That was from one of my daughters this morning when we discussed a character from a movie we watched yesterday. So, I gave them one of my talks about how I want them living life from a perspective of:

“God, what would YOU have me to do here?”

I know they are so tired of hearing this speech from me, but honestly, this is the best strategy for living. In the 1,000 decisions we make every day, going to God and seeking His wisdom and guidance in any and every situation reflecting the GOD IS LOVE character. He has plans to prosper us and not harm us, but if we’re not going to Him and asking for His wisdom in conducting our lives, we miss out.

“No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. -Psalm 84:11”

Like that cook I hired. I quickly made that decision to give her a try without consulting God first, and that one week she was with us turned out to be awful. THE BIG LESSON I’m taking from this experience is to ALWAYS seek God’s input before doing anything (big and small). I should have taken some time to pray over it first before agreeing for her to come, and letting God be the one to help me through my Spirit discern whether or not this lady was good for our house or not. Meaning I should have paid attention to God’s voice within me. Peaceful, relaxed, happy feelings are usually God saying Yes, go ahead, and stressful, doubtful, fearful, anxious ones are God saying hold on, slow your roll, Nik, maybe this is not a good idea.

GET GOD INVOLVED WITH EVERY DECISION!!! That’s my advice to you. Don’t take my word for it, though, start getting to know God’s voice for yourself. He is with us and for us.

Today, I’m back to my fasting because I want an even closer walk with God – THIS LIFE IS TREACHEROUS! I wish to live continuously in God’s Presence, knowing that there is never a moment in life when I’m alone and away from Him. There is the material side of life and what we can see, but we MUST pay attention to the spiritual side as well – what we can’t see. God sees and knows it all, and He is the ultimate controller and why we can CONFIDENTLY trust Him with our battles. Doing what He would have us to do in every moment and then leaving the rest for Him to fight on our behalf in the spiritual realm. Wink! Wink!

#GODisreallyREAL

My housekeeper, Joy, that is. Unfortunately, we MUST hold everyone in our lives with OPEN HANDS because no one will be with us forever. WE CAN BE SURE OF GOD, but when it comes to other people, that’s a different matter altogether, let me tell ya.

But Joy has left me with lots of lessons. Like she was EXTREMELY HARDWORKING, and she’s a big reason why I’ve decided to leave my comfort (lazy) zone. I’m inspired! Emmie, my son, gave me a running goal of 100 minutes for today, and I did it! I’m honestly tired of living a mediocre life where I maybe give like 40% effort. I seriously MUST up my game if I’m going to give God more than He expects from me. Joy came to work every day giving her best, and, LOTS OF TIMES, I was the one telling her not to work so hard and to finish up another day, but she would always insist on going full force! I will miss you, my Joy!

She worked as if God was her Boss! And that’s where I want us, keeping our eyes fixed on God and what HE would have us to do, moment by moment. Not looking to anyone else for approval or recognition, but merely looking within ourselves and at God and HIS high values. Remember, God and Heaven are our audiences, and they’re always watching. When we give our best, trust me, God gives us HIS VERY BEST! WinK! Wink! Today, I’m taking another sucker punch, but I know my reward is with Him! He has blessed my life so much that now I run to do whatever is pleasing to Him. God, what would make You happy here?

But despite my lack of push, I’m still proud of the Nikki I’ve been, the Nikki I am now, and the Nikki I will strive to be in the future. Ain’t nobody perfect! When you know better, hopefully, you do better. So, no beating myself up over past mistakes and failures. And no judging anyone else, either. Everyone has their race to run. I so love the story of the adulterer when Jesus asked that whoever was without sin should cast the first stone. Everyone walked away without stoning her. Really, who are we to judge anyone? The only person we should be hard on is ourselves, working on constant and never-ending improvement, ALL FOR GOD’S GLORY. Gentle on others but extremely hard on ourselves!

However, I must tell you how I love my Fierce Babes Club with my two daughters and myself. We’ve committed to helping each other accomplish our goals, like a team training for the Olympics. On Sunday, we met to discuss long term and weekly targets. We’ve also agreed to keep ourselves accountable to excellent standards, even in regards to what we eat, correcting each other whenever necessary. Ember fell off the wagon yesterday in regards to something she promised herself to do, but today I told her I would sit with her so that she makes it happen like real teammates. Discipline, my boo!

“We should never forget, you and I, that everything we do badly should be done well and everything we do well can be done better; and if we’re to go in that direction, we need not only good-will, for our part, but also helpful criticism from others.” – Jesus As Friend by Salvatore Canals

GODisreallyREAL

TODAY, I RAN SIX MILES IN TWO HOURS UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS OF OUR HOUSE!!! I’m working on a better me, baby! The goal was to get rid of the old Nik and my constant sad and hurtful thoughts, and for a happier and more focused person to emerge. And so far, I think it did the trick! I’ve learned that if I don’t control my thoughts, they will take control of me. Let me tell you, the quality of our thoughts WILL determine the quality of your life!

The run was fantastic! I did another one of my Coach Andy Nike Run Club runs and heard the incredible story of his guest athlete, Lopez Lomong, from being kidnapped in Sudan as a six-year-old kid by rebel soldiers to being an Olympic athlete representing the United States years later.

But, in between listening to his story, I pretty much played one song repeatedly, ‘Let Me Be The One To Love You,’ (William Singe’s version) imagining God singing these lyrics to me:

“You should let Me love you
Let me be the One to
Give you everything you want and need
Ooh baby good love and protection
Make Me your selection
Show you the way love’s supposed to be
Baby love you”

After hearing that one song so many times I said, “God, You got it! I will let You be the One to love me!” Phew! So when the depressing thoughts and reminders come up again about some hurts and disappointments from the past, I can now say, “Go away!!! God’s girl here!” and I can instead focus on God’s love and be happy, keeping no more records of wrongs.

On Saturday, I was asking Him to help me wrap my head around a situation and He answered me. As I was in one part of our bedroom reading my meditation book, my son, Joshie, was asking my husband a question and at the very same time I read the word “SUPPORT,” my husband was responding to our son with the exact word. LIKE PERFECTLY TIMED!!! Of course, I took this as another one of my God winks when out of the blue, everything lines up STRANGELY TOO PERFECTLY, with an important message from God for all of us:

“Of Bearing the Defects of Others

But now God has disposed things that we may learn to bear one another’s burdens; for there is no one without defects, no one without burdens, no one sufficient for himself, no one wise enough for himself, but we must SUPPORT one another, comfort one another, assist, instruct and admonish one another.” – Imitation of Christ

Can we do that for Him? Honestly, that’s what I took from that conversation from Lopez today, how everywhere he went, he considered everyone family the way he was SUPPORTED through his horrific journey. My fav were the boys who helped him to escape the rebel camp who he called his angels. They knew his older brother and immediately when he was brought there, they met him and said something like, “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you. We’re family.” And they did.

I believe we’re not the human race; we’re the human family! Let’s go the extra mile in loving, supporting, assisting, instructing, and admonishing one another. God is our BOSS, and our reward is with Him. And let Him be the one to love us! His love is more than enough! Wink! Wink!

#GODisreallyREAL

That was from my wonderful son, Emmie, the other day when I accidentally mentioned something about his younger brother, Joshie, as if I was comparing the two . Then, his sister, Ember, jumped in saying I do the same thing with her, scrutinizing her against her sister Julie. So, I’ve been the hated mom of the week by my two E’s – Emmie and Ember – with them believing I set them up opposed to my J’s – Julie and Joshie. But can you believe God joined in on our family discussion?!? Here’s how:

All week, I’ve kept trying to defend myself saying that it’s not that I’m comparing, rather, I’m merely pointing out their weaknesses and how they can learn from their siblings to do and be better. “WE’RE NOT RUNNING FROM OUR WEAKNESSES!!!” I constantly repeated. I kept saying that their dad is exceptionally hardworking and that I’m challenging myself to be more like him. I know fighting off laziness is a huge battle for me but I’m not running from my shortcomings, either. No joke!

And here’s where God joined in on the conversation! To fight against my lazy tendencies, I’ve upped my exercise game, and I’m genuinely PUSHING myself to leave my comfort (LAZY) zone. Today, that meant going for a LONG run up and down the stairs of our house. I debated and debated which of the guided Nike Running Club runs I would do, and then I finally landed on a 50-minute one featuring Olympian track star, Colleen Quigley.

I had to sit down and listen in amazement when she spoke about the group of women she trains within the “Bowerman Babes Club.” It was like she had been a part of the conversations with me and my kids! She said that she had surrounded herself with a group of confident women WHO ARE HONEST ABOUT THEIR WEAKNESSES. Exactly what I’ve been trying to explain to my kids! She said that frees everyone in the group to take on those weaknesses and then KICK ASS. She felt that for her truly to become great, it’s not going to only be because of her strengths, but it’s also because she has worked on and tackled weaknesses. Heehaw!!!

You can call this a coincident if you want, but to me, it’s God revealing His intimate Presence through the words of Colleen, with Him lovingly joining in on our family argument. Here I am, the hated parent of the week, simply because I’ve pointed out to my kids some of their not so strong points and how they can learn from their siblings. And then, very out of the blue, this OLYMPIAN ATHLETE shows up in my run speaking about how she and her running buddies’ way to greatness has been THROUGH TACKLING THEIR WEAKNESSES TOGETHER. Of all the guided runs I thought about doing today, God led me to the perfect one!

I then thought that my daughters and I would form our own Babes Club where we’ll do the same thing, opening up about our weaknesses freely with each other and work on being better together. Like an hour after that run, I then go to get my computer from my daughter’s room, and incredibly, next to it, was a bag a friend had given her some years ago, with the words printed on boldly in front “Babes Club” WINK! WINK! written on it. Again, NO COINCIDENT, but God’s sweet way of revealing His invisible Presence with me! It brought to life my words from Him in a recent alone time:

“Ponder these words: He (God) and I. Live them. I (God) and you. I (God) in you.” – He and I

Amen.

GODisreallyREAL

I said yesterday to a person God Himself sent my way! I was calling to say thank you for being my sounding board on a critical issue I had going on that ended up turning out so well. Out of 180 million Nigerians, God connected me with her, and my life has been DRASTICALLY changed for the better. Happy am I for following the advice of the wise!
I’m so thrilled that my daughters and I have had the privilege to be around and to learn from her such qualities as gentleness, softness, calmness, humility, and kindness, and to keep my focus on God and what He would have me to do.. Not one moment spent around her has been wasted. Following her lead has guided me on a path to a wonderful life. Thanks, my sweetie. God knew I needed you in my life! Like seriously!
My hubs and I were talking today, and he was giving me credit for something he is so thrilled about, and I had to correct him saying it was actually advice from this person’s husband that I took to heart and have been harassing him ever since then about it. He has been an outstanding adviser, and I know my hubs has earned the respect of so many people because of his positive influence. That’s why I try not to focus overly on material blessings in these posts because having good relationships are PRICELESS, and they’re another HUGE BLESSING from God.
HERE’S THE DEAL:
Having a relationship with God is like having access to the wisest friends 24 hours a day, seven days a week. God is an expert in everything, and He knows the ultimate best decision we should make on a moment by moment basis. It was God who told me about nine years ago in my Spirit to give this lady a call when I said to my husband so many times I didn’t want any friends in Nigeria. But that nudge (prompting within me) from God to call her was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It was another one of those decisions where I wanted to go right and God said no, go left. We soon after that call had firm times together just about every week.
I said God sent me to her for training for Godly principles on being a wife His way. Her example is working because I’m like the happiest wife ever! She has taught me that no marriage is perfect and there will always be some odd, peculiar, unusual, uniquely me and hubby’s mess that no one else will understand to deal with. That’s marriage!
Don’t play with your relationship with God! He knows the people we need in our lives and the best decisions we need to make. I’m upping my game with Him! I want to wake up earlier and spend two hours every day asking what He has to say to me. You can start with 5 minutes! These appointments/alone times with Him are where I learn His voice and His direction for my life so that when I’m back out in the world, I know what it is He would have me to do. I’ve made God the center of my life, and here I have absolutely no regrets. What time are your appointments with Him? .#GODisreallyREAL

_Inspiration from my friend, Marcela so Fierce! Love you, sweetie! 

I’m telling you, writing these posts: EASY; Living the posts: SUPER TOUGH. That’s where this keeping the calm comes beautifully into play. In those tough moments of life, that will ALWAYS come our way, calming down and keeping our eyes fixed on God is the superheroic challenge, asking God what He would have us to do. And then being obedient to Him.

God’s ways are certainly not our human ways. When I think revenge, God says, ‘No, Nik, take the high road.’ When I want to give the minimum, God says, ‘No, Nik, go the extra mile. Everything is between you and Me, remember?’ When others are unfair to me, God says, ‘Nik, My ways with you are more than fair. Stick with Me. I can pay you back more than what anyone can ever take from you.’

I loved a message from Him this morning while exercising. The song ‘Options’ by Pitbull played, and hearing this one line was my cue from God to keep the calm and leave my battles with Him:

“You know you’re My girl.” Wink! Wink!

We (me and God) ended up having such a beautiful morning together with me singing the beginning of the song ‘Despacito’ by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee to Him repeatedly:

‘So thankful for that, it’s such a blessin’, yeah 
Turn every situation into heaven, yeah 
Oh-oh, You are 
My sunrise on the darkest day 
Got me feelin’ some kind of way 
Make me wanna savor every moment slowly, slowly’

Turning every situation into heaven is what He’s doing! No matter the situation I’m facing, one look at God and I’m reminded how much He loves me:

“You know you’re My girl.”

And we all can say that with total confidence that we’re God’s girl/guy.

No matter what’s going on around us, I want us calming down and seeking to be our best selves, knowing that God is the One to reward us when we do. When others go low, we go high, seeking to please the Big Boss and hopefully the First Love of our lives.

I want us all singing this song to Him:

‘So thankful for that, it’s such a blessin’, yeah 
Turn every situation into heaven, yeah 
Oh-oh, You are 
My sunrise on the darkest day 
Got me feelin’ some kind of way 
Make me wanna savor every moment slowly, slowly’

Not letting ANYTHING get us down all hold us back.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

I said this to two young ladies working in my house about a month ago. One went right away and found out about sewing classes, and the other said she wanted to do some examinations to get into university. The one who opted to do the sewing has already started, and the other has been fired, unfortunately, for some VERY BAD decisions, never even finding out anything about the courses.

HERE’S THE DEAL:

LIFE IS ALL ABOUT THE DECISIONS WE MAKE. You earn your respect; no one gives it to you. And that’s where a close relationship with God importantly comes in. In every moment we have access to Him and His infinite wisdom. God is an expert in EVERYTHING, and He knows the ultimate best decision for each of us at every moment. “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”

God has seriously guided my life on such a beautiful path, and I want you here with me:

“…in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

“You’re trying to do too many things at once,” was some great advice I got recently. I was encouraged to slow my roll and take it one step at a time. And that’s the same with God. He guides us one step at a time. Our job is to learn His voice and to seek to do His will, which can be extremely difficult, but so worth it at the end. I fight with Him sometimes, “God, that’s too hard!!!” But when I’m obedient to Him, things go MUCH better than expected. God surely knows BEST!

I’ll never forget how I wanted to fire another staff some years ago, and within my Spirit, I felt God say, “YOU SHALL DO NO SUCH THING!” Can you believe this person has turned out to be extremely valuable to us? In fact, they’re not an employee anymore; they’re family.

So, I want us continually going to God and asking what HE WOULD HAVE US TO DO and then doing that, even when it is challenging. He knows the way to our Promised Lands. I’m living my very best life with Him, despite the evils the world wants to throw my way – As for me, my hope is in God.

GODisreallyREAL

A few minutes on Tumblr.com landed me on another beautiful post:

“In November, I started reading the Bible from the beginning. Today, I finished it, and I cried.

I finally see what it was all about. This whole story is about a God that won’t give up. There are ups, and there are seriously downs, but he never leaves. If He never left mankind from Genesis to Revelation, I know that means he won’t leave me where I am. He is ever constant. Through misunderstanding, frustration, fear, and tragedy, He does not run away. When you look at the Bible as a whole, you see it. You see the heart of a Father that says in your beginning I’ll be here, and no matter how you end, here I’ll be.

He hasn’t given up on us yet, and He doesn’t intend to start with you.” – Tumblr.com via justcallmebishop

Even up to this past Saturday, God showed up for me when I was feeling seriously down myself. It was my now nine-year-old son, Joshie, who first showed. I was in one of my hide under the covers mood, and he came to JUST BE WITH ME. I was listening to Garnett Silk’s 1994 Sun Splash Live performance, and he and I ended up happily singing the lyrics together.

Then my husband called asking everyone what junk foods we wanted from the store. When he came home, I was still in bed, and he literally dragged me out saying, “I don’t want a sad wife!” He wouldn’t take my no for an answer, and insisted I come and eat with him and our sons, and we ended up having such a beautiful meal together. After all the love from Joshie and a great pep talk from hubby, I asked, ‘What do I have to be sad about?’

I felt God Himself sent them to cheer me up. No meditation books this time, just LOADS of love from my awesome family. It was as if God was saying:

“As you go through this day, look for tiny treasures strategically placed along the way. I lovingly go before you and plant little pleasures to brighten your day. Look carefully for them, and pluck them one by one. When you reach the end of the day, you will have gathered a lovely bouquet.”

Dear God, thank You for the endless ways in which you show Your love for us. Amen.

GODisreallyREAL