When I first moved to Chattanooga a year ago, I knew nobody, yet friends came quickly. One of the first people I met who was so welcoming was Andy, a 38 year old financial advisor. He was a gift. We went to lunch and became friends. We didn’t do a lot together but we spoke regularly. He was engaged and getting ready to be married on top of running a growing financial advisory business. He loved to fly his airplane and he loved boating. He and his fiancé’s life looked like it would be amazing. Young, affluent and in love.

On October 1st, my wife and I attended their wedding. It was beautiful. 250 guests celebrated with them and enjoyed a beautiful reception. When the reception was over it was off for their honeymoon.

Then, early in the week after they got back from their honeymoon, less than two weeks after getting married, Andy was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Everyone was shocked, but hopeful. Andy was in great shape and active and a positive man.

Yesterday, December 5th, Andy passed away at 39. 65 days after getting married, Andy’s wife became a widow.

It has made me think so much about life. Life is short. There are no guarantees in life. No promise of tomorrow. It truly is one day at a time.

But what does Andy’s death mean to you, even though you didn’t know him? It can be a reminder. You may not be here tomorrow. Christmas may never come for you, even this year.

As the Bible says in James 4:13-15, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.’ You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.’”

What does that mean for you today?

It means you should love.
It means you should forgive.
It means you should take that risk.
It means you should reconcile that broken relationship.
It means you should laugh.
It means you should encourage someone.
It means you should take that trip.
It means you should enjoy that meal.
It means you should read that book.
It means you should sit in front of that fire with friends and a great bottle of wine.
It means you should really live.

Ultimately, it means that you should prepare for your future. I don’t mean your future here. I mean your future in the afterlife. Andy was a man of faith. Andy is in a better place today even though his friends and family are at a loss. Andy knew God and knew that God loved him.

We all have a short life here – even if you live to eighty, it still feels short and you wonder where all the time went. So live your best life. Make an impact and a difference. Leave the world a better place because you were in it. But more importantly, make sure that you are right with God because eventually we all draw our last breath and in the twinkling of an eye, we are face to face with our Maker.

Don’t be afraid of dying, be afraid of never really living…

We will miss you Andy, but we will see you soon.

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