GOD LOVES TO FREAK ME OUT!!!???
Thatās what He did to me this morning! I had an appointment with my daughter, Ember, to exercise in her room at 5:30 am, but because she didnāt sleep well, she canceled on me. I told her I would do it somewhere else, but she insisted that I stay, and I happily accepted her offer. While there, I noticed a TRANSPARENT ROSARY on her bedhead and I wondered, āWhere did Ember get this rosary?ā because weāre not Catholics. Fast forward to my alone time with God on Tumblr.com about an hour later, guess what miraculously appeared in my search for āFAITHā posts? A TRANSPARENT ROSARY!
That was not coincident! It was another one of my God winks where out of the blue everything lined up a little bit too perfectly! Like what are the chances of me focused on that rosary in my daughterās room to the SAME transparent rosary showing up on Tumblr?!? It was Godās sweet way of reminding me and you that there is never one moment when He is not with us. And that He incredibly knows EVERYTHING about us INCLUDING EVERY THOUGHT WE THINK! Nothing about our lives ever escapes His loving attention! Iām with David who wrote this maybe 3,000 years ago:
āO LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.ā – Psalm 139
So, if God is always with us, I want us doing everything as if HEAVEN AND GOD are our ONLY audience watching us. No need to worry about the approval of people, letās ask what would please God, instead and do that. Let me tell ya, people can love you today and hate you tomorrow (I speak from experience! LOL!), but Godās love for us is unconditional and everlasting. He knows the worst about us, yet He loves us more than everyone in the world put together possibly can.
For me yesterday, with Heaven and God as my audience, I bragged to my husband and kids that I have to be the best mother and wife, not second best! I feel so BLESSED to have them! But can you believe God had something to add in an appointment with Him shortly after that when this showed up in one of my meditation books:
āMay no one surpass us in our desire for holiness.ā
As if God was saying, ‘Yes, Nik, I love that you want to be the best mom and wife, but donāt let anyone pass you in being My number 1 girl!ā
God, may that never happen! And on that note, I spent two hours enjoying God in our alone time together! Are you seeking a closer walk with Him?
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD
MY WORD FOR 2018 THAT HAS CHANGED MY LIFEā¦
DISCIPLINE! Itās gotten me up every day to exercise, to drink my awful tasting veggie smoothie, and most importantly, TO KEEP MY MIND STAYED ON GOD.
Let me tell ya, if you see me hitting myself in the head, itās because I want to REFOCUS on the thoughts God Himself would have me to think! Nik, we gots no time for this nonsense thinking you got going on right now. When thoughts of despair and discouragement want to get the best of me, Iāve DISCIPLINED MY MIND to say, āNo, no, no, our hope is in God, sweetie! He hasnāt let us down yet, and Heās not about to start now.ā
When the crazy lady wants to come out, I check her right away with another hit on the head saying that in EVERY moment weāre going to stay on the HIGH road with God doing what He would have us to do. And that is pretty much summed up with three words from the Bible: GOD IS LOVE. With one glance in His direction I know EXACTLY what He would have me to do. The crazy lady goes away!
If Iām feeling unloved, thatās another hit in the head! Girl, please, Godās love is enough! The way He shows me such attention, NO MORE STARVING FOR LOVE, Iām FULL of Godās love!
Like every day we chat about what HE wants me to discuss in the posts and videos because I say theyāre my gifts to Him for all He does for me. So, today, when the word discipline showed up a few times in an early morning appointment with Him, I spoke to Him about it and can you believe He confirmed it? I used the scroll key on my phone to randomly pick a post from my book and the second post turned out to be the one entitled, STAY DISCIPLINED! Out of 366 posts, this was no coincident, just God reminding me that HE IS ALWAYS WITH ME. How sweet is that? The Creator of the entire universe is intimately involved in my little life.
DISCIPLINE, my wonderful people, is the way to an incredible life with God. Iām taking it with me AGAIN into 2019 and Iām adding one more word: LOVE.
KEEP CALM-YOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD
āMOMMY, WHY DID DADDY MAKE YOU CRY?ā
That was the crucial question one of these beautiful daughters asked me years ago after I had an emotional breakdown in front of them when my husband fussed me out about my weight one Sunday I will never forget. That was my wake up call. Nik, are you going to let your daughters see you play the weak, low self-esteem, victim role, or will you be the confident woman you want them to grow up to be? I was pitiful and patheticā¦BUT GOD HELPED ME.
The new Nik that felt so awful about herself and her weight now wants to be a Rockstar for God and spread this great news of how intimately He is involved in our lives and how much HE LOVES US. Even this morning, I felt Him telling me in my spirit that He didnāt like the way I described myself in this post:
āYes, Iām a BIG screw-up MOST of the times, but by the grace of God, Iām trying to be BETTER.ā
And I felt Him saying how proud He is of me, instead, and the wife, mother, and person Iāve become. Thanks, God! The world had brainwashed me into thinking Iām not good, especially by a husband who believes his job is to focus on everything I do wrong and correct me. Being around people who make you feel youāre never good enough is not easy ā¦BUT GOD HAS HELPED ME to raise my head and focus on all the things I do right every day, despite the feelings and opinions of others. Iām Godās girl first and foremost, and I believe what He thinks of me, not others. Iām a little bit TOO confident now despite my flaws and failures that God uses for my good! LOL!
Donāt get me wrong, I appreciate my husbandās honesty, but itās been a challenge to keep feeling good about myself. Thatās where the times alone with God have paid off. He seems to stoop down to my level, pick me up, dust me off and say, āNik, you know I approve and love you unconditionally. FOCUS ON MY LOVE! Whatever you need to improve in, I will help you.ā
And He has! Iām down almost 60 lbs (27 kgs) from where I used to be when my husband made me cry that Sunday. With Godās help, I now know what to eat to help my body feel its fittest ā LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGGIES (80-90% of my diet). Iām now 45, but I feel as if Iām 25! I just had the best time doing 12 rounds of by Core De Force workout. Heehaw!
Not one moment hanging with God has been a waste of time. We must make Him a priority seeking Him and building a relationship with Him through special alone times with Him. I would love to send you a free electronic copy of my book where I wrote about my God transformation from a weak victim to Godās girl! He wants to help you too! Just say this prayer with me, āGod, I want a closer walk with You. Amenā
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD
āIāM SO JEALOUS OF YOU!!!ā
I said to a nun yesterday! āPeople get you and that your life is dedicated to God. But me, on the other hand, they think Iām this crazy God lady. You get to lock away to yourself and be with Him, but I have to go out into the world where Iām misunderstood by everyone.ā And on and on I went with her!
But she listened and quietly responded, āYes, Iāve dedicated my life to God and my life is in here (in the Catholic Church), but youāve also dedicated your life to Him, but your work is out there.ā Phew! Just the reality check I needed. Nik, just be about your work for God regardless of who understands you or not. Be even BETTER at it and take it more seriously! God is the Boss of your life, not other people! Heehaw!
Fast forward a few hours later, Iām breaking my fasting with a final word from God reading my meditation book, and He miraculously had something to add to my conversation with the nun. Continuing from where I had last left off reading, this showed up (written as if God was speaking directly to me):
āHavenāt I prepared everything in your life, in your homes, for a solitude for two (for you and Me!)? Wouldnāt even the nuns envy you?ā
Wow! See how intimately present God is in our lives. Like He was letting me know He was right there with me in that conversation with that nun. And that question asked about preparing everything in my life and in my home to have alone times with Him made me feel terrible. Iāve been bragging how I had one little thought that I would like a nice, quiet place to meet God and a few days later hubby bought us new furniture for our bedroom where I can have my alone times with Him. So instead of me being jealous of the nuns, He asked, āWouldnāt even the nuns envy you, Ms. Nikki?ā (SMILE)
And there you have it, folks, another God wink when out of the blue everything lines up strangely TOO PERFECTLY to be a regular coincident. It was Godās sweet way of reminding me of His Presence with me in every moment. He went to all this trouble to orchestrate this just to say, āNik, I love you and Iām always with you.ā For me to continue reading this right after my conversation with that nun was all arranged by God, no doubt!
So, I want us all seeking Him in every moment asking what He would have us to do because a LOVE like this shouldnāt be wasted. He loves us all so much and Heās just patiently waiting for us to invite Him into our lives to give us a new perspective on EVERYTHING. Let me tell ya, me seeking a closer walk with Him has bountifully paid off. I look at where He has guided my life and Iām blown away. Start having your alone times with Him so that you can begin learning His voice and what He would have you to do in every moment of your life. The girls joined me today, and He said to them: MAKE TIME WITH ME A PRIORITY. A word to the wise is sufficient!
We have not stopped praying for you since the first day we heard about you. In fact, we always pray that God will show you everything he wants you to do and that you may have all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives. Then you will live a life that honours the Lord, and you will always please him by doing good deeds. You will come to know God even better. His glorious power will make you patient and strong enough to endure anything, and you will be truly happy.
ā Colossians 1:9-11 CEVUK
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD
āI USED TO WALK AROUND WITH MY HEAD TO THE GROUND HATING MYSELFā
āā¦now I hold my head super high with TOO MUCH love for myself!!!ā GLORY BE TO GOD!!!
HEREāS THE DEAL:
The world has its way of keeping us down and depressed. Everyone focuses on our negatives, our mistakes, and failures, but in my appointments with God, He switches the scripts. He reminds me that Iām unconditionally loved and approved by Him no matter how many times I mess up. ‘Nik, you know youāre my girl.’ Is the constant message I feel from Him. With HIS LOVE backing me up, I can say to the world, āYes, Iām a BIG screw-up MOST of the times, but by the grace of God, Iām trying to be BETTER.
Even if youāre at letter Z, God wants to help you to get to an A. At this moment, maybe Iām like a K from that A, but I keep my eyes fixed and God, and moment by moment I lean on Him asking what He would have me to do. Believe it or not, my weaknesses and failures are BRINGING ME CLOSER TO HIM. So, something ānegativeā God turns around and uses it for my good because it’s forcing me to seek Him more for guidance. God, I NEED YOU!!!
POINT IN CASE:
āNikki, why did you say that?!?ā was me yesterday at a get-together. Then 10 minutes later in another conversation, āNikki, why did you say that?!? My mouth! Let me tell ya, Iām forever getting myself in trouble. But it’s OK! Today, Iāve learned from those failures of yesterday, and after all those missteps, Iām more alert to them. I want to just stay in my quiet room with God where I stay out of trouble, and He says to me that Iām to go out again today. āYes, Father.ā The plan is to pause, though, and seek Godās input before saying ANYTHING! He even said to me this week in an appointment with Him: āSilence is wisdom.ā Wink! Wink! Iām certainly a work in progress there, God! LOL!
But letās all lighten up on ourselves and others! NOBODYāS PERFECT. These people judging us have the same amount of failures and mistakes as we do. Weāre all BOZOāS on the bus BUT LOVED IMMENSELY BY OUR CREATOR, DESPITE OUR FLAWS. And thatās where I get my confidence from. I know Iām no better and no worse than anyone else but I can hold my head high, LOVE ME, and keep working on constant and never-ending improvement with my focus on God and HIS deep love and approval, not the worldās.
Our lives are His dream! Letās go the extra mile in loving and forgiving ourselves and others over the past, and keep living God’s dream, baby! He has the best plans for us!
āBut this little light of mine, Iām gonna let it shine. GLORY BE TO GOD.” Even if the world doesnāt understand or approve of me, I know God does. And His approval is enough! Heads held high, everyone!
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD
āYOUāRE MY GIFT FROM GOD, TOOā
That was surprisingly from my husband this morning when I called him my gift from God! Lately, Iāve been looking at everything from a different perspective. I magically see everything and everyone as a delightful and unique gift from God to me. Like I go to the kitchen today, and there is a big bag of mangoes freshly plucked from our trees outside, and I thought, āWow, God, You love me so much!ā I excitedly called my daughter, Julie, a fellow mango lover, and she was excited to see so many of them. I then told her, āThis is God showing us His love. Letās have an appointment with Him together.ā
She came and sat in the new area that I have for appointments with God, and we ended up chatting about some future goals and plans and where we feel God is directing us. And as I sat there listening, I was just in awe of God ā Like GOD, THANK YOU FOR THESE WONDERFUL KIDS!!!
So, from the littlest of things (having fresh mangoes) to the biggest of things (the best family ever) Iām unceasingly thanking God, and I want you guys here with me. Iām taking NOTHING for granted, everything and everyone have all been lovingly arranged and orchestrated by God Himself because of His unconditional love for me. And Heās doing the same thing for you! Are you paying attention?
I feel universally guided and protected by Him. When my mind wants to conjure up worst case scenarios, I smack myself in the head and say, āNik, WEāRE TRUSTING THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE, REMEMBER?ā I donāt doubt that He is on my side working things out in the spiritual realm on my behalf. Wink! Wink! Even the negative stuff that shows up I know is also from Him to teach me some valuable lessons and to keep me from making mistakes and going in directions that He would not have me to go. Not that way, Nik! (SMILE)
I loved a wink from Him last night having an appointment with my hubby. It was a verse that showed up and I ended up playing a YouTube video on it (Jeremiah 3:33) and how God is saying this to us:
āCall to Me and I will answer you, and tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.ā
I showed hubs my God notes where I had written a few days ago:
āSpend time with God alone every day so that He may share His secrets with you…”
Jeremiah and I are in sync! These plans and goals Julie and I were discussing included all the God winks weāve been experiencing where He seems to be personally directing us. Like no way these can be coincidences!!! Which gives us all the Godfidence to move forward confidently in the direction of our dreams, baby, KNOWING GOD IS WITH US. Amen.
Donāt miss out on those crucial alone times with Him; He has lots to say to you, too!!! Wink! Wink! Don’t make a move before hearing from God first!
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD
āNIK, YOUāVE CERTAINLY COME A LONG WAY, BABYā
That was me yesterday reading this from an old post I had shared two years ago:
āLike I was telling this person yesterday, my wilderness experience showed me there were too many things getting between me and God from my natural hair fixation, my weight frustrations, constant Facebook check-ins, obsessing over how to control other people and situations, negative thinking, and constant worrying, just to name a few! LOL!ā
Wow, I was pretty messed up FOR REAL! But by Godās grace He has helped me tackle all those demons:
THE NATURAL HAIR FIXATION: My daughter, Julie, asked after I was taking too long to do my hair, āMom, are you really going to spend another year focused on your hair?ā Since then, I put the hair thing in proper perspective. It should take me no longer than 10 minutes every day for my hair. And the Sunday all day wash day has been drastically reduced to a couple of hours. Woohoo! What God thinks of me is far more important than how others perceive me appearance wise.
MY WEIGHT FRUSTRATIONS: Watching my daughter, Ember (in the picture), keep her weight so under control, I figured out that she only eats one cooked BIG meal a day and I joined her bandwagon. All day I eat raw fruits and veggies and every night is date night with hubby as we enjoy our Nigerian food cooked with lots of vegetables purchased from local farmers. Julie and I have also given up meat and chicken and honestly, Iāve stopped weighing myself. The Nik who was constantly frustrated about her weight is GONE!!! God, thank You!!!
CONSTANT FACEBOOK CHECK-INS: Allowed only on my computer and not on my phone. Instead, my phone is to read books, listen to inspirational messages and to GET CLOSER TO GOD. I’m loving He and I by Gabrielle Bossis right now and me and the girls have agreed to read Michelle Obama’s book becoming together.
OBSESSING OVER HOW TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE AND SITUATIONS: I said to hubby yesterday, āIāve freed you to your life. Whatever you do is between you and God.ā When Iām with him, I enjoy him; When Iām not with him, I enjoy whomever Iām with. And because God is ALWAYS with me, there is never a dull moment in my life. Iām SUPER HAPPY HERE!!!
NEGATIVE THINKING: As for me, my hope and faith is in God. I think of the best, I work towards the best, I think the best and I expect the best knowing God is on my side. I live life resting on His heart where He carries the heavy parts of everything concerning me.
CONSTANT WORRYING: I gots no time for that! Iām too busy enjoying my life and TRUSTING GOD.
HAVE YOU GIVEN YOUR HEART TO GOD? This is the best life with Him, Iām telling you! But please donāt take my word for it, get to know Him for yourself! Just say this prayer with me, āGod, I want a closer walk with You. Amen.ā Then make Him a priority by having some alone times with Him every day reading anything spiritual that feeds your soul. He speaks to each of us differently. Don’t miss out!
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD
āYOUāRE DIFFERENTā (REPOST)
Someone commented to me yesterday. Theyāve noticed all the changes in me since returning from my āwilderness experienceā of being away from Nigeria for three months without kids, hubby and close friends.
Honestly, I feel different. Iām happier, calmer, not worried about anything, not so distracted and truly feeling like Iām Godās girl. And of course, I want you all here with me where weāre trusting God infinity percent, LAYING ALL OUR AFFAIRS IN HIS HANDS.
āThe problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.ā ā Mottos for Success
In fact, I want us to the point that weāre thanking God for all our problems because we know that God will use them to teach us valuable lessons that He would have us to learn and to grow us up so that weāre mature not lacking anything.
Thatās exactly what Iām doing with a big challenge Iām dealing with now. Iām open to everything that God is teaching me with it, most importantly knowing that it is He and I are handling it together. In my human mind, I think discouragement, but looking at it from Godās perspective I instead remind myself that nothing is too difficult for God. My most important job is to stick close to Him, listening as He directs me as to what He would have me do one step at a time. My new screensaver says:
āI can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.ā – Philippians 4:13
But to tap into Godās voice and His infinite wisdom (He really does know everything!), we must not let life distract us from developing our relationship with Him. He must be our first love and priority!
Like I was telling this person yesterday, my wilderness experience showed me there were too many things getting between me and God from my natural hair fixation, my weight frustrations, constant Facebook check-ins, obsessing over how to control other people and situations, negative thinking, and constant worrying, just to name a few! LOL!
Whatās distracting you from God? He has the best plans for our lives, but without learning His voice, we miss out on his important direction. I want a closer walk with Him and to remember Him in every moment asking, āGod, what should I do here? And here? And here?ā
This may sound easy, but itās extremely difficult. Like in the heat of an argument with hubby last night about a work-related issue, I was reminded that love is not rude and again in an appointment with God this morning I was reminded that my job is to assist my hubby (super wife all the way!), not make everything go my way. Super tough sometimes, but Godās ways are always the best. He has wonderfully led me to a beautiful life.
Commit to some form of a spiritual practice every day where you spend some time connecting with God. I love my meditation book Jesus Always by Sarah Young, and I highly recommend it! I’m learning new stuff about God! Heehaw!
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD/ALLAH
OUR GOD HEALS BROKEN HEARTS, MINDS, BODIES AND RELATIONSHIP (REPOST)
Donāt ask me how God does what He does, all I know is that He has done ALL of the above for me. Donāt think for one second that this life close to God is all rosy posy because it aināt! There are lots of ups, downs, and in-betweens that He takes us through. But I can tell you wholeheartedly, none of the pain, aggravations, stress, and frustrations are wasted. God incredibly uses every iota to form us into the new creations HE would have us to be.
Let me tell ya, pain is a part of life, so just get over having a perfect life. IT DOES NOT EXIST! Even the apostle Paul, who wrote half of the New Testament complained of a thorn in His side. I have my share of them, too, but God has unbelievably been using them to make me softer, more forgiving, patient, and content.
One relationship God has helped me to heal has been with my elder daughter, Ember. Despite the fact that sheās upset at me right now because we disagree about the college she should attend in another three years. I want her thinking BIG because she amazes me with her brilliance. Ember so Fierce, baby!
God has helped me to calm down in being the tiger mom, focused on everything she was doing wrong, to her biggest encourager and cheerleader. My appointments with God, reading about how I felt He would have me to be as a mother, undoubtedly played a significant role in my turn-around. Itās paying off because yesterday she was announced as second place in her class and she only missed the honor roll by a few points.
And Iāll never stop talking how God has healed my mind. Iāve learned to tame all the depressing, insecure and fearful thoughts that were keeping your girl down. After learning the trick of keeping a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) from John Joseph, I beat my mind with a stick when those negative thoughts come. Instead, I think thoughts such as, āMy God is with me and for me!ā That gives me the peace to relax and enjoy my life with Him as my Father and Guide.
But, I donāt want to be this happy by myself, I want you rolling with us, too. Just start involving God more in your life. From the minor to the major decisions, ask for His help and start paying attention to His communications that can literally show up anywhere.
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD