Day by Day prt 2

My Dad's homegoing was January 21, 2022. To be honest I haven't slept since. And that's the blog. Goodnight.

Hi, it's still a day by day thing. Working a customer service type job on lack of sleep is not something I would suggest doing. Working while dealing with lack of sleep also while depressed is not something I would suggest either. When it's busy, I'm good. My mind is focused on the job, and getting it done as quickly as possible. When the down time comes though, that's when my mind begins to wanders. When my mind wanders, that's when those trust issues make a comeback. That's when those questions I would ask, "Do you really love me? Don't you really care? Do you really need me?" come back to my brain.

I'm still having a hard time getting the words together both to make a blog out of them. The main reason I don't reach out is because I often think, what am I going to get out of this conversation, and thinking on that, I most of the time don't think it's worth it. No shade to anybody, but if I'm going to reach out I wanted to be at least worth my time. If I'm calling because I'm depressed, and I get lectured on other things that I don't even--...and I called because, I'm tired. I'm ready to jump off the balcony outside, and I'm getting lectured on if I'm putting my pants on right, or whatever--see what I mean? Again, no shade. I appreciate those who have told me that they are willing to talk if I call. Is the advice I'm going to get going to be sound advice...ok let me say this. I know it sounds like, "Oh, Daniel just wants to hear what He wants to hear. He doesn't want advise." I promise that's not the case. I'm just tired of empty conversations. 

I've had feelings of emptiness. Feelings of just wanting to scream like Michael and Janet. Shrek! I'm looking down! Trying to go back to normal. Trying to get back to streaming Sims 4, but it's empty. Trying to get back to the coffee o'clocks, but it's empty. For once, when I'm asked, "You good?" I say yes and actually mean it. I know people are wanting me to get away from blogs like this, but I don't want to post lies. I don't want to post something I'm not feeling.

My profile pic on FB and Instagram is still black for the time being. I know I'm going to change it when I'm ready to. I appreciate the people who have continued to check on me. I really do. When the action of love is shown, it hits different. I look at it like what Kirk Franklin penned when he said, "Jesus, You keep on lookin' out for me." Kirk is one of my all time favorite artist, not just Gospel, like all time favorite artists. An old song he penned that has helped me through this healing process is Let Me Touch You.

"Sometimes to me You seem so far away
And I wonder how to make it through the day
But if I can touch the hem of Your garment
Your power, I know, You can heal, Jesus
Let me touch You and see if You are real
When I'm down
Let me touch You
When I'm lonely
Let me touch You
When I'm discouraged
Let me touch You
Like I never have before
Lord, I need You more and more, Jesus
Let me touch You and see if You are real"

Ok, I'm done. Thank you for your continued prayers and thoughts for me and my family through this healing process. Again, it's a day by day thing. I'm sorry if I said anything offensive, that wasn't my intention. If you want to share this or if you don't thanks for reading. Continue to pray for those who are suffering mentally. Please continue to pray for those are grieving no matter how they're grieving and no matter how long it's been. 

~Daniel Richerson

LEARNING HOW TO LOVE AND FORGIVE...ME

One major lesson I've learned through 2020 is that I had to learn how to love myself. My mom put it like this, "You got to learn how to love Daniel." I don't publicize this a lot, but depression is something that I've dealt with since childhood. I think I can speak for a lot of people that this year especially, it feels like those of us that have those mental health issues, we hit a wall this year. It's something the church has finally become more vocal about it. I got trust issues too so I definitely don't open up to every body. When I say I got trust issues, the response is usually, "Well you shouldn't feel that way." Why do we feel that we can dictate how or what people feel from time to time? Every house is different. Even in the church. That line might cost me.

I found this definition of love, "to feel deep affection for" or "like or enjoy very much." So when one tells me, "You got to learn how to love Daniel," it tells me that I have to find deep affection for Daniel. I got to learn how to like and enjoy Daniel. I spend a lot of time alone by myself. When people talk about their circles, I barely got a dot. When I let people in, and when I feel that the circle is growing, it always seems like they disappear out of thin air and I'm by myself again. That's part of the reason why when you see me out in public, I usually keep a straight face so that I don't let people in only to have my heart broken again. Again, this line might cost me, but even amongst church folks. When I'm home, most likely I'm listening to music, or watching funny Youtube Videos just to help keep my head together.

I wrote a post some months ago taken from a New Edition song entitled, "Do You Really Love Me, Don't You Really Care." That was something I've asked myself regarding people around me all the time. Like when people ask me how am I doing, do they really want to know or are they asking to get something out of me. I want to publicly thank those that don't let me stay down when I get down. I want to publicly thank those that have the spiritual eyes and ears to know that I'm not ok sometimes. No matter how much I try to hide it.

I've had panic attacks at random times. The worse one came from when I was working at this manufacturing plant. I was at my station working and I couldn't stop crying. I could barely walk. I was dizzy. I ended up getting sent home because my partner that was working with me at the station saw that something wasn't right so she told the floor leader and she ended up sending me home. Here's the problem. My job was an hour away from where I live. So imagine in that state of mind driving home trying to stay focused. It was nothing but the grace of God that got me home safely.

I don't want to use that "s" word, but yes that has come to mind. In the state of depression that word is bound to come up from time to time, and believe me it has. I always went back to that old song, "Something down inside of me telling me to go 'head." But even with that something, I still needed to learn how to love myself and not be selfish to the fact that how would it affect others if I'd actually went through with it.

The problem then comes with the fact that I'm supposed to be a man of faith. I type all these blogs feeling dead inside sometimes and I get comments about how people enjoyed the posts and how the posts were inspiring. I remember at my 11th high school reunion, don't ask, I was approached by an old classmate and she told me that she enjoyed the posts. Even with those small glimmers of hope, I'd still feel empty like what is this all for in the end? 

Learning how to love yourself also means learning how to forgive yourself. If you've asked God for forgiveness, and you know that He has forgiven you, that should be enough for you to also say that you forgive yourself. I quote Kirk Franklin a lot, and I'm going to quote him again. On a interview on TBN, Kirk said, "David was a whore monger. David was a adulterer. David was a horrible husband. He was a horrible father, but somewhere in the text it says that David was a man after God's own heart." So what am I saying? God sees the worth despite of the mess. Somehow or another I had to learn how to see my worth despite of my mess. 

I talked about mental health, and it is an important subject in today's times more than ever, but we have to take the proper precautions to protect it. That means we can't watch everything. That means we got to cut off some dead branches so we can grow properly. That means that as much as I miss some of the people that used to be in my life, I got to let some if not all of them go. Song writer said, "I'm not going back, moving ahead. I'm here to declare to you my past is over in You all things all made new. Surrendered my life to Christ, and I'm moving forward." It is written, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Now with all that being said that doesn't stop life from happening. It is written, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above  that you are able; but will with temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." In other words, God will never put more on you than you can bear. 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."

All this to say that I'm on the pathway of learning how to love/like Daniel. I still got a ways to go, but with God's help and with the help of the right people, I'm going to make it. Paul told the Philippians, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Stay Saved, 

Daniel Richerson

If you search for Kirk Franklin Steve Harvey TBN testimony from 2011, you'll find the video of Kirk dropping a lot of jewels. 

A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH IS STILL FAITH

 "Something down inside of me telling me to go ahead"

"I almost gave up but a power that I can't explain fell from heaven like a shower." (Kirk Franklin)

"I'll trust You, though is not easy. Sometimes the pain in my life makes You seem so far away, but I'll trust You. I need to know You're here. Through the tears and the pain. Through the heartache and rain. I'll trust you." (James Fortune)

"In spite of all I've done, Jesus You keep on looking out for me." (Kirk Franklin)

"If I concentrate on all the bad

And all the things I wish I had

How can the dark clouds ever pass?

Weeping may endure for a night

But joy comes in the morning light

God'll keep your spirit right

So, no matter what the people say

Ain't nobody takin' this joy away

Inspite of everything I've been through

I can say

Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus" (Kirk Franklin)

In 2014 around September, I believe, I had a job working at this company Velux. As I am now, I was stand offish because I didn't know anybody, which made me an easy target of jokes. I was in my late 20s still dealing with other people talking about him. That's beside the point. One particular night, I was eating lunch which was a little bit of leftover Chinese food. One of my coworkers made a comment about how much food I had or didn't. I then made a comment that went something like, "Well, I've had less." Basically pointing out the fact that a little more than 3 years prior I didn't know when my next meal was coming from. So that then turned into a conversation about my story. Not having a home not having a  meal. I basically shared my story. That was really the first time I opened up about that. I got comfortable to finally having a roof over my head, and no longer being hungry like I was. I never really shared what I went through. So when I shared, I broke down. I tried my best to stop the tears from falling, but I didn't win that fight. What really broke me even more was after lunch break, I was still trying to get myself together. I was at my spot trying to do my job the best I can. Another one of my coworkers heard about what happened and my story, and he said, "To go through what you've gone through and still be able to stand here and work. You're a hell of a man." That was it for me.

I bring this story up because it was at this point where I felt that there was a reason for me to make it through all that I went through. It was as that point where I felt that I didn't go through what I went through for nothing. It was at that point where I felt that I had purpose. I knew I had purpose, but I didn't really feel that I had purpose. That night showed me, even if it was a glimmer, it showed me that my story meant something. Being a church kid, being raised where testimony service was still a thing, I heard, "We're overcome by the word of our testimony and the blood of the lamb." I believe that's based on Revelation 12:11. Song writer said, "My test became my testimony to tell." 

I'm not the only one with a story. I'm not the only one that knows what hope looks like. A glimmer of hope is still hope. A little bit of faith is still faith. Old song says, "You don't need a whole lot, just use what you got. Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith." So I encourage you, and I encourage myself, to hold on to that faith. Hold on to that hope. God loves you despite of whatever you did or done. How can I say that? Well Romans 8:38-39, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angles, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

That was the first time an idea of writing a book came to mind, but I never really went in on it. I was still dealing with depression and self-doubt. In some ways, I'm still dealing with it. So the question is, how do I keep going on? How do I keep walking with my limp, as Jonathan McReynolds put it. To be honest, not to be cliche. It's God. Old song says, "He could have let me drown, but instead He took me in"

The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." A mustard seed of faith can move mountains. We got to stay in the Bible. Stay in the field. Old song says, "Stay in the field, until the war is ended." I know we want people to care about us, but we got to care about us. We got to find value in ourselves. We got to see the worth in us. Somehow we got to learn to see through God's eyes not our own eyes. The Bible says, "Death and life is in the power of the tongue." So what are you speaking over yourself? What are you speaking over situations? What are you speaking? 

I heard Kirk Franklin say some time ago, "We no longer have to perform for God. We can go to God just as we are." What's that mean? Some churches look at you strange if you don't praise right. If you don't dance right. You can't praise like anybody else because you didn't go through what they went through. You know what you went through. Praise God for you not for anybody else. I heard somebody say, "Give God a praise that don't belong to anybody else." 

Now I put songs at the beginning. These are just some of the songs that help me get my mind right when I get down. When my anxiety kicks in, I go to songs like these. I go to people that I know can pray like my Mom and my little sister. I try to stay positive while I'm scared. I try to stay sane while feeling insane. I learn how to take the meat and spit out the bones. One thing I am making sure of is that I don't become so down that I don't fall for every "word" that comes my way. Why? Because a lot of pastors and leaders, not your pastor, not my pastor, but some pastors have become predators in sense that they're preying on your emotions. Even tough we're in a pandemic, those people that charge you for a prayer are still preying. Be careful. Hollywood is not the only place that's full of actors.

That's all I got for this one. I hope you got something out of it. If you read this far, can you please share? Thank you for reading.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

WE CAN'T BREAK DURING THIS SEASON

I'm not going to try to speak for everybody, but I will speak for myself. My anxiety has been making itself known during this season we're all going through. As a church kid, we don't get much teaching on how to handle anxiety. I'm glad that finally mental health is getting the focus it's been needing for years.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. There's a saying that goes, "A closed mouth don't get fed." Another one goes like this "We have not because we ask not" You can't get an answer if you don't ask the question. I once heard Kirk Franklin break it down like this, "A doctor can only heal what we reveal." Don't wait until it's too late. Have a little talk with Jesus tell him about your troubles. He'll lead you in the right direction. You want to talk to someone that won't prejudge you while you're talking. You won't find a lot of people like that. Not saying there aren't any, but it's not a guarantee. Jesus is that guarantee.

With that being said, I'm not going to sit here and say that it's easy to go to Jesus for your problems, when some of the people that serve Jesus won't even lead you to Him. People give you such generic responses to you pouring your heart out because the odds are some people don't care anyway. I believe one of the problems is that when people come to Christians for advise or just to have a heart to heart, some believers can't lay down the man made title and put on the title genuine. If there was ever a time for people need to genuine care for each other is now.

I have a tendency of holding stuff in for a long time. I'm not good at calling people because I need to talk. Even though at times that's what I really need to do, I don't. My fear of reaction stops me from calling people. I've always had anxiety anyway, but with this "pandemic" it feels like it's become harder for me. I put so much pressure on myself because of comparison. Meaning that I often find myself comparing my situation with that past generations and that's when the fear of "generational curse" comes in. I get in a mood set sometimes when I live not to disappoint. Sometimes I find myself doing things not because I need to do them, but fear of not pleasing people that have gave me advise of what to do. So in my mind, if I don't do it exactly how they told me to do it, I'm doing it wrong. This is what I live with. So when if I'm giving someone a ride or if you see me at church, the mask is on. Doing what I got to do to get done what I need to get done only to come back home and have the same anxiety that I hide from everyone. 

One of my go to songs has been Okay by Canton Jones. I just want to hear to Lord, it's going to be okay. Another go to song for me has been Help Me by James Fortune. The title speaks for itself. Sometimes that's been my prayer, help me.

We got to find a way to continue to lift our hands. We got to find a way to not break. We got to find a way to stay in the field until the war is ended. We got to find a way to meditate on the Bible day and night "so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Find a way to put it on the altar and leave it there. God did not bring us this far just to leave us. So what i'm saying to everybody reading, and what I'm saying to Daniel, don't be afraid to ask for help. We can't break in this season. I heard a preacher compare it to a pine tree. Bend but don't break. 

Thanks for reading. Be sure to leave a comment and share with your peoples.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

FOR THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME...

"In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. We have the victory. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Satan, you have to flee. Oh, tell me, who can stand before us when we call on that great name? Jesus! Jesus! Precious Jesus! We have the victory!" ~ In The Name Of Jesus, congregational song

"There is power in the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain, break every chain, break every chain." ~ Break Every Chain, Will Reagan

Peter said in Acts 4:10-12, "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (kjv)

It's also written that demons tremble at the name of Jesus. What I'm getting at is, we get so triggered at the names of people that wouldn't know who we were if they had a picture of us in front of them. From Bishop T.D. Jakes, Kirk Franklin, Tye Tribbett, Creflo Dollar, Brian Carn, just to name some. You mention those names in the midst of some people, watch the atmosphere change. Watch the mood change in the room. just because they were brought up. Some of these people have done nothing wrong, and I sit there and wonder, "What did they do?" To be honest, some of it is because they're different or they have made mistakes that were in the spotlight.

I don't think any of us understand what is like for anybody to be under the spotlight. I would imagine that it's harder for Gospel artists and ministers, because if they don't cross every "T" and dot every "I", the piranhas will eat them alive. Heck, even in the local church, if the piranhas smell blood, it's over. Why do you think B. Slade is not Tonex anymore? Piranhas.

Back on topic. We give people way too much power over us. I get it though. It's real easy to let anybody become a distraction. We as humans tend to find one thread of something we don't like about a person and then turn that thread into a sweater of reasons to not like the person. To the point where they get so much power that when we hear the name, our blood instantly begins to boil. I'm a wrestling fan, as some of y'all know, and when some of us here certain entrance music, our blood boils over. Examples being John Cena and Roman Reigns. Only reason is because the bosses see money in them. They see "box office", and as soon as we as fans realize that, we get so angry. John Cena and Roman Reigns really did nothing wrong other than doing their jobs. But because they are not who we chose to be the "top guys" we boo the decisions of the creative. Reason I brought that up is that some fans have given Roman Reigns and John Cena so much power that even hearing their names brings about an angry response. Some even begging to riot when Roman and Cena win at anything.

The only name that should have the kind of power to trigger anything in you is Jesus. At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. It is written that all power is given unto Jesus, so we need to stop giving the power away. I believe if we start pleading the blood of Jesus over these common names that trigger such emotion, and over our own minds, we'd be able to move forward as a body. 

As my pastor often says, "You got to love me to go to heaven." Jesus is love.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

SCABS CAN'T HEAL IF YOU KEEP SCRATCHING

At first I planned this blog to be a review of Kirk Franklin's latest masterpiece, Losing My Religion, because I haven't done a review in a while. Or this blog was going to be on a new theory I have concerning hip hop and the church. Maybe the church sees to much of itself in hip hop to see what benefit hip hop can have, but I'm not going there this blog. Yesterday, as I'm typing this, I looked at a scar on my finger that is just about completely healed, and I told my little sister, "It's amazing how much a wound can heal, when you don't mess with it." She looked at me and said, "That'll preach." I thought about it, and I realized how deep that statement I said was.

Isaiah 53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

That verse is more than just another verse. It's a reminder that all your hurt and all your pain that you've experienced is already healed. Because of what Jesus did on the cross. The hurt is just part of the healing process. The scar on my finger stung a little when I would touch it and mess with it, but when I stopped messing with it and just the healing process go without a hitch, that's when the scar went away. One of my favorite Kirk Franklin songs says, "He'll take the pain away, I know, He'll take the pain away." Some scars don't go away, unfortunately, but with Jesus, the pain of the scar can be taken away. Whatever that scar is. It could be church hurt. It could be a hurt from your past. Jesus can take the pain away. If you don't believe me, all I can say is try Jesus. An old song says, "Have you tried Jesus, he's alright."

When you get a cut on your body, you put some kind medical liquid or cream on it, and then maybe a bandage. After you put the bandage, you let the bandage do the work. You keep removing the bandage to mess with the scar, it can't heal like it's supposed to. When you give your problems to Jesus, and you keep going back to the problem, it can't heal like it's supposed to. Give it to Jesus and let him do the work. Jesus can work if you let him. That bandage can work if you let it. Those medicines can work if you let them. There's a song out that says, "Let the Word do the work." The "Word" being the Bible. The Bible works, just let it work. We call it the living Word, right? Let it live.

What ever the wound is, stop messing with it. Stop scratching the scab off so it can bleed again. That was my problem growing up. I would get scabs, and besides just letting it heal, I would scratch the scab off and open the wound. That probably carried on to other problems in my life. Without letting the problem heal, I would scratch scabs off and open up unnecessary issues that should have died a long time ago. So of your issues could have been over and done but because you keep scratching off the scab...leave the scabs in your life alone. I know scabs can be irritating, but let them heal.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

ELIMINATE THE HATE...NOT FOR WHAT YOU MAY THINK

Warning: If you're a fan of G. Craig Lewis and Ex Ministries, you might as well leave the blog now. You will not agree with this blog. If you preach against rap music, you might as well leave the blog now, because you won't agree with this blog. If you don't believe in delivering the gospel through rap, you might as well leave the blog now because you won't agree with this blog. Ok, you've been warned.

The LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bi-Sexual Transsexual) community uses the term sometimes, "Eliminate the hate" in regards to their rights. I'm going to take a switch with that term. If you've been reading my blogs for some time, you know that I'm a fan of gospel rap. I believe it can be used to spread the gospel. The Gospel is not changing it's just the delivery of the Gospel. I look at it like this. Some preachers you don't like to listen to. Some like Bishop T.D. Jakes, and some like Joel Osteen. Both are preaching the Gospel, but the delivery is different. Some like Rod Parsley, and some like Billy Graham. Both are preaching the Gospel, but the delivery is different.

Now to the point. Some like the Canton Spirituals, and some like Lecrae. Both spreading the gospel but the delivery is different. It's not for everybody. Me advocating Gospel rap is not going to change your opinion on the genre. But if you don't like the genre, don't hate on the individual doing what he do to spread the Gospel. It's not for you. Paul said it like this, "When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law."

For some particular reason, when something comes along that's different, it's wrong. It's satanic. It's the devil. It's a sin. The Bible talks about nothing being new under the sun. Going back in history when TV's first came out, they were considered a sin. When movie theaters came out, a sin. When Jazz was big, it was being preached against, and in some places still being preached against. Why? It's different. We are scared of different. So naturally so spiritual. Naturally, the LGBT sees disagreement as hatred. Spiritually, when you disagree with ones thoughts, or opinion, it turns into a rift or hatred.

We need to stop hating one another over petty little things like disagreements. The Bible talks about we got to love everybody to go to heaven. Stop hating people that are different from you. That's called being prejudiced. Disagreement shouldn't mean hatred. I don't hate my family members because I disagree with them. I don't hate some preachers cause they say things I don't agree with. When disagreement turns into hatred, that's when it comes a time to check yourself. Don't let your misconceived notions on anything, turn into hatred.

One argument on Gospel rap I hear, is that, "Gospel music should lead your to worship not to twerk." My response, twerking is something that was already in you to do. I think if some music leads you to twerk, it's something you got to do some self checking on yourself. Twerking came from the strip club, did it not? If twerking is what you do, don't blame hip-hop, blame the visual the videos give off. Not all hip hop gives the visual of sex sex sex. Don't blame what people of done to hip-hop and put that on everybody. Now again, if you hate gospel rap, what I'm saying is not going to change your outlook on it. I hate quartet music. I don't like it at all. It's not for me. But I respect anybody that spreads the gospel. I'm not in the quartet audience. I'm in the gospel rap audience. Should that mean we hate each other? No.

Let me put this out there, just because it's has the label hip-hop does not mean twerking is involved. Ok? Strip clubs has been out before hip-hop. Music was talking about sex before hip-hop. Hip-hop gets blamed for stuff that was happening before the genre even started. Lest we forget some of our favorite Gospel artists does not have the cleanest record out there. Kirk Franklin, he put his stuff out there so there's no reason for me to bring that up. James Cleveland? I'm not making this stuff up, you can look it up. Donnie McClurkin. Tye Tribbett? My point is, it's not the genre that's the problem. Da Truth said it like this on TBN, "It's nothing wrong with hip-hop culture. It's something wrong with the heart that's corrupt."

And that's really all I have to say about that. All and all, let's stop allowing the devil to make on disagreements lead to hatred. Stop giving the Devil more power than he actually has. You may not be a fan of Gospel rap, I'm the minority in my house hold when it comes to the genre, but I respectfully disagree with them and continue to do my thing. Some of the dislike for it is fair. But I feel it's no different than raising the roof in church or saying, "Ain't no party like a holy ghost party cause a holy ghost party don't stop." I don't see it as we're bringing the world into the church, I see it as an evolution of delivery.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

LET THE WORD WORK AS IT IS

"We no longer have to perform for God" ~Kirk Franklin

I was thinking of posting what I spoke on Sunday. And then I began thinking about ones that try to spice up the Word of God like it's an unseasoned raw piece of meat. The Bible is already good enough as it is. No need to put your opinion on it. The Word is alive by itself. Donald Lawrence had a song that said, "Let the work do the work." Part of the problem of why we see no growth in church is because, I believe, the Gospel is not being preached. Opinions are being preached. Your opinions are not going to get people saved. Your opinions are not going to get people delivered. Your opinions are not going to catch the fish you want to catch. Opinions fail. But the Word (Bible) will never fail. Opinions die when you die, but the Bible is what will stand forever. No matter what man says.

We live in a world now that is doing what is against the Bible, but we as a people have to be unashamed of the Gospel. Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Opinions are what you sometimes end up being ashamed of. Opinions have power. But you really want to really on the power of human opinion? That's called politics, and I'm know I'm not the only one that believes that we don't need any more politicking in the church.

We don't need to try to impress God with our fanciness. It's timeout to just dance and praise in church, then as soon as you leave the "church ground" you get mad of every little thing. It's timeout just showing the love of Christ in the four walls, but outside the four walls you show the false love of the Devil. Now is a time more than any to be real with God. To be real with your spiritual life. Now is a time to start applying church and stop just going to church. Now is a time to start living church.

Somebody is always watching. I'm not talking about God cause God sees all and knows all. I mean non believers and young believers. Keep that in mind the next time you let your temper get the best of you.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

*UPDATE 8/10/14*
Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." let the word do the work

INSPITE OF ALL I'VE DONE...

I'm going to go a different route with this one. I'm going to start off with song lyrics. This is Lookin' Out For Me by Kirk Franklin, one of my all time favorite songs by Kirk.

Remeber when the doctor said
He said he couldn't help you and
Remember when the money was gettin' low
You're hurtin' now your feeling low and just
When you thought the night would never end
The sun came out now you can smile again
Jesus you keep on lookin' out for me

You keep on lookin' out for me [3x]
In spite of all I've done
Jesus you keep on lookin' out for me

 I'm a living witness that in spite of all I've done, Jesus keeps on lookin' out for me. If you know should have been dead and gone, you should have been filing for bankruptcy, you should be in jail...it's not the "universe" that's making this happen. It's the creator of the Universe. The one who reigns over the earth. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Jesus Christ the King.

We live in a generation of people that are scared to preach Jesus. That are scared to preach the gospel. And these are the same people that quote, "I'm not afraid of the darkness whom shall I fear if God before me. What shall we say to these things. I'm not afraid anymore." We talk about it, but now is the time to be about it. Faith without works is dead. That simple.

I said in the last blog that greater is here. We just got to believe and receive it. There's an old song that says, "You just trust and believe/and when you ask you shall receive/whatever you want/God's got it/Whatever you need/He will supply."

And I'm spent.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson
Facebook.com/bigdusty
Twitter.com/big_dusty

TRYING TO SMILE BUT CANT

A song I got on repeat right now on my ipod is I Smile by Kirk Franklin. Why? Because I’m trying to. I’m trying to smile. It’s not easy right now for me to smile. I’m trying to keep the faith. I’m trying to have faith. I believe that the same God that gave blessed me with a job in 2011 will bless me with one again, but it’s been over 4 months since I’ve been working. I’m looking but I keep getting nos. I haven’t found that yes yet. I posted a podcast yesterday trying to motivate myself to chase my dreams yet 24 hours later, I find it hard to put a smile on my face. (I’ll post the link to the podcast at the end of this blog) This coming from a guy that when I was a kid I would go up to anybody that had a camera and say, “cheese” I’m that guy. This coming from a guy that when I smile, people actually compliment it. This coming from a guy that wants to be an entertainer one day. That wants to be that guy with a tux on making people laugh. Here I am in this apartment trying to find a smile through all this crap I put myself through.


I’m not going to sit here and blame the devil for my troubles. He gets too much credit for stuff already. This is all from bad decisions I made. This is why I’m finding it hard to smile. When I do smile people don’t believe it’s genuine. I get this, “What are you smiling for?” or “What’s wrong with you?” Like I’m not capable of smiling! Getting judged for trying to be positive. What goes around comes back around. I think that this may be that kind of scenario for me.

I should be in a good mood though despite of my situation. A young buck I know just graduated from high school. I still got a place to sleep. I still got food to eat. Yet due to bad decisions and bad management of certain things, I’m sitting here with my bottom lip on the floor.

I get jealous of my little sister. No lie. She’s working. She got her license before I did. She went to college and graduated. I went to college and left. She’s always smiling and has this amazing faith. I’m always frowning and don’t have enough faith to make up the size of a mustard seed. She would get folks calling her, to check on her. My phone would stay silent. She loves people. I turn them away. She’s the daughter the calls mom every day. She has a good relationship with mom and dad. I don’t. I turn away when they try to help. Last time I talked to my mom on the phone was May 22. My 26th birthday. She’s done all these things for me, and I’m that ungrateful child. My sister on the other hand she’s grateful for everything. I take things for granted. My sister calls me the best big brother. I see myself as the big brother that would bully her when we were kids.

Why am I like this? I don’t know dude. I never thought as a kid that my life would be like this. Forgive me for this y’all. I know this is not the most positive blog I’ve ever wrote but like I told y’all before, I don’t talk to nobody. So I get my feelings out this way. I know I’ll make it through this period of my life. Like the old song says, “I know somehow, I know someway, we’re gonna make it.” It’s just tough man.

The problem with writing a blog like this is that I don’t know how to end it. I guess I’ll end this with what my pastor told me some time ago in his office. He quoted the 24th Psalm “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.”

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

http://www.facebook.com/bigdusty
http://www.twitter.com/big_dusty
http://eastsideafro.podomatic.com/entry/2013-06-03T23_45_01-07_00 (the podcast)

HE CAN, HANDLE IT!

Ok I was going to post the lyrics to It's Been Awhile by Staind because you know it has been some weeks since I've done this and you know I figured it would fit...THEN I googled the lyrics....yeah, not even close to the situation here. Moving on...Cue--actually, right now I'm watching Think Like A Man. It's a great movie. Kevin Hart is who you would want him to be in this movie, Kevin Hart.

So just a little update, I'm finally doing some job searching after months of saying, "I hate this job," and doing nothing about it. Now here's the hard part, the heck am I searching for? Short term goals? What would I be willing to do? Where am I willing to go? Good questions. Very good questions....don't judge me, ok? All this just doesn't happen in an instant. Process people. Not the process you put in the hair, but the process that is also called steps. Taking steps. Steps...are what...I...am taking.

Now, another thing I've been thinking about. Personal stuff. Like when things don't go the way we want them to, whether it's a job or a relationship, do we really believe God knows what he's doing? Do we really believe that God has the best for us? That's what I'm learning. I've been in love, or thought I was in love with a couple of women in my lifetime, and nothing. Most of my former classmates, married and doing the dang thing. Being 25 now, I figured my life would be so much further ahead than it actually is. You know what? Maybe it should be. The reason I'm not there yet, is not God's fault. It's my fault. In a race, it's important to stay in your lane. Some of our problems is, we get try to take detours. We put in our own road blocks. We see other people thriving and we become spirtual rubber neckers slowing down our own personal traffic or walk. So back to the woman thing for just a sec. Maybe the one I think is the one, may be the one---for someone else. You know? Giving God control, literally means giving God control. I remember watching Steve Harvey on TBN one night and he was talking about a particular situation that happened in his life and then he said, "This was the first time I ever just let God handle it." Old song by Kirk Franklin says, "It really doesn't matter what you're going through. Just call on Jesus, He'll work it out for you. His yoke his easy, and his burden's light. Just give it to Jesus, He'll make it all right. He can handle it!" Just sayin...to you and to me. Let go. Let God.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson aka Big Dusty
@Big_Dusty on Twitter and Instagram
Facebook.com/bigdusty

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME?

Before I go on with this blog. Are y'all enjoying these blogs? I certainly enjoy writing them, but I hope you enjoy reading them. If you in fact do enjoy reading these, please spread them around to your peers and enemies. Anyway, let's go. Booya!

Now let me say now, that this blog is for me as much as it is for any of you. I'm not perfect. I have made mistakes recently. So please don't get the idea that I'm Mr. Perfect because believe me, my name is Daniel, not Curt Hennig.

People are watching you rather you know it or not. I don't mean with spy cameras, security cameras, or anything like that. I just believe that we all, one way or another, are being studied. People are paying attention how you react to things, how you confront situations, and even how you live. That's why it's important that you watch what you say, pay attention to how you live, and all that because someone is always watching.

This especially goes for Christians. I truly feel for the baby Christians out there who have to see Christianity turned into a Religion, when it's about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It's like a kid who watches the parents act any kind of way, and then at the same time the parents tries to instruct the child to do the opposite. That's how it is in the church. It's preached over the pulpit to love everyone. It's preached over the pulpit not to lie. It's preached over the pulpit not to gossip. While it's being preached, it's not being practice. Ever heard the term, practice what you preach? So what are those that are young in the faith supposed think when they see the so called "seasoned" saints lying on one another, gossiping about each other, hating each other, and at the same time, are trying to teach you what is right.

I understand that we make mistakes. I understand that we're not perfect. I also understand, however, that I got people unsaved following me on Twitter, friends with me on FaceBook, following me on dailybooth, following me on podomatic, subscribed to me on youtube, following me here on Blogger, and/or subscribed to me on iTunes. So again, I'm not perfect, but I have to do my best to represent Christ in everything I do. The old song says, "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine." The light here is Jesus. Another song says, "Everywhere I go, I take my light so that men might see Christ in me." Another song says, "Whatever you do, don't let your light go out." And another song says, "You maybe the only Jesus they see." I got people looking at me through this internet that may not ever go to church. I wouldn't be surprised if I got people watching me just to see if I will mess up, and no doubt, I will mess up. I'm human.

Let's say I was on the outside looking in. I was not saved. I was not sanctified. None of the above. I hang out with folks that proclaim to be saved, sanctified, Holy Ghost filled. I see them cussing, lying, gossiping, hating folks, and yet still proclaiming the name of Jesus. Or I see them depressed, looking beat up from life with no hope whatsoever. What would I supposed to think? I hear getting saved is the best decision I could ever make, and I see this guy looking worse off than I am now. I thought this God was a loving God, yet I see this guy over here gossiping about someone, or I see this woman over here lying in the church. Why go to church when I get this at home already?

See what I'm saying? It's extremely important to how you live your life. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, but I will tell you that you need to realize that people are watching you. Rather it's a child or someone striving to be like you. Rather it's someone that cares about you or someone that's just waiting for something to scold you about.

I hope you got something out of this blog. Again this blog is for me also. I have to do better, and I know it. Be sure to leave a comment below. Share with your people anyway you can. Be sure to follow the blog. Twitter and Facebook info is on the right. Get at me also on YouTube, DailyBooth, and Podomatic. And I'll see y'all next Thursday.

Stay Saved,

Daniel aka Big Dusty

I'm still laughing...HAHA!!

Well, folks. I watched a couple of videos debating Kirk Franklin's appearance in the Monique Show about a month ago. One guy got offended that Kirk Franklin was laughing at Monique's jokes which happened to have some cussing in it. Ok, so you're judging a man laughing at something that's funny to him? So am I wrong for laughing at Dave Chappelle? Dave is one of the vulgar dudes out there, and yet I consider him one of my favorite comedians. Family Guy. I love Family Guy. Do they go to far with the Jesus jokes? Yeah they do, but I'd be lying to say that when I'm watching the show and I hear or see something funny, I'm not laughing. Look, if you're like me, funny is funny. I see something funny, I'm going to laugh. Weather it's a joke with a punchline, or if I see somebody slip going up or down the stairs. Now, can I be honest with you people? Most of the so called "clean-Christian" comedians and tv shows are corny. Yes I said it. Some of those shows are dry and corny. I know what some of you are saying. Ephesians 4:29 "Stop all dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say." Trust me, I understand. That happens to be one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Now do I think Monique is funny? HECK NAH! I've always thought, and I still do, that Monique is corny. She's never been funny to me. Now like I said before, I like Dave Chappelle. When it comes to vulgarity, Monique and Dave are right there at the same page. So I can't judge Kirk for laughing at Monique. Kirk and I got something in common. We both love music, and we both are clowns. So Kirk laughing at Monique is not surprising. Who am I to say what Kirk is supposed to laugh at? Some of us need to laugh.

Now another thing that people are tripping off of is the fact that Kirk is "conforming." Because Kirk went on a show like the Monique show and laughing at her "vulgar" jokes, he's conforming. Ok. Oh btw, Marvin Sapp was on Good Morning America, and Fred Hammond was on the View. I guess they were conforming too. This guy got on Kirk saying that he was on the Monique show just to sell his CD. Are you faulting the man for that? Yes, Gospel music is a ministry first. But it's still a business. The man gotz to get paid, sir. I know I know, "It's not about money, It's not about fame..." Yes, I like that song, too. But you cannot tell me that if you were in Kirk's shoes, you wouldn't take the opportunity and present your music to the world by going on a "secular" show like the Monique that gets millions of viewers for a chance to sell music. Don't sit there and lie with your religious self. Please don't get me wrong. Romans 12:2 "Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him."

Now I agree with one lady who said that today's Gospel Artist need to get more serious with the Gospel part of the music. I agree whole heartedly. But I'm not going to question ones faith for going on a show and laughing at the jokes. Yes cussing is wrong, but that's what Monique does. That's what Jay Leno, David Letterman, and all them do. Cuss. Yet you've seen the Clark Sister's, Kirk Franklin, and others perform on those type of shows. Now let me throw this in, just because it doesn't reach you doesn't mean it's not reaching people. Stop trying to base facts on how you feel. Me personally, I cannot stand "God In Me" by Mary Mary. I think it's garbage. Now just because it didn't reach me, doesn't mean it didn't reach you.

What am I saying? Just because you can't watch shows like Family Guy and laugh, and I can, doesn't mean you're more saved than I am. We're not all going to like the same music, tv shows, etc. I know some church folk that can't stand Tyler Perry. Yet, I know some church folk that love Tyler Perry. Tyler cusses. He does. But for me to criticize him for cussing, something I used to do a lot, would be foolish. Me to judge his salvation would put me out of place. Tomorrow night as a matter of fact, Mom and I are going to see his latest play, "Madea's Big Happy Family." I'm expecting a great time. Am I going to laugh at jokes that might have some cussing in it? If it's funny, yes I am. Sue me.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

P.S. Just an update from the blog, It's Over. I am going back to SC, but only for 3 weeks, then I'm going to spend some time in Kentucky. Where am I going to end up? I'm hoping it's back in Collinsville. But it's God's will, not mine. Continue to pray for me.

Lust

Lust is defined as intense sexual desire or appetite, or it can mean a passionate or overmastering desire or craving. If there's one thing hurting the Christian men today is lust. Why is that? Why do you think that is? Is it the fact that because we're saved and filled with the holy ghost that we're immune to lust? Or we're immune to messing up?

Look at David from the Bible. The Bible says that David was a man after God's own heart. With all that said, if you read in 2 Samuel Chapter 11, David had sex with Bathsheba who was married to Uriah. Bathsheba got pregnant. David tried to hide this by telling Uriah to go home and sleep with Bathsheba. Uriah didn't do it, so David being the King put Uriah in position to get killed. Note again, this is the same David that was a man after God's own heart. So then you get to Chapter 12, still in 2 Samuel, and God was angry with David. So He sent a prophet, Nathan, to tell David a story. Starting at verse 1 and going to verse 4, in the CEV, it says, "A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town. The rich man owned a lot of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had only one little lamb that he had bought and raised. The lamb became a pet for him and his children. He even let it eat from his plate and drink from his cup and sleep on his lap. The lamb was like one of his own children. One day someone came to visit the rich man, but the rich man didn't want to kill any of his own sheep or cattle serve it to the visitor. So he stole the poor man's little lamb and served it instead." Now, David was furious at the rich man. Then Nathan nailed him. Starting at verse 6, "Then Nathan told David: You are that rich man! Now listen to what the LORD God of Israel says to you: 'I chose you to be the king of Israel. I kept you safe from Saul and even gave you his house and his wives. I let you rule Israel and Judah, and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much more. Why did you disobey me and do such a horrible thing? You murdered Uriah the Hittite by having the Ammonites kill him, so you could take his wife. Because you wouldn't obey me and took Uriah's wife for yourself your family will never live in peace. Someone from your own family will cause you alot of trouble, and I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes. He will go to bed with them while everyone looks on. What you did was in secret, but I will do this in the open for everyone in Israel to see.'" What's done in the dark, comes to the light. Lust caused David to lose a child. The child he made with Bathsheba. Lust don't care how big you are or how small you are. You let lust take control, it will. No questions asked.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul said, "Some of you say, 'We can do anything we want to.' But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I refuse to let anything have power over me. You also say, 'Food is meant for our bodies, and our bodies are meant for food.' But I tell you that God will destroy them both. We are not supposed to do indecent things with our bodies. We are to use them for the Lord who is in charge of our bodies. God will raise us from death by the same power that he used when he raised our Lord to life. Don't you know that your bodies are part of the body of Christ? Is it right for me to join part of the body of Christ to a prostitute? No it isn't! Don't you know that a man who does that becomes part of her body? The Scriptures say, 'The two of them will be like one person.' But anyone who is joined to the Lord is one in spirit with him. Don't be immoral in matters of sex. That is a sin against your own body in a way that no other sin is. You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God."

Wow. That said a lot right there. Just the simple fact that our bodies are a temple should make something click to say, "Hold up. I can't degrade this temple for a few minutes." But some of us men are like the first verse of the song "Love Lifted Me," which says, "I was sinking deep in sin very far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more..." I think sometimes the simplicity of the Word throws us off. Meaning that we look at the simplistic view of it, that we don't care to apply it. That's where trouble happens. Now I know this is not just a male thing. I'm sure it happens in the female community as well. I'm using male because so many male Gospel artists have fell into the trap of lust. Some of us regular men have fell in the same trap. The only difference is the Gospel artists got caught.

For those who have fell in the trap, and are in the trap of lust, Galatians 5:16-26 says, "If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you. People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom. God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind,good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed selfish feelings and desires. God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit. But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are."

I'm not trying to throw stones here. I'm just saying that none of us are perfect. For all have sinned, right? The problem is we put people on such a platform that when or if they fall, we don't forgive them. Nobody is perfect. In order to follow the Spirit, you have to have the Spirit. In order to have the Spirit, you have to be saved. What must I do to be saved? Believe. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” I heard recently that all confession means is agreeing. You agree that you were sinning. You agree with God that Jesus died on the cross and so forth. To those who have the Spirit. Follow it. You have to make the decision, "You know what Satan. The Lord rebuke you in the name of Jesus. I'm following Jesus today. I've decided to make Jesus my choice." Now if you do mess up, go to God for the forgiveness. God will forgive you.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson