Dust to Dust: Aging Wisely in an Anti-Aging World

by Jen Wilkin

In This Biblical Meditation, Jen Wilkin Offers Christians a Compelling and Hopeful Perspective on Aging and the Aged

The world tells us at every turn that aging is a steep descent into irrelevance, one to be avoided at all cost. This false story diminishes not only us but our elders and the time God gives us. But Scripture reveals a markedly different pattern of life, one of increasing value, that calls us to embrace our age and number our days rightly.

In this extended exploration of aging, Jen Wilkin draws poetic parallels between the first half of life and the second. Exploring the changing realities of caregiving, abilities, and potentiality, she helps us to trace God's give-and-take design at every stage, drawing us toward a vision for a whole-life pro-life ethic. Wilkin offers practical insights on body image, honoring the elderly, the essential value of family, and more. She urges us to trade an anti-aging mindset for the pursuit of biblical wisdom, encouraging believers to lean into—not fight—their place in the true story of the arc of life.

A Biblical Perspective on This book is a thought-provoking resource for those in their 20s, middle age, and beyond Using the metaphor of a chiastic poem, Wilkin explores the symmetry of life and helps us find value in each stage Practical Invites Christians to reject the world's lies about age, pursue wisdom, steward their time well, and serve others as image bearers of God Written by Bestselling Author Jen Author of None Like Him; In His Image; Women of the Word; and more PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Christian Living, Theology, Faith, Christianity, Christian Non Fiction

Audible Audio

First published July 1, 2026

About the author

Jen Wilkin is a speaker, writer, and teacher of women’s Bible studies. During her thirteen years of teaching, she has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. Jen and her family are members of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. She is the author of Women of the Word.

Reviews

[Lia Ross Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I laughed. I cried. I stopped constantly and texted friends snippets.

My husband got many snippets from the book as I paused to read whole sections to get his opinion.

I have been longing for a book on aging. It’s just something that I don’t hear talked about often from a Christian perspective, the tension of knowing that we die and how we live our lives now.

I may be a little biased since Jen Wilkin is my favorite author, but this book is the book that we’ve all been wanting and I am glad she took on the topic.

She is careful, she is biblical, and she’s encouraging.

We live in a society that kind of wants us not to talk about aging, not to talk about death. It is something that we run from instead of embracing our elderly.

We often see the elderly as a burden, as “problems to solve”, but not as people made in the image of God with dignity and to joyfully serve.

As a result, we rarely see ourselves, if we are younger, as people who are aging and need care in our later years. This book makes you face that reality.

She so eloquently put together a framework that helps us understand aging in a way that is easy to follow and thought provoking. The reader journeys through the arc of life and it’s chiasms (example: First Years and Final Years)

She includes research and statistics, many that had my mouth wide open, and I was in shock. As we become a society that has more elderly than youth, we can no longer escape this conversation about aging. Especially as the Church.

This isn’t just a book that you read and move on from. It changes how you live. Those nights when my little one is asking for one more hug, one more kiss to avoid going to sleep, became sweeter because I am more aware of my humanity and the brevity of this life.

I admit that I don’t really think about aging much as being so close for me. (I’m in my early 30s)

I have assumed that I have all the time left in life. I have not been considerate of how I would want to be treated as an elder, and I have slipped into the thinking of caring for the elderly as being a burden. I have clung tightly to my autonomy.

This book has put aging in the front of my mind, and I hope that I continue to meditate on these truths as I navigate the rest of my days, no matter how they are numbered.

This book also became my whole personality. It is the book you and your friends will be talking about over coffee. This is the book that you want to sit down with your Titus 2 mentor and discuss. This is the book that I hope women in churches will gather around to share wisdom and glean wisdom.

I joked with my husband that if I die first, to give out copies of this book at my funeral.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, young and old. It is a gift to us.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Bodies decline, people develop.”

I haven’t cried through a Christian nonfiction book in a long time. The topics of aging, figuring out how to care for aging parents and really, mortality in general, are ones I tend to avoid… and I think most of us do. What a complete *gift* this book has been to me and will be to followers of Jesus everywhere. It was enlightening, sobering and deeply humbling.

In Dust to Dust, Jen Wilkin approaches the topic of the cycle of life and aging in a chiasmic structure (picture an arch that goes up and comes down, nearly parallel but descending). I read this book on e-ARC so I didn’t have the graphs, but I got the gist of the imagery. With this image in mind, Jen walks us through this perspective of life’s progression (and regression) in light of the truth of God’s Word and refutes the false narrative fed to us by the world about aging and the aged.

Man, did I need this book. As I write this review, I’m still on the earlier side of my 30s and have only mildly felt the beginning realities of an aging body. And yet as I currently occupy this “early caregiver” stage of life, as mentioned in this book, I had never once contemplated what I would desire for myself in old age, should I be given the grace of living that long. For those of us who are young, Jen challenges us to care for the aging and elderly members of our communities in a way we’d wish for ourselves to be treated in old age. “Do as you would wish,” is the mantra repeated in this book, and I won’t be able to view it any other way now.

And maybe this wasn’t the intention of the book exactly, but as I consider my present stage of life on the brink of middle age (but not quite there), I’m confronted with how I can live with contentment and joy in this stage of life with young children, because none of us will be young forever. God willing, my little ones will grow older, but so will I. As we continue to approach our eternal timeline, may we live each day in a way that reflects a spirit of thankfulness, purpose and meaning as we live for Christ in every age and stage.

What a difference this book has made in my life. I wish I could include all my highlights here, but that truly would be half the book. So thankful for this work, Jen. Highly recommend to everyone 🤍.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Crossway for an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Shaly Moyal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this will be the most important book I’ll read this year. I’d give it 100/5 stars if I could. The value of life. The importance of seeing aging through a biblical lens. Celebrating development (bodies decline, people develop)

The importance of and blessing of caring for our families and learning from those who have gone before us.

Seeing people to love rather than problems to solve in those who need us.

And the value of modeling growth, aging and seeing our bodies as useful and not ornamental.

I could not recommend this more to all. Especially those who are mid thirties to late forties. I’ll buy you a copy.

[Jennifer Squire]

Thankful for this little gem to remind that aging is a gift and caring for the aging an even greater gift!

[Morgan Szczepaniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jen is brilliant (chiastic structure of life, geez girl) and this is a book everyone needs to read. I want to give it to DG girls for sobering perspective. I need it for looking toward aging parents and my own aging process. My parents need it to deeply understand their irrevocable relevance and permission to age.

Christians must age in light of grace, and treat the aged with honor. It is one way we will shine light in this age.

[Christine Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will have me thinking for a while. Convicting, helpful, and probably one of Jen’s most personal books. I loved how she structured the book. It’s especially helpful as I start a new decade of life and prepare to care for aging parents.

[Hannah Stob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Jen Wilkin! Her writing is so easy to digest and understand, something I look for when picking non-fiction books.

I think this book will definitely resonate more with a generation or two older than me but there was still so much wealth and worth in her words. It opened my eyes to the ways we should care for elderly and aging and had me thinking of how I can get more involved with those ways in my church.

I listened to this but plan on purchasing a copy so I can re-read and underline!

[Marney Rausch · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 This is a really important read for everyone. Not just those my age and seeing twds the end, but younger adults too. It is a great perspective and helped me as I faced some weaknesses this summer that required extra help. As of my 66th birthday on 8/4/26, I’ve lived 20,090 days. I have 5,110 days to 80 if I make it that long. Sobering. How am I living? A live of self-forgetfulness and serving others? Or a life of fear, which is the false story.

[Katie Alligood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pray with the Psalmist: “Teach me to number my days, that I may gain a heart of wisdom.” (90:12)

Then move this book to the top of your list. ❤️

As I’ve come to expect from Jen, the book made me laugh and cry. I was encouraged and challenged by how God’s Word speaks about the arc of life. And I ended my reading with a better calibrated relationship with time and a renewed sense of purpose.

(If you have access to the audiobook, I highly recommend it, as it’s read by the author and carries a poignancy not found in print.)

[John Pawlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for this book to come out for a long time. I have been curious about how little women in church have spoken about the anti-aging conversation, especially when it comes to medical cosmetic procedures. Jen Wilkin’s book is as eloquent, piercing, and edifying as anything I’ve read from her so far!

The thrust of the book is to talk about aging with wisdom, learning to number our days (Psalm 90) and to reject the fleshly narratives of clinging to youthfulness and vanity. There was a lot of great theological reflection and application in this book.

I think there are a lot of really important questions that the church will soon need to begin answering about the elderly, especially as the ratio of elder people needing care continues to grow. What will the church do not just for its own parents, but the elderly (and “widows” James 1:27) of our communities? Jen brings up many of these conversations but leaves them for the church to answer. There are a lot of difficult complexities here, what if our parents are terrible, distant, or abusive? What political conversations need to be had about the communal protection of the elderly? Lots of important things to think about, but I’m really thankful Jen Wilkin wrote this book.

One note, she leans pretty heavily on chiasms, which is objectionable at times. It does sometimes feel like people get into chiasms the same way they get into multi-level marketing schemes, or numerology, or stuff where you see patterns and then see them everywhere. Not harmful, just amusing at times. Probably not as useful of a hermeneutical key as she and others make it out to be.

5/5! Would recommend.

[Lucinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gem. Made me laugh, made me cry, made me grateful for a God who numbers our days. So much to reflect on as a daughter who cared for a Dad, a healthcare worker who serves older people, a childless 44 year-old & a follower of Jesus. I’ll be reading this again & again.

[Nancy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of Jen Wilkin’s books feel like the hard-fought truths of a wise older sister, and Dust to Dust follows that same familiar and welcome pattern. More than ever as a reader, I value her ability to engage both the heart and mind.

“Bodies decay, people develop,” she reminds us. The world teaches us to fight tooth and nail for youth, to attempt to appear “ageless”, that “50 is the new 30”, and that aging necessarily means loss and obsolescence. But what does God’s Word say? That while our outer self, our earthly tent, is wasting away, God is renewing our inner self daily and preparing us for another life and another body that looks like His Son’s. It says I came from dust and to dust I will return. It says my days are as fleeting as grass and flowers; the wind blows and I am carried away. It says I should number my days in order to gain wisdom. It says that aging is a gift. Wake up, church! We need a better story.

I look forward to picking up this book again in the years to come. The midlife chapter spoke volumes to me, but I couldn’t relate as much to chapters beyond my current stage. But I know I will.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The false story of anti-aging says: Outward decline signals loss of identity and fear of suffering and death. To age is to diminish. The true story of aging says: Outward decline yields inward growth of spiritual and resurrection hope. To age is to deepen.” | I loved this book. This is by no means a text targeted towards older individuals or just those obsessed with anti-aging; it is a book for all Christians to consider deeply that “from the dust we came and to the dust we will return.” I am numbering my days in a different and more beautiful way after encountering this book.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook because the author herself, Jen Wilkin, was the narrator. I find that hearing the author read the book as intended makes the words even more meaningful. The words and wisdom in this book are a gift! I will be purchasing a written copy to work through the discussion questions. Wilkin walks us through aging and the human life using a chiastic structure. As someone in “early adulthood” with “senior adulthood” parents this book has provided me with questions to consider regarding caregiving. It is a gift and honor to care for my parents the way they cared for me so selflessly as a child.

I highly recommend!

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Bodies decline. People develop.”

“Time is not an adversary. It simply marks another day, month, or year of God’s faithfulness to their flourishing.”

This book wasn’t what I was expecting. I have read a lot recently about how to age well as a woman… lift heavy, eat protein, etc. This book is full of the necessary biblical principles to apply to aging and any effort to steward our bodies well.

[DT · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book could have been a blogpost. She makes about three good points, and stretches it out into a book.

A lot of the book is grounded in “common sense” rather than theology. For example, she explains what a chiasm in scripture is, and then says our life is a chiasm because we become dependent on others in old age just as we were as infants. This point is repeated over several pages, as if this is some groundbreaking revelation.

The book could have been more grounded in scripture. God spoke to Abraham about leaving Haran at age 75. Moses had his burning bush moment at age 80. The Bible doesn’t act as if the first half of life is what matters most. Yet, Wilkin doesn’t use any examples like this.

The small size of the book should have been my first sign that it would be disappointing. It’s not that anything she says is wrong; her message isn’t very substantial.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bodies decline. People develop."

Thought-provoking, comforting, convicting. The book I didn't know I needed.

I bought this book on a whim several weeks before turning 65 (July 2026). I'm a single woman with no kids, though I have the joy of teaching young people in a Christian high school. I have helped care for my aunt during her years of Alzheimer's, moved my mom in with me for her final years, and at this time, help care for a Christian friend who has Alzheimer's. Not that any of that earns me anything special. Instead these things have shown me how hard & fearful my own heart is & how much I still need to grow. This book was a great reminder of God's beautiful plan for our lives on earth--whatever our age.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for months for this book to come out especially as I have heard the author share her insights on the subject matter. It did not disappoint.

There are so many things to appreciate. Using the structure of a chiasm is a visual and memorable way to see the arc of human life. Short, repeated phrases like “bodies decline, people develop” or “you are a person to love, not a problem to solve” help the reader learn, rehearse, and internalize a different perspective than the language of the world.

There is dignity given to the aged. They are people who are necessary and essential in our churches. For someone who has been so dialed in to reaching the next generation for Christ (not at all a bad aim) it was good to be redirected across the generations.

Aging is not something to be dreaded but can be a unique season of growing in godly character. It is a gift to receive, steward, and know we will be held accountable for, especially knowing previous generations rarely had the gift of years we are given today. As Jen shared, we are only young once, but we are also only old once. Aging helps shift the locus of our joy to the things that matter most.

My favorite chapter was the last one, perhaps because this is my current season. Midlife offers perspective on the aging process as we look both behind and ahead. It was good to be asked to discern the purpose of a woman’s body: is it primarily decorative or primarily useful? Midlife is a time for self-forgetfulness to develop. We no longer need affirmation over our gifts or our appearance, and can focus on serving others without needing constant recognition or having to spend time worrying about whether others find us attractive.

This book was especially encouraging as I spend more time caring for an aging relative who is struggling with dementia. At first I was worried this would be a burden, but instead I have often noted that our time together is a gift. It has been a joy to remind her she is loved and worth the investment. When she accidentally calls me yet again, I can tell her that I love hearing her voice. May I treat her the way I want others to treat me when it’s my turn to need help.

I would recommend this book to women of all ages. If you can find someone to read and discuss it with, even better!

[Ellen Przybyszewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Impossible to pick just one quote ...

"The false story of anti-aging says: Outward decline signals loss of identity and fear of suffering and death. To age is to diminish. The true story of aging says: Outward decline yields inward growth of spiritual and resurrection hope. To age is to deepen. Paul nods to the true story in 2 Corinthians 4:16: "Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." Or, as I have heard it eloquently said, "Bodies decline, people develop." "

"To continue to chase the gifts unique to youth is the equivalent of storing up treasures on earth. To instead focus on an ever-enriched inner life is the equivalent of storing up treasures in heaven."

"We must weigh our own response to the reintroduction of weakness as we age, but we must also weigh our responsibility to those who are ahead of us in the process."

"Malleability is a gift of the young. Calcification can set in as we age. Those who do not deal with their bitterness in their early years will likely become more bitter in their late ones. More indifferent, more quarrelsome, more impatient. And so on."

"There is nothing a doctor can say to you today that can change the number of your days."

"I wish for this face and this body to tell the true story of aging to me every time I look in the mirror, and to everyone around me every time they look at me. Let my incorruptible body be in the next life. This one is a tent, a temporary dwelling. It is wasting away, and I am being renewed."

[Andy Huette · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. I thought it was going be a book that basically said: Stop doing Botox and act your age. Far from it. Wilkin does what she’s so gifted at, giving a Bible saturated paradigm on a contemporary issue in punchy prose that’s mercifully short (insert praise hands emoji here). The topic of aging is one that’s everywhere in our culture but also one that is largely unaddressed in the church. I honestly think this book is going to change that and the Body of Christ will begin to swim upstream in many beautiful ways because of this work.

[LB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good (short-ish) - looking at life’s stages and decline through a biblical lens. She makes lots of good points, and grounds it in scripture. Her writing was a little blog-like and some scripture and theology I wanted more in. I’m not sure a chiasm (emphasis in the middle) is the best way to describe aging since the meaningful part/emphasis she says is at the end. Would recommend to anyone who wants to know about a Christian view of aging. Couple parts that feel like tangents and didn’t really agree with (no pages written on that content so no time to flesh it out).

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a timely book as I am solidly in the middle of my 60's and giving more thought to aging. Wilkin's writing is pertinent in a culture that is very anti-aging and prioritizes the young in so many ways.
Her book was not earth shattering or profound in most ways, but lots of solid good reminders about how to think about aging from a biblical perspective. I appreciated this book and will revisit it in the years ahead that I have left.

[Laura Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

As expected, Jen laid on truth thick but in such a loving way my heart needed to hear. Reading this at 40 right before my 41st birthday is likely to be one of my wisest choices to date 😂 I cried multiple times and left humbled by her words. What a wild time to be alive to read a book like this, but even more so, what a privilege. Can’t wait for the book club I have planned on this!

[Paula Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subtitle “Aging Wisely in an Anti-Aging World” sums up the message of this little book. I fear that it will find its audience with readers in their later years but it is definitely a lesson for everyone. God has a plan and purpose for us at each stage of our lives. This isn’t the message the world gives us. But it’s a message we all, whatever our age, need to hear.

[Bailey L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hard to rate because I am such a fan of this topic, a very relevant and almost totally ignored topic in the church. I say "the church" even though it's obviously applicable to everyone, but without a view that our lives here are just temporary, it's very hard for any anti-aging argument to have any relevance to the reader. I digress.
Unfortunately, Jen Wilkin is not seemingly very well-read historically, and I think this book could have been a lot better if she'd have done some more research, and also if she had a bit more courage to say harder things, in the Midlife chapter especially. For instance, her only mention of wrinkle creams and hair dying was via a question in the Midlife chapter. I thought she might actually provide a framework for thinking about these anti-aging avenues, and maybe also weave into this the selfish ramifications of spending so much money on looking younger. She also really needed to come down harder on anti-aging medical interventions, a possible serious violation of our bodies as God created them to be.
As for her research, I just so happen to be reading simultaneously "On the Shortness of Life" by Seneca. She kept saying life was short (literally) back then, so the anti-aging industry has really taken off because life expectancy is longer these days, etc. Here's Seneca, ~40s AD (translated of course): "They regard old age as a hardship on no other grounds than it puts them on the shelf." The industry is not even particularly new (See also Columbo episode on the wrinkle cream, Season 3, Ep 1, 1973), nor is the idea that people want to stay relevant, stay young (per the Seneca quote).

Well, all that being said, some good ideas, quotes throughout her book. It IS worth the read (I just think it could have been done even better if better researched.)
- A prevalent belief is people don't want to be a burden to their children, to do so is failure.
- People are referring to surgeries to look younger as "age-affirming surgery" - I am done!!!! What.
- Ultimately the drive is partially to keep one's spouse attracted to them, which presumes beliefs within a marriage that are not of God (though she REALLY could have expanded on that)
- "Much good work can be done when we're no longer concerned about others finding us attractive."
- '"My body, my choice" may scream from pro-abortion signs, but it whispers from the aesthetician's office as well.' Wow.
- Older people are not still valuable. They are INCREASINGLY valuable.
- Read Psalm 90 every Jan 1 as a reminder of our temporal bodies.

Wish this book could make its way into sermons, homilies as well but of course, alas, many people would not like that at all, would they? Sigh..............

[Amanda (aebooksandwords) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Dust to Dust” is more than simply a book on aging; it is a book on all stages of life and a call to make the most of all our years. But it especially stands out as a call to put off the false narrative of anti-aging lies and expectations, calling us instead to not only embrace the depth and wisdom of growing older but also to embrace and serve those among us who have already reached their senior-to-final years.

”To age is to deepen.”

This is not a practical, how-to book, but instead takes us deeper. Through meaningful theology and wisdom, it seeks to form us in the perspective God lays out in His Word: As our outer life grows older and fades, our inner self is being renewed day after day (2 Cor. 4:16).

Each chapter juxtaposes different stages of life, showing how they share commonalities and diverge from them. I found it brilliant how the book tied these connections and comparisons together in ways that had never occurred to me.

This book also moved my heart with its call to churches to more intentionally foster connections and discipleship between its elderly members and children, teens, and young adults, bringing wisdom and purpose to both.

This is a much needed book in our anti-aging, youth-focused world.

Highlights:

“For the believer, old age is an invitation toward burgeoning luminosity. We accept this with hope because we enter it with the assurance that God is with us all the days of our lives, and he's ripening within us the fruit of the Spirit until we take our final breath.”

“The imago Dei does not fade with age. It is worthy of nurture for all of life.”

“In the coming years, the Christian whole-life pro-life ethic will be tested to see if it holds up at both ends of the caregiving spectrum.”

“Malleability is a gift of the young. Calcification can set in as we age. Those who do not deal with their bitterness in their early years will likely become more bitter in their late ones.”

“Anytime we adjust our schedules for a rare opportunity, we are doing the math of numbering our days.”

“The aging process shifts the locus of our joy to the things that matter most: becoming more Christlike and loving God and others with all we have.”

“This outward wasting away is our proof that trust in the man of heaven is the most basic of all wise acts.”

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Hannah Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Crossway for an ARC of this book!

I am a huge fan of Jen Wilkin! I love her Bible studies and her ability to take very simple ideas and juxtapose a popular topic in the Bible that has been glossed over in a sermon in the past and make it applicable while also staying true to the original context of the story. I loved how this is such a hot button topic in society right now but it isn’t applicable to only us in the 21st century. Since the beginning of time people wish to age in reverse or to basically have the complexion of a vampire. Why? Because people are telling women it is bad to age and physically remaining in your 30’s is vital for acceptance among our peers. Especially for those in Hollywood, the women experience a lot more pressures to conform and to pause their aging process or they are out of a job. Say hello to the aesthetics, plastic surgery, and Botox field. In the last 15 or so years so many doctors have convinced us that we need an intense skin care routine as well they have discovered a way for us to stop aging. At what point did we convince ourselves that aging is a bad thing? This is in direct opposition from what God tells us. The two don’t go together.

Jen Wilkin used many verses and resources where that is not the case Biblically speaking. Aging and experiencing the wisdom that comes with time is a gift. Not everyone gets to live a long healthy full life. We take that for granted. Jen mentioned that she almost didn’t want to speak on the topic being in her mid 50’s she still has more to learn and glean from life before she coasts in the ‘wisdom years’ that are coming. With that said, she felt this a necessary topic because of how we shy away from aging and loss of time and how quickly it ebbs and flows. It is a sensitive topic because in our minds it is something to fear. That doesn’t need to be the case. The absurdity of life can get too heavy when you process your life and what you have or have not done. I think there does need to be a reckoning for us all to stop being obsessed with loss of time and wrinkles on our face. This book was a gateway as you restructure your thinking because this topic isn’t spoken on enough. Process through this topic with your family and friends. This book was a quick read and very easily laid out with anecdotal stories on how Jen has witnessed death, life and rebirth. Life is such a gift, time is a gift that not everyone gets to experience. Let’s enjoy those around us and not worry about time fleeing from us but to enjoy the now.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

There has been a lot of discussion around aging/menopause/perimenopause over the last few years in women’s issues. This book isn’t just for women, but as I’m a woman, and a huge target of the anti-aging market, what Jen writes here, as a woman in midlife herself, feels very personal and applicable to my own life. However, all of what she says and works through is biblical, so it’s not just for women in midlife. This was a very needed book in our current culture, or maybe it’s because of where I find my own self, that it hit home so much. She takes the various stages of life and contrasts them against each other while working through what the Bible says about aging. She also highlights current culture and how the biblical view very much goes against the message the world screams. I will be coming back to this book as a re-read, and will highly recommend it to others. What a beautiful way to embrace the aging process, and highlighting our elder population for all they offer. I also appreciated the practical examples she provides of aged populations in our churches mixing in with the younger generations.

[Amy Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading books about aging well because I’m well past what’s considered middle-aged. I have a grandbaby now, and my father, who is still wonderfully active and healthy, will turn 84 next month. I’ve found myself thinking about how these two very different ends of the spectrum—infancy and old age—actually have so much in common. In many ways, both are seasons of dependence, learning, vulnerability and receiving care. And this book confirmed that observation for me.

How beautiful, then, to view aging through a biblical lens—to see it not simply as a process of decline, but as part of God’s design that points us toward the fullness of life.

One particular quote from Dust to Dust has stayed with me. It has caused me to pause and reconsider how I view aging, shifting my focus away from myself and toward God.

“The false story of anti-aging says: Outward decline signals loss of identity and fear of suffering and death. To age is to diminish. The true story of aging says: Outward decline yields inward growth of spiritual and resurrection hope. To age is to deepen.”

Perhaps aging well is not ultimately about preserving who I am or holding on to what I can still do, but about faithfully receiving each season God gives me and using it to bring Him glory.

[Tina Heine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aging is not spoken of much in the church. At least in my church, discipleship and investment go into the young - children and young to middle aged adults. This book is a refreshing call to the reality we will all face if the Lord gives us long life as well as a start to discipleship in the direction of longevity.

I appreciate that this is a Biblical perspective on aging in general rather than a specific dive into how to deal with various possible aging scenarios, which will always be unique to individuals. And I appreciate the focus on the lie of anti-aging culture in western society at this moment. I have much to reflect on and repent of when considering how the anti-aging lie has affected my life.

The structure of the book, set up as a chiasm, is fascinating, and the questions at the end of each chapter lend to group discussion. Thank you, Jen Wilkin, for this resource for life and godliness at all ages.