That is how my book, Workship, begins. As a Christian, I was excited to enter the world of media, keen to see how Jesus could use me in that place.

However, the reality was different. As a young Christian, this was a difficult environment to work in. I felt very underprepared. What was a faith response to this alien world of work?

I tried to get my pastor to help me, but he had difficulty understanding or engaging with my world of work. The teaching on Sunday was about spiritual matters rather than everyday issues.

When I came across ethical issues, there seemed to be no wisdom in the Bible for my vocational concerns. How did I stand firm when a strong-willed boss wanted to exaggerate a story, or reveal a source, or invade someone’s personal grief?

I was living a life that was not integrating faith and work. I was dis-integrating!

I ended up being tempted to live two separate lives: the Christian Kara, running a youth group and attending church on Sunday, and the reporter Kara, who was slightly more risqué in her language, attitudes and behaviour from Monday to Friday.

In my heart, I knew this was unsustainable. It was impacting on my relationship with God and with others. I was living a life that was not integrating faith and work. I was dis-integrating!

However, this is not how the Bible sees faith and work: as two different areas of our lives. Right from the beginning of the Bible, work is positioned as an extension of who we are in God. After all, we are made in the image of a God who works and whose first command is for us to work: stewarding his creation.

Since that moment, walking into that newsroom, I have sought to promote the re-integration of faith and work: through professional Christian groups, theological colleges, working with churches, writing articles, lecturing and speaking at events.

In my new Faith at Work series coming soon on Eternity, I will discuss current topics, introduce you to Christians making a difference in the workplace, and talk about ways we can equip ourselves and each other to live and work to God’s glory and the service of others.

Kara Martin is an Adjunct Professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, author of the Workship books (available at Koorong) and co-host of Worship on the Way to Work podcast.