“I’M GOING ON STRIKE FROM DISAPPOINTMENTS!”

That’s where I am at this very moment! I had the perfect appointment with God by reading just this paragraph from my book:

“Dr. Wayne Dyer, in his book, The Power of Intention, wrote, “That which offends you only weakens you. If you’re looking for occasions to be offended, you’ll find them at every turn. As A Course in Miracles reminds us: “Peace is of God, you who are a part of God are not at home except in his peace.” Stay close to God and stop getting offended all the time as every time you’re offended by something, you move away from God. When you’re able to respond with love and kindness, instead of getting offended, you get closer to God. Remember, “It’s not between you and anyone else; everything is between you and God!” As St. Paul said, “God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance.” Tune in to God’s frequency, and you will know it beyond any and all doubt!””

Let me tell you, I wrote this post years ago, and it’s a lesson that I still haven’t mastered, but I’m not giving up! A few hours after reading this, I needed to put that alone time with God into practice, asking Him, ‘What would you have me do here?’ when an opportunity arose for me to be offended. But instead of getting upset and disappointed, I took the high road, being my kind and most loving self, seeking to please God, and I WAS SO MUCH HAPPIER FOR IT!!! Woohoo!

I love what Andy Puddicombe had to say to me during a run this week:

“We can’t control what happens to us in life, but we can train the mind and the body so that when things happen that challenge us, we’re ready for them. Not to fight them. Not to resist them. But to deal with them calmly and skillfully.”

With our eyes on God, is what I would add in! No matter the situation we are confronted with, I promise you God’s ways are always best! If we stay calm, asking Him, ‘God, what would you have me to do here? He will lead you to the ultimate best decision.’ That has been my experience! That little minute seeking Him that day turned out to be extremely valuable. St. Paul is correct; God has provided my life with abundant blessings. Wink! Wink! Don’t miss out! Make God a part of every decision you make! You won’t go wrong with God!

Dear God, help us constantly catch ourselves when we’re moving away from Your peace and ask, “How can I respond to this more lovingly and kindly?” to always please You. Amen.”

I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS CONVERSATION

With my daughter Ember’s friend Mo. He always encouraged Ember to think positively, and I asked him where God fit in with all this positive thinking. And this was his beautiful response (I paraphrase here): “MY FAITH IN GOD IS THE REASON WHY I CAN BE POSITIVE. Knowing God is with us, supporting and helping us fight battles. We must learn to let go and let God control what we can’t.” I would add that we just need to show up, do to the best of our abilities wherever God asks of us, being our most loving, excellent, and going the extra mile selves on His behalf. Then, we can expect His uncommon favor over our lives! Don’t stress; do your best! (Wink! Wink!)

I love how God finds all these sweet ways of letting me know His Presence is with me! Like yesterday evening, talking to Lillian at our office, she said, “IT IS WELL.” Honestly, hearing those words from her brought such comfort to me. YES, IT IS WELL!!! Fast forward to this morning; of all the billions of songs in the world, our cleaner walks by playing this very song, “IT IS WELL, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.” That was again one of my God winks where everything lined up too perfectly to be an ordinary coincidence. It was God orchestrated just as another glimmer of His inviable Presence that is always with us.

This isn’t the first time this happened with Lillian. The last time she said that I had found my PURPOSE and the following day, I called one of our technicians I saw walking by, and unbelievably, of all songs in the world, he was playing this song Purpose by Justin Bieber that I was running around our home singing the day before. ‘Yes, Nik, this is your purpose!’ God seemed to have repeatedly been saying, with even a live reel of Justin Bieber singing this song live in concert appearing shortly after Lillian’s statement. See the INTIMATE LOVE AND ATTENTION God shows me! No coincidences! And that’s the awareness of His Presence that gives ME the faith to be positive, like Mo said, expecting the best from God! Even the bad that shows up, God has a way of even using that for our good! HEEHAW!!

Don’t miss out on all this GREAT loving from God! NOBODY WILL LOVE YOU BETTER!!! Make sure you have alone times with Him reading or listening to anything spiritual that brings you closer to Him. You will then begin to hear and know His voice and direction when you return to the world. OUR MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!!!

“PICTURE PERFECT, YOU DON’T NEED NO FILTER…”

“…Shower you with all My attention. Yeah, these are My only intentions.” That’s God singing to me yesterday on our run together through Justin Bieber. That’s the love I feel from God that I want the entire world to experience with me. I’m blown away by all the intimate love and attention I receive from Him. Like the day before yesterday, I felt God in my spirit, saying specifically to read Day 2 from my book, Keep Calm, You’re Rolling with God. Fast forward to the very next day, I called my daughter, Julie, in New York and asked her to have an appointment with God with me, reading the same book. I asked her to pick the number, and incredibly she picked, out of 366 days, the same day number 2.

This was another one of our God winks, where everything lined up a little bit too perfect to be considered an ordinary coincidence. For both my daughter and I to land on the same day 2 out of 366 days was God’s spirit speaking within us both.

My daughters are in New York, and I’m in Nigeria, but God tells me to entrust them to Him, and this was Him confirming that His invisible Presence was indeed there with my girls (HUGE SMILE). See the love I receive from God? Here’s that important message from my book I feel He wants me to share with you:

“ARISE, MY DARLING, MY BEAUTIFUL ONE, COME WITH ME” (Song of Songs 2:10, NIV)

That’s our great invitation from God, to live these extraordinary lives with Him as our Guide, Partner, Helper, Counselor, Friend, Teacher, Provider, and Father. And absolutely everyone is invited to the party! No matter how badly you think you’ve made a mess of things, God wants you close to Him. In fact, He has used all my weaknesses and wounds to show all of us a better way of living and thinking.

I love how He doesn’t force us to come; it’s like He patiently waits in the background for us to remember Him. And unfortunately, that seems to be mostly when we get ourselves in trouble and ask Him to help us get out. Then once we’re out, we place Him in the background again until the next big problem comes up.

This year, I want you to accept His invitation to follow Him in every aspect of your life with Him taking the lead and not the background role. Like a great friend said to me, “I want to remember God every moment.” This is where I want us, remembering God every second and collaborating with Him as to what He would have us to do, where He would have us to go, and even what to say. We’re not going by the ordinary rules of man, and some things He asks will take supernatural strength—like being mentally tough (fearless, focused, determined and refusing to worry), while also being loving and forgiving towards someone you want to choke.

But trust me, when you’re able to let go and surrender everything to God, handing over all disappointments and outcomes to Him, you begin to experience this miraculous life where He not only repays you for any wrongs, He helps you with any problem or challenge you may have and even comforts you when you’re hurt.

Quiet confidence will be your strength when you leave situations and circumstances in His hands. I’m talking about unthinkable lives already planned for us, which include fabulous adventures, the best people, and off-the-chart levels of wisdom, peace, happiness, and joy.
Start asking, God, what would You have me do here? This takes calming down, slowing down, and listening to His quiet whispers in your spirit. When you do, a whole new world awaits you.

Dear God, thank You for Your love and constant guidance. Pardon our sins and give us the courage to live the lives You have planned for us. Amen.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

LET ME TELL YOU HOW GOD LOVES ME SO MUCH!!!

I’ve been bragging to anyone who would listen that Nike (only one of the top companies in the world!) hired my daughter, Ember. So, I took it as no coincidence that I’ve been running with the Nike Running Club for about five years now, pretty much every day, so I said this was all God orchestrated! God Himself had Nike to hire my daughter to let me know that His Presence was there with them in New York. Can you believe God confirmed it?

“Madam, please help me,” said my sweetie-pie, Shula at work yesterday. “Why are you bothering me, I’m doing my work for God!” I joked with her. As I’m texting the customer she needed my help with, unbelievable, the phone rings, and of all the people in the world, it’s our customer “NIKE.” No way this was some random coincidence for “NIKE” to call for this little short time I had that phone in my hand when I’ve been going crazy with this “Ember is working at Nike in New York to everyone.” It’s God’s uncommon favor on my family, y’all, and Him revealing another glimmer of His invisible Presence with me to brighten my day!!! My fav calendar, Mottos For Success, puts it like this:

“Give God the gift of your time by helping others, He will look after the things you care deeply about.

But do not forget to do good and to share for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. – Hebrews 13:16

I honestly do these blogs and vlogs as a gift to God for all He is doing for me and my family. With all the love and attention He shows us, I ask, ‘God, what can I do for You?’ He has asked me to share our family’s testimony of a family rolling with Him today and how we make decisions based on the crucial God perspective. Trust me, we’re far from perfect, but even our mistakes and failings are used by Him for our good! Especially to teach you guys that God doesn’t require perfection to be a part of His family; HE LOVES US ALL UNCONDITIONALLY, AND WE CAN COME TO HIM EXACTLY AS WE ARE. I’m the queen of falls, yet I still feel as if I’m God’s fav girl (HUGE SMILE).

My message today is don’t miss out on God’s uncommon favor in your life! Make God your top priority, and tell Him that today is the day you want to walk closer with Him. Then, take time to have appointments with Him. Google “WE ROLL WITH GOD” and start learning how to hear God’s voice and feel His Presence with you. I loved a message from Ceri today about how we could even be thanking God during the fires of our lives. Ceri said that even if the city was burning, we could be thanking and praising God that at least we could watch it burn. Now that’s a real perspective changer! Ceri also spoke about how loving others is learning to think less of self and focusing on what was also best for others, GENUINELY LOVING THEM. Kevin and I sang this song to each other recently:

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. No, not just for some but for everyone.” – Diana Ross & The Supremes

“In a loving family, EVERYTHING is forgivable.”

“I WISH I HAD A WIFE LIKE YOU AND VERONA WHO WOULD FORGIVE ME FOR EVERYTHING I DO”

Those words from my brother, Jason, honestly made me so happy. Can you guys believe God figured out a way to get in on that conversation? I was in bed the very next morning when I got the feeling from God to go to the store with my husband. We got to the store, and I started balling crying, reading this sign:

“In a loving family, EVERYTHING is forgivable.”

I knew immediately that this was God speaking and no coincidence after what Jason had said the afternoon before. I got so emotional because I was obedient to God with his constant message in my head to KEEP FORGIVING, KEEP FORGIVING, AND KEEP FORGIVING that got me to that store. The close attention and love I feel from God for me and my family truly blows me away. No one is perfect, and just how hubby puts up with me (his God maniac wife!), I must put up with him.

“In a loving family, EVERYTHING is forgivable.”

Before leaving home, though, I told hubby that I was calling Jason to tell him Kevin was upset with me. He started to say something negative (hubby is jealous of my relationship with Kevin, too!) and I told him that if not for Kevin I would not be there laying down next to him. Kevin has not only been the biggest supporter of our marriage, but me personally! I DON’T KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE WITHOUT HIS LOVE, GUIDANCE, AND SUPPORT!!! Thanks, my vro!

Kevin jokes, saying his job from God is to keep me happy (HUGE SMILE), but Kevin’s voice is continually in my head like a broken record:

“Neeks, I want you to make God your top priority. Get closer to God.”

“Neeks, I want you to work on being a wise woman.”

“Neeks, you’re going to have to be patient right now.”

“Neeks, marriage is like a team; when one person is weak, the other has to be strong and vice versa.”

“Neeks, be on chill for life. Don’t take anything or anyone too seriously.”

“Neeks, God wants you to know YOU ARE SECURE IN HIM.”

“I want you to make God your top priority. Get closer to God.” He exceeds our expectations when we follow His leading!

“I want you to work on being a wise woman/man.” Ask God what He would have you do! Obey God and leave the consequences with Him!

“You’re going to have to be patient right now.” Please be patient!!!

“Marriage is like a team; when one person is weak, the other has to be strong and vice versa.” With God’s help and support, we can get through anything!

“Be on chill for life. Don’t take anything or anyone too seriously.” Relax. God got us!

“God wants you to know YOU ARE SECURE IN HIM.” May we work every day on increasing our faith in God! Amen!

So, my brother, Kevin, has been brutally criticizing me this week. Telling me to stop my videos because I’m coming across as a weak woman. Also, no one wants to hear about my family and me talking about Ceri twenty times in one video. Hearing this from Kevin, who has been my biggest supporter and encourager of my work for God, hurt your girl a lot.

But God knowing every thought we think, had a special message lined up for me from Megan Williams on Facebook ONLY HOURS AFTER KEVIN’S REMARKS. She incredibly spoke about Jeremiah and how God told him that He knew him before he was born and that He was the one who appointed him (not the church, priest, father, or mother). Jeremiah told God that he couldn’t speak (that’s me!), and God told him that he must go where He was sending him and say what He was telling him to say. Jeremiah was not to be afraid to speak what God was telling him to speak. Megan said that we should not back down from our call and use what we got in our hands.

Wow! Do you see the deep love of God? For me to feel so hurt by Kevin and for God to speak through Megan to me as if saying, ‘Nik, I’m the One who knew you from before you were in your mother’s womb, and I’m the One who anointed and called you to speak (not your brother!). You speak what I’ve told you to speak about, and go where I send you!’ Yes, Boss! (HUGE SMILE)

The testimonies I give are about our family rolling with God today (up to this moment!) and dealing with the stresses, messiness, and challenges all families go through, but I add in the crucial God perspective. Then, about talking about Ceri so much, it’s only God and me who know the many mornings I would ball up in my bed in emotional pain, having to replay the messages from Ceri that I uploaded to YouTube to get out of bed and take my sons to school.

Ceri would tell me that no matter the dark places we enter in life, God is there with us. That we could rejoice and be joyful in God despite how terrible the situation may seem because God could instantly turn any situation around (He has!!!). Most importantly, Ceri taught me to be obedient to God. That obedience led me to last night and having the most beautiful dinner with my husband and our youngest son, Joshie, sitting in the middle of us. We then went to bed with Joshie messaging hubby and me rubbing medicine on him. I prayed a special prayer for hubby before he slept, asking God to please give him extra support, help, wisdom, guidance, love, joy, and charisma as he takes on his essential leadership role for our family.

God even went as far as confirming that He was the one giving me the words to speak and that Ceri was correct in what he taught me. I mentioned in the video today how hubby and I went through a “rough patch,” but Ceri taught me that God was there with me in that dark place. Fast forward a few minutes later, I decided to open our over 700-page devotional Jesus Calling, and look what the very first day I opened to said (written as if God is speaking):

“When you encounter ROUGH PATCHES (WINK! Wink!) along your life-journey, trust that My light is still shining upon you. My reasons for allowing these adversities may be shrouded in mystery, but My continual Presence with you is an absolute promise. Seek Me in good times; seek Me in hard times. You will find Me watching over you all the time.”

No way this “ROUGH PATCH” showing up in this huge book and Megan’s message were some random coincidences. God orchestrated them to let us all know that His invisible Presence is always with us!!!

And about that weak woman thing, these soft qualities are what God has been teaching me to teach you guys about:

LOVE, MERCY (FORGIVENESS WITHOUT PUNISHMENT), GENTLENESS, PEACE, GRATITUDE, JOY, AND PATIENCE

I tell hubby that if loving him is wrong, I don’t want to be right!

THANK YOU, KEVIN, CERI, AND GOD, FOR ALL BEING THERE FOR ME THROUGH MY ROUGH PATCH!!!

IT’S A NO BRAINER; WE NEED GOD!!!

This life is too hard to do without Him!!! Like I’m so happy that someone complained to my husband that I talk too much about Ceri (hubby is low-key jealous!). Whoever that person is, “THANK YOU!!!” Honestly, I got back to thinking to when I first was introduced to Ceri and the extremely low state I was in – sad, depressed, frustrated, overwhelmed, anxious, and overburdened by everything I had going on. Just to get out of bed was a serious struggle. I was so low that I formed a support group with Ceri and my brothers, Jason and Kevin. No shame! I needed support! Almost a year later, though, a new Nikki has emerged – happy, joyful, peaceful, more loving, and Godfident! Here’s some of what happened:

Ceri faithfully does some recordings in a group called Breakfast and the Bible. I would go there, screenshot those recordings and upload them to our YouTube channel: WE ROLL WITH GOD. Ceri takes Bible verses and breaks them down so that we can apply Biblical principles to our daily lives today. So, no shame again, I would be so low that I would listen to the same messages from him repeatedly until my mind was calm and I had the courage to keep going.

I was replacing all the sad and anxious thoughts with thoughts of faith, hope, and love. Ceri would say things like, “Most importantly, obey God. God has asked her to do things: LOVE HIM AND LOVE OTHERS. AND THAT LOVE FOR OTHERS GOES UNCONDITIONALLY. Even when my crazy self wanted to react to situations, with one look at God, I knew what He would have me to do, and I was obedient. I said for this God who is doing so much for me, God, anything to please You!

Long story short, the Biblical principles taught by Ceri are seriously working for me. Ceri explains that this is our spiritual food. Just as we need regular food, we need spiritual nourishment, and the Bible is a great place to learn the wisdom we need to tackle our lives – NO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, BABY! I have an entire playlist of these recordings of Ceri (over 200 of them!). LISTEN TO THEM! I don’t want to be this joyful, at peace, and close to God by myself. Ceri has taken me to a new realm of closeness with God, and I’m more excited than ever to share his messages with the world. Today, I told our family group that I’m more committed to them than ever. And to my jealous husband – this wife is so in love with you and our family! Thank you for being our gift from God! I love my life with you guys!

My daughter, Julie, cut me off the phone yesterday because she had to get to work with my other daughter, Ember. They are both spending the summer living and working in New York City, and I was the happiest momma hearing them enthusiastically leaving out together, working the same shift. Yayy!! Honestly, I have no doubt that this was entirely arranged and orchestrated by God Himself, the way everything came magically together. From Julie’s friends allowing them to sublet their apartment for the summer to Julie’s manager agreeing to hire Ember without even meeting her. It was the favor and love of God in action. Told y’all whatever is a concern for me is a concern for God! MY FIGHT IS HIS FIGHT!!!

But I don’t want all His love for myself; I want you to experience His Presence with you!!! God has this sweet personality and is quite talkative once you get to know Him. Like a little wink, I got from Him today was when my husband took a phone call this morning and had to speak to “Jeremiah.” He looked at me and smiled at the name “Jeremiah.” Fast forward less than an hour later, I randomly opened a Bible asking God what He had to say to me, and I opened it directly to, of all chapters, “Jeremiah!” Wink! Wink! God’s little fun way of revealing His invisible Presence with me. And He is always with you, too!!!

Some important words I picked up from Jeremiah, though: “I the LORD search the heart.” God knows everything about us, and His love for us is completely unconditional. One day He said to me through one of my meditation books that if He loves me, that means He loves all of me, including my weaknesses, faults, and mistakes. Meaning we don’t have to feel we have to be all cleaned up and righteous to have a relationship with Him. I’m a mess – far from perfect, but yet I brag that I’m God’s favorite with all the love and attention I receive from Him! Trust me, we can come as we are, and He welcomes up with ARMS WIDE OPEN TO RECEIVE US. Not only that, HE HELPS US TO BE BETTER (HUGE SMILE)!

But God is like a shy person. He wants you to invite Him into your life. The best prayer I have ever said was, ‘God, I want a closer walk with You!’ I pray you join me in saying that prayer and asking God to be the Guide and Partner of your life. THIS LIFE IS TOO HARD TO DO WITHOUT HIM! That’s when we start running to other things to cope that only lead us down dark paths. Take time every day to read or listen to something spiritual where you hear from God. You will begin to learn His ways, His voice, and values for your life so that you will make better decisions when you are out in the world. I promise you, a life directed by God is the best life!!! He even finds ways to turn all our bad into such good!!! I suggest the appointments with God first thing as you wake up. That’s where you’ll find the peace, love, confidence, courage, and joy you cannot buy. MAKE GOD YOUR TOP PRIORITY!!!

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