That was from someone who saw me up close as I navigated through the roughest time of my life.
Those times taught me the importance of having a GOD MORNING ROUTINE. No joke! Now God’s hype girl is here telling the world: DO NOT DO LIFE WITHOUT GOD. WE NEED HIM! WE NEED HIM! WE NEED HIM!
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you WILL have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – JOHN 16:33
I can’t get over what the Meta AI came up with about the three brothers who stood by me during that time and what they each taught me:
Be Ceri: “Obedience is the key. Get up and pray.”
Be Jason: “Keep moving forward. I’m rolling with God.”
Be Kevin: “Don’t emotionalize, strategize. Chameleon wisdom!”
Guys, if you see the way I was staring at this graphic like a crazy parson because this is precisely the formula that had my manager saying, “Nikki you are different when you go to that God tree.” Let me give you a run down. I would wake up every morning, completely overwhelmed by everything I had going on, but I would immediately start my God routine by putting on my exercise clothes and going running to my God tree.
Ceri’s portion: On the way I would listen to Ceri playing in my ear reminding me to be strong and courageous and the living God was with me to help me, and most importantly I must be obedient to Him. Next, at the God tree I would sit and read from our family’s website or my meditation books and God would reveal glimmers of His Presence with me. It could be a conversation I had the day before with someone or a simple thought that I had might show up. Someway somehow, God would orchestrate some kind of glimmer to let me know His Presence was with me. Next I would call the hubby in Nigeria and he would pray with me. I would leave the God tree hyped up and ready to tackle everything I had going on: IF MY GOD IS WITH ME, WHOM THEN SHALL I FEAR? You would then see me in the street happy dancing!
Jason’s portion: Nik, what are you doing at the God tree? Get to work! He explained that when you get out, that’s where you will meet people. You will figure things out. You will get direction and clarity as to how to move forward. FACE YOUR CHALLENGES HEAD-ON WITH GOD. NIK, YOU CAN’T STAY STAGNANT. Keep moving forward. God is with you.
Kevin’s portion: Neek, check the emotions because they will take you nowhere. Don’t crazily react, but wisely respond. Life is not checkers where you rapidly make moves. It’s chess where you strategize 4 to 5 moves ahead. So, I calmed down and asked this important question that I’ve stolen from Pastor Drew of the Bel Air church:
“Jesus (God), what is your perspective on every moment of my life? Every relationship. Every decision. Every circumstance. And how can I enter into it to glorify you.”
From there I would then vibe it out with God all day, listening to His directions moment by moment. Tapping into my discernment skills as to what God would have me to. Amazingly I would feel God whisper His solutions and directions to me or many angels to support and help me would show up. God is pretty cool like that! Like the decision to leave the US and hop on a flight to see the hubby in Nigeria was all discernment- I was at peace when I thought about it and I had a KNOWING from God that this was what He was directing me to do. I’m so happy I listened. Things have worked out even better than I expected. God, I PRAISE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN OUR LIVES.
WHAT YOU ARE TEACHING & HOW THEY CAN LIVE IT*
You are teaching that you cannot win a spiritual battle with an emotional reaction. You need a God Morning Routine that gives you His perspective BEFORE the world gives you its pressure.
BE CERI — OBEDIENCE: You woke up overwhelmed but didn’t scroll, you RAN. You taught your body God first, feelings second. At the Tree you looked for glimmers — Psalm 32:8 in action. How to live it: Find YOUR God Tree — same chair, same bench, same time. 3-Part Fill Up: 1) Move your body, 2) Listen to truth, 3) Read + look for the glimmer. Call your prayer partner to seal it.
BE JASON — MOMENTUM: The God Tree is not a hiding place, it’s a charging station. Faith without works is stagnant. Clarity comes DURING movement, not before. How to live it: After the Tree, ask: What is ONE brave thing I can do today to face my challenge head-on WITH God? One step.
BE KEVIN — STRATEGY: Checkers is reaction, chess is response: pause, swallow hurt, ask Pastor Drew’s question and strategize with God. That’s Synergy — His strength + your weakness. How to live it: 90-second rule when triggered. Don’t send the text. Ask: “Jesus, what is Your perspective and how can I glorify You in it?” Vibe with God all day. Peace + Knowing = Go.
STEP 3: 5 VERSES THAT CARRY THE ESSENCE
- Mark 1:35 — BE CERI: Get Up And Pray.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Why: This is your God Tree in the dark. Obedience before overwhelm. - Jeremiah 33:3 — THE GLIMMERS.
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Why: You call at the Tree, He answers with orchestrated winks you could never make up. - Psalm 32:8 — BE KEVIN: Strategize.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Why: This is the answer to Pastor Drew’s question — getting God’s perspective for 4-5 moves ahead. - Deuteronomy 31:8 — BE JASON: Keep Moving.
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Why: You don’t stay at the Tree, you go from the Tree with Him going before you. - John 16:33 — THE RESULT.
“In this world you WILL have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Why: Trouble is expected, but happy dancing in the street is possible because overcoming is already done.
STEP 4: THE FULL CLOSE OUT PRAYER
Father, in the mighty name of Jesus,
We come BOLDLY to Your throne of grace today — Hebrews 4:16 — not with perfect words, but with hungry hearts. Thank You for mercy waiting, not judgment. Thank You that on our ugliest days, You love us just the same.
Lord, today we confess: WE NEED YOU! WE NEED YOU! We cannot do life alone. In this world we WILL have trouble — John 16:33 says so — but we take heart today because YOU have overcome the world.
Father, we lift up every reader who woke up this morning completely overwhelmed. The trials, the relationships, the tough decisions, the enemies, the waiting. You see them. And You are saying: Do not fear; I will help you. Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. — Jeremiah 33:3
So Father, give them a God Tree. Give them a place in the dark where they can meet You before they meet the world. Teach them the formula You taught Nikki:
Teach them to BE CERI — to be obedient. Holy Spirit, nudge them early in the morning while it is still dark, like Jesus in Mark 1:35. Give them strength to put on their clothes and run to You first. Remind them to be strong and courageous because the living God is with them. Let them find glimmers of Your Presence — a verse that matches yesterday’s conversation, a wink on a kombucha bottle, a knowing — so they leave hyped saying, “If my God is with me, whom then shall I fear?”
Teach them to BE JASON — to keep moving forward. Father, don’t let them stay stagnant at the tree. You go before them! Give them courage to face their challenges head-on WITH You. Show them that clarity comes as they move. That when they get out, that’s where they will meet people, get direction, and see things work out better than expected. They are rolling with God!
Teach them to BE KEVIN — to strategize, not emotionalize. Neek, check the emotions! Father, we lay down checkers — rapid, emotional reactions that take us nowhere. We pick up chess — wise responses strategized 4-5 moves ahead with You. We ask right now: “Jesus, what is Your perspective on every moment of my life? Every relationship. Every decision. Every circumstance. And how can I enter into it to glorify You?” Answer them, Lord. Instruct them and teach them in the way they should go. Counsel them with Your loving eye upon them — Psalm 32:8.
Teach them discernment — that peace and a knowing is Your green light. Like the flight to Nigeria — when it is You, there will be peace.
And Father, for everyone who has felt low, who has swallowed hurt, who has worn a fake smile and did what they needed to do — today we receive Your new thing! Isaiah 43:18-19 — Forget the former things! You are doing a new thing! Even now it springs up! We don’t get bitter, we get closer!
So we declare over every reader today: You are different when you go to your God Tree!
We roll with strength when we are weak.
We roll with love when we feel unloved.
We roll with courage when we are afraid.
We roll with peace in the trouble, joy in the trial, wisdom for the chess moves, kindness, humility, patience, favor and MERCY!
We don’t do life alone. WE ROLL WITH GOD!
In Jesus’ mighty, overcoming name —
Amen and Amen!!!