In his new book The Calling: Live a Life of Significance, Dr. Kurt Senske offers a new perspective on living a fuller life through service to others.
“Other self-help books are designed to help us help ourselves to get what we want, and assume that attaining our goals is equivalent to having a life of significance,” said Senske, chief executive officer of Lutheran Social Services of the South, chairman of the Board of Directors of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and a member of the LCMS Board of Directors. “Even if we do achieve some level of success, we still come no closer to knowing whether we are living the life that God has created uniquely for us.”
The Calling provides an eight-step “roadmap” with exercises designed to help people discover the lives they are called to lead, integrating biblical wisdom with secular strategies. Through examples from his own experiences in serving others, Senske redefines the concept of “success” and reveals how Christians can put their faith into action in ways that serve their families, friends, profession, community and church.
“This journey to finding our calling is not for the faint of heart,” Senske said. “Others may ridicule us for decisions that seem out of touch with the world’s reality. Following this calling will on occasion bring us to our knees in exhaustion. But one day we will rest, knowing that we have made the most of our gifts in service to others.”
Commenting on the book, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League President Janice Wendorf said, “Like a master teacher, Dr. Senske involves the reader in active learning. Using examples from his own search for significance in this Christ-help journey, the author invites the reader to respond and ‘fill in the blanks’ — making the trip personal, life-enhancing and life-changing.
“Biblical references form the foundation and support for every point,” Wendorf said, “while quotes from extensive research are also included” in the book.
Senske holds a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law, Urbana-Champaign, Ill.; a B.S. in Business Administration from Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind.; a master’s degree in International Relations from Schiller International University in Paris; and a Ph.D. in Government from the University of Texas, Austin.
The 217-page book ($16.99, item no. 124337WEB) is available from Concordia Publishing House. To order, call CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit its website at www.cph.org.
To learn more about The Calling: Live a Life of Significance, visit www.kurtsenske.com.
Posted Nov. 9, 2010