“I’M NOT COMING WITH YOU!!!” (REPOST)
That was me to a very persistent person a short while ago. And I thought I was the persistent one! LOL! We had a great time hanging out on my bleisure (business/leisure) time here in Florida away from hubby and the kids. And even though I’m far from them, I feel so amazing that God is here with me and He never stops revealing His invisible Presence.
Like this morning, I woke up to watch Joseph Prince where he shared this verse:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27
Fast forward to a few hours later, I went RUNNING to God when my heart became troubled (no shame in my game!) and unbelievably in a huge devotional of over 700 pages, the second page I turned to, this UNBELIEVABLY up:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27 Wink! Wink!
That was NO COINCIDENT, but my high five from God letting me know that HE HAD MY BACK! I then decided to go for a quick run with Him. I needed that confidence booster these jogs around our neighborhood give me, reminding me that I handle NOTHING alone. And as I turned on the song ‘Arms Around You’ which I wrote about recently feeling God was singing the lyrics to me:
“Arms around you
Te amo (I love you) mami, let Me hold you
Wrap Me arms right around you, girl, oh yeah
Good lovin’ got all around you
To make sure no one could harm you”
And just as I looked up from my phone, there was a car parked in a driveway with a plate beginning “HUG.” Got it? Arms around you is a Hug!!! I took it as a BIG HUG from God letting me know He was with me in this very troublesome world! Again, no coincident!
These were reminders orchestrated personally by God for His girl over here to let her know she might be far away from her family, but SHE IS ALWAYS WITH GOD. AND SO ARE YOU!!!
KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD
“I WANT TO JOIN YOU!!!”
I excitedly told a friend concerning fasting for Ramadan. That ONE decision has changed my life DRAMATICALLY, and I astonishingly see God’s hands ALL over it!
As I was running out to an event at my kids’ school, the zipper on my dress popped open. Aye Carumba! I had to rush and quickly put together a completely new outfit. Arriving late, I ended up sitting next to this friend who told me about the fasting. And I KNOW this was totally God’s planning for His baby girl over here to be HAPPIER. (SMILE)
Honestly, eating was a distraction to get me away from tackling the reasons why I was so unhappy. With the constant chewing chewing chewing out of the way, I ran to GOD and not FOOD. These moments with Him changed EVERYTHING. I realized I needed to stop all the depressing and crazy thoughts I had going on in my head all day.
The crazy lady who wanted to keep track of her husband 24 hours a day has been replaced by a wife who LOVES and ENJOYS her hubby. In fact, the enjoyment level is SUPER HIGH! It’s like I have a new man, baby! (Wink! Wink!) Even my kids are like the SUPER BEST KIDS in the world now. I suck every moment of enjoyment out of them. I’m enjoying so much that I ate two plates of dinner last night with hubby and my sons.
Right from work, hubs joined the new cook in making a vegetable stew we love. When I asked if there was fish for me, hubby quickly asked her to take some fish he had grilled on Sunday out of the freezer, and he promptly placed it in the pot to heat, even though I told him not to bother. He wants his wife happy, too!
My new attitude is when I’m with my husband, he’s my husband. And other than that, I free him to live HIS BEST LIFE WITH GOD. The constant tracking was TOO much!!!
My new FOCUS is on stepping up my game to be the wife, mother and person GOD HIMSELF would have me be in every moment. Anything I do, I do for His glory. Today, He told me not to worry so much about pleasing others; I’m to keep my focus on Him, following His will for my life, which not everyone will understand.
“Have faith. Everything becomes simple then. It will be simple to love Me (God), simple to serve Me, simple to be happy to suffer for Me. What progress, what riches to exploit, when you speak to Me, when you tell Me that you love Me.” – He and I
God, I LOVE YOU!!! Don’t miss out; Make God a PRIORITY in every single moment!
KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD
“MY PAPA, THANKS FOR SCREAMING AT ME YESTERDAY!”
Honestly, sometimes you just need someone to say, “What the bleep are you doing?” After I got royally fussed out by hubby, I went to bed super embarrassed over my behavior, lately. Then, this morning, I sat my butt down to have a serious talk with God. Can you believe this showed up in a meditation book:
‘Those I love, I reprove and chasten (humiliate)’ (Rev 3:19).
Therefore, my friend, our supernatural reaction to this humiliation should be an act of deep gratitude: ‘I thank you, Lord, for you have humbled me.’… your soul soaked in humility and will give greater holiness to your life – and very probably an unsuspected effectiveness to your activity…now you have the opportunity to know some defect in your character, in your formation or in your attitudes. You are not worse; or at least you are in the best position to set about being better… You will now know where the evil lies that you should eliminate, you know the defect you should fight against, and you know what you should avoid…”
Can you believe how intimately God is involved in our lives! There was no coincident that I opened that particular meditation book this morning. It was God speaking to me and revealing His sweet and wonderful Presence with me.
“When I am weak, then I am strong.”
I was weak going into that appointment but with God revealing His Presence I left the house feeling like SUPERWOMAN – the world may turn against me, but my God is always with me! Heehaw!
Now that I am aware of my weaknesses (TURNING INTO CRAZY LADY!), I will use God’s strength and guidance to be better. Amen.
KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD
I’VE SPENT TWO DAYS COMPLETELY AGITATED (REPOST)
That’s how it be sometimes, my peeps! Not every day is all
In every moment, the tough and not so tough one’s, CONTINUALLY GIVING GOD OUR HAND as we go bravely and joyfully with Him as our Partner and Guide. I don’t know about you, but I need His wisdom, help, love, and protection EVERY MINUTE. No shame in my game – God, I NEED YOU!
I’ve decided to make Him a BIGGER priority this year! Just how I wake up and say my exercise is a must, well, my time with God is a must! I will discipline myself to spend one hour with Him every morning reading my meditation books and asking what He has to say to me.
Lately, He’s asking me to work on my personality a little, being more joyful, gentle and humble so that people can feel His love through me. He’s asking me to go further in my kindness, seeking to please Him in everything I do and seeing everything looking through His eyes first. OK, Boss.
”Make an impact,” is another message I’m picking up from Him. Even
Honestly, though, these alone times with Him just give me the courage to face life courageously knowing I have Him with me. And it’s OK if we let go of His hand every once in a while because He never lets go of ours.
KEEP CALM–YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD
GOD TAKES ALL THE GARBAGE THROWN MY WAY AND TURNS IT INTO GOLD, BABY!
That’s my testimony for sure! All the challenges, disappointments, hurts, pains, frustrations, rejections and insults are ALL a HUGE part of what He has used to help me become the Nikki I am today. I’m grateful for them all!
HERE’S THE DEAL:
Anything “negative” that comes up is what I use as opportunities to RUN to God. These alone times with Him then give me His perspective on things. And it’s like He says, “Come and rest on my chest for a little bit, my little girl, away from this crazy world. Let me share my wisdom and LOVE with you.” And let me tell ya, God’s ways are not our ways, they are WAY BETTER.
Let’s take the insults as an example. One day, wondering why someone was around talking bad about me, my meditation book asked something like, “If 10,000 words are thrown against you, did they remove one strand of hair from your head? Keep going as if you were deaf to what was said.” And I’ve taken that advice so many times to the point that I’m a PROFESSIONAL ignorer (kindly and respectfully, of course). If something is said about me, I now see what is it that I can improve from and do better. So what was meant to hurt me is then turned to useful feedback to help me be a better person. With my focus on God, I hold my head high, and I confidently move forward REMINDED that MY GOD IS WITH ME.
The fact that I randomly get to pick up a random book and get such excellent feedback as to what specifically is bothering me at that moment is NO coincident. They’re God revealing His intimate Presence with me in every moment.
I’ll never forget one day when I wondered if I was getting overconfident about a challenge I was in the midst of. Going to the bathroom, only a few minutes later, I opened my meditation book, waiting for my turn, only to read as if God was speaking:
“You have every reason to be confident because My Presence accompanies you all the days of your life—and onward into eternity.” – Jesus Calling
Again, no coincident. Another God orchestrated moment to say Nik, I am with you. I’m ALWAYS WITH YOU.”
That’s why I say God helps me turn all the garbage to gold – I KNOW I HAVE HIM WITH ME no matter what comes my way. In fact, I expect disappointments so that when they come up, I immediately shake them off. I place them in God’s heart, and I confidently move forward with Him. I have such peace and joy that I can relax and LIVE IN GOD”S HEART no matter the junk thrown at me. I forgive endlessly, and I keep my FOCUS on God. He’s with us and for us!
KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD