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Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men
Created for Work applies the authors engaging homespun wisdom, with stories from real life, to teach young men (and boys) what it means to be good workers.
181 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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566 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
April 6, 2021
Don’t let this out of date cover fool you! This book is wonderful, it’s short stories for boys to learn about character, hard work, learning lessons on the job site and with scripture! We read this aloud for part of homeschool
March 11, 2024
Never mind the boys, I learned so much from this book! So much wisdom packed into these pages backed with scripture. Reading this aloud with my 3 boys (11, 10, 7) and one girl (5) has been such an encouragement to me as a mom to train my kids to be hard workers for the Lord. Reading through one chapter a day and journaling about it has been a wonderful time of bonding together. This has been a book we all talk about regularly to encourage each other to do our work well...and it’s often the kids using it to tell me about how they have done their chore with honor! Win! (2018)
UPDATE
This is one of those books that I could easily read to the kids every few years, it's THAT good. Just finished reading to the youngest 3 (ages 6-12). Shultz life stories as examples to Biblical principles on work ethic are so engaging and memorable. Each chapter seems to reach us in just the way we need to grow. (2024)
UPDATE
This is one of those books that I could easily read to the kids every few years, it's THAT good. Just finished reading to the youngest 3 (ages 6-12). Shultz life stories as examples to Biblical principles on work ethic are so engaging and memorable. Each chapter seems to reach us in just the way we need to grow. (2024)
August 23, 2011
Own.
Review forthcoming.
This would make an excellent Morning Time devotional book when the boys hit double-digits.
Review forthcoming.
This would make an excellent Morning Time devotional book when the boys hit double-digits.
December 28, 2018
Lots of good advice with many stories from the author's life to illustrate the points.
Read to my boys
Read to my boys
August 17, 2024
Actually started this last summer with Nate and Timothy and we just finished today. I would assign some chapters then we’d go out for a treat and discuss briefly and read a few more short chapters together.
I love how it is written and the encouragement it gives to growing young men to faithfulness, diligence, good work ethic and such. He tells so many stories that help flesh out his points in memorable ways. It was highly recommended to me from friends but a caveat one gave was to make sure and discuss the gospel often so it doesn’t come across as doing all this book says earns favor with God. That was helpful, so I do recommend reading it with kids/younger teens and not just handing it to them. It is a little weak on gospel clarity. But it led to so many great convos.
Here is just a random example of a chapter encouraging kids to maintain what they own. “Don’t be so interested in something more or new that you miss taking care of what you have.” The author clearly loves the Lord and cares about boys growing into men who serve and work as unto Him.
I love how it is written and the encouragement it gives to growing young men to faithfulness, diligence, good work ethic and such. He tells so many stories that help flesh out his points in memorable ways. It was highly recommended to me from friends but a caveat one gave was to make sure and discuss the gospel often so it doesn’t come across as doing all this book says earns favor with God. That was helpful, so I do recommend reading it with kids/younger teens and not just handing it to them. It is a little weak on gospel clarity. But it led to so many great convos.
Here is just a random example of a chapter encouraging kids to maintain what they own. “Don’t be so interested in something more or new that you miss taking care of what you have.” The author clearly loves the Lord and cares about boys growing into men who serve and work as unto Him.
February 3, 2022
Simply outstanding.
I read this to Briana and Destry years ago and Briana suggested I read it to the younger children. I had forgotten how excellent it is. Big ideas, big discussions in small bites told with story.
(Some Calvinist worldview)
I read this to Briana and Destry years ago and Briana suggested I read it to the younger children. I had forgotten how excellent it is. Big ideas, big discussions in small bites told with story.
(Some Calvinist worldview)
April 16, 2021
I read this with my 12 year old. It is full of lessons that all parents of boys that they hope actually become men should make sure and impart to them. It enhances the importance of character, hard work and being God glory in all areas of life. I will be having him read this book again before he leaves home.
January 14, 2018
This book contains a lot of practical wisdom about work. It's directed at boys, but the author also says it "touches the fiber of older men and was first taught to my wife and three daughters." I found it a down-to-earth, refreshing read (I think partly due to timing -- when I began it, I'd perhaps been reading too much negative stuff). It does have some parts where it talks about God speaking to him, which I'd want to discuss or omit with my kids, and I don't agree with everything else necessarily either, but overall I think it has many good thoughts for anyone to benefit from. The author works as a carpenter and draws lessons from his life to illustrate biblical truths, also pulling in relevant scriptures.
Some of the things I marked:
"There's a time when all that you have learned, all that you have earned, and all that you are comes side by side with the needs of others" (21).
"God designs the diligent to collect resources and talents with the goal to use them in an appropriate season for good" (22).
"Noah Webster said, 'To overcome difficulty is an evidence of a great mind'" (27).
"All problems are reruns. Whatever hardship you face has been face by someone before you. The faithless focus on the trouble and complain. The faithful thank God and overcome" (27).
"If we only see work as the money we make or the projects we complete, jobs can become a boring waste of time. However, when you understand that employment is a means God uses to put us with people, every job becomes an interesting event and every person a gift" (36).
"Amusement is like a robber who captures men. It steals their time. Without time a man can do nothing. Fulfilling your desires for amusement will put you on the road to debt and poverty because it wastes the time God has given to provide for your needs. Recreation is a part of life, but don't get caught playing when it's time for working" (42).
"Thankful enjoyment of God's gifts is one remedy against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (77).
"When you are committed to a job that you don't feel like doing, do it anyway. Waiting until you feel like working promotes laziness, destroys your productivity, and clouds your mind" (104).
"God likes to do things in a process.... God sets the speed of life. We tend to run too fast or too slow, causing ourselves trouble and frustration.... God creates and enjoys the process of life; we tend to want the goal. Unless we change to align with Him, our lives become an exercise in frustration. On the other hand, if we do learn to appreciate the processes of life we'll find rest and joy..." (133-5).
"'I don't know what the future holds. However, I know that by being faithful with the little things I need to do today, I'll be ready for it when it comes'" (159).
Some of the things I marked:
"There's a time when all that you have learned, all that you have earned, and all that you are comes side by side with the needs of others" (21).
"God designs the diligent to collect resources and talents with the goal to use them in an appropriate season for good" (22).
"Noah Webster said, 'To overcome difficulty is an evidence of a great mind'" (27).
"All problems are reruns. Whatever hardship you face has been face by someone before you. The faithless focus on the trouble and complain. The faithful thank God and overcome" (27).
"If we only see work as the money we make or the projects we complete, jobs can become a boring waste of time. However, when you understand that employment is a means God uses to put us with people, every job becomes an interesting event and every person a gift" (36).
"Amusement is like a robber who captures men. It steals their time. Without time a man can do nothing. Fulfilling your desires for amusement will put you on the road to debt and poverty because it wastes the time God has given to provide for your needs. Recreation is a part of life, but don't get caught playing when it's time for working" (42).
"Thankful enjoyment of God's gifts is one remedy against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (77).
"When you are committed to a job that you don't feel like doing, do it anyway. Waiting until you feel like working promotes laziness, destroys your productivity, and clouds your mind" (104).
"God likes to do things in a process.... God sets the speed of life. We tend to run too fast or too slow, causing ourselves trouble and frustration.... God creates and enjoys the process of life; we tend to want the goal. Unless we change to align with Him, our lives become an exercise in frustration. On the other hand, if we do learn to appreciate the processes of life we'll find rest and joy..." (133-5).
"'I don't know what the future holds. However, I know that by being faithful with the little things I need to do today, I'll be ready for it when it comes'" (159).
May 21, 2009
This was a good book, but not excellent. It is written to young men, I thought it was about young men. The chapters are very short and have discussion question after each. It would make a wonderful study for a parent and son to do together. I would recommend this book for about 12-16ish young men. I wouldn't read it to David at this point, he would not get into it, and I read him all kinds of things typically meant for older kids.
December 23, 2015
I read this book with my two boys (13 & 11) as a tool to help equip them with wisdom and in the hopes of further improving their character, work ethic, and trust in the Lord. While a fairly simple book with short and simple chapters, Schultz's stories and personal experiences are wonderful examples for anyone to read, reflect on, and consider pursuing similar virtues and experiences with God in their own lives.
April 23, 2014
We liked but found some disagreements. Definitely much to talk about.
We found it was applicable to girls as well as boys.
We found it was applicable to girls as well as boys.
July 12, 2021
I got this book for my teenage son to read but I wanted to go through it myself first. I was impressed! It is written using lots of stories as examples of what good work ethic looks like. The author explains the wisdom he is trying to convey in easy to understand language and in such a way that is thought provoking but not boring for boys. Also, at the end of each short chapter are discussion questions which is really helpful.
I really appreciate the overall message and it is one that is lacking in our modern world. There is such a need for our young men to grow up knowing how to work hard, to have character, and to strive for excellence at whatever they put their hand to. We need a new generation of men who have high standards, who have a vision for their future, who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and have a drive to learn new skills all for the glory of God!
This book is a good place to start and will be excellent for prompting discussion with the young men in your life.
I really appreciate the overall message and it is one that is lacking in our modern world. There is such a need for our young men to grow up knowing how to work hard, to have character, and to strive for excellence at whatever they put their hand to. We need a new generation of men who have high standards, who have a vision for their future, who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and have a drive to learn new skills all for the glory of God!
This book is a good place to start and will be excellent for prompting discussion with the young men in your life.
September 18, 2021
This book is written for teen boys, and as such it fulfills its purpose. When I was growing up I was fed a steady diet of Zig Ziglar, Dale Carnegie, and Napoleon Hill. Those books sometimes made reference to Bible verses, but the philosophy was not truly biblical. It boiled down to "Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them!" (The actual passage says, "Seek them not!" Jeremiah 45:5). "Created For Work" teaches true biblical character and a truly biblical work ethic. It lines up with the truth of Matthew 20:26 - "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister." I had passed this on to my youngest son, but while he was away at college I took the time to read it. I was pleased to discover it well-marked. Better yet, I have been pleased to see his life manifesting the teaching of this book and the Bible upon which it is based.
May 10, 2020
Utter trash and that's exactly where it went after reading 20 pages of it and forcing myself to skim through the rest. This book will not help with any type of motivation or reasoning. It's a spin-off of Biblical text and only tells you that 'you should do this instead of that' because 'God says so'. Bought this book for 1 dollar in a second hand book store last year and let it gather dust on my shelves, without suspecting how much of a waste it was.
August 4, 2020
To be men, boys need to learn a culture of work from Scripture.
Schultz is a hard-working, hands-on man who has obviously seen his fair share of distracted, lazy, self-centered boys. The book is practical, memorable, and Christian throughout. It is a concentrated dose of manliness that should be drunk to the bottom and then put into practice.
I read this with my boys one chapter each Saturday night, and we all loved it.
Schultz is a hard-working, hands-on man who has obviously seen his fair share of distracted, lazy, self-centered boys. The book is practical, memorable, and Christian throughout. It is a concentrated dose of manliness that should be drunk to the bottom and then put into practice.
I read this with my boys one chapter each Saturday night, and we all loved it.
March 23, 2018
4* A great book for young people and families to read. The author shares interesting little stories with practical wisdom. This book lifts up a high standard in work, respect, integrity, commitment, and contentment. Anyone who wants to find more fulfillment in their work will benefit from reading this book. Chapters now and then from this book will be required reading for my children.
July 19, 2023
Great read aloud for a family full of boys! In an age where businesses are having a hard time finding quality and quantity of workers, talking over having integrity in the work God has given each of us to do is a must. I also wouldn’t say these principles are good for just boys but I think that the author’s purpose was to give vision to boys in these areas.
February 11, 2020
We read this book as a family and I really loved it. The stories contained in the book were so real and practical. We have actually gone through it more than once. Although it says it is for young men, I would say that the stories are for everyone.
May 2, 2019
Amazing! I read it to my boys and was so happy I tried it.
May 7, 2019
Simple, practical advice for living to glorify God and written in a way that both male and female can be challenged to live for Him.
August 14, 2020
Excellent Christian book on work ethic designed for men and boys. Great read.
August 28, 2020
This book has an excellent view of hard work.
Read
February 22, 2021Loved this!
January 12, 2022
Great book, not just for young people either. Takeaway: Our attitude in our work has so much to do with the amount of peace we will experience in our walk with God.
August 4, 2022
I read this aloud to all of my kids. It is sometimes nice to have someone come along side and help teach your kids these truths, and we enjoyed the stories that helped do that from Schultz.
August 23, 2022
Everyone should read this book!
April 19, 2023
This was ok. Some chapters were better than others, but I’m glad we read it together.
August 19, 2023
Good insights.
August 20, 2023
Great book and definitely doesn’t have to just be for boys!
November 30, 2023
One of my new favorite books. So convicting. A wonderful counseling resource for any man no matter how old. Every principle is directed back to the character of God.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews