How to know your priorities in life

Two weeks ago I was watching a movie with a very interesting scenes at the beginning.

The first scene was this lady (the lead role) visited her doctor. The doctor checked her up and told her that she has a cancer.

And then followed it up with a statement “…you only have 1 to 2 months live.”

Let me ask you this…

If you have 1 month to live, what are you going to do?

Think about it for a couple of minutes before you continue reading this email.

…PAUSE…

So what comes to your mind immediately?

Maybe for some, they’ll call someone and will say “I love you.” or “I’m sorry.”

To some people maybe they’ll share their faith to unbelieving love ones or friends.

Or simply, they’ll spend more time with people they love the most.

The reason I’m asking you these questions is, I was reminded by a scripture when I was watching this movie.

It’s from Psalm 39:4 that says…

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.” NLT

You see, life can be overwhelming sometimes with lots of to dos at work, church, home, etc.

But you need to know your priorities in life and treat is for what it is … a priority.

If it’s your family then spend time with them, hug them, love them, or forgive them.

Also, do whatever your heart is telling you what to do.

You must think and act with urgency because… Life is short

Let us know your thoughts below.

In Him,
Don and Dawn

Comments

  1. Osunkoya,Samuel Adolapo says:

    as a matter of fact i will be glad because waiting to get to heaven is a serious business, i cant wait anymore to use my little lifetime to minister to others. infact whats in the world

  2. Pamela Akihiro says:

    I am a missionary in Mexico. At first, I tho’t I would want to be with my family, but God has given me a mission to accomplish and I think that I would want to try to complete that mission with His help. I might ask that my family come to me.

    • Hi Pamela.

      God loves us to be with our family. He normally doesn’t make us choose between serving Him and be with our family.

      Remember this, your family is your first ministry.

      You just have to leave a balanced life.

  3. sithembile says:

    I wish to thank God for people like you Dawn & Don by your messages I am now strong I u have kept me going through a very difficult time thanks for reminding me of Psalm 39:4 sometimes we forget to live as if it was the last day

  4. latanyA webb says:

    As I thought about this I was reminded about my faith. First thing came to mind was spending time with my family then I began to think about who report am I’m going to believe. So as for me I’m going to exercise Hebrews 11:1 like never before. And of course remain living each day as if its my last. Amen.

  5. Shalom Don & Dawn,
    Thank you for remind us with these word of God. Soli Deo Gloria.

  6. My husband was diagnosed with cancer of the lungs at the age of 58. When our Sr. Pastor broke the news to him, he made just one comment. I’m ready to meet my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My daughter and I had a blessed time of forgiving each other and we spent the rest of the next 2 months restoring our relationship positively and fruitfully with love and joy.

  7. I have one problem to ask you for your help. in this days i am really struggling with making decision.
    i don’t know what to do now. Sometimes , i felt that God want me to go this way and sometime that way. it seems so mess up in my mind. when i read your Email it really moved me – especially this phrase ” .. do whatever y our heart telling you what to do..” So, what should i do now ?

    thank you
    Sam

    • Hi Sam.

      I’m not exactly sure about your problems. But in any case, prayer and consultation with a Christian elder will enlighten you.

      Read your Bible while praying and asking God for direction and revelation.

      Keep seeking His face and you’ll find Him.

  8. For me what l will do is that l will examine my life and walk with my God.l will rededicate my life to Jesus Christ ,confess known and unknown sins to God.,Make peace with anyone l think l am not in peace with.l will equally ask God to heal me and deliver me because of His promise in psalm 118 verse 17 and Exodus 23verse 26.l will remind God of what He did for Hezikaiah whom God told through the mouth of prophet to put his house in order because he is going to die but when he cried unto God and reminded God of all the good things he has done,God added to him more 15years and cancel death sentence that was pronunced against him,For l know that God is a merciful God who has power to change whatever man did or say,
    All my trust will rest in the Almighty God.

  9. Nellie Ng says:

    Personally I feel that human being has got this very stubborn nature in them, that includes me. And stories like this do not strike us until it happens to us. Otherwise we will take it as a very “matter of fact” kind of attitude.

    It’s always the case, isn’t it? When somebody faces a divorce or contracted cancer for example, we will never think it will happen to us. I just don’t understand why it has to be that way and when it should strike us, we may live to regret that there are just so many things that needed to be done which is all too late.

    So I have moved on reminding myself that if it can happen to someone else, it can to me too. I therefore resolve to ask God for His grace and mercy to lead me on to do the things He wants me to do while I am still able to. Most importantly that He will use me for all His glory so that when my day is done, I can hear my Lord saying, “Well done my good and faithful servant”. So until that happens, I must be mindful to live for God and complete the mission that He has for me in reaching out to those who are still unsaved and yet to hear about the gospel.

    Nel

  10. dear friends.
    that is true. Life is Short. But LORD Almighty thought me the will and the time is with him Therefore stop till HE guides in his way and his way’ I am happy to say HE gave me the success.Happiness Hope Love (Its a long list) So it is very correct we must think and act with urgency according to HIS will – time. Because life is short if HE not give another day for us/
    GOD bless you and your…….
    P.S. I am really enjoying your thoughts. advises.guidance. Thanks its helpful

  11. Dominic says:

    This message is very true as we know in actual that our life on earth is not everlasting but short lived.
    We need Lord’s strength to guide us in prioritising the things too.

  12. Bathabile says:

    Morning Saints,

    i must be honest u hardly ever have the time to read my emails but this morning as i was praying to God to instill in me a forgiving heart and spirit then he said to me open your mails and he spoke. forgiveness is a very important and fragile matter , i was hurt really badly by a man that i was courting with who is now dating my sister cousin…saints when ever i see them together my heart beats fast and i’m immidiately filled with anger and hatred like this morning it happend that i bump into them and the feeling of hate and anger came rushing..!
    oh how i pray to God to heal me and forgive me for even feeling that way.. Saints i need your prayers please cover me ..

    Stay Blessed and may the peace of God multiply…

  13. greetings in peace,

    since I have a great desire to share more Good News for many lost souls, I’d like to quit from my jobs and get full time in missiion field, therefore I intend to go for theological seminary, I must think and act with urgency because life is short as you said so, but unfortunately, I’m still postpone that desire due to I have to back work for fulfill my financial family

    so, I just need your wise suggestion to solve the above matter

    really appreciated your wise advices

    regards,

    Fessia

  14. my life has turn for the worst since i lost my mom and brother last year,but beacuse god is great i’ dont remember sleep without food.now my son is very sick and i thought you know god is testing me .you know sometimes i think he doesn’t love me by doing all this thing to me.please pray for me and my son, and again i’ve got lot of debt to deal with,i can’t cope at work, home and i’m becoming more depressed by drinking my lung out to take away this stress,pls help me with prayers.thank you very much for your inspiration ,hope and guidaince

  15. Nkateko says:

    Thanks a million times for sharing eith us the devine truths of God. You are a real inspiration to me and my family , i read your articles daily and i have grown up (from faith to faith) on my christian work

  16. JAMES CHUKWWNEYE says:

    I will forget every otherthing and face my God.

  17. Well I would have to drop very thing, and jump on a plane. WHY? One more thing I have to do before I leave here
    be baptized in the river JORDON and actually walk the HOLY land. For myself.

    My friends and family know I love them tell them everyday. No doubts when it comes to me about that. So I thing thats it for me. YES THAT IT’S!

    Arvindel Thompson

  18. Baylee Elisabeth says:

    This is a very good devotion, and even something worth journaling for in one’s personal thoughts… This can be very challenging to think about. Some people may take life so short with a month to live as “let’s party it up, it can’t hurt me anyways..” but the right people will say “i need to keeping living in God, act fast but give people time to love on them with grace, mercy, peace, and LOVE”

  19. Praise be to God! I first thank you very much for the letters that you have been sending to me. There are poignant and I like them! I want to request you to be sending me how as we Christians we can stand firm in times of troubles, have unshakable faith in the Lord!
    Joel

  20. Pauline Nyarko says:

    As I was reading the message, what came into my mind was who’s report do you believed? As a believer full with de word you have to put your trust in God and pray.

  21. You ask me what is the fist I will do? I live in a muslim country and I will go out and reach as much muslims as I properly canfor the Lord and tell everyone that Jesus loves them. I came to the shocking conclution today that I cannot say the name of Jesus out loud! Satan has lied to me and it feels like a swear word sometimes inthis country!! It felt so good to say His Name, the name of Jesus out loud to one of my muslim friends telling about His love for her! Wow, I felt so energiced that I wanted to tell everyone I saw in the street, but then thoughts of me getting send home came up and what will my hubby do? Then I thought that I can be bold for Jesus in another way, by loving everyone around me like Jesus would have done end let His light shine through me to the world!

    • One last thing I told her what easter is about and she diddn’t even know! She would have never knew if someone didn’t tel her what I told her today. A step in the right direction I supose! Pray for her and her husband and also all the muslims I get to work with every day!

  22. sanae risma fujita says:

    Dear Don and Dawn,
    Thank you for your effort every day. I enjoyed your messages.
    I live with a dog, Susie in Osaka, Japan. 2 months ago my dearest dog, Sherrie(Susie`s older sister) past away suddenly. She was over 13 and half years old, she`ve never been sick till then. I was so upset in deep my heart.
    Since Easter is coming soon, I hope her spirit will give me the real life again. (1Timothy 6:19)
    Now I have Susie left who is giving me a lot of love so if I have a month left over in my life, the first thing I`ll do is to find a home to take care of Susie. Then I`ll think about myself what to do for reminder of days…but I`m ready for dying anytime or anyday after take care of my Susie.
    Good Friday and Happy Easter!
    In Him, sanae

  23. kolawole Egun says:

    1stly l will try to make peace with every one around me, l will share the word of GOD more than l have ever done, speaking about HIS mercy, faithfulness,unending love,towards all ,l will continueously cry to GOD for HIS mercy till the last minute and make sure that HIS unending PRAISE will not cease in my mouth.

  24. Sibusisiwe says:

    With a month to live I would get money from my account and go to Cape Town with my family and invite my brothers and sister to join me! We would catch up have fun and leave lasting memories for everyone. I would share my faith with them and tell them I would miss them but would they make certain that we would meet again on the other side of eternity by giving their lives to Jesus. I would give a lot of presents to people I care about and I would write a lot of letters to my daughter. Possibly one for each Christmas, birthday, etc that she would spend without me for a pretty long time…I would write a letter for her graduation day, her wedding day and so on.

    I would do 100 wisdom keys to live by and verses that have carried me through my life. Basically I would shower her with love from beyond the grave. My hubby I would write a letter thanking him for choosing me….and freeing him to find love again.

  25. Taking the step to draw closer and closer to God, I realize the urgency of spending time with my family, friends and neighbors. I try building with neighbors, but because of their stature, and mental walls, this is obstructed but not but not stopped. Thur prayers I ask God to keep them safe, and guard them while on their journeys. I often say to myself those things in life I have phobias about, I want to overcome. Heights, public speaking and praying, climbing activities and swimming. I live in the Caribbean and there are places in my island I have never seen before and my aim to visit during my 2012 vacation….again…..Please pray for me as I really want to accomplish these proposals…God’s Will, as I have constantly been putting them back… I am 46 years old and don’t want to continue with that attititude in my Christian life anymore. I want to accomplish those little things, so i can accomplish the bigger thing….. LIVING FOR JESUS CHRIST.

  26. I would spend more time with friends and family and stop working so much.
    I also would share my faith with my friends and family who have no faith and I would definitely enjoy myself.
    Seems like I should be doing the above anyway because we never do know when our last day on earth will be and when our heavenly Father will call us home. For many years I had put my job first but now that I’m getting older I am putting God and my family first.

  27. Nora Cromarty says:

    Thank You Don and Dawn,
    This morning i felt as if my whole world has come to a stop, i have had a very hard time of late with a divorce and the only man i ever loved treating me like a dirt bag because he found a young lover, it has been the most hardest time in my life after 42 years of being together to be alone and feel so very abanded, but i know that i could never have faced this with out the love and care of the Lord God, i thank you for the piece i read this morning Ps 39 and life is short yes and i dont want to waste it by being sad and lonely,
    Thank you for all your encouraging words,
    May God bless the works of your hands
    Regards
    Nora

    • I know it may be difficult but forgiving is the first step to freedom.

      You’ll do this not for them but for yourself.

      Lastly, we have a perfect and loving Father. Real peace and joy will only come from Him and Him alone.

      God bless you Nora.

  28. That’s true, life is too short and sometimes or always we neglect what’s so important in our life because people look for their own self, their own strength always rely on what was gain by self. The importance of God in life always comes late and never give attention. Very busy in so many things.
    It’s so sad, but it is the truth….but we can change now, our priorities in life. Just give time…… time to have fellowship to God, the author of our life. God always give chances….. I love you Lord!!!

  29. Glory be to God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. I thank God for you Don and Dawn for obeying God with this valuable spiritual tool. I have not read your book yet but the revelation that you have provided me in these few days illuminates and makes Joshua 1:8 to me so freshly. Praise be to God

  30. Ek wil elke oomblik en elke dag lewe of dit my laaste tyd op aarde is. Moes al drie keer in mylewe gehoor het dat dr nie gedink het ek gaan die son sien opkom nie.

    Die derde keer het ek drie deure gesien waar daar die mooiste lig uitskyn. Daarom probeer ek elke dag lewe asof dit die laaste dag is.

    en as iemand hard en ongeskik is met my of iemand waaby ek naby is, maak die so seer. Dan wonder ek wat sal gebeur as daardie persoon nie meer daar is nie.

    GOD IS GROOT

  31. Emily Ayuma Etemesi says:

    Surely life is short but as we do what our heart tells us to I ask the Almighty God help me do the right thing at the right time. It is so trick and one might find self doing what is not right. Pray with me for I have suffered a lot and I m one of those who could be asked questions of what of this could be your last day what could you do. I pray the might God to give me peace because actually I can’t remember when I last had a smile on my face. Always discouraged with ups and downs of life. I pray God to help me that my last day come he finds me doing the right thing at the right time and the right place.

    Thanks for your continuous encouragement.

    Emily

  32. Hi i’d like to say that i,am so blessed with all this scriptures memorizing them each day makes me feel so good and so blessed, i always share this scriptures with my fellow workers,also my children are into memorizing scriptures,my little girl is about two and a half years old ,every day she say to me mummy i can read my memory verse,and so she goes ahead and reads, ‘EVERYTHING GOD MADE WAS GOOD’,tha’s her favourite verse,another one is I WILL SING ABOUT THE LORDS LOVE’ every day she reads it,she makes me cry,i feel so touch cause she reads loud and so happy, so excited you can really see it in her face,she really blesses me when she reads and pray,i’d like to give praise,glory and honor to god,and i thank god for don and dawn for wonderful scripture that inspires me every day of my life, THANKYOU AND GOD BLESS;

  33. The mother of my girlfriend had an stage 2 cancer in her left breast,but thank God because she was undergo an operation. Now she is waiting for the result of the biopsy. Thank you Don and Dawn,you serve God in different way. I’am a computer engineer student and wanted to make a website where just the same like your’s.

  34. GEOFFREY WANYONYI says:

    Am blessed so much for this ministry. May God continue using you to reach many.Its ONLY WHEN ONE KNOWS THE TRUTH THAT ONE IS SET FREE.keep on……the good work

  35. Dear Don and Dawn,

    Last Week I used my Master Card to purchase your memory delight offer for $29.95 but when i’m downloading it to my PC the site was off and didn’t finish my download, please help me to get it back. I really wanted to memorize the Scriptures, but unfortunately my moeny was gone instantly. Please Don and Dawn, help me on this…. In Christ alone reymond.

  36. as achristian the priority is that the hope that i have after the work that god has given me to accomlish that is to get the crown success so iwill pray as jesus prayed that the wil of god to be done

  37. dear don and dawn, my computor crashed a few weeks ago and i had to restore itt but in the process your program was lost. can you tell me how i can restore it again. thank you

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