Encouragement amid Uncertainty

We don’t know what this election will bring, but we can still have courage.

The event below is free for you, but it cost me immense time in planning, preparation, and prayer. I’d love to keep doing online gatherings like the one coming up, but I need your support. What’s the possibility of you becoming a paid subscriber today?

---

If there is one word to describe how I’m feeling about the upcoming election and what comes after it is: uncertainty.

We simply don’t know what will happen.

The polls show Trump and Harris in a tie or one is up or down within the margin of error.

After Election Day, I don’t think we should expect business as usual—wall-to-wall coverage of vote counts rolling in and then a winner declared late on election night or early the next morning.

It may take a while for the results to come in and, even then, they may be contested by some vocal and influential people.

And no matter who wins, half the country will be disappointed, and then we enter into a new season of tension and division.

This past Sunday, I got together with the folks at The Convocation—Diana Butler Bass, Kristin du Mez, and Robert P. Jones—for the Faith and Democracy rally in Tempe.

We got to record a live podcast episode of The Convocation Unscripted at Dayspring UMC in Tempe. I also got to preach there that morning.

I spoke in both instances about encouragement amid uncertainty.

Left to Right: Fernando Ortega, Robert P. Jones, Jemar Tisby, Diana Butler Bass, Kristin du Mez, Tommy Sims, Taylor Leonhardt

The Convocation Digest [1:11]: Hues in the Pews, TheoBros, Trump's Hold on his White Christian Supporters

I talked about the Black Christian tradition and how we’ve always faced uncertainty when it comes to democracy.

I explained how the Holy Spirit of justice empowers and sustains us to work for the common good.

I talked about the remarkable resilience of historical heroes such as Myrlie Evers-Williams.

The messages resonated with the hundreds of people who joined us in-person, and I think they’ll strike a chord with you as well.

I’ll be talking about this and more tomorrow evening during an online event called “Preparing Our Souls for the Election.”

It’s free. It starts at 8 pm ET.

If you’re receiving this article because you’ve subscribed (free or paid) to my Footnotes Substack, then I’ve got an email address for you and you’ll automatically receive the link tomorrow afternoon.

No further action required on your part.

The most important aspect of our Faith and Democracy rally wasn’t what we said as presenters, it was who was there.

The sense of community. Of support. Of solidarity.

People kept saying that they felt so alone until they joined with others who shared a concern for faith and democracy.

I want you to experience that as well.

I’ll see you tomorrow evening for “Preparing Our Souls for the Election” at 8 pm ET online.

What questions do you have or what topics do you hope we talk about tomorrow night? Let me know in the comments and I might talk about it!

Also…

Let’s make sure the children in our lives know the history of this country and how hard we’ve fought for justice and democracy.

Pre-orders for I Am the Spirit of Justice and Stories of the Spirit of Justice are open now.