On August 27, 1996, the song “Seasons of Love” was released. Songwriter Jonathan Larson, asked: “525,600 minutes—how do you measure a year?” He wondered if we measure a year in sunsets, cups of coffee, laughter, or tears. Ultimately, his answer was to measure it in love!
Recently, I celebrated another birthday. I like to joke that candles no longer are an option for my cake because having that many would be a fire hazard! But birthdays are a wonderful time to pause, look back, and look forward. An ancient Ignatian prayer practice called the Examen focuses on taking time to reflect with God. In my time with God, I asked: What did I experience? What did I learn? What mattered most?
This led me to want to sing my own verse: 525,600 minutes—how do you measure a year sharing Christ? We measure it in prayers said, scriptures read, hard times overcome, and new communities. We measure it in shared hopes, bearing one another’s burdens, and God’s generous grace. In 525,600 blessings—that is how we measure a year shared. Onward in love!
Taking time to look back helps us use the lessons learned for the last 525,600 minutes to guide our future. We want to live life faithfully and to the fullest, making the most of every minute so it lines up with God’s purposes for the world. Imagine what your next year could look like if you tried to be a blessing every single minute. How would you treat yourself, your family, your community, your enemies, and all of God’s creation?
Imagine what your next year could look like if you tried to be a blessing every single minute.
For me, I imagine a year when I live Christ’s mission through small and brave acts of kindness and justice. I imagine visiting you, listening to your stories, and living Christ’s mission with you where you serve.
I picture myself creating helpful and engaging tools to share with our worldwide church family. These resources will help us get closer to God’s dream of new communities focused on healing hurting people, bringing broken communities together, and caring for our beautiful Earth. I also imagine us bravely praying the Mission Prayer, stepping out of our comfort zones to try new ways of being the exact blessings God needs us to be.
I clearly see a huge crowd gathered in the Temple and online for the International Peace Forum in October, when we will explore how to be better caretakers of God’s creation. Finally, I imagine finding a healthy balance—spending quiet, refreshing time alone with God and my family so I have the energy and passion to live my faith in the world actively.
To stay on track with how God is calling you to be a blessing, I offer this simple guide:
- Practice a yearly Examen (look back honestly): Pick a time, like your birthday or the start of the year, to review your past year. Ask yourself when you felt connected to God’s plan and when you were distracted or caught up in arguments.
- Audit your alignment (inventory your habits): Think about the habits and commitments that take up your time. What needs to be left behind to make space for Christ’s mission, and what needs to be fed and grown?
- Prophetically imagine (picture your circle): Pray and take notice of exactly who needs your God-given presence right now. This includes yourself, your family, your community, creation, and even your enemies.
- Live the Mission Prayer (practice courage): Ask God to help you step out of your comfort zone. Write down three new ways you feel led to bless others in the next 525,600 minutes.
- Embrace prophetic agility (stay flexible): Set aside time at the end of each month to check how you are doing. Ask yourself if you are still using your time for God’s vision of healing people, reconciling communities, and restoring creation. Decide what you might need to adjust.
