Going beyond mere inspiration, Arnold does not shy away from such difficult topics as coping with dementia, the prospect of dying, and enduring with dignity. Through faith and a true spirituality, he says, we can find acceptance and serenity.

Rich in Years, Finding Peace and Purpose in a Long Life is another wonderful book from Plough Publishing. Getting older is not an easy process, and we often confront fear, disappointment, and physical and mental changes. The author uses life experiences and the experiences of others to offer advice and encouragement as we face some of these life changes.

I would say this book is primarily for Christians, and although I didn’t agree with every doctrinal statement in this book, I appreciated the author’s outlook on later years and the ability to use our talents or even find new ones. There was not doubt that his focus was on our spiritual service.

You may think this book is just for old people, but I would also encourage younger people to read it too. You will gain great insight into the thoughts of your parents or grandparents, and just may learn something to do now to prepare for the day when you walk where they are. For those of us having reached these years, it can be a source of great encouragement and provide lessons for pressing on to make the time we have left a life of service and devotion. ( )

Great photos heading up each chapter. They were seriously marvelous; could take prizes in any competition. I was pleased and surprised to see quotes (and a banjo doodle) from Pete Seeger, one of my father's acquaintances.

However, I expected advice on having fun and keeping up your health, traveling and taking up new hobbies. The cover photo of a joyful grandfather surfcasting bolstered this hope. Instead, the narrative was centered on saddening tales of disease and death, which the author tried to lighten with references to scripture.

The story about Timothy and his bees and the one about the contemplative Charles Sinay being "suddenly immersed" in the author's Bruderhof community gave me pause.

Very positive features were Arnold's disapproval of overmedication of seniors and heroic measures to prolong life without concern for its quality. It was good that he recommended making one's wishes for end-of-life treatment known in a will (or accompanying legal document).

While I appreciate the complimentary copy of an attractively-printed and illustrated trade-size paperback book, it isn't what I was looking for. I anticipate a more hedonistic old age. ( )

I received this book as a giveaway from “Library Thing” and being a giveaway I am reviewing the book so that perhaps a few others might see it and the implications that it brings with it in a slightly different light than most of the reviews that I have read.

I asked for the book for two reasons: 1) I am just a couple of years younger than the author and I was quite interested in what he had/has to say to us “older folk”; and 2) the description of the book indicated that it had been written from a Christian perspective. Being a Christian for over fifty years and a pastor and itinerant preacher for many of those years I was extremely interested in reading another Christian’s perspective on how he thinks we are to view these final years of our lives here on earth.

When I received the book I made a cursory examination of the many reviews that appear inside the front cover. All very glowing in their many words of commendation. But then one would not expect otherwise. I then spent some time researching the organization that Johann Arnold and his wife are a part of. It soon became apparent that our individual theologies are quite different. Arnold is from an Anabaptist background while I am a very conservative, five point Calvinist. This does not mean that we do not have several of the fundamentals of the faith in common, but it does mean that our individual approaches to Scripture have at times quite a variance. At times he also uses well known books to describe some things that the books were not meant to convey.

For example, in his introduction Arnold describes Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” as a comparison of life to a long journey. In a sense this is true, but the reality of this classic book has to do with a Christian’s spiritual journey as Pilgrim wends his way through that which every Christian must encounter as he lives his life for Jesus Christ. Now I’m not saying that Arnold does a disservice to the text, only that he omits the fact that Pilgrim is a Christian, not just any ordinary man seeking to do his best despite the difficulties that befall him.

My greatest fault with this book has to do with the fact that it is never really made clear who our author is addressing. There are times when it appears that he is speaking of and to Christians, but he’s doing so in a very humanistic way. For example, in his first chapter on “Growing Older”, he states:
“…death is the final enemy, and we must fight it to the end
with all life’s vigour,…”

Now if this being addressed to non-Christians there is something of merit in what he says, but he concludes:

“…yet we know that Christ has conquered death, so we need
not fear it.”

We cannot address non-believers with these latter words unless the Spirit of GOD has brought such ones to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. At the conclusion of the next paragraph Arnold states:

“When we find the peace of Jesus, it will more than replace the
things we used to do for personal satisfaction.”

Along with several other similar statements, this one was quite disturbing for the simple reason that no where does Arnold lay down for us from the Word of GOD how the “…peace of Jesus…” may be found. In point of fact Scripture throughout the book was used as an addendum to our author’s take on what it means to be a Christian.

It was just about at this juncture that I decided that it might be a good idea to discover what “being a Christian” means to a man of Arnold’s persuasion. The Anabaptist concept of Soteriology [Salvation] is quite different from that which is understood and practiced amongst the large body of Christendom at large. From one of their own web pages this is what we find in terms of what they believe:

“That humans are born in sin, is of course readily admitted; but this birth does not mean a sort of fate which cannot be overcome or escaped. The basic presupposition of Anabaptist thought is the existential fact of inner rebirth, the total change of mind. Only individuals of this type could (and would) ever join the Anabaptist brotherhoods; those who passively despaired of any essential change of life could never understand the Anabaptists both in their everyday life and in their stand at trials. Faith meant to them more than merely a "creedal assent," it meant rather an experience leading to decision and commitment.”
Anabaptists believe that one’s salvation is not dependent solely on the grace of GOD, but rather in terms of how one obeys Christ in the warp and woof of his every day life. The salvation of the Reformation is not that which Anabaptists live by, rather the inner birth comes through a decision to live by all that Christ specifies should be a Christian life.

Hence we come to Arnold’s basic pretext in putting this book together. If men only abide by certain texts within Scripture then when they come to the end of their lives, at no matter what age, then everything should be fine.
In fact he even puts this down in a very pragmatic statement, to wit:

“Even with our physical and mental abilities curtailed, we have
many opportunities to work for humanity and for GOD’s kingdom
on earth by living out the two main commandments of Jesus:
‘Love the Lord your GOD with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind’, and ‘Love
your neighbor as yourself’ [Matt 32:17-39]”

One of the things that has always bothered me when listening to others who take things out of Scriptural context, and this Arnold does on a number of occasions. This is one outstanding example:

“What could be more wonderful than breaking bread with others?
As Jesus said, “For where two or three gather in my name,
there am I with them.’ [Matt. 18:20]”

He’s trying to convey the idea of the wonderful nature of community, and to do so he’s uses a text that has nothing to do with community, but rather was stated by our Lord in the context of providing discipline within the church.

Oftentimes throughout this little volume, Arnold recounts the lives of certain individuals who have carried on their lives with certain devastating results. One such account about a man named Joshua who through a life lived, it would appear, very selfishly, did find some redemption as his end drew near. Making peace with many members of his family and friends he began to involve himself in a number of activities that centred around others. He was then diagnosed with cancer which he bore well with little or no complaint. Many people including children flocked to visit him, and he was very thankful for all that they did. As the man’s life drew to a close, Arnold recounts, “…thankfulness rather than bitterness, radiated from his face.” And the concluding statement, “He was a man at peace with his Maker.” That’s all.

The idea being conveyed here is simple, live out the finality of your life and GOD will be pleased to accept you. This is not Scriptural and hence it is not true. At the end or our lives, if we have not already done so through the bulk of it, men need to find themselves at the foot of Calvary pleading for forgiveness in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peace comes through no other means.

Now, lest anyone think that I am trying to bad mouth this book because it does not fit into my theological agenda, that is not true. Apart from his more obvious deviations from Scriptural truth, he does have a number of good things that need our attention. I cannot in this review give them all, but one for me stands out and that pertains to his stand on either suicide or euthanasia. In this area he is right on and for that I salute him. And herein we find a very telling paragraph:

“Yet even if compassion is the motivation, the taking of any
human life is wrong. GOD created each of us ‘in the image of
GOD’. Since he gave us life, only he has the right to end it.
Suicide is a form of rebellion against GOD, a statement that
says, ‘I am beyond hope. My problem is too big for even GOD
to handle’. Suicide denies that GOD’s grace is greater than our
weakness.”

To that I can only say, Amen.

So if you are strong in your faith in Christ and are seeking, beyond any type of evangelistic text to read some good stuff on growing old, then I would heartily recommend this small book. If you are seeking rather a solid text on growing old as a child of the King, apart from Scripture itself, may I respectfully suggest you look elsewhere. ( )

I asked for this book and received it from Early Readers Group of Library Thing. I am always pleased to get one of these books to read and review. I asked for this particular book because I am getting Rich in Years. At 67 a lot has changed in my life and the life of my wife of 45 years who also is my best friend.

Rich in Years by Johann Arnold spoke in simple terms and in each chapter caused me to stop and think where I came from and how I got there. Chapter 2 for example, Accepting Change. My body is starting to break down. Hearing: have 2 hearing aids, Teeth: need a plate, Eyes: back to back cataract surgeries in the next couple of weeks. I have to accept the physical changes and this chapter addresses this.

Chapter 3 Combating Loneliness. With all three daughters working in Minneapolis, Seattle, Irvine Ca. and us living in Florida, and as close as we all are, loneliness can take its toll. I brought these two chapters up because I feel the book can be read by young, middle, and elderly people with the idea that we are all in this together.

Finally Mr. Arnolds reliance on God and what should also be our reliance on God or a Higher Power is what carries us through. ( )