Lifework Podcast

What if your calling didn’t begin with a single dramatic moment—but with a lifetime of faithful work, community influence, and God quietly weaving it all together?

In this episode of the LifeWork Podcast, Dr. Stan Norman sits down with Dr. Robert Foster to explore the formative experiences that shaped his life, faith, and vocation. From growing up in a hardworking Oklahoma family, to encountering Christ at Falls Creek, to sensing a call to ministry through the steady voices of a local church community, Dr. Foster reflects on how God uses work, relationships, and lived experience to guide us toward our purpose.

Along the way, he shares stories of early jobs, influential mentors, and the churches and teachers who helped him discern God’s direction—reminding us that God wastes no life experience. This conversation is especially meaningful for students wrestling with questions of calling, ministry, and what it means to live faithfully in their life’s work.

This is part one of a two-part conversation with Dr. Foster, setting the foundation for how calling is discovered, confirmed, and lived out over time.

In Part 2, we continue Heather Parson’s incredible journey—moving from her college decision at WBU to a series of unexpected pivots that shaped her vocation.

Heather recounts choosing Williams when it made no logical sense on paper, discovering a love for finance, leading a pregnancy resource center at age 22, navigating nonprofit leadership, earning her MBA in Finance, and walking through emotionally demanding ministry roles that deepened her dependence on the Lord.

She shares the surprising way God called her into education—something she once resisted—and how He eventually led her back to Williams, where she discovered her true vocational sweet spot: teaching, mentoring, and shaping future business leaders through Christ-centered instruction.

Heather also reflects on motherhood, stewardship, and the lifelong lesson she now gives to her younger self: Trust the Lord.

 If you haven’t heard Part 1 yet, go back and listen—this episode completes the story in a deeply meaningful way.

In Part 1 of this two-episode conversation, host Dr. Stan Norman sits down with Heather Parson—Assistant Professor of Business and Chair of the Department of Business at Williams Baptist University—to explore the remarkable story behind her calling.

Heather opens up about growing up in an agricultural community, her father’s near-death accident, years of financial hardship, and the ways God provided through the kindness of His people. She reflects on working from a young age, the pivotal educators who redirected her life, and the seeds of faith planted long before she fully understood God’s plan.

This episode traces the foundations of Heather’s spiritual journey—one marked by resilience, providence, and a God who was “never early but always on time.”
 A powerful beginning to a story that reveals how the Lord uses every chapter to shape a life of purpose.

In part two of our conversation, Dr. Ruth Provost returns to the Lifework Podcast to look more closely at her vocational journey—especially how God led her back to Williams and ultimately into academic leadership.

Host Dr. Stan Norman asks Ruth to unpack the “heavenly call” that accompanied an unexpected job offer, the holy restlessness that marked much of her young adulthood, and the incredible peace she experienced when she finally arrived at the place God intended to be her home.

Dr. Provost shares the internal wrestling she felt when first encouraged to apply for the position of Academic Dean, the wise counsel that confirmed God’s leading, and how surrendering her will opened the door to a new season of joyful, meaningful work.

Drawing on insights from The Gospel at Work and her own years of mentoring students, she offers practical wisdom for anyone struggling with questions of calling: how to discern God’s prompting, how to take faithful next steps, and how to trust that God wastes no life experience.

A thoughtful, encouraging episode for students, leaders, and anyone learning to follow God’s direction with open hands.

In this deeply personal episode of the Lifework Podcast, host Dr. Stan Norman sits down with Dr. Ruth Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Williams Baptist University, to explore the surprising and Spirit-led journey that shaped her calling.

Dr. Provost shares her remarkable upbringing as a missionary kid in Yemen, Cyprus, and Jordan—where faith was lived out through quiet service, compassionate action, and the simple witness of love. She reflects on homeschooling in the Middle East, attending boarding school in Germany, her unexpected shift from English major to psychology, and the moment she discovered her “thing”: teaching.

With warmth and humility, she unpacks how God used her parents, her passions, and her unique life experiences to direct her steps—even when she didn’t know where “home” really was. This episode offers a powerful reminder that God shapes our vocation through every chapter of our story, and that obedience—one step at a time—reveals His faithfulness.

A rich conversation for anyone discerning calling, identity, and direction.

In part two, Dr. Broussard opens up about the night everything changed — when a revival led him to true faith in Christ and a deeper calling to serve through music and teaching. Hear how God transformed his life and vocation, leading him from the choir loft to the classroom, and why he believes that all meaningful work begins with surrender.

In part one of this two-part conversation, Dr. Stan Norman talks with Dr. Trent Broussard, Chair of Fine Arts and Director of Choral Activities at Williams Baptist University. From his childhood in Fort Smith to discovering his love for music, Dr. Broussard shares how his parents’ work ethic and a heart for song shaped his understanding of calling, character, and the joy of doing work that glorifies God.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Melinda Williams, Assistant Professor of Communication Arts and Director of the Liberal Arts Program at Williams Baptist University, we explore how faith and calling intersect through theater, education, and even cattle raising. Melinda shares how she views the stage as a mission field for sharing Christian values, how she helps students find their voice and purpose through creativity, and how she and her husband invest in the next generation through their Shorthorn cattle farm. Her reflections remind us that true success isn’t measured by status or income, but by loving God, loving others, and living out the calling He’s placed on your life.

In this first part of our conversation with Melinda Williams, Assistant Professor of Communication Arts and Director of the Liberal Arts Program at Williams Baptist University, we explore how God uses ordinary moments to reveal extraordinary purpose.

Growing up in Walnut Ridge, Melinda gave her life to Christ at just nine years old. Initially shy and unsure of her future, she was encouraged by her high school theater teacher to step onto the stage — an experience that changed her life forever. From her early days as an admissions counselor to over 40 years of teaching, Melinda has witnessed God’s hand guiding every step of her journey.

Her story is one of faith, transformation, and obedience — a reminder that God’s calling often unfolds in unexpected ways.

In part two of our conversation with Luke Colley, we trace his journey from youth ministry to nearly two decades in banking and then back to Williams Baptist University. Luke wrestles honestly with questions like “Does God ever un-call us?” and shares how he learned to see every workplace—whether a teller line, a boardroom, or a college campus—as a place to follow Christ and serve others.

Hear how faith shaped his leadership, why he built his career on “small loans with big impact,” and how returning to WBU revealed a deeper purpose behind the work we do. If you’ve ever wondered whether your 9-to-5 can be ministry, this episode will give you fresh hope that all good work can be worship.

📆 Don’t miss our next Preview Day: Friday, Oct 24
📍 Catch us at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention: Oct 21-22 — stop by the WBU booth to say hi!