The Soul of D.C. Longs for Her Grammy?

My musical tastes vary and you will never catch me caught up in one particular genre more than another. One particular style of music I have fallen in love with is what is commonly referred to as Neo-Soul, which is a beautiful mix of R&B, Soul, Rock and even Jazz. It is todays equivalent of Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Gil-Scott Heron, etc. Washington D.C. though has had a thriving venue for these type of artists for quite a while now but only really getting recognition locally and never quite reaching the mainstream. The U Street Corridor, the D.C. neighborhood historically dubbed “Black Broadway”, has been the cities main stay for catching such performances by very talented and creative local artists.

One of these artist goes by the name Raheem DeVaughn. Raheem’s music is really something to get a hold of and keep in your cd player if you are at all a fan of R&B. In 2005 he released his first solo album The Love Experience which brought him due recognition as an artist in whom real musical talent and soulful lyrics can be genuinely enjoyed. In 2008 fans will be awaiting the release of his sophomore album Love Behind The Melody in which the already released single Woman has been hitting the airwaves with fervent play and even more requests.

Raheem has just been nominated for a Grammy at the up coming 2008 Award Ceremony for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance which is a great honor to his music but also a huge boost to Washington D.C. and the culture Raheem carries from it. Local fans are hopeful for his win and ready to show the world the talent that arises soulfully from within the Diamond District. From a city that has been known to be almost impossible for artists to gain the respect of its people, Raheem DeVaughn is one artist we are truly proud of. Bring it home, son!

Grace: Two Birds with One Stone?

I cried for the first time today in long long while. The events leading up to my tear drenched breakdown were quite sudden and unexpected. I began the day actually quite uplifted and excited, I just began a new book by the great D.A. Carson and I knew I had a pretty uneventful day ahead of me which makes me happy to know that I can then spend it in a book and just relax. I enjoyed a cup up of coffee while reading Carson’s word study on the Greek work charismata and then prepared to take a trip out to the church office in order to get the bulletins for the Church Sunday Service printed and folded. What followed was a storm of confusion and questioning that knocked my pleasant day attitude right out of me. I received a voice mail from a very close family member which was completely meant to insult and break me down, and where I usually would not put too much weight and value into those comments, this time it seemed to ring louder and truer and puncture my soul like a hot knife to butter. I then, due to the call, began to take a deep look at what has been happening in my life recently and I felt incredibly overwhelmed at the projects, bills, relationships, work, and chores that needed to be addressed and worked on. In short I felt low. I felt that if life were a game, a sport, that I would be the guy that just could not play well, that consistently I am getting cut from the team. With this ugly cloud looming over my head and heart and then another phone call from a completely different family member ending in what seemed to be a very selfish and unhealthy fight between us, I began to cry out to God and cry I did. I felt exceedingly sad as well as angry at my own actions. Life sucked and I couldn’t fully understand why, so I cried out to God why.

After that episode and after I finished my work I then made a much needed stop at the house of my good friend Bill. Now the nature of Bill’s house is always quite consistent: there are always people stopping through. Bill’s house is essentially a coffee house (in tonights case, a tea house) with free coffee and always good company with really good conversation. Tonight was no exception.

I was the first to arrive in what would eventually and arbitrarily be a group of six young gentlemen sitting around the kitchen table discussing some pretty important, actually the most important, issues of life. One of the guys, whom I respect a lot, brought a new fellow over who was new to the Bill’s Coffee House scene. We’ll call the new guy Brian. After a couple of minutes of small talk and all of us getting our Tea ready, we soon discovered that Brian came from an interesting religious background that was not at all orthodox in its hold to essential Christianity and that his life so far had been a life not understanding the core beliefs of real Christianity. He was without the gospel. The next hour and a half consisted of my self and the other guys seated there discussing and lovingly presenting the good news of Christ as a gift of grace of salvation from God’s wrath toward us, mankind, due to our incessant sinful reaction to God as fallen people. The most amazing thing, really the most miraculous thing about it was that Brian seemed very open to what we were offering him and seemed to consider very somberly the message we relayed. Really, the five of us there that were Christian were in continuous silent prayer for Brian’s heart and Gods grace in his life. The night was essentially spent in talking about and praying for grace, God’s Grace.

But here is where I must confess the beauty of God in all of this. After the night was over and I got into my Geo Prizm to head home for the night, I of course began to pray about what had happened at Bill’s kitchen table. The first thing that came out of my mouth was not a prayer of intercession (me praying on Brian’s behalf) but a prayer of thanks! I could not help but thank my God for giving me this opportunity to share what I love and hold so dear, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that this opportunity was a means for Brian to hear the most important message he will ever hear and that in and of its self is completely of God’s good grace, that deservedly Brian, as well as all of us, should only hear the condemning judgment of God, but God in His love and goodness and mercy, saw it right to bring the Gospel to Brian this cold winter night at Bill’s house. That is incredibly gracious. But what blows my mind is how God used this instance to minister to me, to encourage me, to bring me back to Him, all in one swoop. How glorious a God! I was in the throws of selfish depression and God, like the wonderful Father He is, allowed me to give the Gospel when I wasn’t even looking to do it. In the end my worship goes to Him in complete thankfulness for knocking down two birds (myself and Brian) with one stone….grace…yes,Christ, is a solid stone. Sola Gratia! Soli Deo Gloria!