Recently, I had the joy of sitting down with my friend, who is not only passionate about developing leaders, spiritual formation, and adult learning, but also one who offers “quality attention” to those who share his company,
Keith Anderson, to talk about his newest book, On Holy Ground: Finding Your Story of Identity, Belonging, and Sacred Purpose.
Our conversations are a sacred space, a shared journey within the stunning story of Jesus—honest, hopeful, and full of wonder (and some good laughs). While discussing his latest book, Keith reminded me that vocation is not just about what we do, but about who we are becoming with God in the ordinary places of our lives.
You can watch our full conversation on VP3’s YouTube Channel.
Why This Book, and Why Now?
As we talked, Keith said something that continues to echo in my heart:
“We’ve made vocation too small. It’s not only what you do; it’s about who you are with God in every moment and every square inch of life.”
He describes On Holy Ground as a gentle but bold invitation to reclaim vocation as a lifelong companionship with our Abba Father—a relationship that redefines how we live, love, listen, and lead.
“When we know ourselves as the radically beloved of God,” he said, “we stop chasing identity and begin living from it. At the heart of this book is a symbiotic relationship between identity, belonging, and sacred purpose. Deep knowing leads us to hospitality instead of hostility, to grace instead of judgment, to courage instead of fear.”
Most books about vocation tell us to find our passion, Keith said, but this one invites us to find our sacred place in God’s story.
“It’s not a motivational book; it’s an invitation to transformation—to discover the life that has already been given to you.”
Wrestlers on the Way
When I asked Keith why he describes himself as “a wrestler on an expedition,” he smiled and said,
“That language is really Jesus’ fault. He called himself the way—hodos. The image VP3 uses is The Journey. Follow me, he says. Go where I go. Go where I send. We’re not following our own brand; we’re following Jesus.”
Keith went on to say that to wrestle is to live honestly before God—to bring our doubts, sorrows, and pain into the conversation because God is already there ahead of us.
“We learn to follow the way by wrestling with the real,” he explained. “Our questions, our flaws, our failures—they become places of encounter. It’s there, in the honest places, that we find holy ground.”
The Gift of Wrestling
Keith reminded me that wrestling isn’t a sign of weak faith—it’s an act of trust.
“If you don’t believe me,” he said with a smile, “open your Bible to the middle and start reading. Many of the Psalms are psalms of disorientation—where life doesn’t make sense, where faith feels unsure. Wrestling is part of the journey.”
Even the disciples, he pointed out, wrestled with questions—even after the resurrection.
“They still didn’t understand what Jesus was doing. So it’s okay to bring your questions, your heartbreak, your uncertainty. God meets us there.”
Listening to Keith, I was reminded that spiritual maturity isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about trusting that God is already present in our questions, and we never actually arrive; we are just somewhere along the path of our own discoveries.
Vocation for All of Life
Keith’s understanding of vocation reaches beyond career or season.
“We seem to believe vocation only belongs to the young,” he said. “But vocation is a spirituality for all of life—for the young and the old alike. The tragedy isn’t growing old; the tragedy is growing stagnant.”
He told a story from Eugene Peterson about visiting a nursing home with his young daughter. They sat with an elderly woman who, due to dementia, repeated her stories again and again. When they left, Eugene told his daughter how proud he was of her patience. She replied, ‘Oh, Daddy, I knew what she was doing—she was telling me who she is.’
Keith paused and said quietly,
“That story is precisely why I want to reclaim vocation as a spirituality for all of life. Every season matters. Every story matters.”
A Conversation That Continues
As I reflect on this conversation, I’m reminded how deeply it echoes the movements of The Journey—an Attentive Life, an Examined Life, and a Shared Life.
Each movement invites us to pay attention to God’s presence, to wrestle honestly with the mysteries of our lives, and to respond alongside others to this kingdom work of noticing what the Lord is up to in our own lives, in our communities, and the greater world, and respond from that!
Wherever people gather to listen and share life together—around a table, in a Journey group, or in a mentoring relationship—may we remember that every step of this process is holy ground.
Practice
Take a few minutes today to reflect:
- Where in your life might God already be inviting you to pay attention to the holy ground beneath your feet?
- Who might be walking beside you—a conversation partner, a mentor, or a friend—helping you see God’s work more clearly?
If you sense a call to walk with others in this way, consider joining our Mentor’s Workshop—an online experience equipping men and women to accompany others in faith and life.
—Learn more and register here.
Keep the Conversation Going
If Keith’s words stirred something in you, I invite you to keep the conversation going. When you subscribe to At the Table, you’ll receive a free downloadable set of discussion questions for On Holy Ground—perfect for your own reflection or to guide a conversation with a friend, your mentoring circle, or a Journey group.
🎬 You can also watch the full interview with Keith Anderson on our VP3 YouTube Channel and read along with the transcript.
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Wendy Delcourt resides near the beautiful Okanagan Lake in Kelowna, BC. Nestled in this stunning valley with her husband Grant, two adult daughters, Hannah and Madison, and their precious 4-leggeds, Scout and Tucker. Wendy works across a variety of contexts as an educator passionate about mining others’ potential. In her spare time, she loves to play and create. She is enjoying her latest adventure in authoring children’s books. Wendy has been an advocate and facilitator for the VP3 Pathway for over 20 years and has been a passionate board member for the past five, always excited to see “afresh” what the GOOD LORD is up to in our lives!