The Wired Word for 9292024 - CourtneyR.dev's 2nd Brain

The Wired Word for 9/29/2024 ![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article4.6bc1851654a0.png) ## Metadata - Author: [[The Wired Word]] - Full Title: The Wired Word for 9/29/2024 - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: [#education, #skilledtrades, #careerchoices, #faith, #vocationaltraining, #christianperspective, #scripture] Author: The Wired Word Source: The Wired Word Reference: [The Wired Word for 9/29/2024](https://example.com) date created: 2024-09-28 14:30 --- # Title: Toolbelt Generation: A Faith Perspective on Choosing Vocational Paths Over College ## Table of Contents: - [📝 Summary](#📝-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#📖-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#🗒️-notes) - [📖 References](#📖-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#🗣️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#📰-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#✅-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#🧪-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#📊-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#❓-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#🔮-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#💡-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#🧠-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#📊-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#🌍-deib-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#✅-logical-validity) - [🔍 SEO Evaluation](#🔍-seo-evaluation) - [🎯 Conclusion](#🎯-conclusion) ## 📝 Summary: The article explores a growing trend among the younger generation, referred to as the "Toolbelt Generation," who are choosing vocational training over traditional four-year college degrees. It highlights the advantages of skilled trades, such as shorter education timelines, lower costs, and greater workforce readiness, and provides a Christian perspective on how career decisions can be aligned with faith. The piece draws upon biblical teachings about the value of manual labor and discusses the moral implications of different career paths for Christians. ## 📖 Main Content: The article presents an argument in favor of vocational training over traditional college education, particularly in the context of skyrocketing tuition fees and increased student debt. It emphasizes the benefits of entering skilled trades, such as faster entry into the job market, financial independence, and job security, especially in sectors that are less likely to be automated. The article also weaves in a Christian perspective, drawing from biblical texts to emphasize that every type of work is honorable before God, and that skilled labor is not inferior to other vocations. Examples of tradespeople and their financial success are presented to underscore the viability of these career paths. ### 🗒️ Notes - Rising cost of college tuition is driving young people toward vocational schools. - Skilled trades offer lower costs, shorter training, and immediate job opportunities. - The average cost of vocational training is $4,000 to $15,000 per year compared to $1,000 to $60,000 for college. - Skilled trades were once seen as undesirable but now are gaining recognition. - Job security and independence are strong motivators. - Skilled professions are harder to automate or outsource. - Christian perspective on career choice: - All work is valued equally before God, whether manual or intellectual. - Vocational paths can serve God's purpose just as much as traditional careers. - Biblical examples support the dignity of manual labor. - Examples from the "Toolbelt Generation": - Ryan Daniels, a young entrepreneur, has already saved $400,000 by pursuing a skilled trade. - Crist Morillon was able to purchase a house at age 24 due to choosing an automotive trade. ## 📖 References: - Harvard Gazette: 3.5 million expected graduates in 2025. - Education Data Initiative: Average cost of college has doubled in the 21st century. - National Student Clearinghouse Research Center: Vocational community college enrollment increased by 16%. ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. **Original**: "Skilled trades offer shorter programs, allowing young people to enter the job market sooner, avoiding the burden of years of college debt." **Paraphrased**: Vocational training provides a quicker path to employment, enabling students to avoid long-term college loans. 2. **Original**: "Vocational school graduates may have a competitive edge over college graduates in industries with a shortage of skilled workers." **Paraphrased**: In fields experiencing a shortage of skilled labor, those with vocational training may be more attractive to employers compared to traditional graduates. ## 📰 Newsletter: ✨ **Toolbelt Generation vs. College Degrees** The "Toolbelt Generation" is breaking away from the typical college path, opting for skilled trades and vocational training instead. This issue, we delve into why more people are skipping the four-year degree—saving money, entering the workforce faster, and thriving in industries that value practical skills over theory. Also, find out how this shift fits within the broader narrative of self-reliance and how community initiatives are adapting. Want to know how this trend affects our WordPress community? Discover insights, tips for DIY success, and what this means for local WordPress meetups. 👉 [Read more about it here](https://example.com). ## ✅ Action Items: The article aligns with my focus on fostering inclusive education and community engagement. Vocational training as a viable alternative to college is an important conversation for the open-source community, as it highlights alternative pathways into tech and development. This helps potential contributors see a space for themselves, regardless of formal educational background. Incorporating these discussions into WordPress community meetups or GoDaddy outreach initiatives could help grow contributor diversity. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - Graduates from vocational schools might find faster financial independence compared to their college-educated counterparts. - Skilled trade careers provide more job satisfaction for individuals who prefer hands-on work. - The lack of exposure to critical thinking and the arts may have long-term impacts on decision-making and personal growth for those in skilled trades. ### 📊 Methodology: - **Surveys**: Collect data from individuals who have chosen vocational training vs. traditional college education regarding their job satisfaction, financial independence, and personal growth. - **Case Studies**: Conduct in-depth analyses of individuals from both educational paths to understand the broader impact of each choice. - **Comparative Analysis**: Evaluate the economic outcomes of both vocational graduates and college graduates over time. ### ❓ Questions: 1. How can we support the vocational training path while ensuring opportunities for personal growth and exposure to the arts? 2. What role can the church play in guiding young people through career choices that honor God? 3. How do the economic outcomes of skilled trades compare to traditional college careers over a 10-year period? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Explore the psychological and social effects of choosing vocational training over traditional education. - Examine how exposure to the arts and humanities can be integrated into vocational programs to provide a more well-rounded education. - Investigate how vocational paths influence community stability and economic resilience. ### 💡 Implications: - **Policy**: Findings could inform educational policies that promote vocational training as a legitimate alternative to college. - **Community Engagement**: Church and community organizations may develop programs to support young people in choosing career paths aligned with their values. - **Workforce Development**: Employers could be encouraged to provide apprenticeships and on-the-job training to bridge the gap between traditional education and hands-on experience. ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment: **Visual Learners (Spatial)**: - **Present**: Charts comparing vocational vs. college education costs. - **Improve**: Add infographics showing pathways to vocational careers. **Aural Learners (Auditory-Musical)**: - **Present**: None. - **Improve**: Include a podcast or audio summary discussing the pros and cons of vocational training. **Verbal Learners (Linguistic)**: - **Present**: Rich narratives and interviews with individuals. - **Improve**: Add more storytelling elements and quotes to personalize the information. **Physical Learners ( - Document Tags: [[ctc]] [[trade school]] [[vocational degree]] [[vo-tech]] - Summary: According to the Harvard Gazette, about 3. 5 million students are expected to graduate from high school in the United States in 2025. Dear Class Members, Our lesson uses news about trends in education and career choices to enter a conversation about seeking God's will for our lives. ![](https://www.thewiredword.com/_img/tww_logo_email.jpg) **Other News This Week** **'Toolbelt Generation' Nixes College for Skilled Trades*****The Wired Word*** **for the Week of September 29, 2024** **In the News** According to the *Harvard Gazette,* about 3.5 million students are expected to graduate from high school in the United States in 2025. As they chart a course for their future, increasing numbers are weighing the value of a four-year college education against the merits of vocational training in a skilled trade. After graduating high school, Sy Kirby skipped college in favor of blue-collar work, which led to him launching his own construction company. A member of what he calls the "toolbelt generation," he thought it didn't make sense to spend tens of thousands of dollars to earn a degree he wouldn't use after sitting in college classes for four years. While skilled trades used to be viewed as undesirable, "dirty" jobs, Kirby says the money is good and offers him greater control of his life. More high school graduates are taking another look at the upside to vocational training, as the price of college has skyrocketed, leaving many with crippling debt. The Education Data Initiative says the average cost of college in the United States has more than doubled in the 21st century. According to [Educationdata](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPI-2BcKHzjva51-2BFJUsGRKut-2BWbyuxTxr1foFZVt3pJru1cG-2BP5ckMlsvwHNG-2B4Z6SeGHjD3Q9Ronrj6MpOPcZBnU-3DHevE_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJykhb9UMkKlaLmwxZ0n3ayLcEsavx4fPApFZ9gt7dDOlf2ehk6Yp5ITkRxGIPlRXZ7RuZMPkPgxrjeZBF3xy56P7qltykXX1DgU1OJHFra9-2F6T1RHJYbeZAjj6QygOXYkSAIS7BPEubtoXEkfRu69bgRH-2Fz9aStGwtm-2BMD7xvRA1UbWlCaZ8CCll7pjXATAIxvreQo3MMhevxTsZFlKjKHcY-3D), "College enrollment totaled 15.397 million undergraduate students nationwide in fall 2022, a 7% decline from 2019." Meanwhile, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports that the number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges increased 16% from 2022 to 2023. Lisa Countryman-Quiroz of Jewish Vocational Service (JVS), a nonprofit that assists unemployed workers in finding jobs, says, "over the last 10 to 15 years, we are seeing a trend among young people opting out of universities. Just the crushing debt of college is becoming a barrier in and of itself." According to the U.S. Department of Education 2020 data, college tuition can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $60,000 annually. Yearly tuition at trade schools, on the other hand, is in the $4,000 to $15,000 range. Enrollees in trade schools tout other advantages to that training option: shorter programs, allowing them to enter the job market one to three years sooner than they could if they took a traditional four-year college degree; job-specific, practical vocational training that equips them to meet industry standards as soon as they are hired, making them "job ready" for the specific vocation for which they have trained; the potential to earn salaries in some skilled professions that are competitive with those college graduates may command; and greater job security and stability in many of the skilled trades (such as plumbing, construction, automotive mechanics, health care, etc.), in which jobs may not be easily outsourced or automated, or replaced by artificial intelligence. Trade school graduates may have a competitive edge over college graduates in industries experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, since employers may view them as more workforce-ready, possessing in-demand skills their first day on the job. Students on a limited budget who need to enter the workforce quickly may find training for a specific skilled trade a logical option. Trade schools may also work well for students who need flexible class schedules, due to existing work or family responsibilities they already have. Crist Morillon, 27, skipped college to pursue a full-time career as an automotive technician. "I didn't want to spend another four years sitting behind a desk learning," she says. "I knew I wanted to work with cars, and I didn't need a bachelor's degree to do that." She took a one-year vocational school course, spending about $18,000 to become a certified technician, and now earns about $78,000 a year. Choosing a skilled trade career path made it possible for her to purchase her first car and home at the age of 24. If she had gone to college instead, she says, "I would probably still be living at my parents' house and paying off student loans. Instead, I'm able to financially support myself, my parents and my younger sister when they need it." Ryan Daniels, 22, started his own company as a teenager, and already has about $400,000 saved toward retirement. He quit college after his freshman year to scale up his business, hiring three employees, and expects to be semi-retired by the time he celebrates his 30th birthday. "I much prefer the physical exhaustion of manual labor over the mental toll of working long hours on a computer," says Daniels. "I think more people are realizing you can be happy and successful in either path. Attending college and getting a job from there isn't the right choice for everyone." More on this story can be found at these links: [Meet the Gen Zers Skipping College to Take Blue-collar Jobs and Launch Trade Businesses: 'One of the Smartest Decisions I Ever Made.'](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGHj-2B2dLMI8GjHt8EZUXiMsY9FydRY-2FYLCbRYSX4Yhm-2BQmjaikaKBjwOR-2BHjVtYEWVQQpK7jMr5zWGM5CZuOIbBROONOcHjeYtOnKYD7Hfb7UzeeYpVVAH0L11JK343BZtQdzUN-2B4GrFif5o63OIi9VsWNuVTEjMWZhpz-2BqkbASwqG_q_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyqJ8gTbAPngfX45KvaTH9Rx-2BTA4DKojCFLCopxVIrOLa5ZfXxPypbcgFlGjHUzDO2X7eYaVxcnSQyeL21XpfwPcboHuwxpMxC80gICt4aHLGtQhgMGVjSNfhG053qpqnAwGtfaPh4NRfN2oVze27GRRyzx-2BcrKJLP1XCliMT8z2hIgmohpEyxAJNSDW5-2BVsjoBqZ3SgEdyZxLknCb3tHLe8-3D) [*CNBC*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGHj-2B2dLMI8GjHt8EZUXiMsY9FydRY-2FYLCbRYSX4Yhm-2BQmjaikaKBjwOR-2BHjVtYEWVQQpK7jMr5zWGM5CZuOIbBROONOcHjeYtOnKYD7Hfb7UzeeYpVVAH0L11JK343BZtQdzUN-2B4GrFif5o63OIi9VsWNuVTEjMWZhpz-2BqkbASwq3nV_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJysHR-2FDgBF9wb0Hq1oDaXIgHvDM-2BmJ2WUrm9f0Fqx3MW5HFTxIY6n0W9VU5yRDqtlHiY56UalLx43FPw4FMk52sptNSuOJU5n6J7YPoHcOEc5eTWTMt3MQZePJRnWz-2BAxr5TdUcOotud9nYXK3N8cuusRY7Tq7oajZ-2FaJQ8R9x1lyrzZk79132xI2pmVVrP7Ghpc-2FVsEaGElQbIhguZ7-2B4YU-3D) [Trade School vs College in 2024: Pros & Cons, and Job Opportunities.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJQ3OEwwkq2ODHFmNnF0tKIyQF8q4qzD1dQArQEq-2B9x8Rr-2B3rKCFXXttOg-2FWiI3BSo622rpyC3tKMRaFZFRfQ-2BI-3D77I6_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJypX8y0Td9-2FYq2SIcEn4nz02H-2FFtx2ZCKk5bpFQKpxktyxp4Vd3CAWFtmnGFHzLthWR5zkMI-2F6kXzBuVX-2BbCTZ2P0LT7TvcHQJRbgahwAQgoRlOHlbdz6xjUFQpafms6K2-2B5PcuTTHx2FOi5W6asr6jtdfky0732efOPu9qpRGd53e5p98AkeHLXNPMwfiqk23Nt3VLO1S9FzhvABME7P5p4-3D) [*Research*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJQ3OEwwkq2ODHFmNnF0tKIyQF8q4qzD1dQArQEq-2B9x8Rr-2B3rKCFXXttOg-2FWiI3BSo622rpyC3tKMRaFZFRfQ-2BI-3DR2l5_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyl6IWuH0MlprmUeeJqQu7xgr5LDRnwzHnK8BoDmKQ-2Fdx-2Bfky4IQnNgl5jkjU-2BGiiNtCr3Lgky4fO9OWcipQhfwNQUokNNxCXuKgIf10gS6wunazeDPf241SdijsclnnBuPo1klM-2FmTJZ-2FDVFJxVISIeT2S9LVBN8bxvvMw5Zj-2FN-2BhVr3dko-2F3f-2FksnR-2F8dfm9rdN4y3ES28sXt8BMMohR-2Fg-3D) [Many in Gen Z Ditch Colleges for Trade Schools. Meet the 'Toolbelt Generation'.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPHqYzlFhngTMk0G9-2F-2BQ1rl80JDHHsV4V47SgBU0yySUqwCkyIRLxfMI-2BJAvDK3eSH-2BeGxby4m1Ti7mPdeiDAAXghrE0V64qPRZtBLUvdrQZ7ZsMy_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyiF7sbiNz1OVfOTQBq47vGgUDprzYPo-2FYldrkQM3H-2FmCi9Bq7N5oSNq-2BfhbGLN3EKqBeEAriamm90cAwL3H3hq0mI4KUVEgZ19q4GfiOFHfmuuJL53EHdVi-2B8o0u4JRAMvLiH581-2FxWqKTuTivP2grZNNE4G3dP7fwaR3faHLombledA6Y1sTW12agcTt9ZH9AKMF5aMxpOksxdxqwGjDXk-3D) [*NPR*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPHqYzlFhngTMk0G9-2F-2BQ1rl80JDHHsV4V47SgBU0yySUqwCkyIRLxfMI-2BJAvDK3eSH-2BeGxby4m1Ti7mPdeiDAAXghrE0V64qPRZtBLUvdrQZ734iE_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyl2kYx1SxrdffakhBpSy4yEpZlyM1pye3tvnBXKjilVNRHD2yA1fTfetAfx6FiSCJmQHPMWhPnRkLk2H33ZT69AL50yVWLXGXsLn9191ZD2oSgIgSzJMctJ9UTACPfFwcqDiPV-2FnzDEt1yVZBuMPo5hzs3lJl1XUiB79zQRQCl8aZSg659LgZ2cATSndVAufqfUumgwDmQ4230jwdPvH5A4-3D) [Why Going to Trade School Might Be Better Than Getting a College Degree.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPMnzrBICT4kqtz5yw-2FbsqfSyK1p6-2BCQUXPQ3MjYYOt9zmdorIhmw7fIruo7tBL7tBSV882D3Z0T61Qnhgcoe9B1YNCn9Oh1b0cTVm5WxK7ZAIvF7tLNBu7F3yQ1-2BN6ympA-3D-3DqKsa_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJymBJ9TqIuZ5IPjiol-2B6txXayI7OyRBdBgFMG4WZx3IS9SrbJakIbKhFlzXaiy-2BqqWHE5VJJgV5AF3EcB3U86FmiD86nMYViCG-2BiI9t7YB6Z-2B7dkqUulmSjc3zx16DBkQEvDNm5RComgKpu9Qz2tvExJULBBCfwRndSidf6YbSMCttfl56-2B5K5GmGR-2FZSEM-2FZ6jxTKrOQyLDVKxQNuYYBM0Q-3D) [*Center for Employment Training*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPMnzrBICT4kqtz5yw-2FbsqfSyK1p6-2BCQUXPQ3MjYYOt9zmdorIhmw7fIruo7tBL7tBSV882D3Z0T61Qnhgcoe9B1YNCn9Oh1b0cTVm5WxK7ZAIvF7tLNBu7F3yQ1-2BN6ympA-3D-3DcdJ3_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJykvLR7NeTNmbUWkrhiCRJH2NrLp83iPhEdRPeM4MqLfk-2B7Tubgw1eRwGXLv9PEf9Mx3xbOP-2BCIItKjiJhCvT7X5peRKJBzlNP0gFS74-2FGLVjVtb-2Fta0NdZSa3AAA0P09WwnOSsMU9OIbIYeYEcBqj4kW26Mt1zO4vWIab1qZdDlKmP3Sw5jIixPReEe0Y9F10HXLb8lSc6iTBe74cdhIAO0-3D) **The Big Questions** 1. If you could go back in time and change anything about your education or career choices, would you do so, and if so, what would you want to do differently? If you wouldn't change anything, why wouldn't you? 2. What pragmatic concerns might impact decisions about what education and career to pursue? 3. What role should a person's faith have in one's decisions regarding job training and career path? 4. How can Christians best support graduates as they consider their options for further education and careers? 5. What are some ways we can let our light of faith shine before people, so that God would be glorified, whatever we choose to study or whatever type of work we do? **Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope**Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: **Proverbs 12:14** *From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things, and manual labor has its reward.* (No context needed.) The Teacher observes that performing manual labor does have positive benefits. "In all toil there is profit," he says elsewhere (Proverbs 14:23). And in Ecclesiastes 5:12 we read, "Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not let them sleep." Those who work hard with their hands may sleep better than the idle rich! > **Questions:** What are some of the challenges associated with manual labor? What are some of the positive benefits or rewards manual labor may provide the worker? **Luke 6:12-16***Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.* (For context, read [Luke 6:12-19](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxqjVjSpGMuwxJahigqudo5BUZ34palGk3nqZFfc8VEEukOt3kOmwWxr9SO-2BkJXhArPONC_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJysoROiPTedQHoA5yVUezdarA1xI3-2BhgYALTTMKLJxdVWFoVsG59t064Bl7HKv0f4kO9PVfwYc-2FTfTkgF-2BBEylcFU15WlKwE3LYuIHzZJ3npbFxIZ69BaJv3fsoKx2wntXXujb-2BJjVMccXQvOkE91FJ7Wd-2BsKj2M7ZNaBT6VBp1w0ZZaRWnVOjbKVyv9T1LMTz8eAj3XL-2BU72eU55GwzgmAg-3D).) When Jesus called his twelve disciples to follow him, he chose men of different professions and aptitudes: several fishermen (Peter, Andrew, James, John and perhaps others), a tax collector (Matthew), a political activist (Simon the Zealot), a scholarly minded man (Bartholomew aka Nathanael), a man with a scientific bent (Thomas), and a thief (Judas Iscariot). Jesus himself likely learned carpentry from his foster father Joseph. Other followers of Jesus practiced other trades: Luke was a physician, Mary a student, Martha a hospitality provider, Priscilla and Aquila, tentmakers, as was Paul, who had been a religious law enforcer/reactionary terrorist before his conversion. Several disciples became writers, evangelists and teachers of the faith. John the Baptist taught tax collectors and soldiers that they didn't have to change their occupation in order to serve God honorably ([Luke 3:10-14](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxrI1Arxli0SHaC7q3qXR1mOgacCThhm64GS-2B4U95DowYAPO6QlcE5AEF4S7P8aI7BKEp2_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyj9VUym43fp5oCi37xhUqjliPMeZ30QuUkNZngRpzsIQVz-2FOQqRuyjlHF0JBVjUJjP5zD7itpXMlYWHzjSrobZj9KVkU4-2BYMnfOX-2BhEsfzrihzZ6dDA9QePJaNpP8XDuOgmo29f-2FJRMjSAw0L6JJ7jti7MUZR-2B-2BNc53I4X4p-2BIecnxasRzOVFFpxPKymP4wJtCYkPPAf6RV6xCvHs5gCess-3D)). > **Questions:** What other lines of work did people of God in the Bible follow? What does this suggest about God's view of work? With that in mind, how should we view various occupations? **1 Thessalonians 2:9** *You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.* (For context, read [1 Thessalonians 2:8-12](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxnwlwJkO4zrT-2FXtDNTMfl-2B5TsrvBT5QdziT1wwJAj9FcBWIyUlDi5BMND8zq7QlsZUjaFAgKd5E69wU8nUL0DaA-3D-3DCv_E_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyjtlvyuMExDInoO-2FlJ11v4DFppzskzTlOOscmZTOX3rEZHZGyuVZ1UEyqg4uS0JGg7Z-2BgsGQ7Pc5OnENBCySAaSqfhwLdTRI2jKUCCtbseh9lKMNklFmreTE4NAO-2BwTlJd54Vj9strgT7OBOcveiwChuqvIIajNo1smQDIgy6XFZQXG038HrELAyI4u1TwcIOZYMI2ANqSLF1BoqGE1ajm0-3D).) Paul teaches that one goal of work is to avoid becoming a burden to others, especially when proclaiming the good news of Christ. He didn't want his listeners to reject his message because he exploited their hospitality by behaving like a leech, draining them of resources they needed themselves. In a subsequent letter, Paul tells the Thessalonians that they didn't eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor they worked night and day so that they might not burden any of them. In this way, he says they behaved responsibly, so as to set an example to the believers, who were "to do their work quietly and to earn their own living" ([2 Thessalonians 3:6-13](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxamOQG3cfm9sekaKBcIj3IbocGT4EzkW5sk9ea2Iaq6665JK9DxSxxIjn-2FiMqj9FXcJPi6yoM6iCJLIN39Els9g-3D-3DIIBJ_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJymCVi-2FpmJHbVBmyIWkqlKZf5WKxNnFwziok036fAG-2FReCRmPewka5XshIi93Zwu2QEoOoK7Y8pLdWOpzFeSTaC6g7dlWDQTiQkSWtvDpu9DrXGusdFELHuO6Qv-2F6gS8IUnsZV-2FohF5ONgUDGEVp5O1TfICm75Omg2FLw3JF-2BRJIOpFb60b1ECd-2BMAfPjFTiPuF5d9vGD37-2FY0F0KTjAdWMs-3D)). > **Questions:** From whom have you learned your own attitudes about work? What kind of example did that person or those persons set for you? How well has that example served you? How does it compare to the example Paul and his companions tried to set for the Thessalonians? What kind of example are you setting for others by the way you work (or don't work)? **Ephesians 4:28** *Those who steal must give up stealing; rather, let them labor, doing good work with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.* (For context, read [Ephesians 4:25-32](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzx-2F9xuITdvxpNxFuzW6j6ZGCLsMzcyIz-2Bz-2FSiqI7Vux-2Bo18yExzRuCafNqf4V2CFM0FOe5_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJynZH5UAiMVWmyYKtx3jRuaYs409URphOwDTuB7A581Knqr8r3lNe-2FWMWX0NnBWSk1z4EcnB0opy0oCpvKA0c0LmClyqkPdoWeVrItQdylcK7Y9aNMpjhKgDvvzAyAl9ThPvM0XyDexDcRDvL7NEahwbO-2FC8Dhj1J3BjxVgC06bhPJjgq4Ox2i6s-2FshbOQI6ebagSo2vPyCrVRKlp6-2F2a2aQ-3D).) Here Paul provides another reason for working with one's hands: to have something to share with the needy. Elsewhere he writes that people should "learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs" (Titus 3:14). One woman who embodied that principle was a disciple named Tabitha (also called Dorcas). Luke wrote that "[s]he was devoted to good works and acts of charity," and that she made tunics and other clothing for widows (Acts 9:36-39). She did good work with her hands and had something to share with widows in need. Paul told his friends at Ephesus that he also worked with his hands to support himself and his companions, to set an example for the believers to support the weak by their work. The rationale he gave was that Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:34-35). > **Question:** What difference might it make in the way people approach their work if they viewed their job as a way to support the weak and meet the urgent needs of those in need? **For Further Discussion** 1. Discuss this: J bolts are small J-shaped pieces of metal used to secure concrete foundations of buildings all around the world. They look small and insignificant, but they anchor structures we inhabit and utilize every day. [Author Courtlandt Perkins](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPH-2B0053JT5BUVEAbqpsdwMEM7YWwtCuIbCi3nX4sjSWd4kwiziVomyI-2FkwnGyt5C2w-3D-3DiijP_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyj054ViJ0P6uMsBQ9vCaUrF1wRfXKmoF-2Ft2IibCzWPA4DZ88yEfhTIs1v2uCR-2FuXiL5WcPBhft35vR2pQKiPGhbajx50Cz5f0fmd9S5ajqZ06-2BS-2FyIdlcN4DV8rzcTGTBHvKVxaEEEKkKelUWTDtmO-2Bpp6VThKvlwwTnNMPVi5Yx6xV6yfpeZ0BRgKyDk-2FQMIJz5Q7-2FGmR-2F6GFJ9AFL1eTU-3D) says that "Work is one of the J bolts of society. The jobs we do play an essential role in supporting and contributing to the economic and social foundations of our lives. Our work, like a J bolt, impacts people, even when our jobs might look or feel insignificant." Whether we work as a sanitation worker, an astrophysicist, a caregiver, farmer, artist, or in some other field, what we do matters to God. Perkins says our work can bring glory to God and serve our world. "Without it, many people would have unmet needs and miss out on the ways our job benefits society," Perkins adds. "We need godly businesspeople to ensure business transactions involve fairness and equality. We need plumbers to handle our sanitation issues before they become public health concerns. We need metalworkers to make J bolts so our buildings can stand firm. No matter what we do, our work matters because it serves others." God can use people in any profession to grow his kingdom, Perkins concludes. He urges us to pray that God would "open doors" for us to speak about Jesus to coworkers, customers, clients, employers and employees ([Colossians 4:3](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxlG6Mf3tvEVmQijV4y0Lg7CtHX0U-2BBUKyfMgsViv2DzZOAhgr1y4W1KyAOwzCuMc6GwRr_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJypZQr4q-2Fg843v-2BFGWdJkLtZn0TO0-2FptIKN2cwFmVNXoGPHTZX-2BC21rEBkDh2yq1FEYpJP6WVoaGruOYRB33PUcN18feAC9DWqCoopsKytaOxLNO5tPd-2FxS1WR26V6KQE7C1ZDwqz-2BZ0YH2xOsERd7K14vMHLZSTOYqm-2BkcPg4qCEt35615H0g68tRAKq118iwK1Ucoo3PcTwzh7qzLFRlj8-3D)). 2. Consider this, from educator Lisa Foster, who wrote in [How Should Christians Think Through Career Choices?](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPAcTFTNttj-2B5KU1l1dvnMc9YFXwQK-2BsNsKFMqGarJGHvlTf-2BIGxhOUclppuVTt3MB-2FJiRFKyMZ2EkjxdPNa6I2mtq9Kgfeuut0U-2BaqHeTMOoo0-Y_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJysw6y76plf00wR2EIHfdgFiWkLtLTOjhEbXtnNEYZWeZon2gLC5uTXZq3RoEQSUOimDfcps1EYTCdnYSwN-2Bm7KpS5J40PZjG0acnWWlJvBzmODJz-2BUSUBm0Ke8KizJfWrheLfffMu4cfWeLz-2B-2B-2FcTWQ8U50IfmKueI-2FDDjVBzx6sRp6RvLFY5qWrfRiAwcsASrLdux23XBr32G8gCM6PqU8-3D): "You may be the only Christ someone ever sees. Your ministry may be living in a way that shines for God in your family, community or workplace. If we didn't have plumbers, teachers or store clerks out there being Christ, some people would never be ministered to. He has given certain people the gifts and inclination to be the minister, preacher, youth pastor or missionary, but he has gifted other people with other things so they can be Christ for someone who may never darken the door of a church. "The leader isn't always the CEO -- they could be the teacher, the Sunday School helper, the cafeteria worker or the person stacking shelves at Walmart," Foster stated. "The important thing is knowing that you can use your gifts in any situation." 3. Lewis Carroll tells the story of how Alice in Wonderland got confused when she came to a fork in the road. Suddenly the Cheshire cat appeared in a nearby tree. Alice asked the Cat which way she should go. "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat. "I don't much care where," replied Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," was the Cat's flippant reply. What factors should you consider when making important decisions that could impact the rest of your life? 4. Respond to this, from TWW team member Bill Tammeus: "The only thing that bothers me a bit about the trend toward vocational choices versus college is that without an exposure to methods of critical thinking and to the arts and the literature that have sustained humanity in many ways, people may more easily wind up living unexamined lives." Consider also these comments from TWW consultant James Gruetzner: "In the trades, one quickly learns what works and what doesn't, which encourages specific critical thinking. I think that for the majority of students in all too many instances, college no longer educates in general *or* specific critical thinking." 5. Martin Luther held that all vocations (callings) were of equal moral and religious worth to God. The vocation of pastor was no more worthwhile than the vocation of farmer or plumber or schoolteacher or businessman. Christians become priests to their neighbors -- preaching and conveying God’s forgiveness -- in their day-to-day interactions with others, no matter what their work. Discuss this concept of vocation as it applies to trade schools versus college. **Responding to the News** 1. If you are contemplating what job training or career path to take, or know someone who is at that place of decision, consider this, from [Author Paula Marsteller](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPE4eSaA7GzdAS8fqbCXpx8jKqqSsyxSAizWLi0npJsYlBPenLScnprwiD6VIoOrVLBwnsmjpCMuMFmXd-2F58lruY-3Da0In_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyuPfXmtUTzAbZA2F0z81swqbuBQHHg1DKpyFs1THGQn0AkLbDSQf6-2BWbGs8GBPA3pgOMv0xM1WDssE6pqgC-2BvrTF9HQTq7qoHNWJZHgeqBdfOKyBVWp16APKdSTNzayTrCmdGKxs3xf191ea4HdVwC2F5kiC8BcUibERiRM1wWqQCf0t-2F6fl9sV70OlZEJrkCAHdlA3usnbPNvaH-2BpogdTU-3D): "Scripture shows that God is not concerned with what career you choose (unless, of course, it's in direct disobedience to his revealed will in Scripture, such as prostitution) as he is about how you work at your career." She suggests, "Rather than asking 'What is God's will for my career?' can we ask 'How can I best serve God through my work?' ... 'How can [I] best serve God with the gifts he has given [me]?' ... '[How can I] glorify God in the way that [I] work?'" 2. When talking to children or youth, you might ask them, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Consider asking a follow-up question, such as this: "What do you think God might want you to be?" **Prayer** suggested by [Psalm 128:1-2](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxwXkt9g44JTcL2VTtH2N9QdunIFlRdny6RoPpaX08PHg3yBA44QhCWTsPO-2Fjaerh56z8U_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJym-2FkvXe9B56yVIDoQc54l-2BGPEnIunaFRIuk4qdTC5ExnX4dMJt8hFz0RCE5lL38qRNHvS9-2Bq-2F1JDJxF6LUPpbJArn1iTVu2YKKkb-2BRKZRLybP7hN3TILY8cOH5aa7XL4UI4owP0vMRCKcfnpLdTZ8vN7ZmF-2FFpuJHrVeWKg8OKxbi29tGp82MdY7ijRoJBHMPtOWOc3h-2BLmJ2xD49J3Ai6A-3D); [1 Corinthians 15:58](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxOdlwvpIcp6dpBWksJaxTxL541-2B45L2Tu1gfIZ-2FQahiI0OWKicND-2Fg7FY-2Fq91waUmo_jv_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJygn7El-2F9Q50KzyZRZZzM6Teys0XKwUdcQMNgIuGNRDryIhTgysbhq9R8yCWN05r3Uqr7jxXXRejS7RI-2BtGWaNHNLfcPehL1B1EuoN9GsgT8SrNWt5AUIlgfBtt4KhNUKMv3rIStaf5QteJT-2Bo0-2B-2FQzjgyAk2JLxBmnaFLs5qnDR7t58SWG-2FrLuBDc3CSrA9msL2qNIpp-2Bng7jdNqXM5sUX8-3D) O God, who blesses us with purposeful work, may the way we labor bring you honor, add joy to our lives and enable us to help those in need. Bless the work of our hands, so that we would not labor in vain. Amen. **Copyright 2024 Communication Resources** [Unsubscribe From This List](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/asm/unsubscribe/?user_id=14323725&data=dJaQlfppDKJP7rA15Ac4TYYhdwKv3P-_1xLwRsGySgJoMDAwdTAwMLuF9sUGUQQybk8_wJF3YoPCiKf8xSwbDzHfpN7z6Eon13LryVGDVJOrWPxxpSBJwHA6ZdMxC_zz8P9GmToPJKtzg8249lroAwGj1ePDnlAUycYUH9fhh6pKme1mR8KdALyDOnI5uFtPILlMt4xHHHwPv4gvLlQ0VyhkKzrcxf2W-fTt35I5RCAUhIXCJXfBsnJXlAigSVsp9VSKiDT_8wjS7rqEhS6moSQ8_Wqckxt5vNNF5oYrm3v_leYkZWN9Iy5tNB2F7mHFoygIeQ6oI7Eh-GZbLmznevPS_OaHFq4Mbt-d-0zh5OishVFy9CzoYy6fFNy0e8qWWvSbAKBzydSXpkknkRSDuUBV5DaRhfFaNYPiS5cvbRbvnFoI_e2_x02L7Y_qbJoLHdL7USkZr-Iqm7QXqrsUtIB8vG_3LNrLXHaKekq3H3GHiARz5NmcQYobMVdzoIKt68erDFyiLZwtlVCht8HW-n7L7lS98vpmtZUCs6XEmsLkdC7nk53A-CW5aRCrHEIkXd0WLuFbgmz7NzJgo7aXUVdR4Zv1Y7Xw_RhMhBmUCxzo9gzPh9gMg2DWmnV6bDuoZhlvx72C8Cg=) <div>Dear Class Members, Our lesson uses news about trends in education and career choices to enter a conversation about seeking God's will for our lives. <img alt="" src="https://www.thewiredword.com/\_img/tww\_logo\_email.jpg"/> Other News This Week 'Toolbelt Generation' Nixes College for Skilled Trades The Wired Word for the Week of September 29, 2024 In the News According to the Harvard Gazette, about 3.5 million students are expected to graduate from high school in the United States in 2025. As they chart a course for their future, increasing numbers are weighing the value of a four-year college education against the merits of vocational training in a skilled trade. After graduating high school, Sy Kirby skipped college in favor of blue-collar work, which led to him launching his own construction company. A member of what he calls the "toolbelt generation," he thought it didn't make sense to spend tens of thousands of dollars to earn a degree he wouldn't use after sitting in college classes for four years. While skilled trades used to be viewed as undesirable, "dirty" jobs, Kirby says the money is good and offers him greater control of his life. More high school graduates are taking another look at the upside to vocational training, as the price of college has skyrocketed, leaving many with crippling debt. The Education Data Initiative says the average cost of college in the United States has more than doubled in the 21st century. According to <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPI-2BcKHzjva51-2BFJUsGRKut-2BWbyuxTxr1foFZVt3pJru1cG-2BP5ckMlsvwHNG-2B4Z6SeGHjD3Q9Ronrj6MpOPcZBnU-3DHevE\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJykhb9UMkKlaLmwxZ0n3ayLcEsavx4fPApFZ9gt7dDOlf2ehk6Yp5ITkRxGIPlRXZ7RuZMPkPgxrjeZBF3xy56P7qltykXX1DgU1OJHFra9-2F6T1RHJYbeZAjj6QygOXYkSAIS7BPEubtoXEkfRu69bgRH-2Fz9aStGwtm-2BMD7xvRA1UbWlCaZ8CCll7pjXATAIxvreQo3MMhevxTsZFlKjKHcY-3D">Educationdata</a>, "College enrollment totaled 15.397 million undergraduate students nationwide in fall 2022, a 7% decline from 2019." Meanwhile, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports that the number of students enrolled in vocational-focused community colleges increased 16% from 2022 to 2023. Lisa Countryman-Quiroz of Jewish Vocational Service (JVS), a nonprofit that assists unemployed workers in finding jobs, says, "over the last 10 to 15 years, we are seeing a trend among young people opting out of universities. Just the crushing debt of college is becoming a barrier in and of itself." According to the U.S. Department of Education 2020 data, college tuition can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $60,000 annually. Yearly tuition at trade schools, on the other hand, is in the $4,000 to $15,000 range. Enrollees in trade schools tout other advantages to that training option: shorter programs, allowing them to enter the job market one to three years sooner than they could if they took a traditional four-year college degree; job-specific, practical vocational training that equips them to meet industry standards as soon as they are hired, making them "job ready" for the specific vocation for which they have trained; the potential to earn salaries in some skilled professions that are competitive with those college graduates may command; and greater job security and stability in many of the skilled trades (such as plumbing, construction, automotive mechanics, health care, etc.), in which jobs may not be easily outsourced or automated, or replaced by artificial intelligence. Trade school graduates may have a competitive edge over college graduates in industries experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, since employers may view them as more workforce-ready, possessing in-demand skills their first day on the job. Students on a limited budget who need to enter the workforce quickly may find training for a specific skilled trade a logical option. Trade schools may also work well for students who need flexible class schedules, due to existing work or family responsibilities they already have. Crist Morillon, 27, skipped college to pursue a full-time career as an automotive technician. "I didn't want to spend another four years sitting behind a desk learning," she says. "I knew I wanted to work with cars, and I didn't need a bachelor's degree to do that." She took a one-year vocational school course, spending about $18,000 to become a certified technician, and now earns about $78,000 a year. Choosing a skilled trade career path made it possible for her to purchase her first car and home at the age of 24. If she had gone to college instead, she says, "I would probably still be living at my parents' house and paying off student loans. Instead, I'm able to financially support myself, my parents and my younger sister when they need it." Ryan Daniels, 22, started his own company as a teenager, and already has about $400,000 saved toward retirement. He quit college after his freshman year to scale up his business, hiring three employees, and expects to be semi-retired by the time he celebrates his 30th birthday. "I much prefer the physical exhaustion of manual labor over the mental toll of working long hours on a computer," says Daniels. "I think more people are realizing you can be happy and successful in either path. Attending college and getting a job from there isn't the right choice for everyone." More on this story can be found at these links: <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGHj-2B2dLMI8GjHt8EZUXiMsY9FydRY-2FYLCbRYSX4Yhm-2BQmjaikaKBjwOR-2BHjVtYEWVQQpK7jMr5zWGM5CZuOIbBROONOcHjeYtOnKYD7Hfb7UzeeYpVVAH0L11JK343BZtQdzUN-2B4GrFif5o63OIi9VsWNuVTEjMWZhpz-2BqkbASwqG\_q\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyqJ8gTbAPngfX45KvaTH9Rx-2BTA4DKojCFLCopxVIrOLa5ZfXxPypbcgFlGjHUzDO2X7eYaVxcnSQyeL21XpfwPcboHuwxpMxC80gICt4aHLGtQhgMGVjSNfhG053qpqnAwGtfaPh4NRfN2oVze27GRRyzx-2BcrKJLP1XCliMT8z2hIgmohpEyxAJNSDW5-2BVsjoBqZ3SgEdyZxLknCb3tHLe8-3D">Meet the Gen Zers Skipping College to Take Blue-collar Jobs and Launch Trade Businesses: 'One of the Smartest Decisions I Ever Made.' </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGHj-2B2dLMI8GjHt8EZUXiMsY9FydRY-2FYLCbRYSX4Yhm-2BQmjaikaKBjwOR-2BHjVtYEWVQQpK7jMr5zWGM5CZuOIbBROONOcHjeYtOnKYD7Hfb7UzeeYpVVAH0L11JK343BZtQdzUN-2B4GrFif5o63OIi9VsWNuVTEjMWZhpz-2BqkbASwq3nV\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJysHR-2FDgBF9wb0Hq1oDaXIgHvDM-2BmJ2WUrm9f0Fqx3MW5HFTxIY6n0W9VU5yRDqtlHiY56UalLx43FPw4FMk52sptNSuOJU5n6J7YPoHcOEc5eTWTMt3MQZePJRnWz-2BAxr5TdUcOotud9nYXK3N8cuusRY7Tq7oajZ-2FaJQ8R9x1lyrzZk79132xI2pmVVrP7Ghpc-2FVsEaGElQbIhguZ7-2B4YU-3D">CNBC</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJQ3OEwwkq2ODHFmNnF0tKIyQF8q4qzD1dQArQEq-2B9x8Rr-2B3rKCFXXttOg-2FWiI3BSo622rpyC3tKMRaFZFRfQ-2BI-3D77I6\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJypX8y0Td9-2FYq2SIcEn4nz02H-2FFtx2ZCKk5bpFQKpxktyxp4Vd3CAWFtmnGFHzLthWR5zkMI-2F6kXzBuVX-2BbCTZ2P0LT7TvcHQJRbgahwAQgoRlOHlbdz6xjUFQpafms6K2-2B5PcuTTHx2FOi5W6asr6jtdfky0732efOPu9qpRGd53e5p98AkeHLXNPMwfiqk23Nt3VLO1S9FzhvABME7P5p4-3D">Trade School vs College in 2024: Pros & Cons, and Job Opportunities. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJQ3OEwwkq2ODHFmNnF0tKIyQF8q4qzD1dQArQEq-2B9x8Rr-2B3rKCFXXttOg-2FWiI3BSo622rpyC3tKMRaFZFRfQ-2BI-3DR2l5\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyl6IWuH0MlprmUeeJqQu7xgr5LDRnwzHnK8BoDmKQ-2Fdx-2Bfky4IQnNgl5jkjU-2BGiiNtCr3Lgky4fO9OWcipQhfwNQUokNNxCXuKgIf10gS6wunazeDPf241SdijsclnnBuPo1klM-2FmTJZ-2FDVFJxVISIeT2S9LVBN8bxvvMw5Zj-2FN-2BhVr3dko-2F3f-2FksnR-2F8dfm9rdN4y3ES28sXt8BMMohR-2Fg-3D">Research</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPHqYzlFhngTMk0G9-2F-2BQ1rl80JDHHsV4V47SgBU0yySUqwCkyIRLxfMI-2BJAvDK3eSH-2BeGxby4m1Ti7mPdeiDAAXghrE0V64qPRZtBLUvdrQZ7ZsMy\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyiF7sbiNz1OVfOTQBq47vGgUDprzYPo-2FYldrkQM3H-2FmCi9Bq7N5oSNq-2BfhbGLN3EKqBeEAriamm90cAwL3H3hq0mI4KUVEgZ19q4GfiOFHfmuuJL53EHdVi-2B8o0u4JRAMvLiH581-2FxWqKTuTivP2grZNNE4G3dP7fwaR3faHLombledA6Y1sTW12agcTt9ZH9AKMF5aMxpOksxdxqwGjDXk-3D">Many in Gen Z Ditch Colleges for Trade Schools. Meet the 'Toolbelt Generation'. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPHqYzlFhngTMk0G9-2F-2BQ1rl80JDHHsV4V47SgBU0yySUqwCkyIRLxfMI-2BJAvDK3eSH-2BeGxby4m1Ti7mPdeiDAAXghrE0V64qPRZtBLUvdrQZ734iE\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyl2kYx1SxrdffakhBpSy4yEpZlyM1pye3tvnBXKjilVNRHD2yA1fTfetAfx6FiSCJmQHPMWhPnRkLk2H33ZT69AL50yVWLXGXsLn9191ZD2oSgIgSzJMctJ9UTACPfFwcqDiPV-2FnzDEt1yVZBuMPo5hzs3lJl1XUiB79zQRQCl8aZSg659LgZ2cATSndVAufqfUumgwDmQ4230jwdPvH5A4-3D">NPR</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPMnzrBICT4kqtz5yw-2FbsqfSyK1p6-2BCQUXPQ3MjYYOt9zmdorIhmw7fIruo7tBL7tBSV882D3Z0T61Qnhgcoe9B1YNCn9Oh1b0cTVm5WxK7ZAIvF7tLNBu7F3yQ1-2BN6ympA-3D-3DqKsa\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJymBJ9TqIuZ5IPjiol-2B6txXayI7OyRBdBgFMG4WZx3IS9SrbJakIbKhFlzXaiy-2BqqWHE5VJJgV5AF3EcB3U86FmiD86nMYViCG-2BiI9t7YB6Z-2B7dkqUulmSjc3zx16DBkQEvDNm5RComgKpu9Qz2tvExJULBBCfwRndSidf6YbSMCttfl56-2B5K5GmGR-2FZSEM-2FZ6jxTKrOQyLDVKxQNuYYBM0Q-3D">Why Going to Trade School Might Be Better Than Getting a College Degree. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPMnzrBICT4kqtz5yw-2FbsqfSyK1p6-2BCQUXPQ3MjYYOt9zmdorIhmw7fIruo7tBL7tBSV882D3Z0T61Qnhgcoe9B1YNCn9Oh1b0cTVm5WxK7ZAIvF7tLNBu7F3yQ1-2BN6ympA-3D-3DcdJ3\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJykvLR7NeTNmbUWkrhiCRJH2NrLp83iPhEdRPeM4MqLfk-2B7Tubgw1eRwGXLv9PEf9Mx3xbOP-2BCIItKjiJhCvT7X5peRKJBzlNP0gFS74-2FGLVjVtb-2Fta0NdZSa3AAA0P09WwnOSsMU9OIbIYeYEcBqj4kW26Mt1zO4vWIab1qZdDlKmP3Sw5jIixPReEe0Y9F10HXLb8lSc6iTBe74cdhIAO0-3D">Center for Employment Training</a> The Big Questions 1. If you could go back in time and change anything about your education or career choices, would you do so, and if so, what would you want to do differently? If you wouldn't change anything, why wouldn't you? 2. What pragmatic concerns might impact decisions about what education and career to pursue? 3. What role should a person's faith have in one's decisions regarding job training and career path? 4. How can Christians best support graduates as they consider their options for further education and careers? 5. What are some ways we can let our light of faith shine before people, so that God would be glorified, whatever we choose to study or whatever type of work we do? Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: Proverbs 12:14 From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things, and manual labor has its reward. (No context needed.) The Teacher observes that performing manual labor does have positive benefits. "In all toil there is profit," he says elsewhere (Proverbs 14:23). And in Ecclesiastes 5:12 we read, "Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not let them sleep." Those who work hard with their hands may sleep better than the idle rich! <blockquote> Questions: What are some of the challenges associated with manual labor? What are some of the positive benefits or rewards manual labor may provide the worker? </blockquote> Luke 6:12-16 Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxqjVjSpGMuwxJahigqudo5BUZ34palGk3nqZFfc8VEEukOt3kOmwWxr9SO-2BkJXhArPONC\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJysoROiPTedQHoA5yVUezdarA1xI3-2BhgYALTTMKLJxdVWFoVsG59t064Bl7HKv0f4kO9PVfwYc-2FTfTkgF-2BBEylcFU15WlKwE3LYuIHzZJ3npbFxIZ69BaJv3fsoKx2wntXXujb-2BJjVMccXQvOkE91FJ7Wd-2BsKj2M7ZNaBT6VBp1w0ZZaRWnVOjbKVyv9T1LMTz8eAj3XL-2BU72eU55GwzgmAg-3D">Luke 6:12-19</a>.) When Jesus called his twelve disciples to follow him, he chose men of different professions and aptitudes: several fishermen (Peter, Andrew, James, John and perhaps others), a tax collector (Matthew), a political activist (Simon the Zealot), a scholarly minded man (Bartholomew aka Nathanael), a man with a scientific bent (Thomas), and a thief (Judas Iscariot). Jesus himself likely learned carpentry from his foster father Joseph. Other followers of Jesus practiced other trades: Luke was a physician, Mary a student, Martha a hospitality provider, Priscilla and Aquila, tentmakers, as was Paul, who had been a religious law enforcer/reactionary terrorist before his conversion. Several disciples became writers, evangelists and teachers of the faith. John the Baptist taught tax collectors and soldiers that they didn't have to change their occupation in order to serve God honorably (<a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxrI1Arxli0SHaC7q3qXR1mOgacCThhm64GS-2B4U95DowYAPO6QlcE5AEF4S7P8aI7BKEp2\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyj9VUym43fp5oCi37xhUqjliPMeZ30QuUkNZngRpzsIQVz-2FOQqRuyjlHF0JBVjUJjP5zD7itpXMlYWHzjSrobZj9KVkU4-2BYMnfOX-2BhEsfzrihzZ6dDA9QePJaNpP8XDuOgmo29f-2FJRMjSAw0L6JJ7jti7MUZR-2B-2BNc53I4X4p-2BIecnxasRzOVFFpxPKymP4wJtCYkPPAf6RV6xCvHs5gCess-3D">Luke 3:10-14</a>). <blockquote> Questions: What other lines of work did people of God in the Bible follow? What does this suggest about God's view of work? With that in mind, how should we view various occupations? </blockquote> 1 Thessalonians 2:9 You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxnwlwJkO4zrT-2FXtDNTMfl-2B5TsrvBT5QdziT1wwJAj9FcBWIyUlDi5BMND8zq7QlsZUjaFAgKd5E69wU8nUL0DaA-3D-3DCv\_E\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyjtlvyuMExDInoO-2FlJ11v4DFppzskzTlOOscmZTOX3rEZHZGyuVZ1UEyqg4uS0JGg7Z-2BgsGQ7Pc5OnENBCySAaSqfhwLdTRI2jKUCCtbseh9lKMNklFmreTE4NAO-2BwTlJd54Vj9strgT7OBOcveiwChuqvIIajNo1smQDIgy6XFZQXG038HrELAyI4u1TwcIOZYMI2ANqSLF1BoqGE1ajm0-3D">1 Thessalonians 2:8-12</a>.) Paul teaches that one goal of work is to avoid becoming a burden to others, especially when proclaiming the good news of Christ. He didn't want his listeners to reject his message because he exploited their hospitality by behaving like a leech, draining them of resources they needed themselves. In a subsequent letter, Paul tells the Thessalonians that they didn't eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor they worked night and day so that they might not burden any of them. In this way, he says they behaved responsibly, so as to set an example to the believers, who were "to do their work quietly and to earn their own living" (<a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxamOQG3cfm9sekaKBcIj3IbocGT4EzkW5sk9ea2Iaq6665JK9DxSxxIjn-2FiMqj9FXcJPi6yoM6iCJLIN39Els9g-3D-3DIIBJ\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJymCVi-2FpmJHbVBmyIWkqlKZf5WKxNnFwziok036fAG-2FReCRmPewka5XshIi93Zwu2QEoOoK7Y8pLdWOpzFeSTaC6g7dlWDQTiQkSWtvDpu9DrXGusdFELHuO6Qv-2F6gS8IUnsZV-2FohF5ONgUDGEVp5O1TfICm75Omg2FLw3JF-2BRJIOpFb60b1ECd-2BMAfPjFTiPuF5d9vGD37-2FY0F0KTjAdWMs-3D">2 Thessalonians 3:6-13</a>). <blockquote> Questions: From whom have you learned your own attitudes about work? What kind of example did that person or those persons set for you? How well has that example served you? How does it compare to the example Paul and his companions tried to set for the Thessalonians? What kind of example are you setting for others by the way you work (or don't work)? </blockquote> Ephesians 4:28 Those who steal must give up stealing; rather, let them labor, doing good work with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzx-2F9xuITdvxpNxFuzW6j6ZGCLsMzcyIz-2Bz-2FSiqI7Vux-2Bo18yExzRuCafNqf4V2CFM0FOe5\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJynZH5UAiMVWmyYKtx3jRuaYs409URphOwDTuB7A581Knqr8r3lNe-2FWMWX0NnBWSk1z4EcnB0opy0oCpvKA0c0LmClyqkPdoWeVrItQdylcK7Y9aNMpjhKgDvvzAyAl9ThPvM0XyDexDcRDvL7NEahwbO-2FC8Dhj1J3BjxVgC06bhPJjgq4Ox2i6s-2FshbOQI6ebagSo2vPyCrVRKlp6-2F2a2aQ-3D">Ephesians 4:25-32</a>.) Here Paul provides another reason for working with one's hands: to have something to share with the needy. Elsewhere he writes that people should "learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs" (Titus 3:14). One woman who embodied that principle was a disciple named Tabitha (also called Dorcas). Luke wrote that "[s]he was devoted to good works and acts of charity," and that she made tunics and other clothing for widows (Acts 9:36-39). She did good work with her hands and had something to share with widows in need. Paul told his friends at Ephesus that he also worked with his hands to support himself and his companions, to set an example for the believers to support the weak by their work. The rationale he gave was that Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:34-35). <blockquote> Question: What difference might it make in the way people approach their work if they viewed their job as a way to support the weak and meet the urgent needs of those in need? </blockquote> For Further Discussion 1. Discuss this: J bolts are small J-shaped pieces of metal used to secure concrete foundations of buildings all around the world. They look small and insignificant, but they anchor structures we inhabit and utilize every day. <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPH-2B0053JT5BUVEAbqpsdwMEM7YWwtCuIbCi3nX4sjSWd4kwiziVomyI-2FkwnGyt5C2w-3D-3DiijP\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyj054ViJ0P6uMsBQ9vCaUrF1wRfXKmoF-2Ft2IibCzWPA4DZ88yEfhTIs1v2uCR-2FuXiL5WcPBhft35vR2pQKiPGhbajx50Cz5f0fmd9S5ajqZ06-2BS-2FyIdlcN4DV8rzcTGTBHvKVxaEEEKkKelUWTDtmO-2Bpp6VThKvlwwTnNMPVi5Yx6xV6yfpeZ0BRgKyDk-2FQMIJz5Q7-2FGmR-2F6GFJ9AFL1eTU-3D">Author Courtlandt Perkins</a> says that "Work is one of the J bolts of society. The jobs we do play an essential role in supporting and contributing to the economic and social foundations of our lives. Our work, like a J bolt, impacts people, even when our jobs might look or feel insignificant." Whether we work as a sanitation worker, an astrophysicist, a caregiver, farmer, artist, or in some other field, what we do matters to God. Perkins says our work can bring glory to God and serve our world. "Without it, many people would have unmet needs and miss out on the ways our job benefits society," Perkins adds. "We need godly businesspeople to ensure business transactions involve fairness and equality. We need plumbers to handle our sanitation issues before they become public health concerns. We need metalworkers to make J bolts so our buildings can stand firm. No matter what we do, our work matters because it serves others." God can use people in any profession to grow his kingdom, Perkins concludes. He urges us to pray that God would "open doors" for us to speak about Jesus to coworkers, customers, clients, employers and employees (<a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxlG6Mf3tvEVmQijV4y0Lg7CtHX0U-2BBUKyfMgsViv2DzZOAhgr1y4W1KyAOwzCuMc6GwRr\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJypZQr4q-2Fg843v-2BFGWdJkLtZn0TO0-2FptIKN2cwFmVNXoGPHTZX-2BC21rEBkDh2yq1FEYpJP6WVoaGruOYRB33PUcN18feAC9DWqCoopsKytaOxLNO5tPd-2FxS1WR26V6KQE7C1ZDwqz-2BZ0YH2xOsERd7K14vMHLZSTOYqm-2BkcPg4qCEt35615H0g68tRAKq118iwK1Ucoo3PcTwzh7qzLFRlj8-3D">Colossians 4:3</a>). 2. Consider this, from educator Lisa Foster, who wrote in <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPAcTFTNttj-2B5KU1l1dvnMc9YFXwQK-2BsNsKFMqGarJGHvlTf-2BIGxhOUclppuVTt3MB-2FJiRFKyMZ2EkjxdPNa6I2mtq9Kgfeuut0U-2BaqHeTMOoo0-Y\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJysw6y76plf00wR2EIHfdgFiWkLtLTOjhEbXtnNEYZWeZon2gLC5uTXZq3RoEQSUOimDfcps1EYTCdnYSwN-2Bm7KpS5J40PZjG0acnWWlJvBzmODJz-2BUSUBm0Ke8KizJfWrheLfffMu4cfWeLz-2B-2B-2FcTWQ8U50IfmKueI-2FDDjVBzx6sRp6RvLFY5qWrfRiAwcsASrLdux23XBr32G8gCM6PqU8-3D">How Should Christians Think Through Career Choices?</a>: "You may be the only Christ someone ever sees. Your ministry may be living in a way that shines for God in your family, community or workplace. If we didn't have plumbers, teachers or store clerks out there being Christ, some people would never be ministered to. He has given certain people the gifts and inclination to be the minister, preacher, youth pastor or missionary, but he has gifted other people with other things so they can be Christ for someone who may never darken the door of a church. "The leader isn't always the CEO -- they could be the teacher, the Sunday School helper, the cafeteria worker or the person stacking shelves at Walmart," Foster stated. "The important thing is knowing that you can use your gifts in any situation." 3. Lewis Carroll tells the story of how Alice in Wonderland got confused when she came to a fork in the road. Suddenly the Cheshire cat appeared in a nearby tree. Alice asked the Cat which way she should go. "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat. "I don't much care where," replied Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," was the Cat's flippant reply. What factors should you consider when making important decisions that could impact the rest of your life? 4. Respond to this, from TWW team member Bill Tammeus: "The only thing that bothers me a bit about the trend toward vocational choices versus college is that without an exposure to methods of critical thinking and to the arts and the literature that have sustained humanity in many ways, people may more easily wind up living unexamined lives." Consider also these comments from TWW consultant James Gruetzner: "In the trades, one quickly learns what works and what doesn't, which encourages specific critical thinking. I think that for the majority of students in all too many instances, college no longer educates in general or specific critical thinking." 5. Martin Luther held that all vocations (callings) were of equal moral and religious worth to God. The vocation of pastor was no more worthwhile than the vocation of farmer or plumber or schoolteacher or businessman. Christians become priests to their neighbors -- preaching and conveying God’s forgiveness -- in their day-to-day interactions with others, no matter what their work. Discuss this concept of vocation as it applies to trade schools versus college. Responding to the News 1. If you are contemplating what job training or career path to take, or know someone who is at that place of decision, consider this, from <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPE4eSaA7GzdAS8fqbCXpx8jKqqSsyxSAizWLi0npJsYlBPenLScnprwiD6VIoOrVLBwnsmjpCMuMFmXd-2F58lruY-3Da0In\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJyuPfXmtUTzAbZA2F0z81swqbuBQHHg1DKpyFs1THGQn0AkLbDSQf6-2BWbGs8GBPA3pgOMv0xM1WDssE6pqgC-2BvrTF9HQTq7qoHNWJZHgeqBdfOKyBVWp16APKdSTNzayTrCmdGKxs3xf191ea4HdVwC2F5kiC8BcUibERiRM1wWqQCf0t-2F6fl9sV70OlZEJrkCAHdlA3usnbPNvaH-2BpogdTU-3D">Author Paula Marsteller</a>: "Scripture shows that God is not concerned with what career you choose (unless, of course, it's in direct disobedience to his revealed will in Scripture, such as prostitution) as he is about how you work at your career." She suggests, "Rather than asking 'What is God's will for my career?' can we ask 'How can I best serve God through my work?' ... 'How can [I] best serve God with the gifts he has given [me]?' ... '[How can I] glorify God in the way that [I] work?'" 2. When talking to children or youth, you might ask them, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Consider asking a follow-up question, such as this: "What do you think God might want you to be?" Prayer suggested by <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxwXkt9g44JTcL2VTtH2N9QdunIFlRdny6RoPpaX08PHg3yBA44QhCWTsPO-2Fjaerh56z8U\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJym-2FkvXe9B56yVIDoQc54l-2BGPEnIunaFRIuk4qdTC5ExnX4dMJt8hFz0RCE5lL38qRNHvS9-2Bq-2F1JDJxF6LUPpbJArn1iTVu2YKKkb-2BRKZRLybP7hN3TILY8cOH5aa7XL4UI4owP0vMRCKcfnpLdTZ8vN7ZmF-2FFpuJHrVeWKg8OKxbi29tGp82MdY7ijRoJBHMPtOWOc3h-2BLmJ2xD49J3Ai6A-3D">Psalm 128:1-2</a>; <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxOdlwvpIcp6dpBWksJaxTxL541-2B45L2Tu1gfIZ-2FQahiI0OWKicND-2Fg7FY-2Fq91waUmo\_jv\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmciD-2FS2HQZ2U6MDGfAPrICPopwXlgGJGx9Hndu2nxBtPxZc2x-2BoxVs68OoYAVYkJygn7El-2F9Q50KzyZRZZzM6Teys0XKwUdcQMNgIuGNRDryIhTgysbhq9R8yCWN05r3Uqr7jxXXRejS7RI-2BtGWaNHNLfcPehL1B1EuoN9GsgT8SrNWt5AUIlgfBtt4KhNUKMv3rIStaf5QteJT-2Bo0-2B-2FQzjgyAk2JLxBmnaFLs5qnDR7t58SWG-2FrLuBDc3CSrA9msL2qNIpp-2Bng7jdNqXM5sUX8-3D">1 Corinthians 15:58</a> O God, who blesses us with purposeful work, may the way we labor bring you honor, add joy to our lives and enable us to help those in need. Bless the work of our hands, so that we would not labor in vain. Amen. Copyright 2024 Communication Resources <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/asm/unsubscribe/?user\_id=14323725&data=dJaQlfppDKJP7rA15Ac4TYYhdwKv3P-\_1xLwRsGySgJoMDAwdTAwMLuF9sUGUQQybk8\_wJF3YoPCiKf8xSwbDzHfpN7z6Eon13LryVGDVJOrWPxxpSBJwHA6ZdMxC\_zz8P9GmToPJKtzg8249lroAwGj1ePDnlAUycYUH9fhh6pKme1mR8KdALyDOnI5uFtPILlMt4xHHHwPv4gvLlQ0VyhkKzrcxf2W-fTt35I5RCAUhIXCJXfBsnJXlAigSVsp9VSKiDT\_8wjS7rqEhS6moSQ8\_Wqckxt5vNNF5oYrm3v\_leYkZWN9Iy5tNB2F7mHFoygIeQ6oI7Eh-GZbLmznevPS\_OaHFq4Mbt-d-0zh5OishVFy9CzoYy6fFNy0e8qWWvSbAKBzydSXpkknkRSDuUBV5DaRhfFaNYPiS5cvbRbvnFoI\_e2\_x02L7Y\_qbJoLHdL7USkZr-Iqm7QXqrsUtIB8vG\_3LNrLXHaKekq3H3GHiARz5NmcQYobMVdzoIKt68erDFyiLZwtlVCht8HW-n7L7lS98vpmtZUCs6XEmsLkdC7nk53A-CW5aRCrHEIkXd0WLuFbgmz7NzJgo7aXUVdR4Zv1Y7Xw\_RhMhBmUCxzo9gzPh9gMg2DWmnV6bDuoZhlvx72C8Cg=">Unsubscribe From This List</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/open?upn=u001.ri3TO7QGEXgsxcVdo6-2BoAGTuuWiDEfH5lVjP7AVQ-2Bcl7JaDKdeJ1ydQkXpTFAEqRD2SOncm40jgMuVls37ZLseTP-2Bc5kaLjFJf1Q3kw4FZdt1YoCkYWvLa1l-2BT-2F-2F8yIUiLbFHrmn64p2Xwmffzl3edR6Ty8TRKnThBIufHec6MYr94WZQxWVvMWvfNqNZdVSm2JpSP2sJuJ7h3Z8Ne0G7i27O3McXB7GGrwGjKDTRmN9V6d70AT0yaOk4NL0q-2BFsHyfueKmumRuJ5O8JDaqCAQEPeRtzy-2BOBIaJhyOedob4mhb-2FAd2XXLobCVCsul0ZbbFXN4NW0ogJRV5ryNgJrbf33ucKbd18Od3LAj5kGJDxjwTY9VTnGUf8te-2B7AHp81xo-2Butn-2Bg8s-2BXecddgoKkgG0AIXF03F1hgtD-2B4wsSXYLjHsHZ5IzrhKWtNSghUPg-2BUVJ7XJxWNoxA9XniT968Syp-2BjK08Cun3RiOmyBhP6rk-3D" style="height:1px !important;width:1px !important;border-width:0 !important;margin-top:0 !important;margin-bottom:0 !important;margin-right:0 !important;margin-left:0 !important;padding-top:0 !important;padding-bottom:0 !important;padding-right:0 !important;padding-left:0 !important;" width="1"/> </div>, The Wired Word for 9/29/2024, The Wired Word, 01j8qdjcjjzy1srzep7k87yky0.