Your Days are Numbered: A Closer Look at How We Spend Our Time & the Eternity Before Us

by John Perritt

Wasting time might not seem like a big deal to some, except for the fact that our time really isn't ours, but God's. Not only that, but it is a limited resource. You can be the richest person in the world and you still can't buy more time.
If we want a heart of wisdom, according to the psalmist, we must number our days. Your Days are Numbered takes a biblical look at the way in which we spend our time to cultivate this mind-set of seeing each day as a vital opportunity to live for the glory of God.

Genres: Productivity, Religion, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity

122 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

John Perritt [M.Div. '09 at RTS, Jackson] is currently enrolled in doctoral studies at The Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, KY. He has been working in youth ministry for over 10 years at Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church in Ridgeland, MS. He blogs on film and theology at Reel Thinking. He and his wife, Ashleigh, have four children - Sarah, Samuel, Jillian, & Will.

[Portuguese]

John Perritt (M.Div., Reformed Theological Seminary) é pastor de jovens há mais de 10 anos na Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church, em Ridgeland (Mississippi). Ele e sua esposa Ashleigh têm quatro filhos: Sarah, Samuel, Jillian e Will. John está atualmente fazendo doutorado no The Southern Baptist Seminary em Louisville (Kentucky).

Reviews

[Jordan Shirkman · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a Christian who is interested in how to better steward your time in light of eternity, this is a good primer. There were some challenging and convicting portions of this book, especially for those of us with young families, and unique thoughts that I hadn't considered (like why spending time with your neighbors should be prioritized over time with extended family).

If you've read widely on this topic from a Christian perspective already, much of the material will feel familiar (but, alas, still full of good reminders and application questions).

A more critical editor could have tightened things up a bit more.

[Niki Shirkman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated this book. It was quick and easy to read. It challenged my thinking on time management. As a stay-at-home-mom, I wasn't sure if this book would feel feasible for my "schedule" (i.e. suggesting unrealistic time frames for things or impractical tips) but I loved it!

It gives really good principles and categories to think through, along with very practical tips, without being too pushy. Especially loved how it helps us frame time in light of eternity, and to ask, "how are we spending GOD'S time?" acknowledging we're mere stewards of the days that make us our lives. Highly recommend!

[JPaul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Christmas gift from my wife just five days after my 40th birthday. It was an encouraging reminder that at best I've probably got a few decades left and today is not a day to be wasted but lived to the fullest for the glory of God and the good of others.
While not necessarily ground breaking (many of the ideas have been said elsewhere), it is practical. I especially appreciated the chapter on keeping the Sabbath. The author shares some of the real world ways and in which he and his family prepare for and practice Sabbath rest. The book is a quick, easy read but offers questions for reflection at the end of chapter that help to drive the principles home. Included in the book are some challenges to parents in rethinking your priorities as well as an appendix with a special challenge to men. It's a good read for year end reflection or new year resolving.

[Bryan Kuranaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be extremely helpful in thinking about the way I use my time. Time is something that we speak of in terms of "life" and "money." It can be wasted and it can cost us something. As Christians we know that we are living on "borrowed" time and that we are actually not our own. The wise person considers how s/he is to use his time because s/he numbers his days (cf. Ps. 90:12). The foundational truth that Perritt drives home at the beginning of this book is that our time (viewed through the lens of our words, deeds, and thoughts) has already been redeemed by Jesus. Jesus never sinned with his words, deeds, and thoughts. Because we are in union with Him, the Father considers that all of our time has already been redeemed and we are to live a life that responds to this truth. The biggest takeaway from this book for me was the author's evaluation of time and movies. There are movies he is interested in seeing, but has chosen not to watch them because of the amount of time he will lose if he does. This has encouraged me to take a closer look at my own hobbies or desires and to really consider the amount of time I would have to "invest" and even "lose" if I were to engage in it. The bottom line is that how we use our time matters and we will have to give an account for it one day.

[Gavin Breeden · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, my friend John wrote a book! I found this to be a helpful and very practical examination of the Bible's teaching on how we spend our time. I was challenged by it in several places and hope to implement some of its practical tips in my own life. Here's a thoughtful look at something we often don't think about at all.

[Jonathan Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what to think about this book at first but I was quickly intrigued with the concept of time. John Perritt does a great job of looking to the theology behind time and at the end of each chapter he has some applications questions with thinking and managing your time.

[Albina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an amazing book!! Everyone has to read it at least to realize home important time is for believers, and for anyone in general. Loved it from cover to cover! Highly recommend it!

[Adam Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want to read this book, it's probably because you think you're a poor steward of time. By the end of reading this book, you'll think you're an even worse steward of time, but at least a poor steward who's been challenged to reflect and pray specifically on your poor stewardship and learn from some of Perritt's unique insights. Perritt is particularly strong on encouraging you to think about the danger of things that are trivial (although also the value of things that seem mundane).

The biggest issue of this book is its surface-level treatment of the issue. Perritt is often more preoccupied with organising time in terms of balancing discrete activities rather than living a life of glorifying God and seeking conformity to Christ. He thus seems to struggle with questions of leisure time, and talks about swinging pendulums, rather than addressing the underlying heart issues. He occasionally treats God as a kind of scheduled activity rather than a person we relate to. I would also question Perritt's understanding of the Sabbath - is this day really just "a gift for you to take it easy"? How does serving fit into this?

If you want to be a better steward of time, start with Tim Chester's "Busy Christian's Guide to Busyness" or Kevin DeYoung's "Crazy Busy," and then maybe give this book a read through for Perritt's distinctive contributions to the topic.

[William Xil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recibí este libro como regalo de cumpleaños :) Qué tino.

Aunque el título del libro parece una amenaza, en realidad es una invitación a recordar el valor, el privilegio y la responsabilidad que conlleva cada momento de nuestra vida.

Para mí es un libro extremadamente práctico que me llevó a reconsiderar algunos hábitos de pensamiento alrededor del descanso y el trabajo. Fue una lectura reconfortante, porque antes de irse a la parte práctica, inició con un fundamento para el débil corazón: aunque fallemos y no usemos bien nuestro tiempo, Jesús ya redimió todas nuestras faltas, incluídas esas relacionadas con la productividad (o improductividad, según el caso). Porque la productividad también puede llegar a ser una falla.

Recomiendo este libro para todos.

La edición que tengo es bastante cómoda de leer, la tapa es suave y bastante flexible. La letra, cómoda para la vista. Hubiera preferido color sepia en las hojas.

Algunas frases que me quedo:

"Si el objetivo de Dios es que estemos enfocados en lo eterno, te garantizo que el objetivo de Satanás es mantener nuestra vista en lo temporal. Y él lo hace con excelencia".
"Vive lo ordinario a la luz de lo extraordinario"
"Comienza a incorporar cierta perspectiva eterna a las trivialidades de la vida"

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this as a Christmas present for a family member, but just had to give it a cheeky read myself before giving it away ;). The title was convicting!

James 4:13-15
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

How many times do we make plans as if we will get to see another day? As if the day is ours? Our days are not ours, our lives are not in our own hands but in God's, and our days are numbered. Do you know Christ Jesus, have you tried to find Him for yourself? What are you waiting for? He is so real!

What are you doing with your time? Is that glorifying God?

This book gave much food for reflective thought and is a perfect read as we head to the end of the year.

[Rebecca Krueger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time is a gift from God and we are to be good stewards of it.

This book is unassuming. You think it’s just going to be about how we don’t have as much time as we think and we need to do the best we can with it. While it does deal with that, the underlying theme is God is in control and we are not. In this culture, we need John Perritt’s kind but frank reminder! Loved it and would recommend to any age and stage of life.

[Carter Hemphill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author challenges the reader to think carefully how they can use their time more effectively. I appreciated his honesty and criticism, even if it will likely offend some readers. It's quick read and a good reminder of the value of time.

[Vincent Lemieux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Convicting and practical ! A good little book

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a minute to get into it but it ended up good.
A quick read to help us be more intentional with the time God has given us.

2021 A book about Christian living

[Kintanah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought to my mind the fact that our lives are easily filled with trivial pursuits unless we take the decision to declutter and set priorities(which are non negotiable).

[Naomi Bleakly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Challenging at parts. Easy to read. Practical suggestions!

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book on the "giveaway" shelf of a colleague. Now I know why it was on the shelf. It is a poor man's version of Kevin DeYoung's Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem. And it is in desperate need of an editor. Run-on sentences all over the places. Way too chatty. Unfocused. Repetitive. It's really a shame that someone didn't give Perritt's manuscript a good working-over, because it is clear he is passionate and pastoral. He includes some gems here and there, but it certainly is hard working digging them out!

Most helpful were Perritt's discussions of the importance of truly setting the Sabbath day apart, as well as of the pitfalls of "social media." He has some very specific ideas for how to manage one's time wisely, but thankfully he never crosses the line into legalism. But I still wouldn't recommend this book, or at least this edition. Hopefully sometime in the future Perritt receives the editing he deserves.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good, quick read for someone interesting in starting out with time management, prioritizing their life's activities, and wanting to understand the scriptural principles behind doing so.

It's not for someone who's already familiar with the biblical principles behind time management, and who's read a couple books on managing time. That's no knock of Perritt's book, it's not intended for that audience, it's intended for, say, a young father looking to get a handle on how to organize his life and time so he doesn't go nuts. That's probably the target audience, and it's a wonderfully accessible, readable, clear book for that.

Everybody can glean something of value from it, of course. I'm familiar with time management systems and tools, and the scripture behind the value of time, but I found value in this book. He's convicting without being accusing when discussing how Christians use their free time. I found that a particularly effective theme of the book, how so often we sacrifice more weighty, deep joys for trivialities.

Recommended for someone who wants a good handle on the biblical approach to time usage, and to start thinking about the blocks of time in their week. Doesn't offer a specific system or much practical instruction, but there are other books for that -- Matt Perman's "What's Best Next" and Tim Challies' "Do More Better," for instance.

[Mike Studdard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good start

Book hooked me in the first chapters. At some point, it seemed the writer drifted into a less disciplined style. Good book with useful content.

[Clara Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como diria Jonas Madureira: "Você não pode passar dessa vida para outra, antes de ler este livro." rs