Dave Pittman: Growing “Crazy Brave” in Christ

S I N G E R DAVE PITTMAN

IN CHRIST Crazy Brave B E C O M E S IN CHRIST

by Laura Neutzling

Editor’s note: this piece discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), or message the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Both programs provide free, confi dential support 24/7.

PICTURE A NINE-YEAR-OLD, and most likely you’ll think of a carefree child who enjoys riding bikes, watching cartoons, and playing outside with friends. You imagine a young person with their whole life stretched ahead of them. But the story of Dave Pittman’s ninth year defi es most imaginations. Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome as a child, the singer and former American Idol fi nalist knew that being diff erent wasn’t something his peers would cheer him on for. He endured relentless bullying and taunting at school for the uncontrollable tics and vocal sounds caused by Tourette’s. Sitting at the kitchen table one summer, Dave’s parents began casually talking about how the school year was just around the corner. The boy felt the cold chill of fear creep through his body. Facing another school year feeling diff erent and alone was too much for him to go through again. When his parents left the house to run an errand, nine-year-old Dave found a piece of paper and scribbled a note in pencil: Mom and Dad, I love you. I'm gonna miss you. He drew a frowny face with tears rolling down its cheeks. He went to his parents’ room and remembers locking the door behind him. “I put the note face up. I got my father’s gun, and was about two seconds away from pulling the trigger when I heard Mom and Dad open the front door. They proceeded down the hallway and knocked on the bedroom door. In the meantime, I’m scurrying around to get things back together. I turned the note face down. When I let them in, they asked me, ‘Dave, what were you doing in here with the door locked?’ “I was silent, but my mom saw the note fall to the fl oor. She read it and just lost it. I lost it too, because all those feelings from the year before came up, things I hadn’t been open about. We all had a moment there, in the middle of their bedroom fl oor. We just cried and prayed together.” Dave’s parents decided to get counseling for their son and to homeschool him for his fi fth grade year. As

Dave began to reconcile with his condition, his mom and dad worked hard to make sure he knew they loved him exactly as he was—and that Jesus loved him too. “My mom just drilled the importance of accepting yourself for who you are into my heart, and who you are in Christ. She used the example of the apostle Paul and his ‘thorn in the fl esh.’ When Paul asked God to remove it three times, God’s answer to him every time was, ‘My grace is suffi cient enough for you. My power is made known through your weakness.’ And for whatever reason, that stuck with me.” Dave’s new outlook carried him through junior high and high school. Along the way, he found music, which became a safe haven and when he sang, the Tourette’s symptoms would disappear. His talent eventually carried him all the way to the stage of American Idol, where he performed in front of millions and shared his Tourette’s journey as well. Neil Patrick Harris, one of the celebrity guests on the show, told Dave that he was “crazy brave” for getting up in front of 40 million people while having Tourette’s. Harris’ sentiment struck a chord, and after his time with American Idol ended, Dave went on to write a song that would be the title track to his album Crazy Brave. As he toured for the album, Dave kept sharing his story, helping people who were suff ering fi nd their own “brave” and embrace their true selves. “As I grew in my faith and knowledge of God, the Lord, and Scripture, I began to realize that we may not understand what God’s plan is for our life, but we can trust that He is in control. I realized that my identity is not in Tourette Syndrome, but it’s in Jesus Christ alone.”

Adapted from the Jesus Calling Podcast. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of Dave’s story!

You can hear Dave’s latest album, A Diff erent Kind of Love, wherever you stream or buy music.

OLD SCHOOL LOVE

Rev Run and Justine Simmons on Their Secret to a Long-Lasting, Vibrant Marriage

When he was at the height of his music career, Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons of the legendary hip-hop group Run-DMC couldn’t ignore the void inside him. It wasn’t until he discovered Jesus that he fi nally felt whole.

Rev Run has spent decades building his faith alongside his wife, Justine. Married for more than two decades, Rev Run and Justine have developed a pure, selfl ess love for each other that’s profoundly changed their lives. They shared a few of their marriage secrets with The Jesus Calling Magazine, along with what it takes to make a relationship work.

JCM: You two describe your relationship as “old school love.” What’s your defi nition of “old school love,” and why do you think it works so well for you?

Justine: Back in the day, a lot of people had oldschool principles like, “go on a date, hold hands.” They tried to not break up, whereas today little problems between people can split them right away. We really try to make our marriage work. Rev Run: The power of commitment has kept us together. I’ve read a quote that said, "Love is not

so much looking into each other’s eyes, but it’s looking in the same direction." I love that quote because looking into each other’s eyes is beautiful, but do you have this same mindset? “How can two walk together, lest they agree?” If someone else is walking this way, and you’re walking this way, you come further apart. But if you’re both walking together, according to the Bible, it can work.

JCM: What role has your faith played in your marriage?

Justine: I know a lot of people think marriage is supposed to be an easy thing. But no, it’s not easy. And our faith is our foundation. I love my husband so much, but I love God more.

Rev Run: Amen. When you spend time with Him constantly and consistently, the next thing you know, you’re able to know what His will is. Besides the Word—you know what His will is from the Word—you can know the little nuances of the day, of what God is putting in your heart. Justine: I would have to say ditto to that.

JCM: Your marriage is more than two decades strong. What’s been your secret to making your love last?

Justine: We make it our business to try to make the other person happy. I want him to be happy. He wants me to be happy. So we’re kind of looking at it like, Is he okay? Is she okay?

Rev Run: We look out for each other. Instead of fi ghting and being against each other, we’re trying to help each other. Instead of being selfi sh, we’re selfl ess.

JCM: When you’re talking to other couples, what’s your number-one piece of advice?

Justine: Marriage is about give and take. That’s the only way it will work. It can’t be selfi shness. You have to both be selfl ess.

Rev Run: I would say the number-one way to keep a relationship going is to keep sparks fl ying. Keep little gifts happening, keep little fun times happening, keep the mystery. She’s always waiting to hear me say, “Guess what just happened?”And we love doing everything the same— Justine: Together!

Rev Run: Right after this interview, I’ve got to go pick up a hat for my show, and she has to go deliver something to our son Diggy and a few other errands. For us, it’s as big as going on a vacation all the way to Hawaii, just being with each other. So we believe that enjoying each other’s company is probably a big part of staying together.

Adapted for print from the Jesus Calling Podcast. Put your phone in Camera mode and hover over this code to hear more of Rev Run and Justine’s story!

You can fi nd Rev Run and Justine’s book, Old School Love, at your favorite book retailer today.