In her twenties my younger sister Sheryl was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Now approaching 70 next month, her diagnosis remains, but she has lived a tremendously fruitful life as an elementary Christian school teacher, calligrapher, artist, queen of hospitality, wife, mother of three and grandmother of six.

As we’ve quickly discovered, encores can come almost before the quest gets rolling.

We really have no idea how God is going to use us in 2026. Yes, we have prayed. Yes, we have some plans. But, oh, do we ever need flexibility and God’s guidance as we encounter the unexpected from day to day.

Later life can present challenges that lead to hard stops, but we know many of us encounter signs suggesting we slow down or perhaps take an alternate route.

As we grow older, may we still be open to God-ordained opportunities to boldly step outside our comfort zones---or allow Him to expand the boundaries of our wheelhouse.

While not all Christians would side with Charlie Kirk’s political stances, his courageous faith walk can teach us a lot, including those of us whose young adult years are distant memories.

…We see parallels as YES! continues to focus on older adults, seen by many as fixed in their ways, past their prime and unreachable. Even within Christian circles, relegating mature believers to Church-of-the-Past pigeonholes—ignoring current potential—is painfully short-sighted.

When people cross significant thresholds, personal identity questions can take center stage. So much of who we are gets wrapped up with life roles we’ve been privileged to play.

Particularly when roles end abruptly, people go through a dense fog patch, wondering who they’ve become with that identity piece now missing.

Of course, our core identity should not be so heavily tied to these roles…we are much more than the sum of these parts.

Significant later-life potential lies in not always starting from scratch but building on something already right in front of us. Something that with just a little more effort has the potential to expand or deepen our outreach.

We challenge you to think about opportunities right in front of you—that with a little extra intentional effort could touch more lives and/or deepen your impact.

The landscape of older adulthood is vast. The physical and mental abilities showing up in the 55+ age range are hugely diverse.

Getting to the point, some of us need care, and some need a kick. And probably most of us can benefit from both.

… reminds me of unsung heroes—dependable older people without glitz, glamor or attachment to the latest tech advances. Some might view them as useless relics from the past or as immigrants who failed to learn the language of their new culture.

But these are content people who make the best of what they have, without always yearning for more. People who show up and respond to the needs of others, sometimes to their own detriment.

It’s surreal getting hard, unexpected medical news. Dreams of living to a ripe old age seem instantly compromised. Internet medical research yielded articles of comfort and hope—and grim realities.

Not all believers respond the same way, but I was immediately blessed with a calm assurance that God has this. He knows the path forward and will walk it with me. We have a Savior who experienced the worst suffering imaginable, firsthand…for us.