Announcer: 0:00

The following program is sponsored by Ron Meyers Ministries.

Announcer: 0:05

It's time now to get the hell out of your life. A weekly broadcast with real people sharing real struggles and offering real hope. Today's show will encourage, inspire and empower you to face life's challenges with a bold confidence and renewed hope. Now let's join our host, ron Meyers. The Provider.

Ron Meyers: 0:27

Hello, my friends, it is so good to be with you. Well, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. If you are listening to this on the radio, then right now, as I am yapping, I'm inside the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi, Mississippi, with my production of the Christmas City Gift Show. The 40th anniversary, that's right, 40 years. How many events do you know of that have been going on for 40 years? Not a whole lot. Do you know why? Most likely because it really wasn't their passion in life. In other words, that when we do what we love and love what we do, there's something about longevity. It just goes on because we're not doing it to just make a buck or to entertain people or to bring entrepreneurs from all over the United States in a building to sell awesome merchandise to you, but we're doing it because it just is part of our skills, talents and gifts.

Ron Meyers: 1:56

If you've listened to this show for any length of time, you know that I am a big preacher on understanding your talents, your skills and your abilities in life. Let's face it how many people are in a job because it's a job their parents picked it out for them? They got it because of the benefits. They got it because of the money and they're miserable. So what do they do? They look for another job, but this time the job's in a different location, it's in a different income bracket. But they get into the job and they find out wow, it's the same old crap here and it was in the old job. Until you really understand what you're here for, what your gifts are, what your talents are, what your skills are, you're never really going to find yourself in a position in life to where you just love what you do and do what you love.

Ron Meyers: 3:03

So that is my teaser for today's monologue. I'll go into more details right after you hear a story from one of my exhibitors. This exhibitor has been in my show for a few years. She went through a situation that broke my heart. Her son committed suicide, but she turned her pain into a purpose. I absolutely love Janice Morrissey and her story and how she helps people that have went through similar situations loss of a loved one. So let's find out who is Janice Morrissey.

Janice Morrisey: 3:52

I'm a mom of four. I have four boys, so it's pretty crazy at my house when they were growing up, lots of fights and I wife of 37 years or going on 37 years that's awesome, yeah, thank you. And military family my husband was in the military, my dad was in the military and all four of my sons have served. So I'm big advocate for our military and had three Air Force sons and of course, my last one had to be a Marine. Sean was different than my other boys. You have four kids, okay, and so you decide what you're gonna have for dinner and Sean always wants something different, never one. When everybody else had everything.

Janice Morrisey: 4:32

If everybody was going one way, sean wanted to go the other way. He just was his own person, like that and he was like just a funny, funny kid. But he always had that corkiness about him where people just didn't understand him. He had a crazy little sense of humor but he was a lot of fun and growing up he's just. He had such a good smile, such an outgoing kid and everything. And going through high school he still held a spark of happiness.

Janice Morrisey: 4:56

But of course there's bullies and stuff and Sean was a sensitive child so he couldn't understand what people would pick on other people, you know. So that was tough for him. But he decided he wanted to be a firefighter and that kid can start a fire out of nothing, okay. So he decided to be a firefighter and he didn't just want to be a firefighter, he wanted to be a firefighter in the Air Force. So he waited until a billet came open so he can be a firefighter in the Air Force and got stationed in Davis Mothen Air Force Base in Tucson, arizona, loved it and all and had great crew that he worked with. Just a fun kid and I hear so many people tell me you know he was so good to us and he helped us out with so many things because he would listen. He would give you a shirt off his back. He was a very giving person.

Ron Meyers: 5:40

And then November 17th 2014, changed your destiny forever. What happened it?

Janice Morrisey: 5:47

sure did you start your day off, you go to work and everything's good and by the end of the day your day just turns upside down. So of course you know the people come to your house. Well, they didn't come to my house. I came into my husband's work in their uniform and my husband said when they got off the car he knew and we have, like all of our boys in the military at that time.

Janice Morrisey: 6:06

One was in boot camp at the time for the Marines and he said which one? It's what he asked and that's how he found out. My husband came to see me at Walmart that's where I worked at the time and he told me he called me and he said I got something to tell you, but I need you to stay at work. I'll be there. Of course I know something's wrong right away and as a mom I start calling everyone my kids and of course I can't get ahold of Sean. And so my husband got there and told me what happened and it's really weird. But at that moment I thought I'm not surprised by it, because he was struggling and you had always struggled with self-harm, because he was very sensitive on that point. But I also thought, okay, I guess his pain's over now, but it did change our whole lives.

Janice Morrisey: 6:51

Everything we do now is centered around sharing Sean's story, talking about Sean and getting his name out there, because there's lots of Sean's out there. There are a lot of people that struggle with self-harm, lots of suicide. I mean it's unimaginable how many people there are. I talk to people all the time about Sean. I talk to them about suicide and pretty much I have not met a person yet that's not been affected by suicide. I have not met one person yet. Either you've known somebody, you have had it personal struggles, or you have lost someone to suicide. So I've not met a person yet that's not been affected by it. So I really feel like that's something that we all need to share.

Ron Meyers: 7:37

There's a suicide committed every 20 hours in the state of Mississippi.

Janice Morrisey: 7:43

And we rank like 32 in the country for suicides I don't know if you saw this with the populace For 100,000 deaths. Last year Mississippi had 445 for the year and we had 15 deaths for every 100,000. And the nationally is 14 deaths for every 100,000. So we're kind of inching on up there and you don't wanna be that.

Ron Meyers: 8:09

Well, in February of 2017, you were working at Walmart. You were having a bad day. You made a decision to do something. What was that?

Janice Morrisey: 8:20

You had that pressure all day that something wasn't right. I just was feeling like just troubled. So all day long I just was, I couldn't get my stuff together, I was crying, I couldn't figure out what was going on and I haven't cried in a while. I mean at that moment, because that was three years past Sean's death.

Janice Morrisey: 8:40

But I'd always been looking for something to do and I feel, because of all the anxiety as having that day, at one point I decided I am going to leave my job, I'm done with working at Walmart, I'm gonna go and do what I feel like I need to do. And at that point what I needed to do was to craft and I started a business called Sean's Story with a semicolon and share his story and let everyone know that it's not finished. You know I'm sharing his story and I'm talking about it. I know this sounds crazy, but Sean talks to me a lot and he talks to me in different little ways and I have to listen to it. And I had been ignoring that voice because my husband's been telling me like a year I need to leave my job and I kept saying no, no, I need to stay here and so I was ignoring Sean's calling to have me leave my job.

Janice Morrisey: 9:24

And at that day it was just so much pressure on me and I feel like it was Sean telling me you need to go now. And by the end of the day, when I decided to leave my job, I came home from work and it's like midnight because I get off late and I went online. I paid off all of our bills. I had such a piece. I called my store manager the next day. I said I'm giving my notice, very calm, and I kept thinking this is so crazy, but because Sean told me to do this I truly believe he did I felt very calm about it. I made the right decision and I wouldn't look back. I don't look back. It's the best decision I ever made.

Ron Meyers: 9:58

Well, I loved your term. You were gonna turn your pain into purpose.

Janice Morrisey: 10:02

Yeah, I found a purpose in my pain. I started off doing a crafting business. I have a little cricket and so I was making decals. And I made these decals called remembrance decals, which were ribbon shaped but they were in the color of either suicide wearing his colors, or I've done either breast cancer with the pink, I've done dementia colors ribbons and I put on the ribbon the person's names and dates that they lost them. It's the remembrance of them and I was selling the ribbons for like 10 bucks and donating all that money to AFSP American Foundation for suicide prevention.

Janice Morrisey: 10:36

Well then it just kind of evolved into other crafts and now I'm doing like cups and stuff which are like glitter tumblers and painted tumblers and stuff for people. But what helps what I do it for is like a therapy kind of, and tell people I can't say it's cheaper than actual therapy because it really is more expensive, but it's very calming. So I craft and make these things and I donate a portion of my proceeds to American Foundation for suicide prevention. So to me I couldn't afford to just donate a lot of money, but I can make things that I can make, generate money off of and then donate that money.

Ron Meyers: 11:11

What can we tell folks out there that know is Sean to do before something could be too late?

Janice Morrisey: 11:18

Well, the biggest thing is to talk. Okay, if you see someone that you know that their behavior has changed or they have suicide, iodology, iodology anyway, they're thinking about suicide. If you know someone, you just need to talk to them, start that conversation, you know, just be there for them. And the biggest thing is conversation. Suicide is one of those very complex issues that you can't say. This is the formula. Anyone doing this will die by suicide. That's not it. It could be anyone and you. It's really hard to be aware of who they are because they hide it so well. They want to be happy, so they try to make themselves happier. But the biggest thing is to sit down and have conversations, real conversations, not on Facebook or a little tweet, and say, hey, how you doing? No, have the real conversation. Like, I see that you look unhappy. You seem to be struggling. I want to help you. You know, be pointed on your conversations. Don't sit there and just say, hey, how you doing, you know. So that's the big thing Talk.

Ron Meyers: 12:16

And if someone out there is listening and then say, well, I don't have anybody to talk to and I'm feeling this, then we need to have them call the number. Call mental health provider. Talk to a preacher. Talk to someone, but you cannot be isolated, right?

Janice Morrisey: 12:32

No, don't isolate yourself and don't feel like you're alone. Lots of people struggle with this. Lots of people struggle with self harm. I know I've lost my son. You know I had the lowest points in my life, but I also realized that I have other people in my life. I have other children, I have my grandchildren, my husband, my friends and all my family. So there's more people out there that I need to stay here for, and everyone needs to know that. We all have people we need to stay here for, and you just need to talk to them.

Ron Meyers: 12:59

My question is do you know, when you go out there and after you have a conversation, do you walk away saying I think I helped that person?

Janice Morrisey: 13:08

I absolutely do. I absolutely do. In fact, when I did the Christmas city booth and I haven't shared this with you on that, but I talked to a lot of people on my booth and I actually have friends that come and help me so they can run the register whatever, so I can just step aside and have conversations with people, and it was amazing the amount of people I actually connected with and was able to talk to about losses in their lives. I had people that came up to me and, because they read about it, said that they also had struggled with self-harm, with suicide. They had also lost someone to suicide, and I even had a person tell me that the work I do is I'm Minn-er-stain.

Janice Morrisey: 13:43

Yes, yeah, I didn't even. I never even thought of that, that, but because I, you know, I try to make that time to talk to everybody about it I felt I feel like I do make a difference and I hear stories all the time about how much I have changed their lives. You have to find some kind of purpose, not just through the pain, but with your life in general. You have to figure out what you're here for, and it took losing my son to realize I'm here to help others, to give them hope and to maybe help somebody else to change their lives, to help them realize that they're important, they matter.

Ron Meyers: 14:15

Listeners that phone number, toll-free 800-1800-273-TALK. That is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. You've got the microphone and there's somebody out there that is gonna, that needs to hear what you're about to say. What would you be anything?

Janice Morrisey: 14:33

Remember that you matter. You matter to so many people. I don't even know you and you matter to me, okay. So I need you to know that, that if you are struggling with something, reach out, talk to somebody. This talk number the National Suicide Prevention Number, the Crisis Number they will talk to you, they will help you out. So if you can't talk to anybody, you can talk to them. There's also a text number you can text if you don't feel like talking. So there's so much that you can do and just remember that you matter. And if you forget that, remind yourself of that you matter. Now, if someone's gonna be whispering in your ear, your mind is gonna tell you things and you gotta know. Break through that and just those two little words you matter.

Ron Meyers: 15:12

Right.

Announcer: 15:12

Remember it, you're listening to Get the Hell Out of your Life with your host, ron Myers. Real stories, real struggles and real hope.

Speaker 5: 15:31

What's your story? We're looking for stories of hope and overcoming life struggles with God's grace. Your story validates God's law of mercy, restoration and forgiveness. We wanna help you share your story with the world. Visit our website, thepromoterorg, and click on the Share your Story link and submit your story. Your testimony of God's amazing grace will change a person's destiny for eternity.

Speaker 7: 16:00

The Christmas City Gift Show. We've transformed the entire Mississippi Coast Convention Center in Biloxi into an illusion of Christmas, with gifts for everyone Games, planes, jewelry and toys, paintings, pottery, candles and food guaranteed to put you in the Christmas mood. Visit the North Pole with free kids' crafts and photos with Santa himself. Bring the whole family to the event. Everyone is talking about the Christmas City Gift Show in Biloxi, inside the Mississippi Coast Convention Center, the holiday event you've been waiting for. Produced by Ron Miles, it's the greatest show in the South.

Announcer: 16:39

Don't miss the 40th anniversary edition of the Christmas City Gift Show, friday November 10th through Sunday, november 12th, inside the Convention Center at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi. For tickets and more information, log on to christmacitygiftshowcom. That's christmacitygiftshowcom.

Speaker 6: 16:59

Everything's gonna be alright. Everything's gonna be alright. You'll hold me in your arms until my storm is calm and everything's gonna be alright.

Ron Meyers: 17:16

What a story, huh Jamis. A powerful story, sad but yet empowering, to remind us that we matter, you and I matter. I know I dealt with self-harm at the age of 11 years old and that voice that I heard that day in my room that said do not hurt yourself, ron, I have a plan for you. I know that was Jesus. I know that was God or a guardian angel telling me to hang in there. Everything would be okay. Life is tough and that is what this show is for. This show is for all the people that feel rejected, that don't feel accepted in a church, that maybe have a different lifestyle. Maybe you just think you're a misfit. Well, I'm telling you, that's what the world says. But you are created in the image of God and he loves you just as you are. You matter, you make a difference and the important thing is to understand about life, understand about purpose. We have to go to the Creator, the Creator who created you, with every thought, every desire, everything about you. I mean, if you don't like green beans, hey, that's not your fault, that's the Creator's fault. When you have that relationship with God through his son Jesus, you and him, period, nothing else your world begins to change. You do begin to realize that you matter, and it isn't what other people think. They are totally irrelevant in your life. When you leave this world, it's you and God. Nobody else is going to be there, all those people that point fingers at you and judge you and condemn you and remind you of your shortcomings well, listen, they aren't going to be with you. It's just you and God. And today, you and I need to really dig down deep into everything that we have and understand that it doesn't matter what people think. We have a purpose, we have a plan. What was that saying when we were youngsters? Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Well, that's not necessarily true, is it? Words are powerful. Words can hurt you. They can build you up, and this program is about building you up. I want to create a community of people that are accepted, that are loved. I'll never judge you, I'll never condemn you. I will point you to the love of the world, the love of Jesus. And Jesus is crazy about you, I know. I know you hear all kinds of weird things about Jesus, but it's not true.

Ron Meyers: 20:16

My next book is something to the fact how Jesus wants his reputation back. Churches, denominations, preachers, have drug Jesus' name through the mud. As far as I'm concerned, now, there's a lot of good ones out there, but how many really have told you about your worth, about your plan in this world and that when you come to Jesus and are reborn with a new spirit, you have total forgiveness for the rest of your life? You have eternal life. You then become free to be yourself and with that union of you and Jesus together, he inspires you, he encourages you, he mentors you. Friends, this is your time, my time.

Ron Meyers: 21:06

I call it the desert island mentality. We have to forget what everybody else has said about us and we have to trust what Jesus has said about you. It's not an opinion, it's a fact. You are special, you are made in the image of God, you are someone with a purpose and a plan and he loves you, and when you invite him into your heart, he will never leave you. He will never forsake you. You can never lose your reservation. That's in heaven the day you leave this world. But what's exciting is the life that he will begin to give you and breathe through your spirit, and the new desires and the new hopes, and everything in life begins to make sense and you finally figure it out is that you matter? And then you can tell people. You may not like me, you may not love me, you may not agree with what I do, but Jesus loves me. Friends, that's freedom. That's the freedom we should all strive for.

Announcer: 22:18

You're listening to Get the Hell Out of your Life with your host, ron Myers. Real stories, real struggles and real hope.

Speaker 8: 22:27

A church is supposed to be a place where you can go and get connected to God, but face it, some churches seem to have left God behind man. This place is spooky. They seem more like museums that showcase traditions.

Speaker 5: 22:37

It was backling in some napalm this place making nice mausoleums.

Speaker 8: 22:40

These churches seem to have no real impact on people's lives.

Speaker 7: 22:43

Your brain will not know the difference, and that's guaranteed for your money back.

Speaker 8: 22:46

And the people there have no real vision for God's work. Well, you know people sit down a lot around here. Well, if you're going to one of those kind of churches, you have two choices Either find another church or change the church you're going to. That was never no revolutionary man, no way. You first connect with others in your church who have a real zeal for God and get together once a week and lead a Bible study, even if you feel a little inadequate I've never taught before and you've never thought before. As your group gets fired up, you'll begin to have an impact on others in your church. You men are soldiers. God has a freedom, but don't be surprised if some people don't like what's happening. I didn't know the Lord was franchising in the neighborhood.

Speaker 8: 23:19

So, get a little radical, because God might want to use you to shake things up in your church.

Announcer: 23:25

We would like to express our gratitude to Coffee News for their support of this program. Are you tired of scrolling through the same old news feeds every morning? Then switch things up with Coffee News. Our publication is filled with interesting stories, brain teasers and of lifting quotes that are sure to brighten your day. And now you can access Coffee News anytime, anywhere, by visiting our website. So, whether you're sipping your morning coffee at your favorite cafe or browsing online from your desk, we've got you covered. Start your day off right with Coffee News at readcoffeenewsonlinecom. Ron will be back in a moment to wrap up today's conversation. We want to encourage you today with God's promise to you. It comes from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and the future. That's God's promise to you when you choose to commit your plans and future to Him. Now back to Ron.

Ron Meyers: 24:34

Friends, I hope you take me up on my offer to head down to the convention center in Biloxi, right on the beach, and come into the Christmas City Gift Show 265 vendors from across the country with one-of-a-kind, unique items. I mean, it is just so cool to see thousands of gifts and items, these entrepreneurs, they love what they do and they do what they love and they come to Biloxi once a year and many of this stuff you won't ever see this in malls or shopping centers. So it is nice in. Janice Morrissey, the young lady you heard share her story, we'll be there. She will be in booth number 140 and 141. And she would love to talk to you, especially if you can relate to anything she said in that story.

Ron Meyers: 25:31

Friends, the other day I went through my iPhone. My memory was getting so full that I had to erase some videos and pictures. So I went back probably 10 years, and this is something I think everybody should do every once in a while. I saw pictures of places, of people, that brought back so many wonderful memories. Some of the people are no longer with us, you know, they're just they passed, but it reminded me how much of a wonderful life I've had in the places I've been, but also how life just is here one day and we're gone the next and makes you want to make sure that we stop and smell the roses.

Ron Meyers: 26:20

This show is not only about encouraging and inspiring you and have been an intimate personal relationship with Jesus but to let you know that, yes, you can smile again, you can have fun again. Jesus didn't come to this world to give us a bunch of rules and regulations. No, he came to set us free to become who he created us to be. I'm a poet and didn't know it. But anyway, friends, time to do some work. I hope I see you there. Stop and look for the man with the microphone. You'll say well, there he is. That's that loud mouth I hear in the podcast and on the radio. And in the meantime, please remember this that I love you, jesus loves you, and when you give your heart to Jesus, he gives you an unbelievable destiny and a peace that surpasses all understand. Give the hell out. Give the hell out.

Announcer: 27:28

Give the hell out of your life. Today's show was produced by Ron Myers Ministries, a listener supported ministry. For a copy of today's broadcast, please visit our website, the promoterorg, and would you prayerfully consider making a tax deductible donation so that we may continue to share stories of God's amazing grace with the world. And join us next week for another broadcast of Get the hell out of your life Real people sharing real struggles and offering real hope.