Joanna Meyer
7 min read ⭑
“Women across roles and life stages hunger for [a] broader vision of calling. We long to bring our full selves to God and his work in the world, but we often lack a biblical foundation, a community of like-minded women or the practical tools to embody all that God has made us to be.”
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
There’s much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?
I live in Aurora, Colorado, the most diverse part of the Denver metro area. Decades of migration have led to an abundance of international restaurants and markets in my neighborhood.
If you crave Yemeni grilled fish or Ukrainian borscht, someone in the neighborhood will be cooking it!
I love striking up conversations in the checkout line, where shoppers humor my gentle curiosity. “I’ve never cooked with banana flowers,” I tell them. “How do you plan to prepare it?”
Recently, my friend Grace took me shopping at a small Korean market, followed by dinner at Seoul K-B.B.Q. Even though she’s one of my closest friends, seeing her speak Korean with the owners and greet our fellow shoppers helped me appreciate the range of influences that have shaped her life.
As we cooked bulgogi on a tabletop grill and traded bowls of kimchi and glass noodles, Grace shared more of her story. Connecting over a meal like the ones her mom prepared for her growing up brought depth and vulnerability to our conversation.
Denver Water
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activities do you love and help you find spiritual renewal?
I walk segments of the Highline Canal, a 71-mile trail that stretches from the plains of Green Valley Ranch to Roxborough Park in the foothills. Originally, the canal brought water to the region’s farmers, but now, it offers a look at our community, one three-mile segment at a time.
I invite friends to walk with me, and it’s been a delight to explore the city together on foot. Years ago, I walked a portion of Spain’s Camino de Santiago, so walking the Highline Canal feels like being a pilgrim on a much smaller scale.
I’m a fan of creating small “quests” to bring a sense of adventure to daily life. If I’m on vacation, that means looking for something quirky or quintessentially local. For example, on a trip to Boston, I might look for a colonial minuteman — either a historical reenactor in costume or a life-sized cardboard cutout.
My current quest is learning to cook authentic Mexican food. Early in my career, I worked with college students in Puebla, Mexico, where I fell in love with the flavors of stone-ground corn, chile and lime. I’m not talking about the Tex-Mex you can get in the U.S., which is delicious in its own way. I aspire to cook like a central Mexican grandma, so when I’m in a questing mood, you’ll find me wandering the aisles of La Amapola Tortillería or perfecting a recipe for chicken tinga tacos.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness. Every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite and how do you hide it?
My kryptonite is my capacity to grind. I have what I call “builder energy,” so when I really care about a project, I’ll shoulder the task and work, work, work to get it done. At times, that capacity has served me well, but more often than not, it leads to fatigue and a heavy heart. It’s easy to hide behind the appearance of productivity — just look at most of the posts people share on LinkedIn.
I’m learning that the spiritual consequences of overwork aren’t worth the temporary reward. And while I wish I could say I’m making progress in this area, I’m still learning the freedom from overwork that Christ brings.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your obsession? And why should it be ours?
I lead Women, Work, & Calling, a national initiative that equips Christian women for godly influence in public life. My passion flows from my own experience as a single woman with leadership gifts. As I moved through my 30s and 40s, I wrestled with not becoming a wife and mother, and it felt like my faith community didn’t know what to do with me.
I needed a broader framework for my life — one that had room to integrate my gifts and the various roles I fill within God’s expansive call to follow him.
Along the way, I’ve learned that I’m not the only woman who wrestles with these tensions. Women across roles and life stages hunger for this broader vision of calling. We long to bring our full selves to God and his work in the world, but we often lack a biblical foundation, a community of like-minded women or the practical tools to embody all that God has made us to be.
I spend my days figuring out how to address this critical gap in women’s discipleship. My book “Women, Work & Calling: Step into Your Place in God’s World” (IVP) will be available in October. And I love working with the team at Denver Institute for Faith & Work to build an ecosystem of relationships, organizations and resources that will shift the way we inspire and develop Christian women, both at an individual and structural level.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Cashiers, CEOs, contractors, or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I know the Holy Spirit is moving when I find myself crying in the car on my way to a meeting or speaking engagement. I’m a verbal processor, even when I’m alone, so I often find myself rehearsing my argument behind the wheel.
I’ve seen so many women find peace through a biblically based conversation about work and calling, and I long for more Christians to experience that. Feeling the weight of what God could do in women’s lives inevitably leads to tears.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied actions that open our hearts to the presence of God. So spill it, which spiritual practice is workin’ best for you right now?
We use a simple rule of life at work that guides healthy spiritual practices. It was modeled after the rule of St. Benedict and organizations like International Justice Mission’s spiritual formation practices and is adaptable to individual needs.
Our practice includes a half-hour of prayer and lectio divina every workday, a weekly Sabbath practice and three days of silence and solitude that can be scheduled throughout the year.
The beauty of our rule of life is not found in its structure but in its consistency. Knowing that I’m encouraged — and expected — to care for my soul and that I have the resources to do so counters my tendency to overwork.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Our email subscribers get free ebooks featuring our favorite resources — lots of things that have truly impacted our faith lives. But you know about some really great stuff, too. What are a few resources that have impacted you?
“Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church” by Nijay Gupta is a powerful yet accessible read rooted in both Scripture and historical research.
The “Worship on Your Way to Work” podcast is another great resource. It comes from Australia and offers 10- to 15-minute episodes to settle your heart and mind as you start your day. The hosts have fabulous accents!
We all have things we cling to to survive (or thrive) in tough times. Name one resource you’ve found indispensable in this current season — and tell us what it’s done for you.
“Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs” by Steve Cuss. I’m working on building a “life-giving list,” which Cuss describes as “a guide to practice delight in the gifts God has given.” The list is simple and practical and encourages intentional moments of rest and refreshment throughout the day.
QUESTION #8: dream
God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
It’s scary to share a “big, hairy, audacious goal” publicly, but since it relates to women and work, I’ll echo former Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg and say I’m “leaning in” with the Women, Work, & Calling initiative.
I can’t wait to see where this empowering conversation will go for women, but at the same time, I wonder how I can become a healthier, more effective leader. I envision a day when it would be common for church women’s ministries to talk to women about leadership, work and calling.
Many Christian women’s conferences offer valuable insight into important topics like spiritual growth, self-worth, marriage, and motherhood. But less common are topics like how to honor God at work — and with 77% of American women aged 25 to 54 either working or looking for work, it’s a topic the church can no longer ignore.
What other topics do you believe Christians should teach about more often? And how can you pray about or help fill that discipleship gap?
Joanna Meyer serves as the director of public engagement at Denver Institute for Faith & Work, where she founded Women, Work, & Calling — a national initiative that equips women for influence in public life — and hosts the Faith & Work Podcast. Prior to coming to the Institute, she worked in global telecom, nonprofit consulting and campus ministry with Cru. She has an M.A. in social entrepreneurship from Bakke Graduate University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Joanna is the author of Women, Work, & Calling: Step Into Your Place in God’s World (InterVarsity Press, 2023).
