Hearing the words “you have cancer” has a way of crystalizing in a person the most important principles for a life well lived. What essentials do you consider foundational to meaningfully live your life? How are you prioritizing the 1440 minutes you experience every day?
Bible Gateway interviewed Jim Burns (@drjimburns) about his book, Have Serious Fun: And 12 Other Principles to Make Each Day Count (Zondervan, 2021).
Why were you compelled to write this book when you were diagnosed with cancer?
Dr. Jim Burns: Writing a book on these life lessons and principles was not even in my mind. As I faced my mortality, it caused me to stop and reflect on the key life lessons or principles that have guided my life that I could pass on to my children. However, as I wrote those lessons on paper, along with some Bible verses that were “life message Scriptures,” I realized that these were the same principles that guided my marriage, my parenting, my vocation, and my relationship with God. A couple of years later, a friend of mine who was leading a national pastors’ conference, asked me to speak on my cancer experience and learned lessons. After I finished, there was an incredible almost two-hour spontaneous Q-and-A. I think it was then I realized that the principles I had written down the night before my cancer surgery had meaning for others as well as my family.
Why do you say your thoughts about legacy were important as you dealt with your diagnosis?
Dr. Jim Burns: It’s kind of crazy what you think about when you’re facing death. I spent no time fussing with many of the things that would have been important before. So much of it became about legacy issues and, since I’m a Christ-follower who spends time creating content to help families succeed, these principles are what I would want to pass on. Someone asked me how long it took me to write this book. I said, “51 years.” That’s how long I’ve been a Christian.
[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, How to Cultivate Joy]
What do you mean by “serious fun?”
Dr. Jim Burns: Too many of us don’t take time to be intentional about play and fun. Some of my research for my doctoral dissertation was on “traits of a healthy family.” Play was one of the major ingredients to a healthy, happy family. But it doesn’t come naturally for everyone. I really think for some of us Type A personalities we must be especially intentional about having fun. Research agrees with the Bible: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22).
How was having serious fun the glue your family needed?
Dr. Jim Burns: I’ve often said, “Words don’t always connect, but connection causes us to have good words.” Some of the best connection times with family is when we play and laugh. At the end of each year, we have a “ritual” where I give each family member a Scripture and tell them why I gave it to them. Then we talk about the year. Never once has our review centered around a conflict or a mundane activity. It always centers around a fun event that made us happy. Fun reduces stress and builds great memories.
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What is the cycle of being overcommitted and under-connected?
Dr. Jim Burns: One of the biggest problems in our families and society is this breathless pace we live our lives. A friend once said to me, “If the Devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy.” He was so right. Even though the Bible says in the command form of the language to “build rest into our lives,” we aren’t very good at it. Even in the best of families we tend to be overcommitted and under-connected. When we’re busy, even doing good things, we often become under-connected with our primary relationships. These would be our relationship with God, our spouse if we’re married, children, replenishing friendships, and extended family. Even God rested. The Bible says, “It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:17). The Hebrew word for refreshed is also sometimes translated exhaled. We’re refreshed when we rest and take a breath. If not, over-commitment and fatigue hurt those primary relationships.
Give an example of one of the principles you explain in the book.
Dr. Jim Burns: “Practice Thank Therapy.” I had trouble with this Scripture: “In everything you do give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) I was having trouble with giving thanks for all circumstances. My mom died of cancer. My three brothers were all divorced in one year. One of our family members’ alcoholism was tearing his family apart. How could I give thanks for these circumstances?
I then realized this specific Scripture didn’t say for; it said in. Even in my mom’s death, I could find reasons to be thankful. She wasn’t in pain any longer. She was with God in Heaven. And I could name more. The principle of thank therapy means that every day I write in my journal about 20 reasons why I’m thankful. That exercise alone gives me the right perspective for the day. I’ve learned that my circumstance might not change, but my attitude can change and that makes all the difference in the world.
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How was your view of the Bible affected by your diagnosis?
Dr. Jim Burns: I began a discipline of reading through the One Year Bible every year beginning in 1983. There were years where I had to do some major catching up at the end of the year :). I was learning another principle in the book: “It’s the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.” Since having cancer, I rarely miss a day and catch up quickly. The Bible is the source of my strength. I often tell people that the 20 minutes I spend reading Scripture in the morning affects every aspect of my life. My routine is to read the One Year Bible, read a devotional, and then pray while I write my prayers in a journal. My wife does a completely different type of Bible study and devotion each day and she enjoys mixing it up. Each person has to find their own plan for putting the Word in their mind and heart.
Describe a regular practice you do every day that you find helpful following your experience with cancer.
Dr. Jim Burns: I wake up and say, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). What that daily ritual does for me is critically important for my spiritual life.
- I acknowledge that God is in charge of this day and my life.
- He made it and I’m his servant.
- By saying, “I will rejoice…”, I’m making a conscious decision to be intentional about choosing to rejoice and be glad.
So much of our life is a choice. We can choose joy even amid tough circumstances.
What is a favorite Bible passage of yours and why?
Dr. Jim Burns: I have a lot of favorites, so it sort of depends on what I’m doing on any given day. If had to choose one, it would be Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” I love the entire book of Philippians but that thought sums up my relationship with God.
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What are your thoughts about Bible Gateway and the Bible Gateway App and Bible Audio App?
Dr. Jim Burns: I use BibleGateway.com most every day. It’s my go-to for finding the right Scripture when I write. You have no idea how grateful I am for all that Bible Gateway offers. It’s wonderful and a part of my life.
Have Serious Fun is published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the parent company of Bible Gateway.
Bio: Jim Burns is the president of HomeWord. He speaks to thousands of people around the world each year. He has close to 2 million resources in print in 20 languages. He primarily writes and speaks on the values of HomeWord, which are: Strong Marriages, Confident Parents, Empowered Kids, and Healthy Leaders. Some of his most popular books are: Doing Life With Your Adult Children, Confident Parenting, The Purity Code, Creating an Intimate Marriage, and Closer. Jim and his wife, Cathy, live in Southern California and have three grown daughters, Christy, Rebecca, and Heidi; two sons-in-law, Steve and Matt; and three grandchildren, James, Charlotte, and Huxley.
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The post How to Have Fun and Make Each Day Count: An Interview with Jim Burns appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
