That was me to my fierce daughter, Ember, as we drove home from a Tasha Cobb’s concert last night. The God geek mom here was running on, as usual, about something to do with my work for Him. Thanks for putting up with me, my boo!

I’m also sincerely thanking God because He is the ultimate Putting Upper! LOL! He puts up with all of us, and He truly is our greatest friend who loves us despite our issues – whatever they may be. I showed Ember this picture for her approval before posting it. Honestly, it was just a time to talk to her about what it means to me to set my heart on God – THAT IN EVERY MOMENT I HAVE HIM TO GUIDE, COMFORT, SUPPORT, LOVE, ENCOURAGE, AND TEACH ME.

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 that and is there with me. It’s also an opportunity to hash out with Him why and what He would have me to do.

I’ll never forget like the most upsetting day of my life (and I’m not being dramatic!) when God showed up. This life gets rough sometimes, and it was a Catholic Priest who showed up with ten books a day before. As I lied in bed depressed, it was this prayer that showed up in one of his books:

“Heavenly Father,
Please shine your light upon my family.
Give us strength to overcome all of the difficulties that we are dealing with now and protect us against any future problems we may encounter in the future.
O Lord, bring us together as we are meant to be, May the love that binds us only grow stronger as we fulfill the destiny you have laid out for us.
Grant my family forgiveness for any sins we have committed. May we also forgive one another Lord, as it is sometimes difficult to do.
Bless us Lord, as we humbly and confidently pray in your name. Amen.” – Oremus: He Lives Well Who Prays Well by John Ifeanyi Okoro

For this Priest to show up with these books just the day before, and for me to read THIS specific book and THIS prayer that awful day, was ALL orchestrated by a loving God who cares and who is intimately involved in our lives. I took His direction and advice, did the forgiving He asked me to do, and I’m so happy I did. God’s ways are not our ordinary human ways; they’re so much better.

God, set our hearts on You. Amen.

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“I’M KEEPING A RECORD OF EVERYTHING YOU DO WRONG”

That was my husband to me some weeks ago. Really, boo?!? I responded, “I hope you’re also keeping a record of everything I do right, too, because I only keep a record of all the good you do and what a great husband and dad you are.” After that, though, he changed tracks, telling me how he tells everyone he married the best wife. “No, we ain’t perfect, but we damn close.” Til death do us part!

But this statement of keeping track of my mistakes is the complete opposite of how God looks at us:

“He has taken our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west.” – Psalm 103:12

“I, I am the One who forgives all your sins, for my sake; I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25

That’s the God who I want you to get to know. He is not at all like other humans who hold grudges and unforgiving thoughts against us, cuts us off, stop speaking to us, judges and condemns us. God is love. He said even if we have nothing (at our lowest), give Him that nothing. Didn’t He create the whole world from nothing? He loves us unconditionally no matter what we’ve done in the past, and He patiently waits in the background of our lives for us to invite Him in and show us His deep, deep love.

Working at our office here in Florida has been a huge challenge, but also a tremendous blessing. It’s pushing me even closer to God. I’m learning to go to Him in every moment asking what He would have me to do. Then, I listen to what He has to say to me through my spirit, specifically to me in that situation for His wisdom and guidance. He’s an expert in everything! A love like this can’t be explained, only experienced. My phone’s screensaver says,

“May your life be Mine (God’s)—uninterruptedly.”

I’m all Yours, God! Will you make your life His? Invite Him in. I promise the best life. Wink! Wink!

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GOD, EVEN WHEN I’M BRUSHING MY TEETH, YOU’RE WITH ME!!!

That was me to Him the other night in our bathroom. I’m feeling His Presence so intensely here in Florida, and I want you here, feeling His sweet, unconditional love. I had just come up to get ready for bed after tiredly sending out an old post. Of all the ones I’ve written in the last eight years of writing them, I got a feeling from Him to share one where I shared this verse, not once, but twice in the same post:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27

So, after telling God, that I knew He was there with me while I brushed my teeth, I picked up a new meditation book I had recently purchased, and right there in my bathroom, I randomly opened it to unbelievably read this message from Him:

“I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27

I went screaming to show it to my daughter, Julie! I showed her the post I had just shared with this verse quoted two times and for me to open right up to it in this new meditation book. It was NO CONINCIDENT, but entirely all orchestrated by God to answer my question to Him, ‘Yes, Nik, my invisible Presence is with you, even as you brush your teeth.’

What kind of love is this? That God would make His Presence known to me in my bathroom, of all places. I’m telling you, His love is like no other love that we can get from any other human. He comforts us, gives us strength, wisdom, guidance, unconditional love, security, and so much PEACE that the world cannot provide.

My job from Him is simply to show up as the best me possible. I gave my daughter, Ember, a little talk yesterday of how KINDNESS is working for me. Anything I do, it’s between God and me and not between me and anyone else. I may not get it right all the time, but I try to reflect on situations asking, ‘How can I be better next time?’ Nobody’s perfect, but we all can work on constant and never-ending improvement, giving God all the glory and praise, as we reflect Him and His values of love, kindness, humility, faithfulness, joy, goodness, peace, gentleness to a watching world. God is the one to reward us! Amen!

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“I’M NOT COMING WITH YOU!!!” (REPOST)

That was me to a very persistent person a short while ago. And I thought I was the persistent one! LOL! We had a great time hanging out on my bleisure (business/leisure) time here in Florida away from hubby and the kids. And even though I’m far from them, I feel so amazing that God is here with me and He never stops revealing His invisible Presence.

Like this morning, I woke up to watch Joseph Prince where he shared this verse:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27

Fast forward to a few hours later, I went RUNNING to God when my heart became troubled (no shame in my game!) and unbelievably in a huge devotional of over 700 pages, the second page I turned to, this UNBELIEVABLY up:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27 Wink! Wink!

That was NO COINCIDENT, but my high five from God letting me know that HE HAD MY BACK! I then decided to go for a quick run with Him. I needed that confidence booster these jogs around our neighborhood give me, reminding me that I handle NOTHING alone. And as I turned on the song ‘Arms Around You’ which I wrote about recently feeling God was singing the lyrics to me:

“Arms around you
Te amo (I love you) mami, let Me hold you
Wrap Me arms right around you, girl, oh yeah
Good lovin’ got all around you
To make sure no one could harm you”

And just as I looked up from my phone, there was a car parked in a driveway with a plate beginning “HUG.” Got it? Arms around you is a Hug!!! I took it as a BIG HUG from God letting me know He was with me in this very troublesome world! Again, no coincident!

These were reminders orchestrated personally by God for His girl over here to let her know she might be far away from her family, but SHE IS ALWAYS WITH GOD. AND SO ARE YOU!!!

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD! (REPOST)

God has been there with us through thick and thin and we want our family to be a testament of a family rolling with God. We have our share of difficulties, but astonishingly God always shows up as if asking, “Who’s messing with my people?”

I loved an appointment with Him a few minutes ago with my daughter, Ember. She came to work with us today to study for her upcoming exams. We read this, written as if God Himself was speaking to us:

“I want you to realize how intricately involved in your life I am. I delight in taking care of you—“tweaking” the situation you are in, to spare you from unnecessary hardship. Remember I am a shield for all who take refuge in Me. Your part in this adventurous journey is to trust Me, communicate with Me, and walk with Me in steps of joyful dependence. I will not remove adversity from your life, but I will widen the path you are traveling on-to bless you and keep you from harm.” – Jesus Always

And joyful dependence is where I’m at with God! As I’m typing this, Ember and I are enjoying my hubby’s BBQ. This is after I said I wasn’t eating chicken anymore! Honestly, my biggest complaint about my hubby these days is that he feeds me too much!!! But it’s all good, I thank God for him. He takes excellent care of us!

A customer I chatted with yesterday says that the economy is terrible and when he looks around he sees that businesses are not doing well. I told him to look up to God, instead; We’re going by God’s economy! And He owns everything!

But whether He blesses us with much or He blesses us with little, I want us focused on the Blesser (God), not the blessings. I’ve decided that whatever He wants for me is best for me. In times that I find myself complaining, I try to change my thoughts to the 10,000 things I’m grateful for.

And that’s why I want us seeking Him in every moment, and asking what HE would have us to do. He’s our ultimate Blesser and we’re depending on Him! Everything is between God and us, not between us and anyone else!

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“WHAT IS GOD ASKING YOU TO DO?”

I asked a friend recently in regards to her marriage. She surprisingly responded, “He’s saying, ‘Be still. Be patient.’” I then asked, “As a family unit (including the kids because it’s not just about our happiness – kk?), from a year ago, have you guys made progress or are things getting worse?” She said there’s definitely an improvement. I encouraged her to keep sticking with God because He knows what we don’t know, and He won’t lead us wrong. I told her how patience has seriously worked for me. I thank God every day for my hubby. We’ve been through our stuff, but patience and God’s guidance is working for us. I’m thrilled where He has led our family – “we ain’t perfect, but we damn close!” A message from my God calendar had this to say:

“One of the vital components of love is patience—the kind of patience that endures and trust.
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” -James 1:4

God’s direction isn’t anything like the world’s – It’s far superior! Even when hubs does something now I may not like, I immediately forgive him because the good far outweighs the bad. In fact, I thank all the people who have disappointed me because they make me appreciate this husband so much more. He has stuck with this God geek here for almost 18 years, and I love our life together.

Are you going to God for His guidance and direction? I was so happy to hear that this friend was having her own conversations with Him. Yayy!!! Honestly, it’s my joy every day to just share with you guys God’s heart for every single one of us. He is intimately involved in everything concerning us.

Like I can’t get over how I was out for my morning run a couple of weeks ago, and I specifically heard Him saying I should go and talk with a neighbor. I said, ‘God, another time, please?’ because I wasn’t in a talking mood. But the nudging from Him stayed, and I ended up running back to speak to her. Long story short, she invited me to church, and it has been so positive.

The first Sunday I went, I rededicated my life to God, and yesterday I rededicated me and my family to Him, asking Him to help me be the mother, wife, and person He would have me to be. I’ve been running on empty, lately – emotionally, mentally, physically – and going to church has helped me bounce back. I literally feel myself getting on track and away from some bad habits I’ve picked up. God, help me be the person You would have me to be. Amen.

See how He had me to meet that lady, even when I didn’t want to? That was His way of helping me get out of the doldrums and cheer me up. That’s the heart of God I want you to KNOW and experience. As if He was saying, ‘Nik, I don’t like you being like this?’ And wherever we are, no matter how low, He wants to help us back up. No situation is beyond God’s power. It’s just for us to start having our own conversations with Him and being obedient to His leading. He loves us and will forgive us of everything no matter what. He’s not like other humans that carry grudges for years. He offers immediate grace and forgiveness. Start spending time alone with Him. I promise, you won’t regret a life close to Him!

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“GRATEFUL I HAD ALL THE PATIENCE”

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, 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!’ In every situation, in every aspect of my life, when I follow His leading (seriously sometimes going against what I want to do), everything somehow works out way better than I expect.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” – Ephesians 3:20

I have a confession. I’ve made some big mistakes recently because I’ve been trying to run our business here in Florida without going to my husband for his advice and guidance, and it has NOT turned out well. I had to call him yesterday in Nigeria and say, ‘Hon, I need you. I’ve messed up because I didn’t want to seem like baby wife calling you for advice, but that has not worked out. Anything I’m doing, I will get you involved.”

And it’s the same way with God. We can do life without Him, but I don’t recommend it. Even talking to someone today who is being divorced by his wife and unable to see his daughter, I had to give him a little pep talk. I said look where you’ve gotten trying to make decisions on your own – things are not going well. Slow down and learn to go to God, and He can help you get everything on track again little by little. I showed him my new screensaver (a message from God):

“May your life be Mine—uninterruptedly Mine” – He and I

Amen! So that means slowing down and listening to Him in every moment in every decision asking what He would have me to do and taking time to read my meditation books to learn His voice and His wisdom. When He says get hubby involved, NOW I listen. I accept the fact that when it comes to business, hubby has much more wisdom and experience than I do. And when it comes to living our best lives, God is the best Advisor there is. He is an expert in EVERYTHING!

Are you seeking input from God? Yesterday was such a great day with Ember officially getting her drivers’ license. Even with that, I see God’s hands. It’s been extremely stressful having to leave my office to rush and pick them up like 40 minutes away at school, but from last summer Ember asked, ‘Can I get my learners’ license.’ After a conversation with God, I said, “Sure, go ahead.” If not for that, I would be stuck driving them for an entire year!

It was the advice of a parenting book from nine years ago that also taught me, ‘Teach your children to be independent of you as soon as possible.’ That advice is paying off big time. I am so proud of these independent daughters I have. I see God’s hands in connecting me with the lady who loaned me that crucial book. That advice resonated with me in my spirit (God’s voice!), and before doing anything for my kids, I always think, ‘Can they do this for themselves?’ That direction from God in regards to parenting has seriously paid off! The girls are now both bragging about their all A’s so far! Keep it up, my fierce daughters and sons! ALL THE GLORY GOES TO OUR LOVING GOD!

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GOD’S GOT OUR BACK

That’s how He makes me feel with His constant love and attention, SPECIFICALLY towards me.

Point in case:

“Nikki, what’s going on?” was my hubby calling me from Nigeria yesterday. I had just gotten off a very upsetting call and I was very surprised to see him calling me minutes later. So, I’m out on this limb with God, taking control of the running of our business here in Florida, and I went against what hubby had advised me to do some weeks ago, and it wasn’t going well. I said, “Honey, I didn’t want to tell you because you’re going to say I told you so.” He replied, “Come on, you know we’re not like that. What’s going on?”

I honestly type this balling crying because this is not the first time I’ve been in a difficult situation all the way in Florida (not wanting to involve my husband), and God would have him to just call me out of the blue all the way in the US from Nigeria asking, “What’s going on?” as if he senses some trouble with me. And because my husband is always SO BUSY, I don’t want to seem like a baby wife calling him every minute. I try to take care of things on my own. But he just called me right after that call and gave me specific instructions on what to do. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I said, “Ok, honey, I will.”

So, doing what hubby advised, today, I asked our office assistant to help me cash a check for $700. She wrote out the check, and I asked her to please hurry because I didn’t want the issue hanging. Before she had a chance to go to the bank to cash it, already written out for $700, though, a customer comes in minutes later, goes into my office with me, and pulls out exactly $700 cash saying that this is a part payment of what she owes me. You can call this a coincident but to me, this was God’s way of saying, ‘Nik, I have your back! And I don’t want anything troubling you.’

I told you guys, I’m feeling God’s invisible Presence more than ever here in Florida. On that troublesome day, my affirmation was, ‘God, I trust You.’ I kept repeating it to myself (pray continuously because this world is rough!) I knew trouble was coming. But God had my husband to call at the perfect time to help me resolve it, and that customer randomly showing up on her own with that exact money was Him saying, ‘Nik, don’t worry about anything, I have your back.’ AND HE HAS YOURS AS WELL! Wherever we go, God’s Presence goes with us. He’s with us and for us. Relax. He will never leave us or forsake us.

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