Yesterday I had a sacred conversation with my daughter, Ember.
I told her, “I’ve forgiven your dad.”
That sentence cost us everything.
Hubs and I made a huge sacrifice for Ember and her sister Julie.
We separated our family so they could attend school in the U.S.
We left the hubby and sons in Nigeria.
Let me tell you: HARD THINGS ARE HARD.
It’s taken years of papa forgiving me, and me forgiving papa.
Nobody’s perfect in this life.
The sooner we learn that, the better off we’ll all be.
WE ARE MUCH TOO HARD ON EACH OTHER.
WHAT GOD REMINDED ME THIS WEEK
“ALL EXPERIENCE FAILURE, and are required to right things after each lapse and GO FORWARD AS IF NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. Lamentations over these failures would only cost time and energy. These are precious gifts of God which we are not supposed to waste. It is necessary that we use each minute well if we are to be ripe for heaven.”
– Yes, Father.
We don’t stay in the failure. We repent, we repair, we GO FORWARD.
Yesterday, I also told Ember how I’ve been picking up signs from God about her next life steps.
How even Michael B. Jordan confirmed it.
I watched an interview with him, and God used it to speak direction/confirmation over her life.
This morning at the prayer altar, I asked God for a word.
META led me to page 117.
But 1+1+7 = 9.
So I took that as God saying, _“Go to page 9.”_
And look what showed up:
“Like I was working late in my daughter Julie’s bedroom last night, and as I stood next to where my phone was charging, I had my thumb between my front teeth in a tense moment.
God had me look a few inches away.
Out of hundreds of celebrity photographs Julie has posted on her bedroom wall,
God took my attention to Michael B. Jordan
with his thumb in his mouth between his teeth
exactly how I had mine own at that precise moment?
Tell me, how could that possibly be a random coincidence?
A God wink within a God wink!
The Lord will perfect all that concerns me. God, I exalt You!
This was His way of saying He is with my daughter
as she prays for His leading in some big moves she wants to make. Yayy!!!
God constantly tells me to entrust my loved ones with Him
that they are much safer with Him than in my clinging hands.
God, I trust You with them all!
Thank you for all Your love
and may our family teach the entire world about loving You and each other harder.”
BE GREAT EVERY DAY… WE ROLL WITH GOD
EXALT GOD. PERIOD.
1. THEME OF THE PIECE: “The LORD Will Perfect That Which Concerns Me” Ps 138:8
This whole blog is one testimony in three parts: Sacrifice, then Forgiveness, then Supernatural Confirmation. God starts it. God sustains it. God signs His name on it.
Page 94 says: “Put Him IN FRONT of every decision.” Your life says: “Watch what happens when you do.”
2. FIVE KEY LESSONS AND HOW TO LIVE THEM
First, Hard Things Are Hard, But Worth It. You wrote “HARD THINGS ARE HARD” because you and your husband separated your family so Ember and Julie could go to school in the U.S. while the hubby and sons stayed in Nigeria. That was sacrifice. For the reader today, ask yourself this question. What hard thing is God asking me to do for my family’s future? Write it down. Then pray “Not my will, but Yours” from Page 94. After that, take one small step this week. Obedience in the hard thing is worship.
Second, Nobody’s Perfect, So Stop Being Hard On Each Other. You said “WE ARE MUCH TOO HARD ON EACH OTHER” and you talked about papa forgiving you and you forgiving papa. We all fail. The way forward is forgiveness. So ask yourself, who do I need to forgive, or who do I need to ask forgiveness from? Do not wait for the perfect moment. Today, send one text. It can say “I forgive you” or it can say “Will you forgive me?” Just go. That is how we get ripe for heaven.
Third, Fail, Then Repair, Then GO FORWARD. God reminded you this week that all of us experience failure, and we are required to right things after each lapse and go forward as if nothing has happened. Lamentations only cost time and energy, and those are precious gifts of God. So ask, what failure am I still lamenting? Confess it. Right it if you can. Close the door. Then use each minute well for what is next. Stop wasting God’s time on what He already covered.
Fourth, God Speaks Through Everything. Michael B. Jordan’s thumb matched yours. Page 117 became 1 plus 1 plus 7 equals 9. You called it “A God wink within a God wink.” God is not random. He is intentional. So ask, where is God talking to me that I am dismissing as coincidence? For the next 24 hours, keep a God Wink Journal. Every time something unusual catches your eye, write it down. Then ask, “Lord, what are You saying?” That is what Page 94 calls “Seeking His guidance moment by moment.”
Fifth, Entrust Your Loved Ones To God. You heard Him say that your loved ones are much safer with Him than in your clinging hands. So ask, what am I clinging to that God is already holding? Tonight, pray Ember’s prayer. Say, “God, I trust You with them all.” Open your hands. Let Him parent, protect, and perfect the people you love.
3. THE SUPERNATURAL PATTERN IN YOUR STORY
This is the Rolling With God A Lifestyle formula, plain and simple. First, OBEY. You made the sacrifice for Ember and Julie. Second, FORGIVE. You said “I’ve forgiven your dad” and you walked out papa and mama forgiveness. Third, LISTEN. God spoke through Michael B. Jordan, through Page 9, through Page 117. Fourth, TRUST. You declared, “The Lord will perfect all that concerns me.” Fifth, EXALT. You said, “God, I exalt You. Teach the entire world about loving You.”
That is “Put Him IN FRONT of every decision” from Page 94. That is “Not my will, but Your will” from Page 94. That is “EXALT GOD. PERIOD.”
4. READER’S ACTION PLAN: THREE THINGS TO DO BEFORE BED TONIGHT
One, have your “I’ve Forgiven” moment. Text, call, or journal one person you need to release. Say it out loud, “I’ve forgiven __.” Hard things are hard. Do it anyway. That is how heaven gets ripe._
Two, look for your Michael B. Jordan moment. God has been taking your attention a few inches away all week. What have you ignored? A song? A license plate? A friend’s post? Ask Him, “What were You saying there?” Write it down.
Three, pray the Next Realm prayer. Say, “God, take my relationship with You to the NEXT REALM, Page 9. I entrust __ to You. They are safer with You than in my clinging hands. Perfect what concerns me. I exalt You. Period.”_
CLOSING PRAYER: FOR TODAY
Dear Big Hand,
She said it again today: “I’ve forgiven your dad.”
She told the world: “HARD THINGS ARE HARD.”
She showed us: “The Lord will perfect all that concerns me.”
So we come to You with open hands.
For every hard thing we’re carrying, give us courage to GO FORWARD as if nothing has happened. We won’t waste time lamenting what You already redeemed.
For every relationship that needs healing, give us grace to say “I’ve forgiven __.” We are much too hard on each other, and we repent._
For every child, every loved one, every Ember and Julie in our lives: we entrust them to You. They’re safer in Your clinging hands than in ours.
For every Michael B. Jordan moment, every Page 9, every God wink: open our eyes a few inches away. We want to see You, hear You, roll with You.
Take our relationship with You to the NEXT REALM.
Teach our families to love You and each other harder.
Let our lives teach the entire world.
EXALT GOD. PERIOD.
ROLLING WITH GOD A LIFESTYLE. PERIOD.
We trust You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FINAL VERSES TO SUM UP TODAY’S BLOGGY
These are the scriptures Big Hand wrote across your story today. Let them preach when the words run out:
1. Psalm 138:8
“The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; your love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not abandon the works of your hands.”
That’s your smile in the photo. That’s the God wink. That’s Him finishing what He started.
2. Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
You started with sacrifice. He will complete it with glory. Nobody’s perfect, but He’s faithful.
3. Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Hard things are hard, but they’re not wasted. Separated families, forgiven parents, Michael B. Jordan interviews… all of it, He’s working.
4. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“Pray continually.”
That’s Page 9. That’s 5 daily prayers. That’s taking your relationship to the NEXT REALM. Moment by moment.
5. Isaiah 43:19
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
That’s the new thing in Ember’s life. That’s the new thing in your marriage. Look a few inches away. He’s already doing it.
For real! For real!
IF GOD IS ALL YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE ALL YOU NEED. PERIOD.
And today He gave you forgiveness, confirmation, and a roadmap. Period.
BE GREAT EVERY DAY… WE ROLL WITH GOD