“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8
That just means getting closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Once you’ve accepted Him, you believe He died for you, you believe He rose again, you believe He’s coming back, you are a child of God. And now it’s time to grow closer. Relationships matter first with God, then with people.
Today we continue the poem All Is Vanity Part Three.
We talked about Mama.
We talked about Daddy.
Now we’re talking about Julie.
Here’s the portion of the poem:
“Well, there’s nothing new under the sun.
Your mama don’t love me no more.
The grass is greener on Indian shores.
Julie, don’t love a black man, Julie said, but I’m in love with him.
Julie, don’t you cry. Julie, wipe your eyes. Julie, don’t you grieve.
All is vanity.”
Julie is my great‑grandmother, a Cherokee Indian woman.
The story in our family goes like this:
She fell in love with a Black man.
Her father did not approve.
He did not want her to marry him.
But she was in love.
“There is nothing new under the sun.” That line goes all the way back to King Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Generations change. The struggles don’t.
Divorce.
Separation.
Family disapproval.
Cultural tension.
“Your mama don’t love me no more. The grass is greener on Indian shores.”
That’s separation language. That’s divorce language. That’s someone believing life will be better somewhere else.
Jesus addressed this directly.
When asked about divorce, He said Moses allowed it because of the hardness of hearts. But from the beginning, it was not so. God made male and female, and the two became one. What God has joined together, let no one separate.
Now it’s easier said than done.
You might say:
“You’re not living with this person.”
“You don’t know what I’m going through.”
“This is hard.”
And you’re right. It is hard.
Apostle Paul even called it “trouble in the flesh.”
Relationships take work.
Marriage takes endurance.
Love takes sacrifice.
But they are also deeply rewarding.
That’s why I encourage couples, if the Lord has ordained your union, do everything you can to stick with it. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom. Ask for guidance. Seek help.
That’s why I created the Relationship Rescue Plan at HearMyGod.com because sometimes you need a roadmap.
But let’s go back to Julie.
“Julie, don’t love a black man.”
That’s what her family said.
But she answered, “I’m in love with him.”
And she married him.
And here I am the fruit of that love.
Interracial relationships can carry added pressures:
Family expectations.
Cultural differences.
Inheritance concerns.
Community opinions.
I had a friend, Filipino, beautiful young woman dating an Orthodox Jewish man. They loved each other. But his family insisted he marry within the faith and culture. He ultimately chose his inheritance and family expectations over the relationship.
These are not simple decisions.
They are heart decisions.
Identity decisions.
Legacy decisions.
Different cultures bring different traditions, habits, and values. That’s reality. But we also see many interracial marriages thriving today with love, understanding, and support.
Julie chose love.
And her love became part of my story.
So if you are navigating cultural tension, racial differences, or family resistance, there is hope.
But you must seek the Lord.
Because at the end of the day, all is vanity without God.
Beauty fades.
Money comes and goes.
But obedience to God remains.
Father God, help marriages that You have ordained to endure. Help couples love one another deeply. Help families extend grace. And for those in interracial relationships, give them wisdom, support, and an extra measure of love.
Remember all is vanity except what is rooted in Christ.
God bless, Shirah Chante, your relationship coach
P.S. This blog only captures part of the heart behind this episode. To hear the full teaching, the emotion behind Julie’s story, and the encouragement for teens and families, I invite you to listen to the entire show. There’s more revelation waiting for you.
Discover more from Shirah Chante
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