TIRED OF BEING TIRED

Haven't been motivated to write anything. The year 2024 has been crazy so far. As I'm writing this, the list of people who have died has been body numbing. I remember 2016 was a banger year for deaths. Lest we forget the pandemic. Thoughts and prayers seems to sound cliche now. How many times have we actually thought about and prayed for those who are grieving?

Seems like everyday I scroll on social media, somebody is posting that somebody else has passed. From the entertainment industry to the church community. I heard a saying one time that went like this, "Appreciate what you have today, because it may not be there tomorrow." James 4:14 says, "...For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

My dad passed in January of 2022. There's not a night that goes by where he doesn't appear in my dreams. It's like my dreams can't comprehend that he's no longer alive. In my dreams, he's alive and well. It's like nothing has happened. I guess there's regret on my part for not saying anything during his home going service. As I'm typing this I haven't been to his gravesite. Little stuff like that bothers me. 

It's still hard for me to open up like I should. Like most people when asked how I'm doing, I say, "I'm fine." just to keep the conversation going. With the all the death going on, not to mention the election, asking people how they're doing is a deeper question than one might think. How am I doing? I'm tired of being tired, if that makes sense. You know how people say, "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired?" As the younger generation used to say, that part. 

Romans 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Song writer said, "Trials form the tears in your eyes

Don't stop

I'm telling you

There's a blessing on the other side of through."

Ephesians 6:13-14a, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore..."

Another song writer said, "I know that there's so much more for me. My heart is ready--ready to receive. I'm standing on His promise for He said He'll see me through it and I know He'll do it"

Here's another phrase that's been thrown around a lot lately, but it still holds true. "Don't give up." I'm not going to pretend like I got all the answers. Nor am I going to pretend I know how to tell anyone how to go through what they're going through. I'm just saying don't live in the valley. Walk through it. It's written, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." 

That's all I got for this one. I hope something was said to encourage. I hope that if you made it this far that you will share this with your friends and family. Don't forget to comment as well. Grace. Peace. Love.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

DON'T WAIT TILL IT'S TOO LATE

"For you and me this life is not promised. Tomorrow may never show up." - Mos Def, Umi Says, 1999

Like a lot of you I was taken back by the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, and my heart goes out to his family and to the families of the other lives that were taken. I found myself crying thinking about how life can end in just an instant. We take life for granted. We focus on trying to extend life besides just living for the moment. I understand getting healthy, and me myself I have to do much better with that. But if I focus on getting healthy and forget that I'm still angry at this or that person because of something petty, or I haven't been completely honest with this person and that person because of fear, then I'll just be healthy and miserable.

Please don't let another death come before you forgive. Don't let death come before you let your love ones that they are loved. Don't let another death come before you ask for help. My pastor said this today, "A closed mouth don't get fed." Stop hesitating. There's no progress in hesitation. Hesitation brings procrastination. Can't move forward and procrastinate at the same time believe me I've tried that for years and it hasn't worked yet. Matter of fact that is what I tried to do 10 years ago when I was supposed to have a "fresh start" and all I did was get a hair cut. You can get a a new hair cut and new clothes, but if your heart is still in the wrong place, it doesn't matter what you do on the outside. A makeover on the outside doesn't necessarily mean a makeover on the inside.

 

Hezekiah Walker put out a simple song years ago that says, "Won't He make you clean inside." The "He" is Jesus. The late Bishop G.E. Patterson preached, "Salvation is An Inside Job." There's an old song that says, "Get right church, and let's go home." It is written, "The day you hear my [Jesus] voice harden not your heart." John 9:4, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

Now I know that every after death, especially if it's a celebrity, everyone has a message. That's not what I'm trying to do. Truth is I've been wanting to post a new blog for some time now, I just couldn't get my words together. I didn't mean to type all this, I just wanted to get my thoughts out due to Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and the other people that were on the plane. Don't waste time in pettiness. Check on your people. Love on your people. If you got something to say, just say it. If you got something to do, then do it. 

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson