The Seamless Life - by Steven Garber

About the Book

What if we began to see all we are and all we do--our work, play, relationships, worship, and loves--as significant to God? In these essays Steven Garber helps us discover the seamless life where there is no chasm between heaven and earth and we understand the coherence of our lives and God's work in the world.

Book Synopsis

We all want to make sense of life, of who we are and why we are, and to know that what we do--day in and day out--matters. But daily demands often lead to a life that feels void of meaning and disjointed from our deepest beliefs.

Steven Garber challenges us to move beyond our fragmented sense of reality and begin to see all we are and all we do--our work, play, relationships, worship, and loves--as significant to God. Once we discover that there is no chasm between heaven and earth, we are able to understand the coherence of the work of God and of our lives in the world. This is the seamless life--to see the truest truths of the universe woven into the very meaning of life, labor, learning, and liturgy.

Review Quotes

"The Seamless Life is a compilation of Steven Garber's serious reflections on living and loving in a wounded world. Each essay is accompanied by a striking and provocative image, the words and photos drawing us in, becoming a balm to our weary souls in the midst of the beautiful and the broken nature of life in this world. A labor of his heart, this book is a gift born of love for all of us who stumble along with him in a world hungry for shalom."

--Lisa Pratt Slayton, the Tamim Partners, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"The Seamless Life is a scrumptious feast for mind and heart, meticulously prepared in bite-size pieces of timeless wisdom, transforming truth, and life-giving grace. The depth and beauty of the poetic words as well as each breathtaking photograph point longing hearts to a God well loved and a life well lived. Steve Garber is a remarkably good man with a rare gift of storytelling. This may be his finest work. I highly recommend it."

--Tom Nelson, senior pastor of Christ Community Church, Leawood, Kansas, and author of The Economics of Neighborly Love

"The Seamless Life is wise, warm, and winning. Steven Garber generously offers a lifetime of thoughtful engagement with work, vocation, and worship (and many other topics) in photos and short vignettes that are poetic, full of good stories, and a joy to read. This is a nourishing feast in bite-size portions. I sat down to savor it and found I did not want to put it down. If you've ever wondered how your ordinary work--and ordinary life--matter to God or in the big, wide world, this book will encourage and inspire."

--Tish Harrison Warren, Anglican priest and author of Liturgy of the Ordinary

"I do not think I can name another author whose books are so intensely esteemed and indeed treasured by a cadre of followers, readers who in many cases have become friends of the author, than Steven Garber. His transforming words are always given flesh in his books as he moves deftly from big ideas to daily consequences, between hearing and doing, principles and practice. But in this new collection of essays, stories, anecdotes, and reflections, he allows us deeper into his life, his work, and his marriage. The Seamless Life is a kingdom-sized glimpse of a good life lived with coherence and commitments, animated sometimes with rather ordinary days and then with astonishing episodes of extraordinary experiences. This is one of the best collections of essays I have ever read and is perhaps Garber's finest achievement yet. Don't miss this wise, achingly beautiful book."

--Byron Borger, Hearts & Minds bookstore, Dallastown, Pennsylvania

"I frequently meet people who are engaged in fruitful work for the life of the world, and in most cases I discover that those people are just a few degrees of separation from someone who has had a life-altering conversation with Steven Garber. This book gives you the sense that you are sitting with him, sipping coffee, and gleaning from his wisdom. As your eyes move across its pages, you will notice that you are able to see with greater clarity the world beyond this book, the world as it really is, full of beauty to be cultivated and brokenness to be mended--seeing yourself as you are, and seeing yourself as implicated to steward some aspect of God's world, giving you a glimpse of the God who weaves our stories together into his ultimate story of redemption. The depth of wisdom, compelling stories, and honest questions make The Seamless Life a unique gift to those who seek to pursue the common good in this complex world."

--Jim Mullins, pastor of vocational and theological formation, Redemption Church, Tempe, Arizona, and coauthor of A Symphony of Mission: Playing Your Part in God's Work in the World

"In The Seamless Life, Steven Garber culls a lifetime of observation, reflection, and writing into what can only be called a masterpiece on vocation. With gentle, persuasive, artful language, Steven gives the reader a true picture of a faithful life. It is a seamless vision of word and work based in love, lived for the benefit of all and the glory of God. I cannot recommend this manual of meaning and mission more strongly. This book contains the truest truths, the deepest wisdom, and love that knows no limits."

--Charlie Peacock, Grammy Award-winning music producer and cofounder of The Writer & The Husband blog

"Steven Garber takes the complex subjects of who we are as human beings and why our work matters and makes them come alive through captivating personal stories and photography. Reading The Seamless Life is a journey through profound essays and stunning images that provoke the reader to stop and contemplate the deepest questions of our generation. The book is a feast for the eyes, the mind, and the heart, and Garber's best work yet."

--Uli H. Chi, chairman of Computer Human Interaction, LLC, senior fellow at the Max De Pree Center for Leadership

"Steven Garber's delightful prose reminds us once again of the importance of reflecting deeply upon that which is most meaningful: our very purpose. By embracing our vocation, we can each move the needle a bit from how things are to how they ought to be, showing us that we are all implicated in the way the world turns out. Well done, good and faithful servant! Well done."

--Jay Jakub, senior director of external research, Mars, Incorporated, and coauthor of Completing Capitalism: Heal Business to the Heal the World

"This modern life often feels fragmented. Steve Garber's new collection of words and writings, The Seamless Life, gently weaves coherence and grace from the far corners of vocation, friendship, and spirituality. A skillful storyteller, Garber puts himself forward effortlessly. The Seamless Life is like good conversation, and it reads as if you are sitting with an old friend across the table. These chapters can be savored daily, as each page is filled with sacred questioning, wisdom, and hope."

--Sandra McCracken, singer-songwriter and recording artist

About the Author

Steven Garber is professor of marketplace theology and director of the program in leadership, theology, and society at Regent College, Vancouver, BC. His books include Visions of Vocation and The Fabric of Faithfulness. Married to Meg, they have five children and several grandchildren.