You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful

by Karen Swallow Prior

Some people are lucky enough to get paid to do what they love. But many are not.

What if your vocation doesn't align with your passion? In You Have a Calling, award-winning author Karen Swallow Prior has encouraging If we pursue the good, true, and beautiful in all our work, we will find our greatest fulfillment.

In an age when passion and calling are often confused, Prior helps readers understand that passions come from within and calling, or our vocation, comes from without and is about being called by others to serve. That crucial distinction can help us understand how God can use both our passions and our work, even if for different purposes.

This book will appeal to everyone who wants to know that their daily work, ordinary though it may be, can fulfill a higher calling to God. Readers will emerge with a renewed sense of purpose, knowing they are created for virtue in all they do because they are created in the image of God.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Spirituality, Christian Living

160 pages, Hardcover

First published August 5, 2025

About the author

Karen Swallow Prior (PhD, SUNY Buffalo) is the award-winning author of The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis; On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books; Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More--Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist; and Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me. She is a frequent speaker, a monthly columnist at Religion News Service, and has written for Christianity Today, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and Vox. She is a Contributing Editor for Comment, a founding member of The Pelican Project, a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum, and a Senior Fellow at the International Alliance for Christian Education.

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As part of a very helpful conversation last year (precisely about these sorts of things), Karen recommended I check out this book of hers when it released. What I didn’t know then was just how much more complicated these questions would feel a year later - Where to go next in academia? What about ministry? What paths are there for a woman pursuing theology? And, even more so in this exact moment, what does the calling to grow and nourish two little twins look like? How do all of these pieces fit together? This book gives a comprehensive look at all of life and helps me take a deep breath in recognizing that moving slowly is okay, that callings shift throughout life, and that a crucially important part of this whole thing is how I do whatever work that’s before me in a way that is true, good, and beautiful. (This is particularly relevant as most of my “work” right now involves going to lots and lots of medical appointments andddd scheduling them. And I hate administrative tasks, so it’s a real call to me to do this work well not only for the sake of the twins’ health but for the people I interact with and the God who has called me to this challenging moment.)

Maybe the best single idea (for me at least) is that callings are external. Prior applies this idea in many different ways, but I found it helpful to clear away the fluff in my mind and think about what the consistent threads of my life have been-what are the things others have repeatedly said I’m clearly made for? What places have others called me into? Teaching and writing (and often those two in conjunction) are by far the most obvious answers.

All in all, a most helpful book.

[Anna Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Evangelical teenager, the idea of finding my calling was daunting — like there were right and wrong decisions about how I should pursue my future plans, like it was necessary to find some assurance of certainty.

But that rigidity is not what characterizes Karen Swallow Prior’s book. I picked this book up because I loved her previous book, the Evangelical Imagination, and because I was curious about her recent career change (she stepped away from serving for decades as English faculty at Liberty University).

She touches upon her personal career shift only briefly (and discretely). Mostly, though, this book is a word study, exploring work and passion, vocation and calling, and the importance of situating it all within the good, the beautiful, and the true (three things that exist in harmony with each other).

I underlined much of this book, but this section particularly resonated with me:

“The thorns, thistles, and labor pains that accompany our work today can take any number of forms. And while too much of a good thing can present its own problems, I think most would agree that scarcity — scarcity of work, opportunities, invitations, clients, money, time — is a weed that often chokes the joy and peace out of life. Sometimes that scarcity is real, very real. But other times it is our fear of scarcity — fear that money, opportunities, relationships, or capacity will be lacking — that drives our decisions, when we should be making choices based on our true calling rather than the fear of missing out.

God calls us to a life of abundance, not scarcity. God’s economy is based on plenitude. If we believe that, accept it, see it, and own it, how different our decisions (and emotional states) might be.”

[Melissa Bjorgen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been following Karen and reading her books and articles for about three years now. I have come to discover that Prior’s writing style is to guide her readers to consider her main points without telling them what to do. You Have a Calling is not a “how-to” book. If you are expecting the “Seven Steps to Discover Your Calling Easily,” you will be greatly disappointed. Instead, this book lays the groundwork for the reader to discern for themselves how “calling” takes shape in their lives.

Throughout the book, Prior uses what I have dubbed her “superpower”—her ability to define words and to help the reader understand what she means when she says “you have a calling.” Words like “work,” “passion,” “hobby,” and “vocation” are defined and explained in her unique style of mixing literature, biblical references, and personal experience to help these words make sense within the context of calling. Her chapter on “The Transcendentals” allows the reader to connect with what she means when she links “calling” with “the good, the true, and the beautiful.” She says, “To find and live within your calling is to find and live in truth, goodness, and beauty. At the same time, the reverse is so: we are all called to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty. We are all called to pursue these in all we do and all we are.”

I appreciated that Prior briefly touched on unexpected callings—the circumstances that life brings our way that we are not prepared for or do not want to do, but need to—for example, being called to take care of a loved one who is terminally ill. I found myself wishing that this point was fleshed out more. Admittedly, though, I am wondering if doing that would have interrupted the book’s flow.

The book itself is short, allowing one to read it in a day or two if they desire. It is packed with so much goodness from beginning to end. The chapter on “Beauty” is truly a work of art; it rivals “Empire” in The Evangelical Imagination. In fact, I think it is some of her best written work to date. My favorite parts in “You Have a Calling” are the anecdotes she shares about people's callings. From growing tomatoes to predicting the weather, I was moved to tears by her stories. They added soul to the book. Her use of scripture, too, is spot on. I am proud to add “You Have A Calling” to the list of works by KSP that have positively impacted my life.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Swallow Prior gently but firmly releases you from popular but narrow ideas about calling, and instead invites you into a broad, expansive, and flexible understanding of calling. Prior celebrates that "understanding that there is no magical formula or perfect job just waiting for you can be freeing" because "such an understanding encourages you to pursue different interests, develop different skills, and accumulate a range of experiences--and see them as an ongoing part of pursuing your calling, knowing that God will use it all."

It's a beautiful book in which she unselfconsciously dips into her vast knowledge of literature and poetry just as easily as she cites pop psychology books, drawing together these varied sources of wisdom about how we are to approach discerning our call. She understands that our call is in response to the needs around us and is never permanent.

This was a deeply heartening book for me. I've gone through seasons of disorientation about my calling, particularly when I chose to stay home with my kids and felt untethered from my identity as a teacher. I considered becoming a writer, and worked really hard to pursue that calling for several years, all the while wondering if I would be called back into the classroom instead. For me, if my calling is going to take me from my family, it is going to have to make me some money. I couldn't afford to invest time and money in a hobby like writing that didn't contribute to our family's income. I was deeply jealous of women who could afford to hire childcare so they could write, or who could afford to take classes that helped further their writing career. (My husband used to try to find ways to give me more time to write, and I did write a LOT for a couple years there.) I couldn't seem to get traction without more time to write or more connections with people willing to promote my writing. Not only that, but I began to realize that teaching had been (and now has continued to be) a source of joy whereas writing was becoming a source of insecurity and anxiety. When I was really trying to turn writing into a money-making endeavor, I felt like I had joined a pyramid scheme in which I had to suck up to and promote the work of those with slightly better careers in writing, and I had to cultivate friendships with my peers or those who had less influence than me in the hopes that they would "like" and "share" my writing. All of this took me away from the kinds of writing I wanted to produce and created pressure to write quantity instead of quality. At the same time, I was recognizing that there was a surfeit of white, midwestern, Christian women who all felt called to write. I began to wonder if the world really needed one more writer in that space, particularly since I was not all that theologically trained.

All that to say, I began to ask questions like "What do my neighbors need?" instead of "What am I really passionate about doing?" and realized that while my community DID need teachers willing to cultivate the skills of younger writers, my community really did NOT need more short, personal essays written by amateurs.

Prior's book, then, delivered the great and very freeing affirmation I needed that my calling will continue to grow and change, that nothing I pursue with passion and for God's glory will be wasted, and that I don't need to justify or explain my calling to anyone else. Instead, I can accept the unique pressures and invitations of my life as appropriate borders within which to pursue my calling.

This is a lovely, meandering book that commends to you the life of pursuing beauty, truth, and goodness.

[Bill Pence · Rating 4 out of 5]

This well written book grew out of a talk the author gave in 2021 at an event hosted by the Rabbit Room. The author tells us that she is not going to tell us what our calling is, but hopes that the book will help show us how to discover and fulfill the various callings that unfold throughout our lives.
She tells us that the first calling of every human being is to bear witness to the God who created the world and that we are all called to this work. Work itself is a good that is part of God’s original design and therefore contributes to human flourishing. She writes that while work and calling do overlap at times, they are not the same.
In this book, the author addresses a number of topics, such as work, vocation, calling, passion, desires, hobby, job, limitations, discerning our calling, truth, goodness and beauty. She quotes frequently from other writers, especially poets.
She writes that finding work that aligns with our passions, desires, and gifts is, of course, ideal, but that doesn’t always happen, and that is okay. She tells us that merely having a desire or a passion inside us does not necessarily mean we will receive a call from outside that will fulfill that passion. In fact, being paid to do what you love has, for most of human history, been the exception, not the rule.
She tells us that there is no magical formula or perfect job just waiting for us. Such an understanding encourages us to pursue different interests, develop different skills, and accumulate a range of experiences - and see them all as an ongoing part of pursuing our calling, knowing that God will use it all.
The author tells us that a vocation can be fulfilled in a paid or unpaid position. It might begin as a hobby and then become a job or career – or it might be something we devote our whole lives to and never get paid to do or gain public recognition for doing.
Work is part of what it means to be human and to imitate our Creator through the creative nature of work—can fall into various categories: hobby, job, career, and vocation.
A call requires both a caller and the called. It is not our job to be called. Rather, it is our job to answer the call.
The author tells us that passion is inside and a calling comes from outside. They don’t always entirely coincide. But sometimes they do.
She writes that a view of calling that puts “spiritual” work above other kinds of roles distorts our understanding of both ministry and work. Rather, every Christian is called to “full-time ministry,”
A key point is that vocation is not about being able to fulfill our desires, pursue our passions, or follow our bliss. Vocation is about being called by others to serve. Vocation includes work, but it is more than just a career, job, or source of income. Vocation is one way you fulfill your purpose, the role (or roles) for which you were created.
The author writes that if you pursue truth, goodness, and beauty in all your work, all your play, all your ways, and all your days, you will find your calling.
I found this to be a helpful book about work, vocation and calling.

[Bonnie Tesch · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Have a Calling is a valuable guide for anyone seeking to understand their vocation or calling, regardless of their life stage. Whether you’re a young person starting your career, a middle-aged individual looking to pursue a passion, or a retiree seeking a new purpose, this book offers helpful guidance.

The author, a long-time professor, has extensive experience counseling students and parents on this topic. Instead of providing a rigid checklist, she offers guideposts to help readers find their way.
In the first part of the book, Prior defines work, vocation, and calling. She emphasizes that “work is good though often hard” and that our passions may not always be our paid jobs; they can also be hobbies or ministries. She explains that a vocation is something more profound than work—it is a response to a calling. These callings can change, end, or take on different forms, and new ones can emerge throughout our lives.

The second part of the book shifts focus to how the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty can help us find our calling. Prior describes these as Transcendentals—universal properties of being that are also qualities of God. She argues that they cannot exist apart from one another.
The author dedicates a chapter to each of these qualities, with a particularly compelling discussion of beauty. Prior notes that while our culture often discusses truth and goodness, beauty is frequently considered "peripheral, unimportant, and optional." Yet, as she argues, "aesthetic experience is central to
our very humanity, to the image of God in us.”

Ultimately, Prior’s core message is a powerful one: “I believe that if you pursue truth, goodness and beauty in all your work, all your play, all your ways and all you days, you will find your calling.” This book is a highly recommended read for anyone on a journey of discernment.

[Michele Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could have read Karen Swallow Prior’s latest book, You Have a Calling, as a young adult, but it’s never too late to refine our understanding of the way our work reflects the image of God through truth, goodness, and beauty. This turns my attention to how my gifts and abilities can be used by God in the service of my neighbor. Rather than rummaging around in my emotional entrails to discover how I feel about the thing I’m doing, I’m free to find fulfillment in doing the next thing—even if I don’t get paid for the work I’m most passionate about.

Prior helps me to see that I am in partnership with God in my vocation or calling, and that even the way I perceive the brokenness of the world is a clue to the way God wants me to use my gifts. Since the church’s need for biblical literacy pains me like a pebble in the shoe, I’ll keep on writing and teaching, sharing good resources, and using every opportunity to help my readers become confident Christ followers and students of God’s Word.

Most fascinating to me was the author’s musings on truth, goodness, and beauty, and the inherent relationship among the three. We’re used to hearing people say, “All truth is God’s truth,” but when do we ever hear, “All goodness is God’s goodness,” or “All beauty is God’s beauty”? He’s behind all that’s true, good, and beautiful, and he has invited his image bearers to find our greatest fulfillment in adding to the truth, goodness, and beauty of his world. In this, we discover our true calling as we do, faithfully and well, the work we’ve been given to do.

[Amar Peterman]

What if your calling didn't come roaring into your ears like thunder rolling down from the mountains, so loud it was impossible to ignore? What if instead it hovered about like a pestering fly with a low, intermittent hum? What if you still can't quite hear that call? …What if a calling isn’t just about what you do but how you do it? What if it isn't just about doing a certain thing but also about being a certain way?" (2)

It is an incredible honor to share this conversation with acclaimed author and scholar, Karen Swallow Prior, where we discuss her latest book, You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful (Brazos Press). In it, we unpack the subtle yet pervasive ways identity is tethered to occupation, particularly within American culture and evangelicalism. Karen challenges the narrowness of the question “What do you do?” by reframing vocation as not merely personal fulfillment but a means of participating in a larger communal and theological calling.

My full interview with KSP: https://amardpeterman.substack.com/p/...

[Alecia Rohrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, this book is physically beautiful — fitting I think for what Prior writes about calling as true, beautiful, and good. :)

It’s a helpful, short read on calling, vocation, and passion. Although I got a little distracted by some of the more philosophical paragraphs on the “transcendentals” (the second half of the book) and wished it were a bit more practical, I also appreciated that Prior didn’t make this a “five steps to finding your calling” book - because there’s really no such thing. Ultimately, I took away encouragement that calling can change, calling is external to us rather than coming from inside us (vs “following your passion” - an important distinction!). You can also tell that 1) she was an English professor (lots of literary examples & excerpts to develop her points) and 2) she writes with conviction from her own experiences, both the painful and the joyful. The tone is kind, intelligent, and compelling.

I’ve already recommended it to a few college students, and I think it’d be helpful for anyone who is considering what the heck God wants them to do with their life. ;) I plan to read The Call by Os Guinness next.

[MaryEllen · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Have A Calling by Karen Swallow Prior is a book that seeks to clarify what our callings are and clarify the difference between our jobs and our vocations (callings), which may or may not be the same. We have a romanticized view of calling and in today’s social media world there is much distortion. The author does a good job of explaining this and clarifying erroneous ways we’ve come to think about calling. This would be a great book for students just starting out after high school, but it’s also relevant to all the stages of life because calling is not about doing but being and with experience (age) comes wisdom and knowledge that bring much to relationships.
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I always enjoy Prior’s writing style. She reminds me what good reading feels like! This is a short book but there is lots to reflect on in the pages.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Brazos Press and Baker Academics for providing this ARC with my pre-order of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself saying ‘Yes’ out loud a few times, as I read this excellent book. Karen Swallow Prior articulates clearly many of the ideas I have been thinking about in relation to careers, passion, calling and jobs. Other ideas were new and will require some pondering.

This book is not only beautifully written and easy to read, but it is practical and sensible. The author has spent many years mentoring young people and knows their dreams and foibles. It is a book that I would recommend to any twenty-something starting out their adult life but is also useful for much older readers processing their attitudes to work and life. It unpicks commonly held cultural values and exposes them for the misleading philosophies they represent. While ‘You Have a Calling’ seems to be primarily written for a United States audience, it applies to those of us outside this country as well. I highly recommend this book.

[Michael Tabet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen Swallow Prior offers a thoughtful and refreshing exploration of vocation in You Have a Calling. Drawing from her unique perspective as an English scholar, Prior weaves together theology, literature, and lived experience in a way that feels both intellectually rich and deeply personal. Her decision to frame the discussion of calling through the lens of the transcendentals—truth, goodness, and beauty—was, in my view, a stroke of genius. This approach not only broadens our understanding of vocation beyond career or duty but also anchors it in the larger story of God’s purposes.

For anyone seeking a deeper theological grounding for their sense of purpose, especially those who appreciate the intersection of faith and the humanities, this is a worthwhile read.

[Dorothy Greco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Swallow Prior is one of the most insightful writers-thinkers of our time. In You Have a Calling, she urges readers to consider "our place in the world and the work we've been given to do." As usual, her writing is precise and compelling. The book is delightfully designed. Anyone needing encouragement about the worth of their work should give this a read.

Two of my favorite quotes:
"Human beings are, among all creatures on earth, unique in possessing reason..., moral agency..., and aesthetic capacity. Put differently, truth is the aim of our intellect."

"In our approach to work, the Christian, more than anyone, ought to want to offer something to the world rather than take something from it."

[Matt Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m rating this based on the love for beauty, truth, and goodness Karen Swallow Prior describes that we can find in ordinary circumstances. For the most part this is aimed at evangelical Christians, and in that sense it provides a parallel version of Christian living that could have spared America from electing its most toxic president twice. Granted, this is my interpretation alone, as KSP doesn’t bring up politics, but I contend that it is impossible to see any plan involving the current fascist administration as promoting truth, beauty, and goodness. I hope that this book will promote the target audience to truly repent to pursue quietly beautiful and honest lives.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important addition to the many resources on 'calling'. Swallow Prior does an excellent job differentiating calling, career and passion and the book is relevant for all stages of life.

I appreciated how in the second half of the book she focused on calling reflecting truth, goodness and beauty, however, thought these ideas were a little too detailed for such a small book.

I loved how she wrapped it up at the end:

"Your calling should fit like a good suit fitted well for your body shape." I understand that image perfectly.

I was fortunate to receive an early ebook copy from Brazos via NetGalley, however, this has had no bearing on my review.

[Doug Nielson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really solid read on vocational theology -- the author does a superb job of demystifying/debunking some of the commonly held beliefs about work, calling and vocation (e.g. "just follow your passion"; "you can do anything you desire"). Unfortunately, the author seems to lose her way a bit in the second half of the book when she is discussing how pursuing "the true, the good and the beauty" fits into vocation and calling. No philosophical or theological issue with her thesis, but her points seem to be more esoteric than practical.

[Lianna Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent little treatise. The author explores various helpful categories related to calling—such as work, passion, job, hobby, career, and vocation. Perhaps most memorable were her reflections on truth, goodness, and beauty as they pertain to calling. These considerations endowed hidden and quiet work with meaning and purpose. While the book offered only a light touch on directly theological points, that’s okay—the reader is empowered to make his or her own deeper connections.

[Carole Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A calling comes from outside, ultimately from God; a calling isn’t just about you, because ultimately, it’s about serving your neighbor—and everyone is your neighbor. Karen Swallow Prior’s literary references and Christian faith are the foundations of this wise book, a gift to those just starting out in life and to those of us who have been at it for a long time—and are still at it. Highly recommend.

[Mark Youngkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Swallow Prior has written another outstanding book, this one on the nature of a person's calling. I have a significant number of first-year students in my classes this semester; while they may not know exactly how God is going to use them in ministry, they all are on our campus because someone (hopefully them vs. anyone else) believes they are called to serve God. Dr. Prior provides an understandable framework for discerning a call from God. Highly recommended.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never dreamed that at this point late in my academic career I would still be struggling with so many questions around calling, job, and vocation. I’ve been worried something is really wrong because I’ve lost my original passion for many things. However, this book helped me parse passion from career and calling from work - things I think I knew but needed to clearly revisit.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book from KSP so far. I was surprised by the topic, but thoroughly loved the way she approached it, carefully disambiguating ideas like vocation, calling, passion and work. A super timely and beautiful little book.

Video review here: https://youtu.be/Uu4j9dMbvxQ

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio

[Chris Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick but quietly profound look at vocation, work and calling. I greatly appreciated the wisdom in this.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

[Anthony Rivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had this book as a 17 year old.