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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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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