THE PUNCHES GET HARDER AND HARDER TO TAKE

I tell God NOT to go easy on me because I want to learn the harsh lessons He would have me learn and pass them on to you guys. And let me tell ya, the most important one: DON’T PLAY AROUND WITH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD; WE NEED HIM!!!

Today, I called my sweetie pie sister, Verona, to thank her for what she taught me one day: “You take your whippings, and you keep it skipping!” I now add in: “Joyously, peacefully, and courageously skipping knowing God Himself is with you all the way!”

God found a sweet way to reveal Himself to me today through Verona! She said, “Nik, I don’t hear you talk any more about working on your next book…I want you to SHINE BRIGHT.” I told her about a God wink this week where the song ‘Shine Bright Like a Diamond’ was playing on the radio one morning. I then went to a mechanic shop, and the alarm for my appointment with God went off at noon. I looked around for a number and went to that number’s page on our family’s website. There was a video of me from 2 years ago playing that exact song. I went as far as to tell her that I was even wearing a bracelet that says, ‘Shine Bright like a Diamond!’

A few minutes later, I go to my God tree and stop to see what He has to say. I picked a random page number, and look what incredibly showed up minutes after telling Verona about this bracelet:

‘Then, a week ago, I purchased a wristband from this store saying, “SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND.” Fast forward to today, I’m searching for a message from God through my YouTuber Stargirl, who always has special messages from God for me. I ended up listening to a prediction for my zodiac sign, and look what Stargirl says to me:

“Spirit (God) is showing me you are becoming your dream self. You are starting to look and act like the person you have always wanted to be. You are SHINING LIKE A DIAMOND (Wink! Wink!) more than ever…”

In this huge store, for me to pick this specific bracelet out of hundreds, there, was just the set-up from God to this beautiful wink from Him.”

THAT WAS NO COINCIDENCE!!! For me to tell Verona about this bracelet I wear every day and minutes later for the story to show up under my God tree was again everything lining up extremely too perfectly. That was AGAIN God revealing His invisible Presence with me (and you!) under that tree! So know with all your heart that God’s Presence is ALWAYS with us. I ended up having THE BEST DAY WITH MY SONS feeling so thrilled that God would reveal His Presence with me. We went to an open-air market, and I found a DJ playing music, and your girl had the best time dancing. I was happy that my sons got to see me happy. (HUGE SMILE)

Those punches I take may knock me down for a little bit, but by the grace of God, I keep getting back up and I KEEP MOVING FORWARD, closer to God. They’re good for me as I needed them to push me closer to God’s heart, where He is helping me to become wiser, bolder, and more confident in Him.

He also told me under that tree that I should let Him be the one to love me and to stop looking for love and approval from others. Yes, Boss! Verona, I’ll continue to take my whippings and keep it skipping, rising again whenever necessary, not by my own strength, though, by God’s grace and mercy on my life where I know that He is by my side through everything that comes my way:

“I CAN DO EVERYTHING THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH”

But the crazy part is that the punches are not only making me stronger but also softer as I look to God in every moment, asking what He would have me do. If He says, ‘Nik, I need you to take the punches and keep silent, I do that, pretending I don’t see what I see or hear what I hear, going the extra mile in gentleness, patience, love, humility, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, all for the glory of God. Anything God asks of me, I reply, ‘Yes, Sir!” My prayer is that we all come to learn His voice as we make rolling with God a lifestyle where we are living our best lives with Him, following His leading in every decision.

And don’t think you have to be all perfect to roll with God, either. Kevin joked that he doesn’t know anyone who cusses more than me and will take me to church to wash my mouth with Holy Water. LOL! God loves us all UNCONDITIONALLY!!! Make your relationship with Him a priority! We need His wisdom, strength, guidance, help, love, favor, and support to live our best lives with Him as He lovingly guides us on the best paths.