September 7, 2025 • 42 mins
Legin shares how God completely transformed his life, turning his name (Nigel) backward to symbolize how the gospel changed his direction and purpose. Through raw stories of forgiveness and divine appointments, he demonstrates how authentic faith can reach people who might never enter a church.
• After years of bitterness, Legin forgave his absent father just before his unexpected passing
• Experienced a divine appointment in a London pub with a suicidal man wearing cross earrings who had never heard the gospel
• Creates hip-hop music specifically designed to reach people who wouldn't normally engage with Christianity
• Left his secure job in 2013 to pursue ministry full-time, experiencing God's provision every month
Find Legin's music, podcast, and ministry resources by following the link below:
Bio – Legin
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Nancy Bruscher (00:01):
You found ordinary people, extraordinary
things, and I'm your host, nancyBrucher.
We talk to everyday peopleabout faith and hope, and today
is no different, as we get totalk to legend.
His name is Nigel, but he goesby legend because it's Nigel
backwards and God turned hislife around.
As September begins, homeschoolis in full swing for us.
(00:24):
I'm continuing to save memoriesby scanning old photos, and one
of the most exciting things isthat a dream of 10 years is a
reality I have a book that isready to be published on Amazon.
It is completely ready.
I'm waiting for the author'sproof to get to me to verify
that everything is as perfect ascan be, and then I will let you
(00:45):
know so you can order theLegacy Heirloom Journal.
It's a very needed guide forfamilies so they can easily and
effectively pass on theirheirlooms and the stories to
their family and loved ones.
That's enough about me.
I can't wait for you to hearfrom Legend.
Welcome to Ordinary People,extraordinary Things.
I'm so excited to have Legendon Legend.
(01:08):
Thanks for being on the podcast.
Legin (01:09):
Thanks for having me and thanks for being patient with
all my technical glitches.
I appreciate it.
Nancy Bruscher (01:14):
It's all good.
It's all good.
We have gotten to know Legendas a family and I'm just so
thankful for your friendship andhow you poured into our family.
Legin (01:25):
No, that's an honor.
Thank you for feeding mebecause you gave me food, so
we're best friends forever.
Now Like nothing we can doabout it.
Nancy Bruscher (01:31):
And we watched the fire truck go by at
Christmas time, remember thatwas like a little impromptu fun
time.
Legin (01:39):
Or Colorado Santa driving down the street in a fire truck
.
Never thought I'd see it.
Not a reindeer in sight, by theway, but still cool.
Nancy Bruscher (01:46):
No, no, that was a bummer.
Legin (01:51):
That was a bummer.
Oh, it's fun man.
No, no, I appreciate you guysjust inviting me in your home
and hanging out.
I mean we had just met, so likethat was so dope for Chris to
reach out and get to meet youand the kids and it was an honor
.
It was an honor.
Nancy Bruscher (02:04):
So, yeah, yeah, it's just been great to keep
this friendship and to just beable to help each other and pray
for each other in ministry.
Legin (02:14):
Yes, ma'am, yeah, anytime .
Thank you for that.
Nancy Bruscher (02:17):
So I call you Legend.
Your name is Nigel.
Can you explain to anybody whohasn't heard you before on why
you go by legend?
Legin (02:26):
Yeah, yeah, it's not me trying to prop myself up, that's
for sure.
But it's just my name, nigel,spelled backwards, and it just
means that Christ turned my lifearound through the gospel,
through forgiveness, througheverything I've been through and
through everything he did.
It's just the life transformingmessage of the gospel.
So what I try to do with thatis use that name as a testimony
(02:47):
what I'm speaking or doing,music, and then to make music
and messages that then will turnpeople's lives around with that
same gospel.
So that's why I go by legend.
I hope it points to Christ andnot to me.
Nancy Bruscher (02:57):
So when I first saw your name and maybe I heard
you say it once it's like it'snot Legion which would be in the
book.
I heard you say it once.
It's like.
Legin (03:05):
It's not Legion, which would be in the book.
It's not Legion and everybodydoes it Like cause everybody
feels bad.
They're like oh, I called you ademon's name and I let
everybody kind of sit in it forjust just five seconds of guilt
(03:27):
and shame Cause, that's fun.
Nancy Bruscher (03:27):
But then I'm like no, no, no, it's okay,
everybody does it, and there'sno, oh, and it's not.
We're not.
But uh, no, it's not, it's notthat.
Oh, that's funny if you don'tknow where we're talking about.
It's, um, about when, when?
I believe it's when jesus goesacross to to the other side
right and takes out the, thedemons, and he asks what their
name is right yeah, he sayslegion, we're many yes, yes all
my church friends would be likewhat you know, why did you name
yourself a demon's name?
Legin (03:43):
I'm like brother, there's no o in it, but, but thank you,
I'm a rapper.
We got liberty to spell stuffhow we want.
I get it, it's OK.
Nancy Bruscher (03:50):
But if people don't know who you are, can you
give three words or phrases todescribe yourself?
Legin (03:56):
Three words or phrases.
Wow, Dad, husband creative.
Nancy Bruscher (04:06):
And I think the creative goes into your ministry
.
Can you share?
Legin (04:07):
all the wonderful things you're doing.
Yeah, yeah, I have a podcast aswell.
Not as cool as yours, but Ihave a podcast.
I'm a rap artist.
I've been doing shows andwriting music forever.
I'm a preacher, so I help leada church here in Virginia.
I'm a speaker and I justseparate that by.
Sometimes I'm in prisons orschools or whatever.
Sometimes I'm talking aboutministry stuff, sometimes I'm a
speaker and I just separate thatby.
Sometimes I'm in prisons orschools or whatever.
Sometimes I'm talking aboutministry stuff, sometimes I'm
(04:28):
not.
I'm working on a film about allthat stuff I talked about
regarding my life turning around, called Legendary, that we're
submitting to film festivals andthe music I write I try to put
in TV and film, as well asrelease it on Spotify and Apple
and all that.
So lots of music, lots ofmessages.
Nancy Bruscher (04:46):
Yeah, we have to have all of your things in the
show notes.
Could you explain with your?
You called it the rapping right.
Did I use the right word?
Legin (04:56):
Perfect.
Nancy Bruscher (04:56):
Okay, how have you been able to meet people who
might not know Jesus or kind ofgo in the Christian circles
through your songwriting?
Yeah, so when you tell peopleyou're a Christian rapper, jesus
, or kind of go in the Christiancircles through your
songwriting.
Legin (05:06):
Yeah.
So when you tell people you'rea Christian rapper, they kind of
they'll put you in a box, right.
They're like oh, like KirkFranklin stuff, right, no, knock
to Kirk Franklin, I love whathe does, but like, no, that's
not what I'm talking about.
So I love, I love hip hop.
I was raised in hip hop.
All of the messages sometimesthat are coming out of
commercialized hip hop aren'talways God glorifying, but the
art and the culture is dope tome.
(05:27):
So like that's just what I wasraised in.
So I just, instead of pre-ChristI would make music this
braggadocious about money andtaking advantage, you know, of
just all types of stuff, justlike bad content.
So like now it's like I want tomake God turn my life around to
where, like I don't see womenas objects, I don't want to live
frivolously, I want to teachpeople to forgive and not get
(05:49):
revenge.
So now my music reflects thatand that comes from what Christ
has done in my life.
So some songs I make will beblatant theological stuff,
really about Jesus, and thensome songs will just be about
life and struggling and stuffI'm going through.
And then some songs will justbe about life and struggling and
stuff I'm going through becauseI live by this philosophy of,
and I don't think it's wrong tomake church music just for the
(06:10):
church.
I think that's a holy calling,I think that's good.
Some people need to do that.
I do that.
But I also am really, reallyinterested in the person who has
no affiliation with church,doesn't care about church,
doesn't care about the gospel,the Bible's old.
I care about that personbecause I was that person.
(06:30):
So I always say I write for theperson in the back row.
They don't want to be here.
The girlfriend dragged them,whatever.
You know what I mean Because mywife dragged me to church,
right, that's kind of how ithappened.
And so my music isn't targetingthe Christian crowd per se, but
I feel like if I can grab theattention with content, good art
and just authenticity theperson who doesn't care about
(06:51):
anything labeled Christian thenI'll definitely catch the person
who does so.
I feel like I've been able tosee that work in prisons.
I've been able to see that workat shows that weren't in
churches.
I've been able to see God usethat to get somebody's attention
to say man, let me, let meactually reframe what I think
about Jesus.
Maybe he's not what mygrandma's church was yelling to
(07:12):
me about.
Maybe there's something deeperhere.
So that's how I've seen it work.
Nancy Bruscher (07:16):
That's good.
So you said before your life inChrist how did you come to know
Jesus?
Legin (07:27):
life in Christ.
How did you come to know Jesus?
Yeah, I was raised in church.
I watched my mother start to goto church and I was like
probably eight, nine, 10 or so,and try to figure things out.
And so I knew don't kill, don'tsteal, check, check.
But I don't think I actuallybelieved the gospel and at a
certain point I was like, forgetthis, I just want to go do me.
And it was around the time whenmy absent dad, my absent dad,
alcohol, drugs, whatever, um, he, he, he.
(07:47):
Well, shortly after um, I leftchurch already, he, he tried to
get back into my life andapologize.
And we had this meeting where Ididn't, I didn't want to deal
with his forgiveness.
Like I'm, like you, I have thechance to hurt you.
Now why would I let thisopportunity go?
Um?
And through a series of eventsthat we can get into if you want
, I did end up forgiving him.
(08:08):
I did end up extending thatolive branch and then right
after that he passed away and itwas just like man, what is
going on?
And that situation actuallybrought me to my knees Around.
This time.
My girlfriend at the time nowmy wife Tia she had started
going back to church.
She was like you need to comewith me.
I was like I don't want to goto church, all that stuff.
(08:29):
But when everything happenedwith my dad, I was stuck with
three questions of well, man,god obviously can't be real
because there's no plan here.
Or if God is real, he's mean,because why is he toying with my
life this way?
If you're in control ofeverything, why are you letting
this happen?
Right?
Or god is real and he really,really cares about forgiveness
(08:51):
and orchestrating reconciliationand fixing things.
And if that's who god is,that's the guy grandma's been
talking about, granddad's beentalking about, mom's been
talking that's who I need.
And that's when I gave my lifeto christ and I happened to be
in a basement by myself alone.
I just hit my knees and saidJesus, I give up, I just want to
be yours.
It wasn't a sermon, it wasn't asong.
And then I was like now I wantchurch, now I want Bible, I want
(09:15):
to know what's going on hereand I just dove in, stopped
listening to a lot of music, Istopped hanging out with certain
people and I just I became thecrazy Christian that I joked all
the time Like I'll never bethat weird over there.
Look at them, they're weird.
And then I became weird andmaybe I was always weird, my
wife would say I was alwaysweird and she's probably right.
(09:37):
Whatever she's mean, but she'sright.
And so I just I just startedtalking to God all day and
reading the word all day and Ijust had to know for myself.
And then I saw the value ofchurch and the beauty of
scripture and what the spirit ofGod does to a person, and my
life changed and I've never beenthe same.
Nancy Bruscher (09:56):
That's so good, thanks.
What I hear in there, well, Ihear several things.
I love how you said not onlydid you say yes, but then things
changed Right, and I think thatthat is so important to to to
hear.
But then also can you go alittle bit more into how you
were able to forgive, Because itdoes not sound like your dad
(10:19):
deserved it.
If I put that in air quotes andI completely hear what you're
saying as far as oh, and then Icould just get revenge or not, I
don't, man, I might not call itrevenge as, but it would be
like now I don't have to say yesto you, Now you hurt me, Now I
can.
Yes, I totally resonate withthat.
(10:42):
So could you explain that alittle bit?
Legin (10:45):
Yeah, I mean, that's the thing, like.
I try to tell people all thetime like if you're dealing with
unforgiveness, you're probablyright.
You know they don't deserveforgiveness.
And in a human sense, I get it.
Go get your revenge, go getyour justice, whatever, whatever
, whatever.
But the way God got myattention was at this point.
(11:05):
I'm 20 years old at this pointand I'm out of church.
I don't care about none of thisstuff.
I don't care about Jesus.
I'm good.
I'm just selling insurance,trying to make money and live my
life.
And six months after my dad wasbegging for forgiveness and I'm
cussing him out, hanging up thephone, enjoying hurting him, a
lady came into my office.
I can't remember if she was offthe street or if she worked out
(11:38):
, I genuinely can't remember.
But she came into my office oneday, six months later, and says
hey, I've got a word from theLord for you.
And I roll my eyes like man,not one of these weirdos, bro,
I'm good, I don't got whateverbitterness that is out of your
heart that you're dealing with.
You'll never make it into thekingdom of heaven.
And I'm like what the crap areyou talking about?
And how do you know?
And that's very rude.
You just ruined my Tuesday andall of that, and so I had to
just kind of deal with that.
(11:58):
And I try to try to brush stuffoff like that, like, ah, it's
coincidence, she's weird.
But something happened to wherethree months later, I did call
my dad and I did say, hey man,I'm going to let it go.
I actually would like if I'mhonest with myself, I would like
to get to know you and I wantto forgive you and let's figure
this thing out.
And we had this great moment ofconversation on the phone where
(12:21):
you could feel the chains falloff of his shoulders, of the
burdens he was carrying.
And then I'm surprised nowchains are falling off my
shoulders.
I didn't know I was carryingand we just had this moment of
let's get together.
And he's excited.
He's like oh, let me come downthis weekend, get a hotel, I
just want to see it.
I'm like slow up, bro, likegive me some time to process
this, but I forgive you, I loveyou, we're good, we'll figure
(12:43):
all that out.
Hang up the phone and and andand feel great.
And then that was our lastphone call.
Right after that phone call hepassed away.
So so that was literally mylast conversation with him was
literally I forgive you.
And that's what spiraled me to,like what type of games you
(13:07):
play in God?
Like I finally did it.
And then you took him away.
Like you couldn't let him hangon another month so I could see
him.
Like what are you doing?
Like I got angry and I was sadand I was all that stuff, just
all the feelings you know butultimately landed on man.
He could have died at anymoment, he could have, he could
have never came to apologize.
He could still be alive rightnow and I don't know where he is
.
He could have died before hetried to come see me.
(13:28):
You orchestrated this thing sothat I could forgive him, and
maybe that's because you want toforgive me for all the crap I'm
doing out here and the peopleI've mistreated and the stuff
I've done and how I'veblasphemed your name, and that's
when I was like dude, I neededto forgive him.
(13:48):
But I need you to forgive meand and and that's that's all
that got my attention and that'sthat.
Those collective things broughtme to my knees and I gave up.
Nancy Bruscher (13:57):
So, wow, wow, that is so.
That's such a real story and Ifeel like there's so many things
people can can like, be like.
I can see myself in that, or oh, that was, that was great
legend.
I've never heard that storybefore.
Legin (14:15):
Oh, thanks, nancy, I thought you knew it.
Nancy Bruscher (14:20):
I have heard you preach many times, but I have
not heard in detail about Wow.
Have you had people say to youat other times hey, I have a
word from God and you knew itwasn't 100% yeah.
Okay.
Legin (14:35):
I don't pay attention to that heavy just because I
believe the Bible tells us howto handle that stuff.
I listen, but I weigh it verycarefully because I know if it's
from the Lord, that won't bethe only word.
You know what I mean.
And I believe from a biblicalperspective, 1 Corinthians, 12,
(14:55):
13, and 14 tell us how toreceive the spiritual gifts,
including prophecy and otherthings.
Spiritual gifts, you know,including prophecy and other
things.
And I just think some churchesjust ignore it, like it's not a
thing anymore, which you know,kind of cessationist position,
or I don't want to deal withthat because that's freaky
position.
Or some people just like, hey,I think feel like God said
something give me the mic andI'm just going to say it which
(15:16):
is also just as unbiblical.
And I think churches fall ontwo of those extremes.
First, corinthians, 12, 13 and14 tells us how to handle that,
how to weigh that, how, ifsomebody does have a word, how
do you know?
Tells us all of that in blackand white, and I just feel like
we skip it.
Nancy Bruscher (15:31):
So it's harder, right, it's harder.
Legin (15:36):
What's that?
What's?
Nancy Bruscher (15:37):
harder.
It's harder to either say I'mgoing to believe anytime anyone
says I have a word, or I'm notgoing to even touch that Right.
Legin (15:46):
You actually have to weigh God's word and you have to
know God's voice and yeah, yougot to work, you got to walk
through it and I mean I wasactually, like you know, a
breaking point for me with somechurch attendance.
Like I'm at, I'm at church andyou know, I kind of unplugged
for a little bit.
I was like I'm not, I'm notlearning anything, whatever.
Let me just read the Bible fora change.
I'm just reading about I'mgoing to church but I'm in the
back reading the Bible, like notlistening, which is probably
(16:09):
rude, but it is rude whatever.
And I'm reading through it andI get the first Corinthians, but
I've never read before.
And I'm reading through it andit's literally saying this is
how to do this stuff in churchservice.
And and then I'm looking up atthe stage and they're doing the
exact thing the Bible says notto do about this stuff.
And I was like wait a minute,like we got the instructions
(16:30):
right here, and so that causedme to dig in, like how do you
know God's voice?
How do you know the word foryourself?
Like what is the Bible actuallysaying?
So I don't know, I just go tothe word.
I'm like you know the word'sreally important.
The Bible says he holds aboveall things his name and his word
or his promise and his word,his name and his promise,
whatever.
And so, like I'm like this thistells me that the word of god
(16:52):
and the glory of god is aboveall these things.
Like I need to go to the wordand god's never going to say
something through somebody thatgoes against his word.
Right, if I know his word.
If somebody comes up like Ihave a word from the Lord and
it's not in here, like I justI'm not, I'm definitely not
listening to you If it soundslike it's in here now, I need
(17:12):
the counsel of the church andgodly people to help me filter
this.
The challenge is when somebodyjust makes a life altering
decision based on someself-proclaimed prophet who
wants a donation for their timeand now they're one and then,
when that falls apart, theyblame God and they leave faith.
When the Bible told us not tolisten to them in the first
place.
You know what I mean.
So that's the stuff I I have.
(17:34):
I have a I have an irritationabout, about that, that topic,
and a passion about that topic.
That's better.
Nancy Bruscher (17:40):
I have a passion about that, yeah, so anyway
that's good A story I have heardyou tell, but I would love for
our listeners to hear is whenyou were in England and you felt
God's nudge to go down to thebar, and I think I don't have to
explain anymore, I think youknow the one I'm talking about.
Could you share that?
Legin (18:01):
Yeah, yeah.
So this is one of those momentswhere I did have somebody say
hey, we're going to England,right, we're setting up.
I had a collective of artistsat the time I was leading.
We were invited to thisconference and they were going
to pay our way and bring all ofus over there.
And it was just like, man, thisis great.
We never got this invite.
I've never been out of thecountry Like so cool, like so
cool.
(18:21):
And then at the last minutebudget fell through.
We can't bring you, sorry.
And then I just felt sostrongly we needed to go.
I asked our host.
I was like hey, if we fundraise, can we still come?
He was like, yeah, I guess so.
And so we just started and Ihung up the phone.
I was like I don't know how toraise $8,000.
(18:41):
Like, what are we going to do?
So anyway, we raised the money,got over there and before we
left I had a friend of mine atthe time say, hey, god's sending
you over there to meet oneperson, find them.
And I was like then I rolled myeyes again.
I'm in the faith at this point.
But I rolled my eyes like dude,this sounds like kooky, weird
stuff.
What are you talking about Fastforward?
This is like 2011.
Nancy Bruscher (19:02):
Man, it's a long time ago.
Legin (19:03):
I'm there and it was one of those really clear moments
where God spoke to my heart.
I'm in the hotel.
There's only two of us left mywife and another friend of ours,
angie.
They went back home.
We're staying for an extra fivedays and doing some stuff.
And God speaks to my heart andhe says go down to the bar.
And I'm just like that's not God, because there's alcohol there.
(19:25):
That can't be what's going on.
So I get up by myself, I godown there and I'm so out of
place, bro, like I'm just like Igot, like my study Bible and a
Tim Keller book, just sitting atthe bar, thinking I can't order
alcohol because I didn't knowif that was a cool at the time,
and I'm like let me get a gingerale, my good man.
I and I'm like let me get aginger ale, my good man.
(19:46):
I just look so out of place,like it's just dumb right and
all of a sudden, man, like thisgroup of people come into the
bar like it's the conference orsomething, and they fill up.
It was just me.
And then they fill it up andthen, like this one dude walks
in late and there's a seat nextto me and it's just when he
walked in there, was this notsaying God's audible voice?
I won't say I heard that, butit was just this.
That's him inner knowing kindof thing.
(20:09):
And I'm still being cautious,cause again, I kooky, kooky
Christians freak me out Like I'mnot ever trying to be one of
them and sits next to me andit's just this.
I got to talk to this guy soI'm looking for something that
just and I see he has crossearrings.
I'm like that's talking point.
(20:30):
I was like hey, man, I see yourearrings have a cross on them
and I say, what's that mean toyou?
And then he just launches intothis monologue.
You know, two weeks ago I triedto kill myself and I'm just
like Jesus, like what's going on, and he's like well, I lost my
house, I lost my girlfriend, shetook the kids, lost my job, all
within a short period of timeand I couldn't handle it.
(20:50):
So I wanted to leave, I wantedto get out of here and I'm
online researching what can Idrink to just go to sleep and
not wake up.
I don't want to suffer, but Ijust need to get out of here,
and then I started praying to mydead grandmother, like maybe
she could give me some answersfrom the other side, because I
don't know how this works andI'm just hearing the grasping at
straws, the lostness, thehopelessness.
(21:12):
My heart's going out for himand he says one day I woke up
and I didn't want to kill myselfanymore.
And she says I don't know if mydead grandmother heard me.
I don't know if God heard me,or the gods, or the universe, I
don't know what happened, but Ifigured somebody was giving me
another shot.
So I'm walking down the streetafter this and I see this
religious symbols shop and Ifigured if I put something on my
(21:35):
body maybe I would get someguidance from somewhere.
And I just picked the crossearrings up, bought them, put
them in hoping for some guidanceand I'm just listening to them.
And I put them in hoping forsome guidance and I'm just
listening to them and I askedthem this question that changed
my life.
And the backdrop of thisquestion is where they're doing
evangelism, where they're doingconcerts, where they're
preaching.
I'm looking out the window ofthis pub in England and London
(22:00):
and there's this old cathedralthrough the window and behind
him.
In what he's saying, and whatI've learned is that most of
these beautiful old cathedralsno longer are open for church
business.
They're closed, they're just,they're shut down.
A lot of them are condominiumsFederally they have to stay
protected historical buildings,but there's no worship of God
(22:21):
happening because the worship isdead.
And that's the backdrop of this.
And then and I'm looking at him, hearing his story, hoping I
get some guidance from somewhere, and I ask him this question
with that backdrop and I say,have you ever heard the gospel
of Jesus Christ?
And with that cathedral in thebackground and me there on
(22:42):
mission and his cross earrings,he looks at me in my eyes and
says, no, what's that?
And those three words changedmy life Like it didn't.
When you're in church, man, youcan become inundated with
everybody's hurt at least once.
And I just it, just it just wasmind blowing to me that with
(23:04):
cross earrings, and he had noidea what the cross was.
And so I I begin to walk himthrough all the stuff I learned
in Sunday school, like fall ofman and sin and Adam and Eve,
and all this stuff.
And God redeems and thenthere's law to lead us to Christ
, and then Christ comes and hepays the price for our sin, and
and because we couldn't pay it.
(23:25):
But Christ could go to thegrave, pay capital punishment,
bring himself back from thegrave and if we believe on him,
the father applies that paymentto our life, now and forever,
and our and the truth of the waythat we know we believe, that
is, we start to live as Christdid and and and we repent of our
(23:47):
sin.
We're not perfect, we're notearning anything.
I'm just sharing all this stuffwith him and at a certain point
he catches my eye because, likeI mean, his lip is quivering
and tears are streaming and I'mtaking it back.
I'm like he's like believingall this immediately and it just
messed me up.
I was surprised at how much thegospel was penetrating his heart
for the first time at thatmoment.
(24:09):
Like I remember beinghard-hearted why I didn't care
in this moment that God ischanging this.
That's him.
All of that struck again andwe're at this beautiful moment
where this man is just cryingand then he says this to me.
(24:29):
He says, man, nobody's evertold me God loves me.
If somebody would have justtold me what you just said, I
would have never tried to killmyself.
And he's crying and I'm cryingand I'm just watching God do
some miraculous work and thenthat same inner knowing at that
(24:51):
moment has confused me to thisday said stop, that's enough.
Nah, that can't be right, thatdoesn't make any sense.
Like I was trained, this iswhen you go in for the kill.
Now.
We got to do the prayer and yougot to repeat the things after
me, so I go after stuff.
I was taught versus like beingsensitive to what god is saying
(25:14):
in that moment and and I'm likeokay, man, look, I'm so glad
you're here.
All you got to do now is youcan have my study bible and
repeat this prayer after me, andif you just confess jesus, lord
say believe with your mouth.
And I'm going through stuffthat makes sense to do.
And I watch all of thatopenness, just clam right up.
And I never forgot that.
It just shut down and he waslike hey, man, I appreciate you,
(25:37):
I'm good, thanks for that.
And I'm like, no, no, listen,listen, just look, you're almost
there.
And he just got up and hewalked out like no, bro, I'm
good, I'm good.
I walked away.
And I never forgot that moment.
And I think his name is Mark,or maybe that's a name I made up
so I could pray for him.
But I've just prayed for himsince God forgive me that day
for not listening to what youwere saying, and I pray you sent
(26:01):
somebody to follow up with him,to meet him.
That's more obedient than I was, because I believe God's hand
is on that man's life, and Iprayed for him ever since I
don't know where he is, nevertalked to him again.
I hope he's well.
But that reminded me just inthat moment, man, that you just
got to know the word foryourself and you got to follow
the leading of the Lord.
And you know God can and God'sgospel is powerful to do all
(26:27):
these things.
So that was a long story.
Nancy Bruscher (26:33):
No, it's so good , so good.
I love the part about being ledand then telling you to stop
and you're like no, this doesn'tmake sense, like why, and why
would you like what?
Yeah, it's so convicting tohear how God is and it's like
you know you don't have to doexactly what you think you
should, you just have to do whatI tell you to.
(26:55):
But it's hard when you're likeI'm doing this for you, god.
I'm like this is what I'msupposed to do.
This is to help him know youbetter, and it's just really
convicting for me to think aboutand to remember that I need to
follow and not just startrunning and not not listen to
what God's saying, to run or runtoo.
Legin (27:17):
We don't have to check boxes.
You know what I mean.
I felt like in that moment Igot to check this box and do the
thing and and, and I gotsomebody to say yes to Jesus and
I'm really I hit.
You know all that and it wasprobably more about me than it
was him, maybe I don't know.
So I do think it's important tooffer that, because you never
know when somebody's last day islike enter the story about my
(27:39):
dad, but I've just learnedsalvation is not about me, right
, and I don't have to do it in apressure way, like I just throw
it out there, like man who, ifyou want to put your faith in
Jesus, I love to talk to youabout that, like what that means
and what we and what that lookslike.
And it's not a one day decision, it's a life Like.
But if you're not, if that'snot where you are today, I love
(28:10):
you.
I want to put their trust inJesus.
I don't pressure nobody, likewhatever, whatever I
passionately proclaim, but I'malso not not going to be pushy,
just find a balance of passionand pushy.
You know what I mean.
Nancy Bruscher (28:26):
Yeah, I love their question of what does that
mean to you when you wereasking about the cross earrings.
I think that's such a reallywonderful open-ended question
that you could ask someone.
Legin (28:40):
I agree, man, because I keep learning to this day as a
pastor and as a leader and thisstuff.
Like people have their own verycultural opinions of who Jesus
is and what his work is for andwhat the cross means and what
does it mean that he died foryour sins?
I heard a popular radio dudesay the other day Jesus didn't
die for your sins because you'reall still sinning.
So that obviously doesn't makeany sense.
(29:01):
I'm like he has no idea whathe's talking about.
All right, and then other peoplewho make Jesus their political
mascot or their cultural mascotor their racial mascot or their
socioeconomic mascot, and I'mjust like man, jesus I was, I
was talking to, I was on thephone with Diana actually before
we talked and I was like youknow, if Jesus, if Jesus fits
(29:27):
your culture, um, it's probablynot Jesus, um, because Jesus is
too big for your culture.
He, he will, he will infiltrateyour culture, he'll be
incarnate in your culture.
But if Jesus fits your cultureand somehow he agrees with
everything you think, believeand move with, then somebody's
God, but it ain't him, becausethat ain't it.
There's no culture big enoughto fit the gospel.
There's no culture big enoughto fit the King of Kings.
He creates culture and you getto submit to that, not the other
(29:49):
way around.
So I don't know where I'm onthe tangent for that for, but
I'm gonna stop talking becauseI'm on a rabbit trail.
Nancy Bruscher (30:00):
I don't know how I got here.
What else that hits me sodeeply about that story is that
England was a very Christiannation, right, and has these
beautiful cathedrals, and had ahuge faith, that they went into
different areas and they weregoing, and they were going to
missions and you were in London,you weren't in a third world
(30:25):
country and that person hadn'theard of Jesus.
Hadn't heard of Jesus it breaksmy heart and I worry about the
United States at the same timewith that.
Legin (30:36):
Yeah, you know, a year or two before we took this trip I
was in, I was in Bible collegeand they said you know the
church of.
England is dying, close to deadand and this was just something
they told me class and theysaid we are 25 years away from
where they are, unless we have adrastic turn.
Nancy Bruscher (30:53):
And it was just this note.
I just got shivers.
Legin (30:57):
And it was just this note of our commercialized,
compartmentalized, politicized,categorized gospel.
That just doesn't work and it'snot biblical that we do.
And we do it on the left andthe right, we do it rich and the
poor, we do it white and blackand everybody in between.
We do that.
Jesus fits our box and if we'renot careful, we got a box in
(31:17):
Jesus and it's just not theJesus of scripture or history.
And and so you know, the funnything is, the third world
countries are the ones where thegospel is exploding, exploding,
and they're literally sendingmissionaries to us because we
(31:38):
need it, instead of missionariesto england and to and to the
you and to the places wherewe're.
We got it all.
Um, you know we're losing thegospel in some places and
they're sending mission andthank god for them, because I
don't care.
You know, I don't have any, Idon't have anything to defend,
like, if we need the gospel,please come and help us.
Nancy Bruscher (31:53):
Right.
Legin (31:53):
So man praise God, for you know.
Nancy Bruscher (31:56):
Yeah, if you're listening, I hope that something
of this story has reallyimpacted you and not just like,
oh, that was nice, but like youwere saying, like I found Jesus
and then I made changes and thenI did something and now I'm on
like mission for him.
So that's what I'm reallypraying for in this podcast.
Legin (32:16):
Yeah, amen, amen, me too.
Nancy Bruscher (32:19):
What is one story of how well you've
probably you've already shared acouple of them, but of God
showing up like a miracle onlyhe could do?
Can you think of a story withthat?
Legin (32:32):
Yeah.
So I left my job in 2013 topursue independent ministry
full-time.
Felt like God, was very clearto my wife and I, through a
series of things, that that waswhat we're supposed to do.
She supported me.
Didn't make any sense.
My son was on the way and I waswalking away from a salary to
raise to.
You know, rap and preach forJesus on my own.
(32:53):
Which horrible idea, very dumb.
And and so we got started.
And and God provided everythingwe needed.
Every month, no more, nobreathing room, no cushion, but
just here's, here's, here's yourdaily bread, which was looking
back.
It's just miraculous that that,that the Lord of all creation
would even give us anything.
(33:15):
He's not a genie.
He doesn't have to do a thingfor me.
He doesn't have to give mebreath, let alone pay bills.
So we watched that.
But my life was hard.
Like every provision was therefor the minimal stuff, for the
basics, but, like you know, wehad health stuff in our family.
My grandmother was in thehospital.
Like Tia's mom was having stagefour.
Like everything went to hell.
(33:35):
Like really fast, and we'rejust like God, like I'm stepping
out on faith to do this, likeall this stuff's falling apart
over here.
Like was I wrong?
Did I miss you?
We took six months of prayerand fasting Like we got counsel.
I thought we were right.
It's just, life was badpressure cooker stuff and we got
(33:57):
to one point when my car brokedown.
I had to take it to the shopand the little nest egg I had
for backup.
The plan was, if this runs out,I go get a job.
That was the plan and this tookme into the negative that day
and I just went outside of thecar shop.
I looked up in the sky, tearsjust flowing.
I remember looking straight up.
So they're going sideways andI'm just like.
I thought you had my back.
I thought I was doing what youtold me to do.
I can't be a bum like my dad.
(34:18):
I can't fail my family and Ifeel like I'm doing that right
now.
I need you to give me a sign.
My grandma told me not to askGod for signs and not to test
you, but I need.
I need to know something orelse I quit.
I can't do this.
I can't fail my family.
Help, help.
And before I can say amen on my,my desperate prayer, my friend
(34:39):
DJ Noble calls me.
Like the phone starts ringingin my pocket and you know, when
I don't we don't talk on aregular basis, my guy, we just
don't get on the phone Like wesee each other once a year,
maybe, maybe every two, and hejust he calls me and he says hey
bro, I'm not one of these weirdguys, cause you know, I don't
like the weird kooky Christians.
You know what I mean.
(35:02):
I don't like them, they'reweird.
I'm not one of these guys.
So please don't think he's like.
But I really feel like God toldme to call you right now and
say don't give up, he's got youright where he wants you.
Does that mean anything to youright now?
And I just start bawling.
Nancy Bruscher (35:21):
I said bro I can't talk right now.
Legin (35:22):
I'll call you back, but thank you for being obedient.
And I hang up and I'm just likeall right God tell me what to
do, you know, and I just keepmoving and the Lord just kept
providing.
And a month from now I'mlooking at my date is the 5th of
August.
A month from now will be 1st ofSeptember.
We'll celebrate 12 years ofbeing full-time at this.
Lord's been faithful man.
(35:44):
So that's nobody can.
You can't orchestrate thatstuff.
That's not coincidence.
It's not coincidence, so yeah.
Nancy Bruscher (35:54):
Legend.
This has been so amazing.
Thank you for just reallysharing and being vulnerable.
Legin (36:01):
Yes, ma'am.
Nancy Bruscher (36:02):
As we wrap up, I do like to end with these
questions what is your favoriteBible verse?
Legin (36:09):
it's a first John 5, 14, 15, 14 and 15.
We know, if we pray accordingto his will, that he hears us,
and we know that if he hears us,then we have whatever we've
asked of him.
So that balances out the pray towhatever.
(36:31):
God didn't do it.
I'm mad at God stuff for me orwhatever.
If we pray according to hiswill, he hears us, and if he
hears us, we know we have whatwe asked for.
Favorite story probably JohnFord, samaritan woman.
Jesus breaks all these barrierssocial, economic, cultural,
gender, racial, religious,theological, ethnic, ethics.
(36:52):
He just breaks everything inthat moment um and it's just a
beautiful story it is yeah whatare you?
grateful for my family verygrateful for my family.
Um, my wife and I we got lovingfamilies, both raised with
great, loving families, but wedo have some brokenness on both
(37:13):
sides of our families.
And for us to be celebratingwe're talking about 20 years of
marriage next summer.
We're celebrating it like amonth apart.
Nancy Bruscher (37:23):
I know.
Legin (37:25):
So to be celebrating that next summer is just mind
blowing to me.
To have two beautiful kids whoare thriving and growing well,
my daughter's 15 now, my son's12, um, and just to be, just to
be able to be a husband and adad, that's there, um, I don't
know, man god I don't gottaraise nobody from the dead.
For me, just that alone is thegreatest miracle, and I'm, I'm,
(37:48):
I'm forever grateful for that,that's's great.
Nancy Bruscher (37:52):
I love it.
What kindness have you receivedor what kindness have you shown
in the last week?
Legin (37:58):
I have some guys I'm taking out and discipling and
spending some time with them andand I love the fact that they
don't just come to me with Imean there's a relationship
there where I'm, I am pouringinto them, but they, they at the
meeting.
I mean there's a relationshipthere where I'm, I am pouring
into them, but they, they atthat meeting.
(38:18):
They checked on me and I wasallowed to while I'm in a
position of leadership with them.
I believe in transparentleadership.
So I was very vulnerable aboutsome stuff I was dealing with,
you know, with wisdom, but stillI'm like I most leaders feel
like I can't let the people I'mleading know that I suck in this
area.
I had to struggle because thenthey don't, whatever, and I
think that's faulty.
I think people trust you whenyou're honest without abdicating
your leadership.
(38:38):
So I just told them stuff andthey were there for me and that
was a kindness to where I wasgoing through some stuff that my
flesh wanted me to hide and say, no, I'm here for you and I was
like, ah, sure, man, this weeksucked, here's some stuff.
That happened and I was able tomodel transparent leadership
for them and they were there forme and I was a great kindness
in the moment I needed ministryand that was great.
Nancy Bruscher (39:03):
That was good kindness.
And then do you find that shamecan't grow in those areas.
Then right, if you were feelinglike, oh, I messed up or this
didn't go well, but if youconfess it or however you want
to say it, share it, thenthere's that shame that you
might have had, isn't there?
Legin (39:24):
If you receive the gift of that moment.
Yes, you can, because I've doneit.
You can receive that gift andnot hold on to what God and not
grab what God is trying to giveyou and retain your shame
because you feel?
like you deserve it or you'refamiliar with it, and letting
this go feels unfamiliar.
(39:44):
So I'm actually more scared togo over there.
I know how to.
I know how to exist with theshame.
Like one of the guys I wastalking to.
He was like um.
I was like what I said.
What's different right now?
He was like living.
Of the guys I was talking to,he was like um.
I was like what I said.
What's different right now?
He was like living in thedarkness is where I used to.
Nancy Bruscher (39:57):
He said I had I had an apartment there, I know
how to live in the darkness.
Legin (40:00):
I know how to survive in the darkness.
I know how to thrive there.
He said walking out into thelight feels freeing but also
scared me a little bit.
It kept me.
It kept me in the darknessbecause I was like it's too too
bright out there.
I know this.
Now I'm adjusted to this.
My eyes are.
I'm good here.
It sucks, I know it's unhealthy, but I'm familiar.
It's like I had to choose toadjust to the light and now I
(40:21):
enjoy it and I don't want to goback.
So I think any gift God givesyou, you can say you know what
that forgiveness sounds great.
I know that's the right thing,but I'd rather hold on to my
bitterness.
I know freedom from thisaddiction sounds great.
I know God has forgiven me andhe loves me, but I didn't earn
that.
So I don't know.
I don't understand grace, soI'd rather not receive it.
You can hold on to it.
(40:42):
But if you are in a transparentcommunity where you're
vulnerable, you're open, you'resharing, you now have the option
to grab onto what God has foryou.
You're sharing.
You now have the option to grabonto what God has for you
versus isolation and keepingthings to yourself.
So shame can continue to growif you let it.
But the only way you can getfree is to confess it, like what
(41:03):
you're saying.
That's home base.
I confessed it.
Now, will I receive the graceof God and walk in it?
That's first base.
You know what I mean.
Will I receive the grace of Godand walk in it?
That's that's first base, youknow what I mean.
Nancy Bruscher (41:14):
So, legend, this has been amazing.
I think that people are goingto have to go back and listen to
this a few times because therewas it was jam packed, so thank
you, thank you for sharing.
Legin (41:26):
Yeah, anytime.
Nancy Bruscher (41:27):
We'll link all of your things on the show notes
, cause I'm sure people aregoing to want to start following
you if they don't already andlisten to your music, listen to
the podcast, everything.
Legin (41:37):
Thank you, thank you.
Well, yeah, just hit me up.
I'll send you all the thingsyou need for all that, and if
you ever need me, man, just hitme back.
I'd love to come back.
I love your podcast.
Nancy Bruscher (41:47):
Thank you, I appreciate it.
On Ordinary People,Extraordinary Things.
Your story is his glory.
Legin (41:53):
Oh, that's dope.
I like that.
Nancy Bruscher (41:54):
Legend is such a dynamic speaker and I'm so glad
that our family has gotten toknow him.
If you found a part of thispodcast helpful, please share it
, give it a five star or leave acomment.
This podcast is also on YouTubeIf you'd like to watch the full
interview.
We are at G-E-N Nancy.
In two weeks we have a brandnew episode.
(42:15):
Sarah Jade is going to join usfrom Australia.
We'll see you then.
You found ordinary people, extraordinary
things, and I'm your host, nancyBrucher.
We talk to everyday peopleabout faith and hope, and today
is no different, as we get totalk to legend.
His name is Nigel, but he goesby legend because it's Nigel
backwards and God turned hislife around.
As September begins, homeschoolis in full swing for us.
(00:24):
I'm continuing to save memoriesby scanning old photos, and one
of the most exciting things isthat a dream of 10 years is a
reality I have a book that isready to be published on Amazon.
It is completely ready.
I'm waiting for the author'sproof to get to me to verify
that everything is as perfect ascan be, and then I will let you
(00:45):
know so you can order theLegacy Heirloom Journal.
It's a very needed guide forfamilies so they can easily and
effectively pass on theirheirlooms and the stories to
their family and loved ones.
That's enough about me.
I can't wait for you to hearfrom Legend.
Welcome to Ordinary People,extraordinary Things.
I'm so excited to have Legendon Legend.
(01:08):
Thanks for being on the podcast.
Legin (01:09):
Thanks for having me and thanks for being patient with
all my technical glitches.
I appreciate it.
Nancy Bruscher (01:14):
It's all good.
It's all good.
We have gotten to know Legendas a family and I'm just so
thankful for your friendship andhow you poured into our family.
Legin (01:25):
No, that's an honor.
Thank you for feeding mebecause you gave me food, so
we're best friends forever.
Now Like nothing we can doabout it.
Nancy Bruscher (01:31):
And we watched the fire truck go by at
Christmas time, remember thatwas like a little impromptu fun
time.
Legin (01:39):
Or Colorado Santa driving down the street in a fire truck
.
Never thought I'd see it.
Not a reindeer in sight, by theway, but still cool.
Nancy Bruscher (01:46):
No, no, that was a bummer.
Legin (01:51):
That was a bummer.
Oh, it's fun man.
No, no, I appreciate you guysjust inviting me in your home
and hanging out.
I mean we had just met, so likethat was so dope for Chris to
reach out and get to meet youand the kids and it was an honor
.
It was an honor.
Nancy Bruscher (02:04):
So, yeah, yeah, it's just been great to keep
this friendship and to just beable to help each other and pray
for each other in ministry.
Legin (02:14):
Yes, ma'am, yeah, anytime .
Thank you for that.
Nancy Bruscher (02:17):
So I call you Legend.
Your name is Nigel.
Can you explain to anybody whohasn't heard you before on why
you go by legend?
Legin (02:26):
Yeah, yeah, it's not me trying to prop myself up, that's
for sure.
But it's just my name, nigel,spelled backwards, and it just
means that Christ turned my lifearound through the gospel,
through forgiveness, througheverything I've been through and
through everything he did.
It's just the life transformingmessage of the gospel.
So what I try to do with thatis use that name as a testimony
(02:47):
what I'm speaking or doing,music, and then to make music
and messages that then will turnpeople's lives around with that
same gospel.
So that's why I go by legend.
I hope it points to Christ andnot to me.
Nancy Bruscher (02:57):
So when I first saw your name and maybe I heard
you say it once it's like it'snot Legion which would be in the
book.
I heard you say it once.
It's like.
Legin (03:05):
It's not Legion, which would be in the book.
It's not Legion and everybodydoes it Like cause everybody
feels bad.
They're like oh, I called you ademon's name and I let
everybody kind of sit in it forjust just five seconds of guilt
(03:27):
and shame Cause, that's fun.
Nancy Bruscher (03:27):
But then I'm like no, no, no, it's okay,
everybody does it, and there'sno, oh, and it's not.
We're not.
But uh, no, it's not, it's notthat.
Oh, that's funny if you don'tknow where we're talking about.
It's, um, about when, when?
I believe it's when jesus goesacross to to the other side
right and takes out the, thedemons, and he asks what their
name is right yeah, he sayslegion, we're many yes, yes all
my church friends would be likewhat you know, why did you name
yourself a demon's name?
Legin (03:43):
I'm like brother, there's no o in it, but, but thank you,
I'm a rapper.
We got liberty to spell stuffhow we want.
I get it, it's OK.
Nancy Bruscher (03:50):
But if people don't know who you are, can you
give three words or phrases todescribe yourself?
Legin (03:56):
Three words or phrases.
Wow, Dad, husband creative.
Nancy Bruscher (04:06):
And I think the creative goes into your ministry
.
Can you share?
Legin (04:07):
all the wonderful things you're doing.
Yeah, yeah, I have a podcast aswell.
Not as cool as yours, but Ihave a podcast.
I'm a rap artist.
I've been doing shows andwriting music forever.
I'm a preacher, so I help leada church here in Virginia.
I'm a speaker and I justseparate that by.
Sometimes I'm in prisons orschools or whatever.
Sometimes I'm talking aboutministry stuff, sometimes I'm a
speaker and I just separate thatby.
Sometimes I'm in prisons orschools or whatever.
Sometimes I'm talking aboutministry stuff, sometimes I'm
(04:28):
not.
I'm working on a film about allthat stuff I talked about
regarding my life turning around, called Legendary, that we're
submitting to film festivals andthe music I write I try to put
in TV and film, as well asrelease it on Spotify and Apple
and all that.
So lots of music, lots ofmessages.
Nancy Bruscher (04:46):
Yeah, we have to have all of your things in the
show notes.
Could you explain with your?
You called it the rapping right.
Did I use the right word?
Legin (04:56):
Perfect.
Nancy Bruscher (04:56):
Okay, how have you been able to meet people who
might not know Jesus or kind ofgo in the Christian circles
through your songwriting?
Yeah, so when you tell peopleyou're a Christian rapper, jesus
, or kind of go in the Christiancircles through your
songwriting.
Legin (05:06):
Yeah.
So when you tell people you'rea Christian rapper, they kind of
they'll put you in a box, right.
They're like oh, like KirkFranklin stuff, right, no, knock
to Kirk Franklin, I love whathe does, but like, no, that's
not what I'm talking about.
So I love, I love hip hop.
I was raised in hip hop.
All of the messages sometimesthat are coming out of
commercialized hip hop aren'talways God glorifying, but the
art and the culture is dope tome.
(05:27):
So like that's just what I wasraised in.
So I just, instead of pre-ChristI would make music this
braggadocious about money andtaking advantage, you know, of
just all types of stuff, justlike bad content.
So like now it's like I want tomake God turn my life around to
where, like I don't see womenas objects, I don't want to live
frivolously, I want to teachpeople to forgive and not get
(05:49):
revenge.
So now my music reflects thatand that comes from what Christ
has done in my life.
So some songs I make will beblatant theological stuff,
really about Jesus, and thensome songs will just be about
life and struggling and stuffI'm going through.
And then some songs will justbe about life and struggling and
stuff I'm going through becauseI live by this philosophy of,
and I don't think it's wrong tomake church music just for the
(06:10):
church.
I think that's a holy calling,I think that's good.
Some people need to do that.
I do that.
But I also am really, reallyinterested in the person who has
no affiliation with church,doesn't care about church,
doesn't care about the gospel,the Bible's old.
I care about that personbecause I was that person.
(06:30):
So I always say I write for theperson in the back row.
They don't want to be here.
The girlfriend dragged them,whatever.
You know what I mean Because mywife dragged me to church,
right, that's kind of how ithappened.
And so my music isn't targetingthe Christian crowd per se, but
I feel like if I can grab theattention with content, good art
and just authenticity theperson who doesn't care about
(06:51):
anything labeled Christian thenI'll definitely catch the person
who does so.
I feel like I've been able tosee that work in prisons.
I've been able to see that workat shows that weren't in
churches.
I've been able to see God usethat to get somebody's attention
to say man, let me, let meactually reframe what I think
about Jesus.
Maybe he's not what mygrandma's church was yelling to
(07:12):
me about.
Maybe there's something deeperhere.
So that's how I've seen it work.
Nancy Bruscher (07:16):
That's good.
So you said before your life inChrist how did you come to know
Jesus?
Legin (07:27):
life in Christ.
How did you come to know Jesus?
Yeah, I was raised in church.
I watched my mother start to goto church and I was like
probably eight, nine, 10 or so,and try to figure things out.
And so I knew don't kill, don'tsteal, check, check.
But I don't think I actuallybelieved the gospel and at a
certain point I was like, forgetthis, I just want to go do me.
And it was around the time whenmy absent dad, my absent dad,
alcohol, drugs, whatever, um, he, he, he.
(07:47):
Well, shortly after um, I leftchurch already, he, he tried to
get back into my life andapologize.
And we had this meeting where Ididn't, I didn't want to deal
with his forgiveness.
Like I'm, like you, I have thechance to hurt you.
Now why would I let thisopportunity go?
Um?
And through a series of eventsthat we can get into if you want
, I did end up forgiving him.
(08:08):
I did end up extending thatolive branch and then right
after that he passed away and itwas just like man, what is
going on?
And that situation actuallybrought me to my knees Around.
This time.
My girlfriend at the time nowmy wife Tia she had started
going back to church.
She was like you need to comewith me.
I was like I don't want to goto church, all that stuff.
(08:29):
But when everything happenedwith my dad, I was stuck with
three questions of well, man,god obviously can't be real
because there's no plan here.
Or if God is real, he's mean,because why is he toying with my
life this way?
If you're in control ofeverything, why are you letting
this happen?
Right?
Or god is real and he really,really cares about forgiveness
(08:51):
and orchestrating reconciliationand fixing things.
And if that's who god is,that's the guy grandma's been
talking about, granddad's beentalking about, mom's been
talking that's who I need.
And that's when I gave my lifeto christ and I happened to be
in a basement by myself alone.
I just hit my knees and saidJesus, I give up, I just want to
be yours.
It wasn't a sermon, it wasn't asong.
And then I was like now I wantchurch, now I want Bible, I want
(09:15):
to know what's going on hereand I just dove in, stopped
listening to a lot of music, Istopped hanging out with certain
people and I just I became thecrazy Christian that I joked all
the time Like I'll never bethat weird over there.
Look at them, they're weird.
And then I became weird andmaybe I was always weird, my
wife would say I was alwaysweird and she's probably right.
(09:37):
Whatever she's mean, but she'sright.
And so I just I just startedtalking to God all day and
reading the word all day and Ijust had to know for myself.
And then I saw the value ofchurch and the beauty of
scripture and what the spirit ofGod does to a person, and my
life changed and I've never beenthe same.
Nancy Bruscher (09:56):
That's so good, thanks.
What I hear in there, well, Ihear several things.
I love how you said not onlydid you say yes, but then things
changed Right, and I think thatthat is so important to to to
hear.
But then also can you go alittle bit more into how you
were able to forgive, Because itdoes not sound like your dad
(10:19):
deserved it.
If I put that in air quotes andI completely hear what you're
saying as far as oh, and then Icould just get revenge or not, I
don't, man, I might not call itrevenge as, but it would be
like now I don't have to say yesto you, Now you hurt me, Now I
can.
Yes, I totally resonate withthat.
(10:42):
So could you explain that alittle bit?
Legin (10:45):
Yeah, I mean, that's the thing, like.
I try to tell people all thetime like if you're dealing with
unforgiveness, you're probablyright.
You know they don't deserveforgiveness.
And in a human sense, I get it.
Go get your revenge, go getyour justice, whatever, whatever
, whatever.
But the way God got myattention was at this point.
(11:05):
I'm 20 years old at this pointand I'm out of church.
I don't care about none of thisstuff.
I don't care about Jesus.
I'm good.
I'm just selling insurance,trying to make money and live my
life.
And six months after my dad wasbegging for forgiveness and I'm
cussing him out, hanging up thephone, enjoying hurting him, a
lady came into my office.
I can't remember if she was offthe street or if she worked out
(11:38):
, I genuinely can't remember.
But she came into my office oneday, six months later, and says
hey, I've got a word from theLord for you.
And I roll my eyes like man,not one of these weirdos, bro,
I'm good, I don't got whateverbitterness that is out of your
heart that you're dealing with.
You'll never make it into thekingdom of heaven.
And I'm like what the crap areyou talking about?
And how do you know?
And that's very rude.
You just ruined my Tuesday andall of that, and so I had to
just kind of deal with that.
(11:58):
And I try to try to brush stuffoff like that, like, ah, it's
coincidence, she's weird.
But something happened to wherethree months later, I did call
my dad and I did say, hey man,I'm going to let it go.
I actually would like if I'mhonest with myself, I would like
to get to know you and I wantto forgive you and let's figure
this thing out.
And we had this great moment ofconversation on the phone where
(12:21):
you could feel the chains falloff of his shoulders, of the
burdens he was carrying.
And then I'm surprised nowchains are falling off my
shoulders.
I didn't know I was carryingand we just had this moment of
let's get together.
And he's excited.
He's like oh, let me come downthis weekend, get a hotel, I
just want to see it.
I'm like slow up, bro, likegive me some time to process
this, but I forgive you, I loveyou, we're good, we'll figure
(12:43):
all that out.
Hang up the phone and and andand feel great.
And then that was our lastphone call.
Right after that phone call hepassed away.
So so that was literally mylast conversation with him was
literally I forgive you.
And that's what spiraled me to,like what type of games you
(13:07):
play in God?
Like I finally did it.
And then you took him away.
Like you couldn't let him hangon another month so I could see
him.
Like what are you doing?
Like I got angry and I was sadand I was all that stuff, just
all the feelings you know butultimately landed on man.
He could have died at anymoment, he could have, he could
have never came to apologize.
He could still be alive rightnow and I don't know where he is
.
He could have died before hetried to come see me.
(13:28):
You orchestrated this thing sothat I could forgive him, and
maybe that's because you want toforgive me for all the crap I'm
doing out here and the peopleI've mistreated and the stuff
I've done and how I'veblasphemed your name, and that's
when I was like dude, I neededto forgive him.
(13:48):
But I need you to forgive meand and and that's that's all
that got my attention and that'sthat.
Those collective things broughtme to my knees and I gave up.
Nancy Bruscher (13:57):
So, wow, wow, that is so.
That's such a real story and Ifeel like there's so many things
people can can like, be like.
I can see myself in that, or oh, that was, that was great
legend.
I've never heard that storybefore.
Legin (14:15):
Oh, thanks, nancy, I thought you knew it.
Nancy Bruscher (14:20):
I have heard you preach many times, but I have
not heard in detail about Wow.
Have you had people say to youat other times hey, I have a
word from God and you knew itwasn't 100% yeah.
Okay.
Legin (14:35):
I don't pay attention to that heavy just because I
believe the Bible tells us howto handle that stuff.
I listen, but I weigh it verycarefully because I know if it's
from the Lord, that won't bethe only word.
You know what I mean.
And I believe from a biblicalperspective, 1 Corinthians, 12,
(14:55):
13, and 14 tell us how toreceive the spiritual gifts,
including prophecy and otherthings.
Spiritual gifts, you know,including prophecy and other
things.
And I just think some churchesjust ignore it, like it's not a
thing anymore, which you know,kind of cessationist position,
or I don't want to deal withthat because that's freaky
position.
Or some people just like, hey,I think feel like God said
something give me the mic andI'm just going to say it which
(15:16):
is also just as unbiblical.
And I think churches fall ontwo of those extremes.
First, corinthians, 12, 13 and14 tells us how to handle that,
how to weigh that, how, ifsomebody does have a word, how
do you know?
Tells us all of that in blackand white, and I just feel like
we skip it.
Nancy Bruscher (15:31):
So it's harder, right, it's harder.
Legin (15:36):
What's that?
What's?
Nancy Bruscher (15:37):
harder.
It's harder to either say I'mgoing to believe anytime anyone
says I have a word, or I'm notgoing to even touch that Right.
Legin (15:46):
You actually have to weigh God's word and you have to
know God's voice and yeah, yougot to work, you got to walk
through it and I mean I wasactually, like you know, a
breaking point for me with somechurch attendance.
Like I'm at, I'm at church andyou know, I kind of unplugged
for a little bit.
I was like I'm not, I'm notlearning anything, whatever.
Let me just read the Bible fora change.
I'm just reading about I'mgoing to church but I'm in the
back reading the Bible, like notlistening, which is probably
(16:09):
rude, but it is rude whatever.
And I'm reading through it andI get the first Corinthians, but
I've never read before.
And I'm reading through it andit's literally saying this is
how to do this stuff in churchservice.
And and then I'm looking up atthe stage and they're doing the
exact thing the Bible says notto do about this stuff.
And I was like wait a minute,like we got the instructions
(16:30):
right here, and so that causedme to dig in, like how do you
know God's voice?
How do you know the word foryourself?
Like what is the Bible actuallysaying?
So I don't know, I just go tothe word.
I'm like you know the word'sreally important.
The Bible says he holds aboveall things his name and his word
or his promise and his word,his name and his promise,
whatever.
And so, like I'm like this thistells me that the word of god
(16:52):
and the glory of god is aboveall these things.
Like I need to go to the wordand god's never going to say
something through somebody thatgoes against his word.
Right, if I know his word.
If somebody comes up like Ihave a word from the Lord and
it's not in here, like I justI'm not, I'm definitely not
listening to you If it soundslike it's in here now, I need
(17:12):
the counsel of the church andgodly people to help me filter
this.
The challenge is when somebodyjust makes a life altering
decision based on someself-proclaimed prophet who
wants a donation for their timeand now they're one and then,
when that falls apart, theyblame God and they leave faith.
When the Bible told us not tolisten to them in the first
place.
You know what I mean.
So that's the stuff I I have.
(17:34):
I have a I have an irritationabout, about that, that topic,
and a passion about that topic.
That's better.
Nancy Bruscher (17:40):
I have a passion about that, yeah, so anyway
that's good A story I have heardyou tell, but I would love for
our listeners to hear is whenyou were in England and you felt
God's nudge to go down to thebar, and I think I don't have to
explain anymore, I think youknow the one I'm talking about.
Could you share that?
Legin (18:01):
Yeah, yeah.
So this is one of those momentswhere I did have somebody say
hey, we're going to England,right, we're setting up.
I had a collective of artistsat the time I was leading.
We were invited to thisconference and they were going
to pay our way and bring all ofus over there.
And it was just like, man, thisis great.
We never got this invite.
I've never been out of thecountry Like so cool, like so
cool.
(18:21):
And then at the last minutebudget fell through.
We can't bring you, sorry.
And then I just felt sostrongly we needed to go.
I asked our host.
I was like hey, if we fundraise, can we still come?
He was like, yeah, I guess so.
And so we just started and Ihung up the phone.
I was like I don't know how toraise $8,000.
(18:41):
Like, what are we going to do?
So anyway, we raised the money,got over there and before we
left I had a friend of mine atthe time say, hey, god's sending
you over there to meet oneperson, find them.
And I was like then I rolled myeyes again.
I'm in the faith at this point.
But I rolled my eyes like dude,this sounds like kooky, weird
stuff.
What are you talking about Fastforward?
This is like 2011.
Nancy Bruscher (19:02):
Man, it's a long time ago.
Legin (19:03):
I'm there and it was one of those really clear moments
where God spoke to my heart.
I'm in the hotel.
There's only two of us left mywife and another friend of ours,
angie.
They went back home.
We're staying for an extra fivedays and doing some stuff.
And God speaks to my heart andhe says go down to the bar.
And I'm just like that's not God, because there's alcohol there.
(19:25):
That can't be what's going on.
So I get up by myself, I godown there and I'm so out of
place, bro, like I'm just like Igot, like my study Bible and a
Tim Keller book, just sitting atthe bar, thinking I can't order
alcohol because I didn't knowif that was a cool at the time,
and I'm like let me get a gingerale, my good man.
I and I'm like let me get aginger ale, my good man.
(19:46):
I just look so out of place,like it's just dumb right and
all of a sudden, man, like thisgroup of people come into the
bar like it's the conference orsomething, and they fill up.
It was just me.
And then they fill it up andthen, like this one dude walks
in late and there's a seat nextto me and it's just when he
walked in there, was this notsaying God's audible voice?
I won't say I heard that, butit was just this.
That's him inner knowing kindof thing.
(20:09):
And I'm still being cautious,cause again, I kooky, kooky
Christians freak me out Like I'mnot ever trying to be one of
them and sits next to me andit's just this.
I got to talk to this guy soI'm looking for something that
just and I see he has crossearrings.
I'm like that's talking point.
(20:30):
I was like hey, man, I see yourearrings have a cross on them
and I say, what's that mean toyou?
And then he just launches intothis monologue.
You know, two weeks ago I triedto kill myself and I'm just
like Jesus, like what's going on, and he's like well, I lost my
house, I lost my girlfriend, shetook the kids, lost my job, all
within a short period of timeand I couldn't handle it.
(20:50):
So I wanted to leave, I wantedto get out of here and I'm
online researching what can Idrink to just go to sleep and
not wake up.
I don't want to suffer, but Ijust need to get out of here,
and then I started praying to mydead grandmother, like maybe
she could give me some answersfrom the other side, because I
don't know how this works andI'm just hearing the grasping at
straws, the lostness, thehopelessness.
(21:12):
My heart's going out for himand he says one day I woke up
and I didn't want to kill myselfanymore.
And she says I don't know if mydead grandmother heard me.
I don't know if God heard me,or the gods, or the universe, I
don't know what happened, but Ifigured somebody was giving me
another shot.
So I'm walking down the streetafter this and I see this
religious symbols shop and Ifigured if I put something on my
(21:35):
body maybe I would get someguidance from somewhere.
And I just picked the crossearrings up, bought them, put
them in hoping for some guidanceand I'm just listening to them.
And I put them in hoping forsome guidance and I'm just
listening to them and I askedthem this question that changed
my life.
And the backdrop of thisquestion is where they're doing
evangelism, where they're doingconcerts, where they're
preaching.
I'm looking out the window ofthis pub in England and London
(22:00):
and there's this old cathedralthrough the window and behind
him.
In what he's saying, and whatI've learned is that most of
these beautiful old cathedralsno longer are open for church
business.
They're closed, they're just,they're shut down.
A lot of them are condominiumsFederally they have to stay
protected historical buildings,but there's no worship of God
(22:21):
happening because the worship isdead.
And that's the backdrop of this.
And then and I'm looking at him, hearing his story, hoping I
get some guidance from somewhere, and I ask him this question
with that backdrop and I say,have you ever heard the gospel
of Jesus Christ?
And with that cathedral in thebackground and me there on
(22:42):
mission and his cross earrings,he looks at me in my eyes and
says, no, what's that?
And those three words changedmy life Like it didn't.
When you're in church, man, youcan become inundated with
everybody's hurt at least once.
And I just it, just it just wasmind blowing to me that with
(23:04):
cross earrings, and he had noidea what the cross was.
And so I I begin to walk himthrough all the stuff I learned
in Sunday school, like fall ofman and sin and Adam and Eve,
and all this stuff.
And God redeems and thenthere's law to lead us to Christ
, and then Christ comes and hepays the price for our sin, and
and because we couldn't pay it.
(23:25):
But Christ could go to thegrave, pay capital punishment,
bring himself back from thegrave and if we believe on him,
the father applies that paymentto our life, now and forever,
and our and the truth of the waythat we know we believe, that
is, we start to live as Christdid and and and we repent of our
(23:47):
sin.
We're not perfect, we're notearning anything.
I'm just sharing all this stuffwith him and at a certain point
he catches my eye because, likeI mean, his lip is quivering
and tears are streaming and I'mtaking it back.
I'm like he's like believingall this immediately and it just
messed me up.
I was surprised at how much thegospel was penetrating his heart
for the first time at thatmoment.
(24:09):
Like I remember beinghard-hearted why I didn't care
in this moment that God ischanging this.
That's him.
All of that struck again andwe're at this beautiful moment
where this man is just cryingand then he says this to me.
(24:29):
He says, man, nobody's evertold me God loves me.
If somebody would have justtold me what you just said, I
would have never tried to killmyself.
And he's crying and I'm cryingand I'm just watching God do
some miraculous work and thenthat same inner knowing at that
(24:51):
moment has confused me to thisday said stop, that's enough.
Nah, that can't be right, thatdoesn't make any sense.
Like I was trained, this iswhen you go in for the kill.
Now.
We got to do the prayer and yougot to repeat the things after
me, so I go after stuff.
I was taught versus like beingsensitive to what god is saying
(25:14):
in that moment and and I'm likeokay, man, look, I'm so glad
you're here.
All you got to do now is youcan have my study bible and
repeat this prayer after me, andif you just confess jesus, lord
say believe with your mouth.
And I'm going through stuffthat makes sense to do.
And I watch all of thatopenness, just clam right up.
And I never forgot that.
It just shut down and he waslike hey, man, I appreciate you,
(25:37):
I'm good, thanks for that.
And I'm like, no, no, listen,listen, just look, you're almost
there.
And he just got up and hewalked out like no, bro, I'm
good, I'm good.
I walked away.
And I never forgot that moment.
And I think his name is Mark,or maybe that's a name I made up
so I could pray for him.
But I've just prayed for himsince God forgive me that day
for not listening to what youwere saying, and I pray you sent
(26:01):
somebody to follow up with him,to meet him.
That's more obedient than I was, because I believe God's hand
is on that man's life, and Iprayed for him ever since I
don't know where he is, nevertalked to him again.
I hope he's well.
But that reminded me just inthat moment, man, that you just
got to know the word foryourself and you got to follow
the leading of the Lord.
And you know God can and God'sgospel is powerful to do all
(26:27):
these things.
So that was a long story.
Nancy Bruscher (26:33):
No, it's so good , so good.
I love the part about being ledand then telling you to stop
and you're like no, this doesn'tmake sense, like why, and why
would you like what?
Yeah, it's so convicting tohear how God is and it's like
you know you don't have to doexactly what you think you
should, you just have to do whatI tell you to.
(26:55):
But it's hard when you're likeI'm doing this for you, god.
I'm like this is what I'msupposed to do.
This is to help him know youbetter, and it's just really
convicting for me to think aboutand to remember that I need to
follow and not just startrunning and not not listen to
what God's saying, to run or runtoo.
Legin (27:17):
We don't have to check boxes.
You know what I mean.
I felt like in that moment Igot to check this box and do the
thing and and, and I gotsomebody to say yes to Jesus and
I'm really I hit.
You know all that and it wasprobably more about me than it
was him, maybe I don't know.
So I do think it's important tooffer that, because you never
know when somebody's last day islike enter the story about my
(27:39):
dad, but I've just learnedsalvation is not about me, right
, and I don't have to do it in apressure way, like I just throw
it out there, like man who, ifyou want to put your faith in
Jesus, I love to talk to youabout that, like what that means
and what we and what that lookslike.
And it's not a one day decision, it's a life Like.
But if you're not, if that'snot where you are today, I love
(28:10):
you.
I want to put their trust inJesus.
I don't pressure nobody, likewhatever, whatever I
passionately proclaim, but I'malso not not going to be pushy,
just find a balance of passionand pushy.
You know what I mean.
Nancy Bruscher (28:26):
Yeah, I love their question of what does that
mean to you when you wereasking about the cross earrings.
I think that's such a reallywonderful open-ended question
that you could ask someone.
Legin (28:40):
I agree, man, because I keep learning to this day as a
pastor and as a leader and thisstuff.
Like people have their own verycultural opinions of who Jesus
is and what his work is for andwhat the cross means and what
does it mean that he died foryour sins?
I heard a popular radio dudesay the other day Jesus didn't
die for your sins because you'reall still sinning.
So that obviously doesn't makeany sense.
(29:01):
I'm like he has no idea whathe's talking about.
All right, and then other peoplewho make Jesus their political
mascot or their cultural mascotor their racial mascot or their
socioeconomic mascot, and I'mjust like man, jesus I was, I
was talking to, I was on thephone with Diana actually before
we talked and I was like youknow, if Jesus, if Jesus fits
(29:27):
your culture, um, it's probablynot Jesus, um, because Jesus is
too big for your culture.
He, he will, he will infiltrateyour culture, he'll be
incarnate in your culture.
But if Jesus fits your cultureand somehow he agrees with
everything you think, believeand move with, then somebody's
God, but it ain't him, becausethat ain't it.
There's no culture big enoughto fit the gospel.
There's no culture big enoughto fit the King of Kings.
He creates culture and you getto submit to that, not the other
(29:49):
way around.
So I don't know where I'm onthe tangent for that for, but
I'm gonna stop talking becauseI'm on a rabbit trail.
Nancy Bruscher (30:00):
I don't know how I got here.
What else that hits me sodeeply about that story is that
England was a very Christiannation, right, and has these
beautiful cathedrals, and had ahuge faith, that they went into
different areas and they weregoing, and they were going to
missions and you were in London,you weren't in a third world
(30:25):
country and that person hadn'theard of Jesus.
Hadn't heard of Jesus it breaksmy heart and I worry about the
United States at the same timewith that.
Legin (30:36):
Yeah, you know, a year or two before we took this trip I
was in, I was in Bible collegeand they said you know the
church of.
England is dying, close to deadand and this was just something
they told me class and theysaid we are 25 years away from
where they are, unless we have adrastic turn.
Nancy Bruscher (30:53):
And it was just this note.
I just got shivers.
Legin (30:57):
And it was just this note of our commercialized,
compartmentalized, politicized,categorized gospel.
That just doesn't work and it'snot biblical that we do.
And we do it on the left andthe right, we do it rich and the
poor, we do it white and blackand everybody in between.
We do that.
Jesus fits our box and if we'renot careful, we got a box in
(31:17):
Jesus and it's just not theJesus of scripture or history.
And and so you know, the funnything is, the third world
countries are the ones where thegospel is exploding, exploding,
and they're literally sendingmissionaries to us because we
(31:38):
need it, instead of missionariesto england and to and to the
you and to the places wherewe're.
We got it all.
Um, you know we're losing thegospel in some places and
they're sending mission andthank god for them, because I
don't care.
You know, I don't have any, Idon't have anything to defend,
like, if we need the gospel,please come and help us.
Nancy Bruscher (31:53):
Right.
Legin (31:53):
So man praise God, for you know.
Nancy Bruscher (31:56):
Yeah, if you're listening, I hope that something
of this story has reallyimpacted you and not just like,
oh, that was nice, but like youwere saying, like I found Jesus
and then I made changes and thenI did something and now I'm on
like mission for him.
So that's what I'm reallypraying for in this podcast.
Legin (32:16):
Yeah, amen, amen, me too.
Nancy Bruscher (32:19):
What is one story of how well you've
probably you've already shared acouple of them, but of God
showing up like a miracle onlyhe could do?
Can you think of a story withthat?
Legin (32:32):
Yeah.
So I left my job in 2013 topursue independent ministry
full-time.
Felt like God, was very clearto my wife and I, through a
series of things, that that waswhat we're supposed to do.
She supported me.
Didn't make any sense.
My son was on the way and I waswalking away from a salary to
raise to.
You know, rap and preach forJesus on my own.
(32:53):
Which horrible idea, very dumb.
And and so we got started.
And and God provided everythingwe needed.
Every month, no more, nobreathing room, no cushion, but
just here's, here's, here's yourdaily bread, which was looking
back.
It's just miraculous that that,that the Lord of all creation
would even give us anything.
(33:15):
He's not a genie.
He doesn't have to do a thingfor me.
He doesn't have to give mebreath, let alone pay bills.
So we watched that.
But my life was hard.
Like every provision was therefor the minimal stuff, for the
basics, but, like you know, wehad health stuff in our family.
My grandmother was in thehospital.
Like Tia's mom was having stagefour.
Like everything went to hell.
(33:35):
Like really fast, and we'rejust like God, like I'm stepping
out on faith to do this, likeall this stuff's falling apart
over here.
Like was I wrong?
Did I miss you?
We took six months of prayerand fasting Like we got counsel.
I thought we were right.
It's just, life was badpressure cooker stuff and we got
(33:57):
to one point when my car brokedown.
I had to take it to the shopand the little nest egg I had
for backup.
The plan was, if this runs out,I go get a job.
That was the plan and this tookme into the negative that day
and I just went outside of thecar shop.
I looked up in the sky, tearsjust flowing.
I remember looking straight up.
So they're going sideways andI'm just like.
I thought you had my back.
I thought I was doing what youtold me to do.
I can't be a bum like my dad.
(34:18):
I can't fail my family and Ifeel like I'm doing that right
now.
I need you to give me a sign.
My grandma told me not to askGod for signs and not to test
you, but I need.
I need to know something orelse I quit.
I can't do this.
I can't fail my family.
Help, help.
And before I can say amen on my,my desperate prayer, my friend
(34:39):
DJ Noble calls me.
Like the phone starts ringingin my pocket and you know, when
I don't we don't talk on aregular basis, my guy, we just
don't get on the phone Like wesee each other once a year,
maybe, maybe every two, and hejust he calls me and he says hey
bro, I'm not one of these weirdguys, cause you know, I don't
like the weird kooky Christians.
You know what I mean.
(35:02):
I don't like them, they'reweird.
I'm not one of these guys.
So please don't think he's like.
But I really feel like God toldme to call you right now and
say don't give up, he's got youright where he wants you.
Does that mean anything to youright now?
And I just start bawling.
Nancy Bruscher (35:21):
I said bro I can't talk right now.
Legin (35:22):
I'll call you back, but thank you for being obedient.
And I hang up and I'm just likeall right God tell me what to
do, you know, and I just keepmoving and the Lord just kept
providing.
And a month from now I'mlooking at my date is the 5th of
August.
A month from now will be 1st ofSeptember.
We'll celebrate 12 years ofbeing full-time at this.
Lord's been faithful man.
(35:44):
So that's nobody can.
You can't orchestrate thatstuff.
That's not coincidence.
It's not coincidence, so yeah.
Nancy Bruscher (35:54):
Legend.
This has been so amazing.
Thank you for just reallysharing and being vulnerable.
Legin (36:01):
Yes, ma'am.
Nancy Bruscher (36:02):
As we wrap up, I do like to end with these
questions what is your favoriteBible verse?
Legin (36:09):
it's a first John 5, 14, 15, 14 and 15.
We know, if we pray accordingto his will, that he hears us,
and we know that if he hears us,then we have whatever we've
asked of him.
So that balances out the pray towhatever.
(36:31):
God didn't do it.
I'm mad at God stuff for me orwhatever.
If we pray according to hiswill, he hears us, and if he
hears us, we know we have whatwe asked for.
Favorite story probably JohnFord, samaritan woman.
Jesus breaks all these barrierssocial, economic, cultural,
gender, racial, religious,theological, ethnic, ethics.
(36:52):
He just breaks everything inthat moment um and it's just a
beautiful story it is yeah whatare you?
grateful for my family verygrateful for my family.
Um, my wife and I we got lovingfamilies, both raised with
great, loving families, but wedo have some brokenness on both
(37:13):
sides of our families.
And for us to be celebratingwe're talking about 20 years of
marriage next summer.
We're celebrating it like amonth apart.
Nancy Bruscher (37:23):
I know.
Legin (37:25):
So to be celebrating that next summer is just mind
blowing to me.
To have two beautiful kids whoare thriving and growing well,
my daughter's 15 now, my son's12, um, and just to be, just to
be able to be a husband and adad, that's there, um, I don't
know, man god I don't gottaraise nobody from the dead.
For me, just that alone is thegreatest miracle, and I'm, I'm,
(37:48):
I'm forever grateful for that,that's's great.
Nancy Bruscher (37:52):
I love it.
What kindness have you receivedor what kindness have you shown
in the last week?
Legin (37:58):
I have some guys I'm taking out and discipling and
spending some time with them andand I love the fact that they
don't just come to me with Imean there's a relationship
there where I'm, I am pouringinto them, but they, they at the
meeting.
I mean there's a relationshipthere where I'm, I am pouring
into them, but they, they atthat meeting.
(38:18):
They checked on me and I wasallowed to while I'm in a
position of leadership with them.
I believe in transparentleadership.
So I was very vulnerable aboutsome stuff I was dealing with,
you know, with wisdom, but stillI'm like I most leaders feel
like I can't let the people I'mleading know that I suck in this
area.
I had to struggle because thenthey don't, whatever, and I
think that's faulty.
I think people trust you whenyou're honest without abdicating
your leadership.
(38:38):
So I just told them stuff andthey were there for me and that
was a kindness to where I wasgoing through some stuff that my
flesh wanted me to hide and say, no, I'm here for you and I was
like, ah, sure, man, this weeksucked, here's some stuff.
That happened and I was able tomodel transparent leadership
for them and they were there forme and I was a great kindness
in the moment I needed ministryand that was great.
Nancy Bruscher (39:03):
That was good kindness.
And then do you find that shamecan't grow in those areas.
Then right, if you were feelinglike, oh, I messed up or this
didn't go well, but if youconfess it or however you want
to say it, share it, thenthere's that shame that you
might have had, isn't there?
Legin (39:24):
If you receive the gift of that moment.
Yes, you can, because I've doneit.
You can receive that gift andnot hold on to what God and not
grab what God is trying to giveyou and retain your shame
because you feel?
like you deserve it or you'refamiliar with it, and letting
this go feels unfamiliar.
(39:44):
So I'm actually more scared togo over there.
I know how to.
I know how to exist with theshame.
Like one of the guys I wastalking to.
He was like um.
I was like what I said.
What's different right now?
He was like living.
Of the guys I was talking to,he was like um.
I was like what I said.
What's different right now?
He was like living in thedarkness is where I used to.
Nancy Bruscher (39:57):
He said I had I had an apartment there, I know
how to live in the darkness.
Legin (40:00):
I know how to survive in the darkness.
I know how to thrive there.
He said walking out into thelight feels freeing but also
scared me a little bit.
It kept me.
It kept me in the darknessbecause I was like it's too too
bright out there.
I know this.
Now I'm adjusted to this.
My eyes are.
I'm good here.
It sucks, I know it's unhealthy, but I'm familiar.
It's like I had to choose toadjust to the light and now I
(40:21):
enjoy it and I don't want to goback.
So I think any gift God givesyou, you can say you know what
that forgiveness sounds great.
I know that's the right thing,but I'd rather hold on to my
bitterness.
I know freedom from thisaddiction sounds great.
I know God has forgiven me andhe loves me, but I didn't earn
that.
So I don't know.
I don't understand grace, soI'd rather not receive it.
You can hold on to it.
(40:42):
But if you are in a transparentcommunity where you're
vulnerable, you're open, you'resharing, you now have the option
to grab onto what God has foryou.
You're sharing.
You now have the option to grabonto what God has for you
versus isolation and keepingthings to yourself.
So shame can continue to growif you let it.
But the only way you can getfree is to confess it, like what
(41:03):
you're saying.
That's home base.
I confessed it.
Now, will I receive the graceof God and walk in it?
That's first base.
You know what I mean.
Will I receive the grace of Godand walk in it?
That's that's first base, youknow what I mean.
Nancy Bruscher (41:14):
So, legend, this has been amazing.
I think that people are goingto have to go back and listen to
this a few times because therewas it was jam packed, so thank
you, thank you for sharing.
Legin (41:26):
Yeah, anytime.
Nancy Bruscher (41:27):
We'll link all of your things on the show notes
, cause I'm sure people aregoing to want to start following
you if they don't already andlisten to your music, listen to
the podcast, everything.
Legin (41:37):
Thank you, thank you.
Well, yeah, just hit me up.
I'll send you all the thingsyou need for all that, and if
you ever need me, man, just hitme back.
I'd love to come back.
I love your podcast.
Nancy Bruscher (41:47):
Thank you, I appreciate it.
On Ordinary People,Extraordinary Things.
Your story is his glory.
Legin (41:53):
Oh, that's dope.
I like that.
Nancy Bruscher (41:54):
Legend is such a dynamic speaker and I'm so glad
that our family has gotten toknow him.
If you found a part of thispodcast helpful, please share it
, give it a five star or leave acomment.
This podcast is also on YouTubeIf you'd like to watch the full
interview.
We are at G-E-N Nancy.
In two weeks we have a brandnew episode.
(42:15):
Sarah Jade is going to join usfrom Australia.
We'll see you then.
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