I CAN’T GET OVER MY BROTHER/ANGEL, KEVIN

Seeing Ember on that video call this week looking so pretty, happy, and flourishing in that skybox overlooking the football team as one of the managers has, honestly, changed me. I called Kevin today just to thank him for being the guard rails for my life for the past few years and helping me make some significant decisions. My husband called Kevin about three years ago, reporting me to him. When I wanted Kevin to give hubby our family’s response, he said, “FORGET THE FOOLISHNESS YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND ARE FIGHTING ABOUT, FOCUS ON GETTING YOUR DAUGHTERS TO SCHOOL IN THE US.” That began some extraordinary conversations that I look back on in absolute amazement. All those talks have been sacred as if I was talking to God Himself.

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.”

Yesterday Kevin and I argued over who should have a gorgeous BMW I purchased for his car business in the Bahamas. He said he wanted me to have it to make some money from it, and I said I wanted him to have it because the vehicle is so beautiful and clean that I want him to have it as an important symbol of a brother and sister working together as a team to help each other. The world needs more of that! I told him how I wake up so excited looking for cars for both of our businesses. It gives me such joy to know I can help him somehow for all he has done for my family and me. He has been like one hundred brothers in one, and now I want him continually in your head, too.:

“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 of faith in God! Amen!

PLEASE BE PATIENT

That’s the message from God for all of us today! Let me tell you, this is a difficult lesson to learn, but when I look back on my life, I’m grateful I’ve been patient. Thanks to my brother, Kevin, and God constantly saying, “Neeks, you’re going to have to be patient right now.” I love what my calendar from God says:

“The things that seem so difficult today are the things that, in the future, you will be thankful that you experienced, because they will have taught you priceless lessons of faith, patience, and wisdom.

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. – 2 Corinthians 12:9”

I have a beautiful patience story for you guys today! Over two years ago, I was out on my run around our neighborhood. God put it in my spirit to stop the run and call Kevin’s wife, Verona. She was very angry with Kevin that morning, but I told her, “I see you and Kevin in a house together, just like the ones here where I am. So, stay cool. Calm down. Stick with him. Whatever he does, keep forgiving him. Just take my advice, you will thank me later. ”

Fast forward to today, I called Verona freaking out, “I’m about to have a heart attack, I can’t get in touch with Kevin for the last two days!” She said, “Hold on, he is right here with me.” She puts Kevin on the phone, and he says, “Sorry I didn’t answer your calls, I’m here with Verona, and we’re doing the walkthrough of our house.” That’s the newly constructed home they built together!!! To God be the glory!!! The very house that I stopped on my run to tell her that I saw her and Kevin in together. How great is our God? For Him to put that in my spirit to stop in the middle of my run and call Verona with that message. That’s the love He has for us all!!! He didn’t want Verona to make a wrong decision.

That’s the power of patience! We may not see a way, but don’t play around with God. NEVER FORGET THE GOD FACTOR!!! He makes the impossible possible! I pray Kevin and Verona build many more happy memories in that home with many grandkids running about in it. (HUGE SMILE)

Patience has led me to a great place today, too, with me calling my husband in Nigeria and saying, “God and I know that you are trying your best, and we are very proud of you.” As I’ve been patient, God has been changing me! I’ve learned that nobody’s perfect, and only God can judge us! May we learn to love each other for both our strengths and weaknesses. Amen!

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” – 1 Peter 4:8

“FORGET ABOUT LOVE!!!”

That’s what I said to someone a short time ago. Instead of looking to other humans for love, I encouraged them to look to God. “Nobody will love us better than Him!!! Forget about it! Just focus your mind on being wrapped up in God’s arms every moment and enjoying Him!!!” Just living in His Presence and with eyes fixed on Him being the people He would have us to be in every moment! For me, that means being the greatest of all time wife, mother, and person so that when I die, God, Himself will say, “Well done my good and faithful servant!” Seeing Ember yesterday on that video call looking so happy and on top of the world in her skybox, watching the football team that she helps manage, play, was such a beautiful eyeopener to all the beauty in my life. We came from Nigeria to the US to do hard things, and we’re doing them, baby! It isn’t always pretty, but we thank God for the strength to get back up whenever we fall! Amen!

Like I told this friend, our kids pick up on our energy, and as mothers, we must set the tone for the home. WE MUST BE THE GLUE TO KEEP THE FAMILY HAPPY AND TOGETHER. Our role from God Himself!!! My son, Joshie, had an emotional breakdown the other night, and I thank God that he came to me and we were able to talk it out. I said, “Come on, we got this! We’re going to take this school year as a game. Something fun and me, you, and God are doing together.” Made me realize that they are counting on me to be strong and together. The next day I was back in my Tom Brady training every day like an athlete mode reminded that my sons were counting on me to be my best self for them. Everything I told him is what my brother, Kevin, has been teaching me. I get overwhelmed, too but Kevin tells me to relax, not take anything too seriously (to be on chill for life!!!) Everything about our lives has already been written! God got us!

Today Kevin wrote, “Relax and enjoy the journey or be miserable, and the journey will happen anyway.” Take your pick! I’m so happy for someone who recently called me from Nigeria and said to me, “Everything that you hear that’s going on here is all foolishness and nonsense. Just get your mind off that and get closer to God. God will send you an angel to calm your mind.” Honestly, that was the big wake-up call I needed. I stress the foolishness and nonsense too much, but when you know better, you do better. That’s our prayer!

And God didn’t just send me an angel, He sent me an entire team of angels! I told some of them today that I walk with God holding one of my hands and them holding the other. Never underestimate the value of the people you surround yourself with. That’s the love I receive from God and why I can say wholeheartedly, “FORGET THE LOVE FROM OTHER PEOPLE!!!” Learn to be deaf, dumb, and blind, forgiving endlessly, being gentle and patient, and showing everyone God’s love instead, and enjoy your life! From fighting with my sons to get dressed for school, to enjoying going back and forth to tire and mechanic shops to keep the family hustle going, to snuggling and laughing with my Joshie before sleeping, I’m determined to find the joy because every second is a pure gift from God! Toast! To living our greatest lives with God!!! GETTING OUR LOVE FROM HIM!!! AMEN!!!

“WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?”

I asked Kevin, Jason, and Ceri this morning in our WhatsApp group showing them a pic of the song ‘Highest In The Room’ playing by Travis Scott that I named our group after (they are really putting up with me guys!!!) The goal is to put together a book of ten chapters with some awesome advice of living our best lives with God. Today, for full transparency, I added my husband and a close friend to the conversation. But to explain what I mean by the highest in the room, I thought to write about someone who lived it, our great friend, Lucky Omoluwa, until God said He wanted His special angel back with Him.

Let me tell ya, I had the honor and privilege of watching Lucky in action. He lived life having direct communications with God Himself. This is what I imagine when I say highest in the room: Living life with one foot on earth and one foot in heaven having moment by moment conversations asking God what He would have us to do (or not do), say (or not say) and go (or not go) in every moment. Every conversation. Every circumstance. Every relationship. The things Lucky accomplished while here were nothing but extraordinary and I have no doubt that this was how he did them.

Take for example the school he built where my kids attended in Nigeria. The school has given us five fierce kids. No joke! Today I did a video call with my daughter, Ember, at her university in New York where she was sitting looking so pretty in the skybox overlooking the football team as one of the team managers. This super fierce daughter was trained in Lucky’s school where she got a strong foundation in not only academic excellence, but also in character training learning perseverance, responsibility, integrity, discipline and excellence as part of the core values. Even after his death, his legacy lives on in the hundreds of students still passing through those school doors. That’s the highest in the room I’m talking about. Even after death he continues to positively impact the world!

I write a lot about love and loyalty in these posts because Lucky demonstrated these values on an out of this world level. We travelled all over the world together and he was exceedingly generous and loving taking our family as if we were his family. Like who would pay for a family of six people to travel the world with them and pay the majority of the expenses? Lucky! They welcomed us to their home every Saturday in Nigeria, where I know God Himself sent me to his wife for training on how to be a wise and calm wife (still learning!). Before Kevin and I became so close, she was my guard rails helping me to stay cool when the crazy lady wanted to come out. She is my shining example of a person who has beautifully pointed me to God. Her and Lucky have been great influencers on my family. Not one moment around them was a waste of time. Even in death, I remain loyal to Lucky.

Bottom-line: What I really want us taking from Lucky is that God was his Man! The level of generosity, courage, love, loyalty, and excellence he demonstrated was that he was having continual conversations with God Himself using God’s wisdom, tact and guidance (Not that he got it right all the time, nobody’s perfect!) This is where I want us all!! Everything is between us and God and not between us and anyone else. Seeing Ember on that video call looking so happy and flourishing was my special reminder of how God exceeds our expectations when we stick with Him. May Lucky’s life remind us all that we’re not here for a long time (every moment is a gift!), but for a good time, hopefully accomplishing some great things on God’s behalf. Amen!

“I will seek to honor God, obey His word, and do His will.”- Courageous

PLEASE BE PATIENT

That’s the message from God for all of us today! Let me tell you, this is a difficult lesson to learn, but when I look back on my life, I’m grateful I’ve been patient. Thanks to my brother, Kevin, and God constantly saying, “Neeks, you’re going to have to be patient right now.” I love what my calendar from God says:

“The things that seem so difficult today are the things that, in the future, you will be thankful that you experienced, because they will have taught you priceless lessons of faith, patience, and wisdom.

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. – 2 Corinthians 12:9”

I have a beautiful patience story for you guys today! Over two years ago, I was out on my run around our neighborhood. God put it in my spirit to stop the run and call Kevin’s wife, Verona. She was very angry with Kevin that morning, but I told her, “I see you and Kevin in a house together, just like the ones here where I am. So, stay cool. Calm down. Stick with him. Whatever he does, keep forgiving him. Just take my advice, you will thank me later. ”

Fast forward to today, I called Verona freaking out, “I’m about to have a heart attack, I can’t get in touch with Kevin for the last two days!” She said, “Hold on, he is right here with me.” She puts Kevin on the phone, and he says, “Sorry I didn’t answer your calls, I’m here with Verona, and we’re doing the walkthrough of our house.” That’s the newly constructed home they built together!!! To God be the glory!!! The very house that I stopped on my run to tell her that I saw her and Kevin in together. How great is our God? For Him to put that in my spirit to stop in the middle of my run and call Verona with that message. That’s the love He has for us all!!! He didn’t want Verona to make a wrong decision.

That’s the power of patience! We may not see a way, but don’t play around with God. NEVER FORGET THE GOD FACTOR!!! He makes the impossible possible! I pray Kevin and Verona build many more happy memories in that home with many grandkids running about in it. (HUGE SMILE)

Patience has led me to a great place today, too, with me calling my husband in Nigeria and saying, “God and I know that you are trying your best, and we are very proud of you.” As I’ve been patient, God has been changing me! I’ve learned that nobody’s perfect, and only God can judge us! May we learn to love each other for both our strengths and weaknesses. Amen!

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” – 1 Peter 4:8

“ARE YOU READY FOR THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE?”

That’s the lyrics of a song that just played with photo memories compiled by my phone. But of course, the God maniac here took it as a question from God Himself, with me happily responding, ‘Yes, God, with You by my side, I’m ready!!!’ (HUGE SMILE)

Honestly, I’m blown away by the extent God goes to make me aware of His invisible Presence with me. On Saturday, the boys and I had the best day together at work. Just as we were about to leave, I got a text message from a customer to whom we had just sold a car to the day before, saying that the vehicle was not accelerating and it refused to turn off. Immediately I asked for his location so we could go by and see what was happening.

While driving there, one of my sons asked, “Why do we have to go?” I used it as an opportunity to teach them about our business values, explaining that within the first thirty days, we guarantee the engine and transmission of the used vehicles we sell, not wanting to ever sell anyone a lousy car. As soon as I said the word “TRANSMISSION,” we incredibly passed a “TRANSMISSION” shop. I started screaming, telling the boys that this was no coincidence that this shop showing up as soon as I said the word “transmission” was God’s way of letting us know that His invisible Presence was there with us. I explained to the boys that problems are a part of life, but we courageously and bravely tackle them step by step and momentarily ask for God’s direction to guide us.

We get to the vehicle and it was indeed not cutting off! I got my husband all the way in Nigeria on video call because he, too, found it strange that a vehicle was not turning off. He told us we needed to disconnect the battery but we didn’t have the proper tools, so I rushed out to the closest part store. This customer had me freaking out over God when I saw his birthday was 7/11, he told me his daughter was born on 7/11, and we get to the part store, and the guy took a little while to figure out the correct item for us and can you believe the total came to $17.11. And if you guys read these posts, you will know how much I write about that whenever I see 7 and 11 together, it’s God reminding me that His invisible Presence is there with me. Phew! Another God wink! I needed that reminder that I was not handling this situation alone.

We get back to the car, called my husband again on a video call, and step by step, he told us what to do can you believe we got the problem resolved? Wow! “We’re real car dealers now!!!” I excitedly told my sons!

“‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”

I want this story to remind us all that we’re not going by the ordinary rules of life. God is at work in the spiritual realm, tweaking situations on our behalf. I want us to know without doubt that His spirit is always with us no matter the troublesome situations. He is available 24/7! It’s just for us to tap into His guidance moment-by-moment basis as to what He would have us do while we do our utmost best on our end and leave the rest with Him.

APPOINTMENTS WITH GOD ARE A MUST EVERY DAY!!! That’s how you not only learn His voice as He speaks to us continually all day, but we also build up the courage to live our best lives with Him. We also learn His guiding principles for our lives. Just as I used that experience to teach our sons about how we conduct our business, God teaches us the principles He wants us to live by. And let me tell ya, God’s ways are always the best. Even when others are unfair, I write the disappointments off against everything God is doing for my family and me. I stay on the HIGHEST road with Him, going the extra mile in love, faithfulness, loyalty, integrity, excellence, kindness, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. All for the glory of God! Not that I get it right all the time, but I try!

I just got off the phone with Ember as Julie, and I are planning our trip to meet up with her in New York to drop Julie off to her university there. WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT GOD’S LOVE, FAVOR, PROTECTION, GUIDANCE, AND WISDOM FOLLOWS US WHEREVER WE GO!!! HEEHAW!!! That’s what gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding to have the time of our lives with Him. God’s ways are always best! May we all keep our focus on Him and not this crazy world!

GOD SENT ME AN ENTIRE TEAM OF ANGELS

That’s the love I’m feeling from Him! Like I formed a WhatsApp group like a crazy lady with my brothers, Kevin and Jason, and our friend Ceri. So, I called Kevin yesterday to say that even though I’m talking about Ceri a lot, it doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten that his wisdom and support have been carrying me for the last three years. I couldn’t believe his response, “Neeks, I wish you could have ten Ceris keeping you up because I’m on team Nikki.” Wow! That’s the genuine love and support that I’ve been receiving from this brother. He continues to say that he has realized that his assignment from God is to keep me happy. He is always there to take my phone calls and help me through some rough days. I’m forever grateful, my K!

Feeling that love and support from Kevin, I said that’s the love I want us all to show others. I called my husband to let him know he has a ride-or-die, loyal wife for life. That I’m not going anywhere, and whatever we must go through, we’re going to go through it together. Instead of starving for his love, though, I now ask, “How much does this wife love you?” With the answer always being, “Infinity percent!” Like Kevin demonstrates so well, I want to be God’s angel, learning to accept people for their strengths and weaknesses, going the extra mile in love, loyalty, patience, and forgiveness. This husband who has wonderfully guided our family deserves our overwhelming love, appreciation, and respect. I lovingly accept my role as wife and mom as the glue to keep our family happy and together. Our families sticking together is important to God.

Perspective is everything, and my team of angels is giving me an entirely new perspective to see my life. Like I said to them yesterday that I had a bad week. Ceri brilliantly responded, “You had a great week with a few disappointments, that’s all.” And honestly, when I thought about everything, I truly had a great week. I was at the boy’s new school happy crying. They made a comment regarding Emmie that blew me away, “We ONLY have four years to prepare these kids for college and the real world.” That’s how seriously they take this job of educating my children. A few days later, I took Joshie there, and coming back home, I said to him, “Joshie, I’m expecting all A’s from you this year.” He said, “No, I’m going for A pluses.” This is the child who was failing and placed on academic probation last school year and is now so confident in himself. PRAISE THE LORD!!! He tells me, “Mom, don’t go easy on me!”

Ember made it back to her university in New York, just waiting on a course certificate to start her Wall Street internship. I asked her dad to please call her and tell her how proud he was of her after she astonishingly helped him with an issue preparing a spreadsheet along with 213 supporting documents (apparently, they want praise from their dad, not me!). Julie is all set to join her in New York but said she may not accept the internship on Wall Street because she may get something better like an internship with the United Nations. Well, excuse me! And Duro, my nephew, is rocking his internship with Amazon with them flying him out to Texas for a special conference. Thank You, Ceri, for the perspective change, it was a great week, and it continues to be a great life knowing God’s Presence is forever with me.

But the ultimate perspective change is knowing we have God’s invisible presence ALWAYS with us in every moment. God stands strong with us, and we don’t have to fight our battles alone. He is just like a shy person waiting for you to invite Him in to be a part of your life. The best prayer I’ve ever and continue to say is, ‘God, I want a closer walk with You!’ May we all get closer to Him this year!

“YOU GUYS ARE IN MY HEAD!!!”

That’s what I told Kevin, Jason, and Ceri this morning! I went as far as forming a group with all four of us as motivation for me to work on a book with them as collaborators. “Let’s do it as a gift to God and the world with some great advice for everyone to live their best lives with Him!” I enthusiastically wrote. I want the world to know God’s voice and precisely what He is saying to us in every moment of our lives as we tackle the big and small stuff that life throws our way! We are not alone; We have God!!!

Like this patience thing that God and Kevin have been teaching me. ‘Please be patient,’ was the title I suggested for a chapter after listening to Kevin say to me so many times, “Neeks, you’re going to have to be patient right now.” Let me tell ya, that patience thing is working. Thanks, K! Not only is Kevin advising me to be patient, but God is also getting in on that advice. I randomly opened one of my meditation books today, and this message showed up:

“The second piece of advice which Christ offers us refers to patience, patience with ourselves and with others. ‘In patience, by endurance, you will possess your souls,’ the Gospel tells us somewhere else: the ultimate price of holiness is, then, patience – the perseverance which lets the word of God yield a harvest (Lk 8:15). Patience which is always humble, and prudence and a humble will which make sure we never substitute our own plans for God’s plans.”

Then I recently rediscovered this message from my son, Emmie:

“A wise man once said that patience is a virtue. Good things come to people who wait. You cannot succeed in life without patience. It is hard to be patient in life, we all go through hard times, and in those rough times, it’s hard not to give up, but the people who endure and who are patient, always succeed.”

God is pretty talkative! From Kevin, a random book, an essay from my son written a good year ago, bumper stickers on cars saying, “Please be patient,” are all God saying, ‘Nik, be patient.’ “My sheep know my voice and they follow me,” is the Bible verse that I want the world going with that we know precisely the direction God would have us to go in tackling especially challenging situations.

And as I’m taking Kevin’s advice about patience, I’m also following Ceri, who taught me to allow God to have the opportunity to be God by leaving matters in His hands to tackle. Not me trying to control people and situations. “Be still and know that I am God!” Wink! Wink!

My brother, Jason, was so sweet to offer me an all expense paid trip to the Bahamas, but I want him to know that when you look up spoilt in the dictionary, you will see a picture of my daughter, Ember, and me holding hands (like Julie teases us!). But when you look up the word strong, you will see a picture of me holding God’s hand! Making me God’s spoilt and strong girl! His ways are not always easy, but they’re always best! All eyes on God following wherever He leads us (even through rugged paths). Our reward is with Him, who gives us more than we can ever imagine when we walk faithfully with Him. Amen!

THE COLLABORATION IS ON, BABY!!!!

I’m teaming up with my brothers, Kevin and Jason, and our great friend, Ceri, to give you even more powerful messages about God! HEEHAW! Like this one from Ceri that blew me away recently from his ‘Breakfast and the Bible’ group chat:

“This morning, I will share from Joshua 1:8-9, and it says,

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

This particular verse is extremely powerful because there are just a few things that stood out to me with it. We should always remind ourselves about a few things that God tells us in this. One of the things that stood out to me most importantly in this verse is when he said, “For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Sometimes we get into dark places. We go places, and we think we’re alone, but we’re never alone, and this is just one of those verses you can repeat to yourself. You can keep in the back of your mind and just walk with it and use it as a tool. Use it as a weapon. As a weapon against the enemy. Use it as a weapon against anxiety. Use it as a weapon against unsurety. That God reminds us that He is with us wherever we may go.”

This is the ultimate game changer guys!!! If we can truly practice using this verse as a tool that we take around with us continually in the back of our minds, no matter what comes our way, we can stand strong with God in every moment of our lives. Amen.

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Let me tell you, I was at my office listening to this message from Ceri at around 11 pm one night, waiting for a car I had purchased that day to come in. Alone at my office, God showed up to confirm He was indeed there with me. I ended up chatting with the wife of the tow truck driver as we waited for him to arrive. I told her how I was enjoying the time waiting to have some alone time with God because this life is rough. She responded, “So rough I sometimes ask myself how am gonna do it, but honestly, GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US.” Fast forward a few minutes later, I opened my meditation book Jesus Calling to continue my alone time with God, and look what amazingly showed up, written as if God was speaking directly to us, exactly from where I had last left off reading:

“I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU!!!” Wink! Wink!

Wow! God freaked me out! Like He was responded directly to her comment, ‘Yes, I AM always with you guys!!!’ This again lined up too perfectly to be some random coincidence! God confirmed Ceri’s message that His invisible Presence is with us wherever we go! It’s just for us to take Ceri’s advice to use that verse as a tool to fight off anxiety, the devil, and insecurities.

No shame in my game, but the next day I was having an extremely rough time, and whenever I found myself anxious, I held on to a bracelet that my daughters gave me with that very verse that I wear every day, and I spoke directly to God. ‘God, I know You are here with me. God, I know You are here with me.’ Until I calmed down. I ended up laughing with Him, “God, what’s wrong with me!!!” But the tool worked!!! And now I pass it on to you! Thanks, Ceri!

“I’M FOLLOWING YOUR LEAD ON THIS, BOO!”

That was me to my husband yesterday over the phone, under my God tree, having to spend an extra long time with God there (no shame in my game!!! I NEED GOD!!!). Less than five minutes later, I went to read my meditation book, Jesus Calling (written as if God is speaking), and just using the scroll button to randomly pick a place to read one, look what incredibly showed up after telling my husband I was following his lead, God says this to me:

“BE WILLING TO FOLLOW WHEREVER I LEAD.” (Wink! Wink!)

And that was another one of my God winks where everything lines up extremely too perfectly to be some ordinary coincidence. It was God Himself making me aware that His invisible Presence is always with me, baby!!! And He is with you, too! I’m only the God maniac here who shares how I feel and hear from God so that you will begin to experience His intimate Presence with you.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” – Psalm 23:1-3

How exactly do I follow God’s lead? Years ago, I prayed for a closer walk with Him, and over the years I’ve gotten quite close to Him that I can feel God in my Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis. I can pretty much pick up what He would have me to say, what to do, and where to go. It’s been a beautiful and endless conversation with Him. Not that I get it right all the time, but with practice, I’m getting better and better at it by paying attention to my feelings. Feelings of peace, excitement, and joy, when I want to go in a certain direction are God’s way of saying, ‘Yes, this way, My Nik.’ But thoughts of doubt and uneasiness are His way of saying, ‘NO!!! Don’t do that!’ Then I pay attention to my thoughts (His voice is there too!!). Again, it’s practice learning which thoughts are His!

Then, my alone times with Him reading my meditation books (like Jesus Calling by Sarah Young), our family’s website rereading through old posts, or listening to Dr. Charles Stanley on YouTube, are some of my fav places to ask God what He has to say to me. So that when I’m back out in the world, I try to use God’s principles and values for making decisions. And to be honest with you, this is working out quite well for your girl! Not always easy, though, but always worth it when I look back on some of those difficult decisions. Trust me, God’s ways are always best!

Like this picture is of my daughter, Julie, and I attending a sendoff event for the university she will soon be leaving to attend. After my daughter, Ember, has already been offered an internship on Wall Street in New York, can you believe Julie has already been offered one at one of the top banks, and she’s not even in New York yet! That again is God exceeding my expectations, as usual! I’m such a proud mom who gives all the glory to God for His guidance, wisdom, and love. My daughters and I have no doubt whatsoever that God is behind the scenes of our lives, orchestrating events on our behalf. It’s just like He said though, WE MUST BE WILLING TO FOLLOW WHEREVER HE LEADS. No telling God to follow you, but you following Him!

Like He keeps sending me signs that I should be patient right now, even down to a bumper sticker on the back of a car that said, ‘Please be patient.” God is pretty talkative. So when the crazy lady wants to make an appearance, I remind her that we’re staying on the high road with God, obeying Him, and leaving all consequences for Him to handle at work in the spiritual realm on our behalf. Wink! Wink! God doesn’t disappoint when we stick with Him! We can lovingly and joyfully take on our lives, even the tough stuff, knowing He is always with us. Amen!