Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Amy C. Baker's new book, Succeed at Work without Sidetracking Your Faith: 7 Lessons of Career Excellence for Women, (New Hope Publishers, 2007).

As a working woman of faith, you have the potential to make a significant impact for Christ in the marketplace. Your work isn’t just something you do to earn a living, and you don’t have to sidetrack your faith to do it well. If you follow God’s lead on the job, you can create a career that will glorify Him while bringing you success and fulfillment.

So approach your work purposefully, letting your faith lead you to real success.  Here’s how:

Take charge of your career planning. Be intentional about your career rather than just coasting along with whatever happens. Expect that if you own your career and plan it well, you can become more successful, more satisfied with your work life, and increase the significance of your impact on the world around you. Accept the fact that career planning is your job, even if it’s not on your job description. Decide that, whatever type of work you do, you’ll do it excellently and with the purpose of growing personally and spiritually through your work experiences. Think and pray about your interests and talents, and once you discover them, aim for jobs that you enjoy doing and can do well. Look for opportunities where you can affect God’s kingdom through your work. Base your plans on what God reveals to you about His will and timing for your career, instead of the world’s definition of success. Pray for the creativity and courage you need to try new things to grow your career. Don’t settle for second best; dream big dreams and trust God to help you make some of those dreams come true. Expect God to surprise you along the way. Be most concerned about what you can give rather than what you can get. Aim to contribute to the world in the ways God leads you to do so. Strive to reflect God’s love in the marketplace through your relationships with coworkers, customers, and everyone else with whom you interact. As you plan, write down roles you could potentially fill that would use your strengths and challenge you to broaden your skills. Meet with people who do those jobs, and learn what it would take for you to enter those types of jobs. Get feedback on your strengths from people who know you well. If you have a manager, meet with him or her to discuss how you could advance your career in ways that would benefit both you and your company. If you can’t grow much within your current company, think about what other companies you could work for, and what specific jobs you could do. Consider meeting with a recruiter or career counselor for advice. Before you even make any job changes, ask God to help you view your current work from His perspective, focusing on its true significance.