‘GOD, WHY DO YOU CARE IF I AM SAD?’

I asked Him after He showed up for me at 1 am the other morning to comfort me. ‘Weren’t you concerned about your daughter the other day when she seemed a little upset about something?’ I felt Him reply through my spirit. God, I was.

And that’s the God I’ve come to know and love. He finds me in my weakest moments and picks me back up and says, ‘Come on, Nik, let’s keep going. I’m right here with you’ And knowing He is with me makes me invincible – too powerful to be defeated, baby. When I’m weak, God is my strength. I can, therefore, boast of my weaknesses because those are the times God’s power comes shining through and takes over. I can do all things with Him by my side! He makes me sincerely happy. No matter what the world thinks of us, our God loves, cares, and approves of us. We can hold our heads high, no matter the challenges coming our way!

He takes me through these sad times, though, to grow me up, mature, and teach me (and hopefully you) some crucial lessons. This time I felt He was teaching more about love – His kind of love. Love is not a feeling, it’s an ABILITY to go through difficult times and yet stay committed, going the extra mile in love and forgiveness, wiping he slates completely clean, and no looking back on the past. Got that?

I so loved an appointment with God where I was feeling so down on myself and God showed up saying:

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

And when we turn to God in all our relationships for His guidance, He can turn any and every situation around for the better. There is nothing too difficult for Him!

I’m finding love to be like bread, you eat it up, and you have to keep remaking new loaves. When I first met my husband, he came to visit me in the Bahamas, and there was a song I played for him on the drive from the airport. That was 18 years ago this month, and I still believe every word:

“One… you’re like a dream come true…
_ Two… just wanna be with you…
_ Three… it’s plain to see that you’re the only one for me…
_ And four… repeat steps one through three…
_ Five… make you fall in love with me…
_ If ever I believe my work is done
_ Then I’ll start back at one” – Back at One, Brian McKnight

This goes for all our significant relationships!

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“AM I CRAZY?”

I asked my daughters last night on the way back home from seeing the movie Joker. I told them how I felt God’s Presence with me at 1 am when I was up feeling all sad and depressed the night before. I was listening to Rich Roll’s podcast, and he said, “No one gets out alive.” I remembered how my nephew Justin always used to say the same thing. Some minutes later, still unable to sleep, I said let me stop the podcast and see what God had to say to me in my own book that I published a couple of years ago. Unbelievably, this showed up:

“…since her son, Justin, always reminds us, “No one gets out alive!”

Believe it or not, this was God’s way of letting me know that His invisible Presence was there with me. He knows every thought we think! This is a book of 366 blog posts, so for me to simply continue reading from where I had last left off, to read that one, after listening to Rich Roll, was all lined up too perfectly to be some ordinary coincident. It was God wrapping His arms around me to comfort me and remind me that whatever I’m going through, He will always be with me.

What kind of a love is this? Too good to be true right? Before the movie, the girls and I got some beautiful inspirational bracelets, and the one got says, “I (God) am with you always.” Him showing up at 1 am to be with me was nothing new. In fact, I’m beginning to love hurts and disappointments because God always figures out some way to let me know He is with me.

The movie turned out to be the perfect selection. A song played, ‘That’s Life,’ by Frank Sinatra that said,

“Each time I find myself flat on my face (me yesterday)
I pick myself up and get back in the race”
And I thought, I must download it on my phone.
As soon as we got in the car, my daughter, Julie asked for my phone and next thing I knew, she was playing this very song loud in our car:

“That’s life (that’s life), that’s what all the people say
_ You’re ridin’ high in April, shot down in May
_ But I know I’m gonna change that tune
When I’m back on top, back on top in June”

I took it as another message from God for me. For my daughter to download and play this song from 1966, was His way of saying, ‘Nik, disappointments will come. That’s life. Now pick yourself back up and get back in the race. KNOWING I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS.’

Yes, Boss! Let the world around us just fall apart, my eyes are fixed on You!!! Heart to heart. Amen.

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“I NEED YOUR ADVICE ON SOMETHING PLEASE”

That was me calling for a friend for help deciding whether or not to cancel Netflix for my daughters. I couldn’t make up my mind because they’re such great girls, but at the same time, I’ve noticed how it’s becoming such a distraction. She gave me the perfect advice, “Allow them to watch during holiday times only.” Thanks, my girl!

Fast forward to that evening, God had something to say about it through our Office Manager, Martha. We were driving together, and I don’t even remember why, but out of the blue she remarkably said, “I’ve canceled my Netflix.” Wink! Wink! I couldn’t believe it. I told her how I called my friend all the way in Nigeria because this Netflix subscription was really bothering me. I took that as God Himself confirming, ‘Nik, Cancel Netflix.’ Mr. Netflix, we love you, but we’ll see you again soon, during the holidays!

That was another one of my God winks where everything lines up strangely too perfectly to be an ordinary coincident. God is pretty talkative once you get to know Him – START PAYING ATTENTION!!! That was no coincident! It was His loving way of helping me make a significant decision as well as remind me that He is always with me. How great is that? God’s Presence never leaves us. The school has moved the girls up to Honour level classes (proud momma here!), and I don’t want the TV to get them off track. Tough love! God is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives, just waiting for us to include Him. My phone screensaver still has this crucial message from Him:

“May your life be Mine-uninterruptedly Mine.”

God, a big YES! Will you also accept that invitation from Him? To invite Him to be with us through the good, bad and ugly as we hold His hand tightly, and resting on His heart?

“Have you discovered what hinders you from coming? Discover and destroy.” – He and I

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THIS IS A GREAT THING!!!

That was me encouraging my son, Emmie, after some “negative” comments at his parent-teacher conference today. I explained to him that we should THANK his teachers because they’ve told him how he could IMPROVE and hopefully become a better student and person. We’re not running from our weaknesses, and whenever we fall, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and we keep going, trying to become the ultimate best versions of ourselves. Woohoo!!!

And helping us GRANDLY in this endeavor: God. He knows the perfect experiences we each and uniquely need to help us become ALL He has created us to be. Like today I was out for another Thank You Run (mostly walk!) with Him around our beautiful neighborhood here in sunny South Florida. I first thanked Him for EVERYTHING, and then I called my hubby saying, “Thank you that I get to live this great life with you and for being the best husband and dad ever.” It was such a positive experience where I was reminded of all the good in my life that I might sometimes take for granted.

It’s a far cry from an awful situation that I described as my worst day ever, but even with that, I got to see the hands of a wonderful, caring God who knew I needed to go through it. He showed up asking me to forgive, and I’m so thankful that I was obedient to Him. NOTHING TOPS GOD!!! His ways are not our ordinary human ways, they’re so much better. He lovingly guides us on the paths to the best lives. The times when I’ve asked Him, ‘God, why me?’ are the very times He changes the trajectory of my entire life for the better. He knows what He’s doing! Trust me on that!

These awful times give me such a new perspective, crucial lessons, and they especially bring me closer to God. To know He is so intimately involved in my affairs, melts away all my sadness and anxieties. The world might be falling apart around me, still, I just tightly hold on to His hands, keep my eyes fixed on Him, constant recalibrate and readjust myself based on current circumstances, and I roll with it, listening to God in every moment as to what He would have me to do. God’s girl, baby! Are you His?

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It’s like a wilderness experience I’m on right now. Away from hubs, sons, and a very comfortable life in Nigeria, but oh so so so much closer to God. The sweet life with Him just got astonishingly sweeter. I’m feeling His intimate Presence everywhere I go.

Like yesterday, we had an appointment with a customer to purchase a car from us. I told them that I would personally like to test drive it. I jump in the car and the song on the radio made me cry. I felt immediately, through my spirit, God saying this was a message from Him to me (and now you!!!):

“Standing here beside you
Want so much to give you
This love in My heart that I’m feeling for you
Let ’em say we’re crazy, I don’t care about that
Put your hand in my hand baby
Don’t ever look back
Let the world around us just fall apart
Baby we can make it if we’re heart to heart
And we can build this dream together
Standing strong forever
Nothing’s gonna stop us now
And if this world runs out of lovers
We’ll still have each other
Nothing’s gonna stop us
now
I’m so glad I found you
I’m not gonna lose you
Whatever it takes I will stay here with you
Take it to the good times
See it through the bad times
Whatever it takes is what I’m gonna do”

And can you believe God confirmed that this was indeed a message from Him. Right after returning from that test drive, I downloaded this song on my phone: ‘NOTHING’S GONNA STOP US NOW.’ I then had an appointment with God, reading my book from where I had last left off to incredibly this:

“In fact, on the drive to the meeting that morning, I was happy. I sang a song on the radio to God: “Your love pours down on me, surrounds me like a waterfall. AND THERE’S NO STOPPING US RIGHT NOW, I feel so close to you right now.” – Calvin Harris, Feel So Close “

Off all the books, and of all the pages, for me to read those words after feeling so intensely that God had just spoken them to me, was His way of saying, ‘Nik, yes, that was Me in that song you just heard on the radio. AND THERE’S NO STOPPING US RIGHT NOW’

And with a love like that, I just want to be about being the person God has called me to be. Every moment asking, God, what would You have me to do here?

It’s not always easy, let me tell ya! I was telling someone today how I would be so mad at my husband that I didn’t want to sleep in the same bed as him, but with one glance at God, I knew what He would have me to do. I would then sleep on the very, very edge of the bed, as far away from him as possible. LOL! But this guidance from God has brought me on such a beautiful path. I called hubs the other day asking, “How’s the best baby daddy and husband in the world doing?” He truly has earned my love and respect. Nobody’s perfect! God, thanks for being the world’s best INFLUENCER! Don’t know where I would be without You!

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WHEN WE STOP FUSSING AND START TRUSTING… (REPOST)

…we’ll be able to see that God is more deeply at work in our lives than we ever imagined.”

He reminded me of this one day when I was filled with anxious thoughts about the future. Despite having reminded myself that God hasn’t let me down yet, I still doubted Him. That was until He had me pull a magazine, Activated, from my laptop bag, which had incredibly been there for almost a year, but I never got a chance to read it until that day. There I read a perfect message from Him:

“When God led the children of Israel through the desert, they didn’t have a map or a compass or a smartphone with built-in GPS telling them when to turn. They didn’t even know where they were going. All they knew was that they were supposed to leave Egypt.

… As they obeyed and followed God, He took care of them. When they ran into a dead-end at the Red Sea, He opened a road for them right through the water. When they were hungry, He dropped food from the sky. When they were thirsty, He poured water from a rock. When they didn’t know which way to go, He put a cloud in front of them to lead the way.

Yet even after all that, they still doubted God. I never understood why; it was obvious God had been with them all along. Why would they question His abundance and care after He showed them again and again what He was capable of? But then, I do the same thing. God has never failed to provide for me and guide my life, and yet I still end up fretting when the future isn’t clearly mapped out.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) tells us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Even if everything is dark ahead, if you feel like you’re in a fog (totally me that day!) and you don’t know which way to go, if you acknowledge God, if you turn to Him, He will guide you. He will keep you on the right track and bring you through to your personal promised land.”

How God planned for me to have that magazine on that very day I needed to hear that message from Him so badly is so beyond me and my brain’s capabilities.

Dear God, may we trust You with all our heart. Amen.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“WHAT ARE YOU CELEBRATING?” (REPOST)

Asked a customer when I told him that we were having a BBQ. I replied, “We’re celebrating the glory of God where every day is a celebration with Him!” That’s my attitude, baby! Every day is a celebration with God when we focus on His BLESSINGS.

God got me all emotional today while exercising. I had placed the music on shuffle and said to God that He was my DJ. When the song, ‘I Gotta Be’ played, I stopped and just held my hand in the air, praising Him. I believe it’s God singing these words to me and you:

“I gotta be the One you love
I gotta be the One you feel
And I gotta be the One to fill your life with sunshine”

Let me tell you guys a secret: I LOVE DISAPPOINTMENTS!!! Because any disappointment is fuel and motivation for me to get CLOSER to God. That’s why I got so emotional when I heard that song play. After a BIG disappointment this week, I felt this coming up in my exercise playlist was God’s way of reminding me,

Nik, “I gotta be the One you love
I gotta be the One you feel
And I gotta be the One to fill your life with sunshine”

And when my eyes are focused on Him, who cares about the little disappointments! God has FILLED my life with such sunshine that all day long I’m just saying, ‘God, Thank YOU!’ This part of the song, I sing to Him:

“Is this real, what I feel
Could it be you and me till the end of time
Take my heart, hold it tight, its true love.”

And with God holding my heart, NOBODY CAN HURT ME. I shake off the frustrations, and I fix my eyes on God asking what He would have me to do in every moment.

I called hubs to say I was coming to the office to study with the kids and he said, “Come, I’ll grill fish for you.” I smiled with God, ‘You have filled my life with sunshine!’ Wink! Wink! As I type this, I’m eating the most delicious fish ever! Let’s reflect His love in everything we do and say, going the extra mile in forgiveness, kindness, gentleness, mercy, and faithfulness.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“GOD SAID WE SHOULD OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD” REPOST

I called a friend saying this a short while ago. I was telling her about a recent “negative” experience and how I opened up my Jesus Always to find the perfect message from God:

“When events in the world or your private life are threatening to unnerve you, grasp My (God’s) hand in trusting determination. Refuse to be intimidated by evil; instead, overcome evil with good. I am with you, and have won the ultimate victory…”

Heehaw! Got that? “Refuse to be intimidated by evil; instead, overcome evil with good.”

And God has even confirmed that this is exactly what He would have me to do with this issue. I came to work a few hours after speaking to my friend, and I decided to read my beloved calendar that God’s speaks to me through and unbelievably about the fifth date I turned to read:

“Forgiveness is the ultimate antidote to the poison of loss, harm, sin, and sorrow, even though it looks like the most bitter of cures.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:21

Another God wink when everything lines up a little bit too perfect, and I know it’s God reminding me that His Presence is with me in every single moment of my life.

I’m so in love with God! He should be our first love and priority with us remembering that He is with us in every moment of our lives for support, comfort, love, wisdom, and help.

I really want us taking this overcoming evil with good seriously because whatever anyone else does is between them and God and whatever we do is between God and us. I don’t know about you, but I want to completely suck up to God, following His lead in every moment of my life because the blessings from God are off the chain. He’s so amazing! Every moment He is showing me such love, and of course, I want you guys in on this, too.

Last night when the crazy lady made an appearance, I went to God sadly asking, “What’s wrong with me???” And He had me read the perfect message in Jesus Calling this time:

“… you forget who you are and Whose you are.”

This was after my post last week was entitled:

“I KNOW WHO I AM AND WHOSE I AM”

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

NIKKI, WHAT’S GOING ON?!?

That was the upsetting question I woke up to this morning from my sister calling from the Bahamas – IN THIS LIFE YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE!!! Luckily, though, I had just watched one of my old Youtube videos, where I reminded everyone to repeat these words with me to God:

WE’RE TOGETHER
WE’RE TOGETHER
WE’RE TOGETHER

And I calmly dealt with the situation, asking for His guidance. When I felt everything was OK, I went for my little run with Him around our neighborhood, and I felt Him saying to call somewhere and ask for some information. Can you believe the info I needed was already sent to my email since a couple of days ago? There I was thinking I had an original idea to resolve this problem of how to move forward, and God was already ahead of me, confirming I was on the right track. Thanks, God! Phew!

God is too much! He knew that I would be waking up this morning to that stressful call, and He already had the plans on what my next move should be. See the loving involvement He takes in our lives. There is an important verse in the Bible that says,

So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. – Zechariah 4:6

On that run, I felt God say to me in my spirit, ‘Nik, call ___,’ and I did. They then directed me to an email already sent with people that could help me. I’m telling you guys, we’re not going through life alone, God’s invisible Presence is with us and He wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. We just have to learn His voice and LISTEN to what He’s directing us to do.

Are you having appointments with Him? I highly recommend them because this life gets crazy. Me taking that time to spend with Him before receiving that call this morning and being reminded that WE’RE TOGETHER, just helped me to stay calm knowing I wasn’t handling it alone. Through these times, I’m also learning His voice so that when He gave me the nudge to make that phone call for help, I immediately did. God always exceeds my expectations of Him – Nik, the info you needed was already sent two days ago! God, thank You for Your continual Presence with us and for being a God who cares. Amen,

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“THOSE WHO ARE SAD NOW ARE HAPPY, BECAUSE GOD WILL COMFORT THEM” – MATTHEW 5:4

That’s the verse that God revealed Himself through to me this morning in my alone time with Him. It was another one of my God winks when out of the blue, everything lines up strangely too perfectly to be an ordinary coincident. This verse just randomly showed up after I wrote EXACTLY this yesterday:

“WHEN I’M SAD, I GET TO LAY ON HIS HEART FOR COMFORT. He always finds some way of letting me know that He is right there. THE SADNESS THEN BECOMES JOY knowing that God, the Creator of the Universe, cares and is there with me.”

Phew, I’m not so crazy after all! The God who showed up thousands of years ago to comfort us, is the same God who still shows up today:

“Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created.” – Psalm 119:90

As I debated about what to write about, I felt Him saying I should reshare a story of how a book randomly showed up with a prayer on one of the most difficult days for my family saying:

“Heavenly Father,
Please shine your light upon my family.
Give us strength to overcome all of the difficulties that we are dealing with now”

A priest had shown up just the day before with this book and nine others at my office as a gift to me. For me to read THAT one with THAT prayer was God’s way of comforting me as I laid in bed that night all sad and depressed. I’m sharing it again to say how God intimately cares about our lives, especially our families. He Himself arranged for me to have that book asking me to forgive. And if God asks you to forgive, you forgive! Which turned out to be the best decision – nobody’s perfect!

So, whatever you may be going through, KNOW that God is also with you. I have all these meditation books that I read and I hear from Him through. It’s like He’s just waiting to share His heart with us. Will you let Him in? Taking that time this morning to hear from Him totally changed my perspective for the entire day – My God is with me – Heehaw! May our lives be uninterruptedly with God – IN EVERY MOMENT WE HAVE HIM TO GUIDE, COMFORT, SUPPORT, LOVE, ENCOURAGE, AND TEACH US Amen.

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