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

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. 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 Aging: This book is a thought-provoking resource for those in their 20s, middle age, and beyond
Thoughtful: Using the metaphor of a chiastic poem, Wilkin explores the symmetry of life and helps us find value in each stage
Practical Application: 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 Wilkin: Author of None Like Him; In His Image; Women of the Word; and more

Jen Wilkin is a speaker, writer, and Bible teacher. She has a background in women’s ministry, and has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. Jen’s passion is to see believers become articulate and committed followers of Christ, with a clear understanding of why they believe what they believe, grounded in the Word of God. You can find her at jenwilkin.net.

“Jen Wilkin’s ministry is a gift to the entire church. In this book, she unmasks the anti-aging messaging we are flooded with in the modern world, inviting us instead to embrace a biblical vision for each different season of life. What this book reveals is surprisingly hopeful and desperately needed in our culture: that, in Christ, aging is not a loss to be feared but God’s appointed path toward fullness and life.”
―Gavin Ortlund, President, Truth Unites; Theologian in Residence, Immanuel Nashville, Tennessee; Visiting Professor of Historical Theology, Phoenix Seminary

“In a culture that idolizes youth, Jen Wilkin’s Dust to Dust: Aging Wisely in an Anti-Aging World is a timely reminder that growing older is a gift to receive, not a problem to solve. With biblical clarity and theological wisdom, Wilkin reframes aging through the lens of Scripture, exposing the false narratives the world offers. This book will transform how you view the aging process and deepen your understanding of the sacred responsibility to care for the elderly.”
―Melissa B. Kruger, author; Vice President of Discipleship Programming, The Gospel Coalition

“Our image-driven culture, abounding in selfies, filters, and anti-wrinkle serums, warns us to flee from aging lest we fade into insignificance. In Dust to Dust, Jen Wilkin offers a refreshing and direly needed counterpoint to such harmful messaging. Drawing from the chiastic structure and parallelism fundamental to Hebrew poetry, she invites readers into a biblical exploration of God’s good and perfect design throughout the arc of life. Wilkin’s profound observations, keen engagement with Scripture, and practical wisdom promise to guide, enrich, and embolden readers of all ages, inspiring us all to devote every season to God’s glory.”
―Kathryn Butler, MD, author of Between Life and Death: A Gospel-Centered Guide to End-of-Life Medical Care

“In Dust to Dust, Jen Wilkin presents a vision of aging so compelling, it makes me eager for the years ahead. So much of what we hear in culture is about hiding the visible realities of the years we have lived―but Jen offers a more biblical view: that aging is a rare gift to be honored, welcomed, and unconcealed. Yes, our days on this earth are numbered. But while the world trills about finding ways to live forever, Jen reminds us that, in Christ, we already will.”
―Laura Wifler, writer, poet, author of This Side of the Sky, and coauthor of Risen Motherhood

“Jen’s exploration of what God’s word says about life, aging, and wisdom is a gift in the midst of all the pressures that surround us today. It’s a call to reframe our perspective, according to God’s word and his ways. I’m confident you will find Dust to Dust both encouraging and convicting, as I did.”
―Ruth Chou Simons, Wall Street Journal bestselling author; artist; Founder, GraceLaced.com