At first, it seemed like many other “Christian” books I had read over the decades. Helpful. Thoughtful. Interesting.
But somewhere around the third or fourth chapter, I suddenly realized this book was different.
It was important.
Over the years, I have now read it three or four times, and its ideas have stayed with me in a profound way. In fact, many years ago I wrote an entire month of devotional thoughts based on principles Os Guinness explained so well. Now, in 2026, I find myself returning to those ideas once again — refining them, rethinking them, and honestly hoping they refresh me all over again.
May has a way of leaving educators exhausted.
Another school year has passed. Another round of calendars, meetings, grading, planning, problem-solving, counseling, leading, encouraging, correcting, praying, and persevering has brought us to June once again. Most of us arrive here carrying more than we realize.
We carry fatigue. We carry unfinished goals. We carry disappointments. We carry questions. We carry moments we wish we could do over. And sometimes, if we are honest, we carry a quiet sense of drift.
My new role in Operations has especially reminded me that entropy is real. Left unattended, things naturally drift toward disorder — systems, schedules, priorities, and sometimes even our own souls.
June offers something many educators rarely experience during the school year: margin. A chance to breathe. A chance to think again. A chance to hear the deeper questions that often get drowned out by schedules, responsibilities, and survival mode.
When I read The Call, it profoundly reshaped the way I thought about vocation, leadership, and purpose. Guinness challenged readers to see calling not merely as a profession or career path, but as a response to God Himself.
That idea stayed with me.
It pushed me to think beyond job descriptions, titles, accomplishments, and even ministry roles. It caused me to wrestle with a deeper question:
What is my aim?
Not simply:
What am I doing? What am I achieving? What am I managing?
But:
Who am I becoming? What direction is my life taking? What kind of influence am I leaving behind? Am I still aligned with the calling God placed on my life?
Over the next month, I want to invite you into a simple journey of reflection and renewal.
Beginning June 1, I will be revisiting and reworking that series of devotional thoughts I first wrote years ago. Some of those early writings were unfinished. Some were rough around the edges. But the questions behind them remain deeply important.
Together, we will spend June reflecting on calling and purpose, spiritual drift and renewal, faithfulness and endurance, leadership and influence, intentional living, rest and refreshment, priorities and perspective, and the daily challenge of living with clarity of aim.
This is not intended to be a program to complete or a formula for self-improvement.
It is simply an invitation to slow down. An invitation to reflect. An invitation to recalibrate. An invitation to refresh your soul before another school year begins.
As educators and leaders, we spend much of our lives helping shape others. June gives us an opportunity to allow God to shape us again.
So before the planning meetings begin… before the summer disappears… before another school year starts pulling at our attention… perhaps this is a good moment to pause and ask:
What has this past year done to my soul?
Where have I drifted?
What originally called me into this work?
What matters most now?
What is my aim?
My prayer is that this month will do more than help us rest.
I pray it will help us reorient.
Day 1 will begin on June1- that gives you a week to add the book to your reading list and read with me- as I read it again!
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