"Why does work dominate my life?" "Why can't I do work that I feel better suited to do?" "Is this what God intended when He conceived work?" More than half of working Americans (75 million people) are unhappy with their career and these are the questions they struggle to answer. We're misemployed, overworked, financially strained, and dissatisfied with the lack of balance in our lives. This book is written for this chronically-frustrated majority of today's workforce "A Better Way" provides a Christ-centered perspective, practical strategies and inspiring personal stories to help workers become proactive about career and life choices amid today's intimidating employment trends. "A Better Way to Make a Living...and a Life is engaging, practical and a reliable help for those looking for exactly that. Read Peter's book and map your path to the career and life God designed for you." Chuck Bentley, CEO, Crown Financial Ministries Peter Bourke is the volunteer Chairman of Crossroads Career Network and a Principal at The Complex Sale, a sales training firm. Peter has nearly 30 years of experience with companies large and small, most recently as President of a $350M outsourcing and human capital consulting organization. Peter is a student of people's work, careers, and their faith: "God doesn't intend for the majority of working people to be unhappy doing what occupies most of their time. My mission is to challenge, educate, and inspire today's workers to find a better way to work and live- that leverages their God-given talents; is consistent with God's purpose for their lives; that capitalizes on today's work environment; and that gives them a sense of God's peace." Peter and his wife Devonie live in Alpharetta, Ga. with their three grown daughters and son-in-law, where they are active at Northpoint Community Church.

"In all, beautifully written and wonderfully inspiring."--The Wall Street Journal "Crossing the Atlantic under sail, alone, is a nexus of sorts for all sailors, a dream and an adventure that seems obtainable within the framework of life and work, and it's in this context that Sea Trials provides inspiration to all of us. Bourke's route across the ocean, as a participant in the 2009 OSTAR, is circuitous at best as he battles headwinds and mechanical snafus, but he keeps it in perspective and never loses his sense of humor and awe. Sure he wants to do well in the race, but getting to the starting line is already a victory, and finishing, when others would have retired, seems in character. Bourke deftly weaves his life story into the narrative, from the tragic death of his wife that leaves him an angry single parent, to postponing his dreams until his kids are settled, to his rather bumbling attempts to become a sailor. It takes a good writer to make this work within the framework of a voyage, and Bourke is a very good writer. . . . I was in the cockpit with him as he spent long hours at the helm, attuned to the sea and alone withhis thoughts. He doesn't whine but he's not a hero either, just a sailor dealing with his boat, the Atlantic, and life, and he relishes it all. This is a brilliant book." -- John Kretschmer, author, Sailing a SeriousOcean and At the Mercy of the SeaPeter Bourke first heard the siren call of the sea as a young boy when he crossed the Atlantic from England with his family. Decades later, three years after his wife's sudden death, he bought a boat--even though he did not yetknow how to sail. His friends thought he was crazy; but for Bourke, buying his fi rst sailboat was a lifeline, a glimmer of hope in a world turned upside down. Learning to juggle single parenting, a career in finance, and a growingurge to set sail was akin to walking a tightrope of sanity. Small voyage by small voyage he gained his sea legs, balancing the risks of singlehanding while raising children, holding his sailing dream lightly until his children had safely transited out of high school. Bourke entered the Oldest Singlehanded Trans-Atlantic Race (OSTAR) at age 57. Sea Trials is the humble account of those 40 days of racing on his 44-foot sailboat Rubicon. As he shares his highs and lows at sea, he alsoweaves his intimate story of grief and rediscovery into the narrative: pain and joy, seasickness, fear, and his boundless gratitude. You are along for Bourke's racing adventure--the good, the bad, and the very unpredictable.Gear failure and reefi ng sails on a pitching deck in the double dark of the mid-Atlantic night intermix with wet twilights of Da Nang, Vietnam, where artillery shells pierce the sky; we also travel with Bourke down the pastoral streets of his suburban hometown toward a neighbor's house, wondering how he will find the words and courage to tell his daughter and son they have lost their mother. Bourke's offshore passage is a passage home, to the core of his humanity and humility--and as Bourke and Rubicon cross the fi nish line in Newport, Rhode Island, the world had been simultaneously opened wide and brought closer. To dream and to sail the dream is to journey offand come home again, changed. And undoubtedly you will be inspired to take a big--but satisfying--risk of your own to fulfill your lifelong dream, whether it's on the big blue or dry land. "Life and circumstance had left me working flat out trying to maintain my professional position, be a good father, and keep everything together. At the late-night end of many days, I found myself mumbling: 'I can't keep doing this, this is killing me, I'm dying.' It wasn't a question of wanting out of the parenting role, or the business role, but I needed a third ball for balance . . ." "To be at sea is to be in a different world, and to live alone for a time in this alien place can yield a spiritual calm. . . . In such a calm, order and perspective can enter your thoughts. Life can be harsh at sea, but it is never sordid. The simple necessities of food, drink, and sleep are received with gratitude, and always there is the sea's reminder that you are a speck of dust in the cosmos. The rush of thoughts slows, and order replaces the chaos as you consider your journey." -- From the book SEA TRIALS is a poignant account of one man's pursuit of a dream that will inspire you to tackle challenging endeavors as well as squarely face life's emotional challenges, fi nding the courage to live a fullyengaged, authentic life.