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Of course, knowing where we're going isn't always easy. We need a compass, a guide to keep us heading in the right direction. Like all the other times in our Christian lives, that requires being still in the presence of the Almighty, honest reflection with Him and others, regular Scripture study, and a healthy dose of humor.

"It takes grit and courage and prayer to face the other side of fifty and sixty and seventy," Karen O'Connor writes in Help, Lord! I'm Having a Senior Moment. "Most people want the last chapter of their lives on earth to be peaceful with more joy. Unfortunately, too many mourn the loss of their lives when they're still living. I say, let's not get stuck in the mourning; let's make music with what's left and enjoy what we've been given."

O'Connor, whose latest book is Help, Lord! I'm Having a Senior Moment—Again!, believes we won't take ourselves too seriously if we approach aging with laughter, cheerfulness, and lightheartedness.

The next step in any adventure is to review our equipment. If the knife needs sharpening, sharpen it; that is, if our gifts are dull, we need to sharpen them so they can help us remain active, generous, and fully alive. But just how do we rediscover these, as well as a sense of wonder for the world around us or for the things that, before now, we didn't have time to appreciate?

Fitzpatrick says this is the time to volunteer, to learn a new skill (or return to an old one), and to give away our gifts. She suggests making a list of your gifts and abilities to see how you might use them in your local church or community, or finding a gap where young people might not have access to older Christians.

"Don't assume they don't want you there," she says. "Many are hungry for relationships, especially because we live in such a transient culture where people are often far from family, so this is a chance to become a surrogate parent, aunt, or friend. Serving other people helps you find your place."

Terri Beasley today admits it was a crew of loyal friends who kept her going during a difficult time. Now she's committed to being the same kind of friend to others, whether it's helping neighbors or sewing costumes for kids at an after-school program. Relationships during midlife can be the most vulnerable and yet the most meaningful.

"You'd think that our time of life would mark the renewal of relationships. But statistics show that isn't the case," Fitzpatrick writes. "The highest incidence of divorce occurs among people ages 40 to 54. … I don't think marriages deteriorate just because we enter our fourth decade. We've been too busy with soccer practice and birthday parties to notice the erosion that's been eating away at the foundations of our life together."

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