9: What's Retirement Worth?

Finding True Value and Purpose in Retirement can be a challenging journey, especially if we follow what the world tells us will make us happy. You're not alone in this struggle.

In this episode of Courageous Retirement, host Vona Johnson delves into the true worth of retirement from a Christian perspective. She explores how retirement is more than just financial savings and plans, but a journey of aligning values with actions. This empowers you to take control of your retirement and live a life of purpose and service.

Drawing from personal life experiences and Biblical principles, Vona encourages listeners to consider what they value most and challenges them to step boldly into a life of purpose and service in retirement.

Join Vona as she shares insights on how to find fulfillment and peace in this new chapter of life.

00:00 Introduction: What's Retirement Worth?
00:32 Welcome to Courageous Retirement
00:58 Understanding True Value
03:04 Balancing Finances and Freedom
05:29 Aligning Values with Actions
07:37 Courageous Steps in Retirement
11:16 Spiritual Guidance and True Fulfillment
17:00 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Quotes for the episode:
 "Our security should not be in the money that we can make or in the retirement that we invest in.  Our obedience to God is way more valuable than anything that we can invest in today's world."

"When we're willing to put our desires aside and do something that doesn't make sense for God,  we show the world the actual value of that thing."

"The things that we give up as we transition into retirement are really a huge part of figuring out what we really value in life."

Scriptures shared: Psalm 119: 33-40 and Matthew 13: 44-45

Where to get your HWLF (He Would Love First) bracelet: https://hewouldlovefirst.com/

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Thank you for stopping by today! Remember to Engage Your Faith and Live Your More!

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Learn more about the show, author Vona Johnson, and more at CourageousRetirement.com!

Transcript

0:00

What's retirement worth. It seems like a really funny question, doesn't it? As a Christian, the decision to retire is much larger than how much money we've saved up for retirement. It's even bigger than what we think we're going to do in retirement. I don't know about you, but my whole life, I thought I was going to lay around and read books all day. It didn't take me long to realize that I needed something more fulfilling than that. And that's why I've created this show., I want you to think about all the things that you value and how you can build a life of retirement. Welcome to courageous retirement. I'm excited to talk to you about what is retirement worth anyway. I hope you'll join me. Do you fear what lies beyond retirement? What if it's a gateway to a life filled with purpose, meaning, and adventure rather than an end? Discover peace and fulfillment as you boldly enter this new chapter in Courageous Retirement, a Christian podcast. I'm your host, author and coach, Vona Johnson. Let's get started. My son and his wife just recently bought a new home. And this is not the first home they've owned. In fact, they've had several now, and they really put a lot of thought into the house; they want it to be their forever home. And ironically, I look at it and I think, ah, forever is a long time and are our needs change; our values change. They were really putting a lot into looking at houses, they were looking at the different features of the homes. And one day I could tell he was getting really frustrated because he sent me a text. In that text. he was like, so how do you determine what the real value of a piece of property is? I'm pretty sure he wasn't real happy with my answer because coming from 30 years in the affordable housing industry and an understanding real estate values, I didn't give him what a real value is because truly the true value of anything, including a piece of property is what somebody is willing to pay for it. And that can change all the time, but isn't that what life is like to the true value of anything is what somebody is willing to give to have that value. One person is going to be willing to pay way more, to have a brand new house with all of the new latest features, uh, light fixtures, doors, paint, colors, all of that. Where someone else might value more the ability to buy a house that may be not as up to date, but has the right foundation and the right structure and the bones that they need so that they can go in and fix it up and make it their own. I always laugh at the shows on HDTV where somebody will walk into a house and there'll be like, ah, I can't stand that color. We can't buy this house and they turn around and walk out and I was always like, but...but..but you can always paint right? Well, that relates to life too. W we all are willing to look at things. And, and place value on those things. And especially in retirement, we're looking at what it is that we really value and what we're willing to trade for that value. Just to give you an example. So today let's say that you are working in your job. You haven't retired yet. You're 60 years old. And you're thinking about retirement and you're looking at the numbers and you're talking to your financial advisor. And you're at that point where it's kind of like, you're ready. You, you feel like God's calling you to something more, you don't know maybe exactly what it is or maybe you do it doesn't matter. But you start looking at the numbers and you realize that if you retire before you hit that magic age, where you get your full retirement, you're going to leave something on the table. And what's that worth to you? The freedom. The ability to go and create a life that you really want. What's it worth to you? Is it worth it for you to leave some of your retirement income on the table, so you can go have that freedom? Or is it worth it more to you to continue to contribute in your workplace? And honestly, that's what I do. When I talk about finishing well, I talk about how, um, we might find more value in what we're doing and be able to stay longer to provide that value. And that's a whole nother conversation that we're not going to get into today, but it's, it's weighing all of the things that we want to consider before we move into that retirement. Retirement is really such a beautiful time. And there are so many things to consider as we consider retirement. But the beautiful thing is, is that we get to decide. We can continue to draw that salary, or we can, can maybe give up some of the luxuries that we're used to so that we can have more freedom. I know that I'm, over-simplifying all of this, but you get the picture by now that it's really about what you value and what you're willing to sacrifice to get what you want. When I retired, I left a lot of money on the table. Because that freedom to go on and to do something different. And I really felt called that God wanted me to make a difference in entirely different way. As, you know, if you've listened to very much of my podcast or read my books is I've completely changed what I do for work. I work from home. I, I allow myself time to take care of my elderly parents, particularly my father, who is in a home. I make time to take care of my grandkids when they need a backup sitter or to just go have a fun day or travel with my husband. Those are things that I have placed value on it. I've made the choice to do. In my coaching and in my workshops, a lot of time, I do an exercise that where I have people sit down and write down what their top five values are in life. I've been really surprised sometimes. And I, and my I myself. Included when I first started this exercise. To realize how, because after we write down the top things we value, then I go and I challenge people to write down how much of their actual time they spent on those things. And sometimes it's really eyeopening to realize how little time we actually invest time and money invest in the things that we say that we value most. The reason that this is called courageous retirement, other than that whole part of just stepping into the unknown. It's the fact that I want to challenge you as a listener. You're here for a reason, and God has called you here for a reason. And I want to challenge you to step into what God's calling you to. It's going to be entirely different, or maybe not entirely different than what I do. But it's that ability to align what we value with our time and our resources. So if you value God's truth. You may use retirement as a time to spend more time in God's word. And figuring out a way that you can then take that and apply that to more of your life, or to have real conversations with people to encourage them to have more of that in their life. And that's where the courage takes, because sometimes it's really hard to stand up and talk about what we believe is true. And it's not just what we believe. I've had people say, yeah, that's what you think. When I talk about truth. Guys. It's not what I think is true. It's what I have read. And the holy spirit has led me to, to believe it's true. I, I don't want you to follow me because you think. You liked the way that I speak or that you like. Whatever I want you to step into courageous retirement and follow the work that I do because you see that I can help you walk closer with God in the walk that he wants you to have. So for you, retirement may mean that you can spend more time serving in things that really are important to you. Maybe that's joining, uh, a life team in your church or that serving. Um, meals at. A local homeless shelter, or it may mean working for domestic abuse shelter. It could mean one of my clients, after she retired, she has started volunteering at a local convent and she helps elderly nuns just do some of their daily life activities. And she's finding so much joy in that. And I just think that that's beautiful. Everybody's walk is going to be different. So we, we align that with what we really value and find a way to, to make that work. You know for you, maybe it's a nursing home. You may not have a convent near nearby, but it might be. Uh, serving at a nursing home. I know that there are a lot of lonely people in those nursing homes or assisted living centers. And maybe that's a good place for you. Like me, God may call you to a place that is way beyond your comfort zone. Maybe you two will start a podcast. Maybe you'll write a book. Maybe you will traveled the world. It might be like a friend that I'm going to talk about in the next episode, maybe for you it's to sell everything and just go on a day-to-day basis where God leads you. Now, that to me is an extreme amount of courage. I have another couple that I know that are selling their home and then them and their four children. Are going to go and serve in Africa. That's so impressive to me. And fortunately at this time, anyway, God has not called me to anything like that. He's called me to something different, but whatever he's calling you to, I pray that you will be in the word and you will find the courage to make sure that it's his will and then figure out how to make that happen. You know, Are our values change through throughout our lives. And. The things that we think we value now, maybe completely different than what we valued when we were younger. Just like the house that, my son and his wife just bought. That is meeting their needs today. And the values that they're placing in whether the money they spend to fix it up or not, is that will evolve and change through the years. Just like the things that I have volunteered for through my life has changed drastically. In fact, When I first retired, I remember being invited to help with the daycare at our church. And I did it for a few times and I remember just thinking, oh, I've got to be at my desk. I need to be working. I've got to get this business off the ground. I can't make money if I'm sitting there with a bunch of four year olds. Yeah, it was fun. And they were cute, but I wasn't making money. Now seven years later. I'm at a completely different place because God has shown me that I was putting way too much more value on the money than the impact and the difference that I could make in those children's lives. In fact, this year, I volunteered for a vacation Bible school for a week. And it took me a ton of time to get ready for those lessons. And I really didn't get much else done between preparing. And actually being at the vacation Bible school. But it was so rewarding to spend time with those kiddos. And when they came in, hugged me at the end of the day or the end of the week and thanked me. It just did my heart so much good. So we need to remember, you know, it's like I spent, I talk about spending time with my grandsons and again, I can't work when I'm with them. But there's nothing more important than the time that we invest in our children to help them realize the value of God in our lives. In fact, I want to share with you. A verse I just read with my devotions. It's from Psalm 119 starting with 33 through verse 40. It says, this teach me your decrease old Lord. I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will obey your instructions. I will put them into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands. For that is where happiness is found. Give me an eagerness for your laws. Rather than a love for money. Turn my eyes from the worthless things. And give me life through your word. Reassure me of your promise made for those who fear you. Help me to abandon my shameful ways. For your regulations are good. I long to obey your commandments. Renew my life with your goodness. And the footnote. I always love going to the footnotes. You've heard me talk about that before too, but in the footnote, it talks about how today's world. We put so much value on financial gain and we, we think about all of the money. That we can make and the things that we can do with that and the comforts that we can buy and we can travel and we can buy new furniture and we can fix up our kitchen where they, you know, the cabinets, aren't the color that we want or whatever it is. And we've honestly, we've made money into a God in our lives and so many times we think of little else other than the comfort that money can bring us. But. Our security should not be in the money that we can make in the retirement that we invest in. Our obedience to God is way more valuable than anything that we can invest in today's world. So we should be doing what God wants us to do. And the only way that we can do that again is to be in the word. And to listen to him, pray to him and then stop and listen to how he might be speaking to us. Even just this week, you know, I talked at the last episode, I talked about this interview with. Andi Martin that I'm going to have next week. And I said that I would be this week, and I just kept getting this message about the true value and the worth. And I realized that I needed to talk about that before I interview Andi, because she has truly put her value in things that are not of this world. And I wanted you to be thinking about that before we step into that interview. We have put so much value in comfort that even those who spend so much time in church and volunteering and love the Lord sometimes have allowed themselves to place the value of comfort and ease above what God wants. And I truly, even from the life standpoint, We have bought off on the lie that our our choice, our ability to make a choice for our own body, especially as women, out weighs the value of a life. And I just, I just want to challenge you to get in the word and ask God if that's really where he wants you to go. As we go into this political season, I want you to really, I encourage you. I plead with you. To spend time in the word and to talk to God about where he really wants you in this. Do we like the candidates? No, we don't. Some of them. They've all made mistakes. We've all made mistakes. The reality is. I don't know that it matters who wins the next election. We just have to continue to love the people that God brings into our lives. And we have to love his truth. Above all else. If you remember back. It's been decades ago, there was a WWJD, what would Jesus do? We had bracelets that had, what would Jesus do? We had t-shirts that said, what would Jesus do? Well, I recently found a company and I bought their t-shirt, made for more, but the company sent me a bracelet when I ordered my t-shirt and it said. H. W L F H w L F. He would love first and folks, if we say that we love God. If we say that we value our relationship with Jesus Christ, we need to love first too. We need to see people the way that God sees people and we need to act. Kindly and in lovingly. He'll give us opportunities to have the conversations. He'll give us the courage to have the conversations when the timing is right. We need to recognize where the true value of life is. Where the true value of the time, then the resources that we have and how we can be spending those to further God's kingdom. We have placed the value of our wants and desires over what is righteous in God's eyes, that's truly where we are in this world. And as such, I want to challenge you to be in the word, to watch for messages that jump out at you. And where God might be calling you to take a stand against the things that this world values. In doing so you're going to find that you will be connected in his will. And the things that he values. And you'll be living out his plan. Which will guide you to the most amazing and enriched retirement journey that you could possibly have. When we're willing to put our desires aside and do something that doesn't make sense for God, we show the world the actual value of that thing. It rarely makes sense. And it seldom happens when or how we think that it should, but if we lean into Jesus and his teachings and listen for the holy spirit to nudge us in the right direction, The biblical direction, God's going to take care of all the details for us. And even when it doesn't make sense or happen the way we want, we can trust that it's going to be okay. Today. I just want to take a minute. I know this has gotten kind of heavy, but it's important that we have the courage to speak God's truth. It's so important to me and I just want to invite you if you haven't already. I really want to encourage you to get your hands on. whether you go to the library or buy it or, or whatever. Get your hands on the book. A Different View it truly is all about living our more and our more, is really living out what God's will is for us in our lives. It takes us through that ability when we start to realize that there's more to life. And then we start creating order in our lives and we redefine our priorities. And then we start living for our eternal purpose. And that is truly when life is so amazing. So I just, I just want to challenge you to learn more about looking at life from a different view. I had a whole podcast called longing for more and there's so many episodes there. But I just, I just want to call you to step into what your more might be If anyone would have told me seven years ago, The investment, that, that I wouldn't make back. The amount of money that I quote left on the table when I retired. And that I would invest thousands and thousands of dollars on getting my master coaching certification and all the marketing and all the things that I would do. I probably wouldn't have made that choice. Fear would have held me back. But instead I was led to believe I was led to have hope that. You know, I was again, focused on all the money, but I was led to believe that it would make a difference. In reality, the money that I've lost and invested in this, I could have paid for my son's new home. That's a lot of money. But friend. I just want you to know. That what I have gained in my relationship with God and with Jesus Christ. Far outweighs anything I could have bought or gained with the money that I would have had I kept working. It's, there's no way to describe the difference in that. And truly that's how I value this retirement. Yes, it's taken courage. But it's, it's so worth it. I just hope that you will continue to listen to courageous retirement, that you will continue to find ways. That you too can step into God's will for your life. In Matthew 13: 44 and 45. We learned that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that a man. Found hidden in a plot, a land. He was so excited when he saw the treasure that he buried it again and he went. And he purchased the land with everything that he had. And then he went back and got the treasure. That's what I feel like with this treasure that I have in this ability to have this relationship with God. I didn't know that God was asking me to give up all the things that he did to have a relationship with him. the reality is that the things that we give up as we transition into retirement are really a huge part of figuring out what we really value in life. I just want to thank you for tuning in today Until next time when I bring my guest, Andi Martin. And her extreme obedience and tell her beautiful story I pray that you will engage your faith and to always, always live your more.