“ARE YOU HAPPY?”
That was the question from my brother, Jason, yesterday. I replied, “J, happiness is overrated! You can follow bliss and pleasure, and they can lead you down very wrong and dark paths. I instead look for true joy, fulfillment, and well-being from having a close relationship with God.
Like every day, I wake up like my life is on a mission from God to be His Rockstar wife, mom, and person in the world. To feel God’s deep and intimate love for me and know He is with me 24/7 as my life Partner and Guide is what I want the world to know – how deep, wide, high, and long God’s love is for us. Walking in His Divine favor, protection, and power!
And sometimes that means our happiness must go to the back seat, and we must instead pick up our crosses and carry them! It is what it is! Even though Kevin says my crosses are only specks of crosses, they are sometimes challenging and painful – not happy times – that God asks me to endure. And for God, who is doing so much for me, I say, ‘Anything to please You God, let me learn!’ DON’T FOLLOW HAPPINESS; FOLLOW GOD, ASKING HIM WHAT HE WOULD HAVE YOU DO IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE. EVERY RELATIONSHIP. EVERY DECISION.
God talks to me through Justin Bieber, saying, ‘You can take it out on Me.’ So that means when I look at everything God does for me, I can take all the disappointments, frustrations, and aggravations and hand them over to God because He exceeds anything I can imagine. My “311” showed up two times while out with Jason yesterday, and it’s my beautiful reminder from God to Be still (relax, stay calm, and let go of trying to control situations and people) and allow God to be God. We don’t have to fight our battles alone! DO YOUR UTMOST BEST AND LEAVE THE REST WITH GOD! He is the universe’s ultimate Controller, and I trust that whatever He wants for me is best for me!
I told hubs today that God can even use the devil to bless us! I bragged about how I’m in a new realm of closeness with God. “311” is also my reminder to stay on the HIGHEST road with God. Anything anyone else does is between them and God; whatever I do is between me and God! And let me tell ya, BEING OBEDIENT TO GOD IS WHERE THE BLESSINGS ARE – PEACE, JOY, LOVING RELATIONSHIPS, HEALTH, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT. I love talking to my 91-year-old mom every day now! LOVE YOU, MY SWEETIE!
A Muslim preacher has given me great advice about taking my alone time with God more seriously, and I want you to do the same. In every aspect of our lives, I want us to involve God! I’ll never forget a conversation with my hubby when I had turned into a crazy lady on him, and he said, “Nikki, I’m tired of trying to justify myself to you. Talk to God about me!” God said, ‘Nik, I found you the best husband (for you!) in the world!’ I tell hubs that whatever we must go through, we will go through it together! No breaking up over here!
So, that’s where I want us, referring everything to God! Make Him our Partner and Guide! Don’t look to these people on social media (they be making me mad with all the terrible advice they feel they need to give people and destroying relationships!). Look to God! That’s where those appointments with Him will pay off! He knows the hearts of everyone and the best decision for us in every moment, but we must develop our relationship with Him so we know what He would have us to do. He will tell us how much emotional space and energy to give everyone! The Muslims have 5 daily prayers a day! Let’s learn from them, please, AND TAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TO THE NEXT REALM! Wink! Wink!