Resources:
Midlife & Aging
Find Focus on the Family broadcasts, best-in-class books,
referral recommendations, and more.
Barbara and Susan’s Guide to the Empty Nest by Barbara Rainey and Susan Yates (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Discovering New Purpose, Passion, and Your Next Great Adventure”
The Best Is Yet to Be: Moving Mountains in Midlife by Bruce Peppin
Biblical principles and illustrations from others help you complete life well and pass on a lasting legacy.
Blessing Your Grown Children by Debra Evans
“Affirming, Helping, and Establishing Boundaries”
A Car Seat in My Convertible? by Sharon Hoffman
“Giving Your Grandchildren the Spiritual Ride of Their Lives”
Championship Grandfathering by Carey Casey
“How to Build a Winning Legacy”
Connect With Your Grandkids by Cheri Fuller
“Fun Ways to Bridge the Miles”
Creative Grandparenting by Judy Schreur, Jerry Schreur, and Erin Schreur
Drawing on biblical truth, principles of child development, and personal experience, the Schreurs offer creative ways for grandparents to be a positive, caring presence at every stage in their grandchildren’s lives.
Empty Nest, What’s Next? by Michele Howe
“Parenting Your Adult Children Without Losing Your Mind”
Engaging Today’s Prodigals by Carol Barnier
As a former prodigal, Barnier offers wisdom and encouragement for parents struggling to understand, relate to, and continue loving their prodigal adult child.
Extreme Grandparenting: The Ride of Your Life by Tim and Darcy Kimmel
With honesty, humor, and practical experiences, the Kimmels help you reach out and relate to your grandchildren—not only as a loving family member, but as a spiritual rock during hard times.
Generation G: Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray by Marty Norman
Norman looks at grandparenting in the twenty-first century and what it means to be a memory maker, legacy builder, generational healer, and historian.
How to Really Love Your Adult Child by Gary Chapman, Ph.D., and Ross Campbell, M.D.
“Adulthood” carries new meaning in the 21st century—and parents are often caught between meeting their own needs and helping grown kids. Learn to set appropriate boundaries and create a healthy, rewarding relationship with your adult child.
Improving With Age by Stuart and Jill Briscoe
“God’s Plan for Getting Older and Better”
The Joys of Successful Aging: Living Your Days to the Fullest by George Sweeting
Offering insight on everything from health and humor to having a Christ-honoring attitude, Sweeting shows you how to let go of your fear of aging, “do your giving while you’re living,” and finish with grace!
Long Distance Grandma by Janet Teitsort
“Staying Connected Across the Miles”
Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God by Paul David Tripp (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
You don’t have to be paralyzed by regret, defeated by aging, or discouraged by unfulfilled dreams.
Love No Matter What by Brenda Garrison
“When Your Kids Make Decisions You Don’t Agree With”
Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well by Billy Graham
“Growing older with grace is possible for all who will set their hearts and minds on the Giver of grace, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Once a Parent, Always a Parent by Stephen A. Bly
Bly helps parents of adult children understand how to be appropriately concerned for their children, and he suggests ways to avoid offenses and hurts.
The Power of a Praying Grandparent by Stormie Omartian
“The best way to love your grandchildren is to pray for them.”
The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children by Stormie Omartian
Seek God’s guidance for your adult children—for their faith, career, marriages, parenting, and other important decisions they’ll have to make.
Prodigals and Those Who Love Them by Ruth Bell Graham
Graham knows about prodigals; two of her five children were spiritual wanderers. This book is a collection of readings she turned to for comfort, and she also offers personal encouragement through Scripture, poems, hymns, and prayers.
Raising Your Children’s Children by Martha Evans Sparks
“Hope for Grandparents Raising Grandkids”
Rethinking Retirement: Finishing Life for the Glory of Christ by John Piper
“How will we live [our final years] in such a way as to show that Christ is our highest Treasure?”
The Second-Half Adventure by Kay Marshall Strom (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Whoever you are, whatever your skills, wherever your life road has taken you, you can use what you have gained to help change the world. There is work to be done, and there is a place for you.”
The Second Half of Marriage by David and Claudia Arp
“Facing the Eight Challenges of Every Long-Term Marriage”
Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children by Allison Bottke
“Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents”
Splitting Heirs by Ron Blue and Jeremy White
“Giving Your Money and Things to Your Children Without Ruining Their Lives”
When God Interrupts by M. Craig Barnes
“Finding New Life Through Unwanted Change”
Your Money After the Big 5-0: Wealth for the Second Half of Life by Larry Burkett and Ron Blue
This resource will help make your retirement planning successful—regardless of how much you’ve saved to this point.
Being a Champion to Your Grandkids (Carey Casey)
Casey, CEO of the National Center for Fathering, explains how important grandfathers are to their grandkids. Learn to bridge the relational gap between the generations and leave a lasting, godly legacy.
Bringing Home the Prodigals (Rob Parsons)
Parsons shares his heart for prodigals and their families. We sometimes make people prodigals by being critical of unimportant things. Instead, we should consider the best ways to pray for them and demonstrate God’s love.
Building Bridges With Your Adult Child (Brenda Garrison)
Garrison shares her personal parenting journey with her oldest daughter. The relationship worsened when 18-year-old Katie announced she would be moving out of their home. Learn to trust God with your adult child as you consider how to build bridges of love rather than walls of resentment.
Casting a Vision for Your Adult Child (Dr. Bob and Mrs. Cheryl Reccord)
The Reccords candidly admit some of the challenges they faced in raising their kids. They remind parents to have a heart like the father of the prodigal son, waiting at the end of the road for him to come home.
Connecting With Your Grandchildren (Cheri Fuller)
Fuller talks about the important role grandparents play in their grandchildren’s lives. She offers ideas and tips for engaging grandkids in fun ways and for staying in touch with children who live far away.
Finishing Strong (Stuart and Jill Briscoe)
The Briscoes have partnered in ministry for most of their nearly 60 years of marriage. They share the importance of staying active, ministering to others, impacting younger generations, and being available for the Lord.
Grace-Based Grandparenting (Dr. Tim and Mrs. Darcy Kimmel)
The Kimmels share personal experiences and insights on the roles of grandparents: 1) give a blessing (it’s less about what you say and more what you do); 2) leave a legacy; 3) bear a torch for the Gospel and moral living; and 4) set a standard.
Grandparents: Connecting Across the Miles (Cheri Fuller)
Grandparents can connect with grandchildren who live far away.
Improving Marriage After the Empty Nest (Dr. Bob and Mrs. Cheryl Reccord)
The empty-nest season brings joys and challenges, and the pain couples might feel when their children leave home can strain marriages to the breaking point. Draw together during this time and move forward with renewed fulfillment and purpose.
Learning God’s Ways While Raising a Family (Rob Parsons)
Parsons talks about giving, serving, and loving. Hear practical wisdom and life lessons to pass on to your children and grandchildren.
Leaving a Legacy of Love (Bill Butterworth)
Butterworth talks about leaving a legacy as parents. People who are loving understand three things: 1) Love is a top priority. 2) Love takes practice. 3) Love has tremendous power.
Leaving a Legacy Through Letters (Greg Vaughn)
When Greg’s father died, Greg realized he didn’t possess anything that communicated his dad’s love. Wanting his own children’s experience to be different, he began writing letters to each of them saying how much he loved them.
Living Well After Middle Age (Ken Davis)
Christian humorist Davis encourages listeners to live life to the fullest through faith, family, nutrition, and exercise.
Loving Your Adult Child (Dr. Gary Chapman)
Chapman describes how to maintain a loving relationship with your adult child—whether they’re making poor choices or are sincerely struggling and just need a helping hand.
Making Your Money Last (Dave Ramsey)
Midlife and beyond can be the most productive time in a person’s life. Ramsey talks about preparing for and living well during retirement, covering everything from estate plans to Social Security to insurance needs.
Practical Advice for Grandparents (Jerry and Judy Schreur)
The Schreurs discuss ideas to encourage grandparents to take an active role in the lives of their grandchildren and leave a generational legacy.
Thriving in the Empty Nest Years (Barbara Rainey, Susan Yates)
Rainey and Yates give advice for finding fulfillment and significance based on their book Barbara and Susan’s Guide to the Empty Nest: Discovering New Purpose, Passion & Your Next Great Adventure.
Your New Roles With an Empty Nest (Michele Howe)
Howe discusses the transition parents make to establish a new role when children leave home. She talks about appropriate boundaries with adult children who come home to live—including what tough love looked like for their prodigal daughter.
Focus on the Family Counseling Consultation Line
If you need someone to talk to, Focus on the Family offers a free phone counseling consultation with a licensed or pastoral counselor. Call 1-855-771-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday, 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM (MT).
Focus on the Family’s Christian Counselor Network
Search for licensed Christian counselors in your area.
60 Plus Association
This secular, citizen lobby organization is dedicated to protecting the rights of senior citizens.
The Alzheimer’s Association
This secular organization provides information to families afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease.
The Association of Mature American Citizens
This secular organization advocates for and provides updates about issues affecting seniors.
Christian Association of Serving Adult Ministries Network (CASA)
CASA provides a variety of resources to pastors and lay leaders, serving the needs of middle- and senior-age adults for spiritual growth, fellowship, education, and service.
The Cooper Aerobics Center
The Cooper Wellness Program medical spa offers programs tailored to an individual’s available time, personal needs, and health concerns.
Finishers Project
This service organization helps connect people with mission opportunities around the globe.
God Cares Ministry
This organization helps Christian volunteers “share the love and Word of Jesus Christ with the people living in nursing home.”
LateLife Hope
Jim and Jan Conway offer support for living the remaining season of life with dignity and productivity.
Love-Wise
The ministry of Bill and Pam Farrel: “We concluded that anyone can have successful relationships so we’ve devoted our lives to sharing the practical skills we learned with as many people as possible.”
National Institute on Aging
This secular organization provides information on aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
The Seniors Coalition
This organization represents the interests and concerns of senior Americans for issues at the state and federal levels—to protect the well-being of older Americans, while supporting common-sense solutions to the challenges of the future.
The Sonshine Society
This interdenominational group comes alongside local churches and individual Christians to provide a consistent and effective witness to those in nursing homes or other care centers.
Referrals to secular organizations dealing with specialized areas of knowledge shouldn’t be read as an indication that their stances necessarily align with Focus on the Family’s perspective in all areas.
