Care & Kick

The above title sounds a little passive-aggressive, but hang in there for a point worth considering.

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.

When we get sympathetic pats on our backs from people touched by our commitment to work with older adults, they’re probably thinking ‘elderly care’. Suggesting God has also called us through YES! to provide kicks to the posterior may sound misplaced and insensitive.

But even post-surgery hospital care includes physical or occupational therapy to help people get moving again. They know the dangers and realities of atrophy. Tender care only for the bedridden may keep them in bed.

Shortly after starting YES! we met a dear lady from a thriving church in our county. An active church member, she immersed herself in a variety of ministry opportunities. Understandably, her serving was put on hold as she received a cancer diagnosis in her early seventies, followed by a couple years of intense treatment. Gratefully, her cancer went into remission. When we spoke with her, she had received a clean bill of health for five consecutive years. 

Sadly, though, her serving hadn’t re-emerged. Her cancer diagnosis pegged her as someone needing care, and she fell off the ready-to-serve list. Her advancing age probably added to this past-her-prime perception, but she was ready and able to jump back in. We encouraged her to not wait for an invitation but to actively pursue anything God laid on her heart.

With my recent leukemia diagnosis, I will likely begin treatment within the next two years. In the meantime, I deeply appreciate the care expressed and the prayers of so many. I also appreciate the kick from cancer survivors/thrivers and others who encourage me to press hard into all that God has on my plate right now.

They remind me that there is still a lot of good living ahead and that I’m still young enough to serve. I’d like to hang on to those four words of hope, no matter what lies ahead.

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 

1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NIV)

 Be ready to both give and receive kicks and care. “If we’re not dead, He’s not done.”

My Little Red Truck

A week before our family of six began migrating from Southern California to the Santa Cruz Mountains, I bought a very basic 1994 red Mazda pickup from a police officer in Pasadena.

And here’s what I mean by very basic: manual transmission, no power steering, no power locks or windows, no backup camera, no cup holder, audio that gets one AM station and plays cassette tapes, two doors, with a six-foot bed. And oh yeah, the gas gauge hasn’t worked for decades…who needs a gas gauge when the odometer tells you how far you’ve driven?

I know these truck features well since I’m still driving it almost three decades later. As my brother-in-law Loren would ask, “Wes, are you bragging or complaining?”

The first time our brother-in-law Dan laid eyes on my first (and only) truck, he blurted out, “You call that a truck?!”

Our oldest grandson Ethan, finally old enough to sit in a vehicle’s front seat, had never been in a car or truck where you had to hand-crank the windows. “Papa, how do you open the windows?”

During Covid, twin two-year-old boys living up a steep hill a couple blocks away decided my little red truck would become their daily pilgrimage destination. Who knew my truck would engender such wonder, fascination and affection?

To those of you who faithfully swap out your vehicles every two to four years, no judgment here. Yes, your new vehicle enhancements are enticing, and vehicle shopping patterns like mine would kill our economy. Admittedly, I can be frugal to a fault.

Sometimes my truck will sit idle for long stretches, so I deserve no accolades as an amazing steward of this long-term blessing. But for those times when we need a second vehicle or a truck bed, this little red truck has come through.

Stepping into this twentieth century time warp has a special quality. Probably not the same as a vintage car, but special, nonetheless. It’s paid for, has liability-only insurance and has required relatively low maintenance. No power steering creates an upper body workout—it’s like a free gym membership every time you back out of a parking spot!

My little red truck 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.

People who are old but still young enough to serve. People whose selflessness touches you to the core.

God knows this world can still benefit from dependable, high-mileage little red trucks.

Surreal Moments

First it was just a nasty cold, with congestion eventually making its way to my chest. Some wheezing and light coughing followed, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Surprisingly, my doctor advised that my cold had progressed to my first-ever pneumonia bout, and meds and blood tests were prescribed. Later that day one test revealed a high white blood cell count. I assumed it was my body fighting off the pneumonia. But my doctor soon clarified that my numbers doubled the elevated level expected with pneumonia.

Long story short, I have leukemia. More specifically: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, the most common form of leukemia in adults).

It’s surreal getting unexpected news like this. I’ve heard some of these medical terms before, but never so jarring or personal. Dreams of living to a ripe old age seemed 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.

Although leukemia is a frightening word, the early prognosis looks good, pretty much living life as usual. No treatment for now, just quarterly blood tests to monitor.

I know that my calm assurance may later be tested. A recent study in James reinforced our familiar ‘count it all joy’ admonition. We don’t race to joy when others encounter trouble, but God’s gift for us in personal setbacks is His wide-sweeping joy. In another passage, Paul, a frequent prisoner, said he experienced joy that knew no bounds.

Recently Judy & I wrote about time’s relentless march, moving us from life’s second half into the third third. One slightly older friend quickly reminded us that our final quarter loomed close at hand. And I may have just barreled into that quadrant, too.

We’re blessed to already be in the process of passing the YES! leadership torch to Dan & Shani Parotti. So grateful that we’re not scrambling. God in His sovereignty knew we would need them for such a time as this.

Jesus, take the wheel! Your prayers and support are certainly appreciated! Unexpected hurdles come, but we’re still young enough to serve. :)

Content or Complacent?

We admire people with a spirit of contentment, not having to have the latest and greatest of every new trend or only the very best in accommodations and dining.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Philippians 4:11 (NIV)

We know the Apostle Paul dealt with a very wide range of challenging circumstances, including shipwrecks and imprisonment. He wasn’t a fearful man, afraid of change. He certainly didn’t use contentment as an excuse for not moving forward…it was quite the opposite. Contentment helped him adapt to whatever came his way.

This spirit of contentment may not have come naturally but was something he learned along the way. What a valuable lesson to be learned!

We bring this up because—particularly as we grow older—contentment can become a veiled excuse for avoiding new adventures. Perhaps we’re holding back from something God really wants us to do, but we say ‘pass’ and slap a contentment  label on it.

Risk avoidance and contentment are two different animals. Of course, it’s wise to minimize certain risks as we grow older, such as climbing tall ladders or navigating icy steps.

But maybe we’ve turned down a very doable serving opportunity, saying we’re content to stay home. Or we stick with the status quo because we’re afraid of change.

Lord, please help us discern the difference between complacency and contentment.

When it comes to our long lists of wants, please guide us with a spirit of contentment. When you want us to be more flexible and pliable, give us the grace to accept circumstances that are less than perfect.

At the same time, please give us Holy Spirit boldness so that we run from complacency and fear…into your arms. Knowing you are with us in every situation brings true contentment.

Third Third

With both of us now in our seventies, we realize that we’re not just in life’s second half, but we’ve entered our third third. Yikes, we met in the 70’s, and now here we are…in our 70’s!

Yes, one of us could live to 105, but even that ambitious number still puts us in the final third of life. Ouch!

This all happens faster than we realize. And we’ve moved into a decade where death is more common.

We suppose talking about mortality seems morbid. But we’re also focused on our soon-coming transition to an eternity with Christ. That is anything but morbid!

With the end in clearer sight, we sense greater urgency in making the rest of our lives count for the kingdom.

DL Moody shared a great thought: “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn't really matter.”

We’re not always faithful in giving something up for Lent, but this time around we both felt compelled to give up something that could easily translate to success in nonessential matters.

Our recent two weeks at Gleanings helped prepare us with the gift of two weeks without television. It’s crazy how accustomed we’ve become to other voices, both good and bad, streaming into our ears, hearts, minds and lives.

These are personal matters between God and us, and we certainly don’t intend to lay a guilt trip on anyone or prescribe something you should give up.

Whether we’re in our twenties or eighties, though, the truth remains that our time here on earth is short. And God deserves our best.

Ephesians 4:31 (NLT) tells us plainly:

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

Now that’s a safe extraction list! :)

Your stories inspire us and help YES! to stay on a fruitful track. We love hearing how God is using you to make a difference…in your second half, third third, fourth quarter, or overtime!

Making Room for the Miraculous

Reflecting on Jesus’ first public miracle in John 2: 1-11, we love a lot about this story. First, as half-two adult ministry leaders, we just have to remind you that it happened in the wedding celebration’s later hours. :)

And the banquet’s master was surprised by the wine’s exceptional quality, acknowledging what typically comes out later is inferior. Jesus didn’t just turn the water into wine; He turned it into the best wine!

We know many people in life’s later stages struggle. Many would be satisfied with a marginally good day and really have no expectations of anything great. We see in this first miracle, though, unexpected stellar quality showing up very late in the celebration.

With the wine supply completely exhausted, Jesus’ mother Mary persisted in inviting Jesus into this predicament—even after He initially seemed dismissive.

Many people today, with health and energy depleted, are frustrated with life’s downturn and may feel brushed aside.

Jesus, we invite and re-invite you into their lives. May those who trust you experience exceptional quality of life moments. May our timid expectations and doubt give way to deep trust in your miraculous power and your desire to help the party and parting end well.

May we make room in our hearts for the miraculous. God has done it countless times, and He can do it again.

As He leads, let’s be open to going against the grain of diminished, later-life, ‘that’s the way it is’ expectations, knowing when Jesus is in the room...anything is possible.

Just a-Passing Through

Another new year with early reminders that we live in uncertain, turbulent times.

We finished 2024 with a couple local reminders, a first-ever Scotts Valley tornado and then a massive surf surge, leading to the Santa Cruz Wharf’s partial collapse.

But our local hardships paled in comparison to the fires that ravaged Southern California. Over and over, we heard people talking about the scale of these fires and how surreal it is to lose everything: homes, schools, churches, businesses.

Even residents accustomed to frequent foothill fires never anticipated the fires consuming entire cities and suburbs.

Their tragedy, along with several others already in 2025, challenge us once again to value and prioritize what’s important.

This world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue.

We appreciate and thank God for our home. We hope it outlasts us, but we can’t live in fear of losing it. We want to be good stewards and not hang on too tightly. Our names might be on the property deed, but all we have belongs to God.

As believers we’re not immune from tragedy. May we learn from Job’s response to unfathomable suffering:

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

Job 23:10-12 (NIV)

With special prayers for all who are suffering, may God give us all anchored and overcoming faith.

Flourishing - to the End

In late November we said, “Goodbye, and see you later” to a precious brother in Christ, a very close friend and YES! board member, Art Gaeta.

Recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma, Art died less than a month shy of his eightieth birthday, an age consistent with the average American male lifespan.

But there was nothing average about Art. Probably more than anyone Judy and I know, he exemplified the flourishing, young-enough-to-serve life to which we aspire.

• As recently as August he was back in the classroom teaching Spanish as a substitute teacher. (Art readily admitted to flunking retirement several times.)

• In July he served with City Impact and our YES! team in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco.

• In June he traveled to Spain, Italy and France with his wonderful wife Candace.

• In May he attended what would be his last YES! Young Enough to Serve board meeting and shared his passion to see YES! reaching out more deliberately to the Spanish-speaking community.

  As we encourage flourishing in life’s later years, we realize not everyone flourishes right up to the very end. Lots of pain, misery and disability often accompany the final weeks, months and sometimes years of physical and mental decline.

  For Art, too, severe pain, misery and confusion were present in those final weeks, but he bravely squeezed so much love, meaning and encouragement into his lucid moments.

  Here’s Art encouraging Judy and me, as we called to express our love and concern:

Art waves as we stood together on a picture-perfect day this past July. We had no idea that Art’s final waves would come just four months later. Life here on earth is often so much shorter than we realize.

What a beautiful picture of being fresh and flourishing, right? And, oh, our blessed hope of eternity with Christ.

May we all hang on courageously to the promise of Psalm 92:14 (NKJV):

“They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.”

We deeply miss you, Art, but get that heavenly casita ready...we’ll be with you soon.

Do Rules Rule?

Judy and I have been immersed recently in the Beatitudes, with Jesus challenging hearts and minds in this powerful intro to His sermon on the mount.

We’re sure there were plenty of rule-followers in the audience, with the Pharisees being chief among them.

But Jesus challenges those determined to color inside the lines and paints a very different picture of what following after God means.

We’re called to not just follow principles or rules but to follow hard after God, attentive to His voice and open to taking the harder path.

A few months ago, just after Dan & Shani joined our leadership team, Dan felt led to plan a Brazil mission trip for November (this month!) to help a church there with a significant project.

Our board brought up the rules of why this trip would not be a good idea right now, a major sidewinder as Dan & Shani were just beginning to raise their support. But superseding these rules, Dan sensed clearly that God was asking him to take this leap of faith. After further discussion, still aware of conventional support-raising wisdom, we knew we needed to set these rules aside and allow Dan to proceed with this calling.

This month, Dan and his 14-member YES! team of US volunteers are helping a Brazilian church add a new children’s wing to their facility. Collaborating with their church volunteers, YES! is not only providing needed labor but also the materials for this 2600-square-foot project (through some amazing YES! donors’ generosity, of course).

Not just older-adult volunteers, this is an intergenerational team, ages 29 to 75, mirroring our ‘together with all generations’ YES! mission.

And even with this $60K+ project going on, God has helped Dan & Shani move close to the halfway mark in raising their monthly support.

As we consider conventional rules related to older adulthood, may we listen intently to God’s voice and obey His calling in our own lives. The conventional path may seem safer, but we may also miss His call and blessing.

Lord, please keep us on Your blessed Beatitude path...even when it means choosing poverty, mourning, meekness, hunger, thirst, mercy, purity, peacemaking, and persecution!

Success/ors

Both Judy and I had dads who ran successful businesses, Judy’s in residential painting and mine in home building.

When their respective careers in these trades ended, they closed up shop. Their highly respected businesses did not have successors, but they certainly continued to touch many lives in their ensuing decades.

When it comes time for us to step down from the executive leadership of YES!, we too want to continue touching many lives, with or without job titles.

And we’re extremely grateful that the ministry of YES! will continue, under the capable leadership of Dan & Shani Parotti.

Our succession plan was intentionally vague about our role after we pass the executive leadership torch. Some presume our upcoming transition means our stepping away from YES! With our board and Dan & Shani’s backing, we plan now to continue serving in support roles as YES! continues to expand.

We’ll be very transparent with our supporters when the leadership transition takes place. It will presumably happen sometime next year when Dan & Shani have raised sufficient support. Right now they are approaching the halfway mark.

Our transition to part-time will occur sometime after that, but we don’t yet know for sure when that will be.

We hope many of our YES! champions will continue their prayer and financial support after we pass the leadership torch. For the next season of our lives and YES!, we remain ready and young enough to serve.

Ministry opportunities through YES! continue to ramp up, including a strong, intergenerational YES! team of fourteen headed off to Brazil next Wednesday, a stellar YES! team serving at Operation Christmas Child in December, and two consecutive weeks serving at Gleanings for the Hungry in late February. (Week One is full, but several serving slots remain for February’s final week. Early-bird registration ends November 30.)

Thanks to all who have played a part in making all this happen!

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Joshua 1:8 ESV

Best-Effort Worthy

We were blessed this month to share in a couple breakout sessions at the national AG senior adult ministries conference in Branson, Missouri. Over 850 adults attended.

Our primary breakout session focused on Engaging Younger Generations in Older Adult Ministry.

Imagine our delight, just hours later in the general session, when the Senior Adult Ministries Director, Bob Cook, introduced a college sophomore, Jessica Martinson, who shared that God has clearly called her into this arena of ministry.

This kind of early calling takes us by surprise. But really, we think it should be a lot more common. Younger-to-older influence was hugely significant in the Early Church. Ever hear of Timothy and Titus?

We’re not startled when college students show an interest in children’s ministry or youth ministry. Why should an interest in life’s later stages be off limits?

We’re convinced that pastors and older adult leaders have not been deliberate enough in seeking after young leaders.

In August YES! did our very first webinar on the same topic of engaging younger leaders in older adult ministry.

One of our presenters, Dr. Amy Hanson, just finished serving three years on our YES! board. Amy, now 50, is a prime example of God calling a younger person into this area of ministry (at seventeen). When we started YES! in our early to mid-fifties, it was incredibly inspiring to meet Amy, a couple decades younger, completely invested in people in the post-50 age spectrum.

Amy admits that breaking into her first church position fresh out of college, leading over 300 older adults, was not without its initial challenges, but this young, vivacious woman soon won their hearts.

Similarly, Amy knows that intergenerational ministry is not always easy but is ALWAYS WORTH THE EFFORT!

We couldn’t agree more! Thank you for sharing this journey with us!

Rest Assured

Have you ever walked outside or looked out the window on an exceptionally beautiful day and thought, "Well God, you must not be finished with us yet!" Despite the sin, wars, and culture, nature is still flourishing. It’s bewildering at times, isn’t it?

When tragedy strikes or the world appears to be beyond repair, we marvel at God's steadfastness. As we approach a new election and are bombarded with hyped campaign advertisements and urgent emails about the state of our nation, it can create added anxiety.

But when we walk outside and take a deep breath, we are reminded that the God who created the universe is still providing air for our lungs, trees for the birds, and rain for the earth. It is truly a marvel. His ways are not our ways.

Our God is no stranger to disorder. We learn from Genesis that He created order from chaos. In the beginning, the earth was "formless and void" (Hebrew: tohu va-bohu), a place of emptiness and chaos. Nothing is too chaotic or broken for His creation or repair.

I have been reading a book by Rachel Booth Smith called "Rest Assured: What the Creation Story was Intended to Reveal About Trusting God." It is a wonderful book that I highly recommend. In it, she shares, "God designed an order that was good and complete - but His is not a bland and uptight order. He designed the earth to be lovely, beautiful, generous, and predictable. He planned for flourishing...when I pray for my family, whatever He determines for them will come forth from the same hand that created the sunsets.

If I feel helpless about my circumstances, my heart can rest as I bring my concerns to the God who invented flourishing. God has shown me who He is when He ordered the universe, and I don't have to locate a professional for access. He, Himself, is the source and is evident to anyone."

This reminds us of Ecclesiastes 3:11:

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what He has done from beginning to end."

As we continue through these next months, we remind ourselves that as we steward the days God has given us and exercise our right to vote for the future leader of our nation, we can rest assured that God is our absolute future and provision. He is the order-maker and sustainer. As long as there is air to breathe and trees for the birds, He is creating order amidst the chaos. He is allowing "flourishing" to continue.

"He will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal." (Isaiah 26:3-4)

Here’s a link to Rachel's book, "Rest Assured."

Park It or Stay in the Market?

Preparing to pass the executive leadership torch next year to Dan & Shani Parotti, we reflect on passions that stirred our hearts as we started YES! in 2008.

We loved older adults (and still do!) but had concerns about how US older adult church ministry had evolved.

We saw and still see mostly PEER-to-PEER ministry: some centered on PAIN, some on PLAY, and many times preoccupied with the PAST.

While affirming the significance and reality of each of these four P’s, YES! helps churches move beyond:

Many of these P’s suggest now is the time to park it. May God help us resist and defer that temptation!

• PEER Only > Affirming the need for interGen leadership and outreach.

• PAIN Only > Looking for potential beyond this season’s adversities.

• PLAY Only > A special season to also enjoy and prioritize prayer, serving and making disciples.

• PAST Only > Looking forward to what lies ahead.

PEERS are important, but we’re not designed for silos. As we’ve shared many times, the ‘Body of Christ’ and ‘Family of God’ Church metaphors imply an interwoven tapestry within and between generations. Not just a season for peers Paul and Silas—but for Paul, Silas, Timothy and Titus. Not just about grandma & grandpa and their peers—but their interconnectedness with all generations. We need young people in our lives, and they need us.

PAIN is real. Decline, disease, disability, and dementia are common, particularly in life’s fourth quarter. But we can’t lose sight of the positive potential baked into these accumulated years. Discretionary time, experience, talents, wisdom, wealth and other resources wait to be stewarded for God’s glory.

PLAY, often more accessible during retirement, is certainly not our enemy. Called to freedom, we’re admonished to look beyond our own selfish desires—joyfully loving and serving others.

Our PAST, too, is hugely significant, but we don’t want to live there. While memories fill our rearview mirrors, we want to live in the present with an expectant eye to our future, both here on earth and our eternity with Christ.

Have we made an impact?

“Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.” (Matthew 19:26 MSG)

Fear Of Aging Out

You’re probably familiar with FOMO, the Fear Of Missing Out, but let’s talk today about the Fear Of Aging Out, FOAO. (Yes, FOMO is easier to pronounce! And FOAO isn’t a familiar acronym…yet.)

FOAO is not irrational. We’ve seen it play out in many churches, with older adults digging in their heels, wanting their way…winning battles but ultimately losing the war. (And right now this fear has become front and center in presidential politics.)

Many shuttered churches failed to change with the times and didn’t leave the light on for the next generations. Some pastors held onto leadership reins too long, often contributing to this aging-out conundrum. We’ve also seen churches shun older adults in their attempts to reach younger generations, sometimes leading to insolvency.

Without an infusion of younger people, older congregations’ fate is commonly decline and death. Not necessarily a sudden, sharp drop, but a slow, methodical decline as the congregation’s average age inches upward. (Observations you maybe didn’t expect to hear from strong advocates of older-adult relevance, vitality and serving potential?)

Doesn’t this aging-out fear lead to ageism (devaluing people because of their advancing age)? It could but doesn’t need to. When older adults are only seen as a problem, this can easily become ageism. When older adults resist a church’s efforts to engage younger generations, they can reinforce leaders’ frustrations with the church’s older segment.

Looking on the brighter side, when pastors enlist older adults’ help in overcoming the aging-out problem, they help reactivate God’s generation-to-generation design for His Church.

Beyond just selling youthful ideas and asking older adults to foot the bill, there are many other ways older adults can help encourage younger generations in a local church.

In a healthy extended family, patriarchs and matriarchs are not irrelevant and tangential—relationships are forged throughout the family that have incredible two-way value. God’s family, the Church, has the same designer, and He wants relationships to flow from generation to generation.

Let’s move beyond fear and become part of the solution. As Paul the older encouraged the younger Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

The Best Is Yet to Come

As I write this, my husband Dan is currently awaiting surgery for a herniated disc and struggling through pain and nausea. In April of this year, we were excited to begin this new chapter of ministry. After serving on staff at our church for thirteen years, it became clear that God was calling us to join Wes and Judy in leading this next season of YES!

And then, all of our personal efforts came to a sudden halt when Dan was sidelined beginning in May with nagging pain.

Yesterday as I sat next to Dan, he saw the concern in my face. He said, “God’s got us; the best is yet to come.” In every season of life, we face different challenges, and some can even sideline us for a while.

As we follow Christ, we often think about our testimony as that turning point when we gave up our old lives to follow Him, or followed the faith legacy our parents laid out for us. In these difficult moments, though, I am reminded that our testimony is always developing.

In and out of every season we have something to share. I’ve heard it said that “if you can’t answer what God is doing or teaching you right now, then you aren’t following close enough.”

We are called to share what God has done and is doing in our lives, whether fifty years or five minutes ago. Sometimes what we are learning and sharing is difficult, but when we live a life oriented to Jesus, we understand that nothing is wasted. Our testimony of following Christ is ever-developing. The people around us need to witness what this looks like, as we journey through hard valley places or the blessed mountaintops.

Orient your life to Christ, and ask Him daily, “What are you teaching me through this circumstance?”— and then be ready to share your ever-developing testimony, so others can learn what it means to follow Christ on the mountaintops and in the valley.

By the time you hear from us next, we’ll hopefully have made it through to this valley’s other side.

We look forward to sharing all that we’ve learned through it.

In and Out of Season

Structure and Spontaneity: Let’s make room for both.

We all have different personality types. Some of us prefer lots of structure, while others at the opposite end seem to thrive in a mostly spontaneous approach to life.

Biblically we can make the point that God wants us to be open to both, but today let’s focus on the idea of being more spontaneous in our serving. 

In Jesus’ Good Samaritan parable, the priest and Levite intentionally bypassed the robbed and beaten man. These religious men certainly needed more margin to see the need and respond in the moment.

Some people picture retirement mostly as a season to dim the serving light, or let it go out completely. Boy, are they missing out on the good stuff!

In 2 Timothy 4:2 Paul tells Timothy to be prepared in season and out of season. So much for arguing that our season determines our preparedness for serving. God wants us to be ready and willing in all seasons... even when it seems to be outside typical boundaries for our current life season.

As the legendary coach John Wooden pointed out: “When opportunity comes, it's too late to prepare.”

As your church, YES!, and other ministries take the time to structure serving opportunities, our heart is that all of us would become more available to on-the-spot opportunities the Lord puts before us.

Of course, this doesn’t mean saying yes to everything, but let’s continue to develop a readiness posture for special, God-ordained moments ahead.

Core Values

If you’ve ever played Wordle, you know it helps to pin down vowels before diving too deeply into consonants.

Please follow along as we use Ephesians (NLT) and vowels to uncover five core YES! values.

A. All Ages

When older adults are undervalued, it’s tempting to start waving the ‘older adults matter’ flag. But the truth is, every generation matters. While focused on ages 55+,  YES! affirms ministry to and from all ages. The young need us, and we need them!

It’s pretty basic: In healthy families and churches, we expect to see love flowing within and between generations.

“Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:21

E. Extended Equipping

In Ephesians’ next chapter, Paul highlights the equipping role of church leaders.

“Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:12

The equipping need spans a lifetime, extending to retirees and through later frailty seasons, too.

I. Increased Investment

Many churches invest lavishly in younger generations and then suddenly become misers when considering older adults. In addition to inspiring increased investment, YES! provides quality resources for second-half leaders often working with shoestring budgets.

O. Optimized Obedience

These are not frivolous, bonus years tacked on to a purposeful life. We welcome continued opportunities to joyfully discern and follow God’s will.

“Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”  Ephesians 5:16-17

Let’s optimize our obedience and allow God’s best plans to shape our later years.

U. Useful & Unified

How exciting when older adults are unleashed to become more useful in God’s kingdom! And it doesn’t just stop with individuals having purpose; it also leads to unity.

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”   Ephesians 4:16

Running counter to our consumer-driven, age-discounting and division-prone culture, these five values represent more work ahead.

We vowel-U your partnership! :) With your prayers and financial support, it’s our joy to help churches and older adults live vibrant lives, more consonant with Scripture.

YES! Is Growing

We’ve been at this for over sixteen years and have served alongside so many wonderful volunteers along the way.

Imagine our joy when two people, whom we love and respect, have now stepped forward to join us on this adventure full-time!

Dan & Shani Parotti from Bloomington, Minnesota, are all in! They will begin immediately raising their support as they join our YES! leadership team.

Dan & Shani, in their early to mid-fifties, are close to our ages when we started YES! in 2008. A huge plus is that they come into this role having already served in second-half leadership for about eight years, and Dan has served faithfully on the YES! board for over five years.

At April’s end, Dan leaves his position at Cedar Valley Church, where he has served for thirteen years, most recently as seniors and global missions pastor.

God’s timing in this has been perfect. (A ‘mountaintop’ affirmation written in April. And we still stand by it!)

Dan & Shani plan to serve from their current location, as we collaborate together on the healthy expansion of YES! and deeper impact in the lives of individuals, groups and churches.

You may recall our sharing this past Fall about one of our YES! board members riding his motorcycle from Minnesota to Brazil, visiting and encouraging a slew of missionaries along the way. That was Dan. God used that trip to help spark within him a desire to serve the Church on a broader (and deeper) scale.

“Watching God work so beautifully as we take steps of faith is something we can personally attest to,” Dan shares. “We want to encourage that same kind of bold faith in others, particularly those in life’s second half.”

Please join us in praying for Dan & Shani and for YES! in this next chapter of exciting impact.

Lit Torch

Without getting too political, let’s address the elephant (and donkey) in the room.

In this election year, older age has become a conversation centerpiece, with lots of ‘Young Enough’ vs. ‘Too Old’ scrutiny. Most voters aren’t thrilled about a rematch between the same two presidents, now four years older in their second-term pursuits.

In California we’re voting to fill the unexpired term of a ninety-year-old senator who died in office.

You may think we celebrate older-leader longevity at every turn, based on our Young Enough to Serve mission. Truth is, we often marvel at what people accomplish in life’s later years, but it sometimes saddens us when the leadership torch isn’t passed sooner.

We love seeing God use people in mighty ways well beyond “normal” retirement age. We also appreciate seeing young leaders emerge.

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:”

— Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

This familiar passage highlights our need for discernment about when to leave lead roles, perhaps retiring or shifting to more supportive positions, paid or unpaid. We must prayerfully consider when it’s time to gracefully pass our lit torch to younger generations. Waiting until our flame is extinguished is waiting too long.

An older, distinguished Christian leader shared with a group about the importance of passing the baton. At the end of his talk, a young man stood up, challenging the baton metaphor. “With all respect, sir, we don’t want your inanimate baton. We want your lit torch, with the flames of the Spirit still burning.”

Of course, moving from lead roles to a supporting cast may be just what the Great Physician ordered. It doesn’t mean our capacity to serve is gone. We still have much to offer.

We can’t help but think of Jesus grabbing a towel and washing his disciples’ feet as he approached his death on a cruel cross. We wish humility and serving would be companions, at any age.

Let political pundits debate who still has enough tread to finish their races. Meanwhile, let’s ask God to help us pick the right lanes and stay in stride through life’s concluding decades.

Didn't Paul Know Better?

Now in our 17th year of YES!, our hearts still resonate with Titus 2, sensing much unfinished business.

Take a moment and read this highlighted passage. Then consider...

A.  Didn’t Paul know?

1.  Older adults have little left to learn, and expecting them to change their behavior is unrealistic. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” right?

2.  Regarding younger generation impact, older men and women are Mr. & Mrs. Irrelevant.

3.  When discussing multiple generations, older adults come last, certainly not first.

4.  Older adults can determine for themselves how to engage with younger generations. Young leaders lack the life experience, ability and interest to inspire life’s second-half adults.

5.  Older adults prefer to be taught by peers or by those even more seasoned.

Or, maybe the problem lies with us.

B. Could it be?

1.  Older adults have more to learn. And many of us still have behaviors to correct.

2.  Young leaders can recognize the missional value of older adults.

3.  Young leaders have the capacity to teach older adults. Older men and women are worthy of their priority, focus and energy.

4.  Young leaders may be better positioned to reinforce older/younger connections.

5.  Older adults are willing to accept teaching from a young, devoted Jesus-follower, with a heart for all generations. 

Older adults are Next-Gen-relevant and can vitally impact younger generations. And, like Titus, young people can teach and spiritually re-awaken older adults. May the second set of presumptions surrounding Titus 2 help reshape our 21st century churches! Paul knew better!

That’s our YES! story, too, and we’re sticking to it!