Meaning plays an important role in many people's lives and work. A significant source of meaning derives from a greater sense of fulfilling one's calling, or purpose in work. This study examined the specific life experiences that shape people's perceptions of their calling and the characteristics of those experiences that make them so powerful. Fifty-eight people who self-identified as leaders responded to a questionnaire about the relevant experiences that shaped their perceptions of their work as a calling. Participants' responses were contentanalyzed to generate a taxonomy of themes in 4 overarching categories: (a) content of the event, (b) context of the event, (c) confirmation of one's call, and (d) the continuing effect that the event has had on the individual's life. By increasing knowledge about events that affect perceptions about one's calling, counselors may be more equipped to shed light on the potential, unexamined trajectories of a client's work and life.Keywords: calling, critical events, meaning, purpose, vocation "Man's search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life." (Frankl, 2006, p. 99).Meaning plays an important role in human life and, when attributed to work, has the potential for positive outcomes (Duffy & Sedlacek, 2007;Wrzesniewski, McCauley, Rozin, & Schwartz, 1997). For some individuals, a significant source of meaning is their calling in life because it provides a greater sense of purpose. Although important events, people, and beliefs may come together to shape a calling, little is known about the details of how people hear and understand a calling in their lives.With more information about the events and episodes that shape a sense of calling, we may learn how to assist people in experiencing meaning in their lives and help others interpret instinctual feelings that may be an indication of something they should do in the world. Our study aimed to increase the understanding of the specific episodes and events that shape the calling that people perceive and to present a model for understanding the combination of factors that explain these experiences. Definitions of CallingOriginally used solely in a religious context, the term calling has been defined in a variety of ways and is currently found both in religious and secular settings (Bunderson & Thompson, 2009;Hardy, 1990;Placher, 2005). Around the time of the Protestant Reformation, God was specifically identified as the source of a calling (Hardy, 1990;Placher, 2005 The definition for vocation is almost identical, except the first component of a transcendent summons is not included. For many people, this summons is from God. Although they may not be able to pinpoint God actually speaking to them directly, a variety of things make these callings significant in each of their lives. Calling RelationshipsHuman beings naturally seek meaning and purpose (Dreher et al., 2007;Frankl, 2006 (Duffy, Dik, & Steger, 2011), and work engagement (Hirschi, 2012). Additionally, those with a higher sense of calling are less likely to endure...

Repatriated, young adult children of international missionaries (missionary kids [MKs]) face unique challenges in education and career development. The authors conducted a consensual qualitative research investigation, grounded in social cognitive theory (Bandura, ), as it informs social cognitive career theory, of career planning and decision making with 11 repatriated MKs. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 23 years (58% female, 67% Caucasian) and had repatriated to the United States between the ages of 14 and 19 years, spending between 4 and 19 years abroad. The authors' interpretation of the study findings led to a context‐specific revision of Bandura's () Triadic Reciprocality Model. That is, regarding career development, faith intersects environmental variables, personal attributes, and overt behaviors in unexpected and multidimensional ways. Recommendations for researchers and practitioners include (a) attending to issues of sociocultural adaptation, (b) continuing to offer empirically supported (standard) career services to MKs, (c) using contextual and developmental approaches, and (d) inquiring about faith and calling.

Springtime bud-break and shoot development induces substantial carbon (C) costs in trees. Drought stress during shoot development can impede C uptake and translocation. This is therefore a channel through which water shortage can lead to restricted shoot expansion and physiological capacity, which in turn may impact annual canopy C uptake. We studied effects of drought and re-hydration on early season shoot development, C uptake and partitioning in five individual 10-year old Picea mariana [black spruce] trees to identify and quantify dynamics of key morphological/physiological processes. Trees were subjected to one of two treatments: (i) well-watered control or (ii) drought and rehydration. We monitored changes in morphological [shoot volume, leaf mass area (LMA)], biochemical [osmolality, non-structural carbohydrates (NSC)] and physiological [rates of respiration (Rd) and light-saturated photosynthesis (Asat)] processes during shoot development. Further, to study functional compartmentalization and use of new assimilates, we 13C-pulse labeled shoots at multiple development stages, and measured isotopic signatures of leaf respiration, NSC pools and structural biomass. Shoot water potential dropped to a minimum of −2.5 MPa in shoots on the droughted trees. Development of the photosynthetic apparatus was delayed, as shoots on well-watered trees broke-even 14 days prior to shoots from trees exposed to water deficit. Rd decreased with shoot maturation as growth respiration declined, and was lower in shoots exposed to drought. We found that shoot development was delayed by drought, and while rehydration resulted in recovery of Asat to similar levels as shoots on the well-watered trees, shoot volume remained lower. Water deficit during shoot expansion resulted in longer, yet more compact (i.e., with greater LMA) shoots with greater needle osmolality. The 12C:13C isotopic patterns indicated that internal C partitioning and use was dependent on foliar developmental and hydration status. Shoots on drought-stressed trees prioritized allocating newly fixed C to respiration over structural components. In conclusion, temporary water deficit delayed new shoot development and resulted in greater LMA in black spruce. Since evergreen species such as black spruce retain active foliage for multiple years, impacts of early season drought on net primary productivity could be carried forward into subsequent years.

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