As we move into our last week of this course, we will now examine a biblical understanding of the stages of life within marriage and family.  The modern family and its phases are in some ways very different from the traditional expectations of family life of many years ago. Consider the following:

• children born outside of traditional marriage
• cohabitation vs. marriage
• raising small children
• preparing preteens for teenage years
• the contemporary teenage years
• the college years
• young adulthood
• courtship and marriage
• beginning one’s own family
• the empty nest
• issues in midlife
• the relationship with adult children
• old age
• physical limitations and health issues
• preparing for death
• saying goodbye to one’s parents
• Do a broad, scriptural search for what is involved with the phases of life.

• Reflect on how the Bible relates to life stages as they relate to the descriptive words above.

• Reflect on how secular culture might disagree with some of these descriptive words, or a biblical understanding of life’s stages in general.

• From a biblical perspective, prepare to discuss how you might respond to 2-3 of the life stages above, in light of today’s culture.