In this inspiring episode of Courageous Retirement, host Vona Johnson invites you to reflect on the legacy you’re building — not just someday, but right now.
Vona shares her own journey, from writing 'A Different View' to becoming a life and retirement coach, showing how God weaves every part of our story — the successes, the struggles, even the fears — into a meaningful, lasting legacy.
✨ You’ll discover:
✅ How to face each with bold purpose and faith
✅ Why it’s never too late to create a life that matters
✅ The power of encouraging the next generation
✅ Practical ways to align your daily choices with God’s love and truth
Whether you’re stepping into a new season or simply longing to live more intentionally, this episode will leave you encouraged and equipped to let God use ALL of your life for His glory.
Watch now and start building your God-honoring legacy today!
💌 Feeling stuck or unsure where to begin? Vona would love to help you take your next step! Reach out to her directly at vona@vonajohnson.com — she’s here to help you get started on the next step.
00:00 Introduction: What Will Your Legacy Be?
00:38 Embracing Retirement with Purpose
00:56 From Health Coach to Life Coach
02:14 Recording A Different View
03:19 Speaking to the Next Generation
04:49 Building Your Legacy Daily
07:01 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
Quotes from the show:
"God uses everything. He wastes nothing in your life, the good things and the bad things, to help you build your legacy."
"As Christians, at or near the age of retirement, we get to use the foundation that God has built for us and help others see their worth, see their value, see their God-given purpose."
"Retirement isn’t the end. It’s the beginning."
I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!
Thank you for stopping by today! Remember to Engage Your Faith and Live Your More as you reap the benefits of Courageous Retirement!
To watch the video, check out my YouTube Channel!
Learn more about the show, author Vona Johnson, and more at CourageousRetirement.com!
Episode Transcript
Do you ever wonder what your legacy will be?
(00:02):
When you look at your life, doesit feel like there's nothing
there worth remembering?
Is it too late to createsomething worthwhile in your
life?
If you're near retirement, is ittoo late to even worry about it?
You may be thinking that alegacy is something that rich
people leave for their childrenand grandchildren.
That's not what a legacy is atall.
Your legacy is your life, andyou get to choose what that
(00:25):
looks like.
God can use every part of yourlife.
Even the bad parts to be yourlegacy and to make it a
beautiful thing and to bring himglory.
We're gonna talk about thattoday.
I hope you'll join us.
Do you fear?
What lies beyond retirement?
What if it's a gateway to a lifefilled with purpose, meaning,
and adventure rather than anend?
Discover peace and fulfillmentas you boldly enter this new
(00:49):
chapter in CourageousRetirement, a Christian podcast.
I'm your host, author, and coachVona Johnson.
Let's get started.
Four years ago, I published mybook, A Different View.
And I was so blessed by thenumber of people who commented
on how it changed their life.
It brought them a different viewof what their faith is and how
(01:11):
God uses us for his glory.
It was a powerful message, butit didn't reach a lot of people.
I always intended to record thebook to get an additional reach
because so many people arelistening these days, but I just
never got around to it.
There was always something elseto do.
When I retired, I retired tobecome a health coach.
(01:32):
And then after a while Irealized that our health is
really related to our life andwho we are being and what we are
doing with our time and ourthoughts.
So I became a life coach.
And then as time wore on, Irealized that God was really
nudging me to talk to people whoare at the stage of life that I
was at when I retired, that ator near retirement, and that I
(01:53):
could help people with some ofthe really difficult decisions
to retire.
And not only that decision toretire, but to really help
people prepare to finish well.
And at the time I thought, hmm.
A different view isn't reallyabout retirement.
So, okay.
I guess that was just somethingthat I needed to do and move on.
(02:14):
It wasn't until I was recordingthe book that I realized how
absolutely relevant it is tothose of us at the age of
retirement.
I just recently finished finallyrecording a different view and I
have to say that.
I was really blessed by thewords that God gave me to put in
that book and, and honestly formyself today.
(02:38):
And it just helps me marvel atGod's perfect timing.
You know, things don't alwayswork out the way we planned.
I thought that the book wouldsell better than it did, and,
and I realize now, after havingbeen through.
Some really tough times inbuilding a business that it
wasn't about the business, itwasn't about the money, it was
about trusting God.
(02:58):
And when he gave me the nudgeand said, now it's time to
record it, I knew that I neededto do that, and I realized as I
was recording it that thatmessage is still very, very
relevant today and is reallyrelevant to people of all ages.
The message to live our more tolive for Christ is needed now
more than it ever was.
(03:19):
This week I have the opportunityto speak to a group of young
people and I was feeling thisdisconnect because I'm a
retirement coach.
Why am I talking to people,leaders young leaders in the
community?
And it wasn't until I wassitting in church on Sunday and
the pastor spoke to theconfirmands in his congregation.
(03:44):
And I loved how he couched thefact that those kids were now
being confirmed.
They had gone through years oftraining, but that that wasn't
the end of their journey.
It was truly just the beginning.
And it helped me realize, ofcourse, that retirement isn't
the end.
It's the beginning.
And God uses all of the things,the things in confirmation, the
(04:05):
things in our life as afoundation for the things that
he wants us to do.
And then as I was preparing fora speech that I'm giving next
week, talking about retirementand how we can live our more
beyond the workplace, I realizedthat that applies to these young
people who are now graduatingfrom their year long training as
(04:25):
leaders.
And the fact that all of thethings that they have benefited
from in this training and intheir life aren't things that
they just learn and then tuckaway.
They're things that they willcontinue to pull on throughout
their lives and apply to theirlegacy, what they're building
for their life and what they'rebuilding for their future and
(04:46):
their children's future andtheir grandchildren's future.
I am going to share with thoseyoung people how our legacy
starts today.
Every day, we get to start anew.
And truly our legacy is the lifethat we're living, the the
example that we're setting forpeople.
And if we haven't done well withthat in the past, we can change
that.
Our God is a God of redemptionand he will change us if we ask
(05:08):
him to show us how to live forhim.
And in his will, he will show ushow to do that.
And I am excited to share withthese young people the message
that they get to choose minuteby minute.
It's all about the choices thatwe make throughout our day.
We can choose to live the waythe world would want us to live
(05:29):
and respond the way that theworld would want us to respond,
which is often.
In a really negative way, or wecan choose to live God's truth
and love.
We can love the people that hebrings into our lives.
I talk about it all the time,but it is so important that we
be in the word and understandthat God's way is different than
(05:51):
the world's way, and I wantthese young people to understand
that today is just one morestepping stone towards them
being the leaders that God hascreated them to be.
I just want you to, to know thatGod uses everything He wastes
nothing in your life, the goodthings and the bad things to
help you build your legacy.
(06:12):
It's how you choose to respondto those things and how you
choose to help others live thelife that they were created to
live.
That's our legacy as Christiansat or near the age of
retirement, we get to use thefoundation that God has built
for us, and we get to apply thewisdom and the knowledge that we
(06:32):
have gained along the way andhelp others see their worth, see
their value, see their God-givenpurpose, and help them reach for
that.
Help them be that.
So what is your legacy?
What can you do now?
What habits can you change to beable to use the gifts that God
(06:53):
has given you throughout yourlife and leave a really lasting
legacy to bring people to God,to help people see God through
your words in action.
If this is something that you'restruggling with, I would love to
help you with that.
We can hop on a call or justshoot me an email at
vona@vonajohnson.com and tell mewhere it is that you're stuck.
(07:13):
I'll respond in the email or wecan hop on a call if that's what
you'd rather do.
And we'll just take a fewminutes and see if I can't help
you change their perspective tolook at your situation from a
different view so that you canstep into your legacy for God.
I just wanna thank you so muchfor stopping by today.
It's always such a blessing to,to be able to step into your
(07:35):
life and, and hopefully leaveyou with some wisdom that might
help you see the impact that youhave on this world.
I pray that you will engage yourfaith.
You will finish well and youwill live your more in your
courageous retirement.
God bless.
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