Becoming Sage: Cultivating Meaning, Purpose, and Spirituality in Midlife

Van Loon (Born to Wander), a spirituality blogger, explores in this evocative guide the “gifts and challenges” unique to midlife that can be used to deepen one’s spirituality. Van Loon provides advice on changing family dynamics, building friendships later in life, and accepting one’s body, as well as a six-step plan (including prayers) for reconnecting to one’s faith. She explains that older adults are leaving or cutting involvement in the church at high levels, often because churches provide primarily “family-centered programming.” To provide what she feels is more relevant information to older readers, she includes chapters on how to manage finances (as a counterpoint to “prosperity preaching”), advice on searching out mental health resources, and encouragement for rethinking one’s vocation later in life. A true sage, she says, is always growing in faith, hope, and love. “Maturity is forged from the beautiful and terrible and mundane stuff of our lives as we seek to crawl, stand, walk, and run with Jesus on our way to Real.” Questions for individual reflection and group conversation accompany each chapter, and a reading list provides additional resources. This will be a helpful resource for people in midlife and for churches eager to offer help and understanding to this growing demographic. (Apr.)