In 2019, Busola left her role as Chief Financial Officer for a large UK asset management company with a desire to educate and empower young professionals in personal development. She believes God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. “You just need to be available. That was my journey,” she says.

Busola is a Church Commissioner for The Church of England, a Trustee of The Scouts Association — the largest charity for children or young adults in the UK — and a Non-Executive Director at T R Property Investment Trust, Hargreave Hale AIM VCT and Trust Alliance Group.

“I felt the Lord saying, let’s write something to do with facing financial challenges with faith,” shares Busola.

Busola is the first black woman to be a Church Commissioner since the fund was established. She was appointed by Archbishop Justin Welby and Archbishop Stephen Cottrell in 2020 and helps to steward the Church Commissioners asset management portfolio for the Church of England, which supports the work of ministry and ministers throughout the UK. For Busola, it is an honour to serve the church in this way, but also a great responsibility to represent and advocate for diverse people groups, “where we can feel like we take the seat at the table, speaking into national matters.”

Throughout her career as a financial professional, she has shared her faith and helped others to grow in their discipleship. Now she’s able to support people through her online platform and resources. “The Lord has a heart for young people and children. It’s evident in the Bible. So, it was easy for me to respond to the call to support young people,” says Busola.

One of the free resources that Busola has most recently released is a RightNow Media series called, Faith as a currency in our finances. The timing of the series for today’s global economic climate has been perfect, but Busola says that God put this topic on her heart years ago. “When I started writing the material there was nothing on the horizon about inflation or cost of living. I felt the Lord saying, let’s write something to do with facing financial challenges with faith,” shares Busola.

“Prayer is very important to me. Most of what I do is just being led by what God lays on my heart.” She says God knew this would come, but for those who have faith, he says, “Do not be afraid.”

“These families are feeling overwhelmed with their financial obligations,” says Busola.

The current economic outlook has put pressure on people around the world. From Busola’s perspective, the resulting impact on mental health has been immense. Working families and homeowners face uncertainty about how to balance their mortgages with their other financial responsibilities. She highlights that in some cultural contexts, multigenerational homes are common. Adult children look after their own children, their elderly parents, and extended family. “These families are feeling overwhelmed with their financial obligations,” says Busola.

“The anxiety of younger people is more pronounced because there’s a job uncertainty as they are coming into their careers,” shares Busola. These young people and young professionals feel pressure to achieve certain goals by a certain age, Busola observes.

Rather than despairing about our financial responsibilities, Busola believes it’s vital for believers to turn to God and have faith. “The other side of faith is intimacy because you have to believe that the one who calls you is the one who’s going to provide. Having faith means you need to have a strong relationship and that intimacy with God,” she says.

“The best moments I’ve had in my intimacy with God are when I’ve let go, when I wasn’t in the driving seat,” shares Busola.

“Gratitude is having an understanding that God really cares about you,” says Busola.

She encourages people to pay attention to what they have, rather than what they lack. “People think you need a surplus to be well. No, you just need enough. A day will come when you move to surplus, to transition there you’re going to have to trust him,” she says. Gratitude helps us to focus on what is good in our lives. “Every day he surprises us with something, a random phone call, a conversation, simple things and big things. It’s whether you acknowledge and see him in all the details,” says Busola.

“Gratitude is having an understanding that God really cares about you,” she says.

Busola also encourages people to develop the discipline of generosity in every season, even when you feel that you don’t have enough. Generosity helps us to stay open to the needs of others, rather than becoming self-focused. She reminds people that giving does not have to be financial only: “How can I give of my time? How can I give of my talent?” She highlights that volunteerism or pro bono professional services can be a key way of giving sacrificially.

If you’re feeling the pressure of the cost of living or concerned about your financial future, Busola counsels that “you’re not the only one feeling this way. Many people don’t have enough. Don’t isolate yourself with that anxiety.”

“Find your local church. Put yourself out there. You could offer what you have to share and people can offer back to you,” she says.

Connecting with a community can really help to change your perspective and ease the burden. “Find friends and support, and share your burden,’ says Busola. “Find your local church. Put yourself out there. You could offer what you have to share and people can offer back to you,” she says.

“Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself’,” Busola shares. She encourages that we need to regularly get into his presence to “seek his voice and just love him; let him love you back.”

“When you have that, you have a peace that the world can’t give you, even amidst the chaos. From that you then move on to the second commandment of loving your neighbour,” she says.

Busola shares that the time you spend with God is not only refreshing, but it is the place where he shares direction and plans with you for your future. She offers the analogy of time in prayer being like time spent with a master architect of a building project. You get the blueprint when you spend time with him and when the time is right, you can build very quickly because you have the plan.

Busola suggests that one of the ways Eternity readers can extend generosity is to think about someone who may be struggling with financial pressures and to send this article and the Right Now media course to them. “Don’t be embarrassed to send it, just plant the word,” she says.

“There’s a faith currency, there’s a faith that you can activate,” says Busola. “Our God doesn’t react to what’s happening. He’s gone ahead of us. God’s already written the script before it happens.”

Busola Sodeinde is the founder of Bearings Media and Dysh, a digital platform focused on providing young professionals with resources for their careers and well-being. She is also the author of Footprints of Grace.