FIND YOUR REASON

It's been a while since it's been this bad. I couldn't stop crying. What's wrong? I don't know. That may not be acceptable but it's the truth. The phrase it's ok to not be ok may be true, but the fact of the matter is not being ok is a pain in the....but I've been doing good though. At least I feel that way. I've been going to therapy...maybe I shouldn't have been joking about it like I do, but it's how I get through a day sometimes. I joke around with a lot of things that I probably shouldn't. Again though I don't really know what triggered this crying spell this time. I've been crying publicly since school. Weather it's from embarrassment or getting made fun of which happened often.

I try not to live in the past, it's the reliving part that I have trouble with. Dad transitioned back in January of 2022, and I still dream of him often. It's always back in the apartments I grew up in that was known as the Landing. I can't recall anything traumatic happening there or anything, but for some strange reason my mind goes back to that point in my life.

The one thing I don't want to be is a distraction. Sorry if I ever was one to anybody. As I was crying I heard in my head, Get over it, be made whole. Don't you think I want to be whole? You think being like this is that path I wanted to take? Like I got a degree in depression and anxiety as a choice. This is just me typing things out. I understand people don't read the blogs anymore because they feel it may be my last one, but I do appreciate those that stick around and read them. 

FYI, I would never post my last letter online because I'd be too interested to see the response....just being real. So to put people at ease this is not a suicide letter. This is just me spilling what's in my head. I got a big head, so trust there's a lot in there. Speaking of suicide, those that have read these, know that I have suicidal thoughts. Before I came home from work one of my co-workers said it out bluntly, "Don't kill yourself." I got a hug from a supervisor and another co-worker. I went back to my station to get my stuff and one of the students gave me a hug and asked to pray with me. 

To use the quote I used last post, "I wish you what I have, people around who care." Yet, and yet, if we don't care for ourselves, then it may say it doesn't matter if anybody cares or not. Think of some of the suicides we've publicly heard about. Robin Williams was married with kids and was loved and adored by millions. Twitch was married with kids and was also adored and loved by a lot of people, but to both of them, that wasn't enough motivation to keep going. Charity starts at home. Love should start at home. If you can't love yourself....if you can't take care of your self....how do you expect to even attempt to take care of others or love others? Truly. 

This post was all over the place, but this is my way. Your way may be something different, but I urge you to find a way. Find your motivation to keep going. There's a reason to keep going. You just got to find your reason. Not saying it's easy, or that it's gonna be easy, but I'm saying is that that reason is out there, you just got to go get it. Peace and Love

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

IT TAKES LOVE

 One of my favorite movies of all time is a little movie called Lethal Weapon. If you don’t know, this movie was one of the original “buddy cop” movies. Roger Murtaugh was a family man, 50 years old, and a police officer for many years. He got told that he was going to get a partner by the name of Martin Riggs. Riggs was perceived as crazy. He was perceived as psychotic. He was suffering from mental health issues. He lost his wife which turned his world upside down. Meaning night after night he would hold a gun to his mouth ready to end it with tears in his eyes, but right before he pulled the trigger, he would uncock the gun and express how much he misses his now late wife. So holding all that emotion in while trying to be a police officer at the same time would probably make anybody a little off, right? I bring up this movie, because it was the love of Murtaugh and his family that lifted Riggs out of his mental condition. He didn’t talk to a therapist which he likely needed to, it was the love of his new partner and family. Maybe what’s keeping some people from losing their minds is love. The love of God. The love from family and friends. I believe the writer was right when they said, “What the world needs now is love sweet love.”

The church I attend now had 3 prior pastors, one of which was my Dad. Dad would sometimes get up for his sermon and just read from hymn 425 in the COGIC Hymnal.

“I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more; but the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me—Now safe am I. All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling, in his blessed presence live, ever His praises sing. Love so mighty and so true merits in my soul’s best songs; faithful, loving service too to Him belongs. Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves, He will lift you by his love out of the angry waves. He’s the Master of the sea, billows his will obey; He your Savior wants to be—be saved today. Love lifted me, love lifted me, when nothing else could help, love lifted me; love lifted me, love lifted me, when nothing else could help, love lifted me.”

I will admit now that I realize that some may be reading this that do not believe in God. I’m not here to argue with anybody about the existence of God. That’s your prerogative. I will say that you must talk to somebody if you’re dealing with some type of anxiety or suicidal thoughts, God or not. Keeping that kind of stuff in is not healthy. Find an ear you can vent to that would use their mouth to spread your business or their fingers to spread your business on social media. To those that don’t believe in God, I will say you can vent to God and don’t have to worry about him spreading your business. I’m just saying.

As I write this, we as wrestling fans are worried about the well being of a wrestler that recently went on Instagram and contemplated suicide. Apparently, this wrestler had a gun and read out their last will and testament. In the last month this is the second wrestler I’ve seen make a video with the subject of ending it all. The spirit of suicide is not a game. I understand that wrestling is a work, but the people behind the characters we love or despise have real life issues. I understand the feeling of wanting to end it all. I never would have the guts to make a video about it. I have cried myself to sleep night after night due to mental anxiety. Why did I never do it? Because of the love of my family and church family. I’ve mentioned this before and it’s still holds true, I have to learn how to love Daniel. You must learn how to love you. Find something good about yourself and build on that.

Now if you know somebody that is dealing with said issues, don’t just say love you got to show love. Fred Hammond said, “When you say how are you doin'/ Do you really wanna know/ And are you concerned, yeah/ And if you had the solution/ But it took some of your time or some cash or whatever/ Are you willing.” The chorus goes like this.

“Not just what you say {It's mostly what you do}
Not a game that you play {To keep the winning hand with you}
Not just wasting time {With empty words that don't mean much}
Not just how you feel {When others need your tender touch}
So can you take out some time {To help somebody else in need}
And when this is done {The love of God is truly seen}
Then above all {We need to cover and forgive}
Then we can act like we know what love is”

With people hurting with a pain that doesn’t seem to be going away this is not the time to play with people emotions. The wrestlers I talked about before are just two examples of people dealing with mental health, and many other people that are dealing with the same issues but unlike some people, they have a platform. September is suicide prevention month. There’s a hotline you can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can call on God. My inbox is open. There are people that are willing to listen and love on you. Not everybody Is out here preying on you, some are praying for you.

That’s all I have for this post. I thank you for reading it. I thank those who keep encouraging me to keep writing. I do ask that you please share this post around if you feel led. This is a subject matter that really hits home to me. I know I talk about mental health a lot lately because I see a lot of it on my timeline on the daily. Me myself, I’m still dealing with it. So, here we go. Me writing is my therapy. And if you talk to somebody, one time is not enough. There’s a reason why the Bible says, “…men ought to always pray and not faint.” The old song says, “Don’t stop praying! The Lord is nigh; Don’t stop praying! He’ll hear your cry; For the Lord has promised, and His Word is true; Don’t stop praying; He’ll answer you.”

Ok now I’m done.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

WHAT HAPPENED TO BEING NICE?/MENTAL HEALTH CHECK

 "We can speak in tongues but we can't be nice to people..." ~Doe Jones, Terrell Show June 19, 2021

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV "Love is patient love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Jeremiah 31:3 NIV "The Lord appeared to us in the past saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.'"

Through out 2020, throughout the start of 2021, I've noticed that the real colors of people's heart has been revealed. My pastor called the year of 2020 was the year of perfected vision. And it was. The pandemic really showed the true colors of some people. So now everything's coming back to what they call "normal", I guess the fake kindness is going to make a comeback. People can tell the real from the fake contrary to the belief. I personally believe that's really the cause of some the church hopping comes from or why people leave the church. Some of the people that have positions have put on the act of being a God fearing, I love everybody, type person, but in the meetings and social media, the true colors come out. Most people just want to feel loved and if they don't feel it, they're going to leave. What do they tell people in marriages all the time, they tell them if you're not happy in your marriage, get out. In other words, if you don't feel loved, get out. Nobody wants to be in a toxic atmosphere unless they're creating the toxicity. I'm just going to say if we're just going to go back to what what was usual, then what exactly have we learned during this pandemic?

Some people get titles put upon them and expect to be treated with respect. Don't get me wrong, the title deserves respect, but let's be real, some of the people behind the title are mean people. Some of them cover it up with "The Lord is kind." Please stop it. Ok, yes the Lord is kind, but the question is are you kind? Don't get me wrong, being nice can and sometimes does come with a price. Christina Grimme lost her life after being nice to her eventual killer. I understand how that would make people be hesitant to be nice. That kind of stuff causes a distrust of people in general. It has to be difficult to continue to be a Christian, when you see one showing the love of Christ. The mental anguish has to hurt, but I like to imagine that the people that have gone on to be with the Lord would like you to continue to stay on the pathway. Jesus said, "A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully." I'm sure Christina lived every day to the fullest the best she could. Her passing and the way she passed hurt a lot of us. Maybe it's a lesson to all of us based off Matthew 5:16, and a song I learned as a child to, "Make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise you Father in heaven."

When I worked customer service we were taught that you got to treat every customer equally. You got to be kind even when they are not. And for my attitude, patience, anxiety, call it all what you will...that was the hardest part of the job for me. I'm not saying you have to skip through tulips and smile every day, but at least be respectful to people. I've grown to realize that because one says they're a Christian, doesn't mean they're the nicest people in the world. They're some pot heads that I find more approachable than some "spiritual leaders." Some of the people in church hate homosexuals, they say they don't but calling them names is not the best way to show you love someone. In my experience, some gay people have been good down to earth to people. I can recall one person I didn't quite vibe with not because he was gay he was not a nice person. His character was off to me. If believers learn to treat homosexuals like the human beings they are they might be more open to join your church services. People want to go where they feel welcome.  Ever walk in somewhere and you can tell the vibe is off, so you immediately walk out? I'm not saying condoning what they do, but they're some stuff that you may do that's not pleasing either. Matthew 7:5 AMP says, "You hypocrite (play actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

Yes we call sin sin, but does that come with bad character? Be nice. The Bible talks about tell the truth in love. Be nice but not naïve. With all this being said, none of us are perfect. Forgive yourself, ask for forgiveness, and be nice. 

Mental Health Check: It's a daily grind. Sometimes are better than others. Some nights I spend crying my eyes out. Some nights I can fall asleep fine. I spoke on a Wednesday night openly admitting what I go through on a daily. I've always dreamed about being behind a podium speaking but I never really wanted it to come to pass. If you want to see this message, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z6T0ZrNklg. Keep me in your prayers. I'm trying to protect my mental health on a daily, which is not an easy task when things aren't going the way they should be; or how people tell me they should be going. 

Thanks for reading. I hope I didn't make anybody mad. These are just the thoughts from the heart and mind of me. IF you liked what you read and/or if you got something out of it, can I get you to share it via Twitter, FB, or how ever. Don't be afraid to leave a comment. Be nice please. Proverbs 15:1 AMP, "A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger."

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson
@DanielRicherson on Twitch
@d_rich864 on Twitter
big_Dusty on SnapChat

RIP Christina Grimme (1994-2016)

LEARNING TO LOVE AND FORGIVE MYSELF PRT 2/HOW AM I REALLY DOING?

I've never been a good public speaker. I get nervous and end up trying to get a laugh. I don't do that out of disrespect, it's to keep from crying. I don't like to participate in arguments and debates which is why Sunday School started to miss me pre pandemic. So I type these blogs because it's my way of making my voice heard. I tried the podcast thing which was pretty easy because it was just me and the program audacity, and no one else in the room. So I felt free to speak my thoughts. When I would post the podcast, that's when the hypothetical leg would start shaking. This generation is told, why try to fit in when you were born to stand out...honestly I don't remember hearing that growing up. So my mindset was I got to fit in because I'm tired of my feelings being hurt. I'm tired of caring what people think. I'm tired of being tired. Even at 33 years old, I still have that anxiety.

That's when it becomes hard to like or love myself. I know I should be much further in life. I know that I'm a "grown man" and with that comes responsibilities. So I get in my own head, trying to impress the authority and when it goes wrong, I can't take it. So I end up apologizing for messing up. I end up apologizing for not being who other people want me to be. The pressure from others and the pressure I put on myself becomes overbearing so I end up contemplating---why am I still here? So when I do good, or when I get told that I'm doing a good job or I get told that I'm doing something right, I get emotional because I have trouble seeing the worth.

Some months ago I took a trip, and on the way back, I started having trouble breathing. Not just because of the facemask, but it definitely didn't help. I could barely get through the airport. Messages went out, prayers went up, and I made it home. Went to the doctor and I felt a little better, but not 100%. I was told that without good health I'm not as effective to the body of Christ. I spend the next few months lying about how I'm doing. I would say I'm ok to avoid conversation about how I'm really feeling and doing. That came back to bite me. It's written, depending on what version of the Bible you read, "The truth shall make you free" or "The truth shall set your free." If the truth brings freedom, then that means there's no freedom in lying.

Now being a child of the Church Of God In Christ, we're not really taught to admit that we're not ok. We're not really taught to admit how we're really feeling. We're taught to say, I'm blessed and highly favored. We're taught not to admit defeat, but the question comes is admitting that how you feel really admitting defeat?

So turns out I wasn't ok. I wasn't ok physically and mentally. I wasn't ok. Feeling obligated to do things that I didn't want to do. Agreeing to do things because it was the "right thing to do." I haven't realized that I can't help everybody. I have to realize that I can't keep putting my health at risk in order to help others. I have to realize that being selfish is not always a bad thing. Saying no is not selfish. Now it's easy for me to be helpful, but when it starts to feel like I'm being used like a puppet then that's when it becomes an issue. I was told that, "Once they use you up, they're just going to move on to the next person." I don't consider myself a bible scholar but I haven't read anywhere in the Bible that says, saying no is a bad thing. I read no where in the Word of God where it says, you have to be a yes man.

The question then comes, why is it so hard to say no? Why is it so hard to not allow people to use you up and throw you away? To some people it's nothing for them to say no. I've heard it's a thing that has to be learned. You have to learn to say no. I want to be able to say no without having to make an excuse for it. I want to be able to say no and not feel guilty about it. Stop feeling guilty taking my mental health seriously as well as my physical health seriously. So if I happen to say no sometimes, people just have to get over it. Easier typed than done if I'm keeping it 100. Because in my mind that "Golden Rule" comes to my mind. The Golden Rule if you don't know goes like this, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In my mind, it goes to so and so helped me when I needed it, so I owe so and so a debt and every time ask I got to say yes. Even God doesn't say yes to everything, so why do I feel I need to?

So needless to say I still have a ways to go. This was not easy to type, but I felt that it needed to come out. Honestly this is not where I really wanted to go, but this where it ended up going. As I quoted in previous post, "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." Philippians 3:13-14

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

SAY I LOVE YOU WHILE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE

 Jon Huber passed away December 26, 2020. 10 days after turning 41. Jon Huber was known as Luke Harper under the WWE umbrella. Under the AEW umbrella he was known as Brodie Lee. His passing took a lot of people by surprise. As I read tribute after tribute, one dominating thing I saw over and over was tell your family and friends that you love them. That got my mind working. How often do I tell my family and friends that love them? Why is that such a battle to say those three words "I love you" to somebody but it's easy to say I love God. I love Jesus.

1 John 4:18-20 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath not seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"

One commentator said, "It is easy to say we love God when it doesn't cost us anything more than weekly attendance at religious services. But the real test of our love for God is how we treat the people right in front of us."

So what is the problem? Maybe it's the fact that some of us have never experience what love truly is. We have experienced a generational fabrication of what was told to be love but it is really poison being passed down. 1 John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." So it also could be we're trying to love people without keeping God in it. Some of us are trying to show the love of God without God. 2 Timothy 3:5 says, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." I know this is against God himself to post other versions of the Bible other than KJV to some, but the English Standard Version of the same verse says, "having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."

If this pandemic taught us anything, especially in the body of Christ, it should've taught us that we don't need to dress for convocation to get into God's presence. The song writer said, "Won't He make you clean inside." The late Bishop G E Patterson said, "Salvation is an inside job." Another song comes to mind that says, "Something on the inside, working on the outside, oh what a change in my life."

Back on topic. Do your love ones know that you love them? Do they know just by what you say, or does your actions show it also? 4 years ago, I spent my Christmas in the hospital. While my family was opening gifts and eating Christmas dinner, I had oxygen in my nose and eating hospital food. I bring this up because my Mom and Grandma took me to the hospital. That's love through action. They could've just said like some people in the church say, "I'll be praying for you." DC Talk has a song that says, "Love is a verb." I've never been in a relationship, but I do know that if you tell your partner you love them, but never show the love, what you say means nothing. How you show the love is just as if not more important than how you say it.

I know I'm guilty of not saying I love you when I probably should. I'm guilty of not initiating the fact that I love someone. Saying I love you too to somebody is easier for me to say than to just come out and say it first. It's hard for me to openly express my love for someone or something out of fear of being trashed for feeling how I feel. I'm still in that learning process of learning how to like and love myself. I'm still learning how to stop feeling guilty about making decisions that will positive affect my mental capacity. I understand it's easy to roll your eyes when the subject of mental health comes up because some still chooses to believe that it's not real. It's also easy to deny something is real when you've never had to deal with it. Like some people still saying that the pandemic is not real, only for the same people to find out that it is real when it's too late.

2020 has shown that death has no age limit. Richard Pryor said in one of his specials, "Death don't [care] where it go. If it gets a two for one that's a good day for death." That has definitely rang true in 2020. I heard someone say years ago, "Appreciate what you have today cause it may not be there tomorrow." Appreciate your parents today. Appreciate the elders that are still here today. If you have any friends, appreciate them today. Appreciate the roof over your head today. Appreciate God today.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

LOVE PAST DISAGREEMENTS

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

In Sunday School in the Church Of God In Christ, we'd have a responsive reading. And the Leader starts off with the verse above. Which is is a little ironic right? The late Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning." He said that in 1963. Here we are 57 years later and not much has changed. One commentary says, "Living in harmony does not mean we will agree on everything; there will be many opinions just as there are many notes in a musical chord. But we must agree on our purpose in life--to work together for God. Our outward expression of unity will reflect our inward unity of purpose." We can't even agree on racism being wrong, yet we try to draw people to a loving God who loves everyone.

Song writer said, "We're shouting, we're dancing, but can the world see a change
Am I just too selfish to see, the love they need you put inside of me
If we say we love Jesus, but they can't see our Jesus
Tell me what's the use if they can't see Jesus in you and me
No more excuses, we give it all away
Because we may be the only Jesus they see." 

Same song writer said, "Sunday everyone looks like you But if our lives are cold inside tell me what's the use."

I got atheist on my social media having field day watching those of us that call ourselves believers act a fool over petty things. To be honest, I can't blame them. 1 John 4:20-21 "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:  for that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." I feel that there's a lot of people that are window shopping the Kingdom. People are looking for help. They're looking for what's real. How can we help the people looking for help while attacking each other? We have to get to a point where we love past disagreements.

Let's keep it 100, you're not going to get along with everybody. That's life. But not getting along should not mean hate. Not vibing with people should not equate to hating them. Let's compare it to sports. There's been numerous sports teams that had players on the team that couldn't stand each other, but they knew they had to work together for the common goal. When the NBA played it's season in the NBA Bubble, some knelt for the anthem and a couple didn't, but at the end of the night, they all played together to win the game. Off the court, I'm sure they had conversations about kneeling vs not kneeling, but on the court, the goal was to win the game.

Dwelling together in unity doesn't mean going to the same ministry or church, I understand that. Using terms like black church and white church is not unity whether they go to your church or not. I read no where in the Word that there's a heaven based on your race. I read no where in the Bible that there's a heaven for white people and there's a heaven for black people. Old song says, "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we will sing and shout the victory." Noticed what's not in those lyrics? Nothing about race or ethnic background. Another old song comes to mind that says, "When all God's children get together, what a time, what a time, what a time." A song I learned as a child, "Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they're all precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world." 

It is written, 'For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without the law God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the week:  I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you." (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) 

A former co worker of mine and I were talking. The subject of church came up. He told me that the last time he went to church, he walked in and immediately the preacher started talking about him causing an immediate u-turn. Makes you wonder how many gangstas, homosexuals, white people, black people have that same testimony. Walk into a spiritual hospital, only to be told in a nut shell, "We don't treat your kind here." Forgetting where they were when they found the Lord. If it took love to lift you, what do you think it's going to take to lift somebody else? 

Song writer said, "It ain't a black thing. It ain't a white thing. It ain't a color thing. It's a kingdom thing." The late Pastor Anderson Gray Sr. had a saying about the church. "This is a place where everybody is somebody and Jesus is Lord." Again keyword everybody. We can't let the actions of a Dylan Roof and others like that to dictate how we treat people that look different than we do. We can't let the actions of Paula White, Kenneth Copeland, and others like them dictate how we treat preachers of the Gospel that happen to be white. It is written, "Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." It's written, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." 

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." Colossians 3:15

If you made it this far, I would like to thank you for reading this. I hope it made sense. I hope you got something out of it. If you did, I ask that you share this with friends and family.

Stay saved,

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. 

DO YOU REALLY LOVE? DON'T YOU REALLY CARE?

For Hana Kimura. 22 year old professional wrestler. Death by suicide. 22 years old. Adult life never really got started. I never watched her perform, but that doesn't matter. What hurts is that she was so young and thought that life wasn't worth it. What also hurts is that what about those that are not being reported that's happening right around your block or dare I say right in your church. What about them? What are we doing as a body of believers to show that we care? What are we doing as a body to show that there's hope? Why are we continuing to sing to each other that "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness" and not singing that to people that need to hear it? How long will we say that we need to get out the four walls of the church and...get out the four walls? Shouts out to the people and the ministries doing the work.

Mark 2:16-17 "And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are w'ell have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15-16 "This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them, but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life."

I once led a song by Dewayne Woods called God is that said, "God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Based off Psalm 73:26 that says, "My flesh and my heart faileth:  but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever."

If we're going to present that God is love and we don't show love, then what's the point? Salvation is an action. To live is an action. We got to learn how to love each other. I think one of the problems may be as to why we don't show the love of Jesus to the "world" is that we don't show it to each other. How can we tell people that they need Jesus and we can't even show the love of Jesus to each other? We don't even care about the mental health of people in the sanctuary.

I understand that you can't go to everyone to vent because some people just don't care. They'll say anything to end the conversation because they don't want to dig in to what the real issue may be. There's some people that really care. Some people need an ear not a mouth. That'll preach. Sometimes in prayer you need to be more of an ear and less of a mouth. Moving on.

How many more suicides do we need to see before we start to care? How many more leaders have to commit suicide before we pray for our leaders? The Clark Sisters put out a song "Pray for the USA." Are we? Am I? I know this is random. New Edition's first hit, "Candy Girl." There's a part of the song that repeats in my head. "Do you really love me? Don't you really care?"

Thanks for reading. Please, if you need an ear, there's someone willing to listen. There's someone that cares. I'm going to end it like this. "Souls in danger. Look above. For Jesus completely saves. He will lift you by His love out of the angry waves. He's the master of the sea. Billows His will obeys. He your savior wants to be, be saved today." I know I repeat myself in some of these posts, and that's not my goal. My goal is to spread hope through this hopeless time.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

Do we remember how to love?

An artist put a song out about 6 years ago called, How To Love. A lot of stuff has been happening lately. Not just in the "secular" world, but also in the "Christian" community. Someone makes one statement going against what the majority agrees with, then automatically they're buried so deep almost never to rise again. And all that got me to thinking, aren't we supposed to love each other? I guess nothing says I love you like I'm going to bury you alive because I disagree with your opinion. I always go back to this verse. I think I first heard it from Donnie McClurkin one time, I'm not sure, but as soon as I heard it, it stuck with me.

Jeremiah 31:3 "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

An old hymn says, "Thy lovingkindness is better than life. My lips shall praise thee, thus will I bless thee. I will lift up my hands onto thy name." 

The Lord draws us with love, but besides drawing other people with love, we bury them because they're not like us. Dare I say, some of us hate Trump for doing publicly what we do privately. I believe that is called hypocritical. 

My mom recently preached a sermon talking about the church needing a heart transplant. She said some of us have spiritual congestive heart failure. She also said, you can't love God and you don't love people. Citing this verse as a reference, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" (1 John 4:20)

Needless to say we have a lot of liars walking around here. Not just in the church either. Some of these entertainers as well. Say they love God but hate anybody that disagrees with their logic. Amazing how some people in the church love to drag these entertainers for doing that, while at the same time they do the same thing. Can't have it both ways. Don't get me wrong, the truth is the truth, no matter who's mouth it comes out of, but as my dad always told me, "Don't throw rocks from a glass house." Better yet the Bible said it like this, "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (John 8:7)

The truth can hurt. Usually when you're in the wrong, the truth does hurt. I believe that in order to be the church God is calling for in these days, love has to be restored back in our hearts.

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh." Luke 6:45

If love is truly in the heart, then that's what's going to come out. Jesus is love, right? So if Jesus is love, and Jesus has your heart, then why are we hating and burying people? What is really the problem?

I hope you got something out of that. I hope it blessed you. I went into this blog thinking it might be my last one. Due to lack of feedback I get on them, I figured what's the use of continuing them? I don't know what's going to happen moving forward. I'll just ask God for guidance on what I should do.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

HELP SOMEBODY

If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
’Cause when you close your heart
You can’t close your...your mind! (Man In The Mirror, Michael Jackson)

Romans 12:2, KJV, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Philippians 2:5, KJV, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"

Maybe sometimes the mirror needs to be turn around. I've heard it said many times that sometimes it's not the devil, but it's you. That's why Michael said that he was "starting with the man in the mirror." Seriously, how do you expect others to change when you're not willing to? My dad always told me, "Don't throw rocks from a glass house." In other words to busy commenting on other folks issues or the "world's issues" but not willing to take care of yours. Ever think that the reason some things don't seem to be changing in your atmosphere is the fact that you haven't took care of that? Now, "that" could be anything. We all got that nagging issue that doesn't seem to go away. Not saying we still can't offer help in the midst of of trying to help ourselves because honestly when I type these gimmicks called blogs I'm trying to help myself as well as offer help to whoever is reading this.

Matthew 12:33-34, KJV, "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt, for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

So some of us need to make our mind on whether we're going to be good or evil? Some of us, including church folks, gasp, try to do both. You can't produce oranges by living like an apple tree. Jesus said he'd rather us be hot or cold because if we're lukewarm, He'll spit us out of his mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16) You're not sick of being covered with saliva yet?

You got to love people in order to try and help. My dad's motto when he was a pastor was, "Help somebody." People are begging for help. They are not looking for tricks. They're not looking to be talked down too. They're not looking to be loved. They're looking for a way out. Believe it or not, some people actually do want to get out, but they don't know how. The world needs Jesus, but we're giving them everything but. Andrae Crouch penned, "Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him there's no other. Jesus is the way." The Bible says that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life. No man gets to the Father except through me (Him)." (John 14:6)

Take a look at yourself. What are you producing? Are producing love or hate? Or are you trying to produce both? Why do you think people leave the church? Not only because of the smoke and mirrors, but because when they're supposed to be receiving love, they're receiving hate at the same time. Jesus is love, right? So why not present Jesus when they walk in to the church, rather than sitting them in the back because they don't dress the part. Michael says, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change." There's a lot of truth in that. I'm not taking anything away from it. May I add though, that if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, make that change, and show Jesus.

First blog of 2017 so of course it was a little all over the place, but I hope the message got through. Thanks for reading.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

JESUS LOVES YOU....LOVE HIM BACK

Before I get going, just want to thank everybody who reads my material. If you're new, hello!

The other day I was googling time travel because I was thinking how cool it would be to travel though time. I know it's impossible, but let me dream. Some parts of my life I would avoid, because I know I wasn't the easiest mulatto to deal with. Still to this day I can be a major pain to some people. The difference is though is that now I'm starting to care. I'm starting to care how I act or react to certain things and situations. Not to say I didn't care then but I would not think before I did things. So googling time travel took me to an interesting video talking about reincarnation. In this video it showed this little boy that knew about what happened when the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor. Apparently he was one of the piliots that died. He knew everything about the pilots life and everything. I don't believe in reincarnation but this was interesting. And it was this other lady that apparently was Anne Frank. She knew where Anne Frank was hiding from the Germans at and all that. Now I know this maybe as some old country people say, "Horse pucky." But how does one explain that? I'm not buying reincarnation, I'm just talking bout the video I saw.

So I watched all that, and that lead to the story that the Heaven is Real movie is about. I watched a video regarding the little boy and going to Heaven when he was 3, and that lead to me watching two powerful video regarding aithest experiencing a little bit of what Hell is and turning their lives around. The one constant I found in both of the videos I watched was 3 words, "Jesus loves you." Like inspite of all you're doing or what you have done, Jesus loves you. Some people just need to know that because they feel alone. They feel unloved. Thy feel unwanted. You don't hear about the other gods saying they loved their servants. But Jesus loves you. He loves you. One more time for the trinity, He loves you. That's why we can't call the young people out their name. If God loves them, and we serve God, then who are we to call them out their name? or anyone for that matter? The Bible talks about drawing people with love and kindness. Can't win anybody calling folks out their name. That's not spreading love.

I heard a guy asked a question that it's not a matter of God loving us but do we love God enough to turn away from our sins? Some of y'all know what is sin and what isn't? Do you want to turn away from it, or continue there in? Believe me I'm not throwing stones from a glass house here, I'm just asking in general. They say love is a two way street. So wouldn't one to expect one that if some one loves you past you, you would love that someone back, right? I'm sure those who are married reading this love your spouse passed who they are, right? I haven't yet found my one, but I'm sure that I would love her like that. I believe it's written that Jesus is coming back for a bride. To become a bride or groomsman is based on love right? Should be anyway.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson
facebook.com/bigdusty
Instagram.com/big_dusty
Twitter.com/big_dusty

TIME IS NOW

Cue Dancing Machine by the Jackson 5. Real music right there folks. Follow me on Twitter @Big_Dusty and get at me on Facebook.com/bigdusty…STRAIGHT TO IT!

Lately the big talk around the news has been about gay marriage. Now I’ve done my share of blogging around this issue. Even did a controversial blog on the “f-word” that is used for gay people. I think I went a little too far on that blog but I won’t delete it because it’s already been read for one, and for two, I can’t take it back. It was already typed. It kills me when famous people delete tweets like it wasn’t said. You already tweeted it people, even if you deleted it, you can guarantee somebody read it and already took a picture of the tweet. You can’t take it back. All you can do is apologize for it and move on with your life. I’ve said some things and done some things that I wish that I could take back. I missed out on opportunity after opportunity that I can’t get back. One of my trainers at work said this morning, you can possibly get back money, but you can’t get back time. That’s true. No matter what you do, you can’t get the time you wasted or missed back.

 I used to regret the things I did in the past. I mean I used to think of my past and little stop walking and try to shake my head to shake the memories away. I’d regret the opportunities I missed out. Regret is nothing but a setback. Move forward. Sorry for my mistakes. Sorry for my mess ups. Today I will strive to do better than I did yesterday. Yesterday I may have messed up, but today I got another chance. Don’t focus on regrets. Focus on the fact that you’re alive another day and it’s another chance. Think about it like this. The wages of sin is death. The payment for the sins you’ve committed or commit is death. Yet, you’re still alive. Chance. Grasp to this chance that you’re getting and take advantage! Run for your dreams. Run for your new reality. Your current reality doesn’t dictate your future reality.

If you’re tired of doing things the same way, if you’re tired of falling in the same trap, falling for the same sin…here’s a thought. Change. Change the way you do things. Change the way you live. You obviously know what to do to fall into the trap, now use this new day to avoid. Today start a new habit of not doing the current habits that you know is wrong.

Couple of days ago, the trainer was asking us if any of us have ever had a significant other or ever had a date. I don’t know for sure, but I must have been the only one in class shaking my head no to the questions. Now the old me would’ve started crying from depression. Crying from being hurt from all the eyes looking at me. But…I know there’s a reason that I’ve been single. There’s a reason I haven’t been on a date. There’s a reason that I’ve never been invited to parties. There’s a reason people never came to the parties I planned. There’s no reason to cry about it. There’s no reason to dwell on it. Today is a new day. New day, new chances. New day, new opportunities. In less than 2 weeks, I’ll be turning 25. What am I doing for my birthday? Maybe something. Maybe nothing. But rather I have a party or not, it’s not going to change the fact that God would have blessed  me to see another year. I know what God has done for me over this past year alone. 24 has been a year of experience. 25 I’m looking for better. New. I’m looking for new. If you want to ride with me, there’s plenty of room. If you don’t want to ride, I’m going to keep moving, don’t hurt yourself jumping out. I love me. If none of y’all love me, I love me. That was the problem. I didn’t love myself. I didn’t find myself worth anything. I thought throwing a party for my birthday would have people like me. I thought inviting people to a barbecue would have people like me. When nobody showed up, when my sister had to invite her friends so people would be there, and all I had planned was to watch movies….I didn’t love me. Look at me now.

I got readers out there that feel the same way. I got some readers out there that have been through. This blog is not so I can preach to myself. This is for all of you that have regret. This is for all of you that have been a screw up. This is for all of you that have been a loner. This is for all of you that felt that nobody cared about you. Learn to love yourself. Learn to like yourself. Find worth in yourself. Don’t look for worth from other people. Don’t get me wrong, when people say they’re proud of me, I smile. It makes me feel good. When I hear people say that God is proud of me. I smile. It makes me feel good. Now I can say, I’m proud of me. I love me. My heart now smiles. I feel good.

Stay Saved,

LOVE YOURSELF...VALUE YOURSELF...

Cue Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder! We going old school with this one baby!!! Follow me on Twitter @Big_Dusty and friend me on Facebook.com/bigdusty (btw, let me know if I should make a fan page…) To the blog!!

You got to love yourself. You got to speak well of yourself. Stop waiting on other people to validate you. Value yourself. You talk bad about yourself on all these social networks. Stop! You are valuable. You are somebody. You degrade yourself, then you expect others to degrade you, and there goes your self esteem. Upgrade yourself. So somebody calls you ugly. People call me ugly all the time. It used to mess me up. Now, not so much. I am who I am. I’m not Michael Ealy. I’m not Will Smith. No. I’m Daniel Richerson. There it is.

If you don’t love yourself, how do you expect someone else to? If you don’t value you, how to you expect to be valued? Be happy with yourself. God made you who you are. I’m fat. I’m not necessarily proud of that, but I don’t beat myself up about it either. Why? For one I can still wear a shirt without the bottom of my gut showing itself to the world, and I can still wear pants over my belly. And two, compared to other folks I see on a daily, I’m not that big. Don’t get me wrong. Valuing yourself, doesn’t mean showing off your goodies to the world. Common sense has to play a factor here. Like if you’re fat, and you know you’re fat, wear clothes that fit. Stop wearing clothes that look like it’s struggling to breath. That’s sad when your clothes look like it’s struggling to stay together. Anyway, basically what I’m saying folks, valuing yourself is not degrading yourself.

Stop calling yourself out of who you are. Stop calling yourself out what God had called you to be. Stop speaking negative over yourself waiting for that one girl or guy to see value in you. If I waited for a girl to validate me that was not family, I wouldn’t have made it this far in life. Speak over yourself what you want others to say about you. I know it doesn’t matter what people say, but when people do say, what would you want them to say? Stop saying you’re alright, when you want somebody to say, you’re fine. Stop saying you’re decent, when you want somebody to say, that’s what I’m talking bout. Stop calling yourself a failure, when you want to be called a winner. Stop calling yourself a nothing, when you want people to call you a child of God.

I heard a pastor say one time, “You got to see it, before you see it if you’re ever going to see it.” I see that I’m successful. I see that I’m healed. I see that I’m handsome. I see that I’m not a generational curse. I see that my dreams coming true. I see that I am loved. Now, that’s I’ve spoken it. What’s next? Live it. Live what you speak. I can speak it all I want, but if I don’t live it, then what am I doing?

Hey, mistakes will be made. Trust me, I still make them. Speed bumps slow you down, but they don’t stop you from making it to your goal. Don’t beat yourself up. See yourself doing better. See yourself moving forward. See yourself going over your speed bumps and getting to your goal. Always remember that God loves you. God loved you when nobody cared at all. If you’re like me, you don’t know why He loves you so much. I’m just keeping it real. When you know you’ve messed up and yet still God makes ways out of no way? That’s heavy stuff. God sees you better. If God sees me better, then I can see myself better.

Stay Saved,

Big Dusty aka Daniel Richerson

Genuine love

Genuine love. dc Talk put a song out that is called, "Luv Is a Verb." Specifically, love is an action verb. That's important to know. Is anybody like me? Sick of hearing loved talked and not showed? I understand that it's important to let the people you love know that you do love them. I have no problem with that at all. My problem is when Love is said but never done. 1 Corinthinans 13:4-5 says, "Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do." If you love somebody, you got to learn of to forgive and let go. Don't do what some church people do and hold stuff over peoples head like you've been perfect. That's not love.

1 John 4:8 says, "God is love, and anyone who doesn't love others has never known him." Wow. The 10th verse says, "Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven." John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Now check out this verse. Back in 1 John 4:20. "But if we say we love God and don't love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don't love the people we can see." That'll preach huh?

There's an old song that says, "Looking for love in all the wrong places." I quoted the verse that says, God is love. So what are you waiting for? We all got a testimony, and some are more tragic than others. Some of us live or have lived the type of life that makes it hard to accept love from anybody. That's why we have to be careful to judge people because we don't know their story. It irks me when people judge by the cover or where a person is from. Stop it. You ain't perfect either. I'm learning myself that even though people don't show love to you, you still got to show love to them. 2 wrongs don't make a right.

Y'all stay saved,

Daniel Richerson

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

No more holding back.

Got the iPod going with some music. Now to get moving with this blog. If you go to a church and you don't feel love in the atmosphere, that's probably not the church for you. 2 places you should feel love is with your family and your church. I'm not saying that's the only places, but it's a shame if you can't feel love in one of those two places. I think that goes especially for a church. I know what some would say that maybe it's you with the problem. Ok I feel that, but what if it's the church with the problem. There's a difference between phony and real when it comes to love. People make the mistake of getting confused of the two. When you're in company of people that are supposed to love you, and all you feel is uncomfortable the whole time, sometimes it's not you. Sometimes it's the company you hang with, or the church you go to. This next statement is sad but I feel it's true. Not every church is going to feel like home. That's extremely sad, but trust me, I know what I'm talking about. We all know that you can't be friends with everybody. That's just common sense, but if you can't walk in a church and feel comfortable, something is wrong. I'm sorry. Like I said, sometimes it's not you, it's the church. That's why it's important to have the gift of the holy ghost and the gift of discernment, Christians.

Now for some random thoughts. Is it just me or has the NBA Playoffs been more like the WWE? My bad, I didn't mean to insult the NBA like that, but it has been rough. Flagrant foul here. Flagrant foul there. I mean why not just take the NBA Playoffs and take it to the streets? It's just about there now with all the rough housing going on. Hey, I don't mind it by any means. It makes for better television.

Speaking of the WWE, I still don't understand why it's turned into Playhouse Disney all of the sudden.

Maine has become the 5th state, I believe, to legalize same-sex marriage. America, we are in trouble. Psalm 9:17 says, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." I rest my case.

Tomorrow is Mothers Day. Much respect to the real mothers out there that are still going strong. For the mothers that are slacking, do better. No more excuses, just do better. I know my mom did a great job. My sister is doing great. I'm struggling but I'll get there someday soon I hope. I know I better get there. Being bored and tired all the time is getting old. Either way, back to mothers. Hope y'all have a blessed Mother's Day and hopefully we as the children don't make it a one day thing any more. That we'll celebrate y'all everyday.

This past Thursday (5/7) was National Prayer day. Excuse me if I'm wrong, and I am at times, but shouldn't everyday be National Prayer day? Shouldn't we be praying for the nation everyday, especially in this day and age? I'm just saying. Old cheesy song I learned at daycare when I was around 10 or 11 said, "Read your Bible, pray everyday and you'll grow grow grow." Notice it didn't say one day out the year. Everyday. Come on now people.

For those who are reading my story, first of all thanks. Second of all, sorry that I haven't posted anything lately, but I got good material in my head. So as soon as I get that down on paper, I'll post some. Ok? Ok.

I'm up to 55 followers on Twitter, and I have no idea how. I ain't complaining though. If you happen to be on Twitter, come on and follow me. BigDusty864 is my username.

My sister saw the new Star Trek movie. She said it was good. When I get enough money, I definitely want to see it while it's still in the theaters.

Ok, that's all I got to type for this one. I can't think of more things to talk about, and plus it's close to 1:30 AM. Leave your comments and share your thoughts on what I talked about. Follow me on here if you have an account, and I'll catch ya next week God willing.

Stay Saved,

Daniel