In this conversation, we welcome fan favorite, Byron Borger, back to the podcast. Along with host Daniel Johnson, they discuss the importance of reading as an embodied experience, the significance of seasonal reading aligned with the liturgical calendar, and the recent resurgence of work and faith materials. He emphasizes the challenges college graduates face transitioning into the workforce and the importance of integrating faith into their work lives.

The podcast also highlights various books that can aid in this transition and the necessity of community support for maintaining faith post-college. In this conversation, Byron discusses the importance of balancing vocation and rest, the beauty of nature as explored through literature, and the need for community engagement in environmental care. They highlight books that inspire readers to appreciate creation, engage in ecological restoration, and reflect on personal narratives through memoirs. The discussion emphasizes the interconnectedness of faith, nature, and personal growth, encouraging listeners to explore these themes in their own lives.

We encourage you to purchase your books at Heartsandminds Bookstore. Learn more about them here = https://www.heartsandmindsbooks.com/

List of books:

1. After College by Erica Young Reitz (2025, InterVarsity Press)
2. Serious Dreams: Bold Ideas for the Rest of Your Life edited by Byron Borger (2015, Square Halo Books)
3. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling God's Purpose for Your Life by Os Guinness (2003, Thomas Nelson)
4. Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good by Steven Garber (2014, IVP Books)
5. Why Your Work Matters: How God Uses Our Everyday Vocations to Transform Us, Our Neighbors, and the World by Tom Nelson (2025, Made to Flourish)
6. Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work by Timothy Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf (2012, Dutton)
7. The Sacredness of Secular Work: Four Ways Your Job Matters for Eternity by Jordan Raynor (2025, WaterBrook)
8. Go Forth: God's Purpose for Your Work by Redeemer City to City (2025, Redeemer City to City)
9. Birds in the Sky and Fish in the Sea by Matthew Dickerson (2025, Square Halo Books)
10. Refugee of Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth by Deborah Rienstra (2025, Fortress Press)
11. Backpacking with the Saints: Wilderness Hiking as a Spiritual Practice by Belden Lane (2015, Oxford University Press)
12. Reconciliation in a Michigan Watershed: Restoring Kenoshae by Gail Hefner and David Warners (2025, Michigan State University Press)
13. Beyond Stewardship: New Approaches to Creation Care edited by David Warners (2025, Calvin College Press)
14. The Beauty of Dusk: On Vision Lost and Found by Frank Bruni (2022, Avid Reader Press)
15. Mr. Oweita's Guide to Gardening: How I Learned the Unexpected Joy of a Green Thumb and an Open Heart by Carol Wall (2014, G.P. Putnam's Sons)
16. God Struck: Seven Women and Their Religious Conversions by Kelsey Osgood (2025, HarperOne)

Chapters:

00:00 The Embodied Experience of Reading

04:29 Seasonal Reading and the Church Calendar

09:54 Navigating Work and Faith

16:50 Books for Transitioning Graduates

24:13 The Importance of Community in Transition

27:04 The Balance of Work and Rest

28:01 Exploring Nature Through Literature

30:16 Creating Habitats and Healing the Earth

31:42 Wilderness as a Spiritual Practice

36:09 Community Engagement and Environmental Stewardship

42:23 Reconciliation Ecology and Creation Care

43:30 Memoirs and Personal Stories

52:25 Summer Reading Recommendations

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Subscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.

This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.

Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave Conour

Edited by Dave Conour