“THE BEST THING I CAN TELL YOU IS TO GET CLOSER TO GOD” (REPOST)

That was indeed the best advice I got from my brother, Kevin, recently. I had one of my awful moments, and I needed a little pep talk from him, and he came through telling me that I should make God a priority. And it turned out to be the best thing! Crazy that the God maniac here who is always preaching to you guys about getting closer to God needed that reminder, but I did.

I ran with the advice by having lots of alone time with God. I found Dr. Charles Stanley on YouTube, and he was like a personal messenger from God to help me through a rough life patch. It was tough talk that I needed to hear to make some significant decisions. So much so that I had no doubt whatsoever that this was God’s way of wrapping His arms around me to comfort me and melt away all my fears, frustrations, and anxieties. Dr. Stanley has built my faith in God so much stronger. He said no matter what we go through, we can know without any doubt that God is there standing with us. He is!!!

Do you have a personal relationship with God where you know His invisible Presence is with you, too? I enjoyed listening to one of Dr. Stanley’s sermons yesterday with my husband. It was about having a strong life. Where we build our lives on a solid foundation with God, and no matter what is going on we can be strong and not resort to drugs or alcohol to cope with difficulties. In it, he highly suggested having alone times with God. I’m a living testimony to the greatness of these appointments with God. His advice is always the best! I reread old posts, I have meditation books, and now I have Dr. Charles Stanley on YouTube. (HUGE SMILE)

God is pretty talkative once you get to know Him. He has guided my life on a terrific path, and I would be an awful human being if I didn’t share this awesome news with you. Make today the day you start taking your relationship with God seriously. I make many tough decisions following God’s leading (staying faithful and obedient to Him no matter what anyone else is doing!) and let me tell ya, those decisions always work out better than I can ever expect or imagine. Nothing better than going through life with God as your Companion and Guide! He doesn’t force Himself on us; He just patiently waits for you to invite Him in. Will you say, ‘God, I want a closer walk with You?’ Then start listening to Him in your spirit. Once we obey Him, we can confidently leave all consequences in His capable hands. Wink! Wink!

HOW DID YOU KNOW THIS? (REPOST)

That was me to my guru (spiritual adviser), Kevin, yesterday. It was maybe a year ago. I called him asking how he predicted this statement when I called him all frustrated, sad, and emotionally hurting under my God tree:

“Neeks, you’re like a boxer right now. After getting hit (NOT PHYSICAL HITS) in your head like 10,000 times, you eventually get numb to the pain.”

Fast forward to a year later, your girl here has become numb to the hits! How did Kevin know this would happen? I have no doubt about it now; God speaks to me through Kevin. An ordinary human response would be to get out of the ring after 10 or 100 punches, Kevin encouraged me to stay even past the 10,000th punch, when I would eventually get numb to the pain. Who would advise such a thing? But that advice has paid off, and I’m super happy I stayed in the ring. True love has to be tested! (HUGE SMILE)

God has been teaching me that these hits were a part of the journey between Him and me, not between me and anyone else. He wants me to learn how to love unconditionally, then pass these lessons on to you guys. It has NOT been an easy journey (I’ve fallen like a million times), but I always felt I was doing it for the team (the entire human race!). To help us all learn these messy love lessons that God Himself would have us to learn.

God is love. He wants us all to abide in love with Him and each other. That’s what would make Papa God proud. The way Kevin has been supporting me and encouraging me to get back up when I fall with all His great advice has been all God’s way of showing me His deep love. And that’s my prayer for us, that we can all be God’s hands and feet and mouths in the world, His representatives, spreading His love wherever we go. Not easy, but God will be our strength when our human capacity to love and forgive fails. Our job isn’t to judge anyone, just to love and hopefully bring them closer to God, as Kevin lovingly has done for me.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35 NIV

GOD BLOWS ME AWAY WITH HIS DETAILED ATTENTION TO OUR LIVES

So, we have this job of repairing a fleet of vehicles, but because of the large number (the favor of God in action, baby! Those who look to Him will not starve!), we’ve been taking them in BATCHES. We’ve already finished the first batch, and this morning, we planned to start delivering the second batch (BATCH 2!). I woke up all excited for the boys and me to join hands with hubby to give our best (and leave the rest with God) in sending out BATCH 2. Can you believe God figured out a way to let us know that His invisible Presence is with us in delivering these vehicles?

I asked Him what page He would have me read for my appointment with Him on our family’s website. The feeling from Him was to go precisely to page 7 out of 144 pages. Look what incredibly showed up:

“And the love He shows me with all these glimmers of his Presence popping up everywhere. Like Julie and I had the hardest time finding parking today at the airport. She is my second daughter that I’m taking to university in New York (our batch 2!), and a few cars away from where we found parking, there was a car with a New York tag that says, “Batch 2 (Wink! Wink!).” No coincidence, but God letting me know that as I’m taking my “2nd batch” to New York, His invisible Presence goes with us! HEEHAW!”

That “BATCH 2” showing up there as we continue our family hustle in delivering BATCH 2 of these vehicles was all God orchestrated and arranged to let us know that His Presence is ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS with us! Amen! He lovingly goes ahead of us, planting these glimmers of His Presence to brighten our days and remind us that He is there. This gives us the courage and peace to joyfully take on our lives with Him as our loving PARTNER AND GUIDE. HEEHAW!!!

“Neeks, I want you to work on being a wise woman.” These words also showed up in my alone time with God from my brother, Kevin, years ago. His profound words have led my life to a beautiful place because I’ve discovered that wisdom is learning to go to God at every moment seeking His perspective on our lives, and doing our best by being obedient to what He would have us do. Through all the ups and downs, I’ve crucially learned to TRUST GOD’S DIRECTION. His ways are always best!

Not always easy, but we must do our best to PAUSE before making decisions and seek God’s input. With practice, you will undoubtedly know what God is saying. Notice how I felt Him in my spirit telling me which page to read – HIS SHEEP KNOW HIS VOICE! He plans to prosper and not harm us, but we must discipline ourselves to practice His Presence at every moment (never alone, baby!), asking Him to direct our steps. He loves us so much and promises never to leave or forsake us. It’s just for us to involve Him in the 1,000 decisions we make daily. Make sure you have appointments with Him where you learn His character and who He would have you to be.

“… BUT YOUR SORROW SHALL BE TURNED INTO JOY”

That’s the verse from John 16:20 I read in an appointment with God recently AND what I’ve personally experienced with Him. Let me tell ya, GOD USES EVERYTHING FOR OUR GOOD!!! Romans 8:28 has been my special wink from Him lately that says this:

“We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him.They are the people he called, because that was his plan.”

Crazy God lady here would even takes screenshots on my phone when the time is 8:28 only to remind myself that God has a plan to use EVERYTHING for my good. Even my little spiritual guy, Joshie, is in on this with me, alerting me to when it’s 8:28. One day, after we had a streak of being together at that time every night, I screamed down at him, “Joshie where are you?” I rushed to look for him to show him that it was 8:28. He said, “Mommy, you scared me!” LOL

So, yesterday in going back to our workshop where we repair cars, I took this sticker on a customer’s car as a special wink from God:

“ALL THINGS ARE WORKING. GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING! ROMANS 8:28 (Wink! Wink!)!!!”

I claim it for us all!!! God can use any situation for our good when we stick with Him and allow Him to be the GUIDE of our lives. I’m talking EVERY SECOND, EVERY MOMENT, asking God to conform us to His will and what HE would have us to do.

I went all crazy yesterday with some stern words from hubby, but after listening to my God influencer, Ceri, for a few minutes, I asked myself, ‘How can I respond to this in a Godly fashion?’ I called hubby asking, “What would our king like to have for dinner tonight?” and “How much does this wife love you?” This morning I woke up thanking him for everything he does for our family (he works extremely hard!) and that I’m sticking with him and God.” No regrets, my boo!

Devon Franklin taught me that the righteous WILL fall seven times, but we will get back up eight! So the queen of falls here (me!) has learned to give everyone the space to fall and get back up. See how God uses Romans 8:28? Because of all my falls, I can allow others to fall, giving them the space and the grace to get back up, loving everyone unconditionally the way God loves us. He says He holds our sins and transgressions as far from us as the east is from the west. WE MUST DO THE SAME FOR OTHERS AND OURSELVES.

Every moment this year, I want us to practice the discipline of looking to God and asking His will to be done. And that’s how He turns our sorrows into joy when we look at everything from the ALMIGHTY GOD PERSPECTIVE, following what HE WOULD HAVE US TO DO. AMEN!

I have to run because I have some critical work to complete, but even with that, I know: MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD, THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR HIM.

I WANT TO REMEMBER GOD AT EVERY MOMENT!!!

That’s the mission of 2023, baby! KNOWING that I have the Presence of God Himself with me as I tackle life. The goal is to PAUSE and look at everything from a God perspective in every decision, every relationship, every circumstance asking, ‘God, what is Your perspective on this, and how may I enter into it to glorify you.’

CASE IN POINT: After looking for hubby to talk a little sweet talk with him, I got fussed over some work-related issues (tough working with a hubby boss!). I went to God feeling all hurt and sad, and I felt Him saying to listen to one of Ceri’s old messages. I landed on one from eight months ago that was the perfect one where Ceri spoke about Joshua 1:9:

“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.”

Ceri said this was a command from God repeated four times in that chapter. I caught myself and said, ‘Nik, did you hear that? You’re commanded by God to be strong and courageous. Stop this silliness of getting blown away by hubby’s criticisms all the time. If there are amends you need to make, make them. GOD ALONE CAN JUDGE YOU!!! Hubby’s judgments go up and down based on his mood and things going on with him, don’t let them get the best of you! BE STRONG!’

Going to God at that moment, I was reminded to stay on the high road with Him and get back to being the best wife to the better-than-best husband, not allowing his harsh comments to upset me. And this is where I want us all day, every day. Going to God moment by moment for His guidance! I love this message from Joel Osteen:

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. – 1 Peter 3:9, NLT

How You Handle the Blessing

Nikki, God’s favor on your life means that He will release greater blessings, greater influence, and greater resources. But you have to realize that as others see you succeed, some smallminded people will get jealous and start criticizing, finding fault, trying to make you look bad. You have to be able to handle the negative that comes with the blessing. If you’re going to be offended and upset, if you allow it to bring you into conflict with people, then the blessing won’t be a blessing.

You don’t have to respond to the negative comments and people who don’t like or understand you. Keep your heart pure and don’t try to repay them. Be good to those who aren’t good to you. Overlook what they say or do. The sooner you quit giving the negative your time and attention, the better off you’re going to be. You have the grace to rise above it, the grace to ignore it, the grace to not let it bother you. Step into that grace and move forward to greater blessing.

A Prayer for Today

“Father, thank You for giving me the grace to rise above the negative comments and people who are not for me. Help me to bless those who have done me wrong, to leave them in Your hands, and to believe that You are taking me to new levels. I look forward to even greater blessings. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

That’s what I told my sweetie pie sister, Verona, is our new mission from God Himself – to wake up every day and SHINE BRIGHT on His behalf, using all the negativity and evil in the world as fuel to spread even more love, positivity, and goodness, starting in our homes and spreading out from there. God’s soldiers, baby! We got this, and God got us! Wink! Wink!

I loved my God wink on my morning run today. I was procrastinating about starting it, so at 20 minutes past the hour, I went to page 20 of our website and read an old post where Joshie said, “Mommy, you’re the one who puts the Range in the Rover,” a line we stole from Lil Kim from the song ‘The Jump Off.’ As I run, I put the music on shuffle, allowing God to be my DJ, and of over 800 songs in my music library, can you believe God had that very song to play minutes later? It was another one of my God winks where everything lines up enormously too perfect to be a coincidence, but all God orchestrated to remind us all that His invisible Presence is always with us. Even as Jay-Z said in another song, “54321,” the Nike running Coach then immediately says, “54321.” This was again timed perfectly by God! OUR GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US, BABY!!!

God also sings to me through these songs He selects. Like these lyrics from Monica’s song, ‘For You I Will’ is the kind of love I’m experiencing from God:

‘I will shield your heart from the rain
I won’t let no harm come your way
Oh, these arms will be your shelter
No, these arms won’t let you down
If there is a mountain to move
I will move that mountain for you

Put your faith in me, put your faith in me
And I’ll do anything oh
I will cross the ocean for you
I will go and bring you the moon
I will be your hero, your strength, anything you need
I will be the sun in your sky
I will light your way for all time, promise you
For you I will, yes yeah, yeah’

Yes, God sings to us! I want us to find new ways of enjoying Him. Also, notice His fun personality to have that Lil Kim song play as if saying, ‘I saw you procrastinating, my Nik, to begin your run!’ And honestly, that inspires me to RISE AND SHINE, knowing how much God loves me and that He is always there standing with me, being everything I need; even when I’m at my lowest, I feel His love strongly with me. He’s with you, too! Are you getting to know Him better? Don’t miss out on the best life with God as we spread His love in the world!

That’s the message from Joseph Prince that I read today AND my personal experience with God. Like my husband keeps telling me that I should tell him what’s on my mind and that I shouldn’t be quiet about it. But repeatedly, I tell him that the WISER Nikki has learned to be silent and not everything has to be discussed, especially with this husband who has earned my silence. After spending the day with him at the office yesterday, I saw everything he goes through, and I said I will never give this husband a hard time again. So, today, in our appointment with God, instead of reading our Jesus Calling Devotional, I said let’s read from the book I published almost six years ago. I used the scroll button at the bottom to ask God what He had to say to us, and this incredibly showed up:

“I loved this reminder in my morning’s appointment time with God. That was enough to bring me back to my calm center, where I rest in God and trust Him, leaving all my burdens, knowing I face nothing alone and that we don’t go by the ordinary rules of man. But it isn’t an easy thing. Case in point: “You didn’t tell me you love me,” my hubby said to me at about 1 am. We had just talked on the phone about 20 minutes before this (he was in Nigeria, and I was in the U.S.), but he was calling back again, sensing something was wrong. To be honest, I was upset with him about something, but in that moment and wanting to give him a piece of my mind, I paused, and I went to God. The feelings were to calm down and be my most loving self, instead of losing it and saying something I might regret later.

I still haven’t told him why I was upset with him, but in thinking about it, I believe this experience with my hubby was a lesson for me from God to trust Him. Not every battle is for me to fight. I feel I have the best hubby in the world (this part got me crying and hubby came over to kiss me), and in our years of marriage, he has earned my love and respect, so much so that I can overlook a fault every now and again – nobody’s perfect. I see him doing his best at being a husband, father, and person, and I’m a super proud wife.

Going to God at that moment was the best solution, and I’m happy I did. I’M LEARNING NOT TO DISCUSS THINGS WITH ANYONE WHEN I’M UPSET, BUT TO WAIT UNTIL I’M CALM AND CAN DISCUSS THINGS SENSIBLY LIKE THIS TIME, OR NOT AT ALL (Wink! Wink!).

Dear God, in the difficult moments, may me learn to pause and seek You and what You would have us to do, being the super loving, patient, and forgiving people You have created us to be. Amen.”

And fast forward more than six years since writing that post, that wisdom of keeping silent and leaving specific battles with God has been the BEST way to go. TRUST ME, I GOT PLENTY TO SAY, BUT NOT EVERY BATTLE IS FOR US TO FIGHT. WE CAN TRUST GOD by going to Him amid our fires and storms, PAUSING, and asking Him what He would have us do, say, or go. Start feeling Him in your spirit as to what HE would have you do, little by little and step by step, listening and being obedient to Him trusting Him one moment at a time to get through any difficulties! WE’RE NOT GOING BY THE ORDINARY RULES; OUR GOD IS WITH US!!!

“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”