Meryl Herr

Mar 25

9 min read ⭑

“I’m trying to cultivate the practice of more regularly inviting God into every aspect of my work — from finances to RFPs. I believe it matters to God how I conduct my business and the types of projects I take on. This means I need to pause more to pray, to seek God’s wisdom throughout my day.”

Meryl Herr is the founder of The GoodWorks Group, a consultancy that helps organizations create and evaluate learning programs. Previously, she was the director of research and resources at the Max De Pree Center for Leadership at Fuller Seminary, where she created resources for and worked with Christian marketplace leaders. But at heart, she has been and always will be a writer. That’s why you’ll often find her stringing words together as a way to make sense of the trends she notices around her, life’s experiences (both the tough and the joyful) and even her own relationship with God. She blends all three of those elements in her new book, “When Work Hurts,” a guide for disillusioned and frustrated marketplace believers who want to rebuild and partner with God in his mission for their lives.

Read our conversation with Meryl below to see how God guides her at work, how she uses yoga to quiet her racing thoughts and how she combats comparison with contentment and gratitude — plus the habits, books and music that feed her spiritual growth.

QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT

The meals we enjoy are about so much more than the food we eat. So how does a “go-to” meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?

Honestly, I’m someone who’s going to skip the restaurant in favor of eating with family and friends around a dinner table. The family table has always been a profound place of connection for me. When I was a child, I loved going to my grandparents’ house in Sumiton, Alabama, for holidays and family celebrations where the kids would sit in the kitchen around Nanny and Granddaddy’s circular table. My mom, dad, sister and I ate dinner together almost every night around our oval table at our house in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. And now my husband, sons and I eat together at our rectangular table. It’s a table my husband built when we lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and now sits in our kitchen in Watkinsville, Georgia.

I know the feel of each of those tables and their chairs from hours spent running my fingers along the wood grain and seams as we ate and talked. I can recall funny moments and difficult conversations shared at each of those tables. I love sitting down to dinner with my boys to hear about their days and entertain their really difficult theological questions. And I love preparing the meal that we share together.

QUESTION #2: REVEAL

We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activity do you love engaging in that also helps you find essential spiritual renewal?

My mind is on overdrive often, so I turn to yoga to help me get out of my head. I started doing yoga as a form of exercise when I was pregnant with my first child. I loved the way my body felt after each practice. After having abdominal surgery a few years later, I returned to yoga to help me rebuild my core strength. Focusing on my breath and the position of my body and syncing up my breath with movement have helped me learn that I have tools that can help me slow my thoughts down — even turn them off momentarily — when they feel overwhelming. One pose in particular helps me remember that God loves my mind and my body. Whenever I’m in star pose, standing with legs wide apart and arms stretched out, I think, All of me for all of you, God.

I also love gardening. I’ll often visit my garden on summer mornings to observe the tiniest life there — grasshoppers, praying mantis, inchworms, lizards and frogs. The act of stopping to pay attention to the little things is a good practice for slowing down. At the same time, my garden is where I go to work out tough questions. The little ecosystem of dirt, seeds, nutrients, microscopic organisms, sunshine and water is teeming with meaning. In the life and death in the garden, we find so many metaphors for what happens in our lives.

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 all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite and how do you confront its power head-on?

We live in a very affluent area. While our family makes a comfortable living, about 50% of the households in our area make more money than we do. And for many of those families, that extra income translates into driving newer cars, wearing more fashionable clothes, having the latest toys and gadgets and going on more lavish vacations. I find myself struggling with contentment and sometimes feeling shame about our financial capacity.

For example, my boys play club soccer, and a few times a year, we have the opportunity to travel to out-of-state tournaments. But we’ve had to limit the number of those tournaments we attend because we can’t afford it. Instead of explaining that to other families who wonder why we’re not going, I offer another excuse that feels more socially acceptable.

I try to counter this kryptonite with gratitude for and good stewardship of the resources our generous God has entrusted to us.

QUESTION #4: FIRE UP

Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?

I recently changed jobs to return to being a solopreneur. Several years ago, I started doing some freelance consulting work that eventually became a business. I left the business on life support when I started working full-time about three years ago, and now I’m back. My business is called The GoodWorks Group. Don’t let the word “group” fool you. I am the group, for now. Sometimes I hire subcontractors, and maybe someday, I’ll have employees. But currently, this is a one-woman show.

Through my consulting work, I help organizations develop exceptional educational programs. I do this by helping them design good programs, get funding for them and evaluate them. I mainly work with faith-based nonprofits.

I care about this work because well-crafted and thoughtfully implemented educational programs change lives. Many facilitators, coaches and program directors dream about facilitating workshops, seminars, cohorts and conferences that make an impact. I can help them design their programs, apply for grant funding so they can implement or expand their program, or evaluate their program so they know the sort of impact it’s making and how they can make the program better.

I’ve also written a book, published by InterVarsity Press, that is being released this month. “When Work Hurts” explores emotional, relational and vocational pain at work so people can rebound and participate in God’s mission with him. In it, I pull from the biblical story of the Israelites’ exile, return and rebuilding to create a framework for believers who are navigating work loss and looking for healing and hope.

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’m trying to cultivate the practice of more regularly inviting God into every aspect of my work — from finances to RFPs (requests for proposals). I believe it matters to God how I conduct my business and the types of projects I take on. This means I need to pause more to pray, to seek God’s wisdom throughout my day. To ask for clarity when I need insight. To ask for self-control when I’m tempted to overwork or overcommit.

I sense God’s presence in my work in the form of affirmation, divine timing and providential care. Affirmation can come from a colleague, client or coworker. It can also be the still, small voice of God speaking to my spirit. Divine timing is when you get that contract or that paycheck when you need it. And providential care is when you can look back on the tough times and see that God held you, sustained you and provided for you beyond what you could have dreamed.

QUESTION #6: inspire

Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?

Reading and listening to Scripture. I like to park in a section or book of Scripture for a while, pen in hand. I’ll read a portion one morning, underlining words and making notes in the margins. Maybe listen to it in a different translation of that same passage on my walk the following morning. I’ll come back to phrases and passages that capture my attention, sometimes doing a deeper study with commentaries and other reference books. Soaking in Scripture and attending to the God who speaks through its words has consistently been a formative practice for me.

Currently, I’m reading through Joshua a second time. First, I read through it fairly slowly in my NIV translation. I listened to a few passages on my Dwell app using The Message version. I’m also studying some words and concepts that jumped out at me when I read it the first time.

QUESTION #7: FOCUS

Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and your heart?

7-7-7. It’s not a book or a podcast. It’s a practice that my high school Sunday school teacher, Brian, encouraged me to take to college with me. Every day, read your Bible for seven minutes, write in your journal for seven minutes about what you read and pray for seven minutes. That practice helped me build a rich devotional life during my freshman year that sustained me throughout college and drew me closer to Christ.

“Just Like Jesus” by Max Lucado. I read this book during my college days, and it opened my eyes to what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus. I still remember the line from the book: “God loves you just the way that you are, but he wants you to become just like Jesus.” From that point, I understood that discipleship was about becoming more and more conformed to the image of Christ.

“Ministry in the Image of God” by Stephen Seamands. I haven’t revisited this book in a while, but it was the most transformative book I read in seminary, and I think it profoundly shaped how I think about leadership and service.

We all have things we cling to to survive or even thrive in our fast-paced, techno-driven world. How have you been successful in harnessing technology to aid in your spiritual growth?

No question I’m turning to music. Music has always been a primary way I’ve connected with God. I have a playlist that’s basically my Tough Times Essentials. A couple of songs I’ve been loving lately are “More Than Able” by Elevation Worship and “Goodness of God” by CeCe Winans.

QUESTION #8: dream

God’s 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?

I know I just transitioned back to consulting, but I sense God may have another slight pivot ahead for me professionally. Because I’m not entirely sure what that is, I’m moving forward in everyday faithfulness, which is a practice I write about in my book, “When Work Hurts.” Everyday faithfulness is showing up to the work that’s right in front of you, doing it well and paying attention to God in the process. I think it’s a key component of vocational discernment.

Part of that everyday faithfulness means making time to follow my curiosity. Coming out of some of my work experiences and the process of writing my book, I’ve begun to wonder what types of organizations contribute most to work hurt. So I’m exploring that by revisiting Peter Senge’s work on learning organizations. I’m not sure what will come of it — maybe another book, maybe some different consulting opportunities. Only God knows!

Work hurt may not be a new concept, but it has been gaining more attention recently. Research reveals that almost 70% of U.S. workers are not engaged on the job, with those under 35 demonstrating particularly low morale. Plus, 66% of employees suffer from burnout. It’s no wonder so many experience disillusionment and frustration with their work.

There is a wide range of reasons why work hurt happens. As Meryl points out in her book, it can stem from layoffs, verbal or emotional abuse from coworkers or bosses, workplace harassment or discrimination, not getting a promotion you’ve worked hard for or being overworked and underpaid.

But, as Meryl also points out, there is hope, especially for believers. There’s a rebuilding that can take place — if we’re willing. This week, if you’re suffering from work hurt, our prayer is that God would strengthen you with all wisdom to discern what is best (Phil. 1:9-11), empower you to experience his love even in suffering (Eph. 3:14-21) and understand God’s will for your life and work (Col. 1:9-14). Amen.

Meryl Herr (Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the owner of The GoodWorks Group LLC, a consulting firm specializing in educational program planning and evaluation. She previously served as director of research and resources at Fuller Seminary’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where she conducted research and created resources to help Christian marketplace leaders integrate their faith with their work. Meryl is also the author of “When Work Hurts.” She lives with her family near Athens, Georgia.