The secret to effective writing is to know yourself and your ideal reader.

MY IDEAL READER IS AN OLDER ADULT

like me

from within one of three demographic groups

       young old 65-75

       middle old 75–85

       old old 85+

and our adult children.

Many of my readers—but not all—are followers of Jesus

MY IDEAL READER IS CURIOUS

some are asking—

       “Who is God in my life right now?”

others are asking—

       “Who am I in this powerful new season in my life?”

all are asking—

       “What shall I do with the years that remain?”

MY IDEAL READER IS INTERDEPENDENT

not independent

       wants things that are truly worth wanting

is in search of deeper meaning and purpose

       has their feet planted on earth and their heart pointed toward heaven

MY IDEAL READER KNOWS THAT

man’s search is not for religion, but for a relationship with the One True God

       growth is lifelong, from birth to final breath

life’s mature years are meant to be complex and demanding

       modern society pretty much leaves its elders to fend for themselves

older adults can be fountains of knowledge and wisdom

MY IDEAL READER IS A

pastor or other vocational ministry leader

        business or professional leader,

retiree and parent with adult children

       adult child with aging parents

MY IDEAL READER IS A LEADER OVER 50

We are all leaders in some way. Influencers in family, in business, in our neighborhood, in the world. And never more so than at midlife and beyond.

PERSPECTIVE the blog, looks at the relative importance of things in life after 50, from a certain viewpoint. I am an active “middle-old,” with 60+ of my years having been given over to pastoral and other vocational ministry. I, and my occasional blogging guests, have always liked dipping into the everyday spiritual journey we are on. The not so simple life we all live.

“I’ve followed you for a while now, off and on,” writes David D, a                   denominational church leader in Indiana, “first connecting with you in a post on Facebook. The thing that got my attention is you are a widower. My wife died six years ago. The other thing that drew me to you is your age.  

“Time passed, eventually I remarried, and we began seeking God for our future. I resigned my job and we are now newly appointed missionaries, focused on developing Christian leaders on the continent of Africa.

“I am only 58 years old—but I want to be an old guy like you! I hope you don’t take offense at the way I put that! Perhaps someday we can connect while trying to figure out the successive next steps in my life. For now, I just wanted to let you know, you encouraged someone.”

MY IDEAL READER WANTS A FRESH LOOK AT LIFE

I hope you’ll do what David did and join me in PERSPECTIVE. Visit my website at www.wardtanneberg.com, hit the green “Get Insider Access” button, and subscribe. It’s quick and easy. If you are already a subscriber, tell your friends about PERSPECTIVE. Once each week, we’ll let life’s ordinary elements of pathos and humor, pros and poetry, reason and faith, facts and fiction, bump up against the ancient truths of the Bible, allowing them to deepen and expand our own answers to these great questions, who is God right now, who am I right now, and what shall I do—right now?