Thoughts at 4:30 in the morning...

Cue Turning Around For Me by Vashawn Mitchell.

Just thinking about some things and talking to God as well. I have people on my mind all the time. I have certain people that I’ve come to love on my mind all the time. I started wondering about as much as I think about them, am I even on their brain? Like as much as I’m thinking about them, do they ever have a thought about me? Do they even love me as much as I love them? Do we love God as much as He loves us? Do we think about God as much as God thinks of us? Think about it. God always has us on his mind, why? For one, we’re still here. His grace and mercy proves that he’s think about us. But do we think about him? Is God even on our brain?

Why is it that when I pour out my heart it’s not well received? Why is it when I tell that certain female how I feel about her, it seems like I get pitied like I’m a middle schooler trying to go after a college student? Times like these, I thank God that He’s not like man. You pour out your heart to God, and He actually listens. He actually cares about what you think. Thank God He responds when you pour out your heart to Him.

I wasn’t even going to do this blog because I had nothing. Nobody asked me to do a blog so I figured why continue to do them? But Steve Harvey said something one time, “A gift is something you do well with the least amount of effort.” Blogging is something that I felt like I was good at. Letting thoughts flow from my head to my hands to the computer has really never been difficult for me to do. Now I have learned what thoughts to put down and what thoughts just to leave in the brain. But it’s like I was letting this thing that I can do die because nobody wanted to see it utilized. How many people have let gifts and talents die because of the initial response? Most people are not going to like what you do. Judging by the responses to my blogs, I can assume that most of the folks I’m connected to through social media don’t like my stuff, but that shouldn’t stop me from doing what I’m good at, know what I mean? The more I do these the better I can get at them. If I stop doing them, I can’t become better. I just become worse. I love playing the drums, but my time of playing the set, I don’t do much. But just about every time I get on a set, I get better. One of the major things that hinder me on the set is doubting myself. Every time I doubt myself on the set, I play like that little boy that plays after church and gets told to get off. Doubted my skills on the blogging, hence no blogs in weeks. Doubt is a hindrance. It hinders you from doing what you know you can do. Don’t let doubt take over. Have confidence in what you know you can do, and just do it. Now, please know what you’re good at. Don’t be like these folks on American Idol and other shows like that and go on and say, “I know I can sing. I know I can sang,” and end up sounding so bad that you’d rather listen to static on radio. That’s why I said KNOW what you’re good at. Have confidence but also have common sense.

Sometimes you think about a person and that person doesn’t even know your first name. If you’re like me and care about people that don’t seem to really care about you, I say keep on caring. Don’t let their attitude affect yours. Family Matters, remember that show? Steve Urkel cared about Laura, but Laura didn’t care about Steve for the most part. Of course later on in the series, Steve and Laura ended up together, but the point I’m trying to make is Steve didn’t let Laura’s attitude affect his. Keep on caring. Keep on thinking about people and praying for them. If you let them know that you’re thinking about them and they brush you off, keep on doing what you’re doing. I’ve had that happened to me time and time, but they’re still on my mind, and I’m still praying for them. Keep on keeping on because they’re on your mind for a reason.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson
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THIS YEAR IS MY YEAR!!

(Originally typed 1/14/11. Edited on the date of the post)

Well I ended last year with controversy. That’s all I got to say about that. It’s a new year so as far as I’m concern, that blog is last years problem. Yet, I still welcome your comments.

So, Happy New Year! I hope all of your 2011 has gotten off to a great start. If you’re alive to read this blog, then it has. This year has already gotten off to a fresh start for me. I’m already doing stuff I’ve never done before. That’s not a bad thing either. I’ve heard it said that if you want different, you got to do different. I’m not going to say exactly what I’ve been doing, but let’s just say that it has not been easy.

I came into this year with three goals for myself. Just three. The first two kind of go hand and hand. The goals were to make some money either by job or doing what I love to do, get my drivers license, and go out on a first date. Yeah, I know the last one seems a little like, really Daniel? Really? Well for one, I didn’t say these were your goals for me; these are my goals for me. Got me? Now, this would usually be the part where I talk about what I’m looking for in a woman, but to stay away from trouble…moving on. So far this year, I’ve drove to the library with my dad, and I’ve applied for a job. Who knows? Maybe at least 2 of the goals can be met before the year really gets started. How awesome would that be?

Now shifting to a completely different mood and subject because that’s what I do. It’s my blog. Years ago, I sang my first solo which was Victory Chant by Donnie McClurkin. To say I was nervous…you would be right. I was. I was so nervous that by the end of the song, I forgot the words. After that, I sang a couple of solos here and there, did some praise and worship, but nothing to brag about. My “stage presence” was not that good yet. Then a couple of years after that, we switched churches and came to the church I attend now, New Harvest Ministries C.O.G.I.C. I was just chillin by the drum set not doing much. Unbeknownst to me, my sister and mom was telling the music president at the time that I could sing. So one Sunday, after church, the music president called me up and told me to sing something. So I sang a little bit of Password by Canton Jones. Then bam, I became a member of the choir. I stayed in the choir not volunteering to lead anything. One night the choir was learning You Are the Living Word by Fred Hammond. I got volunteered to take a crack at it. It ended up being that I took the low part and my mom took the high part. Looking back on it, it was the right thing to do because I had no confidence whatsoever. I remember when it came time to sing it on Sunday; I didn’t look up from my feet once. I really didn’t want to do it, but I was obedient.

This is all leading up to something, believe me.

Time moved on, and the church got a new music president. Still I was fine with staying in the choir. Again, I had no confidence in my voice. I was told I was natural baritone. So I automatically didn’t even try to push myself to increase my range. Then one night, we were going to learn Perfect Peace by Marvin Sapp. Guess who was volunteered to lead it? I took a stab at it. Had no adlib what so ever. It’s not that I didn’t know the song, it’s just my mind drew a blank. So I came home and listened to the song and studied the Bible thinking I was going to lead it. Come time before service when we go over what we’re going to do before service, and I’m no longer leading it. I was told that the right song was going to come to me. The song in my “range.” Up to my move to the Midwest, that didn’t happen. I was beginning to feel not needed not wanted. I couldn’t hit the notes I was supposed to hit as a tenor. It was not a fun time.

The beginning of 2010, I made a move to the Midwest to “start a new life.” The “new life” was a same old life, different time zone. At no fault of anybody but my own. Now some good things did happen while in the Midwest. Somehow or another I gained the confidence that I was lacking. I was no longer afraid to lead a song. I played the drums with more confidence and sang with more confidence. That part of the move was fun. The main and only song I led while up there was Made A Way by Bishop Larry Trotter. I knew the song from when I learned it at New Harvest. So it wasn’t hard for me to take and lead the song. That became “Daniel’s song,” and it would go over great every time. When we went to another church and I had to lead, I took it and ran with it. With no fear. That was big for me.

So June came and I’m back in SC because I didn’t do what I was supposed to do in the Midwest. I’m back in the choir a couple of weeks later. Weeks went by and it was the same thing. Until…One night I walked in, and I heard it a familiar song playing over the speakers. It was one of my Dad’s favorite songs, God Is by DeWayne Woods. We were going over it and I, along with my dad who was sitting in the back of the church, was helping the choir with the words. Come time to find a leader, and viola, I was chosen. I grabbed the mic, and with the same confidence I had in the Midwest, I went in. No fear. It was crazy. Low and behold, weeks later, I also ended up leading Made A Way. I went from no songs with no confidence to two songs with great confidence.

Now to the point of this part of the blog, this past Sunday night (1/09/11) I went back to the church where I had my first solo. I went in thinking that I was just going to stay in the congregation and enjoy service, but come to find out, the choir was up for 2 selections. The first selection was God Is. Again to say I was nervous…again you would be right. This time however I prayed. I asked God for strength and to have His way. I went up there and just let the Lord use me. To do that in front of the people, and in the church where it all started, and for the people to see how I’ve grown up literally before their eyes, was overwhelming. I broke down afterwards.

All the glory belongs to God. That experience right there let me know that 2011 is going to be a completely different year for me. I’m ready. I hope you all are ready.

Facebook and Twitter information is on your right. My YouTube is DanielakaBigd. Thanks for reading. Share your comments below. Feel free to share with your peoples. Feel free to tweet this to your followers. It’s a new season! Let’s go!

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

Who got your back? (originally written 6/13/10)

So this past Thursday, I reunited with an old friend that I’ve known since the 3rd grade. This friend bought up another friend of both of ours that back in the day was my manager. To make a long story short about the manager thing, I wrote stories back then and he appointed himself to be my manager. That’s how I’m going to label him in this blog. My old manager.

Back in the day, I guess starting in like the 7th or 8th grade, my manager knew that I liked this girl. He knew that I wrote notes to girls but never gave them out. The main thing I remember my manager saying to me was, “Man, just give it to her!” Of course that didn’t happen. I remember he wrote a note for me to give to a girl, and I still didn’t do it. Sad ain’t it? I didn’t even write the note from me, and I still couldn’t give it away. Anyway, I thought about that because thinking about myself now, I really haven’t changed when it comes to that stuff. I don’t write notes anymore, but when I have the opportunity to open my mouth and say something to the opposite sex, I don’t. Can you imagine where I would be if I would’ve opened my mouth?

What am I saying? Some of the things we don’t have are due to the fact we didn’t open our mouths when we had the chance. We hear it all the time. When praises go up, blessings come down. When praises go up, healing comes down. And so forth and so on. There’s also something we hear all the time that says, “And his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” What I see there is in order for praise to be in your mouth, something has to be spoken. Don’t get me wrong, I know clapping your hands is a form of praise, but some of us live and die by the clapping of our hands and not ever opening your mouth. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

My old manager would tell me when I didn’t have the guts to give a girl a note, “Man, just give it to her.” In other words, put some action on your faith boy. Faith without works is dead. What my manager was teaching me was that in order for the note to do the purpose it was written to do, I had let go of all fear, gain confidence and put action on it and give the note away. Some of us lost all faith because of fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of what other people think. Also because of fear, we lose confidence. Deuteronomy 31:6b says in the CEV (Contemporary English Version), “The LORD your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you.” Now my manager was a big dude, and I imagine if anything would’ve happened to me while giving away the note, I’m sure he’d have my back. It doesn’t come any bigger than God. With God on your side, there’s no need to lose confidence. In Deuteronomy 31:8, again in the CEV, Moses told Joshua, “The LORD will lead you into the land. He will always be with you and help you, so don’t ever be afraid of your enemies.”

Last Sunday from when I’m currently typing this, I led a song at church called God Is. It’s based from Psalm 73:21-26. One part of the song says, “God is the joy and the strength of my life. He moves all pain, misery, and strife. He promised to keep me. Never to leave me. Never ever fall short of his word!” Nuff said.

Philippians 4:13, “Christ gives me the strength to face anything.” Of course, I didn’t know better back then. I knew the verse, but I didn’t know that we were supposed to apply that. Plus I wasn’t saved then, but either way.

Basically what I’m saying through this blog is that the things we go through in our lives are not for our health. It’s to not only draw us closer to God, but I feel that also it’s to teach us something. Yes I understand the past is behind us. When God steps in your life, your past goes away. The Bible says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” With all that said, your past is your testimony, and like I said, you didn’t go through your past for nothing. You can help people that are going through the same thing you went through.

Anyway thanks for reading. Comment, share with your friends!

Stay saved.

~Daniel Richerson

Confidence

Ok, so this past Sunday at church, or for you dated readers 1/24/10, the first lady, got me up to the front to sing "How Great is Our God" lightly during altar call. For one let me say, that I hate singing lightly. To me, if I got to sing light, I might as well hum. Anyway, I started out singing, and I didn't realize the mic was off. So I turned the mic on, and started singing, and I saw expressions change. I got through it, and that was that. But for some reason, when mom and I headed to the car to go home, my mood changed for the worse. I felt like my joy was gone away just that quick. At first I thought it was that I was rubbing people the wrong way. Which is something I never want to do. I understand that not all people is gonna like me, but I don't want to purposely give them a reason. Talked with mom and tears were shed. (Side Note: BTW, if anybody on Earth has the spirit of discernment, it's a true mother. For some odd reason, they always see through you.)Later that night, I was watching, don't judge me, Alvin and The Chipmunks. As they were singing, I realized what my problem was. It wasn't the fact that I was worried about rubbing people the wrong way, although that didn't help. It was the fact that I've never really been confident in my voice. I'm confident I can play drums, and write like this, but singing is something I just can't get confident in.

Deuteronomy 31:8 say, "And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Another word for dismayed is discouraged. With the Lord with me, I should've been confident in the gift He gave me in the first place. Doubt is a heck of a drug.

Psalm 73:26 says, "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." This is the problem of singing to the crowd and not singing to God. You forget that God is the strength that gave you your voice in the first place, so you choke and can't figure out why.

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." What's sad? Most of us know that verse by heart, but don't take time to apply it and believe it. We don't think about this while we feel under pressure.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Now we had just talked about that in Sunday School that morning. Crazy how we read the Bible, but don't apply it. (Preach Daniel)

If you read Philippians 4:13 in the CEV, it says, "Christ gives me strength to face anything." It is written in the Bible that nothing is to hard for God. I have to accept the fact that God gave me this voice that I have. You have to accept God gave you your gift, and he also provides you with strength to face any negative situation you might be in. Now I said that I felt like my joy was taken out. You let the devil steal your joy, you feel weak. That's why the song says, "Don't let the devil steal your joy. Joy in the Lord." Notice I said let. All the power the devil has, you give it him. Simple is that. Jesus said that all power is given unto him. So the devil has no power, unless you give him some over you.

1 John 3:20-21 say, "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." That says it all right there. God is greater than our problems. He's greater than our feelings or heart. When they say, take it to the Lord and leave it there, they know that God is greater than the it. Put your confidence or full trust in God, and He'll take care of you. Some how or another, I forgot that.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson