Retire Repurposed

When Ben's neighbor calls him 'Bible Ben,' it should feel like a compliment. Instead, it bothers him because he knows himself better than anyone else does. In this vulnerable episode, Ben and Jerrid explore a truth that challenges Christian culture: there's no such thing as a 'good retiree' who finally gets it all right. There are only retirees being sanctified, being made new by Christ over time. Drawing from C.S. Lewis's insight on spiritual transformation, Ben reveals why the question isn't 'Am I a good retiree?' but rather 'Am I becoming more like Christ?' Learn...

In this episode, Ben Taatjes wrestles with a tension that few achievers are honest about: Can something genuinely given to God, like a calling or business, still become an unhealthy source of identity? As Ben reflects on 20 years of building Stewards Planning Group, he explores how passion for God's work can quietly become dependence on that work to tell him who he is. Drawing from Colossians 3:3-4 and the example of John the Baptist, Ben and Jerrid examine the critical distinction between calling and identity. Discover why achievement always wants another measurement, how an identity built on accomplishment has...

Building on last week's discussion, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta provide the practical pathway for moving your identity from your roles to your identity in Christ. Using Tim Keller's powerful story of two mothers facing teenage struggles, they reveal how good things (career, parenthood, success, being needed) become identity crises when they become the thing we depend upon to know who we are.

In this episode, Ben Taatjes shares his personal experience of dropping his youngest daughter at college - a moment that forced him to confront a crucial retirement question: When the duties that defined me disappear, who am I? Drawing from Tim Keller's insight on identity, Ben contrasts two incomplete answers: the traditional 'I am my duties' and the modern 'I am my desires.' Discover how your identity in Christ allows you to find fresh expressions of purpose even when the duties you've known for decades have changed.

In this final episode of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta reveal that what retirees call 'fear of being alone' runs much deeper than loneliness. Throughout this series, they've discovered that most retirement fears eventually trace back to four fundamental questions. Drawing from Acts 17:28, this episode reframes retirement from a series of threats to be managed into an opportunity to place your security, identity, significance, and belonging firmly in God - the one thing retirement can never take away. A powerful conclusion that shows why Generative Work becomes the practical expression of spiritual security.

In this episode, Ben Taatjes explores a paradox many retirees face: we dream for decades about having more time, then retirement arrives and we treat our newfound abundance with surprising casualness. Through the contrasting stories of college drop-offs, Ben reveals how our perspective on time's value changes only after the moment has passed. Drawing from Psalm 90:12, Ben challenges retirees to truly understand what it means to 'number our days' - not from fear of running out, but from wisdom about stewarding what we've been given. Discover how making the best use of time doesn't mean maximizing productivity, but rather...

In part two of our generative work exploration, Ben Taatjes addresses the critical distinction many retirees miss: your career gave you a platform, not your purpose. While your job title disappears at retirement, the deeper gifts and calling that animated your work remain intact. Ben walks retirees through four powerful questions designed to uncover what actually gave you energy and meaning beneath the job description, and more importantly, who could benefit from those gifts now. Discover how retirement shifts the question from 'What will I do with myself?' to 'Who could I help and what could I grow...

Continuing the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes introduces a transformative concept: generative work in retirement. While it may seem counterintuitive, Ben is decidedly pro-work in retirement - just not the kind you left behind. Generative work is fundamentally different. It's the kind of work that connects you deeper to who you actually are and what you were created to do. Rather than working to stay busy or fill time, generative work produces something beyond yourself - impact, legacy, transformation, and meaning. In this first part of exploring this concept, Ben clearly defines what generative work is and, equally important, what...

In this episode, Ben Taatjes addresses a fear many retirees are almost embarrassed to admit: 'I'm going to miss my job.' But Ben reveals that the real fear isn't about the job itself - it's about losing the significance, purpose, and sense of "mattering" that the job provided. Drawing from Jordan Raynor's biblical perspective on work, Ben redefines what work actually means beyond paid employment and challenges the cultural narrative that retirement means a life of permanent leisure. Discover why God designed both work and rest, why the desire to create and contribute doesn't disappear at retirement, and...

In this continuation of the regret discussion within the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes, Financial Advisor, challenges a widely held assumption: that retiring as early as possible is always the goal. What if the real regret isn't working too long, but retiring too soon? Through the story of a 72-year-old man who worked until the end of his life, Ben paints a picture that society views as tragic - yet reveals a profoundly different narrative. Rather than lamenting a life of work, this man's story illustrates a life of purpose, contribution, and meaning. This episode forces retirees to ask...

In this installment of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes explores one of retirement's most haunting fears: regret. Research shows people regret what they didn't do far more than what they actually did - and regret isn't something that strikes overnight. It's a slow erosion that builds over years of deferred dreams and postponed connections. Ben reveals why society's current view of retirement actually accelerates this erosion rather than preventing it. Drawing on the time value of life and memories, Ben shows why most regrets are fundamentally relational - about time not spent with loved ones and experiences not...

Continuing the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes addresses a fear closely tied to but distinct from irrelevance: the fear of losing significance. Society tells a clear narrative - young people innovate, middle-aged people produce, and older people retire into insignificance. But Ben counteracts this cultural lie with a powerful truth about the irreplaceable value of wisdom. Discover why wisdom creates far greater impact than pure movement and energy, and why older voices are desperately needed in our fast-changing world. Learn how to completely rewire what significance means in retirement - moving beyond the metrics of productivity and ambition to...

In this episode of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes tackles one of retirement's most crippling fears: becoming irrelevant. For decades, when people ask 'What do you do?', we answer with our job title - mistaking our role for our identity. But retirement forces a reckoning with a deeper question: Who am I without my career? Discover how to reorganize your understanding of who you actually are at your core, so you can base your identity on something that doesn't disappear when you leave the workforce. Ben provides practical strategies for alleviating the fear of irrelevance by reconnecting...

In this episode of the health section in the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes addresses the foundation upon which all other health pillars rest: spiritual health and identity. Retirement doesn't answer life's deepest questions - it removes the noise and distractions that careers provided for decades, forcing us to confront who we really are at our core. Ben reveals two distinct paths retirees can follow: one with a firmly rooted identity found in Christ, and another that knows about Christ intellectually but hasn't grasped it at an identity level. This isn't a conversation about religion - it's about the...

In this powerful continuation of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes addresses one of retirees' deepest fears - Alzheimer's disease and memory loss. Rather than focusing solely on brain mechanics, Ben explores research that points to something deeper: the functionality of our heart and soul. Discover why the real key to retirement isn't avoiding Alzheimer's, but living with genuine heart and purpose. In a remarkable convergence, the very things that connect us to our hearts - meaningful relationships, spiritual engagement, purposeful contribution, and genuine connection - are precisely what research shows prevent cognitive decline. This episode transforms Alzheimer's anxiety fr...

Fresh back from a family trip to Greece, Ben Taatjes reflects on what this experience reveals about retirement in America. Drawing inspiration from Acts 17 - where the disciples were said to have turned the world upside down - Ben poses a challenging question: What if you came to turn the typical world of retirement upside down? Through his observations in Greece, Ben discovered striking contrasts to American retirement culture, including surprising insights about separation, family structure, and how we've built retirement homes rather than building retirement into family life. This episode challenges the conventional American retirement model and offers...

Continuing the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes addresses one of retirees' deepest fears - cognitive decline and memory loss. Rather than focusing solely on preventing decline, Ben reveals two major keys that not only protect your mind but actually enhance your overall retirement fulfillment. The first key challenges the notion that retirement is just about staying busy - it's about staying genuinely connected with others. The second key goes deeper, showing how cognitive health prevention is fundamentally intertwined with finding greater purpose and meaning in retirement. Discover why isolation is one of the greatest threats to cognitive health and...

In this continuation of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta address a taboo topic that rarely gets discussed: the rising divorce rate among older couples and the reality of mediocre marriages in retirement. While staying married is important, the real goal should be building a thriving marriage that deepens in connection and intimacy over time. Discover why retirement often exposes marital weaknesses and learn practical strategies couples can implement both before and after retirement to strengthen their bond. This honest conversation challenges the cultural silence around marriage quality in later years and provides a roadmap for...

Continuing the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben and Jerrid move beyond physical health to explore the often-overlooked pillars of emotional and relational health in retirement. Discover how the typical American Dream retirement actually sets retirees up for emotional failure rather than success. Learn why emotional health requires more than staying busy or even having purpose - it demands intentional action. Ben and Jerrid also dive deep into relational health, with particular focus on the critical importance of marital health in retirement. This episode goes far beyond surface-level retirement planning to address the deep human needs that determine whether retirement thrives...

In part three of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes tackles one of retirees' most persistent worries - health and the rising cost of healthcare. While these concerns seem straightforward, Ben reveals a much deeper source behind this anxiety that most retirees don't recognize. Discover why health worries often mask something more fundamental about identity, purpose, and mortality. More importantly, learn how to reframe this worry in a way that actually creates greater purpose and intentionality in your retirement years. This episode transforms healthcare anxiety from a paralyzing fear into a catalyst for living more fully and purposefully with...

In part two of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta explore the deep operating system that drives our feelings toward money. Jerrid shares a vulnerable story about growing up in a trailer home where money was always fleeting, revealing how childhood experiences shape adult spending behaviors decades later. Ben then breaks down the X's and O's of viewing money from a place of contentment and wholeness rather than scarcity and fear. Discover how understanding your personal money story - where your beliefs about spending and saving originated - allows you to rewrite the script and approach...

Welcome to a new miniseries called 'Double Click,' where Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta dive deep into the biggest worries facing retirees today. Rather than surface-level answers, they're peeling back the layers to reveal the real reasons retirees feel the way they do - enabling transformation from the inside out. In this first episode, they tackle the most obvious and prevalent worry: running out of money. But as Ben and Jerrid dissect this fear, they discover it's not actually about running out of money at all - it's about whether you have permission to spend. Learn how understanding...

Building on last week's distinction between a retired Christian and a Christian retiree, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta explore how true transformation happens from the inside out. Jerrid shares powerful insights about helping people understand the deepest cry of their soul, drawing wisdom from Matthew 24:18. Discover what everyone truly desires - rest for the soul - and how this rest comes only through genuine connection with your Creator and stepping into your authentic identity. Learn why this inner transformation doesn't just change you; it electrifies your impact and influence on those around you. This episode reveals that when you...

In this episode, Ben Taatjes shares insights from his recent Kingdom Advisor work that forced him to recalibrate his own identity. Through this process, he discovered that the system by which we operate is far more important than any title or label we carry. But how does this translate into a retiree's life? Ben and Jerrid explore the core shift that changes everything: retirement isn't the goal - it's the tool from which to operate a whole new life. Discover the profound difference between being a Christian who happens to be retired versus being a Christian retiree who uses...

Drawing from a  sermon illustration about a man who drove home without any memory of the journey, Ben Taatjes explores how retirement can lull us into a dangerous autopilot mode. When everything becomes familiar and comfortable, we stop growing - and as John Maxwell warns, if you're not growing, you're dying. Discover how this slow but gradual descent happens as life's momentum naturally slows down with age. Ben challenges retirees to pursue intentional discomfort and provides practical ways to accelerate growth while decelerating the slowing of life's momentum. This episode is a wake-up call for anyone who's settled into t...

Fresh off an amazing vacation, Ben Taatjes reflects on the rejuvenating power of rest - but quickly reminds us that this is only a fraction of what retirement should be about. Yes, retirement should include times for vacation, rest, and decompression. But it should also include meaningful work. Discover why the magic lies in the balance between these two essential elements. Learn how rest and work aren't opposing forces but complementary ones - you can't fully appreciate one without the other. This episode reveals how both rest and work enhance each other, allowing you to enjoy each to a...

In this personal episode, Ben Taatjes shares, Founder & CEO of Stewards Planning Group, startling news - his father suffered a mild heart attack. While his father is okay, the experience prompted profound reflection on life's brevity and the finite time we have left on Earth. Through this lens, Ben dissects the crucial difference between legacy and inheritance and why it matters deeply for retirees. Discover how to utilize your remaining time to impact those you love in the greatest way - not just financially, but through the transfer of values from one generation to the next. If you're considering...

In this episode, Ben Taatjes addresses a question many retirees are asking as they watch concerning news cycles: Should I be worried? Through a recent client conversation about Middle East tensions, Ben reveals that the real battle isn't financial - it's the battle for your mind. Drawing from scripture on taking every thought captive and being transformed by the renewing of your mind, Ben explores the intentional work required to maintain a sound mind in retirement. Discover why protecting your mental and emotional well-being is as critical as any financial plan, and learn three practical strategies for taking control...

Building on last week's conversation about identity and the deep longing many feel in retirement, Ben Taatjes explores whether what feels like something missing might actually be a matter of alignment. Discover the three major steps to surrendering and becoming more aligned with God's purpose for your life. Beginning with surrender itself - losing attachment to outcomes - Ben reveals how this creates transformation that helps us understand God's will as outlined in Romans 12:1-2. Learn why God's plan isn't something we frantically chase but something we begin to recognize as our hearts and values align with His. This...

In this episode, Ben Taatjes explores a concept that transforms how retirees approach their resources: the time value of memories. Just as money compounds over time through investments, memories carry the same compounding power, paying dividends throughout our lives and into eternity. Ben addresses the dangerous trap of 'someday' thinking - the belief that retirement experiences can wait - and reveals why this mindset often leads to profound regret. Discover how proper stewardship means understanding what you're stewarding, how much you truly need, and what to do with the rest. This episode is a powerful reminder that time is...

Inspired by insights from a recent John Maxwell leadership summit, Ben Taatjes explores the powerful distinction between legacy and inheritance. Maxwell's wisdom - 'What you leave in their life is more important than what you leave for their life' - sets the foundation for understanding the true aim of retirement. Discover how to craft the single sentence by which you want your legacy defined and learn Ben's three C's of legacy building. This episode challenges conventional thinking about wealth transfer and reveals how to orient your retirement finances around what truly matters - the impact you leave in people's...

In this episode, Ben Taatjes explores the foundational question every retiree must answer before stepping into their next chapter: Who were you created to be? Drawing from C.S. Lewis's insight on the longings of our hearts, Ben reveals why misplaced identity before retirement becomes amplified afterward. Discover the core truths about your identity - that you're made in God's image, created to serve others, and called to give because God is a giver. Learn why the goal of life isn't accumulating the most money possible, but strategically giving it away in alignment with your true identity. Ben challenges...

In this episode, Ben Taatjes addresses a key truth many retirees discover too late: retirement doesn't fix identity issues - it reveals them. When the guardrails of work structure, daily contribution, and external validation disappear, we're left face-to-face with ourselves, and often those inner gaps speak louder, not quieter. Drawing from C.S. Lewis's 'Mere Christianity,' Ben explores the deeper longing for something more that intensifies when we're stripped down to our bare selves. Discover why retirement itself cannot resolve this longing and how retirees must reconnect with the foundational truth that they're created in God's image and...

In this deeply moving special episode, Ben Taatjes welcomes longtime client Sue, who happened to be in the office on recording day, a divine appointment following last week's conversation about listening through pain. Sue, who is courageously battling stage 4 colon cancer, shares her raw and unfiltered journey of discovering greater purpose while facing her greatest trial. Through an honest conversation about daily life with chemotherapy, Sue reveals the mindset, faith, and sense of purpose that keep her moving forward. This powerful testimony demonstrates what it looks like to lean into pain, listen to God's voice in suffering, and find...

Expanding on last week's discussion about listening for God's voice, Ben Taatjes slows down to explore something many avoid: pain. For retirees, pain isn't theoretical; it's deeply personal. Discover why pain is often when we give God our fullest attention and how pain accomplishes what comfort never will. Learn how comfort dulls our questions while pain awakens them and why pain functions as a signal—not a sentence or verdict on your life. Rather, it is a call to correction and growth. Ben reveals how God speaks through restlessness, peace, people, and yes, pain itself. This tender episode encourages th...

Building on recent conversations about alignment and surrender, Ben Taatjes explores what comes next: the critical practice of listening. Once you've surrendered, how do you actually hear what God is saying? Discover how to listen effectively in three specific areas of life: during times of peace, during seasons of restlessness, and when receiving feedback from others. Learn practical strategies for discerning God's voice and understanding what's next in your retirement journey. Ben emphasizes why continued action is essential while listening—because movement creates clarity, not paralysis. This episode provides a roadmap for active listening that leads to purposeful decisions an...

Continuing last week's powerful conversation, Ben Taatjes goes deeper into what surrender actually looks like in retirement. Discover why people get off track and lose their identity by surrendering to the wrong things. Because the truth is, we're all surrendering to something. Learn how misplaced surrender creates idols and pulls you out of alignment, and why surrender isn't the endgame but a catalyst that creates space to do and become more. Ben explores what financial surrender looks like in practice and how it paves the way for a correct, viable retirement plan with genuine clarity. This episode reveals how...

In this powerful first episode of 2026, Ben Taatjes explores his defining word from last year, surrender, and its crucial importance for retirees. Discover how surrender isn't about giving up or becoming passive, but about realignment with God's purpose. While realignment asks 'What's off?' surrender answers 'What am I clinging to?' Learn why surrender creates space for intentional living, brings more clarity (not less), deeper peace (not passivity), and better decisions (not fewer). Ben addresses why surrender feels especially difficult for retirees who already feel they've lost control, particularly around their finances, and reveals how releasing your grip...

In this convicting episode, Ben Taatjes addresses the subtle danger of complacency in retirement after noticing clients who seemed unusually tired and lacking energy. Drawing from Old Testament wisdom, Ben reveals how complacency isn't just about low motivation; it's actually a failure to make room for our need for God in our lives. Discover the critical difference between complacency and rest: while complacency drains us, genuine rest rejuvenates us for greater purpose. This episode challenges retirees to examine whether their tiredness signals misalignment and offers biblical insight for reigniting energy and purpose in retirement.

Building on last week's conversation about alignment, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta guide listeners toward the next step in their retirement journey: intentional living. This hopeful and encouraging episode normalizes the feelings many retirees experience while moving them forward with practical wisdom. Discover the crucial difference between busyness and intentionality, and learn why activity doesn't automatically mean you're on the right track. Ben explores three major areas for living intentionally in retirement: how you invest your time, where you direct your contribution, and the way you steward your money. This calm, innovative conversation offers a roadmap for purposeful retirement...