This was an easy read. There was a lot of good and practical advice, especially in the second half. However, it felt very disjointed and in my opinion, there was a lot of information/quotes from others rather than the author's content. Overall, it was a good read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book takes an interesting look at the theology of work, specifically for women. The first half didn't really catch my attention - it felt a bit fluffy rather than thought-provoking. The second half had a lot more practical advice, things to think about and more original (compared to other things I have read) ideas.

This book pulls a lot on other authors, research and ideas. At times this threw me as it felt more like a compilation of work rather than the authors own ideas. But it was still valuable to have these ideas pulled together, and there were sections with more content directly from the author. I found the section on humility particularly interesting. Definitely a good plan to start if you are new to exploring this topic - and a very easy to read book.

Thanks to NetGalley and InterVarsity Press for the advanced copy.

Powerful book. Is our work our calling, or is our calling our work? Unique perspectives from those who are in the workforce and those who have left the workforce. Really interesting read. I would recommend this for anyone who would like to expand their knowledge of what work means in light of our callings as women.

I was an early reader, thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

In 'Women, Work, and Calling,' Joanna Meyer provides a compelling vision for what it looks like to be women who work in many different capacities, obeying our calling to follow God. God is in the business of restoring everything, and he invites us to work alongside him which lends dignity and meaning to everything we do. Meyer discusses many things from the changing nature and seasons of a woman's work (both professional and otherwise), to how we can grow in humble confidence and become relationally generous with other women. Meyer paints a beautiful picture of interdependence and co-flourishing between men and women. Meyer's message is not 'work harder,' but 'work with Christ and he will supply what you need,' and she provides many ideas of what that looks like. I found the scriptures and journaling questions helpful to come back to and think through what I read. There are some places I wish had been slightly more fleshed out--for instance, I wasn't quite sure what soul care looks like in chapter 8--but overall I found this book very helpful and I intend to buy a copy for a friend.

Full disclosure: Joanna is a friend of mine, so I'm prejudiced in favor of her writing, not just because of our friendship but because of the thoughtful, godly approach that she brings to questions about faith and work and women's place in both. Review based on an eARC received through NetGalley.

I appreciated seeing so many role models of Christians impacting the world, especially those in jobs that are sometimes labelled secular (not a label Meyer uses.). I also liked the sections that pulled together biblical insights with the realities of daily life in the workplace. And the reflection questions at the end of each chapter did spur me to deeper thinking. I would love to discuss them with a group of like-minded women.

Each section of the book could easily be a book on its own. In fact, this is my main criticism of the book. Complex subjects had to be skimmed over quickly. While many Christian women shared insights on various topics, there wasn't space for them to dig more deeply into the theological implications of their experiences and statements they made.

This book is a good launching point for women newly thinking through issues related to their calling and their work lives.

This book had some good reminders and an encouraging tone, but was underwhelming for me personally. For a woman new to the topic, this could be a good place to start thinking about work and calling.

Pros: quick, short read. She had a theology of work and Sabbath (love that). I like that she included reflection questions at the end of each chapter. She had a good chapter on humility where she discusses what humility is and what it isn’t and a solid chapter on perfectionism. She places a high value on community & mentors in discerning calling and vocation. The breadth of topics coverage was great, but I believe lacked depth in areas I would've liked to see.

Cons: I felt mildly encouraged, but overall pretty meh. I don’t believe every book needs to have brand new information, but I do hope to leave thinking deeper about the themes of the book (especially one with a title like this) and I didn’t feel that way with this one.

Thank you NetGalley and IVP for the advance copy!

I enjoyed reading this books. It offers an overview on the theological basis for the involvement of women in work outside the home and then practical aspects, such as the challenges women face in the workplace and advice on how to improve workplace relationships, networking and finding a mentor.<br />It is a very easy read, contains a lot of practical wisdom regarding women in the workforce.<br /> I recommend it to women in this particular position, though I would say it doesn't go to deep into the issues it adresses.
Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for sending this book for review consideration.

I really enjoyed this book. Meyer is like an encouraging best friend, urging her female Christian readers to embrace their vocational callings. The chapters were short with insightful discussion questions.

This book seems like it was w written for me, it reflects my worries, nervousness, questions and relationship with God. The author mixes bible verses, stories, and wise words seamlessly and poses some excellent questions for personal reflection. I challenge anyone to read this book and not grow in faith and love for self.

This was quite an easy read. Which is suprising for this style of book.

As with most educational books it was far to chaotic for me (but I guess thats a me thing I just would love bulletpoints and overviews)

The first 50% felt kinda generic. I couldnt really take anything away from that...
50-70% I loved. I learned and marked a lot. Especially about mentoring & Perfectionism
The last Part about Networking went a bit over my head... maybe I'll come back to that...

Generally I really liked it. I loved how all the (lots of!) quotes from the bible were pulled in, how the different examples were made and the Reflect parts at the end of the chapters brought everything together.

- Such a good and easy read.

- I enjoyed reading this book because it was relatable. It should be beneficial for Christian women looking to develop themselves and exert their influence in their vocations. .

- Topics which working women should find relevant were delved into e.g. networking, mentoring, perfectionism, limiting beliefs, Imposter Syndrome, personal branding, rest and so on. Also, it seeks to provide solutions to some of the challenges faced in the workplace from a Biblical/Christian perspective

- Great addition of reflection questions at the end of each chapter.

- Some new ideas/perspectives on work were shared. However, some bold/controversial statements were made which seemed to be generalisations e.g. "and often, the place they [Christian women pursuing professional careers] feel most lonely is in their faith communities" and "as our roles in public life have grown, the church's vision for women's work and calling has not grown with us".

Women, Work, and Calling offers a cursory overview of many relevant topics to working Christian women. The book is divided into four sections: 1) an introduction to a biblical theology of work and calling, 2/3) challenges women face in relation to work and corresponding encouragements, and 4) tips for improving workplace relationships. Each chapter starts with an almost devotional-style commentary related to the topic that includes Scripture and/or quotes from successful working women followed by practical implementation tips and concludes with reflection prompts.

The book is short and serves more as general encouragement rather than a deep dive into women in the workforce. I think that the author did a great job presenting the theology and importance of work in the early chapters. I do wish that she had gone into more depth about several topics, though.

While relevant to women who work or volunteer, I would not recommend this book to full-time stay-at-home moms unless they are considering re-entering the workforce. While motherhood certainly is work and a calling, this book is geared towards vocational work. In fact, the lack of discussion on motherhood was my biggest complaint about this book. As a working women myself with the hope to be a mother in the somewhat near future, I hoped that this book would offer more perspective for women who work and mother. It was mentioned a handful of times, but I think the subject deserved at least a full chapter.

Favorite Quotes:

“Through our daily work, in whatever form it takes, we have been entrusted with a corner of creation that awaits God’s loving influence. When viewed this way, our work becomes more than just a way to support ourselves financially. It becomes a response to God’s love and sacrifice, offered in service to others.”

“Living your call does not depend on God declaring a single, glorious vision for your life. Rather, it’s a lifelong journey that combines spiritual discernment, courage, and creativity as God helps you become the woman he designed you to be.”

Thank you to Intervarsity Press and NetGalley for the ARC!