Estate Planning and Our Spiritual Journey
I had no plans to make this my first post in 2025, but listening to a short clip by Alistair Begg, and remembering my friend, Arthur Farr’s recommendation, reminded me why I have asked congregations over the years about their fear of death.
I should probably also mention another reason why I decided to create this post. It comes from an imfamous comedian who used to say, “I don’t mind death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” (Woody Allen)
Insightful Voices
“The biggest mistake in Estate Planning, is not planning to meet God.”
Photo & quote from Truth For Life on IG (click photo for his post quote)
Alistair Begg (Truth For Life)
“When you retire, there is one major question to resolve. Think this one through completely . . .”
“What are you going to retire, TO?“
Arthur Farr (Retired Financial Advisor and Personal Friend)
“It has always amazed me how we Christians are scared to death of death.”
“Are you really ready to meet God, if you’re scared to death of death?”
Mark S Mirza
Mark & Naida's Estate Planning
Our Essential Daily Routine for a Smooth Transition into Retirement.
What is the key component of a comprehensive estate plan?
Waking up in the morning and TOGETHER, spending solid time with the Lord.
Our routine is very simple, delightful, and a blessing to both of us.
We set the alarm . . .
We may not always stick to it, and we may hit the snooze once or twice, but it just “feels” better, setting an alarm so we don’t get into a habit of over-sleepting (whatever that really means).
We make the bed . . .
Why? I don’t know. But the one thing I do know, is Naida feels better when it’s made. That’s good enough for me.
Coffee and breakfast . . .
I make coffee while Naida usually makes a simple breakfast.
We then sit down together . . .
It has become such a treat to sit down with my wife, who DOES NOT HAVE TO rush off to work.
We get into the Word together . . .
This has become a real treat to me!
You see, Naida turns on her Bible app and we listen to 5 Psalms and 1 of the Proverbs every day.
But that’s NOT THE TREAT!
The treat is watching my wife look wide-eyed into her Bible while the verses are being read.
I'll add a little commentary where needed . . .
But, I don’t over-do-it. I’m super pedantic about that. I’d rather keep my mouth shut than get in the way of her observing and absorbing the Word.
And then we pray, and whoa-baby, do we pray . . .
I have NEVER experienced prayer with Naida like this. It is sweet & precious.
Periodically I’ll adapt Psalm 133:1 into our praying like this: “Lord, how good and pleasant, and may I add PRECIOUS it is, as I pray everyday with my bride.”
Naida has taught me about prayer . . .
This just happened today. Instead of praising the Lord with words, she played a praise song (https://youtu.be/1ERopUwfyYI?feature=shared) that was all about lifting up the Lord. She didn’t sing it, she just rested in the Lord’s tenderness.
It was sweet, baby! It was sweet.
Naida uniquely deals with this transition . . .
Some of the issues have been difficult for Naida, but, instead of letting her mind stay in those places, she takes the time to thank the Lord for every single simple little blessing which she can recall from the previous day.
We also open our Italian Bible . . .
It just seems to make sense that we should be reading the Word in the language we are trying to learn. The first time I read Psalm 119:1 in Italian it was overwhelming, even though we already know the verse by heart. And yet, focusing on one stanza at a time is not only helping us understand the language, but getting us comfortable with Scriptural truths, in the language of our new home.
One final selfish point . . .
I cannot tell you how tickled I am, EVERY MORNING, because I get to sit down next to my wife and watch her soak up the Word.
Trusting God is Easy, Until it's Not
A Whole New Appreciation for Missionaries
Amazing is the only word I can use to describe our journey. We went from a home where we spent 22 years. Naida left a job she had for nearly 30 years, in an industry she worked in for nearly 40 years. And now, we are in a world that is COMPLETELY new, the customs, the language, the nuances, everything.
Until this move, I had no genuine appreciation for all that a missionary gives up in moving to a completely new culture.
I do now, baby! I do now.
But, this is about “Planning to Meet the Lord.”
So, let me get back to that.
I am convinced that many of us SAY THAT WE are ready to meet God, but I question that when I hear these people pray.
Let me say it this way, “If you worry and fret over things in this world, which you can see, how can you HONESTLY trust God for an eternity which you cannot see? It doesn’t make any sense, does it?
Since I’m on a roll, let me add a few other “prickly-comments.”
Are you seeing verses in the Bible which you know you could live more in tune with the Lord’s precepts?
- Are you making a difference people’s lives? You know, like helping them mature as a Christian?
- If, “A soft answer turns away wrath,” Are you guilty of only having hard answers and exacerbating someone’s wrath, or anger?
- How about this one. It has both made the BIGGEST impact in my life and caused me the most headache. It says,”your struggle is not with flesh and blood.” I can’t tell you how many times I want to just look up into heaven and say, “Aren’t you listening to her? OF COURSE MY STRUGGLE IS WITH FLESH AND BLOOD.”
Are you really ready to meet God? Let me restate my argument.
- “How can you trust God with life in heaven, if you cannot trust God with life on earth?”
THERE IS AN ANSWER AND IT’S MORE SIMPLE THAN YOU THINK
Dr. Stanley has the key below . . .
Dr. Stanley's 30 Life Principles
His 1st Life Principle
Think about this, after 50 years of ministry Dr. Stanley said, “Intimacy with God is HIS HIGHEST PRIORITY for your life . . .”
Naida and I know that the best way for us to be prepred to meet God is to regularly seek greater intimacy with Him. And getting into the Word and praying together everyday, is the key to that intimacy.
Join the Conversations on Mark & Naida's Estate Planning
In addition to their YouTube channel which you can find by CLICKING HERE, they put out a weekly blog (most weeks) where they share insights into their life and this “Italian Adventure.”