Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90: 12

In his popular book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” author Steven Covey’s 2nd habit is “begin with the end in mind.” This is a wise idea.

When I was a child, my neighborhood friends and I would frequently gather to play. Sometimes, when we’d exhausted our energy, we would sit and talk about what we wanted to be when we grew up. There was always a variety of professions spread among us, but for me, I dreamed of being a lawyer. Arguing cases and solving problems like Perry Mason. There was just something that pulled me in that direction. It was an exciting dream.

I hung onto that dream while growing up. It never left me. The “end” was to be an attorney. It was with a great sense of accomplishment when I opened the doors of my own practice shortly before my 25th birthday. For nearly 30 years I lived out that dream. And while the days were long, the years were short.

Yes, God blessed me with a successful law practice, but I can’t say I numbered my days. I guess when you’re young, the number of days you have remaining seems endless. But time and truth walk hand in hand, and as age crept up on me, the need to number my days became more important. Now, the “end” is not the start of a profession, but rather the end of my earthly life. How will I be remembered by those who knew me? How long will I be remembered? Is there a way to leave a long-lasting legacy – one that will have an impact for all eternity? These are the questions I now ask.

At the United Methodist Foundation, we help churches and individuals answer these questions. And we provide a mechanism to leave a lasting legacy. Endowment accounts hold this power. By creating a permanent endowment at UMF, you can have an impact long after you’re gone. A hundred years from now your gift will still be working to accomplish a goal God placed on your heart. Who knows? Maybe your gift will still be going a thousand years from now. Can you imagine the scope of the impact such a gift could make?
But first things first. To get to the place where you are is ready to set up an endowment account, you must first number your days. And in doing so, God will give you a heart of wisdom. And with this wisdom, you can “begin with the end in mind.”

Remember, everything you have was given to you by God. With a heart of wisdom, prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do with what He’s given you. When you do this, I promise you’ll have clarity around the “end.”

This article is written by Rich Bowlin, CEO of the United Methodist Foundation, Inc. If you would like more information regarding UMF, you can contact Rich at [email protected].