Haanen is clear-eyed about the varied realities and challenges that different kinds of workers face. It moved me and reminded me of my own longings for greater wholeness. I'm confident it will do the same for you."
"In Jeffrey Haanen's latest work, the reorienting message of the gospel is placed at the center of what it means to live out one's vocation in daily work. Based on insights from one of the nation's leading thought leaders in the faith and work movement, this book will be a great resource for anyone who wants a flourishing, purpose-driven life."
"You don't need this book—if you love your job, live a balanced life, can't wait to get up in the morning, and feel content in your relationships with people and God. If not, consider this collection of deep wisdom from an expert in the crucial, but often ignored, intersection of faith and work."
"In Working from the Inside Out, Jeff Haanen takes on what takes us on. Navigating who we are becoming as we navigate the complexities of how we work is a unique challenge in the cultural moment where we find ourselves. For followers of Jesus, reckoning with our work offers us the great opportunity to discover our Creator's vision for a healthy relationship with work."
Part I: Disintegration
1. Fragmented Lives, Fractured Culture
2. From the Inside Out
Part II: Reintegration
3. Seek Deep Spiritual Health
4. Think Theologically
5. Embrace Relationships
6. Create Good Work
7. Serve Others Sacrificially
Part III: Change
8. How to Change
9. Translating Your Convictions
10. A Life of Love
Acknowledgments
Notes