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Retirement is often described as the finish line—the long-awaited season when work finally ends, and leisure begins. But what if that picture is incomplete?

For believers, retirement does not mean purpose expires. It may simply mean that purpose takes on a new expression. We were created by God not merely to earn a paycheck, but to serve, contribute, create, encourage, and reflect His character in the world. That calling does not end when a career does.

Mitch Anthony, bestselling author of The New Retirementality: Planning Your Life and Living Your Dreams…at Any Age You Want, has spent decades helping people rethink retirement. He joins the show today to share a simple but deeply important message: retirement should not be the end of meaningful work. It should be a new season of purposeful living.

One of the most powerful ways to rethink retirement begins with a biblical understanding of work itself. In Hebrew, the word avodah conveys both work and worship. That connection reminds us that work was never meant to be separate from our calling before God.

Work, at its best, is not merely labor. It is an opportunity to bring value to others and meaning to our own lives. That may happen through a career, but also through volunteering, mentoring, serving in the church, caring for family, teaching, consulting, creating, or encouraging others.

Mitch defines work as “an engagement that brings value to others and meaning to you.” That broader definition helps us see that meaningful work is not limited to employment. It includes any faithful contribution that blesses others and reflects the gifts God has given us.

Our culture often treats retirement as though people reach a certain age and are no longer needed. But that idea does not reflect biblical wisdom.

Human beings are not products with expiration dates. We are image-bearers of God, created with gifts, experience, wisdom, and calling. While the pace or form of our work may change with age, our purpose does not disappear.

That does not mean everyone should work a traditional job until the end of life. Rest matters. Enjoyment matters. Slowing down may be wise and necessary. But the question is not simply, “When can I stop working?” A better question is, “How can I continue bringing value to others in this season of life?”

Many people imagine retirement as a permanent vacation. After decades of work, they look forward to golf, travel, hobbies, and relaxation. Those can all be good gifts from God. But leisure alone cannot carry the weight of a meaningful life.

Mitch points out that there are diminishing returns to leisure. When recreation becomes the whole purpose of life, it often loses its joy. What once felt refreshing can begin to feel repetitive.

The goal is not to choose between vacation and vocation. The goal is a healthy rhythm of both. Rest gives energy to our calling, and meaningful contribution makes rest more enjoyable.

Most retirement planning focuses on money: savings, income, investments, Social Security, taxes, and health care costs. Those are important. But they are not the whole story.

Retirement also brings significant non-financial challenges. People may struggle with i

A musical instrument sounds beautiful when it’s in tune, but over time, the strings loosen, and the notes go flat. But with a little attention and the right adjustments, it can be restored to the perfect pitch. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie shows us how the same is true in our spiritual lives. When we drift out of sync with God, we’re not lost—we just need to be re-tuned. We’re in Nehemiah, learning practical steps to bring our lives back into harmony with God’s plan.

The Harvest Crusade is coming to Angel Stadium on July 11! Stay updated on all important event details. 

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Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.

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You keep telling yourself, “I should be over this by now.” But the same anger, shutdowns, and quiet resentment keep leaking out—at home, at God, at the people you love most. Alicia Michelle, author of Emotional Confidence: Three Simple Steps to Manage Emotions with Science and Scripture, hands you practical emotional intelligence skills to finally deal with what’s underneath—without blowing up your faith or your relationships.

Show Notes and Resources

• Emotional Confidence: Three Simple Steps to Manage Emotions with Science and Scripture by Alicia Michelle→ aliciamichelle.com/emotional-downloads

• Listen to Alicia Michelle’s podcast The Christian Mindset Coach for continued learning and support @ aliciamichelle.com

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Licensed counselor Debra Fileta highlights ways to “fill up” physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In a 6-part process that Debra calls “Soul Care,” she goes through the life and rhythms of Jesus to discover how we can care for our souls. Instead of living unsatisfied, we can experience renewed energy, purpose, and strength to serve others like never before!

Receive the book Soul Care plus a free audio download of the program "Godly Rhythms to Help You Live Life to the Full" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive.

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Are you discouraged today? Have you lost hope? Are you struggling? You just don’t feel like you can do what you know you’re supposed to do? If that’s where you find yourself today, Chip shares words of encouragement and hope about how to handle life when it gets really tough.

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I couldn't just sit down and start using your personal computer. If you work in an office, chances are they make sure that they can have access to the company computer that you use. Your computer, my computer, your company's computer - obviously they're all protected from any funny business by something we call a password. I can't get into my computer without typing in my password. Would you like to know what it is? Nope!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Password For Heaven."

Our word for today from the Word of God is important mostly for one group of people - people who want to go to heaven when they die; Isn't that just about all of us? This statement by the God whose heaven it is reveals the only password that will get you in. And the last thing God wants for it to be is a secret. He really wants you to be there with Him forever, but there's only one way possible.

Acts 4:12 - The disciples have just healed a lame man in the name of Jesus. Then, through them, God says, "Salvation is found in no one else." (When you hear that word salvation, think rescue - like first responders going in to save the lives of people trapped in a collapsed building.) "Salvation (rescue) is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." No one else but Jesus. No other name but Jesus - the only way to be saved, to be rescued.

From what? From the eternal death penalty that the Bible says we all have facing us because we've taken the life God gave us and, in essence, we've made ourselves "God" in our life. My Creator was supposed to run this life that He gave me and I ran it instead. The Bible says every one of us has done that. And there's no religion that can possibly pay or remove that death penalty, including the Christian religion. What we need to be saved from is hell itself. Without that, any hope you or I have for heaven is false hope.

But why is there "no one else," "No other name," other than Jesus? Why is He God's password to heaven? In a world that so values tolerance and open-mindedness, isn't it colossal arrogance to say He's the only way to heaven? Well, I didn't say it. The Bible did. Jesus did when He said, "I am the way...no man comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). It isn't so much about one religion being right and the others wrong. In fact, it's not about religion at all. It's about a spiritual death penalty that can only be paid one way-Somebody's got to die. And that's why Jesus came. When Jesus died on the cross, He was dying so you don't have to. And the day He walked out of His grave, He proved He's got the power to turn your death sentence into eternal life.

Which leaves us with the question on which everything rests, "On what are you basing your hope for heaven?" If your password is the good things you've done or your spiritual background or your religion - no chance. Because your only hope is pinning all your hopes on Jesus Christ.

Has there ever been a time when you clearly, consciously, personally told Jesus that you were placing all your trust in Him? The day you do is the day you trade forever the hell you deserve for the heaven you could never deserve. And this could be that day. With your forever at stake and with life so unpredictable, waiting another day just doesn't make sense.

So today would you say, "Jesus, I understand that You and You alone are the password to heaven, the door to Heaven, the One who opened that door by Your death on the cross for me. And Jesus, beginning today, I am Yours." I want to be sure that you really do belong to Him and that's why we have our website. Would you check out ANewStory.com today?

Your hell cancelled, your heaven guaranteed - today. If you'll enter in through the only name God will acc