What happens when you pray, fast, and believe—yet the outcome doesn’t change?In this episode of Persisting in Purpose, Greg Helton sits down with Raju Manchala to unpack a deeply personal journey through faith, disappointment, and spiritual growth. From witnessing what seemed like a miraculous healing that ended in loss, to wrestling with unanswered prayers, Raju shares how God reshaped his understanding of obedience, fasting, and trust.Together, they explore what it truly means to hear God’s voice, the purpose of fasting beyond “getting results,” and how faith is refined through both breakthroughs and silence. Raju also shares insights from his work with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), including discipleship training, global missions, and equipping believers to engage cross-culturally—especially with growing international communities in the U.S.Podcast Filmed at Studio Refuge in Raleigh, North Carolinawww.studiorefuge.comPodcast Produced by Larimore Production Companywww.larimoreproductioncompany.comChapters:

(00:00) A Miraculous Moment That Led to Disillusionment
(02:41) Introducing Raju Manchala and His Mission Work
(06:11) The Vision and Model of Youth With A Mission
(14:31) How to Hear God’s Voice in Daily Life
(22:26) The Real Purpose of Fasting and Prayer
(30:25) A Story of Faith, Healing, and Disappointment
(35:06) Obedience vs Outcomes in the Christian Life
(41:45) Wrestling with Unanswered Prayer
(47:03) Why Missions Are Changing Globally
(49:36) How to Share the Gospel Across Cultures
(57:20) Faith, Healing, and Trusting God’s Power

What happens when your calling challenges your comfort, career path, and financial stability?In this episode, Keith Fortier shares his journey from teaching kindergarten to leading ministry efforts with Agape of North Carolina, mobilizing churches to care for vulnerable children through foster care. This conversation explores what it means to live a purpose-driven life, even when it requires sacrifice, uncertainty, and resilience.Keith opens up about the realities of foster and adoptive parenting, the emotional weight of the work, and how leaders can avoid burnout while staying committed to their mission. He also breaks down the importance of redefining success, building sustainable rhythms, and learning how to say no in order to protect what matters most.Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or someone wrestling with your next step, this episode will challenge how you think about calling, impact, and long-term faithfulness.

www.AgapeofNC.org

Podcast Produced By:Larimore Production Company

www.larimoreproductioncompany.com

Filmed at Studio Refuge in Raleigh North Carolina

www.studiorefuge.com

Chapters:

(00:00) Stepping Away From Career for Calling
(01:07) Meet Keith Fortier and His Story
(05:18) What Agape of North Carolina Does
(09:48) From Teacher to Foster Care Advocate
(14:00) Leaving Stability for Ministry Work
(18:34) Moving to North Carolina by Faith
(23:02) Finding Purpose in a New Role
(29:19) The Reality of Foster and Adoptive Parenting
(40:11) Learning to Say No and Avoid Burnout
(47:30) How to Step Into Your Calling
(52:09) Redefining Success and Provision
(56:58) Burnout, Roots, and Sustainable Impact

What happens when your identity is tied to your role—and that role disappears?

In this episode of Persisting in Purpose, we sit down with Seth Dady, founder of Mello Gusto, to explore the transition from vocational ministry into entrepreneurship. Seth shares his journey from worship pastor to business owner, navigating uncertainty, imposter syndrome, and the tension between calling and career.

This conversation dives deep into what it means to live with purpose outside of traditional ministry roles. From building a video production agency focused on mission-driven organizations to engaging in local nonprofit initiatives like community gardens and multi-church gatherings, Seth unpacks how faith can be fully integrated into everyday work.

If you're a founder, creative, or leader wrestling with identity, calling, or direction, this episode offers a grounded and honest perspective on building a meaningful life and business—without striving for recognition or status.

https://www.mellogusto.com/https://www.tabernacleco.org/

https://www.feastnc.org/

https://www.whatiscitizens.org/

https://www.kingdom-gardens.org/

Filmed and produced by Larimore Production Company at Studio Refuge in Raleigh North Carolina.

www.Larimore.co

www.StudioRefuge.com

Chapters:

(00:00) Wrestling with Imposter Syndrome and Identity
(01:38) Introduction to Seth Dady and His Background
(04:37) The Origin of Mello Gusto
(09:17) Transitioning Out of Ministry
(13:05) Taking the Leap Into Entrepreneurship
(19:03) Finding Focus in Business and Storytelling
(22:24) Faith, Work, and Everyday Purpose
(30:28) Letting Go of Identity and Embracing Humility
(38:20) Losing the Title: Life After Vocational Ministry
(46:39) Nonprofit Work and Community Impact
(53:45) Rethinking Church, Community, and Kingdom Work

What happens when your purpose becomes your pressure?In this episode of Persisting in Purpose, Greg sits down with SuNica founder Alan Wilser to explore the realities of building a mission-driven nonprofit from the ground up. From quitting his engineering job and moving to Nicaragua to launching clean water systems and youth discipleship programs, Alan shares the behind-the-scenes journey of leading with conviction — even when the path is unclear.They discuss fundraising anxiety, entrepreneurial side ventures like house flipping, leadership evolution, and the challenge of sustaining impact across cultures and continents. Alan also opens up about seasons where he questioned whether he was meant to continue leading SuNica — and how clarity emerged through faith, community, and organizational growth.This episode is essential listening for nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, founders, and anyone navigating long-term calling, leadership fatigue, and the intersection of mission and business strategy.

Chapters:

(00:00) Selling Everything to Serve in Nicaragua(00:59) Introducing Alan Wilser and the Mission of SuNica(14:41) Clean Water, Education, and Discipleship Explained(21:05) Scaling Across Multiple Communities(31:05) Fundraising Pressure and Organizational Leadership(40:39) Entrepreneurship and House Flipping for Sustainability(47:52) Questioning Whether to Leave the Nonprofit(53:30) Building a Team and Rethinking Leadership

Key Takeaways:

• Calling often becomes heavier — not lighter — as responsibility grows.

• Sustainable impact requires systems, not just passion.

• Fundraising is leadership — not just a support function.

• Faith-driven organizations still require strategic operational thinking.

• Long-term purpose often involves seasons of doubt, refinement, and re-commitment.

https://sunica.org/www.studiorefuge.comwww.larimoreproductioncompany.com

Ben Somerville went from working for a church to starting a small community coffee shop. In our conversation we navigate some of the challenges of starting a business to navigating which dreams to pursue and even understanding when enough is enough.This is the persisting in purpose podcast. Our goal is to help Christian men navigate the balance of living out the Christ given purpose and identity within vocation. This sounds seemingly simple, but is often a challenge for us. Hopefully this episode has been helpful for you and that you can continue to persist in your God given purpose.

Chuck Bomar has spent 25 years in ministry, but has also been a serial entrepreneur the whole time. In this conversation we dive into an understanding of how to walk within your gifts, core competencies and God given purpose to walk faithfully within our vocations.

Dylan Bowes is a music producer who now has morphed his career into the world of Non Profits. In this episode we dive into his journey of pursuing music in LA for a decade and how God has helped him to navigate identity within such a dark industry.

This is our first episode of the Persisting in Purpose Podcast.  Most episodes will be interviews where I, Greg Helton, will be interview Christians who are in a variety of vocations talking about maintaining purpose.

In this episode though, I dive into my own story and discuss why we are launching this podcast.

If you are a Christian who has ever worked through or is currently processing what biblical purpose looks like in your vocation, this podcast may be the place for you.