Articles featuring Christian living content focused on senior adults, an aging population, caretaking, grandparenting, finances, healing and more Copyright https://www.crosswalk.com 2026, Crosswalk.com Thu, 08 Jan 2026 03:22:21 -0500 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/3-things-to-remember-as-a-widower-in-the-midst-of-grief.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/3-things-to-remember-as-a-widower-in-the-midst-of-grief.html Mike Nappa https://www.crosswalk.com/author/mike-nappa/ Dear Friend,I’ve heard recently that you, too, have suffered the loss of your wife. They’re asking me to encourage you, to give you advice and tell you it’ll all get better and nonsense like that. I will try to encourage you and give a little advice, but honestly? The only thing I really know to say to you right now is…I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.When Amy breathed her last breath at 1:28 a.m. on a Sunday morning, I thought I was ready. We’d had months to prepare for her death, after all, and cancer had been cruel. By that point, I’d been begging God to end her suffering. I thought I was ready.I wasn’t ready.Nothing could have prepared me for the soul-crushing absence that now filled my every moment. It’s been more than seven years since Amy died, and, well, I’m still not ready. I suspect that no matter how long it’s been since your wife passed away, you, too, are still not ready for that. So, again…I’m very, very sorry.All right, here’s the advice I promised earlier. As always, feel free to take whatever seems helpful and to ignore everything that’s not. I’m not a doctor or a counselor or an expert on grief or anything; I’m just a guy like you who tries not to cry when he thinks of his wife.Anyway…I’d like to encourage you to remember these three things during the hard days ahead. First, you never have to stop grieving the loss of your wife. Second, God has not left you here by accident. Third, and perhaps best, joy and sorrow can coexist.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/sestovic Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:15:20 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/10-peaceful-ways-to-embrace-aging-with-grace.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/10-peaceful-ways-to-embrace-aging-with-grace.html Gina Smith https://www.crosswalk.com/author/gina-smith/ Discover a scriptural perspective on aging that reframes it not as decline, but as a divine process of growth, purpose, and deeper faith. Learn how to embrace each season of life with peace and grace, celebrating the timeless qualities God cultivates within you. Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:30:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/happy-new-year/a-new-years-study-for-seniors.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/happy-new-year/a-new-years-study-for-seniors.html Gina Smith https://www.crosswalk.com/author/gina-smith/ Being available isn't just a good thing to do; it is a holy calling. When we prioritize reaching out to others, adjusting our schedule and agenda, making ourselves available to God, and investing in the next generation, we reflect God's priorities. When we submit our time, gifts, abilities, and resources to God, we are offering ourselves as a living sacrifice. Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/7-ways-to-have-a-healthy-year.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/7-ways-to-have-a-healthy-year.html Michelle S. Lazurek https://www.crosswalk.com/author/michelle-lazurek/ As Christmas closes and the new year approaches, we set our sights on creating New Year's resolutions for self-improvement in various areas of our lives. One of the most popular New Year's resolutions is for better health. The most common way people try to seek better health is to lose weight. However, the biggest health victories sometimes come when we step off the scale.Although there are many health assessments online, companies require an e-mail address, which permits the company to continue to e-mail you with ads and other promotional materials. The best way to analyze your health is to ask the Holy Spirit. It is easy for us to deny and think we are doing better than we are. Additionally, tests like online assessments can be manipulated to give ourselves the desired result. When we use denial and other self-deprecating behaviors, we don't allow the Holy Spirit to help us see areas in our lives in which we can grow.Additionally, the enemy loves it when we stop growing. When we stop identifying the areas where we need to take steps to improve ourselves, the enemy wins. He loves keeping us stuck right where we are. The Holy Spirit wants to show us areas of our physical, emotional, and spiritual health where we need the most help.To have a healthy 2024, we must protect our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. However, we must take an honest health analysis to see how healthy we are in each area. Here are five ways to have a healthy 2024:Photo credit: ©GettyImages/jacoblund Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:37:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/new-years-resolutions-for-parents-of-adult-children.html https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/new-years-resolutions-for-parents-of-adult-children.html Gina Smith https://www.crosswalk.com/author/gina-smith/ Before I'd begun reading this Psalm, I had been missing my adult children and longing to see and connect with them. They are busy living their lives as they should be. I am so thankful that they are doing well and being responsible, mature adults. But occasionally, when there are longer stretches of time between when I connect with them, I will begin to long to spend time with them and get caught up on what is going on in their lives. Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:35:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/christmas-and-advent/how-to-celebrate-christmas-when-the-kids-are-away.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/christmas-and-advent/how-to-celebrate-christmas-when-the-kids-are-away.html Gina Smith https://www.crosswalk.com/author/gina-smith/ Although I might miss my adult children during the holidays, it is a good time to evaluate my parent-heart and compare what I wanted for them when they were growing up versus what I want for them now. Do I have expectations? Do I feel they owe me something? They owe me nothing because I was doing what I was called to do as parents. -- For His glory. How can I fulfill my calling as parents of adult children and my big picture calling of doing all for the glory of God with the gospel being central in all I do? Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:01:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/facing-your-first-christmas-with-an-incurable-illness.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/facing-your-first-christmas-with-an-incurable-illness.html Vivian Bricker https://www.crosswalk.com/author/vivian-bricker/ Jesus died in order for us to live, and I have chosen to take hold of this blessing. What will you do? Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:45:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/ways-older-believers-can-mentor-the-next-generation-in-a-loud-world.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/ways-older-believers-can-mentor-the-next-generation-in-a-loud-world.html Whitney Hopler https://www.crosswalk.com/author/whitney-hopler/ Life for young people today is loud. They’re constantly bombarded with messages competing for their attention. It’s a challenging environment for young people who are trying to focus on their faith and hear what God is saying to them. If you’re an older believer, you have a treasure trove of experience and wisdom that the next generation desperately needs.You’ve experienced God’s help to overcome challenges, and you can tell stories about God’s love and power that young people need to hear. Mentoring the next generation is an important calling that God wants all older believers to respond to. Here are 5 ways you can mentor the next generation, so they can find God’s peace in this loud world.Photo Credit: GettyImages/Deagreez  Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:55:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/ways-to-embrace-retirement-as-kingdom-work-not-just-rest.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/ways-to-embrace-retirement-as-kingdom-work-not-just-rest.html Whitney Hopler https://www.crosswalk.com/author/whitney-hopler/ When you think about retirement, what comes to mind? Too often, our world presents retirement like a time where people do nothing more than rest. But how much time do you really want to spend on nothing but leisure? Activities like watching television, playing pickleball, and going out to lunch can be fun, but they can quickly become boring if you don’t have any other activities in your schedule that help you live into your purpose.Retirement is much more than just a season to rest; it’s an important time to lean into new work opportunities for you to serve in God’s kingdom. Every day God gives you to live is valuable time that God wants you to continue to contribute to his kingdom work in the ways that only you can. So, instead of seeing retirement as an ending, view it as the beginning of new assignments to help join God in his kingdom work. Here are 5 ways to embrace retirement as kingdom work.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/dragana991 Sun, 07 Dec 2025 22:05:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/ways-to-make-the-most-out-of-your-retirement.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/seniors/ways-to-make-the-most-out-of-your-retirement.html Sarah Hamaker https://www.crosswalk.com/author/sarah-hamaker/ Whether you’re currently retired, or it’s a dream well into the future, you can turn your golden years into ones as fulfilling as your working years had been. Here are 18 ways to make the most out of your retirement. Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:15:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:22:21-05:00