James N. Watkins - If Youre Not Dead, Youre Not Done: Live with Purpose at Any Age

I planned to read IfYoure Not Dead, Youre Not Done after my nap, but it put me to sleep again. No, wait, that was another book. I loved this one, and so will you.

JERRY B. JENKINS , bestselling biographer and novelist

An owners manual for my vintage heart, soul, and mind with plenty of Watkins humor to keep me up past 8:30.

BILL MYERS , bestselling author of Eli

Watkins tackles all of the aging issues, fears, and doubts. I highly recommend his biblically based hope and humor for backaches, arthritis, heartburn, or loneliness. It will make you feel young again!

LENORA WORTH , bestselling author of Seeking Refuge

A smart, funny, quick read; simple without being simplistic, deep without being difficult. A great gift for anyone of that age.

LISSA HALLS JOHNSON , bestselling author and ghostwriter for celebrities

James Watkins offers up a full-meal deal with supersized helpings of encouragement, hope, and an inspiring and compelling challenge to make a difference. Deliciously stuffed with milk-out-the-nose laughs.

RHONDA RHEA , award-winning humorist and TV personality

Jim shares witty wisdom based on Gods timeless principles as revealed in the Bible. We who are over the hill are headed for the mountaintop, and thats something to celebrate! A must-read for anyone who suspects they might be aging.

RACHAEL PHILIPPS , award-winning humor columnist

A humorous guide to staying young while growing old. Brilliant!

DAVID L. WINTERS , author of Exercising Your Faith

The books encouraging Scriptures, helpful quotations, godly wisdom, and laugh-out-loud hilarity helped me believe that I could remain a fun person as I aged even if I buy Tums by the bucket.

JEANETTE LEVELLIE , Guideposts writer and author of The Heart of Humor

Living Expressions invites you to explore Gods Word in a way that is refreshing to your spirit and restorative to your soul.

Visit Tyndale online at tyndale.com.

TYNDALE, Tyndales quill logo, Living Expressions, and the Living Expressions logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Ministries.

If Youre Not Dead, Youre Not Done: Live with Purpose at Any Age

Copyright 2021 by James N. Watkins

Cover and interior cartoon illustrations copyright Jonny Hawkins. All rights reserved.

Designed by Libby Dykstra

Edited by Bonne Steffen

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message, copyright 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked ERV are taken from the Holy Bible, Easy-to-Read Version, copyright 2006 by Bible League International. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Quotations from Thomas Kempis are taken from The Imitation of Christ: Classic Devotions in Todays Language, compiled and edited by James N. Watkins (Nashville: Hachette Book Group, 2015).

Chapters 1 and 11 adapted from Death & Beyond by James N. Watkins (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1993).

ISBN 978-1-4964-5149-1

ISBN 978-1-4964-5151-4 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-4964-5150-7 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-4964-5152-1 (Apple)

Build: 2021-05-28 17:44:49 EPUB 3.0

To my one-hundred-year-young aunt,
Mildred Watkins Cooper.

You inspired this book!

As I approached my eighty-fifth birthday, I told several friends, Its time to retire.

They laughed. Even those who were long retired.

But I knew. Id lost my enthusiasm, and my work no longer excited me. I began asking God, What should I do with the rest of my life? I didnt want to just fill time; I wanted to enjoy myself with meaningful and helpful challenges.

Id already served as a missionary, a pastor, and a professional ghostwriter; I had traveled to six continents and written more than one hundred books; and I wasnt concerned about running out of money before I died. What was there for an old guy like me to do so I could feel useful and not just take up space on earth?

For one year I heard no answer. Then two things happened in answer to that persistent prayer. First, I volunteered to serve Communion as an ordained minister every month to shut-ins. I stepped up because I saw a need and no one else was doing it.

Second, a literary agent asked me, unsolicited, if I would mentor one of her clients. He had a fine book idea but couldnt write well enough for publication. For five months, I worked diligently with him, mostly by email. He worked hard and wrote his book, and the agent sold it.

Although it was a joyful experience, I didnt anticipate doing that again. And yet, only a few months later, a book editor asked me if I would mentor two people she felt showed promise. I agreed and marveled at their commitment and progress. That experience opened me to accept other want-to-be-published writers. That number has now grown to five, which seems enough.

I cite both examples because they enabled me to learn invaluable lessons about myself concepts I hadnt thought of before. While engaged in those two ministries, I realized they needed me. I supplied something for them they couldnt do themselves. And they, in turn, gave me something. Fulfillment. A sense of purpose.

I hadnt realized that serving others would change me. I was serving others and that was reward enough. Or so I assumed.

One of my first insights was that helping wasnt something I did out of the goodness of my heart; I acknowledged that each act of kindness became part of my repaying God for giving me the gift of life. Meeting others needs provided opportunities to confirm to God my gratitude for being alive.

My most simple but profound insight came more recently. I realized something new about myself. I need to be needed. Truly, I hadnt thought of that before. In responding to the needs of others, I was also responding to Cec Murpheys needs.

Since gaining that insight, every morning as I pray for the shut-ins and my protg writers by name, I feel blessed by God. Im needed. Im an instrument in Gods hands. By his grace, I can help others improve their lives, and the big payoff is that I experience greater fulfillment.

Giving has also become a powerful step in loving and caring for myself. For me to face my need was liberating, and it filled my heart with joy.