“THE BATTLE IS NOT OURS, IT’S GOD’S”

Was a comment I loved yesterday. I hope you’re getting this important message that God is our Partner in every aspect of our lives. I got a chance on Saturday to have some time with a 22-year-old young lady who reads my blog posts and she made me so happy. As she fought to hold back tears, she told me how I’ve inspired her and that she has learned to RELAX and to trust God, that He’s her protection.

I still can’t get over how I have an important deadline to meet in the U.S. this month and the perfect person just happened to show up out of the blue to assist me. And this is something that happens over and over again, whenever I face a challenging situation, the perfect people show up to assist me or the perfect solutions pop into my head and I’m like, “Wow, God, You’re too much!” He directs me one step at a time through any and everything that comes my way!

“Why does God allow bad things to happen?” was the title of an article I read. I truly believe God uses every experience for our good, to grow us up, strengthen us, teach us. Nothing comes to us unless it passes through God’s loving hands first. The article spoke about Joseph in the Bible who was sold into slavery by his brothers and he said to them:

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20

And no matter the challenge that has come my way, God has used them for my good. Even the “bad” people he sends into my life, he uses them to sharpen me and push me to excel and go higher.

We can live the best lives with God! Bad things will come our way (in this life you will have trouble!), but once we decide to stay on the high road with God, loving extravagantly, forgiving endlessly, doing our best with what He asks us to do, He will fight our battles for us.

Praying continually is my new strategy. Whenever I’m tempted to worry about anything, I say a simple short prayer asking God for His supernatural help and I leave the battle with Him. I trust Him completely because of the many, many times He has proven that He indeed is my faithful Helper. Like I wrote yesterday, we don’t pray enough! Let’s tap into this abundance of power we have available to us.

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“THE WORLD ABOUNDS WITH NEGATIVE THINGS”

Ain’t that the truth! From one to the next, it seems as if negativity can come at us from every direction. Here’s the trick:

WE MUST KEEP OUR EYES FIXED ON GOD

That’s the super big challenge of our lives. No matter the negativity that comes our way, we have to pause and ask God, “What would you have me to do here?” Doing your best to stay on the high road with Him, being your most loving and forgiving self or otherwise we’ll be dragged down the road of negativity. And let me tell ya, it’s not worth it, not even for a minute.

When you stay on the high road with God, surrendering people and events over to Him, you can go on enjoying the good life. You have to shake off the disappoints immediately, learning to quickly overlook and ignore. Trust me, no one gets away, God knows what He’s doing with each and every one of us.

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” THIS IS THE WAY TO THE BEST LIFE WITH GOD! God is “a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” In fact, I say go overboard in doing good. In every moment, every example and every experience, bring God in, seeking Him and asking Him to guide your actions and watch how He overwhelms your life with goodness.

I feel like when I have a problem, the whole universe conspires to help me. Like solutions pop in my head, people show up to assist me and things seem to go in my favor. “That was the God wink of the day!” said someone who just showed up to help us with an issue. I had told someone that we should call her and the person responded, “She’s here right now!” She had miraculously shown up on her own. How the heck did that happen? Then as she’s working on the issue, she too was astonished when something worked out incredibly better than expected. That’s my God, always helping me out!

So my guys, don’t focus on the negativity, focus on God who will keep us on the right track to the best life. Don’t let the haters distract us and take us down the road to hell! We’ve all travelled that road before. The road to heaven is much more enjoyable.

Like my sweet sister always says, “When you know better, you do better!” Constantly catch yourself in the midst of the negativity and ask God for His direction to get through. Everything is between us and God.

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“FORGET CONFIDENCE, I’M TALKING GODFIDENCE”

I said to someone yesterday. It was a challenge that came up where once again God proved He’s my faithful Helper and Partner. I did what I always write about. I paid attention to my feelings/gut/spirit/intuition as to what God would have me to do. Ideas came to mind and I followed the ones I felt were directions from Him, doing my best with them, taking it one step at a time and importantly, leaving the rest with Him. No more getting overwhelmed or fearful, I had Godfidence, that He was on my side helping me to resolve this issue.

That’s why I say this is not even Good News that I write about, it’s Great News! How extraordinary is that? The Creator of the sun and moon also is deeply involved in our lives and cares about us and our “little” problems. Like I always write, there will always be trouble, but with God on our side directing us and helping us, what is there to worry about?

I love a post I came across:

“PRAYER FOR TODAY

I will lift up my eyes to the hills
From whence comes my help?

Father, today I choose to lift my eyes off my circumstances and look to You. Show me Your way that I may walk with You on the path to victory all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen. Amen.”

Our help comes from the Lord! Keeping our eyes fixed on God and not looking to this world is the big challenge. That’s why I encourage the appointments/alone times with Him where you’re doing something that builds your faith. For me it’s reading my meditation books, posts from Tumblr.com, or listening to spiritual podcasts from iTunes.com (they’re free!) and every time I have one, I’m reminded that I’m never alone and God is with me and for me.

An important post I read from Tumblr.com yesterday, encouraged me to go even deeper with Him:

“Work on yourself. Read. Study. Listen. Pray. Meditate on scriptures till they’re a part of you. You can only know the truth if you want it enough. Seek it out for yourself. It does take effort. Time is not wasted when you spend it with God. Invest in knowing God more.”

And just knowing I have God as my faithful Back-up no matter what comes my way brings me such peace. Not a moment has been wasted in my alone times with Him. I’ve learned His voice and I can therefore have all the Godfidence in the world.

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“I WANT TO REMEMBER GOD EVERY MOMENT”

I said to a friend yesterday. We joked how we can have an appointment with God one minute and feel so strong and motivated, then the moment it’s over, the negativity of the world can come at us and pull us right back down again. I truly can understand why depression rates are increasing, because this life is not always easy!

The big challenge for us is to bring the appointments with God into our daily lives, remembering Him in every moment and allowing Him to fully participate and be totally involved in our everyday ordinary lives. For example, I was so proud of myself when some tough words came my way and instead of getting upset and arguing back, I reminded myself that many things I should turn a deaf ear to and to leave this person to their opinion. Woohoo! Going to God in that moment asking what He would have me to do, stopped me from letting the conversation ruin my day, which it could have easily done.

This morning I got the nudge from Him to read a devotional given to me by a special friend, who not only enriches me with her presence and wisdom, but also by the books and calendars she gives me and has around her. This story from over 2,000 years ago can bring such peace to our lives today if we bring God with us into every moment, trusting Him with all our hearts and reminded that in those fearful moments, we can hold on tightly to His hands as He says, ‘Do not be afraid’:

“The disciples of Jesus were in the boat sailing to Capernaum and it was already dark. Our life in this world is like sailing on the sea of life. There are times it gets dark in our lives when we are faced with trials and temptations. The gospel tells us that the wind was strong and the sea was getting rough. Life could be really rough sometimes when everything seems to be going in the wrong direction for us. It was at that time the disciples saw Jesus coming towards them walking on the sea and He said to them ‘It is I, do not be afraid’. By walking on the sea Jesus demonstrates to us that He is greater than all problems and bigger than any situation in our lives. After meeting Jesus, the disciples reached the shore safely. Jesus (God) will calm all our fears and worries only if we trust in Him, for He says to us today ‘It is I, do not be afraid’.

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“GET YOUR FIGHT ON”

Was my advice to a friend who called me early this morning to check up on me. I know she’s been missing my calls fussing her out to not be so laid back about a situation she’s dealing with. In this life you will have trouble! Don’t expect everything to be all rosy and wonderful all the time. Unfair things and challenges will always be a part of life, but we have to be strong and courageous and filled to the brim with Godfidence, knowing we’re never alone and He has our backs.

Easier said than done, right? But that’s what these posts are about, building our faith in God. I’ll forever quote my fav Bible verses, Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV):

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”

And sometimes those paths where He leads us can be quite difficult. Those are the times He seems to be saying:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

We then hold our heads up high and follow Him wherever He leads, taking life one step at a time.

Yes, I’m all for being loving and forgiving, but an important part of life is choosing your battles wisely. Every little thing doesn’t have to be a fight and there will be many things we have to turn a deaf ear to, but when we know in or hearts that God is asking us to fight, we have to put those boxing gloves on (not literally, guys! Don’t go beating anyone up!).

I was so amazed and impressed with a fourteen-year-old girl on a TV show who was kidnapped, but came up with a strategy to get her kidnapper to let his guard down and to give her his phone to play with. She then used the phone to send her mom a text message, which led to her being found.

That’s how we have to be in life. When tough situations come up, go to God, ‘God, what would you have me do here?’ You then listen to His direction, following wherever He leads. And His ways are not our ways, so we can’t always go with society or what others are telling us, we have to go with God’s directions – He knows what’s best for us!

I’m always thrilled how He directs me one step at a time how to get through any challenge that may come my way, with brilliant solutions magically coming to mind. We can truly relax (not in a lazy manner) doing our best with what He would have us to do and leave the rest with Him.

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

LIVE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF FORGIVENESS

This is where I’m going to PUSH myself to be more often. I have my wonderful hubby to thank for another important life lesson. It was after we an argument on the way home from work screaming at each other that I said to him that we should not let the devil in our homes. I’m going to take that one a step further, let’s not let the devil in our lives and all day just practice automatic forgiveness – grace – and immediate clemency to anyone who does wrong to us.

The next evening, we were out with the kids celebrating our anniversary and I was very surprised when he said, “If you didn’t say that we shouldn’t let the devil in our home, we wouldn’t be here right now.” Meaning that both of us would’ve probably still been upset with each other, but instead we choose the peaceful route and I apologize for screaming at him. And instead of going down the war path, we chose peace and were able to happily celebrate with our kids.

The advice of my mediation book, written as if Jesus (God) is speaking to us, offers this advice from over 600 years ago:

“My Child. there are many matters of which its well for you to be ignorant, and consider yourself as one who is dead upon the earth and to whom the whole world is crucified. There are many things too, which is well to pass by with a deaf ear, thinking, instead of what is more to your peace. It is more profitable to turn away from things which displease you and to leave to every man his own opinion than to take part in quarrelsome talk if you stand well with God and look to his judgement…”

Got that? “There are many things too, which is well to pass by with a deaf ear, thinking, instead of what is more to your peace. It is more profitable to turn away from things which displease you and to leave to every man his own opinion…”

All the hurtful things that were said on that ride home, I’ve turned a deaf ear to them and it has profited me more, I’m at peace. We’re all humans and we all make mistakes, today I want to encourage you increase your capacity to forgive and love because this truly is the way to the best life close to God.

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“NIK, YOU’RE IN LA LA LAND”

Can you believe this comment was from my wonderful husband of officially fourteen years today? I was telling him that we should have Godfidence no matter what challenge comes our way because God has shown us so many times before that He’s always with us. And God has His sweet ways of reminding me just how intimately He’s truly involved.

This morning a friend took a pic of a book she thought I would like, GodWink Stories by Squire Rushnell and Louise Duart, that she saw on TV. For my appointment with God I decided to download it and read some of it. I read something I liked and I took a pic of the page to share with my friend. She sent me a message back that God was talking to her in it, telling her to be happy and sing songs of praise. I then sent her the lyrics to the hymn, This Is The Day That The Lord Has Made, sharing with her that I sang it again this morning. “We will rejoice!” I wrote.

I kept reading and I kept sharing with her. One of the pages stated that “People who are happy have chosen to adopt an optimistic attitude and to approach every day in an intimate partnership with God.” I took that as a God wink because I had written yesterday, “GOD IS WITH US AND FOR US!!! And we can live the most fantastic lives with Him as our Partner and Guide! Once you get this, there is no such thing as an ordinary day anymore, every day is alive with His Presence.”

Then out of the blue, everything lined up a little bit too perfectly when the next sentence read, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

God winks from reading the book ‘GodWink Stories!’ God’s so funny! For the words of the song I asked you guys to sing with me in yesterday’s post, to me singing them again this morning, to me sending the lyrics to my friend for her to sing and for them to show up in this book she saw on TV this morning that I downloaded and decided to read in my appointment with Him was no coincidence. This was God confirming to us that His unseen Presence is with us and we can therefore have all the Godfidence in the world.

I have a new screensaver on my phone:
“Regain your strength by remembering who you are!”

“We are the sons, we are the sons,
Of the living God, of the living God.
We will rejoice, we will rejoice,
And be glad in Him, and be glad in Him.”

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE”

Sing with me…

“This is the day, this is the day.
That the Lord has made, that the Lord has made.
We will rejoice, we will rejoice,
And be glad in it, and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day
That the Lord has made.

We are the sons, we are the sons,
Of the living God, of the living God.
We will rejoice, we will rejoice,
And be glad in Him, and be glad in Him.
We are the sons of the living God.
We will rejoice and be glad in Him.
We are the sons, we are the sons
Of the living God.”

Didn’t that feel good! We are the sons and daughters of the living God and it is my hope and prayer that we rejoice in every day He has beautifully created for us.

I’m all excited from reading the book, ‘Winning the Story Wars’ by Jonah Sachs. The subtitle is “Why those who tell—and live—the best stories will rule in the future.” He has totally inspired me to keep spreading my story with the ALL IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL MESSAGE:

GOD IS WITH US AND FOR US!!! And we can live the most fantastic lives with Him as our Partner and Guide!

Once you get this, there is no such thing as an ordinary day anymore, every day is alive with His Presence. God, what’s on the agenda for the day? Is what I ask Him now and I’m excited to see what He has in store for me.

And not every day may be a rolling over with happiness day, but in every day there’s so much going on in my personal journey with God. Like He’s always calling me forward to a better and happier life. He incredibly uses everything for my good. Like my hubby snapped at me the other night and I realize that there’s so much pressure on him that if he gets upset at me, it probably really isn’t all about me. God used that to challenge me to be more forgiving. This morning he probably thought I was crazy when I jumped on him and thanked him for my beautiful life that I GET to enjoy with him and our phenomenal kids. “You told me you were going to take me to travel the world and you have!”

“This is the day, this is the day.
That the Lord has made, that the Lord has made.
We will rejoice, we will rejoice,
And be glad in it, and be glad in it.”

God, I want to win the story war, spreading the sweet fragrance of You everywhere!

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“O DAUGHTER OF LITTLE FAITH, WHAT DO YOU FEAR?”

I love when God talks to me! I was feeling really anxious about some stuff last week and I went to one of my fav places to hear from Him, Tumblr.com, and like usual, He had the perfect message waiting for me in a post there:

“Fear is a greater evil than the evil itself. O daughter of little faith, what do you fear? No, fear not; you walk on the sea, amid the winds and waves, but it is with Jesus. What is there to fear? But if fear seizes you, cry loudly, ‘O Lord, save me.’ He will give you His hand: clasp it tight, and go joyously on. To sum up, do not philosophize about your trouble; do not turn in upon yourself; go straight on. No, God cannot lose you, so long as you live in your resolution not to lose Him. Let the world turn upside down, let everything be in darkness, in smoke, in uproar—God is with us. And if God dwelleth in darkness and on Mount Sinai, all smoking and covered with the thunders, with lightnings and noises, shall we not be well near Him?
— Letter from St. Francis de Sales to St. Jane de Chantal, 6 August 1606 (via catherineaddington)

Did you get that? “But if fear seizes you, cry loudly, ‘O LORD, SAVE ME.’ He will give you His hand: clasp it tight, and go joyously on.”

And that’s exactly what I did, I handed the issue I was worried and fearful about over to God, doing my best with what I needed to take care of and I left the rest with Him. I noticed He’s training me to trust Him more and to let go of so many things I try to control in my little world. Like He’s saying, “Be brave and courageous, my daughter! Come out on this limb with me holding My hand, letting go of fear and live the best life with Me, afraid of nothing!’

This morning I had an extra special moment with Him reading from the new Jesus Calling Morning and Evening which reinforced this lesson of being courageous:

“COWARDLINESS IS NOT OF MY KINGDOM. When you are feeling overwhelmed by your circumstances, remember who you are—a child of the eternal King! Invite Me into the very circumstances that are intimidating you, and let the Light of my powerful Presence strengthen you. When you choose to live courageously, I am pleased—and I respond by strengthening your heart.

Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24 NKJV

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD

“SOPHIA LEFT”

That was the notification from WhatsApp that Sophia had left a group I started about living our best lives with God. We had a little argument about playing pranks on April Fool’s Day from a Biblical perspective and I’m guessing this was a part of the reason she decided to leave the group, but whatever her reasons every experience always has so much to teach us.

Like the lesson that people leave! Whether we want them to or not. My meditation book taught me that at one point we have to say good bye to everyone in our life. Life is like we’re walking along a path and people will come and go. My goal is to suck the most enjoyment out of the people who are on my path now because tomorrow they might not be there. I enjoyed the interactions I had with Sophia while she was a part of our group and I learned a lot from her. As I write this I’m here gisting (Nigerian for talking) with my super daughters, enjoying every moment we’re together.

Another lesson is that you can’t please everyone, no matter how hard you try. Not everyone will understand you or want to be around you. “If you consider well what you are within, YOU WILL NOT CARE WHAT MEN SAY ABOUT YOU. They look to appearances but God looks to the heart. They consider the deed but God weighs the motive.” If you look to men for your peace, you’ll never find it because they can love you one day and hate you the next. We’re to keep our eyes fixed on God doing what He would have us to do and in doing that we’ll have great peace.

“That’s a blessing from God,” I just said to my handsome eight-year-old son, Emmie, who just brought me a cup of my fav Nigeria Highland Tea. Every blessing is ultimately from God and a fav quote I love says:

“Keep your eyes open to the beauty that surrounds you. God has placed many blessings upon your path. Gather them with joy.”

And this is really where I want us, focused on all the blessings in our lives, not the negatives. God wants us happy, so let’s live lives pleasing to God, doing what He would have us to do and enjoy peaceful, happy lives.

And Sophia if you read this, thanks for all the great messages you shared about exercising and eating healthy! I appreciate!

KEEP CALM, YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD