April 5, 2026 — Episode #116

Jerry and Becky Drace open a new series on middle adulthood (ages 40-65), following their recent series on emerging adulthood.

They walk through characteristics of this life stage, including physical changes like decreased metabolism, changes in skin and hair, declining vision and hearing, and decreased muscle mass and bone density. They also discuss cognitive changes, noting that intellectual activity remains strong through middle adulthood but processing speed can slow, and they suggest ways to stay mentally sharp such as reading, puzzles, and learning new skills. Becky shares candidly about her own cancer diagnosis in December 2021 and the year and a half of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy that followed, tying her experience to the importance of memorizing scripture such as Philippians 4:6 (“Be anxious for nothing”) to combat anxiety at any life stage. She points listeners to her book, The Bright Side of Blue, which shares her own journey along with the stories of others who have walked through personal crises. The conversation also touches on memory changes, using old photographs to jog long-term memory, and begins to introduce emotional and psychological shifts common in this stage, including self-reflection and the idea of a midlife crisis, which the Draces plan to explore further in the coming weeks.

Topics discussed:

• Defining middle adulthood (ages 40-65)
• Physical changes: metabolism, skin/hair, vision, hearing, muscle mass
• Cognitive changes and ways to stay mentally sharp (reading, puzzles, chess)
• Becky’s cancer diagnosis and treatment journey (2021-2023)
• Scripture on anxiety (Philippians 4:6)
• Becky’s book “The Bright Side of Blue”
• Introduction to midlife crisis and emotional/psychological changes

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