Photo Ops With Chris Broussard
If you like the NBA, there’s a good chance you’ll know the person in the middle of this photo.
His name is Chris Broussard, and he’s a popular sports personality, especially to those who follow the NBA.
And that’s me. A huge NBA fan.
And if you love music — and everyone I know loves music — you should know the other person in the photo, too.
This is my guy Andrew Russell.
A cool Bahamian with real vocal talent.
I’m writing this to share a cool story about God working through Andrew’s new song, but I want to give the picture a little more context.
LEGACY
The slightly blurry Broussard photo was snapped quickly in late July 2012, so quickly that I didn’t even put belongings down, covering up part of my B3ar Fruit shirt.
I’m not always take-pictures-with-every-celebrity guy. I was a sports writer at one point, and I had already met Michael Wilbon, Rob Parker and many others at the National Association of Black Journalists conference.
But this was different.
It was snapped just outside of the cafeteria at Moody Bible Institute at the Legacy Conference in Chicago.
If you could take the best parts of seminary, a hip-hop show, a poetry slam and a gospel concert and combine them with the best parts of a black family reunion, you’ve got the Legacy Conference.
I can’t overestimate how important this conference has been to my spiritual formation.
It’s also produced some lifelong friends.
One year, there was a dude there named John Richards Jr. He spoke on the 2014 writing panel, and I just loved his answers. I had no idea that he would become a podcast co-host for a season and, more importantly, a deeply valued friend. (I recommend you check out his blog, too.)
In 2017, I hopped in a car with my guy Macklyn (left in the picture), who lives 90 minutes south of me in a different part of Virginia. We made the 14-hour drive to The Legacy Conference. Macklyn’s friendship encourages me, and his music does, too. (Check out his Macklyn’s new Until Tomorrow EP).
Andrew’s wife Stephanie is from my hometown. Our families used to go to the same church. Even though I first met Andrew in my hometown, it was the 2012 Legacy Conference that solidified our friendship.
And that’s the backdrop for the story about Andrew’s new song.
FRIENDSHIP & FRUIT SALAD
What started at The Legacy Conference continues in my hometown every time Andrew visits his in-laws. We try to make it a practice to grab breakfast and catch up. Two months ago, we met at a Cranberry’s in Staunton and tried our best to mutually encourage one another.
He reminded me of God’s faithfulness in a really discouraging season on my life.
I reminded him to keep encouraging God’s people through song.
And that’s when I had an idea.
One of my former Young Life students, Ra Shawn, is a dope videographer. I called Ra Shawn, told him I had a dope musician in town only for the day, and could we pull together a quick video?
Everything fell in place quickly. Ra Shawn agreed. One church let us use the office, and other church let us use a piano. Plus, it was a picture perfect day in beautiful downtown Staunton.
Seventy-five minutes after we met, we had our video.
GOD’S PERFECT TIMING
A month passed by.
I hadn’t forgotten about the video, but I wasn’t thinking about it either. What had been heavy on my heart that Tuesday morning was how the cross deals with our shame. I always feel like I let God down, and I need to preach the gospel to myself.
God’s word is sufficient, but in my prayer time that Tuesday morning, I had asked God to make that love tangible. It’s not something I pray often.
About 45 minutes after praying, I get an email in on my way to work.
It was from Ra Shawn.
When I saw the content of the e-mail, I shed a few tears.
What was in the email is the video you’re about to watch now.
Maybe like me, you need a reminder today that nothing can separate God’s people from God’s love.
Let the words of Andrew’s song, Overcomer, minister to you like they ministered to me.