A Note About Reposting
I repost what I am reflecting on because important things should be read more than once.
The views and opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not represent those of my employer, any affiliated organization, or any institution with which I am associated.
Someone once told me, you only learn from what you reflect on. And so, when I started writing and reading on Substack instead of posting and scrolling on social media, I knew that there would books, videos, articles, essays and art that I would return to, revisit and reflect on.
A NOTE ABOUT MY WORK: On July 1, I started two new roles! I joined AROCHA USA as a Senior Associate and Lead for Northeast Partnerships and I am establishing the Center for Beauty and Resistance. Click here to learn more about how you can pray, give, learn and serve to nourish whole people and fruitful communities and care for God’s creation and teach others do likewise. If you DONATE you will be made a founding member. Thanks for your prayers, support and generosity.
My friends and folks I follow spend so much time, attention, energy and resources creating things that get literally 10% of my attention. That is a problem.
A video that is 10 minutes, gets 2 minutes of my time when it took days, weeks, or months to make. An essay that was painstakingly researched gets one pass and a thumbs up. A stream of consciousness that took 5 minutes to write but a decade to nourish is seen once and archived with a bunch spam and advertisements.
I do not believe that we were meant to be producers and consumers but stewards living in diverse, beloved community. And I hope that the things I write, repost, share and reflect on get a little closer to that reality.
Thank you so much for reading THE CRUX on Substack – whether this is your first time or you’re a paid subscriber. I hope that we can connect, learn and love God, our neighbors and ourselves well.
Let me know what you think! I look forward to the conversation and comments because our screens make us into lonely consumers but God made us to be a vibrant, liberative community.
In Christ and for His Glory,
jonathan
i agree so deeply with this. i find the "engagement" with my creative work on all digital platforms to be so deeply dissatisfying compared to how it is received in person. and i'm not sure what to do about it. but knowing you are out there thinking and feeling toward something communal too is heartening.