“THE RESTAURANT COMES TO ME!!!”

That’s my testimony about the sweet life with God! Today, running around with my husband, we passed a Burger King under construction in Nigeria, and I couldn’t get those delicious burgers off my mind! Can you believe hubby made me the best burger ever with this delicious and fresh Nigerian bun with my fav coleslaw on the side? Spoilt wifey here between God and hubby! (HUGE SMILE)

But there is another significant side to this life with God that is not so sweet: HE DOES ASK US TO SUFFER AND ENDURE SOME DIFFICULT STUFF ON HIS BEHALF. After telling you guys in my last post about talking to Kevin about how no one talks about ENDURING anymore, that everyone is chasing happiness and they want it right now, God had hubby and I to drive past this HUGE TRUCK with one word in big, bold letters across the entire back: “ENDURANCE (Wink! Wink!).” Of course, I took that as God’s special wink at me to keep doing my thing and NOT GIVING UP despite how things may seem now. As if God was saying what I tell my daughters, “SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP, WE’RE DOING HARD THINGS FOR GOD!!!” And for this God who is continuously revealing His intimate Presence and love for me and my family, I say, ‘God, anything for You!’

God also gives me the wisdom to help me endure. Like I had two videos uploaded to TikTok. One of them got 22 views. Out of only those 22 views, one of the viewers showed up at my office to check on the status of a vehicle we are repairing for him, and before leaving, he said, “I saw you on TikTok talking about mercy.” This was the day after I turned into a crazy lady! There was no doubt in my mind that this was a total and complete set up by God to let me know where He wanted me to be with this situation that got me so upset because “Mercy” is another one of those words that Kevin and I talked about that no one uses anymore. I took it as God personally asking me to be merciful! Of my only two videos on TikTok, for that customer to be one of only 22 viewers to watch that one and to show up to my office and mention it to me was all orchestrated by God! Again, His deep love for me and my family! Nik, have mercy, please! The same mercy God shows us every day; He asks us to share it with others.

Honestly, I’m so happy for that message from God for me to have mercy (forgiveness without punishment) on that stuff that I’ve been hurt and angry about because it made ME feel so much better! No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes, but God challenges me to resist all the evil in the world with an even greater commitment to spreading love and goodness, especially in my home. “Never render evil for evil, but render evil with good.” May we all learn to genuinely love and be affectionate towards each other, accepting everyone for their strengths and weaknesses, so help us, God. He is our joy and strength to take on all the difficulties and challenges that come our way. We do the best of our abilities, and we leave the rest with Him! (Wink! Wink!)

One more thing before I go, though. I tell you guys all the time about pretending we don’t see what we see or hear what we hear, and that’s wisdom, but wisdom is also importantly knowing when to NOT pretend and when to speak. That’s where our relationship with God will come in, as He gives us that discernment to know when to speak and when to be quiet.

On a moment-by-moment basis, we have access to God, but you must take time to develop a relationship with Him by spending alone times with Him reading or listening to anything spiritual that brings you closer to Him. GOD IS OUR GREATEST FRIEND!!!

PAPA BEAR, I’M ENJOYING YOU ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!

That was me to my hubby today! I’m forever writing about Ceri and Kevin, so today, a shout-out to the better-than-best husband who always works extremely hard for his spoilt family. May more husbands and fathers be like you! Thanks for our gorgeous life!

I love how God reveals His Presence with me, guys! After going crazy telling the world yesterday how God communicates to me through the number 311, can you believe He sweetly woke me up this morning at precisely 3:11 to confirm that it was indeed Him telling me to BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD? That there is nothing too difficult for Him! So, when your girl here wants to get all anxious and crazy, God says, ‘Nik, relax; I got you!’ By my strength, we will tackle all the difficulties in your life TOGETHER. And even if God doesn’t change the situations, as Ceri has wisely taught me, God will change your perspective! (Wink! Wink!)

Like Kevin and I had another one of our sacred conversations late one night this week, and just a five-minute telephone conversation changed my perspective on my life and family. He told me that I should enjoy my sons (I had the best time studying with Joshie last night!), and I told him how no one talks about “enduring” anymore, that everyone wants happiness now. So my perspective change is that I’m lovingly and joyfully ENDURING some difficult situations knowing it was God Himself asking me to endure when that very word showed up in an appointment with Him. I say, ‘God, for you who is doing so much for me, anything to please You. You want me to endure and reflect Your Presence to the watching world, “I’m Your girl!” (HUGE SMILE)

No one has a perfect life, but God does ask us to suffer and endure some problematic things for Him. He said we should take everything out on Him knowing He gives us more than we can imagine.

Then, God even confirmed that He wants me to endure some tough stuff when Ceri shared Joel Osteen’s message for today on his wall that included this verse that I’m taking as no coincidence but a personal and very loving message from God to me:

“And let us run with endurance (Wink! Wink!) the race God has set before us.” – Hebrews 12:1, NLT

Here’s what else is in the Hebrews 12:1-3

“Follow Jesus’ Example

We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him (that’s me, baby! The joy of the Lord is my strength!). And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. Think about Jesus’ example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying.” -Hebrews 12:1-3

GOT THAT: ENDURE WITHOUT GIVING UP!!! Sometimes God requires us to get through difficult paths to get to our best paths and the lives He has planned out for us! Let’s endure lovingly and joyfully whatever crosses that God asks of us (especially in our homes!). He is our joy and our strength to help us! Ask Him the battles He would have you fight and the battles He says to leave to Him!

GOD, THIS IS HARD!!!

That’s me complaining to God lately! But let me share with you the sweetness of God and how He shows up to remind me that He is standing firm with me, baby! Like I always tell you guys how God talks to me through numbers a lot. For example, whenever “311” shows up, it’s His reminder that I should stay on the high road with Him (after He protected Julie yesterday, I’m on the HIGHEST road, y’all!). That I should specifically BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD and that He is behind the scenes of my life fighting battles for me. So when I want to stress, get frustrated, and anxious about anything, He sends this “311” to beautifully say, ‘Nik, I got you! Relax and enjoy your life!’ Here’s how the 311 showed up three separate times yesterday:

The first time was on the way to work, and God had my spirit take my eyes directly to a plate on a passing vehicle that included “311” in it. I notice God would do this sometimes when He wants us to specifically pay attention to something, we can actually feel Him in our spirit saying, “Take your attention to this!”

Next, I needed to call my daughter Ember to give her a pep talk before her interview with my other daughter’s manager. I went to the call log on my phone and noticed she had called me at 3:11 am that morning.

The final one was an employee saying I needed to personally call a customer. I go to call them, and “311” was sweetly planted in as their middle digits.

Believe it or not, these were all totally and completely orchestrated by God to reveal His loving Presence with me as I take on the hard things for my family right now! No shame, though, I must replay this message from Ceri every morning as my constant reminder:

“And God was telling them that like even though it seemed like such a hard task, that He was there with them. God told them in this particular verse, ‘For I am with you. Be strong for I Am With You.’ And that’s something that always replays in my mind, and every day and every moment that I pray, that’s one of the first things that always comes out on my lips is that I pray for strength. I know that God is with me, but I also know that I can’t do it alone, but I need the strength so that I can keep pushing forward. I can keep doing my best. I could keep growing. I could keep being strong for other people who are close to me. A lot of times, my strength isn’t just for me. A lot of times, I pray for my strength; it honestly isn’t for me. It is to hold up the house so the roof doesn’t collapse around everyone else.”

And about that staying on the high road part, let me tell ya, when others are unfair with me, God more than makes up it. Whatever God asks of me, I do my best with it! Even the difficult stuff He asks me to endure, I say God, ‘Anything for You!’ I can’t get over how He arranged for my daughters to get this beautiful apartment to stay in over the summer in New York, for Ember to get that job to work with Julie (my fierce/baddies!), and the two of them bonding and getting closer (priceless!). I tell them that the way my siblings support me, I want that for them. THIS LIFE IS TOO HARD TO DO ON OUR OWN!

I REALLY NEED TO START RECORDING OUR CONVERSATIONS!!!

Honestly, every discussion with my brother/guru, Kevin, is filled with profound wisdom that I can take to improve my life. Like yesterday, he said that none of us are perfect, but we should NEVER GIVE UP TRYING to be better. We should not be so hard on ourselves or others because none of us ever get it completely right. Honestly, that was the perfect message to me because I’ve been beating myself up a lot because I say I will do all these things every day and end up miserably failing (like my book that I’m not working on!). But Kevin’s message reminded me to never give up trying to be the person I aim to be. Every day I can reinvent myself or even reinvent myself several times in one day and KEEP TRYING. Fall a million times, get back up a million and one!!!

Then we also talked about how everyone is talking about how foolish I am for staying with my husband. Kevin said, “Neeks, you love your husband, and you don’t have to make any apologies for that!” I explained that my marriage at this point was beyond love. It’s a commitment to my husband (I’m ride-or-die loyal!) AND my entire family.

People don’t realize that when you have kids, you have to stop thinking about yourself and start considering what’s best for the entire team. My happiness goes to the back seat! The emotional, crazy baby whiner starving for hubby’s love and approval must go, and a wise, mature, calm, unconditionally loved and approved by God woman MUST take her place, doing her thing for her God and her family. WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO GOD, NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE ELSE THINKS OR SAYS!!!! GOD ALWAYS KNOWS BEST!!!

Kevin once explained that marriage is like a team. When one spouse is weak, the other has to be strong, and vice versa. So when hubby only has 20% to give, I want to be that 80% for him because that’s what he loyally, genuinely, and faithfully does for me. When I went crazy on him recently for a few seconds, he asked me one question that stuck with me, “Nik, I’m here with you every night. Every day I go out to work doing my best for you guys. What more do you want from me?” That’s what God and Kevin have both been trying to teach me TO FOCUS ON HUBBY’S POSITIVES. Kevin says, “You have a husband that respects you. He takes good care of you and your kids. There’s nothing more you can ask for than this. Neeks, enjoy your gorgeous life!”

“The world will be more loving because of our relationship!” I say to Kevin. Honestly, because he has been such an extraordinary support to me, I’m forcing my daughters to spend their summers together so that they can keep their sibling bond strong. This life is too rough to do on our own! We need each other! Now we pass the love torch on to you! Go out there and love yourself and the entire world! Let’s charm God by making all our actions pleasing to Him!!! Wink Wink!

“No man is an island. All have influence, and when you influence a person for good, that person influences others for good as well, and the ripples of love continue outward.”

“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also, – 2 Timothy 2:2 (Taken from Mottos for Success Calendar)

They are what I call my God winks, where everything lines up a little bit too perfect to be considered some ordinary coincidence. This one happened at work today when my assistant, Lillian, asked of a particular customer on one of our invoices named “FALCON USA.” Within five minutes, our cleaning guy, Sylvannos, came in with a bottle of a carwash, incredibly named (of all names in the entire world!) “FALCON” and written on the label was “made in the USA (Wink! Wink!). For all the customers for her to ask me about at that moment, for the cleaner to come over within 5 minutes with that carwash with the name FALCON was all completely and totally orchestrated by God to let us all know that His Spirit is always with us! Now, tell me, how could that just be some regular coincidence?

“… and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” -Matthew 28:20

I’m loving my appointments with God with my sons, and after asking Joshie about how he knew that God was real, he responded, “No way our God winks are coincidences!” Honestly, these God winks give me the courage, peace, joy, and strength to take on my life, knowing that God Himself is always with me, supporting, loving, approving, guiding, advising, and helping me in the spiritual realm by tweaking situations on my behalf (Wink! Wink!).

After telling my brother Kevin that we’re lucky to have learned our mom’s charming personality – light, happy, humble, kind, loving, generous, joyful, and funny (even at 90 years old!) – God got in on our conversation the next day telling me that I should charm Him. I took that as meaning that everything I do and every interaction should appeal to God. Not that anyone ever gets it ultimately right all the time, but we keep trying to do everything pleasing to God.

Especially in the love department! We can always improve there by shining super bright as God’s representatives. If I have to be the poster child for this messy love to teach the world, I say, God, no problem! Anything to please You, let me learn. When others are unfair to me, Your ways are MORE than fair! Between God and hubby, I’m super spoilt!

Tell God that today is the day you want a closer relationship with Him! Amen!

“WRITE ABOUT HOW TO STOP BEING A PEST!!!”

That’s from my sweet, fantastic, funny, lovable, and huggable son, Joshie! He and his brother, Emmie, are unhappy with me today because I’ve banned them from TV, and the video games have been locked away until after some upcoming tests. But about me not being a pest, NEVER!!! I have this great news to share with the world about God’s deep love and intimate involvement in every moment of our lives. HEEHAW!!!

Like this week, I shared in Ceri’s Breakfast and the Bible Clubhouse group about how this verse has been my experience with God:

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” – Ephesians 3:20

I was bragging, as usual, about how God always gives me more than I can imagine, think, or expect! A few hours later, Pastor Joel Osteen shared this message in his email devotional:

“You can’t ask in faith for your daily bread, your protection, and your guidance if you don’t know you’re His child. Because of who you are, you can stay in peace, KNOWING THAT YOUR FATHER WILL DO FOR YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN ASK, THINK, OR IMAGINE (Wink! Wink!).

God confirmed my bragging, baby!!!! And He didn’t stop there! After sharing a clip of the video I recorded about God exceeding my expectations on my Facebook story, this morning I opened our huge over 700-page devotional, Jesus Calling, and the message I randomly opened to said (written as if God was speaking to me):

“THINK BIG WHEN YOU PRAY, but remember that I always think bigger! I look at the big picture—all the moments of your life—AND I AM DOING MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE (another Wink! Wink!).”

I was bragging to Ceri’s group members about how Ceri showing up in my life at a pretty low time (LIFE WILL KNOCK YOU DOWN SOMETIMES!!!) was an example of how God exceeds my expectations! Ceri taught me that God is strategic about the people He places in our lives. Jason, my brother, said I talk a lot about God, but I didn’t have confidence in God. Viola! God sends Jason’s friend Ceri, who has increased my faith in God more than ever with his faithful recordings on the Club House platform from over a year ago. I’ve reached new levels of joy, peace, courage, and, most importantly, CLOSENESS TO GOD!

Ceri joined in with my brother, Kevin, who said one day, “My job from God, Neeks, is to keep you happy!” Kevin has been my personal adviser from God for about four years now, keeping me on God’s path for my life!!!! Thanks, guys!!! See how God exceeds what I could ask or imagine! He sends personal angels to support, inspire, uplift, and encourage me when I’m low! Now we want to pass this message of faith, hope, and love on to you!!!! So help us, God!

That was the conversation between Kevin and his wife, Verona, yesterday, which I’m taking as a message from God Himself for the entire world today. Can we all just uplift, encourage and support each other? I spoke in Ceri’s Breakfast and the Bible group this morning, and I shared this scripture:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8

I have fallen in love with MERCY (forgiveness without punishment!). This is such a beautiful quality to possess!!! I LOVE MERCY! It’s a word you barely hear anyone mention anymore, but where God would have us be with others more often. NO ONE GETS IT RIGHT ALL THE TIME! The same unconditional love, mercy, and abundant patience God shows us, He is asking us to show to others, especially in our homes.

That’s the Ceri influence that has helped me make many significant decisions. He has taught me to let love (God) lead, and obedience to God has guided me to a beautiful place, and I don’t want you to miss out. Enough hate, anger, bitterness, revenge, and unforgiveness. Let’s go the extra mile in love, faithfulness, gentleness, and patience on behalf of God. I promise you, this is how He lovingly guides us on the paths He has for our lives. Wink! Wink!

“You have no business in your husband’s phone!” was the message from a wonderful priest I was privileged to speak to at our office. I enjoyed every moment of that conversation! I told him the joke of how God corrected me when I wanted to go out to work with my husband to monitor his movements, and God in my spirit said, “Nik sweetie, that’s not your job!!!”

Instead, and more importantly, I wake up to have appointments with God with our sons before they leave for school, meetings with God with hubby before he leaves for work, and my personal alone times with God, including my run with Him where I hash out everything that’s going on with me. TIME AND ENERGIES ARE IMPORTANT COMMODITIES, AND I WANT US TO TALK TO GOD ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD HAVE US DOING AND NOT GET DISTRACTED BY USESLESS AND NONSENSE BATTLES. Like my son, Joshie, just told me, “FOCUS!” Let’s focus on being the WISE mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, and people God created us to be! By God’s strength, we will love others the way God loves us! Amen!

GOD SHOWS UP AGAIN ON MY DRIVE TO WORK

The love and attention God shows me truly blow me away! I told you guys how Ceri speaks clearly to me from God, but this week I teamed up with another messenger from Him who asked me if I would share his messages with you guys (we will call him Ricard!). I said it would be my honor and pleasure because he has genuinely helped me improve – “He who walks with wise men will be wise.”

So, the day before yesterday, Richard said to me (I paraphrase here), “Nikki, I want you to go to the beach and baptize yourself. WHEN YOU COME UP FROM THAT WATER, I WANT YOU TO BE A NEW PERSON.” I told him I would do that because I needed a complete refresh and reboot. I would take that opportunity to recommit my life even more to God, asking His help in me being the person He would have me to be, leaving my old self behind.

Fast forward to today, I’m back stalking Ceri in the app where he has all these recorded messages where he shares Bible messages and his take on how they relate to our lives now. Today I freaked out again when Ceri said this:

“Forget about your past. Don’t keep dwelling on it. Your past is your past, and you can’t change, but the one thing you can change is your future. And the way you change your future is by the steps you make today… When I got baptized last year, the words the Pastor told me always stuck and will stick with me for the rest of my life: “WHEN YOU GO UNDERNEATH THIS WATER AND COME BACK UP, YOU’RE A NEW PERSON (Wink! Wink!).” And I’ve been living like that, and everyone deserves that chance. Everyone deserves that opportunity because God gave it to me.”

Wow! This was another one of my famous God winks where everything lined up extremely too perfectly to be some ordinary coincidence. I kept scrolling all the way back to almost a year ago, passing over a good number of them, to hear Ceri repeat those very words from Richard spoken to me two days ago. Let me tell ya, our God is pretty talkative and I can’t get over how He knows everything about us, even every word spoken by Ceri in those recordings. It was God Himself saying, ‘Nik, I need you to hear those words from Ceri today!!! Wow!

Honestly, though, that conversation with Richard was on a day when I was extremely overwhelmed by things I needed to do, but I felt God saying to me in my spirit, ‘Nik, take this time and talk to him.” Only to confirm to both of these people that I definitely hear God’s voice through both of them. I’m not crazy, y’all!

The message from Ceri was 11 months ago, but such an important message for us all today:

So I want to read from the book of Isaiah 43:18-19, and it says,

“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

This verse are very impactful because God reminds us of a few things. Like forget the former things… basically forget about your past. He tells us to don’t dwell on it. Don’t keep reminding yourself of your past. Like your past is your past, and you can’t change but the one thing you can change in life is your future. And the way that you change your future is by the steps that you make today. The decisions that you make today is what can determine your tomorrow…

Everyone deserves a second chance but the reality is all of us have a past. There’s not one person sitting on the stage, there’s not one person walking this planet who has done everything in their life what’s right in God’s eyesight. None of us. Every single one of us falls short of the glory of God. So, who are we to go there and and comment on somebody for their past or things that they’ve done? Who are we to try to make a decision on how their futures is or what they will be in life? That decision don’t rest with us and don’t rest good with me when people try to do it.

Because imagine if I had sat back and allowed people to tell me who I would be. Imagine if I had sat back and accepted that I couldn’t forgive myself for the things that I did. It took me a long time – it took me meeting all of y’all in here and tell me boy get over it – forgive yourself. Move on. God has renewed you and restored you. When I got baptized last year, the words the Pastor told me always stuck and will stick with me for the rest of my life: “WHEN YOU GO UNDERNEATH THIS WATER AND COME BACK UP, YOU’RE A NEW PERSON. And I’ve been living like that. Everyone deserves that chance. Everyone deserves that opportunity because God gave it to me.”

God, help us all forgive ourselves and others for the past and to keep moving forward with You as our Life Partner and Guide, forgetting the former things and being excited about the NEW lives You have planned for us. Amen!

Fast forward to this morning, the song ‘Mercy’ played by Shawn Mendes, and I knew right away this was a message from God to us all today. God, who is extremely merciful, loving, and patient with us, asks us to do the same for others. Can we be God’s angels in the world? We all mess up, and no one ever gets it right all the time!

Don’t miss out on the best life with God! I was reminded of something very important from Ceri yesterday about EXPECTING God’s supernatural help and favor. We can show up in the physical realm doing the utmost of our abilities and then leave God to handle the rest by working in the spiritual realm on our behalf. Wink! Wink!

CASE IN POINT: In trying to collect some monies owed from a customer, they didn’t answer our call. So we set a reminder to call again at 4 pm. As we go to call her again, I’m told that their representative is in our waiting room. I used it as an opportunity to bring up the balance politely. The gentleman is unbelievably taking complete charge of helping us get paid. That’s God’s favor in action – sending the people we need to assist us! We need to stay positive, KNOWING OUR HELP COMES FROM THE LORD, MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH! NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR GOD, PERIOD! Wink! Wink!