Introduction: Your Opportunity to Start Fresh

Strategy 1: Determine Your Priorities
Strategy 2: Retire at the Right Time
Strategy 3: Retire in the Right Place
Strategy 4: Take Care of Yourself
Strategy 5: Love God
Strategy 6: Make Good Friends
Strategy 7: Enjoy and Strengthen Your Family
Strategy 8: Avoid Destructive Pitfalls
Strategy 9: Get Busy
Strategy 10: Be Flexible, Adaptable, and Resilient

Recommended Reading
General Index
Scripture Index

“Dr. Dunlop has a gift for understanding every season in life as an opportunity to glorify God. He shares this gift beautifully in Retiring Well, as he blends his experience as a geriatrician with his knowledge of Scripture to guide us into a richer walk with the Lord during retirement. Clear, biblical, and abounding in both wisdom and compassion, this book offers encouragement and practical advice to guide us toward a retirement rooted not in the diversions of the world but in the true rest of Christ. Return to this book again and again to dwell upon Dr. Dunlop’s words, grow from his insights, and praise the Lord that while our careers may end, our work for him never does.”
Kathryn Butler, MD, author, Between Life and Death; Glimmers of Grace; and The Dream Keeper Saga

“In Retiring Well, Dr. Dunlop has given us a clear, well-organized guide to retirement. He is unafraid of sensitive topics and applies Scripture thoughtfully, including familiar passages that come to life in the context of retiring. Dunlop provides common-sense ideas that I had not thought of. Once you read it, you may well find yourself writing a new to-do list—I did."
David Wilson, Staff Member, Cru Ireland

“While many people look forward to retirement, entering this season might feel as unsettling as traveling to a foreign country where you don’t know the language, customs, or terrain. Whether you’re looking forward to retirement or already there, Retiring Well is a retirement roadmap packed with practical strategies for determining when to retire, identifying our purpose, finding balance between rest and activity, and much more. Dr. Dunlop’s generous use of Scripture lays a foundation for the why of his counsel. This book will help readers sharpen their priorities for every area of life. Each of Dr. Dunlop’s books make me feel as though I’m chatting with an unrushed doctor who is genuinely interested in me. Though I wish we had this book before our retirement, it’s not too late for us to apply the counsel it shares.”
Sharon Betters, coauthor, Aging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture

“Retiring Well is a practical, well-structured guide to living your life in retirement and an excellent resource to help all of us plan for and respect the closing chapters in our life’s story. It maps out logical, strategic steps so we can grow stronger in the one wellness that matters the most: our spiritual wellness. I can attest to the relevance of his wisdom to anyone anywhere in the world wishing to prepare for a rich and fruitful retirement in service to the Lord. The book is colored by Dr. Dunlop’s life experiences and stories and enriched with an abundance of biblical references, so read this book with your Bible nearby."
John Povey, Director, Here to Eternity, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa

“As one who has just begun this phase of life’s journey, I am profoundly grateful for this book. The marriage of a comprehensive knowledge of Scripture, a lifetime of sober theological reflection, and decades of compassionate practice in general and geriatric medicine have made John a wise guide for those who need a mature voice to help us as we enter this chapter of our lives. John’s counsel is, on the one hand, eminently practical (practicing balance while brushing your teeth) and on the other, desperately important (more freedom to pray and time to nurture fellowship with Jesus Christ). The ten strategies outlined in Retiring Well will serve the serious Christian as he or she seeks faithfulness through the years of retirement. As with John’s first three books, I not only enthusiastically recommend Retiring Well, but I will be using it!”
Mike Malone, Minister to Senior Adults, Independent Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee

“Similar to the Dunlops, we have recently made a huge change and ‘retired’ from what we did for more than forty years. John has synthesized wisdom drawn from his years of following Jesus, his gerontological practice, others’ research, and the word of God. John addressed many of the questions we considered as well as revealed others we still must. His gentle manner comes across in print as he challenges readers to look at retirement in a countercultural way, for the sake of God’s glory, which he affirms will prove to be for our good. This would be valuable reading for people approaching retirement as well as for those who love them!”
Jackson and Donna Crum, Former Lead Pastor, Park Community Church, Chicago, Illinois; and his wife, Donna

“So many people stumble their way through retirement. They run out of time to put to use most of what they learn through trial and error. What a gift to have much of that experience gathered here in this wonderfully practical book by John Dunlop. Anyone retired or expecting to retire someday will be greatly blessed by reading it.”
John F. Kilner, Professor Emeritus, Bioethics and Contemporary Culture, Trinity International University; author, Dignity and Destiny