Gentry's Journey
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Gentry's Journey
Grief, Depression, And A Pastor’s Comeback Story
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A lot of people assume pastors are immune to mental health struggles, but grief does not check your title before it hits. We talk with Pastor Aubrey Richardson of Rivers of Living Water Believers Church in Birmingham, Alabama about losing his father during the COVID era, carrying new leadership weight overnight, and sliding from “I’m fine” into depression, panic, and a moment so dark he called the suicide hotline. It’s an honest, faith-centered conversation that refuses to sugarcoat what emotional pain can look like, even for someone who has preached for decades.
We also get practical about what helped him climb back: naming the problem, reaching out instead of suffering in silence, and rebuilding his inner life through steady spiritual rhythms. Pastor Richardson breaks down what he means by walking by faith over fluctuating emotions, why “right hearing” matters, and how scripture meditation, repetition, and spoken truth can reprogram destructive thought habits. Along the way, he explains the core message behind his book Righteous In Christ Hereafter: righteousness is a gift in Christ, your standing with God is not fragile, and your story is not over.
If you’re navigating Christian grief, depression support, church leadership burnout, or simply trying to hold onto faith when feelings spike, this one offers both comfort and clarity. Subscribe for more conversations with authors and leaders, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review telling us: what daily practice keeps your mind anchored?
Welcome And Guest Introduction
SPEAKER_05Good evening, everyone, and welcome to Gentry's Journey. This is Carolyn Coleman, your host, and we have with us today Pastor Aubrey Richardson, and he's going to tell us about his book and himself and his ministry. How are you doing, Ms. Pastor Richardson?
SPEAKER_01Doing well, doing well on this Sunday evening for sure.
SPEAKER_05Great, great. Okay, so introduce yourself.
SPEAKER_01Well, I'm Pastor Aubrey Richardson, um, pastor of Rivers of Living Water Believers Church here in Birmingham, um, Alabama. And um currently we're just doing a lot of things uh outside the four walls, you know. Um I would just say that. And I've been in ministry since 1998. So uh it's been a while. Uh 27 years of ministry. Um started preaching at the age of 18. And um I got three daughters. Um currently, I'm not married, um, but I believe in marriage and things like that. But um, we've just been doing a lot of things since um my dad passed in um 2020, and that led to um, you know, me going through the things that I went through to write this book. And so two years after he passed, um, you know, I went through a uh a crisis, mental crisis. Um, you know, just went through a lot of things. And uh we're gonna talk about that, but that's a little bit about me. Um I'm big in sports, I like football. Um, I do a lot with uh, you know, sports teams uh right now, uh in this season in my life. And uh I'm just committed to helping people. I like to uh work with people, partner with people, you know, network and things like that. And uh that's how I met you. And so uh that's what we're doing in this season. We're looking uh for opportunities to share um our story. You know, everybody has a story, and uh mine is a comeback story, uh for sure. So that's a little bit about me uh for now. And um, hey, ask me any questions.
SPEAKER_05Oh, thank you so much. We are so glad to have you. Yes, we met at um event that um the nursing organization that I am a part of, the Birmingham Black Nurses Association. Uh, you were one of the vendors. And when
Ministry Roots And Coaching Mindset
SPEAKER_05I see someone with their books on display, I automatically think, invite them to your podcast. And as I told you, I didn't purchase the book that day because I had already purchased it. It looks too familiar, and um, and so I was like, okay, when I got home that evening and kind of decompressed, I realized exactly where it was. It was at one of my um fellow members' church, she was doing an author's expo, and I purchased it that day, but um be that as it may, we went through all of that, so that is why. But I have purchased your book and purchased it on site at that author's expo, and I am thankful to have it. But as um we all get busy, and um, I told you what was going on with that, but it is in route, okay. So um thank you so much, and you're more than welcome, absolutely more than welcome. Always willing to help a fellow author, okay. I mean, come on, we gotta be here for each other on some level right now. Um, your book cover definitely says a lot, and which is very phenomenal. But you gave us a little bit about your background. So you are a Christian, yeah. I know you're a pastor, but do you call uh labor yourself also as a coach as well as a visionary?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely, yeah. Okay and um visionary, yeah, absolutely. And uh yeah, if you wanna want me to talk more about that, I can absolutely absolutely okay. So from a from a coaching uh standpoint, I think I just mentioned that um you know I like sports, I like football in particular, like all sports. I like you know, just good competition, right? And uh with coaching and football, I played um, I'm from Birmingham. I I graduated from the um from Huffman High School here in Birmingham in uh class of 98. I played football. And, you know, when I went to college and I started ministering, like I said, I started preaching at age um 18. I got into coaching. Um, you know, years later, um some of the coaches that was coaching when I was playing in high school uh invited me to come and coach. And so me being a minister and had played um football, you know, I was offered the opportunity to coach uh to position that I played at Huffman, which is linebackers. And so I started coaching and you know, we were doing uh devotions with the uh football team and and and coaches. And uh yeah, so I got into coaching. And, you know, a lot of people who who do certain things are not able to coach. And so I've been uh graced to be able to do that, to um, you know, play at a uh at a high level and also you know being able to give back and teach. And so that's one of the unique, unique things about my ministry. Uh, I just really feel that we all here and we have a service, right? And so mine happened to be, you know, spiritual, and we can help guys, you know, on the physical side. And so just bringing that with uh devotions, giving them you know something to focus on on the spiritual side. But yeah, absolutely. I've been coaching uh for sure, coaching for many years and like it as well.
SPEAKER_05Okay, and you've been a minister for a while. Is this your first book, sir?
SPEAKER_01Yes, it is.
SPEAKER_05Okay. So what inspired you to go ahead
Loss, Depression, And The Book Promise
SPEAKER_05and just put pen to paper?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, because going through um what I went through again, uh two years after my father passed, uh, during that COVID period, my father passed in uh 2020, November the 20th, to be exact. And um two years after he passed, I um I just went through just you know, just some negative uh uh thinking and and and and I and I started dwelling on that too long and it led to depression and so forth. But you know towards the end of that, I said, God, if you help me get out of this, I'm gonna write a book about it. I told my family about it and uh they said I should. I talked to some of my you know spiritual uh preach brothers and they gave me the uh the uh the green light to do that, and that's what really inspired that because I feel like that if a man of God or anybody, you know, that that believes and they go through something um like that, just imagine that the people in this world who don't have you know people in their life, uh mother and father, and you know, a lot of times people will end their life, you know. Um and so mental health is is is really important, it's vital. And so I felt like I knew that if I went through something like that, you know, we we wanted to be able to help some people, and that's what it's all about. You know, we go through things and then we come out, we want to pull somebody else up and and uh help them to avoid some of the uh things uh you know that we went through and try to prevent them from going through the exact same thing.
SPEAKER_05And that's absolutely true, and you know, it's just like building a bridge, you want to help them to cross that bridge, uh, because you understand what people are going through because you went through it. Absolutely, so yeah, it's so it is good to have that personal reference where you uh this is what I went through, and I know if I got through it, you will be able to get through it as well. So, people do need that support because a lot of people will say, Oh, shake it off, shake it off, you'll be all right, you'll be all right. Uh-huh. Just pray, just pray. We have to touch and agree with people, and we you know, we have to pray for them, with them, let them know that we're in, you know, that we are truly encouraging them. Because you can basically tell if someone really just by the the way they answer you, if they're really praying for you.
SPEAKER_01Amen. Yeah, me too. Been around for a while. Yeah, you can you can tell, you can tell, you know, that that discernment is there.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, that discernment that ain't nothing to play with, okay. You may not say anything to them, but you walk away with a smile saying, Okay, I see what you all about. You do all this talking, hey, but put put some action behind that. And it doesn't take much to do a sincere prayer. You don't have to hold someone's head, hold someone's hand, just let them, you know, you can whisper a prayer right there, right then and there. The Lord have mercy.
SPEAKER_01Lord have mercy. Right. Sometimes it's the shortest prayers, like you said, Lord have mercy prayers, the most uh, you know, a very very effective, those short prayers because yeah, I like that.
SPEAKER_05Lord have mercy. Just Lord have mercy. I mean, because God is all knowing. I know, so yeah, we don't have to do a a whole lot to get his attention.
A Practical Writing And Publishing Path
SPEAKER_04Correct.
SPEAKER_05Now, when it came to your writing process, how long did it take you to write your book?
SPEAKER_01Believe it or not, it didn't it didn't take long once I got started because um going through that. I mean, I'm uh as a minister, you know, I I um I meditate a lot. And so I was meditating a lot on the negative side when I was going through it. So once I finally um started writing it, it didn't take as long as as you would probably think. Uh I was writing. I also was recording myself a lot. Uh I had to have this software and I would you know talk about you know different uh days or uh or weeks in my life and would get it you know transcribed and things like that. And so um, yeah, it didn't it didn't take a long time once I really decided, you know, hey, you know, we're gonna do this, and I and I found out, you know, I got a I got a team together and I just got my questions answered on how you go about this. And so it didn't take long. And so some people do take long because you know they may not have a lot of time due to work and family and things like that. But uh I just made my mind up that I was gonna start and I was gonna finish. And I'm and I'm so grateful that I was able to do that. So um it took you know, it's a couple a couple of months, but not not a not a really long time. I already knew what the title was. Uh prior to that, I just needed to know, you know, the how to. So yeah, it didn't it didn't take uh as long as I I've heard some other people because I know some people right now that I've met and who's purchased a book and they said they've been working on their book for years, right? And so uh that's why we're grateful for these type of platforms right here, because we can kind of encourage people. And so, you know, we want to help. We want to help, you know.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Once we learn something, we want to give back and help somebody and be able to take you know a lot of the time out of out of the equation.
SPEAKER_05And I am a sharer, I'm not a hoarder of information and knowledge. If this is what you say you want to do, I will give you the key points that you need to get yourself started. But the thing about it, you can't make them put their pen to paper. And some people have written a lot, correct. But um I said, now I'm not I'm not the formatter, you know. I can't help you edit. This is your this is yours, you know. So you're gonna have to get somebody who knows more about this process than I do, and you know, uh, you do a couple of recommendations, and um you know, but still things come into way because life happens to people, and it just might not be the time for that particular work to come out, yeah, it everything is about timing, it really is, but yeah, I'm not gonna hoard the information, I'm going to give it to people, and um we go from there. Um, one of my friends, she said, I love writing. There's nothing I love to write, I love to write, and um she said the hardest part is getting other people to buy into my work. I said, That is it, because there are so many variations of topics, subtopics that you can be under, and yeah, her writing is good, you know, it is good. Um, it might not be for everyone, and but that's any about writings. That might even be a cookbook. You know, some people might not like your cookbook, you know. I just want I had I want to have a different taste, but I wanted a different flair, I want a different, you know, and and it is, but if it's your goal to do that, and if it's in your heart to do that, do it.
SPEAKER_01Amen. Amen. 100 do it 100. You know, and so and so what helped me was that, like you said, it's not it may not be for everybody, but there are so many people that are hurting. Uh, there's so many people you know who are looking for that cookbook, you know. And so we have to realize as people that we have influence, that's why we're here. And um, but there's a niche for that, right? I may not be interested in in baking the cake, but somebody is, and so yeah, somebody if it's something that's really deep down in your heart, then you need to do that. And if it can help somebody, that's what it's about, because we're here to serve, right? And that's one of the that's my main assignment as a minister. That word is is serving, right? And so we want to serve, we want to help, we want to develop, we want to strengthen. And so, yeah, you're right. And so, if that's somebody who's listening, you may not have a book that's like mine, but whatever problem it is, it's something that you know you've been thinking about and thinking about, I think you need to do something about it. Because sometimes, sometimes we think that other people feel and see what we see, and many times it's not. And so when it's like that, that means that God has equipped you to solve that problem. And that's what happened with this. I told my family, I gotta write about this because again, you know, I grew up, you know, uh with my mother and my father. Uh and I started preaching at a young age. And so all these, you know, biblical foundations and teachings, but life is gonna happen to all of us and it's how we how we respond. And so I'm encouraging anybody, you know, hey, reach out to somebody, you know, uh, you know, seek help. Uh call an expert. You know, an expert is somebody that's in the uh area that you're in, and they've already, you know, achieved some level of of success. And and most of the time, people like that, they're willing to coach you and develop you and and help you, you know. And so that's what I um encourage uh people to do is just reach out.
SPEAKER_05I agree. I agree. Now, what themes or messages do you hope readers take away from your book?
SPEAKER_01The message is that um, you know, your story is not over, right? It's not how you start, but it's how you finish. And uh, we all gonna go through, you know, valley experiences, no matter who you are, right? You know, we all have that thing um that we care about, and and a lot of times we fear if that's taken away. You know, it could be a a grandparent, it could be a spouse or whoever. And so we all have it, no matter who we are, where we are, it could be a financial thing. And so I went through it. I lost um my best friend, which was my dad. I'm his only son. And um, you know, um, and so again, you know, you know that day can possibly happen, but it's just how you respond. And I was okay for a while, but again, we we wanna we want to be able to help people, you know, because we all gonna be tested in that.
SPEAKER_05And so again, everybody has a story, and um, somebody needs to hear your story, and that is very true because your story will resonate with them, or if it's not them, someone it will resonate with someone, correct.
Building Platforms For Authors And Caregivers
SPEAKER_05I believe that oh I do too. I mean, so do I. Um I I I do as well, honestly. Um I will get into mine just a little bit later because I write Christian nonfiction and I write fiction. So um, even with my fiction, you know, that is is girly, is it's like a girl flick, a movie flick, you know, it's a girl flick. And people are like, Why did you tell my story? Yes, girl, that's fiction. I didn't think about you when I was writing that, you know, but it resonated with some people, okay, and that's fine, you know. And the Christian nonfiction is, I mean, um, it's going to resonate because it is your true story. It was and um it is about you, your life, what you went through, how what you were going through, and how you overcame what you what you went through. And um everybody's been through something at some point in time, uh, because it's life, it is it is just life. So um just have met some dynamic people along the way, real appreciative of them and their knowledge and their encouragement is my story. Um, the reason I started the podcast was because a lot of new authors just don't have a platform to get their work out. Um so that that fell in my spirit because that was definitely not on my mind at the time. And um, someone encouraged me to do so, and I'm glad I did. And by me being a nurse by profession, I do health-related topics as well, or I have people who are um senior subject matters in that particular field um that come on, you know, be it doctors, um, lay people, um, people who are advocates for health care and um advocates for caregivers. A lot of times people forget about the caregiver. The caregiver goes through a lot, yes. You know, so and they have written regarding their experience as being a caregiver, and um, that's no small task. It wasn't, yeah, it's it's just no small task, and I don't care who all is helping, it's no small task because it takes a lot to care for a loved one. Um, now me being a nurse, you know, I leave them there for the next nurse to get. But when it's your loved one, your family member, um, you're leaving them there for the next family member to pick up. But while you're there, you're reflecting on days of old, so to speak, the things of the past when everything was, as we can say, quote unquote, lovely and things were going good, and that was your uh your dad, your provider, your source of wisdom, that your source of even when he would give knowledge, it would be comical to me. So his comedic way of doing things and his zest for the dynamics of people, he loved the dynamics of people. Um, some of the some of it he shake his head, some of it he laugh about, but he always gave me good advice, and him giving me the good advice, I passed it on to my other girlfriend. And they still to this day, my my my father uh went to be with the Lord in 01. And uh to this day they were like, girl, your dad know he he he gave us some good knowledge, whether he knew them or not. They still say that, and so you know, I'm I'm thankful for that, be and you know, because it groomed me into being who I am, you know. Um, sure, you know, a two-parent household, mom and dad, and uh so mom was the disciplinarian, but you know, dad was um the moneymaker and that person with short words, short on words, dad bum them. People you don't owe people nothing, you know, you don't owe them nothing. I was like, wow, okay, you know, short and sweet, you know, short and sweet, you know, but it it meant and it still resonates with me, the advice that he gave me. Um, and one of my cousins was talking to him not long ago, and he was saying that he gave him a lot of knowledge and a lot of wisdom. And he said, I still use those things to this day. And so, you know, it's just great to hear, you know, that you had someone who was able to do it and did do it, not just for his kids, but also for his family members' kids and things of that nature. So it's
Chapter One And Pandemic Grief
SPEAKER_05just good to know. Now let's dive into this book a little bit. You say you have 15 heartfelt chapters. Which chapter moves you the most?
SPEAKER_01I would say um the first one, you know, the first one, um, how it opens up and the things that were going on and leading to that, you know, it it it it the first one is is powerful. All of them are. I I would say the the first one and the last one. I mean, but um, yeah, I definitely would say the first one starting out. So the first one talks about, you know, the pandemic, the pool. And the pain. It's kind of how everything started. And it just talks about how, you know, the relationship me and my dad had, and how um when he passed, you know, I became the senior person because I was always his assistant, you know, had been preaching with him, doing every everything. And so when he passed away, uh it happened so fast, and I was thrust into that uh position as the uh the hit, the leader, right? And so it was just difficult during the pandemic because things were different as far as ministry. And um, you know, I was okay to I did is I did um my father's eulogy. I had never done a eulogy before, uh, been a part of many funerals with him and others, but never had done that. And so uh I did that, and things were just still different as far as church and people coming, and it just it just was different, you know, preaching uh behind the camera, you know, on Zoom and Facebook and things like that. And so, you know, it just it just led up to um the depression, and then my my grandmama had passed. So all this is in chapter one, and I was in the depression when my mama when my grandmother passed. My dad had passed first, and then my grandma passed in uh 2023. And so about three years later, but I was in that depression uh you know in 2022, started in October. So my grandmama passed in early uh uh 23, and it was her wish that I do her funeral. And I was like, wow, you know, because she didn't know, I mean, she had heard, but my grandma thing, like, you know, you go you gonna come out of this. It ain't never it ain't nothing wrong with you. But in my mind, I was like, wow, you know, I had already had a panic attack and things like that. So the first chapter really just lays the foundation how um I got into this really bad depression, and it was like in and out because I didn't I didn't think I can do her film, and so even when you think that God is not there, he's there because my family was like you did a powerful, powerful sermon, right? And so you just gotta read it. I don't know, we could go through the entire chapter, but it talks about you know, thrust into the fire, it talks about when my strength turns to survival, right? So the things that was deep down in me, it was still there, but my emotions were screaming louder than the truth that I knew and had been taught and had been using. But in that current state that I was in, you know, it felt like I couldn't be used by God, felt like you know, I was abandoned. But in that time, and so this the first chapter really opens that up, it talks about how God's grace was there, how he's still there, he's closer when you think he's a million miles away. And so it also talks about you know when grace breathes again. So also in that chapter was another critical moment. All this in chapter one, right after I preached my grandmama's funeral, I was okay for a minute, and then I started isolating myself again, and that same little pattern, it crept back up, and I was in a deep depression again. And my cousin, uh, who's only six years older than me, he had a massive stroke, and he was so strong during the time when my dad passed and encouraging me, and when my grandmama uh passed, and I did her her funeral, did the eulogy. And I mean, he's he's like a man's man, right? And so he his health just declined. I mean, just I don't know, he had a massive stroke. And once again, see, I know that the call never changes, like whatever God has called you to do, it never changes, regardless of how you feel or what's going on. So, with that, the family called me because just like my grandmama, she said, Hey, you're the leader of our family, and she wanted me to do the eulogy. And I and I tried to tell my mom that I wasn't gonna do it. I said, I'm I'm not, you know, you may want to get someone else to do this now. Now it was an honor, but just again, my current state of being was trying to talk me out of it, right? And so that's where a lot of people are right now. It's like their emotions are screaming higher than the truth or the call of what they know they should do in their heart, but a lot of us, you know, we may want to, you know, not do it because of what's going on in our life. So my cousin, in that situation when he had a stroke, they thought he would never walk, talk, anything. He's doing all of that now. I mean, he's a walking miracle. And so the family, his family, called me to pray for him, right? And I'm thinking, like, I can't even pray for myself. And it took everything in me to go to the hospital because nobody else is calling themselves ministers in the family. And so when I just got my eyes off of myself, and I and I prayed for him, and all he could do at that time was kind of squeeze my hand. You know, he he, I mean, it was, I mean, it was hopeless. I even heard the doctor saying that he probably would never talk. He he made he said he didn't even know if he can hear me at that time, anybody. And so now my cousin, he said he remembered everything. I talked to him the other day, he got two books, and I tell I tell him, I said, You're in there. So the first chapter really, it really sets the foundation and it talks about that because uh even though a lot of people had a bad thing with it at uh pandemic, but mine, you know, having all that was going on with quarantine and then losing your best friend, your mentor, your pastor, uh, your spiritual and biological father all in one, that was a really uh tough time, and so it it opens it up, you know, with that.
SPEAKER_05That's great. Um, that is a powerful testimony, you know. And I I do understand sometimes you're like, you know, somebody else can do this better than I. You know, um, you know, find someone else, but you know, that's an assignment that God really had for you to do. That's why you could that's why you couldn't shake it off. You know, you had to take it off. That's a beautiful thing, you know, but it's also humility because you wanted someone else to do it, you know. You were humble enough to want and ask someone else to do it, but it it really turned out to be your assignment.
SPEAKER_01It really was. Hindsight is always 2020.
SPEAKER_05It always always 2020. Always 2020. And that's a good thing because sometimes after you have accomplished the goal, you look back and say, Oh, this this really was supposed to be me. I really should have just uh this was and it ended up being you, um, so that's what you did.
Faith Over Feelings Through Daily Practice
SPEAKER_05So when it comes to the uh latter half of the book, you speak regarding spiritual maturity and teaching people how to walk by faith over fluctuating emotions.
SPEAKER_02Explain that to me a little bit.
SPEAKER_00Say that again.
SPEAKER_01Which chapter you you're you're focusing on right there?
SPEAKER_05It's one that talks about teaching how to walk by faith over fluctuating emotions, guard against old battles, and sustain lasting freedom through regular spiritual rhythms and declarations. Because we we all have favorite verses that we like to go through for different times of need, you know, for strength, for peace, you know. We all have various verses that we like to go to that are our go-to verses, correct. So I wanted you to just speak on that a little bit, whether it's from your book or from your heart.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, because it's it's in the book. That's what you're reading.
SPEAKER_05And uh, but I don't want to give too much away because I want the people to read the book, correct, correct, correct, correct.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so that's that's going back to the situation I was just telling you about. See, my emotions uh had gotten the best of me, and you know, the Bible talks about in Corinthians, we're supposed to cast down these high imaginations. So any feeling, uh anything um that's not you know the truth, um, you know, we need to cash these things down, right? And so that what would that what was going on with me? I knew the word, right? I hadn't forgot it, but you know, my situation or how I was feeling was getting better, and so I had to get to a point where I started meditating day and night in the scriptures, right? That's what I had been doing, but because of what I had gone through and couldn't sleep and was on medication and uh had to ultimately call the suicide hotline. I mean, it was really bad, and so I had to get back to that, and so the title of the book is righteous in Christ hereafter, and that word righteousness is is is it's being right with God, and so it's a gift. Nobody can can earn this gift through their performance. And again, I was trying to perform or or by works, but again, my emotions, my surroundings are with saying something different, and so what I tell everybody, you just gotta get back to the basics, and it's through repetition, and so we're all programmed, whether it's a a good programming or a bad programming, but Jesus talks about this also, and he and he used the example of a tree. He said, Every tree that my heavenly father did not plant, it must be uprooted. When you look that up, he's talking about a belief, because you know, we're talking about seeds, right? You know, uh uh the word of God is a seed, and things that God didn't plant in our mind, he didn't plant that in my mind, the enemy put that in there, and so I was programmed and I was living a life that was not God's best, right? He allowed it, right? Because whatever we allow, he allowed, but it wasn't his best, and so we're all programmed. So I was on the wrong script, and that's why it's the holy scripture, it's a script that leads to life and abundance and heaven, but it's also a script that leads to you know poverty and destruction and weakness and sickness, and so that's what I would say to anybody because you know your feelings they come and go. Sometimes they serve us and sometimes they do not, and that's why the Bible says, you know, now faith is the subject, don't talk about the feelings, right? But it talks about faith pleases God, and so that's what it was, and so I was operating in faith in those times when I had to go up and pray, even though my feelings said no, was trying to talk me out of it. But I stepped out on faith and God moved. And so, even in my weakest moments, God's power, the the Bible talks about that also. When you were weak, then I was strong. You know, going back when I said when I did the funeral, see, when you totally trust God, see, when when we when you know you cannot, because he was carrying me, even when I didn't realize I was carrying. And so the greatest miracles happened during those times. You follow what I'm saying? So, again, getting back to the basics. I knew this, right? And some people know scripture, but that's why he says faith comes by hearing, it's always a fresh hearing, because you can't live by the food you ate yesterday or last week, right? And so sometimes we think we can do that when it comes to God's word, right? We think that uh we read that last month, or we heard that sermon before, right? Or we know that scripture because grandmama taught us that. So I had to get back to that. I knew it from memory, but I wasn't praying. I'm just gonna be honest the way I because I couldn't, because my mind was just it was it was just all over the place, right? I I couldn't, it was just really, really bad, really, really bad. And I and I was trying to uh fight this all along because I said if I open up to family or even some of my preacher friends, they're gonna think, you know, I don't know what they're gonna think. They're gonna think I'm crazy, lost my mind. So I so it I was suffering in silence too long before I finally sought help, right? So you want to get back to the scripture because it won't it won't change. And uh God loves us all, but we get to a certain level in our life, you know, even the crying won't move him, you know, per se, because faith pleases God, right? And so the begging and all this, it has its place, but he knew me. He it was so much deposited in me that he allowed it and he was just still cheering me on, and he knew that I was gonna come out of it. I didn't know if it was so bad, but you have to get back to that, okay? So it's a programming, okay. And so that's why God tells Joshua in chapter one, he says, meditate day and night, okay? Observe it, see it. He says, Only then will you have success. So we have to get in there and get God's word in our hearts. We have to see it, we have to hear it, and also we got to say it out of our mouth. That is the power of God. I'm here to tell you. I'm here to tell you. So he'll use you, and so don't trust in your ability. A lot of times we've gone to a place where we want to trust that, and so the only way we can see God's hand really or see miracles is that you have to totally rely on him, okay? And that's what he was bringing me to. Like, like I got you, even when you don't think I have you, right? And so, yeah, that that that was powerful, you know, and I really saw that. In hindsight, it's 2020. He was carrying me, like that old um thing you say you when you see those pictures say footsteps in the sand, yeah. You know, you like like we was two of us walking, but while we see two, God was literally carrying me because I was trying not to preach, I was trying not to do this, and and and my church it never gave up on me, you know. Like it was time we had to cancel the service because we canceled the uh Facebook because I just couldn't do it, right? And um it's sad, but it's true. And thank God this didn't go, it went on for about nine to eleven months. It wasn't years, but again, I had been preaching for years, and the enemy wanted to take me out of him. He really did, and so um, yeah, but thank God for his grace, thank God for people uh like yourself that pray for pray for us and things like that. But yeah, so we got to get back to to uh the scripture because that's the only thing that's gonna please God and have the God kind of success in our life, spiritual, physical, and financial.
SPEAKER_05And that's something that never changes, the word of God never changes. Um, you know, people will tell you something one day, ask them the same question, you'll get a different answer than that. But God will never change. I mean, I mean that that that's just people for you, you know. But God's word never changes, it never changes, and and that that is the blessing. Um, that is the blessing, and I think sometimes we get caught up in friendships or kinships and things of that nature. And I I think some of them mean us some good, you know, but we have to get to the word of God, get back to the word of God, or you know, just what is it, hide his word in our heart. We we got to hide it, we got to call on it, you know. We have to do like I tell some people, when you're just feeling so low, just say Jesus. That's right. There's power in his name.
SPEAKER_00Amen. Thank you, though.
SPEAKER_05One of uh my friends' mom, um, her brother was, you know, she was helping with her with her brother when he was ill, and um he eventually passed, and so I saw her again, and I said, Um, how you doing? How you brought? She said, Well, he passed, and she said, But I'm telling you, Carolyn, it was it was it was rough, it was a it was a it was a time. I said, Yep, but God brought you through. I said, You don't smell like smoke. She said that word blessed her. There you go. She even sent me a card with she said, That blessed me. I said, You've been through the fire, but you don't smell like smoke. She said, Now that blessed me. And it, you know, and I was like, Lord, I thank you. You know, because who knew we would see each other at that time? You know, nobody but God. I wasn't thinking about anything like that. But I was when she told me the look on her face, she said, now Carolyn, that blessed me. And then, like what like I said, she sent me a card that blessed me. I didn't smell like smoke. I've been through the fire, and you know, and I still have that card. I I kept it, you know, certain mementos you keep, that's right, and won't mean anything to anyone but you, but I keep it, and um, so I'm thankful. You know, a lot of times we just need to be thankful that we were able to be used by God to comfort, to console, to encourage another individual, and not looking for anything in return. That's right, that's right. Yeah, no, so it is a blessing.
SPEAKER_02Now, let's see.
Righteousness, Identity, And A New Legacy
SPEAKER_05Um your book empowers believers to stand firm in their true inheritance and begin a new legacy of confidence and authenticity authenticity.
SPEAKER_02Explain that.
SPEAKER_00Well, again, it's going back to you know the righteousness.
SPEAKER_01Okay. That's our stand with God. You know, uh Jesus said on the cross it is finished. And I think a lot of times we tend to forget, you know, that it's done. Literally, God has done all he's gonna do for us, but some kind of way we always thinking that it's tomorrow or one day this, but the grace is already there. And so the reason the book is titled Righteous in Christ is because it's it's our stand, okay, with God. And it never changes, right? God, you know, we can't undo what He did. We think we can. I thought I thought I thought I I could. And so our state of being may change. For instance, you could be, you know, married and you can be divorced. You know, you could have money coming in and you can lose your job, you know, you can lose your 401k, just a lot of different things. And so what we want people to understand is that life happens to all of us, okay? But if you are a believer, you meant, you know, when you prayed that prayer, if you believe from your heart and you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, then the Holy Spirit seal you, right? That doesn't mean that we just go out, that don't mean that we just go out and do any and everything, but his grace is sufficient. But a lot of times we've been trained to do, do, do, and perform and perform, but his finished work was enough, okay? So I was sharing this earlier today, so that's why the book is titled Righteous in Christ hereafter. See, I can't undo what God did, just how we couldn't undo what Adam did when Adam and Eve did what they did in the garden. So when they did what they did, it affected everybody. Okay. So on the flip side, see what Jesus did for all who will believe, it affects all of us. And so when God sees me, he don't see me, he sees Jesus, who is his righteousness. But my righteousness and your righteousness and all who believe is in him. And Jesus is sitting down not because he's tired, but because the work is finished. He paid for my sins and everybody else's sins, past, present, and future. Okay. So God saw my ear from the beginning, yours and everybody who's listening. And he still called us, he still died for us because the scripture said, While we were yet sinners, he died. So that's where all that comes from. So when you think about righteousness, Job said, Who can be righteous? Nobody in themselves, because we all gonna blow it from time to time, right? We may say some things we don't want to say, we may do some things we thought we would never do, but righteousness is a gift, and it's only to be received. You can't earn this. I don't care how good people say we are, you can't earn this, okay? And that's the problem. A lot of people want to uh earn and earn and you know, earn this. You can't earn this, and so I want people to grab a hold of that it's your stand with God, just like um, for instance, you if you got family at home, you know, kids, and it seems like there's nothing when you really love somebody, there's nothing that they can really do to stop you from loving them, right? They're not perfect, but there's you but but they're in good standing because of the relationship, right? This is my son, this is my first and only son, or this is my daughter, and so we have a stand with God that that that ain't gonna change, but our state of being may change, right? And so my feelings, my emotions, right? Thinking wrong too long led to me believing wrong, okay. I want I want y'all to everybody to hear that. See, right thinking leads to right believing, and the scripture is right, okay. But you can get off because God gives all of us free will. So I started thinking wrong too long. Because whatever we do for about 21 days, three weeks, it becomes a habit. And I got the wrong habit and the wrong um uh doing in my life. I started believing wrong, and then when I started believing wrong, I started walking wrong, and I knew it, I knew it, I knew I was off, but that's what happened. So again, the stand, the righteousness, and don't be fooled by your current state of being because your stand won't change with God. So I hope I hope I hope that was clear for somebody.
SPEAKER_02Amen.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so don't be fooled by that. Yeah, yeah. Don't be don't be deceived by your state of being.
SPEAKER_05And that's true. That is very true. We you know that's why we have to seek God to get out or go through what what he really wants us to have. Uh yeah, seek ye first.
SPEAKER_01Seek ye first. See, that's that's that's that's one of my favorite scriptures right there. Matthew 6 and 33.
SPEAKER_05Now you have this. You want believers and seekers to experience another rich word. Now we know your last name is Richard Rich.
SPEAKER_03Richard. Correct.
SPEAKER_05All right, tell us about that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so another rich word is the acronym for that. And again, you're right, it's it's my last name. Uh, it's a part of it. So some people they they they tie that together, and it is, you know, because it's a brand. Um, but God had given me the name of the book, you know, in that. And so that that that rich word it stands for righteous in Christ hereafter. Okay. But also, you know, those who who believe, right? Our father is rich, right? He owns it all. The Bible says to own the cattle on a thousand hears. And so I want us to have that image. Uh, he we serve a big God. So all of that is tied together. Uh, a rich word, righteous in Christ, you know, all of those things are again. It's a part of my name. Um, my email is is that rich already? So it's just it just goes on and on and on. But yeah, that that that's that's what he has given me. And so the rich word is what we deliver on Sunday and wherever we go, right? And so uh we always want to the message God has given me in this time is that this righteousness is our stand, right? It's not based on my performance, it's based on what his son did for all of us over 2,000 years ago, okay? And so it's a gift that he offers everybody, and all we got to do is believe. And we when we when we believe right, well, just like Abraham did, God says, That's a righteous man, that's a righteous woman. So we have to believe in our heart, and that's all God wants. And the doing is gonna become easier when we believe right, because I I told you, if your thoughts are right, you can believe right, and once you started believing right, you can start living right, okay?
SPEAKER_05Amen. Amen. It's gotta come from your heart, it's gotta come from your heart, it's gotta come from a sincere heart. It does, sincere heart, amen.
SPEAKER_00So true.
SPEAKER_05Well, I tell you, I tell you, um, Pastor Aubrey, this has been
Where To Get The Book And Final Charge
SPEAKER_05a really great interview. Getting to know you, getting to know your works. I want you to tell the audience where they can find you and where they can purchase your book.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay. Well, you can find me in Birmingham, Alabama. This is this is where um I live. Um, hey, um, you can see me out in some some different schools um and things like that, but you can contact me uh and we can set up a booking or uh you know do a book signing, and that number is 205-377-0499. Okay, you can call or text that number, but also the book is on Amazon, okay. Amazon, that that is um uh how I got my book published, so it's on Amazon, but I prefer people get it from me. Um, a lot of people probably don't know this. And Amazon, they're great, right? They they they do a lot of things, but they don't pay us authors until like two months after, okay? So you can do that because I had a lot of family members do that, they just wanted to get it through Amazon. But I prefer you get it through me, and so you can do that by calling. I can get the book because I have my own special link and we can have it shipped wherever, right? So I prefer that you get it from me. But if you just uh want to do it directly through Amazon, you can do that because we still get uh rewarded, compensated, but it's just gonna be a lot later, okay? So the book is $25, okay, $24.99 on Amazon, and um you can get it from me. Um, we do uh Zell, we we do Stripe, you know. Some people like Cash App, cash checks, all those type of things, but you can call me at that number again. It's 205-377-0499, and also we have a workbook that just got released um about two weeks ago. It's on Amazon. It's yeah, a workbook, and so uh yeah, it's on Amazon. And thank you so much. And so another part when you talked about rich coaching, see, all of this, the book is is designed that we do coaching as well. Because I told you I'm I'm a football coach, I'm a life coach. And so we have a a coaching program that we call Rich Coaching. So you get the book. Uh, those who want a uh me to be their life coach, uh, we do groups, you can have that also. And then just yesterday, we've we've released the audio book. Now, the audio book is not on Amazon, okay? So you can contact us for that as well. Okay, but the book, the workbook, even the uh digital copy is all on Amazon right now. All you gotta do is type in my name, Pastor Aubrey Richardson, or you type in the book title on Amazon, Righteous in Christ hereafter. But Pastor Aubrey preferred that you make that phone call and we can get it to you uh just as soon as Amazon uh would as well. Okay.
SPEAKER_05That's wonderful. Now, um, thank you so much for being a part of Gentry's journey. I really have enjoyed um your conversation today. Is there any last thoughts you want to leave with the audience before we close out?
SPEAKER_01Well, I just want to say that your thoughts are very important, okay? Uh, I want you to have uh all the all the success that God wants you to have. I want you to experience uh an abundant life. And so if you're struggling in your thoughts, I encourage you to reach out to somebody. I I know that we all need a pastor. If you don't like the term pastor, you need a coach, somebody that we can be accountable uh to and for, because suicide is real, okay? It's happening. Uh depression is real. And with all that's going on in our world, we need to be um accountable to others. We need to uh check on our loved ones, and so again, our righteousness is a stand. And Pastor Albert wants you to believe right, right? But before you can believe right, you got to hear right. Jesus told Mary and Martha, one thing is needful, right? These two sisters, they both love Jesus, but one thing was needful, and Mary had did the thing that was needful, and that was to sit at Jesus' feet and listen. Just hear. It wasn't about the doing. See, one sister was busy working, trying to clean up, and she was complaining. And so the thing that's needed, so yeah, I'm called to preach. Yeah, we're called to pray for people and lay hands, but the one thing that I was missing is the right hearing. See, I couldn't sleep, so I wasn't hearing. And so we want you to hear what God wants you to hear, hear the truth, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Okay, so that's what I'm that's what I want you to come up come away with, you know. Hear right, hear what God is saying uh in this time. I know we all are busy, some of us are working three and four jobs because of what's going on in our economy, but we gotta always be uh quick to hear, and I'm encouraging us to hear God's word every single day, every single day.
SPEAKER_05Amen.
SPEAKER_01Amen. Amen.
SPEAKER_05Well, thank you so much again for being a part of Gentry's journey. You all know where and how to reach Pastor Richardson to get his book. Let's encourage him. And thank you so much, Pastor, for being here. Thank you. And uh we will talk soon. Amen.