What if that longing in your soul is actually a desire for more of God?

As I prepare for an adventure I’ve wanted to take for years—a trip to Israel—I’ve been thinking about what it means to recognize a pull from God and have the courage to say yes, even when we don’t know exactly where that yes will lead.

In this episode, I share some of the practical preparations I’ve made for traveling to Israel, but more importantly, I share what God has been teaching me about fear, wisdom, discernment, and trust.

We don’t have to know the whole path before we take the next step. Sometimes we simply need the courage to say yes—and the faith to trust God with what comes next.

What might God be calling you to?

Listen in, and then ask Him that question for yourself.

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Check out my YouTube Channel where I post the videos of my interview shows.

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

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

How do we talk to teens and young adults about Jesus when they may feel abandoned, anxious, or distrustful of institutions—including the church?

In this episode of the Courageous Retirement Christian podcast, Vona Johnson talks with longtime youth pastor and current pastor Brenda Seefeldt about why older adults may have more influence with young people than they realize. After decades of working with teens, Brenda believes they need safe, trusting relationships far more than another program.

Brenda shares practical ways parents, grandparents, and “substitute grandparents” can build trust and create opportunities for honest conversations about faith. They talk about listening without panic, using simple questions as a “pebble in the shoe” that gets young people thinking, remembering that God is not fragile, and asking the Holy Spirit to guide our conversations. Brenda also explains how a sincere apology can lower defenses and actually increase our credibility.

You’ll hear practical ideas for starting conversations with teens, connecting with them as mentors, and helping them become part of the larger church community—not simply creating programs for them. Most of all, Brenda offers encouragement to see young people differently and make brave moves when the opportunity to point them toward Jesus comes.

Brenda also shares resources and coaching for churches and families at Bravester.com.

In this episode:
00:00 Concern for Young Hearts
00:50 Meet Brenda Seefeldt
01:55 Decades of Youth Ministry
04:02 You Still Have Cred
04:43 Gen Z Complaints List
05:42 Abandoned by Screens
06:48 Perspective Calms Anxiety
09:41 Trust People, Not Church
11:24 Start With Safety
12:13 God Is Not Fragile
15:06 Apology Builds Credibility
17:56 Time Is Running Out
18:47 Authentic Faith Talks
19:22 Religion vs. Relationship
20:04 God Meets Us
20:52 Icebreakers With Teens
22:49 One Kid Matters
24:32 Mentors Beyond Church
25:30 Teachers on Mission
29:05 See Teens Differently
31:08 Coaching Churches
32:48 Bravester Resources
34:34 Make Brave Moves
36:16 Final Encouragement

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Check out my YouTube Channel where I post the videos of my interview shows.

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

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Have you ever wondered if you took the wrong fork in the road?

Maybe you made a decision that seemed right at the time, but now you’re wondering if you misunderstood what God was calling you to do. Or maybe you’re facing a change and wondering whether changing direction means you failed.

In this episode, Vona gets a little personal about some of the questions she’s wrestling with right now—including what her coaching season may have been for, what she wants to make room for in this next season, and whether the path God has been leading her along may be changing direction.

Sometimes courage means moving forward. Sometimes it means being still. And sometimes it means letting go of something that is good because Jesus may be leading us toward something different.

What if you didn’t take the wrong fork after all?

What if that road was exactly where you needed to be for a season—and now Jesus is leading you somewhere you never expected to go?

Perhaps living your MORE isn’t always about adding something new. Sometimes it means opening our hands and trusting Jesus enough to let go of the good to make room for whatever He has next.

Because a change in direction is simply obedience.

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Check out my YouTube Channel where I post the videos of my interview shows.

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

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Some of the hardest decisions in life aren’t about choosing between something good and something bad. They’re about choosing between two good things—or two priorities that both matter.

In this episode of Courageous Retirement, Vona Johnson shares a few real-life decisions she’s been facing, from a long-awaited trip to Israel to finding time to write and simply getting this podcast episode finished. Along the way, she explores what it looks like to listen for the Holy Spirit, consider the risks, respect that others may be called to make different choices, and move forward without letting fear make the decision for us.

When priorities collide, we may not always know where a choice will lead. But we can pray, listen, take the next step, and trust that Jesus will walk with us wherever the journey takes us.

Because living your more isn't about having all the answers. It’s about trusting Jesus and going where He calls you to go.

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Check out my YouTube Channel where I post the videos of my interview shows.

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

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

What if the opportunity that comes your way isn't actually the thing?

What if it's a stepping stone? Or a season? Or even a detour that God uses to prepare you for what comes next?

In this episode of Courageous Retirement, Vona Johnson gets personal about learning to tell the difference.

Retirement can give us something we didn't always have during our working years: the freedom to choose how we spend our time, where we invest our energy, and what we want this season of our lives to be about.

Vona shares her own journey from a 30-year career in housing to coaching, writing, and two unexpected post-retirement work opportunities. At first, those opportunities were exciting. But eventually, neither felt like the place she was meant to stay. Looking back, she began to wonder whether some of her old motivations—recognition, accomplishment, and earning—had followed her into retirement.

So how do we know when an opportunity is something God is calling us into—and when it may simply be a stepping stone, a season, or a distraction?

Vona explores the questions we can ask when something no longer feels aligned, the importance of prayer and discernment, and why creating quiet space to listen may be one of the most important things we can do in retirement.

Most of all, she offers an encouraging reminder: we don't have to get every decision right. God can redirect us.

Retirement isn't simply about having more time to do what makes us happy. It's an opportunity to intentionally use this season to pursue what matters, follow where Jesus leads, and leave a legacy of faith with the people we love.

If you're wondering whether something in your life is the thing—or merely a stepping stone—this conversation is for you.

Episode Timeline

00:00 Retirement Reframed
00:45 Podcast Introduction
01:04 Work Is Not Everything
01:44 Finding Your True Calling
02:59 Post-Retirement Detours
04:40 Questions for Alignment
05:20 A New Season, A New Focus
05:47 Discerning the Right Opportunity
06:50 Creating Space to Listen
07:18 Retirement Gives Us Choice
08:30 Redirected by Grace
09:04 Closing & Next Episode

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Check out my YouTube Channel where I post the videos of my interview shows.

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

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Transitioning to Retirement: Don't Let Fear Win!

Retirement is more than leaving a career—it's a transition that can challenge your identity, purpose, and faith. In this episode, host Vona Johnson welcomes transition coach, author, and podcast host Toni Thrash for an encouraging conversation about navigating retirement and other major life changes without letting fear have the final word.

Toni shares how her background in coaching athletes inspired her passion for helping women move through seasons of transition—from retirement and empty nesting to divorce and unexpected life changes. She introduces her book and podcast, Start Your Comeback, reminding us that it's never too late to get back in the game.

Vona reflects on her own unexpected early retirement at age 55 and the lessons she learned about surrendering the need to strive, trusting God's plan, and discovering a deeper purpose. Together, they explore practical ways to move forward with courage: identify fear as the real opponent, reconnect with the dreams God planted in your heart, take small steps into new opportunities, and trust God even when the path feels uncertain.

Whether retirement is around the corner or you're already navigating this new season, this conversation will encourage you to embrace change with confidence, purpose, and faith—because God isn't finished with you yet.

Episode Highlights:

• Why retirement is one of life's biggest transitions
• How fear keeps us stuck—and how to overcome it
• Rediscovering your God-given purpose after your career
• Practical ways to step into something new with confidence
• Learning to trust God's direction one step at a time
• Finding joy, beauty, and purpose in everyday life

Timestamps
00:00 Retirement Transition Matters
00:48 Meet Toni Thrash
01:09 What Transition Coaching Is
03:09 Vona's Early Retirement Story
06:12 Viewing Retirement Through a Biblical Lens
10:45 Start Your Comeback
12:51 It's Never Too Late to Begin Again
16:33 Getting Off the Bench
21:31 Doing It Afraid
28:14 Listening for God's Direction
33:35 Finding God in Everyday Beauty
35:36 Where to Connect with Vona & Toni
38:44 Final Encouragement

Learn more about Toni, her coaching, and find her book, Start Your Comback here: https://www.tonithrash.com/

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Check out my YouTube Channel where I post the videos of my interview shows.

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

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Sometimes God gives us a message before we know why we need it.

During a visit to the Billy Graham Library, Vona encountered a simple but powerful reminder about life, death, and the hope we have through Jesus. She had no idea how meaningful those words would become in the days that followed.

In this reflective episode of Courageous Retirement, Vona explores what it means to face life's greatest uncertainties with confidence—not confidence in ourselves or our accomplishments, but confidence in God's promises.

This episode is a reminder that our influence is not measured by our platform, our accomplishments, or the number of people who know our name. It is measured by faithfulness, love, and the ways we reflect Jesus to the people He places in our lives.

Whether you're walking through grief, thinking about your own legacy, or simply longing for deeper peace, this conversation offers a reminder that because of Jesus, death is not the end—it is simply a new address.

Keep living your MORE with courage—because your best season may just be beginning.

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Check out my YouTube Channel where I post the videos of my interview shows.

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

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Sometimes the person standing between us and God's best isn't the person we're frustrated with—it's the one staring back at us in the mirror.

That's what this conversation did for me.

When I first heard Dr. Carolyn Warren Wiley's testimony, I expected to be challenged about the culture around me. Instead, I found myself convicted by my own pride.

In this honest and hope-filled conversation, Carolyn shares how Jesus transformed her life—not simply by changing her behavior, but by changing her heart. Together, we explore the difference between finding our identity in our desires versus our identity in Christ, why humility is the doorway to freedom, and how God's grace is available to every one of us.

We also discuss retirement, unexpected life transitions, and how God often uses our most difficult seasons to prepare us for our greatest purpose.

Whether you're wrestling with pride, searching for your identity, or simply longing to live more faithfully, I pray this conversation points you to the hope and transforming love of Jesus.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why pride can quietly keep us from experiencing God's best
• The difference between behavior modification and heart transformation
• What it means to find your identity in Christ
• How to love others with both grace and truth
• Why retirement and life transitions can become a new beginning rather than an ending
• The beauty of surrendering every part of our lives to Jesus

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Mirror Check Moment
00:22 Welcome to Courageous Retirement
01:18 Career Change at 47
03:03 Called Into Publishing
05:42 Pride, Conviction & My Birthday
06:54 Carolyn's Faith Journey
10:01 Following God's Conviction
17:54 Identity in Christ
20:41 Loving Others Well
24:04 Pride and Repentance
29:55 Restoration After Brokenness
35:43 Grace for Every Sinner
40:06 Jesus Is Enough
42:11 Resources & Final Encouragement

Find Dr. Carolyn at roseandpearl.net for information about publishing your story or find her bible studies at therubytent.com

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Check out my YouTube Channel where I post the videos of my interview shows.

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

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.