“GUESS WHO WANTED ME TO WATCH THAT SHOW?”

I asked my daughter, Julie, yesterday. I had called her to let her know that I had dinner ready for her and her sister and to NOT BUY ANY FAST FOOD. We ended up having one of our sacred mother-daughter conversations. When I told her I was going to have an evening with Mr. Netflix, she excitedly suggested I watch Kevin Hart’s show, ‘Don’t Fk This Up.’ I replied, ‘I don’t think so, boo,I’m not too crazy about him.’ But, as I browsed through the selections for my profile, the TV glitched, unbelievably selecting that very show. And as I explained to Julie, when these “glitches” happen, I know it’s God, and it’s the show HE WANTED ME TO WATCH.

It’s a six-part documentary series about his life, and the episode where he shared a video of his wedding to his wife, Eniko, blew me away when she said these vows to him:

“I unconditionally acknowledge and accept all your faults and strengths, as you do mine.”

Wow! These words thrilled me because that’s what God has been trying to teach me through my last 18 years of marriage: to unconditionally accept all my husband’s faults and strengths as he does mine. It’s been a hard, yet beautiful thing.

Like my husband’s tongue is like a razor, and his words can be pretty intense sometimes, but God has been beautifully coming in to help me. I’ve not 100% mastered this lesson, to be honest, but I’m way better at seeing behind the tough words to see this great guy who I GET to call my husband. I focus on his positives (not the tongue like a razor part!) as God has been teaching me through these Bible verses:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” – 1 Corinthians 4-7

I call hubs my pain in the a husband, and he calls me his pain in the a wife, but at the end of the day, we have deep love and respect for each other. I wish this for all marriages and significant relationships. That we can unconditionally acknowledge and accept each other’s faults and strengths. God is our strength. Amen!

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“GOD’S GRACE IN ACTION” (REPOST)

Was my reply to a friend after she sent me an excellent reminder about God’s grace (His help, favor, acceptance, joy and every possible good) in our lives.

It had been a week filled with lots of grace. It was a rough one, but one of the best ones as I was constantly reminded over and over and over again that I’m never alone and God is my extraordinary Helper in every area of my life. I felt overwhelmingly loved by God.

Emmie, my then seven-year-old, started racking up lots of “dots” for misbehaving in his class. That week, he asked me to accompany him to his class and see all his stars, no dots. Joshie, who used to give me such a hard time in the mornings to get dressed for school, is now the first one going to the car. He too is thrilled about stars and wanting to become the student of the month – at then four years old.

A friend called when I was having a terrible moment, and I didn’t want to talk to her because I didn’t want any of her stinking positive advice, but she kept calling. I started crying because it was as if she knew something was wrong the way she kept calling. She said, “Nikki, what’s wrong? You’re going to make me cry, too.” And it turns out, her stinking positive advice was exactly what I needed. She said, “Keep your focus on God. He can turn any situation around, just keep praying.” I told her some silly thoughts I was having, and she said, “You’re joking, right?” and those words were the reality check I needed to get back to my senses.

Another friend insisted on seeing me, and she reminded me that I have so much to be thankful for because things could be so much worse. God’s grace in action, as I’m in Nigeria away from all my family in the Bahamas, but He has placed some awesome people in my life.

Then it was another person who showed up to assist me with a different issue I had going on; they gave me the perfect advice and once again I was reminded that God is indeed my unfathomable Helper in every aspect of my life. I simply should calm down, do my best in what I must do and trust Him to deal with the rest. Worried about nothing, praying about everything. God, I’m grateful!

“Pray, then allow God to worry.”

Our Father, may our faith in You grow deeper every day. Amen.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

I’M FEELING LIKE GOD’S SPECIAL GIRL

Oh my goodness! He finds these sweet ways to let me know that He is ALWAYS with me. Like yesterday, I made up my mind to run 5 miles, thinking I want to PUSH myself to do HARD THINGS. The plan was to run 2.5 miles from my house to a nearby Starbucks, and 2.5 miles back. Getting there, feeling so proud, I sent my super daughters a text, “Made it. Let’s do hard things this year for God.” I was listening to a guided Nike Run Club app, and like less than a minute after sending that text, Coach Bennet amazing said something like, “This is not about being a better runner or doing harder runs, it’s about training yourself to do hard things in your life.” Wink! Wink!

You may say that’s coincident that Coach Bennet said that, but again this was another one of my God winks, totally orchestrated and arranged by God to let me know that His Presence is always with me. It was too perfectly timed and said to be some ordinary occurrence. There were so many other runs I could have decided on and so many different paths I could have chosen, but I picked the ones where God could remind me of His love and constant Presence in my life. THERE WAS NO WAY THIS ALL LINED UP SO PERFECTLY ON ITS OWN!

I came back so happy! Feeling like I touched base with God – Yes, Nik, I want you doing hard things this year, all for My glory. Yes, Boss, I’m in! I enjoyed coming back home to the girls and having some meaningful conversations with them about honing their personalities. I used an example of me talking too much and getting myself into trouble as an example of how I want us going to God and asking Him what He would have us to say in every moment. I’m talking constant and never-ending conversations with Him about everything. Like we’re talking to a best friend.

As I cooked and cleaned up, I listened to one of my messengers from God, Justin Beiber. I played his song ‘Company’ repeatedly imaging God asking this of me (AND NOW OF YOU):

“Can WE…keep each other company? Maybe WE can be… be each other’s company.”

God, YES!!! Gladly! I’ve started my 50 days of discipline again, and instead of two hours with God, my challenge is to spend 24 hours with Him knowing that there is never a moment that I don’t have access to His wisdom, charm, tact, protection, love, joy, peace, strength, encouragement, and guidance. Will you keep His company, too?

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I PRAY THAT GOD WILL FILL YOU COMPLETELY WITH JOY AND PEACE BECAUSE YOU TRUST IN HIM

That’s my new phone’s screensaver that I’m in love with! This is where I want all of us; trusting God and living a peaceful and joyful life with Him as our Partner and Guide. He’s with us and for us!!! Do your best and leave the rest with Him!

I loved the way God assisted me with an issue that came up yesterday. I’m learning not to REACT, BUT TO RESPOND to whatever comes up with God’s wisdom backing me up. That means me calming down, slowing down and asking what He would have me to do. And in that moment, I felt Him saying to be a professional ignorer, kindly and respectfully. That turned out to be the best decision and things went way better than I expected. Thanks, God!

Immediate forgiveness of everyone is where I’m trying to be! We’re all on a path of growth and unfoldment and none of us are perfect. I feel that’s our challenge from God, to go the extra mile in love with each other.

Like a feeling this week was to call someone and encourage them to do exactly that; To leave the past in the past, begin again and to be the people God has called us to be. They initially didn’t like me involving myself in their personal affairs, but by the end of the conversation they thanked me feeling I only meant well for them.

Can we all do that? To leave the past in the past, begin again, and to be the people God has called us to be. In every moment, let’s seek Him and ask, “God, what would you have me to do here?”

I PRAY THAT GOD WILL FILL YOU COMPLETELY WITH JOY AND PEACE BECAUSE YOU TRUST IN HIM

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

GOD SHOWS UP IN A HOSPITAL ROOM, AGAIN

Yesterday was a rough day! And just as I was about to have a little emotional meltdown, God showed up. This God wink started from Sunday, though, when my brother came over to visit, and of all the gifts in the world, he brought me and my hubs two “Psycho Bunny” Polo shirts, which I had never even heard about before. Fast forward to yesterday, as I sat praying in that hospital room for God’s guidance as to what to do, on the verge of having my breakdown, two doctors walked in. Unbelievably, one was wearing, out of all shirts in the world, the same Psycho Bunny Polo shirt (Wink! Wink!). I knew right away that this was no coincidence, but God saying, ‘Nik, relax, everything will be OK. I’m here.’ He calmed all my fears and anxieties, letting me know that He Himself was intimately involved with this situation.

A few minutes later, he had this to say to me through my meditation book:

“Though there are many ups and downs along the way, the overall gradient is upward. Do not expect easy conditions on such a high reaching adventure, but do expect Me to support you all the way to heaven.” – Jesus Calling

God is indeed our family’s greatest blessing!!! From the second day I met this husband pictured here with me and my girls (all arranged by God), I knew right away that he was the one for me when he got on his knees and prayed, ‘Thank You, God, for helping me find my wife.” Five months later, we were married, and after eighteen years together, I have no regrets – God has been our wonderfully Guide.

As a family, we pay serious attention to where God is leading us. This move for me with the girls to the US and leaving my husband and sons in Nigeria has certainly not been easy, but after lots of prayers, we felt this was what God would have us to do. I’ll never forget our Sunday Brunch together having an appointment with Him before we made the final decision. It was a kid’s devotional where God spoke to us. My husband was worried about our safety so far from him, and God had this to say:

“But listen to this great news: God is always with us. Wherever we go, he goes. Wherever we are, he is. The Lord is strong enough to keep us safe.”

This has been a tremendous sacrifice for our girls, but I believe God calls us to do hard things sometimes, all for His glory. I was so happy hearing my husband tell them how proud he is of them on his recent trip to see us. Thank You, God, for your intimate direction and support. May we do everything pleasing to You. Amen.

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“GRATEFUL I HAD ALL THE PATIENCE” (REPOST)

That was me singing and dancing in my car to Meek Mill’s song Dangerous yesterday. In fact, I should change my name to Patience because patience is seriously working for your girl over here. This pic is my girls dressed for their College Day at school. Ember is aiming for New York University and Julie, Columbia University, also in New York. The other day we had a little falling out, and I couldn’t even pretend to be mad at them. I immediately forgave because they’re such great daughters that I MUST be patient with them.

As soon as I woke up this morning, I called hubby and the boys in Nigeria. The boys have some progress tests next week, and I wanted to make sure they were up studying. We had an appointment with God as they sat having their Sunday brunch, all prepared by my incredible husband (another example of how PATIENCE is working for me – the best husband has shown up!). Emmie picked number 200 from our Purpose Driven Life Devotional for Kids, and I read this verse to them:

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU.” – Matthew 17:20

Wow, what a way to start off a Sunday morning! I had a meeting that lasted a couple of hours yesterday with a possible management candidate, and he said he was sad for me. I replied, “There is nothing to be sad about. God has been good to us. Things may not have worked out the way we’ve expected, but we’ve handed the disappointments to God, grateful for where we are, and we have FAITH that God will help us turn things around.”

“If you didn’t count on Me (God) for help, to whom would you turn? Hope and trust to the utmost in Me, and you will honor Me. And I’ll answer you every time you call.”

“Even when you feel good for nothing, give Me this nothing. Didn’t I create with nothing.” – He and I

Guys, I don’t know about you, but in every aspect of my life, I’m counting on God’s help. This business that’s off track, I’m going to God for His guidance in every moment asking what He would have us to do, little by little, to turn things around. The girls will be driving themselves to and from school, and again, I’m counting on God’s Presence to be with them. My husband and boys all the way in Nigeria; again, I’m relying on God’s protection and wisdom to help us all make the right decisions. Let’s all put our utmost trust and honor in Him.

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GOD, I’VE CHANGED MY MIND!

LOL! That was me to Him yesterday after writing this in my last post:

“GOD, WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO DO! _
He seems to be asking something difficult, and I’ve answered, ‘God, anything for You. I have options, but You’re my top one!’_

A day later… ‘sorry God, ain’t happening! This is just too much!!!’ But, as I was walking past the inspiration book section of a store last night, I randomly opened to a page of one, and it was a direct message from Him: WE’RE TO HELP ONE ANOTHER. Kk, God, anything for You.

And why such faithfulness and loyalty to God? Because He has been the GREATEST FRIEND EVER. He’s always there for me. In every aspect of my life, in any problem, any distress, He has never failed. On top of that, the unconditional love and acceptance I feel from Him are incredible.

Yesterday, my nephew, Duro, says to me, “Aunty, you don’t have much you’re working with.” I read an old post to him where I quoted from my meditation book what I felt God saying to me after feeling like a total loser one night:

“Even when you feel good for nothing, give Me this nothing. Didn’t I create with nothing.”

Duro, God created the entire universe from nothing! I’m sticking with Him to turn my nothing into something! All things are possible with God!

From then on, the whole entire day, I kept quoting this back to him as to how God can meet us at our lowest of the low if we give that to Him and ask His help in getting us back on the right track again. He’s pretty fantastic like that!

And right before going to bed, look what showed up in my appointment with God:

“Even when you feel good for nothing, give Me this nothing. Didn’t I create with nothing.”

This was just His sweet way of letting me know He is with me. I wanted to read the new meditation book, but I got the feeling from Him to read this one. He also used that time to say this to me (and now you!):

“Why do you sometimes think of Me as a severe master waiting for a chance to find fault with you? Wouldn’t you rather see Me a very loving friend, ready to make excuses for you if you fall? The friend who keeps watch over you. Don’t you think I’m like that?”

I guess we get so used to other humans always waiting for us to mess up, fall, and criticize us, that we see God in this same light, but He really is always ready to make excuses for us. He said to me yesterday on my run with Him: “Don’t belittle your best when this is the best you can do.” I started crying because I’ve been so hard on myself, lately. He knows my heart, and He knows every burden I’m carrying. This transition from Nigeria hasn’t been easy for your girl, but God has been faithful – Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! Let’s keep our eyes fixed on God and not this crazy, fallen world!

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GOD DOESN’T DISAPPOINT!

Let me tell ya, I write these posts saying I work for God, but the truth is that He is seriously working for me!!! See these two beautiful daughters pictured here with me, they made me so proud yesterday beginning college at nights while they’re still in high school. And, of course, I’m giving all the glory and praise to God who has been the wonderful Guide of every aspect of my life, including PARENTING.

Is He your Guide? Don’t miss out on God’s love, wisdom, and direction. I’m feeling so loved by Him these days that I don’t need the love from anyone else – God’s love is ENOUGH! Humans can keep all their little, stingy portions of love. Your girl here is good! God orchestrates these astonishing alignments that I call my God winks to remind me that His invisible Presence is always with me.

Like on Sunday, I asked my mom if she wanted me to take her to a close-by hairdresser before we went out somewhere for dinner. She said yes, but as I was driving there, I felt God saying to take her to another one. Going to pick her up, I enjoyed the music randomly playing from my phone’s library. And in getting there, I debated where to park, and amazingly, exactly where I decided to turn, there was a car with a license plate beginning with “HUG” as the lyric in the song I was paying said “HUG” at the exact nanosecond as I drove by. This lined up too perfectly to be an ordinary coincident. It was another one of my HUGS from God to let me know that on a crazy day where I slugged down TWO Starbucks coffees, that His invisible, LOVING Presence was right there with me.

And knowing I’m not going through life alone gives me such confidence to live my life happy, at peace, and JOYFUL because God is my Guide, and He has my back, no matter what comes my way. Are you rolling with Him?

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WOW! WOW! WOW!

God just blew me away on my morning run with Him! On the way to completing my two miles, I felt I needed an extra boost from Post Malone’s song, Wow. That did the trick! I started dancing, laughing, singing, happy, and FULL OF JOY as I finished out that run. While listening to the song, I’m also listening to Coach Bennet through my Nike Running Club, and he amazingly says, “Wow, Wow, WoW” as I listen to Post Malone in the background saying the same thing, WoW!

Believe it or not, this was another one of my God winks (no coincident!), where, out of the blue, everything lines up EXTREMELY too perfectly. It was God Himself letting me know He was right there on that run with me, AND THAT HE IS ALWAYS WITH ME, and that He is familiar with ALL my ways! It was His Spirit that I felt saying to pick that particular run out of so many of them, and again it was Him that said, Nik, stop and change the song. Let me tell ya, God is pretty cool like that! He is definitely the One you want to know!!!

2020 is off to such a fantastic start where I’m feeling so close to Him. Just like this morning’s run, He’s finding all these different and sweet ways to let me know He’s with me. Like He knows everything I say, everything I think, and every move I make. His love is too much!

But you must pay attention to pick up on these God winks (glimmers of God’s invisible Presence). Like driving yesterday, I noticed a truck with all these different-colored carrots. I then leave work early to go and hang out with my brother Jason, and we ended up watching a documentary on Netflix with these same colorful carrots showing up. Again, God’s way of saying, Nik, I’m with you!

Call me crazy to think that the Creator of the entire universe is showing me such love and attention, but He is. This gives me such joy in knowing I’m not going through life alone and that He is with me, And I want you feeling His intimate Presence with you, too! Start paying attention to those so-called coincidences!

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“HOW’S MY FREED SLAVE DOING?”

That’s was me this morning to one of my valued treasures from God. She called me a year and a half ago for some advice and turned out that we both needed each other. This verse perfectly sums up our relationship:

“We had a good friendship and walked together to God’s Temple.”

Every conversation has been sacred as we encouraged each other to keep our eyes fixed on God and not what was happening around us. To be the super moms, wives, and people that God HIMSELF would have us to be, and I’m seriously thanking God for having her to call me. As I encouraged her, I helped myself. We walked together to God’s temple.

Yesterday was one of our best days, though, as God revealed His intimate Presence with us. We were talking off and on throughout the day. At one point, I’m listening to Rob Bell’s podcast and his guest, Don Golden, talked about the slaves from Egypt being freed and how God is calling us ALL to be freed from anything that is holding us back from being the people He is calling us to be. I got so excited calling her back saying we have to free ourselves from our personal mental slavery and start thinking the thoughts that God would have us thinking not this JUNK we’ve been getting sad and depressed over. The words from Bob Marley’s song came to mind, “Free yourself from mental slavery.” After talking to her, I sent her a text, “Google Bob Marley’s song. Wow He is speaking directly to us.”

Minutes later, God reveals His intimate Presence with us. She walks past her nephew’s bedroom, and he is UNBELIEVABLY playing this very Bob Marley song, “EMANCIPATE YOURSELF FROM MENTAL SLAVERY.” Honestly, I can’t get over the sweetness of God, letting me and her know that He Himself is with us as we take on this superhero role for our families, all for His glory. This was His way of encouraging us both to continue joyously carrying the crosses He has assigned to us. God, ANYTHING FOR YOU!

And one other wink I had yesterday I have to tell you about! I read a prayer that morning that got me super excited to take on a challenging day I had in store, “Dear God, thank You for standing beside us as we journey through the difficult and good times. Amen.” Fast forward a few hours later, and NEEDING to have a moment with God, this astonishingly showed up exactly where I continued reading from: “I’m walking beside you.” God sweetly found a way to confirm that prayer.

We all have our tough times, but know this is a message for you too from Him, “I’m walking beside you.”

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