We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brandon Dawson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brandon below.
Alright, Brandon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
I grew up playing basketball, and being an athlete meant that I couldn’t be interested in anything other than basketball. I thought that basketball had to be my highest priority; I even held basketball in higher regard than God. Books, art, and other things that I was interested in were somewhat off limits to me due to the culture of basketball. It was almost as if it wasn’t cool to read, write, or be interested in anything that wasn’t a round spherical object. For years I had the desire to create art through my writing but I never did because I was afraid of what my peers would think. I actually remember trying to write a book back in college, but I stopped shortly after I began because I thought to myself, “Everyone is gonna think I’m weak if I write this. I doubt anyone will even take the time to read it.” So I stopped writing for a while and picked it back up in 2016, and I walked away from professional basketball. Basketball had been my life for so long and now that I wasn’t playing anymore I didn’t know what to do. Through writing, God brought me clarity and direction, and as the door of basketball was closing, He opened up another one for me. A part fo me does wish I would have started earlier, but the other part of me thinks I started at just the write time. I do wish I wouldn’t have put off my other interests for so long though. But whether I started earlier, later, or at the same time, I still think I would have ended up exactly where I am now.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m an author. I’ve published two books, which are both devotionals written in poetic fashion to help people either develop or deepen their relationship with God. When I stopped playing professional basketball in 2016, I had a lot of feelings that I never shared with anyone. To be honest, I never felt comfortable enough to share them with anyone, but one day I got the idea to share them with God. So, I started writing poetry to Him everyday, and before long He gave me the idea to put them in a book, and in 2019 I published my first work, “Love. Faith. Endurance. Messages to Jesus.” Through my work, I just hope to show people what an authentic relationship with God looks like. Our relationship with Him is the most important relationship we have.
The thing I’m most proud of is being able to make a difference in people’s lives. I’ve had so many people come up to me and tell me my books have gotten them through some of the most difficult times of their lives. When people tell me, “I’ve been reading your book. Your words are everything that I’ve been needing”, it lets me know that I’m on the right path and I’m doing what I was born to do. I’ve even had people tell me they’ve given their lives to Jesus because they’ve read my books. For so long, I thought that playing pro basketball would fulfill me, but when I made it I realized that I was just as empty as I had always been. But writing and helping people come to The Lord has fulfilled me in ways that basketball never could.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I feel as though everyone has a purpose for being on this Earth, and I just want to fulfill my purpose. I want to do everything that God has called me to do before it’s my time to go.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I get to express myself through my art. I’m a basketball coach at the middle school where I teach and I always tell my players that basketball is rhythm, flow, and art; and that the court is a blank canvas. Well, I look at being a creative the same way. I find my rhythm, flow with it, and create my art. And with that, I get to serve people and inspire them to keep going and pursue the dreams and desires God has placed in their hearts because they’re there for a reason.
Contact Info:
- Website: BrandonBreezeDawson.com
- Instagram: KingBreeze35
- Facebook: Brandon Dawson
- Linkedin: Brandon Dawson
- Twitter: KingBreeze35
- Youtube: Brandon Breeze Dawson