Working Out God

When God Doesn't Show You The Whole Plan | Following God One Step At A Time

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

What if God showed you the next step, but not the whole roadmap?

In this episode, Catherine shares her journey from teacher and youth worker to founding and leading Refugee Education UK (REUK), an organisation supporting refugee and displaced young people through education. What began with noticing a group of young people waiting for school places in her local community grew into a nationwide charity impacting thousands of lives.

We talk about the power of education, the importance of hope, and why optimism and hope are not always the same thing. Catherine reflects on some of the most challenging moments of leading a charity — from funding crises to navigating a major building project through the uncertainty of COVID — and shares how faith, surrender, and wise stewardship have shaped her leadership along the way.

The conversation also explores calling, purpose, and the tension many of us feel when we want clarity about the future. Catherine shares why she believes God often leads us one step at a time, and how every season of life can be part of a bigger story than we realise.

We also discuss the importance of kindness, bridge-building, and starting small. Whether you’re passionate about social justice, wondering what your next step is, or simply trying to follow God faithfully where you are, this episode is a reminder that you don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin.

Chapters

(00:00:17) - Catherine's Story on The Fight for equality
(00:00:39) - The story of REUK and refugee education
(00:06:24) - The charity's mission
(00:08:52) - Hope in an uncertain world
(00:12:18) - Catherine's journey to charity
(00:15:01) - Vocation and its exploration
(00:16:34) - How God Uses Experiences in Our Lives
(00:18:24) - God's provision for the refugee crisis
(00:25:39) - How to Steward but Protect
(00:33:20) - What Would You Say to Your Younger Self?
(00:38:49) - Becoming involved in the refugee and education space

Called To Go | Daily Bread & The God Who Provides

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

This season, you might have heard us mentioning one book in our conversations: Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger.

So in this episode, we’re sitting down together to unpack some of the lessons, challenges, and questions we were left with after reading it.

We reflect on Jackie’s extraordinary journey into the Walled City of Hong Kong, where she followed God’s call without a detailed plan, clear resources, or any real idea of what lay ahead. Her story challenged us to think about obedience, trust, surrender, and what it means to follow God when He gives you a direction but not a roadmap.

We also talk about the power of simple faith — prayer, trusting God for daily provision, sharing Jesus with boldness, and choosing to show compassion in practical ways. Throughout the book, Jackie demonstrates how ordinary acts of obedience can have an extraordinary impact when placed in God’s hands.

Along the way, we wrestle with some personal questions too: Where is God asking us to trust Him more? What simple opportunities to serve might we be overlooking? And what would it look like to live with the kind of faith that says “yes” before having all the answers?

Whether you’ve read the book or not, this conversation is an invitation to reflect on what faith on the frontlines might look like in your own everyday life.

Resource discussed: Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger.

Chapters

(00:00:17) - Working Out: Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger
(00:02:05) - A Taste of the Book
(00:02:42) - Follow Where God Leads You
(00:10:06) - Just Obedience
(00:12:41) - Try Jesus: The Power of Prayer
(00:19:58) - Are You Willing to Be a Fool for My Sake?
(00:27:41) - Living Simply: A Challenge

Small Acts, Real Impact | When God Rewrites The Path You Were On

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 20 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

What does it look like to say yes to something you didn’t plan — and keep saying yes when the cost becomes clearer over time?

Susan shares her journey from medicine and research in Harvard, Boston to leading a social impact organisation in Mumbai, working with children and families in some of the most vulnerable communities. What started as an unexpected transition became a calling shaped over time, not through pressure, but through God quietly preparing her heart along the way.

We talk about leadership, surrender, and the reality of stepping into roles that feel bigger than your experience. Susan reflects on how mentors, counsel, and faith have shaped the way she leads, and the importance of knowing you’re not called to fill someone else’s shoes, just to walk in your own.

The conversation also explores the weight of social impact work, how to stay grounded when the need feels overwhelming, and what it means to focus on what’s in front of you rather than trying to solve everything at once. Susan shares practical insight on discerning God’s direction, making big decisions slowly and intentionally, and staying faithful in the season you’re in.

We also talk about something that runs through this whole season, that caring for others isn’t reserved for certain roles or careers. It’s something we’re all called to, in ways that are often simple, local, and part of our everyday lives.

A reminder that you don’t have to do everything — but you are called to do something.

Chapters

(00:01:01) - How Did You End Up in Mumbai?
(00:03:07) - The transition from medical science to social work
(00:07:10) - The Role of Mentors
(00:10:17) - The Most Controversial Leadership Moment
(00:12:25) - Vision Rescue
(00:13:33) - Social Impact in a Time of Need
(00:15:36) - What do Good Outcomes Look Like in Social Impact?
(00:17:30) - Poverty and social impact
(00:21:34) - How to Make a Social Impact
(00:23:57) - Listening to God
(00:26:48) - Chasing Passion in Your Career
(00:28:54) - Determining When to Act and Wait on God
(00:32:44) - Christian Leaders: The Need for Counsel
(00:36:43) - The Social Impact of Charities
(00:39:39) - Talking to My Younger Self
(00:42:10) - Christian social justice
(00:43:51) - Why Do We Not Do Social Justice?
(00:48:57) - Samaritan on the Tube

Called to Show Up | Serving Where You Are

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Faith on the frontlines doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like showing up, listening well, and choosing to care in the everyday.

Katie shares her journey into youth services, from discovering a natural gift for connecting with people to working with women and families in crisis, and now leading within a local council supporting young people facing complex challenges. Her story isn’t built on one defining moment, but on a steady willingness to follow where God leads and serve the people in front of her.

We talk about what it really means to “be with people” — sitting in difficult stories, navigating trauma, and walking alongside others without always having quick answers. Katie opens up about the emotional weight of the work, the challenge of switching off, and the tension of wanting to give everything while learning to find balance.

The conversation also brings it back to the everyday. From knocking on neighbours’ doors during COVID to building community on her street, Katie shares how small, simple acts of love can create real impact and how the “mission field” is often much closer than we think.

We reflect on calling, staying the path when things feel slow or heavy, and what it means to be faithful with what’s in your hands. A reminder that impact doesn’t always look big…sometimes it looks like consistency, presence, and choosing to show up again.

Chapters

(00:00:17) - Working Out God
(00:01:19) - Teaching in the Youth Services
(00:03:34) - The role of the local council leader
(00:05:17) - Katie's Career and Faith in Action
(00:07:36) - "Being With the People"
(00:10:54) - How do you live out your faith in the workplace?
(00:13:42) - The Balance between Work and Family
(00:19:07) - The Importance of Hope in Working With People
(00:21:46) - Katie on her call to frontline roles
(00:31:15) - On the Mission Field
(00:33:51) - How to Love Your Neighbors
(00:37:29) - How do you want to land on the gates of heaven?
(00:44:06) - Staying the Path

Called to Care | You Can’t Do Everything, But You Can Do Something

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Ralph Boer to talk about social impact, justice, compassion, and what it really means to live out faith beyond good intentions.

Ralph shares his journey from growing up in the Netherlands, to working in communications, to gradually stepping into a calling shaped not by one dramatic moment, but by consistently leaning into where God was leading — from washing student dishes, to youth work, to refugee response, homelessness, and social impact. His story is a reminder that calling often unfolds step by step, through simple obedience and a willingness to respond.

We talk about the realities of frontline work — the weight of refugee crises, homelessness, and systemic injustice — and the challenge of keeping your heart soft when the needs feel overwhelming. Ralph opens up about some of the hardest moments he’s faced, from the refugee camps in Calais to walking with vulnerable people through uncertainty, and shares how prayer, surrender, and community help him keep going.

This conversation also challenges the idea that social impact is for “certain people” or specific careers. Ralph reminds us that for believers, living out justice, compassion, and practical love isn’t optional — it’s part of following Jesus. Whether that looks like advocacy, volunteering, giving, encouragement, or simply learning someone’s name, we all have a role to play.

This episode is a powerful reminder that while we can’t do everything, we can all do something — and that faith on the frontlines often starts closer to home than we think.

Scriptures mentioned: Luke 4:18–19, Matthew 25:35–36, Isaiah 58, Isaiah 1:17.

Chapters

(00:00:17) - Working Out God: Faith in the Real World
(00:09:00) - Living in the Will of God
(00:13:35) - What is Social Impact of the Church?
(00:24:46) - Community involvement in the fight for the sick
(00:25:22) - Practical ways people can get involved in social issues
(00:27:34) - Social Impact and The Gospel
(00:31:18) - Fighting the Calais Jungle
(00:38:01) - How do I find God's strength in all of that?
(00:38:48) - Peter's understanding of God's heart for people
(00:47:23) - God's journey with you
(00:47:35) - Scriptures for social impact work
(00:51:50) - Be the Hands of the Poor

Called Into Influence | Faith in High-Stakes Spaces

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Jen to talk about faith, justice, calling, and what it really looks like to live out your beliefs in spaces that carry real weight and responsibility.

Jen shares her journey from working at the heart of UK politics to now leading advocacy and policy work at Christian Aid, where she’s involved in issues spanning climate justice, global poverty, conflict, and systemic inequality. Throughout her career, she reflects on how her faith has shaped not just what she does, but where she’s been positioned — and the responsibility that comes with that.

We talk about navigating some of the hardest questions — how to reconcile faith with the suffering we see in the world, how to stay grounded when your work exposes you to constant injustice, and what it means to be “the hands and feet” of Jesus in real, practical ways.

Jen also opens up about her daily rhythms with God, leading in high-pressure environments, and the tension between anger, responsibility, and hope when facing broken systems. We explore what it looks like to carry influence without losing perspective, and how faith shows up not just in big decisions, but in everyday moments — from leadership to conversations to simply choosing how to respond.

The conversation closes with a simple but powerful reminder: you don’t have to do everything to make a difference — but you are called to do something.

God at Work | Faith on the Frontlines

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:30:00 +0000

We’re back for Season 2 of Working of God!

In this first episode, we introduce a new theme that’s been deeply on our hearts — God at Work: Faith on the Frontlines.

We open up about why this season matters so much to us, and the moments that have shaped that conviction — from quiet prayers asking God to “break our hearts for what breaks His,” to personal experiences that have stirred a deeper awareness of the needs around us. While our day-to-day work may not sit on the traditional “frontlines,” we explore how this calling isn’t limited to a specific role — but something every one of us is invited into.

We talk about what it looks like to live out faith in real, practical ways — in our workplaces, our communities, and in the everyday moments we often overlook. From small acts of kindness to deeper questions around purpose, surrender, and obedience, this conversation sets the foundation for a season focused on people, compassion, and being the hands and feet of Jesus.

We also reflect on powerful stories — from mission work to moments that challenge the way we think about success, security, and calling — and wrestle with what it means to truly offer God everything we have, not just what feels comfortable.

As we begin this season, our heart is simple: to shine a light on the work being done on the frontlines, to learn from those living it out daily, and to encourage each of us to ask, “God, what can I do?”

Resource mentioned: Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger.

It's A Wrap | Reflections, Faith Stirred And Stepping Into What's Next

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

In this final episode of the season, we come together to wrap up Season One, reflect on the journey so far, and share a few Christmas thoughts as the year draws to a close.

We talk about the unexpected encouragement that’s come from hearing real stories — people working out their faith, careers, and callings in everyday life, and how humbling it’s been to see how God has used simple obedience to encourage others. We reflect on what it’s meant to sit in conversation together, unpacking faith, work, and life in a way that feels honest, familiar, and shared.

As the year ends, we acknowledge that this season can stir up a lot of questions. Questions about work, career changes, studies, relationships, location, direction and whether the year turned out the way we hoped. We speak into those moments of reflection with encouragement: that no matter how the year has looked, God is still at work, still ordering steps, still going ahead of us, and still faithful.

We close the episode, and the season, with Christmas greetings, messages from guests and listeners, and a reading from Isaiah 9:6–7, reminding us of the peace, hope, and promise found in Jesus. A gentle encouragement to step into the year ahead with expectation, trust, and the assurance that we don’t walk into it alone.

Chapters

(00:00:17) - A Year in the Life
(00:06:07) - Christmas scripture read

God, Faith, Steps and Success | Season 1 Reflections

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we pause to reflect on the conversations we’ve had so far, the themes that have continued to surface, and what God has been quietly highlighting throughout the season.

We talk about the stories our guests shared — how clarity rarely came all at once, how plans shifted, and how faith often looked like taking the next step without having the full picture. We reflect on what it means to trust God without certainty, and how obedience sometimes comes before understanding.

We also draw on reflections from Relentless Pursuit by Ben Cooley, exploring ideas around calling, frustration, creativity, and why reaching the end of a season doesn’t mean something has gone wrong. We talk about how frustration can be a signpost, and how God often uses the things that stir us most to shape what we’re called to create and contribute, right where we are.

The episode closes with a reflection inspired by a recent trip to Rome and the story of Peter — a reminder that calling isn’t about platforms or outcomes, but about faithfulness, obedience, and keeping our eyes on Jesus, one step at a time.

A reflective pause before we close out the year together.

Chapters

(00:05:48) - The Will of God
(00:12:01) - Using Your Frustration as a Fuel for Purpose
(00:18:40) - Reflections in Rome
(00:20:37) - What Was Your Highlights of Rome?
(00:24:41) - A Calling for All
(00:29:11) - The Legacy of Peter
(00:32:06) - God Will Use Each One Of You

The Door That Said “No” and the Calling That Said “Go”

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Join us as we sit down with Lloydette Bai-Marrow — solicitor advocate, anti-corruption expert, founder of Parametric Global Consulting, and someone whose career path has been anything but straightforward.

From deciding at six years old that she would become a lawyer (after an argument with her grandmother), to navigating rejection, career setbacks, and unexpected redirections, Lloydette shares how God led her step-by-step, often through seasons that made no sense until much later. She opens up about how she finished university with a result that left her discouraged and questioning everything, almost giving up, until God gave her a simple instruction that carried her through years of “no’s”: keep going.

We talk about the moments that shaped her faith, from crying on the Tube after long days in court, to the shock of God reminding her that she would only be a “traditional lawyer” for the short-to-mid term, to the terrifying peace of leaving her dream job at the Serious Fraud Office with no clear plan other than obedience.

Lloydette also shares how she navigated marriage, motherhood, fear, finances, closed doors, and God’s “Denzel Washington slam” when she tried to return to corporate life, only to realise God was protecting the assignment He had given her. Today, she sits on major UK boards, leads high-profile investigations, and intentionally brings God into every room she enters, one prayerful step at a time.

This conversation is full of wisdom for anyone wrestling with uncertainty, career crossroads, or the pressure to have life perfectly figured out. It’s about courage, calling, obedience, and recognising that sometimes God speaks loudly and sometimes He says, “now go”.

Dreaming Big, Starting Small & Trusting God Through It All

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with TV presenter, actress and creative educator Joanna Adeyinka-Burford to talk about faith, identity, wellbeing, and learning to trust God in a career that doesn’t always follow a straight line.

Joanna shares her earliest memories of faith — writing little worship songs at five years old — and how that childlike desire to know God shaped her creativity later in life. Growing up in a musical household, training at Italia Conti and New York Film Academy, and launching her presenting career through a Channel 5 competition, her journey has been anything but predictable. From CBeebies to pantomime, teaching, acting and now writing a devotional for children, Jo reflects on the twists, shifts and surprises that have marked her path.

We talk about wellbeing, list-making, navigating the unknowns of self-employment, and the moment she learned to stop praying “Lord, let me get this job” and started praying “Lord, let me walk with You.” Jo also opens up about grief, losing her best friend in 2020, and how God met her in the questions, the why’s, the wrestling, and the slow healing.

This conversation explores faith in real life — in creativity, career, trust, parenting, rest, identity, and those seasons where God invites us to come to Him exactly as we are.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Interviewing Joanna Adeyinka Burford
(00:02:03) - My earliest faith memory
(00:04:05) - How Does God Fit Into Your Lists?
(00:07:09) - The Wellbeing Project
(00:11:14) - How My Career Has Been Stabilised By My Faith
(00:17:33) - Joanna on Writing a Book
(00:22:35) - Good Grief in the Life
(00:24:28) - What Happens When Our Prayers Are Not Answered?
(00:26:25) - How to Grieve Well
(00:34:50) - Coming to God: The Psalms
(00:36:44) - Who's Your Faith Warrior?
(00:39:05) - The Importance of Believing in Yourself
(00:47:45) - What Does Rest Look Like For You?
(00:53:13) - Jo on her faith journey

Music, Ministry & the Moments God Says "Go"

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Pastor Jerry (Jerome Matthew-Moore Brown) to talk about faith, gifting, calling, and the real journey of working out where God is leading you.

Jerry grew up in East London in a deeply musical family, surrounded by creativity from the start. Dance and musical theatre came first, followed by formal music training and an early start in the industry — touring with Gloria Gaynor at just seventeen. Over the years he’s recorded and performed with artists like Nina Simone, Tom Jones, Harry Connick Jr., Tina Turner, Girls Aloud, The Kingdom Choir, LCGC, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and many more — all while staying rooted in his faith and grounded in who God called him to be.

We talk about navigating multiple gifts, choosing between opportunities, and learning to follow God when the path isn’t obvious. Jerry shares openly about family legacy, the tension between passion and obedience, moments of redirection, and the prayer he prayed at fifteen that God brought back to him decades later — a turning point in stepping into pastoral leadership.

The conversation dives into creativity, calling, surrender, and trusting God through every season — from career changes to creative pursuits to trying to make sense of your gifts.

Chapters

(00:01:54) - Pastor Jerry on The Overcomers
(00:12:22) - Dancing and performing as a Christian boy
(00:26:49) - Multi-Talented Musicians
(00:37:40) - Pastoring at 30
(00:44:02) - "I Will Do Your Will"
(00:46:06) - God's Blessings on Drummers

Worship, West End and When 'No' is Still Part of God's Plan

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Grab a seat with us as we chat to Rachel John, West End actress, singer, and storyteller whose faith has shaped every step of her journey.

From her early days as a secretary to making her debut in The Lion King and later earning an Olivier Award nomination for Hamilton, Rachel shares how faith, perseverance, and God’s timing have carried her through the highs and lows of her career.

We unpack what it really means to trust God in an industry built on uncertainty, when “no” doesn’t mean “never,” when the spotlight fades, and when the journey looks different from what you imagined. Rachel opens up about learning to see closed doors as divine redirection, staying grounded in prayer through the waiting, and why her goal is simple but powerful: to make God famous through her life and gift.

This conversation is full of heart, from childhood memories of growing up in church and finding community, to rediscovering peace during the pandemic, to falling in love again with the accessibility and beauty of God’s presence in everyday life.

Scriptures mentioned: Psalms 42:5, Jeremiah 29, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 12:9

Chapters

(00:00:17) - Meet Rachel John
(00:06:46) - How Do You Prepare For An Audition?
(00:12:53) - Making God Famous
(00:19:47) - Wisdom in social media debates
(00:23:17) - Rachel on Why She Did The Lion King
(00:29:39) - What the Church Means
(00:39:14) - Working Through Difficult Seasons
(00:44:37) - How to Get Through a Challenging Day
(00:48:45) - How God's Love Can Be Accessed
(00:51:13) - Rachel on Her Hymns Album

Trusting God in the Detour | From Law Books to Stage Lights

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Naana Agyei-Ampadu, a British actress, singer, and mother whose story is one of courage, faith, and divine redirection.

Naana shares how she went from studying law at Sussex University (with every plan to become a solicitor) to discovering her true calling in acting, a journey that began with a single, Spirit-led moment of realisation and unfolded into a thriving career on stage and screen.

In this conversation we dicuss what it looks like to trust God when your path takes an unexpected turn, to keep walking in faith when doors close, and to thrive even in seasons that feel uncertain. Naana opens up about cultural expectations, career transitions, motherhood, and how she’s learned to depend on God completely — when Plan B isn’t an option.

Scriptures mentioned: Jeremiah 29, Romans 8:28, Philippians 2:13

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Performing as a lawyer
(00:09:20) - The Case of Acting as a Vocation
(00:20:45) - Law Student on the Will of God
(00:22:16) - "Stepping Out On The Water"
(00:25:01) - Actress Naana on the uncertainty of her career
(00:31:19) - What Would I Say To My Younger Self?
(00:35:07) - God's Will for My Career
(00:42:36) - Jeremiah 29:8-9
(00:44:43) - The Walk With God

Figuring It Out Without Freaking Out

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

In this introductory episode, we dive straight into one of the supposedly most-asked questions: “What is God’s will for my life?” Unpack it with us as we explore what “the will of God” means (personally and practically), sharing our own stories, and looking at how faith shapes everyday decisions at work and in life, without getting paralysed waiting for a perfect, sky-written answer.

We’re not teaching doctrine here, just sharing honest journeys, biblical reflections, and practical encouragement for your personal and professional journey.

Scriptures mentioned

Romans 12:2, Psalm 37:4, Matthew 7:7–8, Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 2:10, 1 Corinthians 12:7.

Resources mentioned

Book: Relentless Pursuit

YouVersion plan 'The Will Of God': https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/16598

Chapters

(00:00:16) - Working Out God
(00:03:34) - Is the Will of God Tied to Your Vocation?
(00:10:29) - Natalie Grant on the Will of God
(00:24:22) - Walking Through The Open Doors
(00:28:10) - My Purpose & Calling
(00:41:02) - God's Will for Your Life
(00:52:39) - Questions about the Will of God
(00:56:56) - Multiple Wills of God
(01:00:15) - A Final Little Encouragement

Working out God | Trailer

Beulah & Toyin — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to ‘Working out God’.

In this podcast series we delve into the personal journeys of individuals who have found strength and guidance through their faith while navigating the challenges of their specific industries and discuss what God has to say about our careers.

We explore how their beliefs influence their professional lives, the intricacies they balance as Christians in their respective industries, and the inspirational figures who have shaped their faith journey.

We’re your host, Toyin and Beulah, and we will be talking to friends, professionals, entrepreneurs, industry heavy weights, experts and everyone in between to discuss all matters relating to work, life, calling and faith.

Through candid conversations and insightful reflections, we uncover the profound impact of faith in the workplace, on individual careers and ponder how life might differ without it.

Music by The Porters Gate

Chapters

(00:00:03) - Working Out God