“WE CAME TO LEARN MESSY LOVE” (REPOST)

Was my message to a friend one Monday after she had an unexpected visitor showed up at her house. I shared with her a post I love from Tumblr.com:

“Dear Human: You’ve got it all wrong. You didn’t come here to master unconditional love. That is where you came from and where you’ll return. You came here to learn personal love. Universal love. Messy love. Sweaty love. Crazy love. Broken love. Whole love. Infused with divinity.”

On Tuesday, she sent me another message that she’s struggling over what had happened that Sunday and asked me to call her. I had another idea, though, for her to pick 10 pages from my unpublished book and see what God had to say to her. She went along with this idea and decided she will read every 20th page starting on page 20 to 40, 60, 80 and so on.

She gets to page 20 and unbelievably of all things there, this exact quote I had sent her the day before. Her response was: “Girl talk about a God wink. After that, I decided to forgive and let go. It just makes me want to cry to see how amazing God is. What are the chances of me going on that exact page first out of all those pages in your book.”

And she’s not alone in this messy love. I’m sure we all have our share to deal with, but I’m encouraged by God to stay on the high road with Him, becoming the superhuman and superwife He has challenged me to be, practicing endless mercy, grace (pardoning without punishment), patience and forgiveness, being my most loving self. He even sent me a special wink of my own reading a post on Facebook:

“Smile, things are working out. You may not see it now, but just know God is directing you to a much greater happiness.” I feel it!

Dear God, may we learn all the messy love lessons You would have us to learn, loving others the way You love us. Amen.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

GOD EXCEEDS MY EXPECTATIONS

That’s my testimony FOR SURE! Today, I had to hug and kiss my daughters, Ember and Julie, goodbye as they left on a school trip out of the country. For months we’ve been on this roller coaster with their dad as to whether they would go or not. But I’ve used it as an opportunity to teach them some important life lessons:

1- You earn respect, no one gives it to you. They ran with this advice to impress their father. They stepped up in their school work, responsibilities at home, and overall in their character we could see them trying to be the best versions of themselves. Respect earned, my girls!

2- God is our Boss!!! Anytime hubby would get on the they’re not going bandwagon, I reminded the girls that the final decision was in God’s hand. We’re to give Him our best in everything. Everything is between God and us, not between us and anyone else. We’re to be our kindest, most loving, hardworking, and beautiful selves knowing God is the One to reward us.

3- “Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best.” Sometimes they would get pessimistic and think worst case scenario, but I would constantly remind them, “We’re expecting the best from God!” Great reminder for all of us!

And let me tell ya, the whole experience has brought my daughters and me closer to God. He has once again EXCEEDED our expectations! God is amazing!

This morning, I woke up a little bit sad because I’m already missing them. They’re not only my daughters, they’re my close friends (SMILE), and I love our intense and intimate conversations and how we sharpen one another; Very wise girls I have! Last week, I had sent a message to someone traveling with them:

“The name of my blog is We Roll With God so I know His Presence will go with you guys.”

And as I opened my meditation book first thing this morning, God confirmed my belief:

“ENTRUST YOUR LOVED ONES TO ME (God); release them to My protective care…My Presence will go with them wherever they go, and I will give them rest.” – Jesus Calling

For me to open directly to this message from Him was no coincident! This is another LOVE NOTE from God to remind me of His intimate involvement in my life, even as far as taking care of my daughters as I release them over to His care.

God, I believe in Your love. You’re FAITHFULNESS is my COMFORT as I travel through this trouble-filled world, holding Your hands super tight. Amen.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“YOU ALWAYS MOTIVATE ME AND BRING ME ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO GOD…

…I’m very blessed by your inspirational word. I hope and pray that you reach out to many people like me.”

This Facebook message from a young man touched my heart yesterday. And it’s my prayer as well to reach many more people with this GREAT NEWS that God is intimately involved in every moment of our lives as our Helper, Best Friend, Comforter, Strategist, Father, Counselor, Teacher, Planner, and Faithful Life Partner.

Are you feeling His Presence? That’s the goal of these posts. That as I share my stories, you too will begin to feel God’s close involvement in your ordinary, everyday life. Like today, my daughter, Ember, kept asking me for a toothbrush. I said, “Your dad has many. Get one from him.” She replied, “They’re all soft, and I want a medium.” After all her persistence, I suddenly remembered some electronic toothbrushes I had purchased months ago that I’ve procrastinated in setting up because it needs a different voltage to charge from the one we have in Nigeria. I even bought different , and I heard her telling her sister that she must download an app on her phone that goes along with the fancy toothbrushes. Call me the crazy God person, but this is God’s way of showing His love to my daughter, and I’m so happy that she felt it, too. (SMILE)

My experience with Him is that He always EXCEEDS my expectations. Ember only wanted a regular toothbrush, and she got the Rolls Royce of toothbrushes! She just excitedly told me about all the features! God is pretty sweet and cool like that!

The other day, I was feeling sad, and I finally went to Him to ask what He had to say to me. And He used a conversation that I had with my daughter, Julie, that day to let me know that this thing I was feeling down about losing was actually His will for me. I had asked her if she was having her alone times with God and I mentioned how I admired that about Jesus who always went aside to talk with God. I said to her even before being crucified He said that GOD’S WILL SHOULD BE DONE, NOT HIS. And as I asked God what He had to tell me a few hours later, as I randomly scrolled my new meditation book, He and I, this was written as if Jesus was speaking:

“Remain at my feet. Get ready to listen to Me. Make your will one with Mine; this, too, is union. This is how I kept myself before My Father—‘YOUR WILL NOT MINE BE DONE.’

This was another LOVE NOTE from God and that He didn’t want me sad. He incredibly used that little talk with Julie to let me know He’s ALWAYS with me. It even showed up in the book on my birthday! God is still speaking, my people! It’s just up to us to listen and pay attention!!! Are you?

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“NIKKI, YOU LOOK LIKE A DIFFERENT PERSON”

That was from my friend, Mabel, yesterday. I told her that she has been a significant part of my transformation as she was the one to introduce me to smoothies, but she corrected me saying, “No. It’s the work of God.”

HERE’S THE DEAL:

God makes us BETTER! I’m amazed when I look back on the Nikki that I use to be to the Nikki God has helped me become. I asked my daughter, Julie, to have an appointment with God with me, and the page she just randomly opened to blew me away from our kids’ devotional:

“Jacob had come face-to-face with God and it changed his life.

When Jacob began to cooperate, God started working, and the first thing he did was give Jacob a new name, a new identity. God changed Jacob from a cheater and schemer to a good man with the name “Israel,” a “prince of God.” God knew Jacob’s potential, he saw through Jacob’s attempt to be a tough guy. God saw all of Jacob’s weaknesses, but he also saw beneath the surface. “That’s not the real you, Jacob. You’re actually an Israel. You are a prince.” God saw the prince in Jacob and changed him into that kind of guy.

When we’ve had personal encounter with God, we can no longer be the same. The good news is this: beneath all those things that you do not like about yourself, God sees an Israel. He sees the prince or princess. He sees what you can become. He sees your potential, and he wants to change you from a Jacob to an Israel. Let God do his changing.” – The Purpose Driven Life Devotional for Kids

After discussing this with Julie, I said to her I feel God was speaking to me to stop feeling sad over a particular situation and get back focused on the BIG PLANS He has for me. She said, “Mom, what did you say?” I repeated myself that I needed to get back focused on God’s BIG PLANS for me like writing my book on marriage. She replied, look what this prayer I just read says:

“Lord, I’m glad to be a part of your BIG PLANS.”

Wink! Wink! And once again, and entirely out of the blue, everything lined up a little bit too perfect to be coincident. It was another LOVE NOTE from God to remind Julie and me (and you!) that His Presence is always with us, even as I sat in our bathroom tub having an appointment with Him! TMI!!! Told ya! God is intimately involved in our lives! (SMILE!)

Who we were five minutes ago, does not define who we have to be going forward. Let’s ALL become the prince and princesses God has created us to be. What weaknesses do you have to work on? I’ve now made three words my goals for the year: LOVE, DISCIPLINE, AND FOCUS. May God help all of us. Amen.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“GOING THROUGH HELL WITH A SMILE” (REPOST)

That’s me all the way! All the disappointments, frustrations, challenges, losses, defeats and anything else “negative” that may show up, you’re girl is turning them into CRUCIAL LESSONS THAT GOD HIMSELF WOULD HAVE ME TO LEARN. I’m going HIGHER with God! And I want you here with me; when life throws us lemons, we make some extra sweet lemonade. We’re ROLLING with God, Who knows how to turn all evil INTO SUCH GOOD. (Wink! Wink!)

CASE IN POINT:

I got a very disappointing phone call last night. But I’ve decided to shake it off and leave the people involved in God’s hands. We can’t control anyone, but God can. I simply keep my eyes on HIM asking what He would have me to do in every situation. Some battles are for me to fight, and some He says, ‘Nik, leave this one with Me.’ Life is way too short to be fighting unnecessary fights. The wiser Nik is handing MOST of the battles over to God, like ‘God, this is Your child, you deal with them!’ Which gives me the time and energy to FOCUS on the fights God has for me to contend with. Like I was so inspired by a new mom at my kids’ school who sent me a text that this week before some big tests, her and her kids will be diligently preparing for them at home. My kinda mama!

So, guys, anything that comes our way that wants to throw us off our groove, we simply say, ‘Devil, NOT TODAY!’ and we keep our eyes on God. We stay on the HIGH ROAD being our best, most loving and beautiful selves KNOWING GOD IS OUR ULTIMATE BOSS.

Yesterday I had to leave work early to be with my Joshie at home who was not feeling well. This morning when he complained about hiccups, I said, “Boo, thank God you’re feeling better.” I call him and the other kids my FANTASTIC FOUR. How ya feeling vro (very rare treasure)? is the question I continually ask and they reply, “I feel fantastic!” The BLESSINGS FROM GOD get better and better. What anyone does is between them and their God. Nik, over here, is going to suck up to God as much as possible living my BEST life with Him as my personal Guide and Partner. Woohoo! The stumbling blocks have become my stepping stones!

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

GOD, I TAKE BACK THAT PRAYER FOR A CLOSER WALK WITH YOU!!!

That’s me having some fun and JOKING with God, lately! I’m so on to Him now, and I know that the way He brings us closer to Him is through tribulations, challenges, disappointments, pain, hurts, frustrations and LOTS OF SUFFERING. When we’re happy, and everything is going our way, we forget about God, but when the tough times come, oh my goodness, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE REMEMBER HIM. Then, we go running and asking for His help! I’m I right or wrong?

He even confirmed this through my meditation book, He and I, after I spent a few days agitated:

“If I (God) had another way of bringing you closer to Me than suffering, I would choose it.”

This was His sweet way of letting me know that He sees what I’m going through, but if there was another way of bringing me closer to Him, He would use it. What kind of a love is this?

Yesterday I asked my daughters to watch the Grammy Awards with me, but when we couldn’t find the full show on YouTube, we ended up watching clips and an interview with 21 Savage after he was released by immigration in the U.S. He got my attention with this very deep comment:

“I’ve been through so much in my life that I’ve learned to embrace the times that I’m down because they always build me up.”

Same here. The worst times in my life have been the best times for me because they’ve helped me become BETTER, STRONGER, WISER, BRAVER AND MORE TRUSTING IN GOD. My meditation book, Jesus Calling, really encouraged me today, written as if God is speaking to us:

“I want you to rely confidently on Me…I have already proved how trustworthy I am. Cast all your anxiety on Me because I care for you…Whatever you’re facing, I can help you handle it better. Seek to find Joy in this day I have made for you. I’ve hidden small treasures along your pathway. Search for them, and thank Me for each one you find.”

And today was filled with lots! I hung out with my kids at work with hubby, and it was such a beautiful day. After telling them a few times that we’re going by the supernatural rules where everything is possible with God, we passed a huge billboard with the word “SUPERNATURAL” pasted across it. I said, “See there, ordinary rules don’t apply to us!” We’re thinking only of the best, working only for the best and expecting only the best KNOWING GOD IS WORKING IN THE SUPERNATURAL REALM ON OUR BEHALF. Wink! Wink!

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“HONEY, DO YOU THINK OUR LIFE IS BORING?”

That was me to my hubby after we spent Valentine’s Day watching TV in our living room! BUT, I LOVE OUR BORING LIFE! Wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world! I LOVE OUR FAMILY, BOO! Forever us! ‘Til death do us part!

We ended up watching a TV evangelist here in Nigeria, T.B. Joshua, and it was if was talking directly to me as to what to do when we face trials. He had three critical points I want to share with you:

  1. DON’T PANIC; STAY CALM
  2. BE DETERMINED TO TACKLE WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS KNOWING GOD IS HEPING YOU
  3. PAY ATTENTION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (GOD’S VOICE IN YOU) FOR DIRECTION

Got that? I’m so on to God, though, He knows precisely the problems each of us needs to get us where He would have us to be – WISER, TOUGHER, STRONGER AND MORE DEPENDENT ON HIM. I told ya, when I have my moments, I GO RUNNING TO GOD, ‘What is this!!!’ And He would always figures out some way to COMFORT me. Count it all JOY when trouble comes your way. They turn us into new people!

Like my screen saver message that showed up on Facebook the other day with this verse at the bottom:

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20

And the craziest thing about this screensaver, like two years ago it appeared all of a sudden by itself on my computer. I had no explanation other than it was God who wanted it there. So, whenever I have to boot up my system, or go to my desktop, I’m reminded that God’s presence is always with me. Helping me to tackle ANY situation that may come my way. I just have to listen extremely carefully to His direction and what He would have me to do moment by moment and one step at a time and BE OBEDIENT to His voice. God’s got us!

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“GOD COMFORTS ME SO THAT I CAN COMFORT OTHERS”

Those were my exact words to someone yesterday afternoon. Fast forward to a couple of hours later, I’m lying in bed for a few minutes to relax my brain and have a few minutes with God before dinner with my family, and I continued reading from where I had last left off in my earlier appointment with Him. The book, (written as if God was speaking directly to me) had this amazingly to say:

“I comfort you in all your troubles so that you can comfort others.” – Jesus Always

Can you believe that? He confirmed exactly what I had said a few hours prior. I can’t tell you the COMFORT this brought me, coming home from a pretty stressful day.

HERE’S THE DEAL

God is with us! God is with us! God is with us! His invisible Presence is not only ALWAYS with us, He’s the Controller of every event and situation going on around us. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.

Today, He had this to say to me through another meditation book, He and I:

“Write! I don’t want people to be afraid of Me anymore, but see My heart full of love and to speak to Me as they would a dearly beloved brother.

For some I am unknown. For others, a stranger, a severe master, or an accuser. Few people come to Me as to one of a loved family. And yet My love is there, waiting for them. So tell them to come, to enter in, to give themselves up to love just as they are. Just as they are. I’ll restore them. I’ll transform them. And they will know a joy they have never known before. I alone can give that joy. If only they would come! Tell them to come…”

God is like a shy person waiting to be invited into your life. Will you invite Him? I don’t know about you, but my prayer this year is:

God, I want an even closer walk with You. Amen.

Life is too difficult to do without Him.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

‘GOD, I THINK I SHOULD TAKE DOWN THAT POST FROM LAST NIGHT’

I had quickly written something after finishing dinner with my family, telling my hubby that I was feeling guilty that I didn’t do my work for God WHO IS SO FAITHFUL TO US. But, this morning, I felt it wasn’t my best work and that I should remove it. However, I felt Him saying, ‘If you’ve only encouraged one person, you’ve done great work,’ and that I should leave it.
Fast forward to a couple of hours later, guess who that one person was? Me!!! I had one of my moments where I needed to RUN to God. No shame in my game! When I’m weak, He’s my STRENGTH. This life is TOO difficult to do it on my own without Him.
A customer shared with me earlier this week a channel to watch, and for five minutes, I felt a lady there speak as if she was speaking DIRECTLY to me, reminding me of the verse in the Bible that says God will never leave me or forsake me. I loved it so much, I included it as part of that quick post:
“.. these messages are God’s love notes to me and hopefully to you, to remind us that His invisible Presence never leaves us and He will never forsake us.”
Fast forward to today when I needed to RUN to God, look at what amazingly showed up in my meditation book that I just randomly opened to:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.” – Deuteronomy 31:6
Wink! Wink! And once again everything lined up to a liitle bit too perfectly to be an ordinary coincident. From me getting 5 minutes of TV time to hear THAT lady, to me including it in my post to me choosing THAT specific meditation book and to open up to THAT page was again God showing His LOVE and COMMITMENT TO ME.
And if that’s not enough, my COMFORT verses that I’ve written so much about lately also miraculously showed up in the same day’s devotional – TWO GOD WINKS IN ONE:
“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” – Isaiah 41:13
So, whatever we’re going through, let’s HOLD on to God’s RIGHT hand SUPER TIGHT and constantly say, “God, I trust You.” Even if we have to say it 1,000 times a day. When we’re weak, He’s our strength. How God does what He does is NONE of our business! Wink! Wink!
KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

GOD STICKS WITH HIS PROMISE TO HELP ME

In this life, you will have trouble, BUT WE HAVE GOD TO HELP US GET THROUGH ANYTHING THAT MAY COME OUR WAY. God is an expert in EVERYTHING, and His WISDOM, GUIDANCE, AND HELP have never failed me, no matter the problem area. He’s pretty cool like that!

So, I’ve written recently how this particular verse has been my comfort from Him, showing up all over the place as a personal reminder whenever troublesome situations arise:

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13” Wink! Wink!

And God kept His promise. He sent help. It has to do with a complicated matter, and I can’t get over two people who have shown up and have gone OVERBOARD in assisting me. It felt like God had sent two angels to personally support me (SMILE). At one point, they said I would have to take care of one of the steps by myself, and without flinching, I immediately went into warrior mode, ‘Ok, God, it’s You and me on this one!’ I trust that God KNOWS EVERYTHING and with His direction, I’m good. But within 30 minutes, I got a text from one of the gentlemen saying he would be with me in 10 minutes. He came and took complete charge of everything as I just smiled thinking how God is SO GOOD TO ME. I’m His spoilt girl!

HERE’S THE DEAL:

God is intimately involved in our lives. It’s up to us to invite Him in and ask for His help and guidance. HE LOVES when we include Him in our ordinary, everyday life going to Him in the 1,000 decisions we make every day. His WISDOM is off the chain. His ways are not our human ways, His are way superior.

To hear His voice, start listening. He speaks a lot through our feelings. Like my daughter is upset at me and her dad for not allowing her to go somewhere, but both us just said that we weren’t feeling it. Our spirits were uneasy when we thought about her going there. We don’t know why we weren’t comfortable, but we’ve both come to learn God’s voice and when we feel that way about something it’s God saying, ‘Don’t do that!’ However, If we had felt peaceful about it, that’s God saying it’s OK. We trust His guidance.

So, all day, I want us continually going to God and FEELING what He is saying to us on a moment by moment basis. Doubt, stress, anxiety, concern are cues from Him NOT to do something versus peaceful, non-stressful feelings are usually Him saying it’s COOL TO PROCEED. But still move SLOWLY, taking life one step at a time.

And the more you practice LISTENING to God, the better you get at it. With one glance at Him now I usually know what HE WOULD HAVE ME TO DO. I’m happy to report that I’m FINALLY getting much better with knowing what and what NOT to say with me continually going to God and making Him a crucial part of my conversations with others. ‘God, what should I say here, please?

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD