“NIK, YOU NEED A NEW WARDROBE”
Hehehe! That was the comment I got from a sweetie after she watched one of my videos. But as I explained to her, ‘tis the season for hard work! My new attire will be some uniform shirts with our company’s name and logo embroidered on them. Your girl here is in hustle mode, baby, and it ain’t always pretty. Yesterday that meant going between a tire and mechanic shop to prepare a vehicle for sale. And, let me tell ya, I was totally thrilled and full of joy doing so, feeling God’s Presence with me the entire time.
I’m beginning to love this challenge of getting our business back on track because it’s pushing me closer to God for His moment by moment guidance that I’m getting better at feeling through my spirit. And He lovingly finds ways to reveal glimpses of His Presence with me. Like on Friday, after being disappointed so many times by our usual supply guy, I made it a point to get what I needed, randomly calling companies through a Google search. I got in touch with a gentleman who said he couldn’t come to me, but I can meet him over by a specific place to purchase what I needed from his mobile truck. I go there, met up with him, and purchased exactly what I’ve been wanting to buy for weeks. Phew!
Fast forward to yesterday, and can you believe this customer showed up to trade in a car purchased exactly from this very specific location where I met the dealer supply guy that very day before. Off all the places this stranger had me to meet him, for this to be the dealership where this gentleman had purchased his last car from that he now wanted to trade in to us was a HUGE GOD WINK. No coincident! This was entirely orchestrated by God to let me know that His Presence is ALWAYS with me, as if saying, ‘Nik, I’m with you! I’m with You, I’m with you!’
“You seem very happy in the video,” another friend commented. I told her thanks and that I’m feeling like God’s girl – loved and approved by Him. No other love required. My alone times with God reading my meditation books, along with my morning runs, have brought me such joy and peace like no other in knowing that God is on my side, and He is my Helper in every aspect of my life. Today on that run, He whispered to me to make a crucial phone call, and I PAID ATTENTION. His sheep know His voice! Don’t mess around with your relationship with God. He is the ULTIMATE LIFE COACH, GUIDE, and HELPER! Wink! Wink! Say this prayer with me: ‘God, I want a closer walk with You! Amen!’ then make space in your life to hear from Him. As you seek Him, you will find Him.
HAVE FUN WITH IT!
That’s the message from God I felt in my spirit yesterday. Your girl here has lots on her plate right now with trying to get our business here on the right track again, but I’m not going to get overwhelmed or frustrated by it all, I’m going to ENJOY the challenge, take it one day at a time, and most importantly, TRUST GOD TO HELP ME. My hope is in Him, baby! This pic is of me and the two future CEO’s, my handsome and smart sons, Emmie and Joshie, by God’s grace! Heehaw! Momma working hard for you guys!
I loved it when my nephew, Duro, asked me something like, ‘How will you do it (get our business going), Aunty? You don’t have much you’re working with.” I told him about an appointment with God where I felt like a total loser and God said to me:
“Even when you feel good for nothing, give Me this nothing. Didn’t I create with nothing? All I ask of you is the will to give yourself to Me at all times, in cloud or sunshine.” – He and I
God, I’m ALL YOURS!!! If God can create this beautiful universe from nothing, I’m giving Him my nothing to work with – no problem! That means every day, asking, ‘God, what would You have me to do?’ and be about doing that! As I do my best in the physical realm, I’m trusting God to do what I can’t do in the spiritual realm, not going by the ordinary rules – I’m under God’s laws! I’m taking to heart what He said to me the other day in another appointment with Him:
“Discuss everything with Me. Take a lighthearted view of trouble (Nik, have fun with it!), seeing it as a challenge that you and I together can handle. Remember that I am on your side, and I have overcome the world.” Jesus Calling
Notice how these two books, Jesus Calling and He and I, are my go-to meditation books for hearing from God. What are yours? They’ve helped me significantly on my journey to a closer walk with Him. I encourage you to find any spiritual literature that resonates with you and continuously make space in your life to hear what God has to say specifically to you. I LOVE MY LIFE WITH HIM as I’m learning to enjoy His company in every moment. Yesterday, that meant singing my heart out to Him in Justin Beiber’s song, One Time:
“So We keep climbing to the mountain top. Your world is my world. And my fight is Your fight. You by my side, them troubles them not trouble me. I LOVE YOU!”
I LOVE THIS FAMILY!!!
Was a comment I got the other day referring to a post I wrote. I LOVE MY FAMILY, TOO! I always say that I want us to be a testimony to the world of a family rolling with God. But there were certain things that I questioned myself about, though. Like you guys are so messed up, how could you tell the world that you’re rolling with God. Can you believe He answered me?
I felt Him say, “That’s the testimony! You are all so imperfect, which makes it all so perfect to share with the world that I LOVE YOU DESPITE ALL THE IMPERFECTIONS. And I love how your family loves, support and encourage each other too DESPITE ALL your weaknesses and failures YOU STICK TOGETHER. Ain’t nothing perfect, Nik! Keep shining!
I call us His A-Team! I’m here with the girls in the US, and hubs is in Nigeria with the boys, and it’s a big sacrifice for our daughters. We’re in this together-one for all and all for one!
We STILL have our challenges and struggles just like everyone else, but we trust God to GUIDE and HELP US no matter what comes our way. And, honestly, He hasn’t let us down yet. The BIGGER the problems, the stronger He shows up as if saying, “Who’s messing with my people.” Those challenges have increased our faith in Him!
The other day I was feeling terrible about not being the person I felt He is calling me to be and He sweetly says, “Ask my forgiveness if you accuse yourself of any omission-not at My feet but on My heart.” It’s like He just had that message lined up waiting to tell me when I was there beating up myself to remind me of His deep love for me when I was feeling SOOOO terrible that I keep saying this is the person I want to be and I keep failing. So, for Him to reach me in that awful moment made me feel so LOVED and accepted by Him. It gave me new motivation to keep trying to become the best version of myself (slip-ups and all), all for His glory. Heaven is my audience!
In all our ways, let’s acknowledge God asking Him what He would have us to do being the loving, forgiving, going extra mile kind of people HE HIMSELF would have us to be. This is the way to the BLESSED LIFE.
LOVING MY BLESSED LIFE WITH GOD
I’M THANKFUL FOR ALL THE “BAD” IN MY LIFE
| The hurts, rejections, challenges, difficulties, disappointments, insecurities, frustrations, evil, awful and all the painful stuff that have come my way. These so called “bad” were exactly what I needed to become God’s girl. And now that I’m here, feeling sooooo close to Him, I’m sincerely thankful for them all. “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.”In fact, yesterday was another HAPPY bawling crying day while listening to K-Ci and JoJo’s song, ‘All My Life’ as I sang these lyrics to God:“And all my life I’ve prayed for Someone like you (to love and accept me) And I thank God (You!) that I, that I finally found You… You turned my life around, you picked me up when I was down”The picking me up when I was down part was where the REAL crying began. Don’t ask me how He does it, but no matter how many times I fall, God is there to help me get myself back up, dust myself off, and to keep going, even stronger than before. Like I remember one time when I felt so hurt and rejected by someone, and I go to have an appointment with God when these messages showed up:“It’s hard to comprehend how much God loves us because we are all used to human love, we had to behave properly, and we had to do certain things to keep our relationships with people going. People blow you off when you don’t do things to please them as we know that conditional love, it lets you down…With God’s kind of love, it’s totally different, it’s awe inspiring….May I be lifted above the pain of rejection, as I remember that who I really am cannot be rejected. May God’s acceptance mean more to be than the acceptance of any person, for it is based on my true worth.”So, there I was, feeling so hurt, down and depressed like this person didn’t want me in their life again, and God’s invisible Presence shows up with this crucial message from Him to me: Nik, the real you, my child, can never be rejected. He picks me up when I’m down.I don’t want to be this bawling happy crying by myself, ya’ll! Tell God you want a closer walk with Him, too. My screensaver still has my reminder from Him, “I’m walking beside you.” I can go through the rejections, difficulties, and good times knowing I am never alone, God’s invisible Presence never lets go of my hand. Make time to have your appointments with Him, reading or doing anything spiritual that connects you with Him. I’m off to my run with Him!WEROLLWITHGOD.COM |
| MARRIAGE AND SINGLE MATTERS |
| “WE’LL WAIT FOR YOU”That was my daughter, Ember, to me this morning in regards to going out to a neighborhood food truck event this evening with her and her sister, Julie. Honestly, this made me feel so special that they actually want to hang out with their God maniac mama here. So, despite not wanting to break my diet, I will cherish every moment with these fantastic daughters God has brought into my life. God, I’m grateful!I’m importantly learning to be flexible, going to God in every moment asking, ‘What should I do here?’ Nik, go and enjoy the evening with your daughters!LIVE IN GOD, LIVE IN LOVE |
| HEALTH MATTERS |
| ONE CHEAT MEAL A WEEK!That’s the deal I’ve made with myself! Food truck, here I come! But, the challnge today will be to eat less and enjoy later with the girls!“Let food be thy medicine!” |
“HOW DO YOU MENTALLY DEAL WITH TOUGH SITUATIONS?”
Wow! That was the excellent question from a sweetie pie God has sent into my life! Here’s how:
God is my GREATEST FRIEND EVER! Anything I’m concerned about, He’s concerned about, let me tell ya. And He lovingly finds all sorts of ways to communicate with me (He’s quite talkative once you get to know Him!) Like yesterday, I was feeling seriously anxious about a situation, and when I finally went to Him to talk about it, I ended up balling crying like a little baby. This wink started from Sunday morning when I felt Him say this to me through my meditation book:
“When you were little you wanted someone to take your hand when you crossed the street. Ask me often to take your hand, because you are always little.” – He and I
I loved it so much, I immediately captioned it on this pic from the night before: God, Take Our Hands And Walk With Us. Amen.
Fast forward to the very next day, feeling so overwhelmed and anxious, I continued reading from where I had last left off in another meditation book:
“…My hand that never let’s go of yours.” Wink! Wink!
There I was in that moment saying God I need to hear from You, and He used that prayer of me asking Him to take hold of my hand like a little child crossing the street, and He sweetly says, ‘Nik, I never let your hand go.’ See the love I’m talking about! From one meditation book to a completely different one, He found a way to connect the two and remind me that His intimate Presence is always with me.
That’s what gives me a positive mindset to manly and bravely tackle whatever challenges come my way. I’m counting on God’s help! He continued speaking through Jesus Calling:
“Discuss everything with Me. Take a lighthearted view of trouble, seeing it as a challenge that you and I together can handle. Remember that I am on your side, and I have overcome the world.” Wink! Wink!
There is no situation too difficult for God! Do you have appointments with Him? See how I go from meditation book to meditation book, seeking His face, and He delightfully shows up as if saying, ‘I’m right here, Nik!’
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“IT’S MESSED UP WHEN YOUR MIND IS PLAYING TRICKS ON YA”
Let me tell ya, the crazy lady is forever trying to make an ugly appearance, but God is with me, helping me to fight her off every little step of the way! Heehaw! Here’s how:
As soon as I wake up every day, I’ve trained myself to put on my exercise clothes immediately. A run around our neighborhood is my therapy time with God. I vent to Him about anything that’s going on with the cra cra lady, and He speaks to me, giving me His awesome perspective on the situation. I lovingly get ideas, solutions, mindsets, strategies to follow and, most importantly, He builds my Godfidence. I’m importantly reminded that I’m not going through life alone, God is with me. I can take on anything that comes my way, KNOWING HE’S WITH ME ALWAYS. I count on Him to do what I can’t do, working in the spiritual realm on my behalf.
Add in the Nike Running Club and Coach Bennet, and my mind is being blown away with POSITIVES to wipe out the negative thinking that wants to keep your girl here down. All my so-called “negatives” are looked at from a totally different perspective, and I leave the runs sincerely happier.
Like today, Coach Bennet encouraged me to acknowledge the setbacks, losses, and the struggles from the past, not to beat up myself about them, but to look for ways to be better. We can reflect on learning more about ourselves, embracing the losses, and then be extremely thankful for being able to come through them. We can look for essential lessons and THEN use them as momentum and motivation to make a comeback for another win. Woohoo!!!
And those ways of being better is where God lovingly comes in. Once you learn His voice, you’ll hear His whispers and directions. Do this first. Don’t say this. Try this idea. Improve here. I continually feel and hear Him direct me as to what He would have me to do.
“We’re doing hard things this year!” That was me to my daughters yesterday as we cleared out a huge pile of old furniture from our house for a bulk garbage pickup. Right after that, we had to clean up for some guests we were expecting. Today they’ll be joining me at work as we give our best and leave the rest with God. I can acknowledge that the comfortable life in Nigeria has made us very lazy, but we’re going to pick ourselves up, by the grace of God, and be better. With God and HARD WORK, we’re on an official winning streak beginning now. Wink! Wink!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“WHY ARE YOU WATCHING THAT KIND OF A SHOW WITH THEM?”
That was my hubs to me today! I was telling him how the girls and I were watching this TV show where a wife wants a divorce from her husband after she found out that he had an affair over nine years ago. I said to him that I was happy for the opportunity to speak to them about a critical value God has been teaching me: We’re to make allowances for human weaknesses and failures – ain’t nobody perfect!!! And let me tell ya, following God’s ways are sincerely working for your girl over here. People can call me stupid, crazy, or whatever they want, but being obedient to God, and not conforming to the ways of the world, has guided my life on an extremely beautiful path (HUGE SMILE). God, I’m grateful!
In fact, I just got all emotional speaking to hubby again a short while ago. He’s in Nigeria and I’m in the U.S., and because we’re in the car sales business, he suggested I drive a recent purchase. I explained to him that I’m sticking with the one he woke up early one morning to drive about an hour to buy for me. I said that it’s my reminder of how blessed I am to have him and our kids in my life – We’re not perfect, but we’re damn close!
Like I always say, I don’t want to keep all this awesomeness from God to myself. I feel He had my daughter, Julie, to surprisingly play this hit song from 1992 when I picked her up from school yesterday, a special invitation from Him:
“Come and talk to me
I really want to meet you
Can I talk to you
I really want to know you” – Come and Talk to Me, Jodeci
And He truly does want us coming and talking to Him and listening to HIS direction for our lives. He has the best plans! I feel like sometimes I may come off as a little braggadocios, but I’m really only bragging about God. He truly has exceeded my expectations in every aspect. I may not be where I want to be, but I’m certainly not where I used to be – unhappy, insecure, starving for love, overweight, almost alcoholic, crazy lady! Talking to God about my frustrations, hurts, disappointments, anxieties, problems, challenges, rejections, failures, and insecurities has been invaluable to the point that I thank Him for all the negative experiences that have brought me closer to Him (ANOTHER SMILE).
Please, take Him up on this invitation: Come and Talk to Me. He is like a shy person waiting in the background of your life for you to notice Him. Give Him the pleasure of acknowledging His invisible Presence that is ALWAYS with you. Say this prayer with me: “God, I want a closer walk with You this year. Amen.”
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“I’M ELATED THAT YOU ARE MY LADY”
That’s my message from God this morning on a quick 12-minute run around our neighborhood. I was listening to one of my messengers from Him, Justin Bieber, and his latest single, ‘Yummy.’ He continued:
“Ain’t on the side, YOU’RE NUMBER ONE!!!”
Call me crazy, but I believe we each can claim this with total confidence: “Ain’t on the side, I’m God’s number one!!!” Better believe it! I’m over eleven years in from saying this crucial prayer that has changed my life: ‘God, I want a closer walk with You,’ and He has disappointed me yet! I constantly feel His invisible Presence.
Like this week, I, out of the blue, started referring to our family as the A-Team. I even wrote it in a post, that I’m helping my kids and husband to be our best selves together, all for God’s glory. We’re His A-Team! I called my sons in Nigeria to tell them this new name, saying that I’m expecting nothing less than A’s from them. Same with my daughters, ‘Momma not accepting any B’s this time around!’ I mean totally going overboard with this A-Team thing. And as I drove yesterday, out on an important errand, deciding to go the extra mile for God, a truck passed with the name of a business, ‘A-Team (Wink! Wink!) Concepts’
Unbelievably, this was God’s way of saying, ‘Nik, My sweet, invisible Presence is ALWAYS with you.’ I want us all feeling His constant Presence with us. My screensaver on my phone says this: “I’m walking beside you.” I’m going through life KNOWING that God never leaves my side, not even for a nanosecond. I CAN THEREFORE BE STRONG, UNFLINCHING AND COURAGEOUS no matter what comes my way! These verses showed up in an appointment with God last night with my daughter, Julie:
“Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy. Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. Do what you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:6-8
I claim this peace for us all, the peace that surpasses all comprehension KNOWING that God Himself is with us ALWAYS. Pray, work hard, and let God worry!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM