Author: Ed Klodt
Located in: Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Submitted: December 17, 2006
Tell us a little about yourself. I'm a longtime author, speaker and lay minister.
I'm also the editor and publisher of "Digging
Deeper," a nationally syndicated publication of
daily devotions distributed weekly through my web
site (www.digging-deeper.com) and subscribing
congregations.
I'm a former corporate communications vice
president at several Fortune 500 firms over
almost 30 years. My most recent position was as
vice president of national sales campaigns for
one of the top three mutual fund companies in the
country.
I've also been a consultant on church education
programs and on a 2006 research study on aging
conducted at Pepperdine University.
What was your motivation behind this project? I was in what I thought was the job of a
lifetime, working in an enviable position at one
of the greatest corporations in the world, truly.
Yet, I was incredibly dissatisfied in the work I
was doing. This dissatisfaction, I felt, was
because God was calling me to do something else.
However, as the sole income earner for a family
of four, I felt locked into my job. The Jonah
Factor came out of my efforts to hear God's voice
in my vocational pursuits and to develop the
confidence to do what he was calling me to do.
The 13 steps were incredibly successful for me,
providing the confidence to leave my job and
finally answer the call. I left my position
almost three years ago and never looked back. God
has blessed my decision beyond anything I could
have ever imagined. I wish the same for all of
the book's readers.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? Recent surveys show that half of all Americans
dislike their work. Twenty-five percent say they
stay on the job merely to earn a paycheck. This
discontent applies not only to fulltime
employees; it crosses over into the lives of
retirees, students, stay-at-home parents,
volunteers and even clergy. This is tragic,
especially considering that God wants us to be
joyful and fulfilled in the work we do.
So, how do we find work that is fulfilling and
effectively uses our talents, abilites and
passions? That's the purpose of The Jonah Factor:
13 Spiritual Steps to Find the Job of a Lifetime.
The book is intended to help the reader discern
God's call in his or her life, and the 13 steps
will help individuals better understand God's
purpose for work at any stage of life.
Having been used by two focus groups to fine-tune
this 13-step discernment process, The Jonah
Factor offers concrete examples and more than 500
scriptural quotes, references and insights, all
intended to help the reader take a leap of faith
into the work that God may be calling him or her.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? The book is a natural follow-up to Rick Warren's
book "The Purpose Driven Life." I've also been
inspired by the writings of Oswald Chambers,
especially "My Utmost for His Hightest."
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: The book has received an incredibly positive
response and is already in its second printing.
One reviewer called the book a "get out of jail
free card" for those who dislike their work.
I am also available to speak to groups. More
information can be found on The Jonah Factor web
site at www.jonahfactor.com.
