Jim Brangenberg: ​Did you know that when you retire, your calling doesn't retire? If you've got a pulse, you've got a purpose. Your calling is a lifetime calling, and if you're still around, God's not done with you yet. As a retired person, you are a fully funded missionary - for the rest of your life.

Don't understand what that means? Well, maybe Bruce and I will talk about that today. You've tuned in to iRetire4Him, the voice and resource of the Retirement Reformation, with Bruce Bruinsma, the founder of the Retirement Reformation, and I'm your host, Jim Brangenberg. We invite you to check us out online, retirementreformation. org, and on Facebook, Retirement Reformation.

Here's something I know for sure: no matter where you live in the United States, or frankly, anywhere on this planet, there are needs in your community for volunteers. So many needs. Having run a non profit for the last 12 years I can attest to the fact that I can always use a little volunteer help. You now have the most freedom in your life and you have a lifetime of experiences and talents that you can share. Where are you investing your faith walk, your talents, your wisdom, to make your city a better place to live?

Today, Bruce and I are going to dig into this topic because it is critical to the health of your city and the health of our nation. Bruce, you've been an avid volunteer over the years. What are some of the places that you've invested your time, talent, and wisdom?

Bruce Bruinsma: Couple things that are helpful. Matter of fact, a friend of mine gave me an insight the other day that is foundational to answering your question. It was that It is a passion that is built into you that gives you the energy to be able to take the steps that it needs to be a good volunteer or a good supporter or a good anything, but it is your calling that identifies where you are needed.

And so the combination of passion, energy, and need - calling unique for you - are the things that when they come together, you find meaning and purpose. So the places where I found -matter of fact just recently I went to our men's group at church, was doing a barbecue cook off. And I don't normally go to those things, but I went.

Jim Brangenberg: So you had to suffer for the Lord and eat barbecue.

Bruce Bruinsma: I had to suffer for the Lord. Well, it was indigestion is what I had to suffer. But at any rate, as I walked in, there was a guy, looked like maybe his early 60s, was sitting by himself at a table, and I didn't recognize him. So I went over and sat down and, and said, how are you doing? And so we ended up with a, a long conversation and we ended up having breakfast a couple of days ago. And so in the age group that I'm in, that idea of mentoring or being available to others, to be able to share with, whatever the circumstance. Whether it's just a guy you meet at church, or it's any one of a whole collection of others where you can be a mentor to them is important.

And mentoring what? Well, what it is that you know? And it could be mentoring about how to shovel snow. Could be mentoring about, as we said in our last segment, mentoring about how to prepare meals. I find myself as a caregiver now, you know, preparing three meals a day. You know, after a few months, you look for books like this, easy weeknight dinner, easy weeknight dinners, and you go, Oh man, thank goodness I got that. Well, I'm sure that there are other people that I'm going to run into that I'm going to get a copy of this and give it to them.

So what it is that God has prepared you for the need that then shows up and you're being intentionally available to them, is all part of this process of blessing your city, blessing your neighbors. I had a another friend of mine that I was talking to when he was complaining about how, you know, he had some ideas for the city, but he can't ever get the mayor's attention. I said, Well, you know, there's seven different City Councilman. Call their office and tell them you want to take them out for lunch. I said, talk to them about your idea. Talk to them about what issues that they're doing with. And you can insert yourself by being available to be able to deliver what it is that you have experienced. Or what it is, the value that you bring to the conversation.

Jim Brangenberg: You know, Bruce, I want to draw attention to the manifesto, the Retirement Reformation manifesto, which you can find online on our website, Retirement Reformation. org, and then click on the manifesto. Point number four says stewardship. We realize retirement may extend for 30 years or longer. Holy smokes. The reality of longevity demands that we see all retirement seasons as a resource to be appreciated, embraced, valued, and to faithfully steward. We're committed to healthy living.

And then service. We live on mission for Jesus, representing him to others. God calls each of us to be on mission during every stage of life. An important role for those in retirement is to pass on wisdom learned and encourage the next generation, coaching, mentoring, volunteering, and grandparenting are valuable opportunities available to us. Two exact points for where you just talked about of things we can do with intentionality . Very very very powerful.

It's so important that we recognize that we have, as chronologically superior people, we have resources. So Bruce, what are some of the places in your community that need volunteers?

Bruce Bruinsma: Well, there's, instead of starting with the organization, start with the needs that are, and then see who is filling them. So whether we're talking about homelessness, or we're talking about foster parenting, or single parenting, or grandparent parenting, those are huge and growing needs that are often ignored. And so to be able to start with that and then to be able to step into an area.

A good friend of mine, his son was having some real serious problems with alcohol and that's not unusual and but it just so happened that there's an organization called hope is alive. Hope is Alive brings the recovery houses for four to seven men or four to seven women.

And there are six month to a year programs that are Christian based and they just do a fantastic, they got a 70 percent recovery, ongoing recovery percentage, which is huge. Well, there's one example. Embrace Grace is another that we've talked about, so identify the need and then say, what, what people, what organizations are helping in that area? And then you may find a need that nobody's helping and that, in fact, you can step in, like being a wraparound grandparent for foster kids and foster families in your church.

Jim Brangenberg: That was exactly what I was going to say. We have talked so much about that, and we will never stop talking about it. But if you've got families that have adopted, families that have fostered, they need help wraparound grandparenting, there's enough room for lots of sets of grandparents and family like that, because adopting is hard. Fostering is hard. Frankly, just having your own children and raising them is hard, and especially when they're not near their grandparents. So that's a great idea.

Bruce Bruinsma: If I can just give a specific, some specific suggestion there for someone who's listening, or maybe multiple people who are listening will respond to this, but take the initiative in your church to identify where the foster families are, where the adoptive families are, then put together or suggest that a group of seniors come together, of different ages, as seniors with different skill sets and different abilities, and you come together in a groups of seven or eight. And bring them together and then introduce them to those foster parents and as a team be available to them across the needs that they have. Whether it be giving them some respite or one of the kids needs help with math or they've got two or three kids and they can't get to go to all the ballgames or they just simply need prayer, but be a leader to put together a group of seniors to be a support rather than just an individual. That will be so meaningful.

And then if you do that and then replicate that, there's a, there's a ministry need and opportunity that exists across our country and in every single church that exists.

Jim Brangenberg: I want to bring up, just before we close out this segment, some lists of community places and communities that always need volunteers.

Schools. You already mentioned schools in our previous podcast. Schools are always looking for volunteers. People to read, people to have kids read to. Food banks. They're always looking for volunteers for food banks. Thrift stores. They often don't want to pay people so they can make the money off the thrift in order to support whatever ministry they're supporting with the thrift stores.

Local chambers of commerce. If you're business people, retired business person, local chambers are always looking for mentors and people to lead activities and to pour into other people. Your local church. Always is looking for volunteers for all kinds of things. Community centers. If you're so lucky to be in a community that has a community center, they're always looking for somebody to check people in and check people out.

Local businesses, maybe they just are really, they could use some help, but they can't afford to pay for it. And you could volunteer, or maybe they can afford to pay for it, but not what you used to make, but you could pour your life into a local business. Fire departments and police departments. I joined the fire department at 58 years old.

There's people that they need volunteers. And I'm certainly capable of doing 90 percent of what those young kids do. Police departments. They're always looking for volunteers, filling out reports, doing community service monitoring, that kind of stuff. Hospitals! Greeters at the hospitals! Just people who go in and say hello to people in the rooms.

Pregnancy centers. Man, there's a desperate need for more women to help in pregnancy centers. Not so much men, but pregnancy centers. Halfway houses for men and women. And prisons and jails. The local county jail, city jail, and prisons. They're always looking for volunteers. That's a big long list. But if you're looking for somebody, somewhere to plug in your life, there's somewhere locally that could use your gifts, talents, and abilities.

We're going to come right back with the final part, final segment of our interview with Amy Ford from Embrace Grace online at embracegrace. org. And we'll finish up talking about neighboring after we've talked to Amy. We'll be right back with more on iRetire4Him.

 

 

 

 

Jim Brangenberg: Hey, welcome back to iRetire4Him, as we promised you on the last podcast, Amy Ford is back with us today to share a little bit more of her story and a little bit more of the story of Embrace Grace online at embracegrace.com. Embrace Grace.com. Amy, Bruce and I were talking a little offline and said, boy, we'd really love to hear your thoughts on how do we - I want to say this... how do we get the local body of Christ, which we call the church, but we're talking about within the four walls and outside the four walls, how do we get them to recognize this huge ministry opportunity and to not associate guilt and shame with it, but to celebrate the life that is growing inside of another human being? How do we get the church to have a different attitude about this?

Amy Ford: Well, I had one time a woman came up to me and she was like, you know, I'm struggling. You do this Embrace Grace thing and you're throwing baby showers for women with unexpected pregnancies, but maybe they deserve gently used stuff and not brand new. Like they did do some things and make some decisions to get themselves in the situation that they're in. And God just immediately downloaded the prodigal son story. And I was like, you know, have you ever thought about how the prodigal son, he had spent all his dad's money, he'd wasted it all away, and he was literally eating the leftovers of the pigs.

And he said, you know, I could go back home and I could eat the leftovers of my dad's servants. That's a little better than the pigs leftovers. And the, my whole favorite part of the story is it says, and while he was a long way off, the father ran to him and he had his servants put a robe on his back and a ring on his finger. And he said, son, I'm so glad that you're home. You were lost and now you're found. And he said, let's kill the fatted calf and let's have a big party. He didn't say, let's get the leftovers from yesterday. You really messed up. You know, he said, let's have a feast.

And then a lot of times as the church, we can be like the brother. Well, the brother was like, Well, that's not fair. You're going to throw him a party after what he did, like he doesn't deserve that. I've done everything. I've been basically the perfect son, you know, and the father said, son, you have everything that you need in me. So let's go and celebrate that your brother was lost and now he's found.

And I've seen at these baby showers that are happening at churches all over the nation. And anybody that's listening, if you look up embracegrace. com, you can put in your zip code and find a church near you that has Embrace Grace group. Buy gifts, ask them when their next baby shower is. They usually do two a year, but I've seen where the baby shower, that act of love is so overwhelming to the moms. It is true what scripture says that it's God's kindness that leads us to repentance. They are so blown away that people at the church went and bought gifts and their favorite colors and their baby, you know, for their baby, special, unique, even monogram things that they're like, you did that for me? Like they can't believe it.

I remember one girl, one time she missed a lot of classes and we kind of struggled. They're like, does she still get the baby shower? Cause that's the whole thing. You go through the classes and at the end it's a baby shower, but she missed a lot, different reasons. And we're like, yeah, she should be a part. It is Embrace Grace. So yes, we're going to throw her a baby shower. But when she walked in, she saw this table and it was, you know, baby showers for a lot of moms all at the same time, but it was a table full of gifts and she saw it and she said, who am I sharing a table with? And we're like, you're not sharing a table with anyone. All of these gifts are for you and your baby.

And she put her hand over her mouth and just tears going down her face. And she said, I don't deserve this. I don't deserve this. She kept saying it over and over again, and that's the thing about grace, like none of us deserve God's grace and his goodness and his kindness and his mercy. But yet he lavishes us with it anyways, and that we can be as the believers, a part of throwing the parties and partnering with heaven to do that, to draw them one step closer to the heart of God.

And I've seen so many times that sometimes when God wants to woo his daughter or his son back to his heart, he might just give them a baby to do it. And he might just give them the sweetest face that they've ever laid eyes on so that maybe they can get a tiny glimpse of how much God must love them. I've seen it happen over and over and over again. And by walking alongside and planting seeds of love with these moms and there's dad, you are watching some bloom faster than others, but you were watching a transformation happen where they're just getting closer and closer to the heart of Jesus. And they're experiencing God's love that they've never experienced before.

And it's just beautiful and it doesn't matter your age. I remember one time we had a mom that, or I'm sorry, a leader came up to us. She had just started a new group and she said, I have a lady that wants to help me lead, but she's kind of older. She's got a cane. She said, I'm kind of struggling. Like, are the girls going to relate with her? And she said, but I prayed about it and I felt the Lord said, yes, this lady is supposed to co lead with you. And so I said, okay, you can co lead. So she's telling me about her whole semester. I'm like, okay.

But she said this lady really bonded with one of the women in our group, and it was the one of the first new moms. She had her baby, and that new mom ended up naming her baby after that older lead. And she said that that mom never had a grandma. She never had any kind of even a mom figure, and they just bonded in a way that like she named her baby after her and like it doesn't matter age.

We've had even kids like there's we have a leader that has a daughter that is nine years old and the leader was one day babysitting at her house an Embrace Grace baby. So this Embrace Grace mom had ubered over, dropped off the baby, got back in the uber and went to work. And so the little nine year old daughter of the leader said, mom, why doesn't that mom have a car? And she said, well, she can't afford it. And that's why we're helping watch her baby so she can go to work and save her money so she can get a car. And she said, well, why can't we just buy her car? Like we can't afford to buy her car, you know, I wish we could, but we can't. She said, well, what if I baked cupcakes and I saved money and we bought her car?

And she said, well, if you want to try, I mean, you can. So this little nine year old started baking cupcakes and telling people like, Hey, I'm selling cupcakes. I'm trying to buy a car for a single mom. And people, when they heard about it, they're like, here's 500 for a dozen. That's just precious. You know, how amazing is that? And just in a couple of months, this little girl had raised enough to buy a gently used Ford Explorer. And she handed the keys over to this single mom in the church parking lot. And what's so cool is people started hearing about it. So an auto mechanic in the neighborhood was like, Oh my gosh, this is amazing. I'll cover her oil changes for the next three or four years. Someone was like, I cover her insurance for the next three or four years. Someone's like, I got our gas cards for the next three or four years. People, it was the church. You know, it's not a building. It's the people like you were just saying.

And all of us, it's like, what gifts and talents has God put inside of us? And it's not just so we can use it for a job. It is to do the good works that God called us to do. And that may or may not be involved with our job, but that's why he put him inside of us. So just because someone's retired doesn't mean you put those strengths and gifts on a shelf. No, let's use them for the kingdom.

And I know that's your passion too. Like that probably doesn't even feel like work when you're tapping into that thing that brings you life, that God made you for, it doesn't even feel like work. It's joy. And getting involved in the pro life movement, there's so many opportunities that we can use your specific strengths, whether it's financial, helping a mom. A lot of them don't know how to do credit. Like they'll do a tote the note car and get in over their head. They need some financial wisdom. If you're in finances and really good at that.

Maybe you did H. R. You want to help her with a resume and like pick out a cute outfit and get her ready for looking for a great job. Maybe it is babysitting. There's just, it's unlimited how your gifts and talents can be used in the kingdom and that there's so many opportunities in the pro life movement that you can get engaged in.

Jim Brangenberg: Bruce, last question.

Bruce Bruinsma: Amy, what a wonderful message. So thank you for that. You know, God calls us to be fruitful. And the things that you have described are all part of fruit bearing. So thank you. And we look forward to having you back again. Jim?

Jim Brangenberg: Yeah, Amy, as you summarized that great story, that nine year old, I want to meet that nine year old who's probably 15 now, but whatever. That's incredible. Maybe we should get her to run for president in about 24 years, that'd be great. What is the biggest, when you look at the local church that has adopted Embrace Grace inside, what is the biggest need they have with that program within their local church that our audience, that retiree who wants purpose in their life, can fulfill? One minute to answer that question. We got to go.

Amy Ford: Well, definitely it goes back to just discipleship They crave, and really mentorship, guidance, someone taking them by the hand, leading. Embrace Legacy if you're a man. You can lead and walk alongside them speaking life and when you create that relationship. You're finding out things about them that's like, Oh, my gosh, this guy's got dad wounds. Like, let me speak life and give him scriptures and encourage him in that way.

Or maybe someone's got mom wounds, whatever it might be. It's all developed their relationship. So just even if it's one person that you're taking under your wing that you can speak life into will make the hugest difference in the world. And there's so many ways. Check out Embrace Grace dot com. Find a group near you, start a group. There are ways you can do that. That is desperately needed in the church for sure. Whether it's through Embrace Grace or through your own thing, it's so, so needed.

Jim Brangenberg: So is Embrace Legacy, embrace legacy. com for the guys?

Amy Ford: Yeah, we have that. And you can get to it through embrace Grace. com too. But yeah, that's all the information about for the guys to lead a dad's group.

Jim Brangenberg: Fantastic. Amy Ford, Embrace Grace. com. Thanks for being on iRetire4Him today.

Amy Ford: Yeah. Thanks for having me.

Jim Brangenberg: We'll be right back with more on iRetire4Him.

 

 

 

 

Jim Brangenberg: Hey, welcome back to iRetire4Him. Great conversation with Amy Ford, Bruce. Phenomenal organization. I know she was the connection that you had made Embrace Grace. Why don't you just make a comment about Embrace Grace and why you're so passionate about their mission?

Bruce Bruinsma: You know, every time that God puts me in connection with someone whose passion has been given hands and feet and is making differences with a group of people, my heart just goes out for them because that's the representation of what God asked us, what Jesus asked us to do when he talked about love your neighbor.

And so with Embrace Grace, Amy is such, her story is so inspiring and the way that they touch the lives of women and then challenge women to make the difference in the lives of others... just great. It's like Hope is Alive does with men, Embrace Grace does with women, and the need is, is just absolutely, absolutely huge.

You know, one of the principles that we can take away from these conversations is that, you know, where is there a need? So I'll give you an example. I was thinking about, if you just asked yourself, who do I know or what category of person do I know who is lonely? We all can think of a variety of individuals and characters. People that you see at church, but you wonder, do they have anybody else to talk to at all during the week? So, who's lonely and how can you be a part of the solution in their life to just sit and talk or listen to music or bring a meal or whatever it may be? But, but just asking you the question, who is lonely?

Who is struggling with addiction? Who is struggling with family issues? And as you ask those questions and then prepare, and then step into those, you'll be surprised often at how God has uniquely prepared you to be able to make a difference in somebody else's life.

Jim Brangenberg: Bruce, we're talking about investing in our community and some ways we can invest in the community. I think the question is, does the Bible really call us to invest into our community? Is there, is this a scriptural thing?

Bruce Bruinsma: Well, the being a blessing to your community is intrinsic. Matter of fact, as you read, you know, we're pretty early in the year, so for those of us that are reading through the Bible one more time, when you look at the commands that God gave the Israelites and what it is there to do, so many of them involve blessing the community.

Not just blessing how yourself was supposed to be blessed, but the blessing of the community for the good of the community. And so to be able to take that as a model, and then when Jesus, he didn't say, you know, just take care of yourself. He said, love your neighbor and another way to think about neighbor is in fact our community.

So a good number of years ago folks came to me and I, I agreed to run for the school board of the city where we were living in. And that wasn't really something that I thought a lot about, but I have a passion for education and learning. So I decided to do it. On the day of the election, you never know how God's going to guide these things. On the day of the election, when they counted the votes, I lost by seven votes. So, Judy and I took off for a day or so and went over to the beach and we're just going to chill out for a couple of days. And I get a phone call the next morning from a friend of mine says you better get back here.

I said, why is that? He says, they found some absentee ballots and it looks like you won by one. Oh, you're lying. So we charge back and sure enough, after a recount, I won by one vote. And so, you know, as we are led, and that changed my life for four years.

Jim Brangenberg: I bet it did. It made it all pleasantry, right? It was all pleasant.

Bruce Bruinsma: Yeah, well, I wish it were, but, but it was all meaningful. It was all valuable. And it was making a contribution to the, you know, to the community. And so whether it be willing to put yourself out for that, that kind of activity or all the addressing all the other needs that that totally exist. Blessing the community is one of the roles of the church.

Matter of fact, I'll just make this observation. I think one of the places where the church is derelict today is that it is not being a blessing. Therefore, it's not appreciated. And so we need to make some changes within the church, and that's us, to be able to reach out into the community, not just worry about ourselves, but what's next and what can we do? Say, you know, we couldn't, you know, the reason that churches have a tax deductibility and don't pay taxes on their properties is because of the value that they bring to the community.

Well, if you're not bringing value to the community, at some point, that's going to go away. So for practical reasons. But then, Jesus directed reasons of love your neighbor, making a contribution to your community is, as Christians, one of the things that we need to be known for.

Jim Brangenberg: You know, right before the break at the end of the first segment, I listed out a huge list of places that need, desperately need volunteers all the time. I'm going to say them again. Schools, food banks, thrift stores, local chambers of commerce, Church, community centers, local businesses, fire departments, police departments, hospitals, pregnancy centers, halfway houses, prisons, and jails. But I think the question we need to ask is how do you figure out where's the best place to volunteer?

And, and I, I think it's, you got to match your talents with your interests. What do you, what do you like? Because you're volunteering or what are you passionate about? Your passions, right? What are you passionate about?

Bruce Bruinsma: You know, a friend of mine asked me the other day, he says, well, how do you define passion? I said, well, just tell me what makes you cry.

Jim Brangenberg: Or what makes you angry?

Bruce Bruinsma: Or what makes you deliriously happy?

Jim Brangenberg: Okay. Glass half full, glass half empty, because sometimes you see a problem that makes you angry and you're like, I want to help fix that. That's what I mean by that. I think sometimes we get stuck though, Bruce. And it's good. We need to ask our friends. Well, where do you think I'd be best to serve? Because our friends sometimes see us and our spouses definitely see us better than we do. They know us better than us.

Bruce Bruinsma: Yeah. You talked about it. You know, when we talk about our neighbors and asking them over for dinner, ask your three closest friends over for dinner and then pose that question. Say, I'm, I'm struggling a little bit. I'm looking for places where in fact, I think I can be used and I can find meaning and that I can, I can make a difference. Help me. And you'll be surprised at the suggestions that they'll come or the directions that they'll point you, that will then give you a pathway to go. And also it's, it's this whole idea of serving and finding meaning and purpose and, and being a blessing.

 It's iterative and it's progressive. You need to just take the next step and then be open to the next step, right? And be open to the next step. But you've got to take the first step. And there's so many people say, well, I don't know what that's all going to mean. Well, of course you don't, because you haven't taken the first step. And so being encouraged by us today, whatever that is that God's put on your heart or put in front of you, go ahead and take that next step.

Jim Brangenberg: And I suggest that you decide ahead of time about how much time you're willing to volunteer during any given week and maybe what days you'd like to volunteer. And put parameters around it, guardrails around it, so that it doesn't take over your life because you still are retired. And there's some other things you want to do and I would challenge you to find something you can do and volunteer with where your spouse can walk alongside you because that's why you got married anyway, 50 years ago to spend time with your best friend.

Why not find something in retirement you can do together and get some perspective. What do you think about that?

Bruce Bruinsma: I think that's a key reminder. And so, you know, most of our marriages after a long time need some additional work, . And so being able to find those things that you can do together to remind yourself why, when you first saw - when I first saw Judy walking down the aisle of this little church in Columbus, Ohio, and I went, oh my goodness. Oh, wow. Hi, my name's Bruce. Well, that kind of, if you get that regenerated within a context of 50 years of marriage or 60 years of marriage or 40 years of marriage..

Jim Brangenberg: You missed an opportunity there to give a plug for the Ohio State going into the championship game, Bruce.

Bruce Bruinsma: Boy, it's so fun with your spouse to be able to jump up and down at age 62, sit on the edge of your chair and see your team finally make it to the national championship again with all the stories and what you know about the people and the Christ walk of those players from, from Ohio state. It is amazing.

Jim Brangenberg: Yeah. And we're recording this show before the game, even though it gets released after the game, so we don't know the outcome yet, but either way, getting to a national championship's a big deal. Bruce, great conversation about neighboring. I think it's all so important that we remember all the time that God put us where we live on purpose because our neighbors desperately need to meet Jesus and we may be the only Jesus our neighbors ever meet. Bruce, thanks for letting us have this conversation today.

Bruce Bruinsma: Jim, thanks for suggesting the topics and then the ways we always interact and then the guests that we have. So we would ask our listeners, please tell your friend : check out this podcast. Occasionally, these guys have a couple of things that are worthwhile. And and so we would appreciate your help and support in that way.

Jim Brangenberg: Thank you, Bruce. You can check us out online. Retirement reformation dot o r g retirement reformation dot o r g. You've been listening to iRetire4Him, The voice and resource of the Retirement Reformation with your host, Jim Brangenberg and Retirement Reformation's founder, Bruce Bruinsma . We're Christ followers journeying from retirement to reformation, so at the end we can ultimately say, iRetire4Him!