Many years ago, I was laid off. I took advantage of this unexpected “blessing” to reconsider what I was doing with my life. Since millions of people have become unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, here are some book recommendations that might help you pivot your life in a more God-centered direction.

• The best book I have ever found to help me discern career choices is What Color is Your Parachute? It’s updated annually and has a web site for more information. It’s not Catholic or even explicitly Christian, but it helps you stop thinking of yourself in terms of your degree or past job, which is a first step in seeing yourself as God sees you.
• On the spiritual side, a retreat or novena is an excellent way-used by many great saints-to ask God for help. You might try an online novena or a book of novenas; I like this one: The Church’s Most Powerful Novenas. Fr. Michael Gaitley, M.I.C. has written several retreats-in-a-book that are excellent; just go to your favorite book resource and enter his name. I have also used several different books to complete a consecration to Jesus, through Mary. Since I haven’t found a “bad” one yet and since such things tend to be personal preference, just do an online search or web retailer search for “St. Louis de Montfort Consecration to Mary”.