A few years ago, I saw a friend touting some unusual wall art on social media. He’d hung a “Your Life in Weeks” poster up in his office. It was a calendar of sorts, breaking down a 90-year life into tiny squares. Each square represented one week; with the ones he’d already lived shaded black. It was a stark reminder of the brevity of life—and that was the point. Even if you live to 90 (which is well beyond the average lifespan) seeing your life reduced to a series of little squares is sobering.
It's also spiritually healthy. In “The Sobriety of Forever” Erik Petrik writes, “A healthy view of death can be very helpful in the way we view this life. As we embrace our mortality, our ability to see changes. Our dimming earthly eyes actually become clearer as they focus on eternity.” To gain a greater appreciation for your mortality, read the full article here.
And check out this crucial resource: Ministry to the Dying. It will teach you about home and hospital visits, how to prepare your congregation for death before an illness or injury sets in, and how to minister to families and friends losing a loved one.
