7 Things to Do Before You Die

That’s a phrase I heard a few times growing up and was used in a movie some years back. It’s also one that I’m constantly confronted with since serving as a pastor. Last year alone, I attended more funerals than I’ve ever attended in my life and heard of more deaths from my circle of influence than ever before.

Almost every week I was hearing about someone who was ill or had passed on. One of them was a young man, who didn’t see his 24th birthday due to a terrible car accident. Another was 18 years old – also died in car accident. One of the most touching was a young woman in her early 30’s, for whom our church was praying. She was battling breast cancer. I personally went one Saturday afternoon with a few church members to pray with her and family in her room at the hospital. The next day, Sunday, she died – leaving behind two precious children and a husband unprepared for such a life-change.

It’s not the easiest thing in the world watching someone die. Especially a close friend or relative. I even feel helpless and at lost for any words of reassurance when visiting those who are severely ill and about to die. In such cases, I think the wisest man’s counsel is fitting, “let your words be few.” The last thing you want is to have a patient or dying person say, “I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all!” (Job 16:2)

Perhaps the greatest lesson and reminder I get whenever I attend a funeral, especially for a young person, is just how sacred, yet fragile and fleeting life is. It’s always a call for introspection and reconnecting with what’s most important. We all need this at different times. Perhaps they are meant to help you think of the important things to do before you die.

What can be scary though is the man or woman at that final moment of life’s departure, who, as they reflect on life, mostly find regrets.

The fact is, hardly anyone on their death beds ever reminisce about the degrees and money they earned. But countless more will tell you that they wished they spent more time with family, took better care of their health, and so on. Sobering thought isn’t it?

So I guess the best thing we all can do is to answer the question, “What Things Do I Really Want To Do Before I Die?” The time to answer it is now. Not when you’re sick or on your death bed. Prepare now to live the life you dream of and pursue all the blessings God has planned for you (see Jeremiah 29:11).

1. Start Traveling More. Exploring the world offers an education like none other. I’ve traveled now to over 26 countries on 6 continents and I’m not 40 yet. I do have some more places to visit before I die (like Bali, Fiji, Tahiti, Dubai, Jerusalem, Monaco, and Morocco). I encourage you to make a list of 7 places to see before you die. That could even mean visiting places right in your town, city, or state where you’ve never been. Start by getting a passport if you don’t have one and want to visit foreign countries.

2. Make a Living Doing What you Truly Love and are Passionate About. This too is another reason for regret when the messenger of death comes knocking. Why do we settle for careers and jobs that we hate, working for people who get on our nerves, and for pay that barely meets our expenses? I dealt with how to overcome this on another blog post, Permission to Succeed. Click here to check it out.

3. Pay off All your Debts. Don’t let me go Dave Ramsey on you! Actually Dave is not the only person who advocates for debt-free living. It will give peace of mind to your family and you will set a precedence for future generations. Leave your kinfolks with money, not paying off your debts. For help, check out Crown.org, Compass1.org, and Whatliesinyourdebt.com.

4. Make a Will. And just because you do won’t make you die one minute sooner. Discard that myth once and for all. It’s already hard on family members to deal with grief and mourning, don’t add to their stress with having to figure out your estate mess. Advanced will planning and preparation is sound fiscal responsibility. Get information on state specific will and testament here.

5. Get Married to your Sweetheart! Or renew your vows if you’re already married. I love weddings. Falling in love and marring your sweetheart has got to be the most beautiful human experience. To me, they’re the opposite of funerals and accentuate living life to the full. Compared to funerals, I only did 2 weddings last year and will be doing another one this Sunday. Plan to love more deeply and lavish more of it on those in your life.

6. Do the Things you Fear. But don’t be stupid. Having counseled and consulted with many people, I find fear to be the most debilitating emotion known to man. It robs you of potential, peace, and prosperity. Fear holds everyone back in some area. Fear has torment so you must free yourself ASAP or plan to have a very long regrets list on your death bed. You can find liberation by following #7 below.

7. Make Your Peace with God. Go out in tranquility and eternal security with your faith in the Creator. Relieve even the fear of death by receiving His blessings and assurance of everlasting joy and peace. He “has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) There is no time to waste. Face the brevity of life with hope.

I conclude this post with divine insights about things to do before you die from the Psalmist David (Psalm 90:10, 12):

1. Leave your comments below and let us know what you think about the list above.

2. Add your own ideas of things to do before you die or scout online for places to see and visit ASAP.

3. Sit down with your loved ones and have a meaningful conversation about things to do before you die.

4. Create your bucket list of things to do before you die now then go out and do them with each day you have left.