Figuring out your 'calling' can feel incredibly daunting, can't it? We so often fall into the trap of thinking that God only taps the shoulders of people who have it all figured out, or those who fit a very specific, polished mould. If you've ever felt that way, Mark Tanner’s Faithful? Foolish? Called: Recognising God's call and what to do about it is going to feel like a massive breath of fresh air.

Rather than handing you a rigid, step-by-step set of rules, Tanner looks at the wonderfully messy reality of how God actually works. The book explores a brilliant premise: the things God asks of us often look completely foolish to a world obsessed with status, wealth, and having a perfect reputation. But when we actually lean into those seemingly impossible tasks, we discover just how faithful God really is. It takes the pressure right off and reminds us that you don't need to be perfect to be used for something extraordinary.

This message really hits home for us, as it beautifully backs up the advocacy we focus on here at Neurodivergent Ministry. Let's be honest, traditional church discernment processes can sometimes feel heavily geared towards neurotypical assumptions and expectations. If you are neurodivergent—whether that means navigating your faith with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or dyspraxia—it's incredibly easy to feel like you don't quite fit the 'standard' profile for ministry or church leadership.

Tanner’s book is a wonderful theological reminder of what we advocate for every day: a calling doesn't have to look conventional to be profoundly real.

It is incredibly validating to read a perspective that essentially says God equips and calls all different kinds of minds, and that the church desperately needs those unique perspectives rather than just the expected ones.

It helps immensely that Mark Tanner writes with such genuine warmth. As a Bishop in the Church of England, you might expect a dense, academic read, but his style is incredibly grounded. He draws on a wealth of real-world experience from serving in parishes and educational settings right across the UK. It reads less like a lecture and much more like having a cup of tea and a good chat with a wise, encouraging friend who genuinely wants to see you thrive in exactly the way you were made.

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