I have so many stories. I have so many thoughts. So in the words of the sound of music... "Let's start at the very beginning..."
So it was August of 1998, and it was freshman orientation week. It was an open mic that was being hosted in the Lexington Inn. I'm pretty confident everyone asked me to sing and I don't think I did. I think I stayed true to my guns and refused to sing. But we had a ton of talented kids in Union University's largest freshman class. Some might argue that we had some of the most incredible leaders being groomed in that class.
Well, the open mic was almost over and this super tall, skinny, light-skinned black dude with a shaved head walks up to the mic and tells the host that he wants to sing a song. So the host goes, "Oh ok everyone here's another singer. His name is -- Whats your name?... William?… Yeah William -- his name is William Gray. So this super tall kid grabs a chair and sits down in it like everyone else was and takes the mic and real quietly and smoothly sings this song called, "He looked beyond my fault and saw my need…"
(If you don't know the song it
goes like this...)
So this William Gray guy sat in the chair and stared at the ground the entire time and sang an a cappella version of this wonderful song. You could hear a pin drop in the room it was so quiet as he was singing. I was thoroughly impressed, but really as touched by the song.
I think later on that night, Chad Wilson introduced me to William Gray, and the next day I stopped by their dorm room in Deusner 2 and began my friendship with William Gray, Anthony Brooks and Jake Eaton.
-- DJ Lee
3 Comments
John
October 31, 2013Thank you for sharing DJ. I can picture it – and only wish I could have been there too.
Leah Cook
October 14, 2013DJ,
That night was awesome. I remember it. Bless the sweet family of William, his precious wife Angie, and all his friends as you are being lifted up over and over and over.
Leah
Mindi
October 11, 2013I have no words for how sad this made me — imagining Will singing this, and you listening in the audience. But as a friend recently said to me, “I am happy to be sad. It reminds me that mindless day-to-day action isn’t the only option.” And that gratitude is the only reasonable response to the God who brings amazing people into our lives and guides us through the sadness of losing them. He looked beyond my faults and saw my need, indeed.
I’m so humbled, yet proud to call you friend.