LIVE WELL

Thanks for investing a few minutes for this conversation. I promise to respect your time by being succinct.

My intent is to persuade you that you’re loved and have hope. Consider the following: If there isn’t a God or if God hates you, you’re hopeless. But if God exists and loves you, you have hope!

The preponderance of evidence is clear: you didn’t randomly evolve from nothing, which leads to nihilistic despair and destroys the human soul. You have profound value and purpose because the Creator-God made you and loves you—

specifically you. God wants to connect with you, but you must seek Him: “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” (Acts 17:27, NIV) Healthy relationships require intentional effort. Our conversation is about a relationship, not a religion or a lifestyle.

This conversation is urgent because we’re on the clock. Time passes, and life is brief and fragile. We’ve all lost loved ones too soon. Songs like Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle” and Mellencamp and Springsteen’s “Wasted Days” capture the fleeting nature of time:

“How many summers still remain? How many days are lost in vain? Who’s counting out these last remaining years? How many minutes do we have here?”

Please, invest 20 minutes to peruse this booklet and to consider your life. Who are you as a human on this planet? Why are you alive? What’s on the other side of death’s door?

Time’s short; let’s start.

KAREN'S WEDDING

Only my sister and I are alive. Life is fragile.
Karen’s wedding was bittersweet for our family.

She married Buck, my brilliant, funny, beloved brother-in-law, and we were blessed to have my mom with us. But after battling cancer for six years and barely able to walk down the aisle, my mom died three months later at 51.

At age 73, my athletic and fit dad, and my best friend, felt discomfort in his throat and died fromesophageal cancer ten months later.

Buck, a top student-athlete at Centre College, a Harvard MBA with honors, and likely the mostbeloved man I’ve known, succumbed to depression taking his life at age 50.

I assumed our family would enjoy a long life together.

LIFE SAND

Stephen Covey taught that effective people begin with the end in mind, and the Bible advises us to number our days (Psalm 90:12). While we can’t know our lifespan, we do know that death is certain. Therefore, it’s wise to live with our end in mind.

Time is like sand flowing through an hourglass, and we don’t know how much sand we have.

My parents planned to travel the world and enjoy grandparenthood after my dad retired, and I envisioned spending decades with them and my brother-in-law.

To manage my time effectively, I created a method called AB Mapping. You might find it helpful too.

On a piece of paper, write “A=Today (Date)” on the left and “B=Death” on the right. Draw anarrow from A to B and label it “Map.” Under “A,” list your current reality, and under “B,” write howyou want to be remembered. Above “Map,” write the concrete actions you need to take in the coming months to move toward your desired outcome.

Revisit this process often to stay on course. Encourage others to create their AB Map and regularly discuss your progress to ensure everyone stays on track.

Finally, in the hourglass drawing, color in the layers up to your current age. It’s remarkable how much life has already passed. Live well.

MIRACLE OF LIFE

Our planet hurtles through space at 66,000 miles per hour on a 580+ million-mile orbit, spinning at 1,000 miles per hour. It’s perfectly positioned and tilted from the sun, which is 93 million miles away. Is it likely this reality is simply luck Additionally, the universe’s physical laws and elements miraculously blend to enable life on Earth.

Charles Darwin, without electricity and modern technology, couldn’t comprehend the complexity of a simple protein, much less the ordered complexity of a human body, nature, and our universe.

No one witnessed the universe’s origin; our beliefs about life’s origin rely on faith. What’s the evidence and probability of a random origin versus creation? Consider Jewish and Christian history and the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’s miraculous birth, life, and resurrection. Is it all a farce?

Famous philosopher Aldous Huxley stated: “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

Assuming the Creator-God of the universe exists, He describes Himself in the Bible: “And he [God] passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished....’” (Exodus 34:6-7, NIV) Moses saw and heard God!

To better know the Creator-God, search these verses: Genesis 1:1, Psalm 11:7, Psalm 23:1-6, Psalm 86:5, Psalm 106:1, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 40:28-29, Isaiah 55:8-9, Isaiah 57:15-19, Nahum 1:7, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 3:16-17, John 1:1-5, John 5:18, Acts 17:24-28, Romans 15:13,

1 Corinthians 10:13, Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 1:1-4, James 2:19, 1 John 1:5, 1 John 1:9, and 1 John 4:7-12.

Human history reveals a brutal, murderous reality. There is an evil being, Satan, who opposes our loving Creator-God and all of creation, evidenced by death, disease, and destruction: “The thief [Satan] comes to steal, kill and destroy....” (John 10:10). Satan is not a cute character in a red suit with horns but is brilliant, beautiful, and brutal. He seeks to destroy us. To better understand him, search these verses: Genesis 3:1-5, Job 1:1-2:10, Matthew 4:1-25, Luke 4:1-8, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:1-17, Revelation 16:20, and Revelation 20:1-15.

HUMILITY

1. The universe has ordered complexity.

2. Jewish and Christian histories are undeniable.

3. Humans are profoundly finite.

These facts suggest the existence of a Creator-God (see Romans 1). Believing in and obeying God requires humility, which can be challenging since we naturally desire autonomy.

However, as finite beings, we lack knowledge of the future and much of the world’s information. We are like blind people navigating life’s minefield. A wise blind person seeks guidance, while an arrogant one rejects help and suffers the consequences. Are you wise, or arrogant?

The Latin root for “humility” is “humus,” meaning “earth” or “ground.” Genesis 3:19

reminds Adam, after his disobedience, that he will return to the ground: “For dust you are, and to dust you will return.”

Remembering our origin helps us to humbly and wisely seek God’s guidance.

WHO? WHY? WHAT? WHERE? HOW? (W4H)

Jot down your answers to these questions:

Who are you?

Why are you alive?

What’s the best use of your life?

What happens when you die?

What’s the evidence for your answers?

If our origin was from random evolution, then it’s not only futile to search for answers to the above que so should cause fear and despair realizing that there’s no eternal moral accountability and nothing ultimately matters. If our origin was random, then Mother Theresa and Adolf Hitler shared the same fate: oblivion. Yet, our soul senses that Mother Theresa rightly deserved eternal reward and Hitler eternal torment.

Because of the universe’s ordered complexity, Jewish and Christian history, the inability of scholars throughout history to disprove the Bible’s truth, and humans’ sense of God manifested in worship and morality, it’s reasonable to believe the Bible’s Creator-God both exists and can clearly communicate with us. Below are the Bible’s answers to “Who am I?”, “Why am I alive?”, “What am I to do?”, “Where am I going?”, and “How am I to do it?”

Who am I? Made in God’s image, not

random

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male andfemale he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, NIV) Humans are made in God’s image! We have a spiritual sense of God, morality, and eternity. We have profound value. (Also search Genesis 2:7, Psalm 100:3, and Psalm 139:13-16.)

Why am I alive? For God’s glory and praise, not mine
“Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made...the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” (Isaiah 43:7,
21, NIV) We’re created for God’s glory and for His praise, not ours, which is hard because we like being glorified and praised. When we humbly and gratefully acknowledge God as God, our soul feels right. (Also search 1 Corinthians 10:31, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Revelation 4:11, and Revelation 14:7.)

What am I to do? God’s will, not mine
“Going a little farther, he [Jesus] fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My
Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’” (Matthew 26:39, NIV) Jesus’s mission was to obey His Father for the Father’s glory, which included torture and crucifixion for us. Likewise, we’re to obey and bring God glory, which primarily is by loving God, self and others. Obedience matters eternally: “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Hebrew 9:27, NIV.) (Also search Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Mathew 28:19-20, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Mark 12:28-31, John 14:21, Micah 6:8, John 17:4, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 1:21, James 1:26-2:1, and 1 John 2:17.)

Where am I going? Joyful eternity with God, or torment without God

“Then they [people who reject Jesus] will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous[people who obey Jesus] to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46, NIV) We sense eternity and that we’ll give an account for how we lived (search Ecclesiastes 3:11, Hebrews 9:27). As mentioned previously, we believe it’s right for Mother Theresa to be enjoying eternity while Hitler is suffering. (Search these verses:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Matthew 25:31-46, Revelation 20:11-15, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Romans 14:12, John 3:16-18, 1 John 5:11-13, 2 Peter 3:7, and Romans 8:1-2.)

How am I to live? Led by God’s Spirit, not self
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” (Romans 8:14, NIV) Humans are made in God’s image; so, we have a unique spiritual connection to God evidenced by our moral sense and desire to worship. When I saw my mom lying in her coffin, clearly the spirit that animated vivacious “Billie Clair” was gone leaving only her shell. Humans can receive the Spirit of God into our soul by which we are transformed and adopted into God’s eternal family, but which begins a lifelong struggle between being self-oriented and God-oriented (we’ll discuss next). (Also search Joshua 1:8-9, Proverbs 9:10, John 15:5-7, John 16: 13-15, Acts 20:22-24, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 5:13-16, Ephesians 1:13-14, Ephesians 3:14-21, and Hebrews 11:6.

HEART TUG OF WAR

We often condemn hypocrisy in others while being aware of our own. Our ‘heart,’ or soul, focuses on self and absorbs input through our senses, affecting our thoughts, emotions, and actions (Galatians 6, Proverbs 4:23). The Bible acknowledges our inherent selfishness and antagonism toward God (Jeremiah 17:9-10, Matthew 15:19, Psalm 51:5). Neurochemicals like dopamine and cortisol also significantly influence our behavior; understanding our physiology is crucial.

Galatians 5 depicts our struggle between being God-oriented (‘spirit’) and being self oriented(‘flesh’ = body, mind, emotions), revealing the importance of our choices (Genesis 6:5). Eve’s choice in Genesis 3 illustrates her rejecting God’s authority for personal desires. Then Adam rejects God to please Eve. We face decisions about what influences us (e.g., music, internet) and how friends impact us. Ultimately, we’re responsible for our choices.

Occasionally, are you a hypocrite?

What are you allowing into your soul (e.g. music, internet)?

How are your friends influencing you?

We’re decision makers not victims: choose wisely.

BAG OF ROCKS

We all have shameful thoughts, behavior, and memories that are like rocks in a bag that we’re always carrying with us. And it’s exhausting.

What rocks are in your bag? Are you tired of carrying it all day every day? Good news: you can empty your bag!

SIN

Two critical questions: Are you carrying rocks you want to unload? Do you believe in God?

The concept of “sin” originates from an ancient term meaning “missed the bullseye.” God represents the perfect bullseye, and as imperfect beings who reject God (even if just once), we’re considered “sinners” for missing that mark--God. Our imperfections and God’s perfection creates a gap between us, which is what Jesus taught that the Ten Commandments reveal: our imperfect,
sinful heart.

Some people are distant from God and irreligious (person “1” in the picture). Others are deeply religious (person “2”). Both groups, however, face an unresolved sin problem and carry rocks they can’t unload without God’s assistance.

Consider these verses: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) “For the wages of sin is death [eternal separation from God], but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 12 8:15-16) “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved [from eternal torment as punishment from rejecting God].”(Romans 10:9) “He who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John14:21) “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6) “If we confess our sins, He [God} is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2

Corinthians 5:17) “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control....” (Galatians 5:22-23) “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

Here’s the most important question you’ll ever be asked because it has eternal ramifications and we’re on the clock: Are you person 1, 2, or 3?

JUMBLED LIFE

Apparently, while dating my wife, I was a skilled con man since she eventually agreed to marry me. But soon after our marriage, she realized what a selfish jerk I am. I’d work all week and then use “my” free time to do what I wanted like golf and tennis with my pals.

I rarely considered her plans and desires. Frustration brewed. Something (someone...me) needed to change, or my marriage and life would eventually collapse.

Do you know the feeling?

PRIORITY PYRAMID

Since my life and marriage were deteriorating, I sat down and prayed for help. Immediately, I saw this Priority Pyramid.

To have a stable life I needed to ensure God was my foundational, priority relationship from which flowed wisdom and power for managing life’s other key areas.

Next was my relationship with people beginning with my wife and then our children and others. People matter because we’re made in God’s image and eternal.

Work (vocation) is next since we are made to be creative workers, like God. Ideally, we do work that fits our unique wiring (e.g. personality, aptitude). (See my “8 P Propeller” at TruthLoveHope.org.)

Work creates cash flow (income less expenses) enabling us to purchase assets (e.g. house, car, investments) sometimes with debt (e.g. mortgage). Finances are integral to our daily life.

Finally, I need to stay healthy holistically (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually). If we jumble the layers or only focus on two or three, our pyramid becomes unstable. For example, 15 men typically focus on work, finances, and health neglecting God and relationships until there’s a crisis. Do we invest more time being physically fit than spiritually fit? Using the Priority Pyramid picture, color in each of the five layers to the percent you believe it’s solid and strong (e.g. Physical Health 70%, Relational 30%). What does your completed Priority Pyramid look like? Stable? Top heavy?

Which layers are strong, and which are weak needing attention? How solid is your foundation?

On the right side of the Pyramid, capture what you truly want from each core area and then, after reviewing your evaluation of that area’s strength, jot down how you can strengthen that layer.

Finally, consider discussing your Pyramid with others and how you can help one another have stronger lives.

WHAT'S NEXT

You can’t waste time since you’re on the clock. So:

Who are you?

Why are you alive?

Are you carrying a heavy bag of rocks?

Do you want to empty it?

Where are you going after your death?

Is God God? Is He your God?

What’s the evidence?