Lifework Podcast

Williams Baptist University
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  • CHRISTIANITY
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The Lifework Podcast is where faith, purpose, and calling come together. Hosted by Williams Baptist University President Dr. Stan Norman, this podcast explores the theology of work and why it matters for every believer. At Williams, we believe education is more than a degree — it’s preparation for a Christ-centered life of influence and service. Through thoughtful conversations with faculty, leaders, and friends of WBU, the Lifework Podcast unpacks how God designed us to find meaning in our work and live out our calling in every sphere of life. Our goal is to inspire and equip listeners to see their lifework not just as a career, but as a way to glorify God and impact the world.

  1. When God Uses Your Worst Decisions: Calling, Cancer, and the Classroom

    3D AGO

    When God Uses Your Worst Decisions: Calling, Cancer, and the Classroom

    In Part 2 of this Lifework conversation, host Dr. Stan Norman picks up Dr. Trevor Babcock’s story right where the cliffhanger left off: a clear, lifelong plan to become a chemical engineer—and the slow-motion collapse of that plan in the real world of co-op work, panic attacks, and an unexpected loss of desire for the career he had built his identity around. Trevor describes how God used that work experience not to confirm his calling, but to clarify that engineering was not it, leading him through psychology and, finally, into an English degree that fit his loves more than his family legacy did. From there, Trevor walks through a winding path of substitute teaching (including the one memorable job he was fired from), a move to New York City and graduate school at NYU, and a season of spiritual drift in the “big, crowded, lonely” city that culminated in a shocking cancer diagnosis discovered only because he was worried about the health consequences of his own bad choices. He reflects on how God used that lowest point—his worst behavior and deepest rebellion—to literally save his life, reshaping his view of God’s providence, anxiety, and control. Trevor then traces how “just do the next right thing” became his practical theology of calling: adjunct teaching in Texas during the recession, a PhD at Indiana University, and eventually a faculty role at Williams Baptist University, all discerned not by dramatic signs but by biblical wisdom, community, prayer, and ordinary obedience. Finally, he opens a window into his day-to-day vocation in the classroom—using world literature, Augustine, Boethius, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet to talk about virtue, suffering, depression, and hope—and explains how sharing his own story of darkness and redemption helps students see that they are not alone and that God can also work through their pain to shape their lifework

    23 min
  2. From Goth Kid to Gospel Teacher: Dr. Trevor Babcock’s Journey of Calling and Conversion

    APR 27

    From Goth Kid to Gospel Teacher: Dr. Trevor Babcock’s Journey of Calling and Conversion

    In this first part of a two-episode conversation, Lifework host Dr. Stan Norman sits down with Williams Baptist University English professor Dr. Trevor Babcock to trace the unlikely path that shaped his calling and character. From a childhood that bounced between Kentucky, Cincinnati, and the suburbs of Sacramento, to a home marked by Naval Academy discipline on one side and pastoral ministry on the other, Trevor reflects on how family, frequent moves, and church life quietly formed his view of work, faith, and responsibility. Trevor candidly revisits the darkest season of his adolescence—an isolating mid–seventh grade move back to snowy Cincinnati, deep depression, and even getting kicked out of his church youth group—and explains why, even as a cancer survivor, he still calls that winter the worst experience of his life. He then shares how God “turned the lights on” at a Young Life camp before his freshman year, transforming a sullen, self-loathing “little goth boy” into a student leader eager to bring others to Christ. Along the way, listeners get a glimpse into the Naval Academy–shaped work ethic of his father, the quiet, faithful labor of his stay-at-home mom, and the early clarity that he was destined to follow the family engineering legacy—even as God was preparing to redirect his gifts toward the classroom and the study of literature. This episode sets the stage for part two, where Dr. Babcock’s story moves from chemical engineering dreams to an unexpected vocation in English and Christian higher education.

    21 min
  3. From Retail to Recruiting to the Bench: How Coach Mayberry Found His Lifework

    APR 20

    From Retail to Recruiting to the Bench: How Coach Mayberry Found His Lifework

    In this second conversation with Coach John Mayberry, Dr. Stan Norman explores how God redirected a plan that once pointed toward North Texas and college soccer into a life of ministry through Christian higher education and basketball at Williams. Coach Mayberry traces the unlikely path from Foot Locker management, to working in recycling, to a last‑minute trip to Williams Baptist University that made it clear he was supposed to be here. He shares why he majored in Christian ministries, how God shifted his calling from traditional youth ministry into college students, admissions, and coaching, and how serving as an admissions counselor and assistant coach prepared him to lead the Lady Eagles. Mayberry unpacks his theology of calling and work, why he wants players to see him first as a Christian husband, father, and man of integrity, and how he prays specifically for the players God wants him to coach—not just the ones with the best stats. This episode is a clear picture of what lifework looks like when you trust that the Lord’s plan is bigger than your own.

    26 min
  4. Blue-Collar Faith: Coach John Mayberry on Work, Calling, and Women’s Basketball

    APR 13

    Blue-Collar Faith: Coach John Mayberry on Work, Calling, and Women’s Basketball

    In this episode of the Lifework Podcast, Dr. Stan Norman sits down with Coach John Mayberry, head coach of the Williams Baptist Lady Eagles, to trace an unlikely journey from inner-city Hot Springs, Arkansas to the sidelines in Walnut Ridge. Coach Mayberry shares stories of growing up in a blue-collar home, learning the value of hard work from a dad who never complained and a mom who logged 30+ years at the hospital. He talks about church buses, zebra cakes, and a youth pastor with a basketball goal who introduced him both to the game and to a clear presentation of the gospel that led to his conversion in high school. You’ll hear how he fell in love with basketball late, honed his game in gyms all over Hot Springs, and eventually found his way to Williams, first as a student–athlete and now as the head women’s coach. This conversation is a rich picture of lifework—how God uses family, work ethic, church, and sport to shape a calling that serves student–athletes today.

    20 min
  5. When Winning Really Matters: Calling, Coaching, and Walking Through the Fire with Coach Josh Austin (Pt. 2)

    MAR 30

    When Winning Really Matters: Calling, Coaching, and Walking Through the Fire with Coach Josh Austin (Pt. 2)

    In this second conversation with Williams Baptist University head men’s basketball coach Josh Austin, host Dr. Stan Norman picks up the story right where Part 1 left off—at the moment when faith moved from the margins of Josh’s life to the center of his calling. Josh shares how a hard sophomore season, a stairwell conversation with a stranger, and a renewed hunger for God’s Word reshaped his priorities, redirected his dreams of the NBA, and clarified his desire to use coaching as a platform for ministry rather than just a pathway to wins and summers off. From there, the conversation turns to calling, mentors, and the long obedience of showing up: Josh talks about the coaches who formed him, the step of faith that took him from unpaid volunteer to 24-year-old interim head coach, and the surprising way God “kicked him through” an open door into college coaching leadership. He also reflects on how God eventually led him and his family to Williams, giving them a deep sense of peace that this small campus in Northeast Arkansas was the place they were meant to plant their lives and ministry. Josh and Dr. Norman then walk through one of the hardest vocational seasons of his career—a year of losses, culture challenges, and discouragement on the court—and how passages like Galatians 6 taught him not to “grow weary in doing good” even when the scoreboard said otherwise. Josh explains his coaching philosophy, why he believes every player is wired to want to win, and how he is working with team chaplain Pastor Jamar to help young men find their true identity in Christ rather than in minutes, stats, or results. The episode concludes with a deeply personal story of loss and community: Josh recounts the night his family received a 1:30 a.m. phone call that their campus home in the Cove was on fire, what it was like to FaceTime while watching their house burn, and how returning to a smoke-damaged home and a daughter’s ruined bedroom became a classroom of grace. Through the hands and feet of the Williams community—housing, practical care, and presence—Josh and his family experienced what it means for the body of Christ to carry one another’s burdens, and how God often uses trials not only to sustain us, but to prepare us to comfort others with the comfort we have received. If you are a coach, parent, student-athlete, or anyone wrestling with calling in a season that feels more like loss than victory, this episode will help you see how God can redeem disappointing seasons, redirect ambitions, and use even house fires and hard years to deepen trust, shape character, and reframe what it really means to “win” in Christ.

    26 min
  6. From Magnet Cove to March Madness: How Hard Work Shaped Coach Josh Austin’s Calling (Part 1)

    MAR 16

    From Magnet Cove to March Madness: How Hard Work Shaped Coach Josh Austin’s Calling (Part 1)

    In this Lifework Podcast episode, Dr. Stan Norman sits down with Williams Baptist University head men’s basketball coach Josh Austin to trace how a small-town Arkansas upbringing, an IT-dad and jeans-factory-mom, and Saturdays filled with yard work—not screens—forged his relentless work ethic.  Coach Austin shares stories from Magnet Cove, from spotlighting deer and folding Arizona jeans to getting pancaked by a future D‑end standout, and reflects on how his parents’ expectation-driven home and ag-style grit taught him that “winning” is a daily process, not just a final score. He also opens up about coming to faith as a boy on a back road in Wicks, Arkansas, how his mom quietly explained the gospel in a 1976 Ford pickup, and how that moment planted a relationship with Christ that would later deepen in college and ultimately shape his vocation as a Christian coach.

    21 min
  7. More Than Wins: Coach Jessica Nutt on Calling, Culture, and Caring for Her Players (Part 2)

    MAR 9

    More Than Wins: Coach Jessica Nutt on Calling, Culture, and Caring for Her Players (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of their conversation, WBU President Dr. Stan Norman sits back down with Head Softball Coach Jessica Nutt to explore how God used closed doors, unanswered job applications, and long seasons of waiting to clarify her calling to coach.  Drawing from her time at Kids Across America, in the classroom, and on the field, Jessica shares how relationships, not résumés, helped her see that investing in students through sport was exactly where the Lord wanted her.  Today, she leads a 32-player program at Williams Baptist University shaped by the team hashtag “#FIGHT”—with “fight for Christ” at the center—and a culture where who you are matters more than your stats. Jessica talks candidly about learning it’s okay not to be okay, why how you treat people really does matter, and how mentors and former players have reminded her that coaching is a ministry of impact and gratitude, not just wins and losses.

    22 min
  8. From Bolivar to the Ballpark: How Faith, Family, and Failure Shaped Coach Jessica Nutt

    MAR 2

    From Bolivar to the Ballpark: How Faith, Family, and Failure Shaped Coach Jessica Nutt

    In this episode of the Lifework Podcast, Williams Baptist University President Dr. Stan Norman sits down with Head Softball Coach Jessica Nutt to trace her journey from a sports‑saturated childhood in Bolivar, Missouri, to leading the Lady Eagles on the field at WBU. Coach Nutt shares how growing up in a tight-knit, church‑centered family at First Baptist Bolivar and coming to faith in Christ in fifth or sixth grade laid the foundation for her view of work, calling, and competition. She reflects on sibling rivalry with her identical twin, learning that relationships and how you treat people truly matter, and how distance in college helped transform conflict into deep, supportive family bonds. Listeners will hear how a major “failure” in a high school CNA program closed the door on her dream of becoming a trauma surgeon and unexpectedly redirected her toward college softball, coaching, and eventually a career investing in young women. Coach Nutt explains why she tells recruits not to let a test score define them, how God’s plan is often better than the one we script for ourselves, and why she’s convinced she is right where she’s supposed to be—using softball as a platform to shape lives for Christ on and off the field.

    19 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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About

The Lifework Podcast is where faith, purpose, and calling come together. Hosted by Williams Baptist University President Dr. Stan Norman, this podcast explores the theology of work and why it matters for every believer. At Williams, we believe education is more than a degree — it’s preparation for a Christ-centered life of influence and service. Through thoughtful conversations with faculty, leaders, and friends of WBU, the Lifework Podcast unpacks how God designed us to find meaning in our work and live out our calling in every sphere of life. Our goal is to inspire and equip listeners to see their lifework not just as a career, but as a way to glorify God and impact the world.

Information

  • Creator
    Williams Baptist University
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Lifework Podcast
  • Show Website
    Lifework Podcast

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