56. A New Address

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.

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Transcript

Vona Johnson 0:00

Last episode, I mentioned that I had been in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I had the opportunity to visit the Billy Graham Library. It was an eye-opening and heartwarming experience I won't soon forget. What I didn't know as I walked through the library was that within 24 hours, someone I loved would leave this earth. Today, I'd like to share a lesson from that visit that took on an entirely new meaning the very next day. I hope you'll join me

Speaker 2 0:26

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.

Vona Johnson 0:44

As I wandered through the exhibits and watched snippets of Billy Graham's remarkable life, I found myself thinking about the countless ways God uses ordinary people to influence others. Toward the end of the nearly two-hour tour, I came across a quote about death that stopped me in my tracks. It wasn't the words themselves so much as the confidence behind them. Billy Graham spoke of death not as an ending, but as simply changing his address and entering the presence of God. I remember thinking, "That's the kind of confidence I want." Not confidence in myself, not confidence in my good works, but confidence in Jesus and His promise of eternal life. At that time, I had no idea why those words felt so significant. The next day, my brother-in-law, Larry, was welcomed into the loving arms of our Savior Suddenly, Billy Graham's words weren't simply inspiring. They became deeply personal. Larry and I cared for one another, but as I reflected on his life, I realized how little we had actually talked about life, much less our faith. He knew where I stood, and I kinda generally knew where he did, but we had never really sat down and talked about what Jesus meant to each of us. I found myself wishing we had. Then the Lord gently reminded me that salvation has never rested on my ability to say the perfect words or have the perfect conversation. Others had faithfully shared Christ with Larry long before I entered into his life. God had been at work in ways I couldn't see. That brought me tremendous peace. What surprised me even more was the grief I carried afterward, not only because Larry was gone, but because I had watched my sister say goodbye to her husband of more than 30 years. I'd never experienced that kind of secondary grief before. As I processed these emotions over the following days, my devotional brought me to the shortest verse in scripture, "Jesus wept." I'd read those words countless times, but this time I saw them differently. Jesus already knew that Lazarus would live again, yet he still entered into the sorrow of Mary and Martha. Whether that's the full meaning of the passage or not, it reminded me of something beautiful. Our Savior doesn't stand at a distance from our grief. He steps into it with us. He understands loss. He understands tears, and he offers hope in the middle of both. As I reflected on Larry's life, I smiled at the stories shared during his service The minister had grown up with him and joked that there were stories from their younger years that probably shouldn't be repeated in church. We all laughed because we knew exactly what he meant. But there were other stories too. Stories of Larry opening his home to people who had nowhere else to go. Inviting strangers to holiday meals. Giving someone down on their luck a job when no one else would. Quiet acts of generosity that reflected a heart for people. Larry wasn't Billy Graham. He didn't preach to stadiums or travel the world proclaiming the gospel. His life looked very different. But God doesn't give us all the same assignment. Billy Graham's calling was to proclaim Christ to millions. Larry's calling seemed to be loving the people God placed right in front of him. Both lives reminded me that influence isn't measured by the size of our audience. It's measured by our faithfulness. The peace I have today isn't because Larry lived a generous life, as beautiful as that was. My peace rests in something much greater. It rests in the promise of the gospel, that none of us are saved by our goodness. We are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. His righteousness, not ours, is what gives us confidence when this life comes to an end. Billy Graham reminded me that heaven is real. Larry reminded me that kindness is never wasted. Jesus reminds me that grace is enough. We never know when our own address will change, so have the meaningful conversations. Tell people you love them. Extend kindness freely. And every day, place your confidence not in yourself, but in the one who conquered death. Thank you so much for stopping by today. It's such a gift to have you here. Until next time, keep living your more with courage because your best season may just be beginning.