God holds our shards
A meditation on Purely, a new song out from The JuJu Exchange
What’s good everyone,
I hope some light is reaching you today amidst all of the collapse. If it’s any consolation, collapse has routinely been a site of prolific creativity, including much of the Bible’s authoring. As systems continue collapsing, may we pray with new daring to the God who walks with us still.
There is a new song from The JuJu Exchange, Purely, out now on all streaming platforms. (This spring and summer we are steadily rolling out singles from our new record BEHOLD, which you can download in full on Even.) It is our first straight up dance track that captures the love of just getting down. As summer kicks off, we hope that this joint gets you in the spirit.
As is the case with all of our songs from BEHOLD, Purely is also an invitation to attention. What do you wish to be pure in your life, and what is being purified? These questions keep us honest with ourselves. The contemplative Richard Rohr models that honesty when he admits that he does nothing without mixed motive. What a healthy acknowledgment of the complexities of moving through the world. Try as we might to move simply, all that we do is entangled in webs of sin and death. Anyone who thinks they move as simply holy creatures is straight-up deceiving themselves (1 John 1:10).
This is what makes the good news of Jesus good news to me and not just nice information. It is good news to hear that Jesus walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way to refine my motives and purify my heart. Jesus is not repelled by the impurities of the world; rather, they are what drew him into the world in the first place. Amen.
This week, I guest lectured on my artistic practice at Christian Theological Seminary in my homie Dr. Nick Peterson’s class Black-on-Black Care in Preaching. The premise of the course is that amidst the antiblackness that grounds the modern world, we can choose to care well for each other nevertheless, including through preaching. It is helpful to tie that premise together with the release of Purely.
Care is such a helpful framework for how to move practically in the world because it does not presume purity. I don’t need to be precisely correct in my thinking or in my motives to care for others or myself, and you don’t have to align with me to receive care. (I am amazed at the grace of nursing care staff who take care of people who cuss them out hourly.) I can trust that through my mixed motives God will walk with me still and help me refine my motives over time. That’s good news, and that keeps me from the paralysis of analysis, a constant threat in these times of urgency.
In this historical moment, I am tempted daily to wave high the banner of moral superiority, and perhaps you are too. I ain’t like Trump. Can you believe what he’s doing to the immigrants? To the earth? To queer folk? Decrying Trump isn’t just about pursuing justice. It’s also about making us feel good. It is easy to say that I am pure and dance the night away in my clear conscience. But the deeper invitation that God has extended to me and to us is to instead bring our mixed motives for the good that we want to do in the world to God. We still have mixed motives even if we aren’t repealing environmental protections and barring foreign students from attending American universities. Baring our mixed motives to God helps us purify them.
And lest we think this is just about politics, let us consider the pecking orders we make in all of life. For example, In Black circles, I have seen, and participated in, creating pecking orders about who is Black enough or hip enough or excellent enough and poopoo those we deem inadequate. (There’s even a whole card game created around being Black enough, called Black Card Revoked. Amazon will happily sell it to you.)
I pray that the desire to be pure, which I believe is a holy desire, is one that never cocoons me within echo chambers of my own delusion, but rather invites me to seek the one who is in fact pure in holiness. In that pursuit, may my mixed motives be refined. I pray yours can be as well.
As you listen to Purely, may your dancing remind you that what is broken in your life does not define you, for God holds our shards, and new life is coming.
abundantly,
Julian
What’s Next
Jun 17 w/Kenneth Whalum at The Promontory
Jun 18 Circle of Trust at Chicago State
Jun 18 Circle of Trust at Dorian’s (Chicago)
Jun 20-1 Notes of Rest at Renovaré ReGathering (LaGrange, Georgia)
Jun 23 Notes of Rest Fellowship Working Group (Virtual for Paid Subscribers only)
Jun 26 Julian ft. Tramaine Parker for a fundraiser for Merit School of Music (Forest Park, Illinois)
July 9 TESTIFY! A Night of Black Christian Witness through the Arts at Bethel Cathedral AME (Indianapolis)
July 14-18 Notes of Rest Hybrid Class at Vancouver School of Theology (registration closes Jun 13)
Recent Releases
BUST (Music Inspired by the Original Play from Zora Howard) (April 2025)
So much good in here! Thanks for this!
Also needed this reminder today...
"If it’s any consolation, collapse has routinely been a site of prolific creativity, including much of the Bible’s authoring. As systems continue collapsing, may we pray with new daring to the God who walks with us still." ♥️