Called Out: Why I Traded Two Dream Jobs for a Life of True Calling

by Paula Faris

Too often we lean into the wrong things and burn out. We buy society's lie that our worth is our work, our value is our vocation, our calling is our career. Confusing what we do with who we are wreaks havoc on our bodies, our souls, and our relationships.

Called Out is a deeply personal book from Paula Faris, the beloved on-air reporter for ABC News and former co-host of The View. She shares her journey through conquering fears that nearly kept her from the high-profile, high-stakes world of broadcast journalism, and then the dangers when that world threatened to consume her. She burned out and faced public humiliation, physical breakdowns, and family struggles. But along the way, she heard God gently calling her out of that dangerous place. As she struggled to find who she was outside of what she did, she discovered her true purpose and true calling. Today, she is the host of ABC's popular podcast Journeys of Faith.

Written with passion and conviction, this book reflects on what it truly means to be called, how to move past the fear holding you back, and how to walk in God's path for you.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Faith, Spirituality, Inspirational, Leadership

192 pages, Hardcover

Published April 21, 2020

Reviews

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed watching Faris, I could never understand why she took a seat on The View. She had no place on that awful show. I love when she is on Good Morning America. So getting to read about her vocational calling and how (she admits this) she was a workaholic. Hearing about her journey was like sitting with a close friend and hearing them tell YOU their story.
I felt a connection to Faris. I have so much respect for her after reading this.
This is a very inspiring read, full of hope and encouraging advice and so honest.
I gave this book 4 stars. I HIGHLY recommend it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

[Connie Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have long been a fan of Paula Faris, the ABC news reporter and former co-host of The View, but after reading this book I have tremendous admiration for Paula Faris, wife, mother, and daughter. This new book offers a personal look at her professional life and her realization that she needed to adjust her overwhelming work duties. I felt as if she was confiding in me personally about her hectic schedule, her concern about her marriage and her children, and her agony over her father's illness and death. I could almost hear her asking me "How do I step away from my dream jobs and risk losing the credibility and recognition that I've worked so hard to achieve?

I found Faris's willingness to share her life and her journey of faith very inspiring and I believe that Called Out may help others as they consider their own life-changing decisions. I am retired but I found myself wondering about my own calling and this book's closing paragraphs certainly gave me 'food for thought'. Faris reminds us that, at the end of our lives, we won't be asked if we were successful or made a lot of money. She suggests that God will ask us a simple question, "Did you know you were loved, and did you use your gifts to spread my love to the world around you?" She wants to say "Yes" and I certainly want to be able to do the same!

I thoroughly enjoyed Called Out and I recommend it to all who like reading memoirs and inspirational books.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House. A positive review was not required and I am voluntarily sharing my own thoughts.

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our faith calling isn’t rooted in what we do, it’s about loving God and loving people. Not about what kind of job we have.
Be prepared for loads of wonderful, inspiring stories! Be prepared to be in the present and not to be in a rush with this book. Loved how honestly she opens each chapter with the story from her life.

[DonnaJo Pallini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appreciate Paula Faris’ honesty about her faith journey. Love her description of different callings and discovering one’s purpose in life.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Called Out
Why I Traded Two Dream Jobs for a Life of True Calling
by Paula Faris


Bethany House

Bethany House Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 21 Apr 2020



I am reviewing a copy of Called Out through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:


Far to often we find ourselves leaning into the wrong things, so much so that we find we burn out. We buy the lie that our value is in our work our vocation, our calling is our career. When we confuse what we do for who we are havoc is wreaked on our bodies, our souls and our relationships.



Paula Faris is the beloved on air reporter for ABC News and former co-host of The View. In Called Out Paula shared her journey through conquering fears that almost kept her from the high-profile, high-stakes world of broadcast journalism, and then the dangers when that world threatened to consume her.




Paula burned out and faced public humiliation, as well as physical break downs as well as family struggles. Amidst it all she heard God calling her out of the dangerous place she was in. As she searched to find out who she was outside of what she did, she became the host of ABC’s popular Podcast Journeys of Faith






This book shows us what it truly means to be called, as well as showing us how we can push past the fear that is preventing us back, from walking the path God has set before you.



I give Called Out five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

[Mary M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paula Faris has mastered the art of honest and vulnerable storytelling. She shares some very personal stories about her Dad that had me in tears. She really lets you into her world by taking you on a journey through her career, which leads you to see how it affected her family life.

This book is about the different journeys we all take in life. It's about how we listen or in some cases don't listen to our intuition. Fear becomes our worst enemy! We are all unique and different from each other and whether we want to see it or not, we all have very similar life commonalities. We just define them differently. We use different terms to say we care about the same things.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a calling come, it could be anyone, not just people with religious role. This is a story of calling, and the bravery to walk on it.

[Nicole (Bookiesandtea) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had always enjoyed watching Paula Faris as a journalist on Good Morning America and when her book was announced on air. I knew I wanted to read it. This book is her personal account and journey of discovering her faith and vocational calling for her life. It describes how at the top of her career as a top journalist at GMA and co-host at the view she started to fill as if her life was out of control. With a hectic work schedule, martial problems, struggles with devoting time for her kids, and trying to please everyone she started to hit a brick wall. Her internal struggle was that she was letting her vocational career define her whole life; she was addicted to success and her career and everything else fell on the back burner. From her book she says: What happens when you limit the notion of calling to your vocation, your career, or your daily obligations?....For the sake of your God-given "calling" you'll leverage everything-your time, your talent, your money." This was very powerful statement!

This book was filled with so many great insights that I was highlighting away! Faris goes on and realize that she was not being the person she wanted to be (that she was not living in her "calling") and she needed a change. This change for her was leaving the co-anchor desk as the weekend anchor at GMA and co-host on The View to devote more time to her family and her "calling" with bring her faith and faith of others through her podcast show "Journeys of Faith"

Faris writes in a very honest and open way that definitely makes you ponder to reflect on your own life and priorities. I also loved this quote for kids and this is something that we as adults do often in asking to kids: "What do you want to do when you grow up? and instead we should ask "Who do you want to be when you grow up?" Yessss! This is exactly what we should be asking kids...in helping them build their character and morals!

Thank you to Paula Faris and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Becky Giovagnoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

The right book at the right time. Her story spoke to me because of the life changes I am in the midst of. I recognized my journey in hers and it helped me with perspective and purpose.

[Laura Robinson (naptimereaders) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved hearing Paula’s story and I love the way she writes. I feel like she played it on the safe side on a lot of the chapters though. While we all wanna know our faith calling & wanna “love God and Love people.”. As Christians our job is to: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19-20‬ ‭

So I think she missed the Mark a little bit on that. At the end of the day, Jesus won’t ask us how we served him in our faith calling... because our job is to make disciples and share the gospel. ❤️

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Called Out, former ABC news correspondent Paula Faris provides a real and candid look about why she walked away from her dream job, in search of her true calling.

She shares her very personal and real journey through her fears, burn out and family struggles to make a very difficult decision to walk away and step into the calling on her life.

This is a book which inspires to step out in faith in pursuit of our own calling, from someone who has been there and walked the journey. The book is honest and full of conviction and guidance about one woman’s journey and how to seek the Lord in your own life journey.

**I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

[Anita (Hearts and Whodunits) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paula Faris has written a memoir about her struggles with success and her faith in God. I found her writing insightful and educational. She has made me think about my path in life, and where God wants me. I would recommend this to anyone looking to define their true calling in life. I received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Mary Pauline M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable and timely quick read for me. No doubt this book was placed in my life for a reason. As I continue fulfilling God's call on my life, this book provided much needed insight.

[Amandasaved · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Paula Faris commentary on TV. This book was so-so

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Note:  This book was provided free of charge by Bethany House.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

I have to admit that I did not find the author to be a particularly likable person in reading this book.  She struck me as honest and sincere, and certainly as someone who I could respect and in some ways share her thirst for achievement and her struggles with impostor syndrome and in her passionate interest in her calling.  Yet unlike many of the likely readers of this book I have not watched enough television in the decade to have ever seen her on Good Morning America or The View, unlike many of her former coworkers in both jobs.  By and large the author strikes this reader as one of those hardworking and intense and overeager and also very beautiful women who struggle to achieve successful positions, alienate those who are close to them, and find themselves surprised and hurt because of the cattiness they get from other women they are in competition with.  As a reader I was both able to identify with her anxiety and fears and insecurity as well as her dogged determination to be competent and well-prepared but also somewhat alienated by her lack of self-awareness of how not everyone may be a fan of this.

This book is a bit less than 200 pages and is divided into 12 chapters.  The book begins in media res with a look at her exit interview with ABC as she left work after a disastrous year (recounted in more detail later on) (1).  After that the author talks about her childhood and her drive for success as a way of giving her a sense of accomplishment (2).  The author then looks at how her understanding of a calling was clarified by an interview she had with a spy (3) who also happened to be a devoted Christian and the children of missionaries.  After that the author talks about her fear (4), how to cultivate desire (5), and how to move out of one's comfort zone (6).  After that the author talks about her feelings of impostor syndrome in New York (7), her trading of one identity for another (8), and how she sought to become a Mary from being a daughter of Martha (9).  Finally, the book ends with chapters about her year of struggles that gave her a belated wake-up call (10), a discussion of faith and vocational calling (11), and her commitment to incremental change (12), after which there is an afterword by Max Lucado as well as acknowledgements and notes.

The importance of a calling is something that many Christians should understand better, and this book does a good job at bringing out the importance of knowing our God-given talents and abilities, our passions and curiosities, and the opportunities that we have to develop them.  This book is more a personal memoir than it is a discussion of calling in general, although the author certainly uses the subject of calling to help frame her discussion of her background and personal and professional history.  As someone who has been entirely ignorant of her body of work, including her Journeys of Faith podcast, this book gave me a lot of information about someone I saw as being especially similar to me, but not someone whose life I personally gravitated to or really cared all that much about.  Most readers of this book will be more familiar with the author and will likely care about her as well.  That said, I was greatly appreciative of her focus on professionalism, as it serves as a professional rebuke to so many of the hack partisan journalists who are in such proliferation in our present evil age, even if it did not win her many friends among her hack former co-hosts at The View.

[Lydia Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHY I CHOOSE THIS BOOK

Quite simply because the Afterward is by Max Lucado, and he’s an author whose work I really appreciate.

Several times as I was reading the book I saw what felt like influences of Mr. Lucado’s writing style, but still done in Miss Paula’s own voice, so that was a plus for me.

WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BOOK

I’ve watched the news, but I don’t watch the news. As in, it’s not an everyday activity for me. I’m familiar with the words ABC News, but don’t know much about them, and I’d never heard of The View. So, I really had no clue who the author was, or why it was such a big deal for her to change her job. Therefore, it took me a bit to get into the book, but once I did I really enjoyed it and learned a lot from its pages.

The Pros

-The book is interesting and the author is a good communicator. She takes lessons she’s learned both from her life and the lives of people she’s interviewed at her job to produce a book full of wisdom. The stories she sprinkles throughout the book were intriguing and I was never bored as I read. She’s also honest in her approach – sharing openly where she’s messed up, which takes a lot of courage. The book is practical as well, which is always something I look for while reading nonfiction.

-There’s a difference between your vocational calling and your life calling. I grew up being taught that, but according to this author the distinction isn’t widely known, so she does a good job distinguishing the two. She then goes on to explain how they can work in tandem with each other, and why it’s so important to get this aspect of life right.

-I don’t think the book was written for a Christian audience. This can be a plus because it can reach far more people than if it had a nitch market, and I think that the message she shared was important and can help many people. She’s also open and shameless about the fact that she is a Christian – talking about how God slowly changed her heart over the years and citing Bible verses to back up what she’s saying. For the most part, I appreciated the balance, but this does lead me to my first con.

The Cons

-Although the author does a fantastic job of sharing her faith in Christ, there were times when I felt like it seemed as if she gave other religions just as much credence as Christianity. For the most part, the book felt balanced, but there were times when it seemed to lean towards the “of you’re sincere, then you’ll be fine” type of mindset. I don’t think that’s what she was actually meaning to imply, but it was a bit of a gray area.

-Mostly I liked her writing style, but there were a few times where she seemed redundant, or something that was supposed to be funny fell flat for me. That’s entirely a preference thing though, so it didn’t bother me too much.

-I wasn’t a big fan of the way she formatted some of the book – with interviews from various people over the years. The interviews were great, but how they were added to the book wasn’t my favorite. But, this was a very small con for me.

CONCLUSION

I don’t agree with everything the author said and did – when have I ever? But overall, this book was a win for me. It was well-written, the message was one I’ve worked on my whole life, and the author was very real and honest which seems like it would take a lot of courage since she’s a public figure who is already a household name to many Americans.
RATING

I’m giving Called Out 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a copy of the book so I could tell y’all about it.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Called Out, Paula Faris opened up about how she became an ABC news reporter and how she wound up taking a cohost position on ABC’s, The View. In this book, she explored how she found her true calling and how God has changed her life. She also discussed how she decided to leave her position as a cohost on The View and how she stepped back from being a co-anchor on GMA weekends. Throughout the book, she was honest about her struggling with a drug of choice and that was success and how she found her identify in her work. She was working crazy hours and rarely had time off and she was missing time with her family. She shared how God got her attention and made her slow down and it only took her three times to figure it out. She suffered a concussion when someone threw an apple at her while working on GMA. A few weeks later was involved in a head on car crash when someone hit her. Then she also got influenza and pneumonia and was forced to slow down. All of this was supposed to make her slow down, but it took all three events to learn the lessons she was supposed to be learning. She revealed how important people influenced her life and how she was able to find out her calling and who she truly was inside. One of these people was David Shedd who was a retired U.S. international spy and he shared how people can find their true vocational calling. These included, “our skill sets, what we’re curious about, the skills and proficiencies our friends and mentor recognize in us”. Paula was open in sharing how she decided to change and take a step back from all of her reporting and how she found her own vocational calling. She has since gone on to host a Faith podcast for ABC News, Journeys of Faith.


I would recommend this life changing book to anyone who is ready to find out their true calling. Paula Faris does an excellent job at exploring what she has learned from different faith leaders and even everyday people about how they found their own calling. Some of these included, Robin Roberts, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dolly Parton, David Shedd, Michael Strahan, Jay Williams, and much more. I loved the humor, she shared in how she met Dolly and what she taught her about fear. I will admit I didn’t know much about her life before this book. I saw her on GMA a few times, but I didn’t really know her story. I will say, I have much more respect for her and she has a story, readers need to read to help them figure out their true calling. I loved how she also included stories from the Bible such as Joseph, David, Jonah, and even Jesus and how they found their vocational calling for Christ’s Kingdom. I also connected with Paula’s story about wanting to chase achievement and how she lost her identity in her job. I immensely liked how she revealed her struggle with learning to slow down. As I was reading this, we are all being forced to slow down or we are being forced to change aspects of our lives because of COVID-19. During this time, I think it could very well be God using this to wake us up to figuring out who we are and what He has called us to do. Her story is very relatable and I believe her story and lessons have the potential to assist readers into finding their God given calling and who they are.


"I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany House/ Chosen for my honest review.”

[Joanne Viola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Called Out is the personal and transparent story of the author’s struggle with her work and her calling. The struggle nearly cost her the very things which mattered most to her.

The book is a wonderful and timely reminder that “God has a way of interrupting unhealthy lifestyles” (from page 22). He might even use the book to bring you to the point of wanting more alignment between who you say you are and what you do.

We hear about living with purpose all around us, but never pause to consider what does that truly mean in our daily lives. The author defines faith calling:

“Your faith calling describes who you are. It should serve as the foundation for everything you do. It should affect the way you interact with people, the way you parent, the way you relate to your spouse, and the way you pursue your vocational calling. Everything should flow from your faith calling.” (from page 37)

The book is rich with experiences and people stories from the author’s interactions in her career and personal life. Intertwined with those stories, the author brings her own insights, like this one on busyness:

“Our worth doesn’t come from busyness, form all the things we do, not even the things we do for Jesus. Jesus is more concerned about whether we are living him with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. That’s where he wants us to find our worth, our identity. And when we’re rooted in that identity, we can share the truth of God’s love with the world around us. But when we lose sight of this truth, when we find our identity in what we do, we’ll find ourselves mired in anxiety, fear, and worry.” (from page 133)

The book was most enjoyable and thought provoking as it closes powerfully with this:

“At the end of your life … God will ask a simple question: Did you know you were loved, and did you use your gifts to spread my love to the world around you? And if you answer, “I did my best, Lord,” it’s my guess you’ll hear the best words.

Well done, good and faithful one.”

This is a wonderful read, but especially for those reflecting on what it means to be called, how to push past fears, and how to discover God’s path for one’s life. It is a book for everyone of us.

**I received this book from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Aurelia Mast-glick · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not about what you do, it's about who you are. If I could sum up this book in one sentence, I think that is the sentence I would use.

Paula Faris used to co-host The View, Good Morning America Weekend, and do anything else she was asked to do. She led a crazy work schedule to the detriment of her marriage, her family, her children. Failure was a real fear and always felt just a misstep away. Then God started getting her attention through some unfortunate events and she started to listen and hear what He was saying. She made some potentially career-ending choices and started a faith podcast with the ABC network. Today, she has more time with her husband, she's home most days when her children come home from school and her podcast is bringing her more fulfillment than she ever imagined. I hope that is not too much of a spoiler, I am assuming that since this book is true and Paula is a journalist, a lot of people are already familiar with the career aspects of her life.

"When God calls you, he'll equip you. It becomes less about what you can bring to the table and more about being expectant that God will show up."

"The God who'd called me to love God and love people would equip me to express that love through my vocation, whatever that vocation happened to be."

I'm not sure if I can fully put into words how faith and vocation go together, but to say this: follow your faith calling, make your life about sharing God's love and your vocation will follow. Life is not about having the ultimate career, life is about living for God and exemplifying Him to others.

I think about this in my "vocation" as a stay-at-home mom. My biggest calling is to show God to my children. That is way bigger than any crafty, DIY, Pinteresty house project I can do. And I need to remember that because sometimes I sabotage my calling.

I enjoyed this book. It was an easy, but thought-provoking read. It also had some nice aesthetic touches, like the table of contents being spread out over two pages and the page numbers throughout the book being a much bigger font than normal. I just liked that.

I received this book from Bethany House and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Joanne Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book in what I have personally labeled the "Religious Calling" genre. This book - like others in the genre - talk about how the author found her "calling" and the journey that it took to get there. The aspect that sets this book a little apart from the others is that she specifically differentiates between what she calls her "spiritual calling" and her "vocational calling" and how the two are different and yet work together.

While I found the book a bit formulaic (most of them are), I enjoyed it because she talked about the specific steps and questions she asked trusted friends and mentors about how they found their calling and how they implemented it in their lives, and she did not completely leave her old life behind to find her calling, she instead integrated her spiritual calling and her vocational calling into the job she already had and transitioned into the position she created for herself. I found this more satisfying because she spoke about how she believed that callings are as unique as fingerprints and often a person is on the right track with their career, the part that is missing is integrating the spiritual component so that the job becomes more satisfying and aligns with their "higher purpose."

I enjoyed the book but had a hard time getting past some of the more formulaic aspects. Even so, I enjoyed her insights from her journey and appreciated her transparency and attention to the questions and where she went to find the answers.

[Nikki Burzawa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because I identified with the author’s desire to understand what a life of true calling means. It’s true… even while growing up in a religious household, we are taught to focus on our vocational calling and define success by our financial earnings and promotions. Interestingly, I think in our 20s when we are told to pick our career paths in college we are ill equipped to know what our true callings are. In our 30s we are struggling through the firsts in our lives ie. weddings, homeownership, babies, sleep deprivation which distracts us from finding meaning in our work because we are overwhelmed. It is only in our 40s that we are catching our breath and considering the path we chose and what our vocations mean to us and to our families. My take aways from this book are valuable. Do not allow fear of failure to keep you from your true calling. If you do not know your true calling, think about what mentors and those around you have said about your gifts. Your true calling is a vehicle to demonstrate your love for God and love for people no matter what your vocational calling maybe. It’s about who you are while doing your job, not what job you are necessarily doing. Some might say it’s a midlife crisis, but I disagree, it’s our search for meaning. So many of us are searching for meaning in our lives beyond our daily to do list. I have recommended this book to others on that search.

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Called Out by Paula Faris is an excellent and honest novel in which the author shares the successes and failures that have occurred throughout her life. There is a strong integration of the Word of God throughout the many stories told as Paula Faris’ life is chronicled. . I found it so refreshing to read about the honest reflections that Paula writes about. She is willing to search for her true calling and is able to take the large risk of giving up both The View and Good Morning America in order to straighten out her priorities and align her life with the calling she hears from God. What a daring and courageous woman! The author writes in a very honest and open way and I felt as if she were talking just to me. I look forward to seeing how Paula Faris’ religious podcast is received by the public. I will surely be listening. Read this book and you will certainly be challenged to reflect on your life and your priorities. You will also energize your relationship with God and realize that your life should have a large spiritual component. Be sure that when you read this novel you have time to seep in all the wisdom! I would like to thank Paula Faris, netgalley, Baker Publishing Group and Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book not knowing what to expect. I did not know who Paula Faris was and, in a way, I still feel like I don't.

I liked this book or, rather, I wanted to like it. I wanted to hear her story about trading her career for what is her calling. I even liked the fact that she was bringing her Christian values and ideas into it. I liked the idea that God spoke to her and lead her to pursue another career path, still within her field. All of that sounded very interesting and I was eager to read it.

What I did not love was how much Bible and "God" was in this book. I understand that she holds true to her Christianity but I feel like that was covered in the first chapter or two. In every chapter, everytime something happens in her life, she connected it to a Bible story and then dictated it. I was skipping over those parts. I've read the bible, I know the stories. Maybe it was just me because no everyone has read the bible or follows its teachings. But, I felt like some of the bible stories took the place of HER story. I wanted to know more about Paula. You get some of Paula. You get how she got to this point in her life but I also feel like those stories were rushed through in favor of more bible teachings.

[Jill Rey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author, Paula Faris, is best known for her roles as a weekend anchor on Good Morning America and a co-host on The View.  Called Out provides readers a memoir-esque read rooted in faith, as Faris discusses what called her to give up these seemingly “dream” jobs to host a faith-based podcast. 
Given the name of this book, Faris spends a healthy amount of time introducing readers to the farfetched idea of a “calling” and recognizes the general population’s inability to define it.  However, Called Out successfully delivers a powerful definition curtailing from one’s skill sets, curiosities and proficiencies, creating a foundation for the book’s remaining lessons.
Faris does NOT fail to name drop throughout the read, including her experiences with Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, Whoopi Goldberg and many more.  But her lessons remain relatable, including her experiences with imposter syndrome, the fears derived from any life change, and learning to not let our self-worth and identity be stolen solely by our vocational, work calling.  
*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this book read by the author and as a fellow working “achievement and image oriented” mom I related on so many levels and was challenged to think deeply about what I do and why. While some chapters were a bit slower than others in the first 2/3rds of the book, I loved the lengthy discussion about calling—both vocational and faith.

Practically the author describes 3 considerations when determining vocational call.
1. What is your natural gifting and innate skill set?
2. What are your curiosities and interests?
3. What do those wiser than you see as your strengths and resources?

“Confidence in my vocational calling comes only when rooting in my faith calling.”

“Being rooted to the vine is being sure of WHO I am and not what I do for a living.”

While I didn’t agree with all of the author’s theology as written (emphasis on one’s ability to chose God), I deeply appreciate how she discusses loving those who don’t agree with you as Christ loves us.

I particularly liked the last chapter related to sharing this as a parent particularly to ask kids “Who do you want to be when you grow up?” not “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

[Carol Ghattas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew nothing about Paula Faris, when I checked her book out of the library. I just liked the title and was intrigued to know more about a person who would trade dream jobs for a "life of true calling." In this easy-to-read book, Faris shares not only her story, but of how easy it is for the church to use words that are so important, while missing the mark in communicating their meaning. "Calling" was the word she'd heard throughout her life, but which left her hanging as to how to apply it to her life.

This led to a misinterpretation of God's purpose for her life and a desire to become an overachiever out of personal insecurities. Weaving her own story among those of persons she's interviewed over the past several years as well as with scripture, Faris does a very good job at defining calling as based first on faith and defined by our ability to love the Lord and love our neighbor, whatever our day-to-day job may be.

An encouraging read and recommended, especially to those who are floundering without purpose in life or on the road to burnout from overwork and achievement.

[Virginia Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The drive for success, while keeping a marriage intact and mothering three children, propelled journalist Paula Faris to the top of her profession. In "Called Out: Why I Traded Two Dream Jobs for a Life of True Calling", she shares her personal story, revealing the spiritual, physical, and mental struggles she endured in order to "have it all". A former ABC News reporter and co-host of "The View", she details how she took a great leap of faith by giving up unfulfilling fame to start fresh, this time with a faith-driven career. When Paula Faris was "called out", she answered with a renewal of spirituality, freeing herself from fear and self-doubt and moving forward to host a podcast called "Journeys of Faith". As the author states: "It's about who we are, not what we do.". This book includes an afterword by pastor and bestselling author, Max Lucado.

Book Copy Gratis Bethany House Books

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by this book after listening to Faris on several of the podcasts that I listen to. It certainly was interesting to hear the ins and outs of what it was like for Faris as she was on-air hosting several shows for ABC. Faris spent most of the book talking about how faith calling intersects with vocational calling and how we must change the way we approach the conversation around calling. I appreciated the way she separated what our faith has called us to do and what our vocation asks of us.

As someone who does not do any vocational work, I struggled to connect a bit with the story and how to separate out how she approached calling for my own life. I think this book would be better for people trying to reconcile how to live out their faith while working in a job that intersects with the world outside a home.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This review is my own, honest opinion.

[MaryAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! For me, it was like a mini retreat! I took all of Sunday and leisurely read and reflected. Our true calling/vocation is to love God and others. Period. We need to focus on WHO we are not what we do. We are all children of God, and as such need to spread God's love, compassion, into the world. How we do that is by what we choose to do with the gifts and talents we have been given. For those who do not believe in God, vocation is spreading love and compassion into the world. I have been teaching just this to my students for years....whatever you do, how does it bring love and compassion to others? As a theology teacher, I loved how Paula uses many of our ancestors in faith from the Bible as examples throughout her book. She honestly shares her life stories, particularly her "year from hell". Whether you love your job or are seeking something new, this is a wonderful book that feeds your soul and spirit. At least it did mine.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic book! Paula gives her story about being an overachiever in her schooling and career, to the point of losing sleep and almost losing her family. She states her drug of choice with succes. After a series of events that she call "the year of hell", God finally got her attention and she began to listen.

She talks about your vocational calling and your faith calling. Paula now focuses on who she wants to be and not what she wants to do. That is powerful! Love God and Love People!

Through one of her faith podcasts interviews with David Shedd, she listed three questions to find your vocational calling.
1. Skill sets, what are you good at?
2. Curiosity, what are you curious about?
3. Mentor encouragement, what do mentors and friends recognize as skills and proficiency?

Such a great read and encouragement to pursue both the vocational calling and not let fear get in the way while also pursuing my faith calling! Love God and Love People!