JULIE, I’M TRYING REALLY HARD TO KEEP QUIET!!!

My fifteen-year-old, very wise daughter said that both of us should learn a precious lesson: knowing when to speak and when not to!!! But it ain’t easy!I told her, though, I also feel it’s God who is also trying to teach me this. In fact, this even showed up in my appointment with Him today:

“Every effort for Me (God). WHEN YOU HOLD BACK A WORD, when you put on gentle manners, when you do something against your own will, when you humble yourself, when you forget a discourtesy (impolite gesture), when you sacrifice a pleasure to help a neighbour. Everything for me (God).”

Can we all be about doing these things for Him who does so much for us? God, this is super difficult! I want to be rude and crazy, saying and doing whatever I want, when I want!!! But if it pleases You for me to do these things you mentioned, I will do my best with them. Like hubby wants to take us to that restaurant I hated last Sunday, but God, to PLEASE YOU, I will go against my will, and joyously go. (SMILE)

Let me tell you, when you seek to please God He goes out of His way to please you. Wink! Wink!
As I type this, I’m here with my wonderful and great son, Emmie, preparing for some British exams he will take on Monday. We’ve come a long way from me PRAYING for an entire year for God to give me a son to 11 years later and he’s about to enter secondary school. I’m very proud of this young man. God exceeded my expectation when I prayed for him! God, I’m soooo grateful!

And we all have so much to be thankful for! Just to be alive is a blessing! That’s reason enough to wake up every day praising and thanking God and having the discipline to follow His will for our lives. I’m learning to be content in every moment, trying to hold my tongue and go to God asking what He would have me to do. I still get it wrong ALOT, but I’m learning to look at the mistakes with God and hash out where I can improve. Not running from my weaknesses, baby!

Let’s please God today, shall we?!? This is how He leads us on the beautiful paths He has planned out for us! Wink! Wink!

KEEP CALM-YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

DO YOU MIND IF I TALK TO YOU?

Just to tell you about this incredible love I’ve found in having a relationship with God. He is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives, and if you want the BEST life possible, you MUST get to know Him better.

Take for example my family’s recent summer trip to London. Honestly, we wanted to go to Dubai, personally one of my fav places to go, but we felt God saying we should travel with some friends instead. From the moment I got on the flight, I felt God’s Presence AND throughout the ENTIRE trip. My fav time was when I felt Him singing to me. I wrote about it in this old post:

“This God wink began yesterday morning when I had an appointment with Him reading an old post entitled, ‘NIK, I WON’T LET YOU DOWN.’ To be very honest, the God maniac here was a bit anxious going into that alone time with Him, wondering if He was going to remember to help me with a certain challenge I have, and that post was exactly the reminder I needed; I got my high five from God: ‘NIK, I WON’T LET YOU DOWN.’

Fast forward later that day, we’re at the mall shopping when I saw a beautiful dress in a store I liked for my friend. I persuaded her to get it, and because she had to run to another store she wanted to give me the money to pay for the dress for her, but this friend, who is like more than ten great friends in one, I refused her money, and I went in line to pay for it. As I’m standing there waiting, I’m listening to the lyrics of the song playing in the background, and they astonishingly say:

“Girl put your love on Me _ 
Cause I WON’T LET YOU DOWN _ 
I WON’T LET YOU DOWN” – Love On Me by Galantis & Hook N Sling

Wink! Wink! The happiest, most blissful feeling came over me! I knew without a doubt this was God singing to me again saying that HE WON’T LET ME DOWN.”

And HE NEVER HAS! No matter the BIGGEST challenges that have shown up in every aspect of my life, God has remained faithfully by my side, like, “Who’s messing with my Nik?”

My husband asked me before sleeping last night, “What would you change about your life?” I answered, “Absolutely nothing.” I asked him, and he replied the same thing. God has truly led us on the path to a beautiful life.

“How can they hear about Him, if nobody tells them?” This is where I take my life’s calling. To tell you about the God Who is not only singing to me, but also to you. You just have to start paying attention and listening to His voice. He pretty much communicates with us wordlessly all day long through our feelings. If it feels good (peaceful) deep inside when I think about making a decision, I go with it, and if it doesn’t (uneasy, stressful), I take it as my cue from God to NOT go in that direction. And following His guidance all day every day, in every moment, I’m happy, relaxed and at peace KNOWING He is always with me.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“AM I TRYING TO WIN THE APPROVAL OF HUMAN BEINGS, OR OF GOD?”

That’s the question I had to ask myself AGAIN after just making another video telling one of my God stories. If I’m trying to please human beings, I can nitpick all the flaws and think it’s not good enough, and not release it. But if I’m trying to win the approval of God, I will say, “God, let Your will be done.” Which I know would be to share the imperfect video (Ain’t nothing perfect, girl!) and not worry who will like it or not. I’m following Jesus, making my entire life a close walk with God, and having the COURAGE to do what He asks of me.

And let me tell ya, it’s NOT always easy following His will. God takes me on some very treacherous paths at times. But that’s where WARRIOR NIKKI has to come out and say, “God, let’s do this!” and tackle whatever situation that comes up. That was the conversation I had with someone yesterday on a matter: “We got to man up and be brave about this KNOWING God is on our side, and He’s going to help us. He’s an expert in everything!”

“As for me, my hope is in God!”

I’m back fasting, seeking an even closer walk with God, and yesterday that included spending some extra time alone with him hanging out on our rooftop. I had a talk with Him about the video I wanted to shoot today and the story I wanted to tell about the time he spoke to me through a song playing in the background of a London store. I felt STRONGLY that He agreed that this would be the story to share.

But before leaving, I didn’t feel that appointment was complete. I felt in my spirit to read an old post, and I searched my email for “KEEP CALM” to read an old write up there. Rereading my past experiences with God GREATLY increases my faith and confidence in Him in a terrifying world. And out of ALL the posts, the one I selected, was one entitled, “Can I talk to you?” Can you believe it was me retelling the exact story I felt STRONGLY God wanted me to share in the video today? Talk about confirmation! God, high five!

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

GOD FREAKS ME OUT, AGAIN!

So today, I’m thinking about how God changes all my BAD stuff to such GOOD. Like, I would RUN to Him complaining about my little life drama’s, ‘God, why me?!?’ He must laugh at me a lot because afterward, I’m then THANKING Him for the experiences! Go figure!

Even with a recent event, your girl here is like a new person. NEW, I SAY! I have NEW thoughts, a NEW focus on my life and my mission from God to bring YOU closer to Him, and most amazingly a NEW love and respect for everyone.

Even some embarrassment I felt actually turned out to be so good! After hubby fussed me out one evening about how silly I’d been acting and I went to bed feeling all bad, ‘Like yes, Nik, you have been a crazy lady, lately.’ Can you believe the very next morning as I sat having an appointment with God, He showed up with a pep talk for me through one of my meditation books? He said that I should thank Him for my humiliations because He has revealed a defect in my character that I needed to work on. God shows me such love, guys!

Since then it is like I have NO more sense of embarrassment. If something “humiliating” comes up, I smile and say, ‘Thanks, God, you’ve revealed another thing I can improve in!’ LOL! I think the Nikki that cared way TOO much about her appearance and what people thought or said about her needed to GO! I don’t need to be boxed in by anyone other than GOD! That right there was TOO stressful! Now I’m free – World, THIS IS ME, like it or not!!! I want to simply work on being more genuine and loving in every moment seeking to do what God would have me to do. ‘Stay centered in God,’ is what I consistently say to myself now!

It also taught me that people and possessions should be held sensibly. And sometimes things you hear you pretend you didn’t hear, and some things you see, you pretend you didn’t see them.

So right after thinking about this bad stuff being turned into good right before sitting to have my one hour with God, this post incredibly showed on Tumblr.com where I go to hear from Him:

“Generally speaking, we regard discomfort in any form as bad news. But for practitioners or spiritual warriors—people who have a certain hunger to know what is true—feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.” —Pema Chödrön

No coincident! GOD KNOWS EVERY THOUGHT WE THINK! This one hour with Him every day is my confidence builder in a world where we don’t know what’s coming at us from one moment to the next. Are you making time for Him?

God, I trust in your UNFAILING LOVE FOR ME. Amen.

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“WHY ARE YOU WAKING UP SO EARLY ON A SUNDAY MORNING?

That was my hubby to me yesterday! I said, “Boo, I’m forming a new habit! I want to get my exercise done and then spend one solid hour with God.” “What about your husband?” It’s a good thing I wrote in a post last week: exercise, spend time with hubby and then spend time with God.” He was happy then! (LOL!)

Let me tell ya, these appointments with God are the bomb.com! I’m ADDICTED to God’s love! He finds the sweetest, sweetest, sweetest ways to let me know that HIS PRESENCE IS ALWAYS WITH ME.

Like yesterday morning, hubs wanted to take us to a local Nigerian restaurant, and I begged him for us to have a vote about it with the kids. He sneakily ran off to convince them that we should go where he wanted to go. Only Julie agreed that we should go to a Chinese restaurant where I wanted to go. Fair is fair, so off we went. But by the time we got there, though, the server said everything was pretty much sold out other than “TITUS” fish. Hubby then finally took us to the Chinese restaurant where the most delicious food was cooked fresh to order. That’s what I’m talking about! God’s spoilt girl here!

On the way home, I teased the kids and hubby, “Oh, I’m so sorry we didn’t get to eat at that restaurant you guys picked. Maybe next time. (SMILE) Julie started rubbing it in some more, “The only thing they had was TITUS fish!” LOL!

Can you guys believe that very “TITUS” fish is how God spoke to me today in my appointment with Him. I’ve been feeling down and disappointed over a situation, and I’m trying very hard not to be bitter, but BETTER, but it hasn’t been easy. So, in asking God what He would have me to do, He replied when these verses from “TITUS” funnily showed up on Tumblr.com, one of my fav places to hear from God:

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” – Titus 3:1-2 (ESV)

That was HIM SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO CRAZY LADY HERE. And just like that, He melted away all the bitterness. People will disappoint us (Nobody’s perfect!), but God doesn’t disappoint. He is using the entire situation to PULL me closer to Him. We must give everyone mercy, grace, and forgiveness, keeping our eyes on God and doing what He would have us to do in every moment. This is how He magically guides us one step at a time on the path to the BEST life.

As I was thinking to tell this story for my blog today, I thought about how my son Emmie turned against me because I didn’t allow him to play his PS4 game, FORTNIGHT. And in that very moment, as I looked down at my phone, this showed up:

“…as you commemorate the last FORTNIGHT…”

Again, this was no coincident that FORTNIGHT showed up there. But, God’s sweet way of wrapping His arms around me saying, “Nik, I know every thought you think, and my invisible Presence is here for you always. Just keep your focus on MY LOVE FOR YOU.” And with love like that, I left that appointment reconfirmed and with more confidence than ever as GOD”S GIRL!!!

I hope you’re hanging out with Him, too! He is pleased when we come and spend alone time with Him. Then go out and EXPECT God’s blessings and favor, and everything He has planned for those who love and obey Him. (Wink! Wink!) Don’t miss out; Our God is faithful!

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“CAN I CARRY YOU AROUND WITH ME EVERYWHERE I GO, PLEASE?”

That was me to my daughter, Julie, this morning. My mouth is STILL getting me into trouble, and she kept hinting at me that I needed to be quiet. At one point she asked, “Mom, I thought you were going on a fast from talking? Another time, she gave me a look and started tapping me on my knee as if saying, “MOM, STOP. PLEASE, BE QUIET!” Terrible that my daughter has to teach me this! LOL! Another blessing: wise kids.

So, this morning, I addressed this very issue with God in my one hour of focused time with Him. And I love God so much because the very meditation book I randomly opened to said that He would prefer me to fail twenty times in a day and learn the lessons He would have me to learn, than for me to play it too safe where my life becomes mechanical and I gain nothing. Then, in another book, He lovingly pointed out the lesson He would have me to work on:

“Don’t speak when you should be silent. And don’t keep silence when you should speak.” – He and I by Gabrielle Bossis

He said He would help me with this, but I have to keep battling with myself to conform to His will and not my own. He promised that with His help, there is nothing He and I couldn’t accomplish together. (SMILE) He said He would give me the necessary tact (diplomacy) to handle every situation. I call this using style, knowing how to flow smoothly through tough and sticky situations with God’s help, of course. Wink! Wink!

Like yesterday, hubby seemed to be getting a little bit irritated with me and with one glance at God I knew what He would have me to do. I calmly said to hubs, “I promised God not to argue with you about this, so whatever you decide is fine with me.” God has been teaching me about the JOY of having NOTHING of this world, but yet possessing EVERYTHING in Him. By the way, I ended up getting what I wanted from hubby (AKA my GIFT from God.) See the style I’m talking about; No fussing necessary, only using God’s wisdom.

Yesterday the appointment was about spending alone time with Him, and I MUST make it a priority. See the gems I got today in sitting quietly and listening to Him. These alone times are where He reveals the secrets to living the best life. Don’t miss out! I would love to send you a free electronic copy of my book, Keep Calm, You’re Rolling With God, to start having appointments with Him for yourself. It was God and I who lovingly wrote it. He wants me to bring you to Him (another thing He told me today!) Just hit me up with your email address or WhatsApp number. Happy Sunday!

KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD