Encouragement matters
The Notes of Rest Virtual Class
Hi everyone,
This Friday, I wanted to take some time to rejoice with you in the goodness of God about how new ventures can start in our lives and bear much fruit. Notes of Rest has grown from being a seedling of an idea to now being a virtual class offered at Candler School of Theology that you can attend in a few weeks. The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever!
The course will take us through the 5 notes of rest I teach in my Notes of Rest sessions: Salvation, Sabbath, Sleep, Stillness, and Sanctuary. It will be interactive and requires no former training in music and/or theological education. I hope to see some of y’all there as we walk through some of my research on the wonderful array of notes of rest that we can receive and practice as a function of our relationship with God and with each other.
Given I am celebrating how far Notes of Rest has come in the last few years, I thought it a good time to reflect on the nature of success. It is a complicated notion. On one hand, I have been blown away by the goodness of God towards me with the growth of this ministry in particular and in my work writ large as an artist-theologian. There are a lot of gigs coming up around the country and online, and everyday I try to rejoice with Carmen at the wonders God has shown us on this unfolding journey (that now includes sista Lydia, oh yes!). The networks of people that have seen me to this point has just been amazing. You all - the now 1000+ subscribers to my Substack - are a part of that. Thank you for your encouragement.
But on the other hand, I know that many feel consistently like utter failures. For many, especially folk of color (let alone Black men), that community does not exist consistently or at all.
Dr. Patrick Reyes talks in The Purpose Gap about how communities of color often can’t thrive like others because of structural barriers to our growth and development. The systems of oppression in this country are designed for most folk of color to fail in achieving big life dreams. And what’s worse, it’s also designed for a few (like me) to have tons poured into us in order to see us thrive which can justify the status quo. (See, Julian made it. Why do we need affirmative action anymore?)
My mentor from undergrad Casey Gerald, born from the wrong side of the tracks, explains the problem of sharing American Dream success stories.
I take Reyes’ (and Gerald’s ^^) critique to heart. Purpose Gap was a challenging read because it argued that simple platitudes like “you can do it” don’t speak to the reality of those destined to die socially, mentally, and/or physically. To be sure, I am thankful that my work has grown and that so many continue to sow seeds. But I also remember the brothas in my life who are dead, cut down by violence. Rodney, Grayson, Neville - I say their names. I remember the brothas I worked with in prison as a chaplain back in 2017. Some of them may be behind bars for most of my daughter Lydia’s life.
I mention these people because I know that for my work to be truly successful, the forgotten have to be seen anew. Individualism tempts me to reduce my thriving to me. But the communal orientation of Notes of Rest, of Black life, and of God, resists such reduction. We never thrive alone, and we never rest alone. We always rest because others make it so, and we thrive when our communities thrive. And so the challenge to me in my work is to encourage myself, you and others to spread wide the possibility of rest, of thriving, of flourishing.
It starts with you. Just as people have poured and continue to pour into me, I want to do that for you. If you are thinking about hatching new ventures, I’d love to be a sounding board. I am no expert, but I am a witness to the faithfulness of God made evident in community. Reyes reminds us that communities thrive when people invest beyond simple platitudes, so I want to do that for you. If there are ways I can practically help you thrive, I want to help as best I can.
I also pray that we on this newsletter can be that encouragement for someone or somebody too. There are thousands of people who have very few sources of honest, specific encouragement in their lives. They walk around beaten down and tensed up. The symptoms of this can be defensiveness, cynicism, or perfectionism. Perhaps you number amongst them.
May we have eyes to see and ears to hear the discouraged and to help them with practical investment move towards God’s dreams for them. Thank God Jesus looked past our faults and saw our needs, encouraging us in following him even when we turn around, stop in our tracks, or call for his death.
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord! - Psalm 27:13-14
abundantly,
Julian
What’s Next
Oct 7 Notes of Rest at Cru Pastors Soul Care Retreat Kankakee, IL
Oct 9 Notes of Rest Virtual Class at Candler School of Theology Starts (5 week series)
Nov 1 The JuJu Exchange at City Winery Chicago
Nov 4 Julian Davis Reid’s Circle of Trust at Merit School of Music (Chicago)
Nov 8 Notes of Rest at Garrett School of Theology (Chicago)
Nov 9 Notes of Rest at Duke University Chapel
Nov 10-12 Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few at the Jazz Showcase (Chicago)
Nov 16 Julian Davis Reid’s Circle of Trust at The Jazz Showcase (Chicago)