LONG STORY SHORT: GOD WINS
ANOTHER HUMILIATION FROM MY DAUGHTER, EMBER!!
She is constantly opening my eyes to areas where I’m getting it seriously wrong! Like she told me last year that it looked like I had abandoned my sons. Let me tell ya, super mama was back, by the grace of God, with the mindset that I’m raising future world leaders, baby! Yesterday I was at my son’s Emmie field day at school, literally crying happy tears, so proud of my family. We ain’t perfect, but we’re pretty close!
So, this week I said something to Ember in regards to the crazy, sad, and depressed mama that shows up way too often, and she said, “That’s the usual.” Wow! Just the wake-up call I needed. Then she got me again yesterday when she said all I do is come home and fall on our sofa asleep watching these depressing shows on TV. Ouch! Nik, is this the example you want to show your kids, especially your daughters? But like I always say, “It’s a celebration when we discover our weaknesses!” Especially when we add in the God factor! Wink! Wink!
It’s unbelievable how God figures out these ways to let me know that He is intimately involved in every detail of my life. On the way to my God tree, I was having one of my crazy lady moments, and I removed the photo I had there captioned:
“… and those who remain in love remain in God and God remains in them.”
Can you believe He figured out a way to let me know He was there with me? Look what incredibly showed up on page 32, at 32 minutes past the hour, a post I wrote seven years ago:
““LET’S HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH GOD”
I said to my Julie, my then eleven-year-old sweetheart before she left for school. I grabbed her daily devotional for girls and randomly opened it for us to read together. The Bible verse quoted for that day was John 4:16:
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” Wink! Wink!
That lined up too perfectly to be considered some ordinary coincidence! As if God was saying, ‘Nik, I saw you deleting that pic a few minutes ago!’ I was immediately reminded that God is calling me to be my most loving self no matter what anyone else is doing.
Under that tree is where I strategize with God about issues I’m currently dealing with, and He had this to say about something I had on my mind:
“But God is saying to you…Be still and know that I am your God. I will fight all your battles and give you victory.”
I ended up calling my husband in Nigeria, and of all the people in the world with him, there was our good friend Godwin. Got that wink? God had just told me that I should be still and He would fight my battles and give me victory, and GOD WIN (Wink! Wink!) just happened to be the person with my husband minutes later. (HUGE SMILE)
Are you getting to learn God’s fun, sweet and playful personality? Like two minutes before getting there to the tree, I had a fun time listening to Kid’s Laroi’s song ‘Without You,’ and I smiled with God about a joke we have about it. So, at 32 minutes past the hour, look what else showed up on page 32:
“Fast forward to me having to rush out to work, I put my music on shuffle, and the first song to play was ‘Without You’ by The Kid LAROI. (Wink! Wink!)
Again, this lined up too perfectly to be an ordinary coincidence. It was God letting me know that His invisible Presence is always with me. And this knowledge gives me the confidence to go through my life joyfully and at peace, knowing He is fighting all my battles. LONG STORY SHORT: GOD WINS! Are you making your relationship with God a priority? We need Him!
BACK CRYING THOSE HAPPY TEARS FROM GOD
“CALLING TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR ADVICE IS WORKING!”
That was me to my brother/angel, Kevin, a few minutes ago! His advice in a awful moment last year was, “Neeks, all I can tell you is to get closer to God. Make Him a priority.” This year, he said, “Work on making yourself stronger.” I’M RUNNING WITH BOTH OF THEM! Here’s how:
Fasting is on, baby! From 11 am to 7 pm, no food, no drinks. When I’m hungry or weak, I go running to God, seeking what He would have to say to me. And let me tell ya, not a moment spent seeking God is wasted. He makes me feel like the most loved person in the world with all the love and attention I receive from Him.
Like my son, Joshie, didn’t have a mask for school today. I go into the car, and a beautiful mask is waiting for us. I said, “Thank You, God!’ On the way back from dropping them off, I stopped at a pharmacy to stock up on masks, and there was a song playing, ‘I GOT YOU, BABE,’ and immediately I knew this was God singing to me and I played so many versions of it on my way back home feeling so loved by God. Fast forward a couple of hours, my daughter, Julie, comes into my bathroom and switches my music. Incredibly, as I walk in, the lyrics of her song says, ‘BABY GIRL, I GOT YOU.’ Wink! Wink! God went as far as confirming His message to me from earlier on! This aligned too perfectly to be some ordinary coincidence! God’s sweet way of saying that I can go through my life joyfully and at peace knowing He is always with me.
Then, yesterday, I left work early to pick up my sons to take them grocery shopping. They were busy playing basketball with their friends and told me to wait ten minutes for them. I love these friends so much that I said, “No problem.” I went and parked somewhere since they told me I couldn’t come into our driveway where they were playing. Exactly where I parked, there was a house with the number “3117.” I’ve written so many times about how God uses these number combinations 311 and 117 to remind me that His invisible Presence is ALWAYS with me.
The “311” is a special one where He says to me to stay on the HIGHEST road with Him being my most loving, forgiving, and excellent self. That I should BE STILL, RELAX, AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD AND HE IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING FIGHTING BATTLES ON MY BEHALF. Wink! Wink!
One of the appointments with Him yesterday, He had this important message:
“Don’t let bitterness take root. We all have unfair and unjust things happen to us; that’s a part of life. When we are hurt, we can choose to hold on to that pain and become bitter, or we can choose to let it go and trust God to make it up to us.” – Joel Osteen
Then my son, Joshie, surprisingly gets up around 11 pm and says to me, “Mom, my toe is hurting, but I remember what you say, “Pain is a part of life.” Wink! Wink! I was again reminded that I’m trusting God to make up for the painful stuff I have to deal with, and I enjoyed the bonding time talking with Joshie (my little sweetie!) until after midnight. I’m blessed, y’all! And God is excellent at making up for the tough stuff. My cup overflows with abundance. I called my husband out on my run this morning, thanking him for this beautiful life he works so hard to provide to us. He responded, “Thank God!”
So, when God tells me, Nik, stay on the highest road with Me,’ ‘I say, God, no problem, I got You!’ (HUGE SMILE)
“SORRY, YOU HAVE SUCH A RATCHET (UNPOLISHED, UNREFINED, ROUGH, GHETTO) MOM!”
That was me to my son, Joshie, as we worked together to change the sheets on his bed. He incredibly responded, “You’re still the best mom in the world.” I told him thanks for that because I can sometimes be so hard on myself. But at the end of the day, I know, despite my ratchetness, I have a God who loves and approves of me. (HUGE SMILE)
That’s why I can boast of my weaknesses, baby! When I’m weak is when His strength comes shining through to help me. Like no shame in my game, I went sitting outside on the step of our front door to recalibrate after a difficult moment. Believe it or not, He showed up right there to reveal His invisible Presence with me. This God wink began this morning in a conversation with my brother, Jason. I told him that all the difficult situations I’m dealing with at the moment are HAPPENING FOR ME, NOT TO ME. So, as I sat down on that step at 44 minutes past the hour, look what showed up on page 44 of our family’s website, an old post entitled:
“NOTHING HAPPENS TO ME; IT HAPPENS FOR ME” Wink! Wink!
There was no way this was some regular coincidence. God has every moment of our lives perfectly timed, guys. He knows everything about us, including every thought we think and every word we say. The horror, right? Those words showing up there was His sweet way of letting your girl here know that she handles NOTHING alone. He stands with me!!! “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” – Isaiah 54:17
I told Jason how all these challenges I go through are making me stronger, wiser, tougher, braver, happier, and more confident, and at peace because of the way God sticks with me. It’s just for me to tap into His Presence on a moment-by-moment basis seeking His help, tact, personality, wisdom, strength, favor, and grace, paying attention to Him in my spirit as to what He would have me to do, what to say and where to go.
Are you learning God’s voice? Years ago, I said the best prayer: ‘God, I want a closer walk with You.’ And let me tell ya, He hasn’t disappointed me. “The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.” Nahum 1:7 See how he showed up for me today in that difficult moment sitting on that step. He revealed a tiny glimmer of His Presence to get me back happy again where I can confidently tell you:
“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.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
Tell Him you want a closer walk with Him, too! Wink! Wink!
‘SOMETIMES I DON’T MIND YOU HAVING THE WORST DAY’
That is what God tells me sometimes! And now I’m so on board with Him because I know these terrible days have lots to teach me. Take, for example, yesterday, it wasn’t a good day, but looking back on it, I’m grateful. I was reminded of so many vital lessons, like becoming numb to the pain of disappointments. GOD STRONG, BABY! I learned to immediately shake them off and keep my eyes fixed on God, asking what He would have me do. God, I’m at Your service! Forget about high road with God, guys, I’m on the HIGHEST road with Him because if you lean too much on other humans, you will only walk around with your head down with hurts and frustrations. But let me tell ya, those who look to the Lord, their faces are never covered in shame. We can walk with boldness, confidence, peace, and joy, KNOWING God Himself has our back! He pays us back MORE than what anyone can take from us! HEEHAW!!!
“I can do all things through Christ (God) who strengthens me,” is where we have to be, especially when God asks us difficult things of us. I love this message I just opened to:
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:10
Reflection: Our salvation in time and eternity depends entirely on how we conform our lives to God’s will, accepting it with full generosity and fidelity of heart. What is my attitude towards God’s will? Do I see it and follow it in all that happens to me?
Heavenly Father, let me always utter a resolute “Yes” whenever Your will calls me. Make me ready for any sacrifice.” – Minute Meditations for Each Day
Super tough following God! But when I look around at my life, all my blessings, all the battles He has seen me through, all the love He shows me every day with my God winks that show up all over the place, I say, ‘God, anything to please You, let me learn.’
Like I can’t get over yesterday, I was having my dinner and decided to watch Kevin Hart on Netflix. Kevin said something, and my son Emmie passed, saying the same thing simultaneously. I called Emmie asking if he had said it because he saw the words on the TV, and he said no, that it was the lyrics of a song he was listening to. I had Emmie rewind it, and he was amazed and said, “That was for sure a God wink!” See the love I’m talking about? For God to orchestrate the timing of my son rapping a song to line up perfectly with Kevin Hart at the precise time was Him showing His deep love for us. Emmie even gave me a big hug. This is after he had been giving me a hard time about something. God melted away his anger and reminded me that I’m not handling this parenting thing alone. It was also His way of comforting me on that rough and tough day. God is too much!
And this knowledge of God going through such trouble to reveal His invisible Presence with my son and me gives me the courage to stand GOD STRONG, knowing I handle nothing alone. I hope you are committing to a stronger relationship with Him this year!!! He doesn’t require perfect people to walk with Him. I’m just a weak person with a strong God by my side! Today, His message was that we can celebrate when we discover weaknesses about ourselves. He loves us unconditionally! Let’s be His angels in the world showing up as our extra loving, courageous, and supportive selves. Amen!
A SPECIAL GOD WINK
I can’t get over how God finds these fantastic ways to speak to me. After saying so many times to my family this entire week that is our year of HARD WORK, God SWEETLY got on board with me. I went as far as bringing my daughters to work to help us clean cars to imbibe this value of HARD WORK. Preached to everyone at our office that the only thing holding us back is HARD WORK and discipline. Forced my daughter Julie to join our team three full days a week. Constantly told my son Joshie that we’re now following my son Emmie by bringing our best every day by WORKING HARD. I even changed my daughters’ contacts to Hardworking Julie and Hardworking Ember from Princess Ember and Princess Julie. Like totally getting on everyone’s nerves about this HARD WORK thing after listening to Rich Roll’s conversation with Joe De Sena, who organizes extremely grueling races all over the world.
This morning I was up from 2 am helping my hubby to rectify a work issue, but that didn’t stop me from going out on my morning run. I got to my God tree and decided to call to see how the situation was going, disconnecting my air pods from the loud music I usually play. A little way up from the tree, a father watched his son cross the street to go to school. The father astonishingly said one thing:
“WORK HARD” Wink! Wink!
I knew right away that was God’s adorable way of letting me know that His invisible Presence is ALWAYS WITH ME!!! That lined up too perfectly to be some ordinary coincidence! For me to turn off my music to past that father at the perfect time to hear him say to his son, “Work hard!” was God letting me know that He is intimately involved in every aspect of my life. This gives me the boldness and confidence to face my days at peace and joy, knowing He is working on my behalf in the spiritual realm behind the scenes taking care of us.
God got us, guys!!! It’s just for us to be fully committed to walking with Him on a moment-by-moment basis. The reason I was up at 2 am so lovingly helping my husband was that I ended a conversation with my brother, Kevin, yesterday saying that God SO EXCEEDS OUR EXPECTATIONS THAT WE MUST CONTINUE STAYING ON THE HIGH ROAD BEING OUR MOST LOVING, EXCELLENT, PATIENT, FORGIVING, GOING THE EXTRA MILE SELVES, NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE ELSE IS DOING.
This brother is the perfect example of God’s love for me! He gave me him to help go through the hardest times of my life. He has been like one thousand brothers in one with the advice he gives me that I get to pass on to you through my blogs and vlogs. No joke! His wisdom is from God Himself speaking clearly to us through him. Like he told me that these runs are where I strategize with God about my problems and how to handle difficult situations because life is a war. He said to keep running, they’re working for me. Even with little sleep, I was back running!
Then the most terrific advice from him was a crazy day. I called him from under my God tree, all emotional, and he said, “Neeks, the best advice I can give you is to get closer to God. Make God your top priority.” Exactly what I needed. I started seeking God more than ever! Primarily through Dr. Charles Stanley, who confirmed so much of what I’ve written about over the years. That’s my advice to you today! THIS LIFE IS TOO HARD TO DO ON OUR OWN! God has to be our number one love; then we respond to everyone else, asking one question, “God, what would make You happy here!” I just told Kevin that these challenging situations don’t happen to me; they happen for me! They’re especially bringing me closer to God, and hopefully you, too! (HUGE SMILE)
“MAY I ASK, HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE VOICE OF GOD, YOUR VOICE/MIND, AND THE VOICE OF THE ENEMY?”
This was an excellent question asked by a Facebook friend recently! The simple answer is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. I’ve gotten to the point where I know the difference between the voices, so it’s a PRACTICE of continually and consistently paying attention and staying alert to which voice is speaking.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27
Like just waking up this morning, the crazy lady woke me up thinking all sorts of nonsense and reasons why I should be upset, frustrated, and worried. So, I ran to where I hear from God, our family’s website, werollwithgod.com. It was 32 minutes past the hour, so I went to page 32. There I was overthinking about the future, and how I was going to tackle the messy details of my life, and God sweetly says to me through my fav meditation books:
“You gain confidence through knowing that I (God) am with you – that you face nothing alone. Anxiety stems from asking the wrong question: “If such and such happens, can I handle it?” The true question is not whether you can cope with whatever happens, but whether you and I together can handle anything that occurs. It is this you-and-I together factor that gives you confidence to face your day cheerfully (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young).”
“Any words at all… you can say them to Me (God). But with others, GET TO LOVE SILENCE. I mean by that a silence of goodness. You will find me there, I shall hear all the words that you don’t say. You will keep them for Me, for My sake. You will ask Me for the strength, and these silences will be like cut flowers. I’ll offer them to Myself in a bouquet. Right now would you like to begin this silence with others, this silence that will speak so eloquently to My love? I ask you for this new way of pleasing Me. I need all your ways. How could I not want your entire being when I know that you are free.” – He and I
“MY CHILD, there are many matters of which it is 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 leave to every man his own opinion than to take part in quarrelsome talk. If you stand well with God and look to His judgment, you will more easily bear being worsted (defeated).” – Imitation of Christ
I read these messages, and I knew they were God speaking to me because of the relationship I’ve developed with Him over the years. I’ve gotten to know God’s voice, character and personality, and the person He is calling me to be in the world. So, when I read to love silence, ignore and be deaf, I knew by the feelings in my spirit that this was what God would have me to do. Based on those same feelings that have guided me so successfully through so many storms in the past learning to stay on the high road with God where He exceeds my expectations.
The key is consistently seeking God and asking for His perspective on your life. Then through following Him and seeing how things work out on your behalf, you begin to trust that voice. I know the crazy lady, too, and she only makes matters worse. Like talking to our manager yesterday on a recent decision, we agreed that God was not leading us, and we made a mistake. But it was another lesson of learning God’s voice and following what He would have us to do on a moment-by-moment basis.
To learn His voice better, I highly suggest setting times for appointments with God like first thing in the mornings, noon, and 5 pm. Not a moment of learning God’s voice is wasted. He knows the best paths for our lives. Search for places where you feel you hear from Him! I love Dr. Charles Stanley, Joel Osteen and Devon Franklin on YouTube as well.
“HARD THINGS ARE HARD”
This is a quote from an Obama picture book I keep in our dining room that I now call the “War Room” because it is where I keep my sons’ school uniforms. I keep this book there as inspiration to be the mother Obama’s mom was who woke him up before school to have private time teaching him herself. My kind of mama! I look at my life as if I’m on a personal mission from God to be the best wife possible, to raise the best kids, and to bring humanity closer to God, all for His glory, but let me tell ya; THIS IS HARD.
I got up after 3 am remembering I needed to wash uniforms for the boys to wear today, to finish sharing my posts from yesterday, and now I’m sitting down to type this message to inspire you to do hard things, too, hopefully. The girls and I came to the US from Nigeria two years ago so that they would finish their high school education here in hopes of them qualifying for admissions to their dream universities in New York along with scholarship monies. It was a sacrifice hubby and I made for our daughters’ future, splitting our family in half, but let me tell ya, it’s been tough!
God didn’t promise us an easy life, but I love this verse:
“For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended.” – 1 Peter 2:19
This is where I want us all, keeping our focus on God and continually asking, ‘God, what would You have me to do here?’ I feel like I have to be Mike Tyson taking on a lot of blows in the head sometimes, but I say, ‘God, no problem, anything You ask me to do, I will do.’ I have to shake off many disappointments with my eyes on the prize and everything that God has planned out for our family (it’s not just about me anymore). Again, not easy, especially when the crazy lady wants to come out and make an appearance, but I TRY to follow God’s voice in my head. And that voice has led our lives on a stunning path, despite the disappointments.
“I want you to work on being wise,” were the words from my brother, Kevin, that I keep in mind. For me, that means looking to God on a moment-by-moment basis seeking to be the person He would have me to be. If He says, Nik, be the glue that keeps your family together. I do that. If He asks me to be my most loving, patient, going the extra mile self, I do that, too, because God gives us far beyond what we can ever ask or imagine when we stay on the high road with Him.
Life is all about perspective, baby! I now take all the negativity that comes as fuel to put even more goodness out in the world and most crucially to get even closer to God where I’m with Him 24/7. Today I’ll begin my 50 days of discipline again where I’ll be waking up earlier and working harder to be all I feel God is calling me to be in the world – His Rockstar wife, mother, and person! I so enjoyed having our daughters at work with us yesterday as I try to imbue this value of doing everything for God’s glory, bringing our best every day like my son Emmie taught me, knowing our reward is with God. Yes, we will have some hard things to do, but God will be our strength. Wink! Wink! Let’s make Papa God proud out there!
“The people who know their God will be strong and do great things.” – Daniel 11:32