The 6 Seasons of Calling: Discovering Your Purpose in Each Stage of Life

About the Author BRIAN SANDERS is the founder of the Underground Network, an international coalition of churches united by the prophetic call to love the poor, reach the lost, and seek biblical justice. The Underground is a new form of church designed and empowered for mission. A serial entrepreneur, Brian has helped to start hundreds of missional enterprises, including churches, non-profits, and businesses all over the world. He holds a degree in communication from the University of Florida, a Masters Degree in Religious Studies from the University of South Florida, and a Masters Degree in Applied Theology from Spurgeon's College. Brian has lived in intentional community in the inner city for more than twenty years, embodying the ideas that drive him. He lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife Monica and their six children. What if you don’t have a calling from God . . . but callings?Often we think of our calling as a singular moment of divine purpose revealed to us in young adulthood and static for the rest of our lives. But consider how God usually works. He created the cosmos in six successive days. Might He not also have six seasons of calling for the lives of His people?In The 6 Seasons of Calling, Brian Sanders helps you view your calling as something ongoing and dynamic. Because your calling is rooted in your relationship with God and your perception of His voice, it isn’t a static or one-time experience. Of course, your calling doesn’t constantly shift and change. Yet God has ordained six basic seasons as your life unfolds:Childhood - the season of bondingAdolescence - the season of learningEarly Career - the season of servingMid-Career - the season of creatingLate Career - the season of givingTransition - the season of leavingInstead of wandering aimlessly through life, let the six seasons of calling provide structure for your development. Locate yourself in this sequence. Live mindfully in each season. Learn from its lessons. Look for what might be next. And remember . . . only at the end of your life will you see why each season was valuable and not to be rushed. Review Praise for The 6 Seasons of CallingOnce in a great while, a book comes along that speaks deeply into my soul, that gives me insight, encouragement, and perspective on my lifelong desire to be the person God created me to be. This is that book. Brian Saunders created a masterpiece that should be reviewed every ten years or so. This is deep, spiritual truth that speaks to how God grows us and calls us through all seasons of life, from childhood to senior years.-DAVE HATAJAuthor of Good Work; CEO of Edgerton Gear, Inc.This book was a journey in self-reflection. It was a chance for finding where I am along the path, where I might be headed, and how God has shaped the road on which I find myself. Leadership is often about seeing the bigger picture. Self-leadership, a skill we all need to practice, relies on getting above the fray to see this more expansive view. Brian’s book helped me to do this.-TED ESLERPresident, Missio Nexus, author of TheInnovation CrisisGod has planted within us the seeds of growth that are designed to bear fruit throughout our lives. Brian Sanders has written a clear, engaging tutorial describing the developmental tasks, invitations, and challenges to growth at every stage of faith formation. The 6 Seasons of Calling offers readers an indispensable companion as they seek to live into a healthy, generative discipleship process every step of the journey. Highly recommended! -MICHELLE VAN LOONAuthor of Becoming Sage: Cultivating Maturity, Purpose, and Spirituality in MidlifeWe have all faced a painful challenge or change that stops our forward movement like a brick wall. At that moment we wonder, can anything good come from this? What if I’m finished? With sage wisdom, The 6 Seasons of Calling dismantles the brick wallwe’re facing. Brian Sanders creates a liberating pathway for seeing and di