If I Had One Year Left to Live . . .

“If I had one year left to live I would . . .?” This is the question I must answer today as I take my turn on the Blog Hop as part of the Launch Team for Nadine Brandes’ stellar, dystopian novel A Time to Die. It is also the question that Parvin Blackwater wrestles with as the main character of said, stellar novel. Before I wax nostalgic, let’s peek in on how this story begins, shall we?

“There was once a time when only God knew the day you’d die.

At least that’s what they tell me. I wasn’t alive then—back when life bore adventure and death held surprise. I guess God decided to share the coveted knowledge. Either that, or we stole it from Him. Personally, I think He just gave the world what it thought it wanted: control.”

Rarely does an opening paragraph deliver such profound intrigue (which is why I wanted to share it) . . . a future when individuals possess the knowledge of their last breath? Yikes! Readers learn that, through the wonder of technology, a clock is synced with each person at birth, revealing just how long they have on the planet. A scary-cool concept, right? 

It’s not often that a fiction book impacts the real world of its readers, but A Time to Die certainly managed this feat (most of us on the Launch Team have testified to this fact!). After reading the first several chapters, I scrawled “Teach me to number my days” (Psalm 39:4) across my bathroom mirror.

It’s still there.

As a professional procrastinator, I need to remember what a gift each day is from the Giver of life. I need to remember that I’m accountable for every opportunity to wake up and smell the coffee. The fact is . . . WE ALL HAVE A CLOCK! Thankfully, it rests in the hands of God, rather than in our pockets. But, lest we get too comfortable coasting along, or too paranoid about controlling the outcome, we should remember what Matthew 6:27 says, “Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?”

Nope. Not by worrying, not by eating healthy, not by exercising, not by medical miracles . . . the fact is, God knows all of the measures we will take to ensure a lengthy journey and—in His divine plan—appointed those things as well. “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16). *Insert exploding sound effects here.* Mind blown.

Okay . . . back to things we can fathom . . .

Want an adventure that does more than entertain? One that you can share with your family and discuss over dinner? A Time to Die answers the call. The questions Parvin Blackwater must contend with in the scope of her last year are questions all of us need to ask ourselves now. Be sure to check out the book giveaway link at the bottom of this post!

What would I do with my life if I only had one year to live? That’s a matter I’ve frequented knowing this blog loomed ahead. The answer became much less straightforward the longer I pondered.

Of course, many frivolous “Bucket List” ideas clamored for attention. Travel and absorb the places I’ve always longed to visit (Bora Bora, Greece, Italy, Austria, Ireland, England, France, Nova Scotia—yes, I meant to say Nova Scotia). I’d want to finish my Tethered World trilogy (because that would be weird to have just one part of the whole story out there for readers). I would like to hire someone to clean my house (because life would DEFINITELY be too short for mopping, scrubbing, and vacuuming).

Then I had an Ecclesiastical epiphany and exclaimed, ‘All frivolity! All vanity! All selfishness!’**sigh**

When my father passed away 12 years ago, I remember standing in my kitchen, crying, and telling my children that if something ever happened to me, I didn’t want them to be angry with the Lord. I wanted them to pursue Him and love Him, know that He is good and His timing is right (though I’m sure it sounded more like sobbing and pleading and blubbering, but that’s what was in my heart). With mournful clarity, I knew life was precious and precariously short. Too much time can be wasted on regret and ‘what-ifs’ when it should be spent on fully living and loving. 

Death has a way of sobering up our carefree lifestyle—and Bucket List—in a hurry. The fuzzy lines of doing what we want, versus doing what we should, become distinct. Not to suggest that God desires for us to take on only toilsome, burdensome pursuits . . . but why we do what we do becomes much more selfless when we recognize our frailty.

After much reflection, it seems I land where many of my fellow Launch Team members landed . . . I would want to spend intense amounts of time with those that I love. Yes, I may travel but it would be where my family wanted to go . . . they’d be the ones left to remember those places after all. I’d hug my mom and hang out with her more (making a point to do that now as health issues make me aware of her mortality). I’d savor the little, everyday things . . . like sitting on the couch with my husband as he screams at the Dallas Cowboys, and laughing at my kids’ quirky personalities.

I would love to take a mission trip that allows me to share the light of Christ while enlightening my scope of the world—apart from the affluence of America and the influence of the Gospel. Coffee dates with friends would become more frequent and of greater depth. Teaching ballet as an act of worship would be an even more rewarding experience with the light of eternity looming large.

And writing? Well, yes, I’d still write. Not sure if I could finish my trilogy (or whatever work-in-progress sat on my plate) but I’d assess the logistics of the idea. For certain I’d write love letters to my family, telling them things I treasure about each of them, and what I hoped they would carry inside themselves of Christ, of life, and of my memory.

And house cleaning? 

Um . . . not if I can afford to pay someone else to do it. Ain’t nobody got time for dat if they gunna die! 😉

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How would you live if you knew the day you’d die?

Parvin Blackwater believes she has wasted her life. At only seventeen, she has one year left according to the Clock by her bedside. In a last-ditch effort to make a difference, she tries to rescue Radicals from the government’s crooked justice system. 

But when the authorities find out about her illegal activity, they cast her through the Wall — her people’s death sentence. What she finds on the other side about the world, about eternity, and about herself changes Parvin forever and might just save her people. But her clock is running out.

This is book one in the “Out of Time” trilogy (subsequent volumes coming in 2015 and 2016).

Win an autographed copy of Nadine Brandes’ book A Time to Die and a $10 Amazon Gift card by participating in the Rafflecopter giveaway. Just click on the book cover photo to learn how you can get your name in the drawing.

 Also, join the Launch Team at A Time to Die Facebook party the evening of September 23rd from 7-9pm! More prizes given away at the party. Yay for prizes 🙂

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Nadine Brandes writes stories about authentic faith, bold living, and worlds soaked in imagination. She lives in Idaho with her husband and works as a freelance editor. When she’s not writing, editing, or taste-testing a new chai, she is out pursuing adventures. A Time to Die is her first novel.

You can connect with author Nadine Brandes on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest, and Goodreads pages!

***I was gifted with an Advanced Reader copy of A Time to Die in exchange for my honest review. Pretty nifty, eh?