For Emily Wickham, finding greater meaning and purpose after 50 has not required abandoning the interests that shaped the first half of her life.
Instead, she continued developing gifts that were planted decades ago, especially writing, teaching and encouraging women in their Christian faith.
Today, Emily is an author, podcaster and Bible teacher who uses stories from her own life to help women find greater peace and purpose through a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.
Her journey also demonstrates that dreams do not necessarily arrive according to our preferred timetable. Emily spent years writing and attending conferences before achieving one of her biggest goals of being traditionally published.
“I am just so grateful,” she said. “God had me on this journey that I did not necessarily envision myself being on. But it was just step after step, and here I am.”
A passion for writing
Emily has enjoyed writing for most of her life, but she became more serious about it in her early 30s when she began developing a Bible study on the Book of Esther.
This was before she owned a computer, so the first few lessons were created the old-fashioned way with paper and pencil.
At the time, Emily was also raising four children and homeschooling them. Staying home with her children allowed her to pursue writing while remaining focused on her family.
Eventually, an opportunity arose to teach the Esther study to a women’s class at her church. Having women waiting for a new lesson every week provided motivation and accountability to keep writing.
After completing the study, Emily attended a Christian writers conference where she pitched the manuscript to a publisher who had shown interest in the past. She had high hopes someone would immediately recognize its potential.
That didn’t happen, but, rather than giving up, Emily continued writing and learning. She attended Christian writing conferences where she developed her skills, met other writers and made connections that eventually opened other doors.
Since 2015, she has written devotions for Lifeway’s Journey magazine. Her work has also appeared in HomeLife magazine.
Emily often builds her writing around personal experiences and the lessons she learned from them.
“I try to be open and honest, or I would say maybe more transparent, with my writing,” she explained. “I think people relate to that.”
Those experiences, accumulated over decades, give Emily even more material to draw from today. They allow her to turn struggles, questions and ordinary moments into stories that may help someone else.
Expanding her ministry
Technology has given Emily additional ways to share those messages.
For example, in October 2022, she launched her podcast, “Indestructible Life,” which she uses to teach God’s word to women.
Emily said the name was inspired by a Bible verse (Hebrews 7:16) describing Jesus as indestructible. The word captured her attention because she believes Christians can find tremendous strength and hope through their relationship with Christ.
The podcast also allows Emily to reach people far beyond the audience she once addressed through radio devotions.
“It’s amazing the way we really have the opportunity to share through technology now,” she said.
Emily also writes Heart Stirrings for Midlife Women, a blog designed specifically to encourage women to find peace and purpose by connecting with Christ.
Rather than following a rigid publishing schedule, Emily tries to remain open to what she feels God is leading her to address. Her blog includes articles, prayers and episodes of The Indestructible Life podcast.
In March 2025, Emily moved the blog to Substack after feeling her website had reached a plateau. The change helped her attract new subscribers while allowing her to host written content and podcast episodes in one place.
Yet, Emily’s purpose to point people toward Jesus remains the same.
A long-awaited opportunity
One of the clearest lessons from Emily’s story involves persistence. For years, she dreamed of having a book traditionally published. She continued writing, attending conferences and pitching manuscripts, even when publishers repeatedly declined her proposals.
Then, in 2023, Emily traveled to the Write to Publish Conference in Wheaton, Ill., where she met an editor from Our Daily Bread Publishing.
Emily initially pitched a different Bible study. The editor expressed interest and reviewed several lessons, but the publisher eventually decided the manuscript wasn’t a good fit.
That could have been another disappointing dead end.
Instead, Emily remembered the editor mentioning that Our Daily Bread published books about prayer. So, Emily asked if she would be interested in reviewing a prayer study she had written years earlier and unsuccessfully pitched to other publishers.
The editor said yes and that old manuscript eventually became “Closer to God: A 10-week Study on Prayer.” Emily signed with Our Daily Bread Publishing in early 2024. A literary agent also came alongside her during the process.
“God really fulfilled my dream of getting traditionally published,” Emily said. “It took years. It was not the pathway that I saw for myself, but God is faithful.”
Learning to pray
“Closer to God” explores nine prayers from the Bible and combines them with stories from Emily’s life.
Each lesson leads readers into Scripture, offers reflections on the passage and encourages them to develop their own prayers. Throughout the study, Emily examines prayer as it pertains to relationship, worship and ministry.
She wants people to understand prayer does not require eloquent words or lengthy speeches.
“It’s not about how much we know or how well we can say what’s in our hearts,” Emily explained. “It’s really what is in our heart that God wants to hear.”
The study can be completed individually, but Emily said it can also work well with groups. Questions incorporated into the lessons can encourage participants to discuss what they are learning and hear different perspectives from other people.
For Emily, prayer has been especially important during difficult seasons, but she sees its value during every stage of life.
“What an amazing gift God has given to us that we can talk to him at any time,” she said.
Keep learning and connecting
Emily encourages people over 50 who are interested in writing to consider attending writers conferences.
She has attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference many times since 2006 as well as the Asheville Christian Writers Conference and Write to Publish.
Those events offered more than instruction. They connected Emily with people who encouraged her and sometimes introduced her to opportunities she could not have created on her own.
“You’re going to meet wonderful people who are at different stages of the writing journey with you,” she explained.
Emily believes conferences can benefit beginning writers as well as experienced ones because classes are generally designed for people at different stages of their careers.
Her own experience illustrates another advantage of continuing to meet people and learn new skills later in life. A connection that appears insignificant today may become important years from now.
Looking back, but moving forward
If Emily could re-experience parts of her life again, they would not be missed career opportunities or publishing decisions. Instead, she would have focused more on relationships and service.
She said she would like to have been a better wife and mother as well as someone who was more focused on serving others.
“I would just want to be more about Jesus,” she explained. “I’ve really sought to follow him throughout my life, but we can always improve.”
That desire continues to shape the purpose Emily finds in this season of life.
In January, she launched another podcast, “Bible Reading with Emily.” The project grew from seeing how her husband connected more easily with Scripture by listening rather than reading.
Unable to find an audio version of the particular historical Bible reading plan she wanted, Emily decided to create one herself.
The podcast simply features Emily reading Scripture without commentary or teaching. Listeners can begin with any episode at any time and follow along through the Bible.
Guiding people through the whole Bible requires a substantial commitment, but Emily views it as another opportunity to use her voice and abilities to help others engage with God’s Word.
That may be the biggest lesson from Emily’s journey after 50.
Purpose does not always require finding something completely new. Sometimes, it involves recognizing the gifts, experiences and passions developed during the first half of life, then finding new ways to put them to work.
Emily spent decades writing before becoming traditionally published. She taught women long before launching a podcast. She shared personal stories long before Substack gave her another audience.
Now those experiences are coming together in a season where writing, teaching, podcasting and prayer all serve the same purpose to encourage people to draw closer to Christ.
For more information
People can connect with Emily on these platforms:
- Website = www.proclaiminghimtowomen.com
- Facebook = www.facebook.com/emilywickham.author
- Instagram = www.instagram.com/emilywickham.author
- YouTube = www.youtube.com/emilywickhamauthor
- LinkedIn = www.linkedin.com/in/emilywickhamauthor
Her book “Closer to God” is available on Amazon and in other bookstores.
If you order a copy of Emily’s book from a link above, Forward From 50 may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
