This God wink started from Joshies’ first day of summer camp almost two weeks ago. He told me about a short guy in his class who began referring to another slightly overweight kid in the class as “BIG DADDY.” I told him how mean and terrible that was (for the record), but we ended up keeping this “BIG DADDY” as my little fun nickname for Joshie. Then one day, I’m talking to my husband, and Joshie says to him, “Hey, BIG DADDY!” and we’ve all just been having a terrific time with this “BIG DADDY” thing.
Fast forward to this morning, I’m talking to my husband, and I asked him, “Do you want me to call you Papa Bear or BIG DADDY? I like calling you BIG DADDY (SMILE).” We were buying cars together at the auction, and there was a Range Rover he was interested in buying, and I said, “This is a BIG DADDY RANGE ROVER.” You guys are not going to believe this, but in less than one hour after our conversation, a message came up for one of the sales at the auction saying, “If sale – Online Bid: BIG DADY CARS INC. (Wink! Wink!)”
This was another one of my God winks where everything lines up enormously too perfectly to be considered some ordinary coincidence. It’s God’s loving way of getting in on our family’s joke and letting us know that His invisible Presence is always with us. How sweet is that? To go through life knowing God is always with you.
Our real BIG DADDY – God is so funny and EXTREMELY LOVING. In fact, today, I was feeling so terrible about this rut I’ve been in lately. I’ve stopped exercising. Stopped all my work for God. And I was feeling awful in my appointment with Him. He had this to say to me through an old post, though:
“But even in my weaknesses, lack of focus and drive, God shows up in my morning appointment, letting me know that HE IS PLEASED WITH ME:
“I AM PLEASED WITH YOU, MY CHILD…You don’t have to perform well in order to receive My love (Wink! Wink!). In fact, a performance focus will pull you away from Me… It can also be a source of deep discouragement when your works don’t measure up to your expectation (me lately!).
Shift your focus from performance to My radiant Presence. The Light of My Love shines on you continually, regardless of your feelings or behavior. Your responsibility is to be receptive to this unconditional Love.” – Jesus Calling
God is too much! To come and meet me at this low point and remind me of His unconditional love that He has for us all. I’m just the God nerd who pays attention. Don’t miss out! Say this prayer with me, ‘God, I want a closer walk with You.’ Then start involving Him in every decision. Every circumstance. Every relationship. As He guides us all on the path to the best life with Him. Amen.
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“GET GOOD AT COVERING THE OFFENSES OF OTHERS!”
This is such great advice I received through Victoria Osteen! In fact, I’m getting GREAT at overlooking, forgiving, ignoring, and staying on the high road with God. It’s like I’m living life with one foot on earth, where the offenses constantly show up, but one foot sweetly in heaven where I rest and enjoy God. I don’t let the irritations, frustrations, and disappointments get the best of me anymore. I wisely use them to push myself even closer to God. And the closer you get to God, the infinitely better your life gets. (HUGE SMILE)
In my alone times with Him, God whispers His secrets to me. Like today, He had these reminders to pop up:
“Happiness never came from the dependency upon people; happiness comes from dependency upon Allah/God alone.” – Tumblr.com via believeroftheunseen
“Don’t love people so much; don’t rely on people so much. It is deception, don’t love it, don’t love anything here. Allah (God) has made connections in this world like mother, father, husband, wife, or friend to test you. Don’t put too much heart in this matter.” – Shaykh Mohammad Akram Nadwi
God, I’m seriously getting the lesson! I just had one of my sacred conversations with my daughter, Julie. She shared with me how God is teaching her not to love praise so much from other people. And that you should accept compliments the same as criticism because people are so fickle. One minute they can love and adore you, and the next, you are their biggest enemy. So, the trick I’ve learned is not to lean on other people for recognition, love, and approval; I look to God and respond to everything and everyone with His love holding and backing me up in this treacherous world.
So, the wiser Nik has learned to go to God every moment. I seek to be the best person He is calling me to be in every circumstance, every relationship, every decision. Doing this has led my life on a gorgeous path like my brother, Kevin, so wonderfully put it. It’s all because I’ve made God the Guide and First Love of my life. A LIFE GUIDED BY GOD CANNOT FAIL!
All these relationships are tests. Learn the crucial lessons each interaction is there to teach you and keep walking humbly, calmly, and faithfully with God. We need others. Life is too hard on our own. We just have to learn to keep everyone in their proper perspective. God has to be our God, who we’re ultimately depending on, nobody else. So let’s show up as our MOST loving, genuine, supportive, and forgiving selves, giving our best, all for God’s glory. Everything is between Him and us!!! When we shine, He shines, too! Wink! Wink!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“YOU’RE TRYING TO KILL US IN AMERICA!!!”
That was my sweetie pie, now eleven-year-old Siah, yesterday. “You want us to go to summer camp. You want us to go to work. How many things do you want us to do?!?” LOL! I have the best time laughing and joking with him because he has this fun, light, loving, happy personality, and he is such a pleasure to be around. And that’s where I want us all, lightheartedly and joyfully going through life, crucially KNOWING we have God who is ALWAYS with us.
That was the lesson I tried teaching my daughter, Julie, and nephew, Duro, on Friday at our office. We can enjoy work and be happy and cheerful around the people we work with. But they both turned on me saying I took my terrible jokes too far (rough crowd!). But the following morning, Julie came to apologize after her appointment with God. He repeated the lesson I was trying to teach her. She said no way this was a coincidence that this showed up in her alone time with God reading our Jesus Calling daily devotional:
“LEARN TO LAUGH at yourself more freely. Don’t take yourself or your circumstances so seriously. Relax and know that I am God with you… Laughter lightens your load and lifts your heart into heavenly places. Your laughter rises to heaven and blends with angelic melodies of praise. Just as parents delight in the laughter of their children, so I delight in hearing My children laugh. I rejoice when you trust Me enough to enjoy your life lightheartedly. Do not miss the Joy of My Presence by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Rather, take My yoke upon you and learn from Me. My yoke is comfortable and pleasant; My burden is light and easily borne. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. – Proverbs 17:22””
This life gets hard and extremely overwhelming sometimes, but this is the lesson that God has been teaching me. We can be joyful and at peace despite the challenges, stresses, and frustrations that come our way. His yoke is easy, meaning we can hand over the heavy burdens from our shoulders to Him, trusting He is at work in the spiritual realm on our behalf. We can HAPPILY show up giving our best to life and leave the rest with Him.
Today, we’re headed over to celebrate Father’s Day with family. Family and loving relationships are essential for life. We need each other to help lighten the journey. I loved another conversation I had with Siah yesterday. I asked who did he need to forgive. He surprisingly responded, “No one. I’ve learned from you to always forgive.” Then when his dad was a little upset with me today, I stole from Siah’s playbook and lightheartedly said, “I’m sorry, Sa (Sir in a Nigerian accent).” He then responded, “Who am I to forgive anyone?” That should be everyone’s attitude! Who are any of us to withhold forgiveness from anyone when we mess up all day, every day ourselves? We’re here to love, support, encourage, and PATIENTLY bear with each other, leaving the judging and forgiving with God. No one is perfect!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“JULIE, WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO WORK?”
That was me harassing my seventeen-year-old daughter this week! She told me, and she stuck with her word joining me day before yesterday at our office. We’re in the car business, and I gave her the assignment to sit with a manager and assist him with posting ads on the internet. She sat with him until all vehicles were listed. That’s my hardworking boo! Early the following day, some customers showed up showing us one of the ads Julie posted.
Long story short, they ended up buying the vehicle, but you wouldn’t believe the name of the customer… Julie. How did JULIE end up coming to buy a car from an ad JULIE posted? Believe it or not, this was one of my perfectly orchestrated God alignments to let me know that He is with me as I work on this overwhelming challenge of getting our business back on track. There is no way that my daughter, JULIE can show up one day to help us with our advertising, and another JULIE shows up to purchase one. THIS WAS NO ORDINARY COINCIDENCE; it was God!
There is an important verse in the Bible I live my life by:
“’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).
Meaning that I’m relying on God who is working in the spiritual realm on my behalf. Yesterday, in my appointment with Him, He said that I should look at this getting our business on track again as a lighthearted challenge that He and I can handle together. In other words, ‘Nik, have fun with it, I’m with you to help you!’ So, as Julie showed up to post ads, God’s Spirit made sure that the other Julie saw it and showed up to buy it. Like I always say, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” God and I are a TEAM, baby, as I bravely and joyfully tackle every aspect of my life with Him!
Perspective is everything! With God on our side, we can show up giving life our very best and trust that He can do what we can’t do: “’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” It’s just for us to learn His voice and follow where He leads us on a moment-by-moment basis. His ways are not our ordinary human ways, His ways are far superior. I get my wisdom from God on living my best life, and I want you here with me. Make sure you wake up every day making Him your priority!!! Instead of saying I have a lot on my plate, I’ve made God the plate. Meaning I’m centering everything on Him seeking His help with EVERYTHING I do, say, and everywhere I go. He is my life Partner! This life is much too hard to go it alone! WE NEED GOD!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
I HAD SUCH A TERRIBLE DAY ON SUNDAY
But God figured out a way to remind me that His sweet Presence is always with me. I was out with my daughter, Ember, running some errands. I told her how my trip to Nigeria was so good for me and how God has changed my perspective on my relationship with her dad. I said a verse showed up from the Bible that taught me to honor the leaders that work hard for me (her father) and that I should overwhelm him with love and appreciation. I told her how her dad goes overboard in showing us his genuine love, and we should do the same for him.
Fast forward a few hours later, I go to have an appointment with God at “31” minutes past the hour on page “31” of our family’s website, and look what shows up on top of the page there:
“Honor those leaders who work so hard for you (that’s my husband!)… Overwhelm them with appreciation and love (Wink! Wink!)” – 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
It was another one of my God winks when, out of the blue, everything lines up a little bit too perfect to be some ordinary coincidence. It was all orchestrated by God to let me know on a terrible day that His invisible Presence is always with me. From an intimate conversation with my daughter to an alone time seeking Him. That was all Him wrapping His arms around me to comfort me when He knew I was feeling so down and discouraged the entire day with so many difficult things on my plate to deal with right now. This life is hard! We need God.
The next day, I bounced out of bed back to being God’s girl full of such peace and joy – My God is with me! I am confident that with Him on my side, there is no difficulty too great for Him and me to handle together. That’s what I call Godfidence! As I do my best, I trust that God is working behind the scenes in the spiritual realm on my behalf. I can therefore work for the best AND expect the best!
About this overwhelming my husband with appreciation and love, though. It’s also to teach all of us about loving others God’s way. The human way is to focus on what others are doing wrong, cut them off, take revenge, get angry, but God’s way is for us to love unconditionally despite others’ weaknesses, faults, and failings. That true love can go through the darkest of times, but yet there can still be hope that better days are still out ahead of us without giving up on each other. Love AND loyalty, baby! All for the glory of God!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“MY MOTHER, THE DRUG ADDICT!”
That’s my daughter, Ember, having some fun with me looking at two bottles of Nyquil cold medicine next to my bed. I’ve been sick, y’all! I think all the stress I’ve been under lately and flying from Nigeria to the US to make it in time for Ember’s graduation finally caught up with me. But it’s all good! I’m much better and ready to take on the world again, superhuman style, baby! All for the glory of God! Wink! Wink!
But speaking of this drug addict thing, I’m pretty proud to be prescription drug and alcohol-free thanks to God, who has been my wonderful Counselor, Partner, and Guide, helping to support me as I take on life that gets to be pretty overwhelming and challenging. LIFE IS CERTAINLY NOT EASY! That’s why it’s my honor and privilege to share my relationship with Him so that you too can work on getting closer to Him. I promise you, there is nothing better than going through life knowing that you have God with you as your constant Companion. You can look to Him for help and guidance on a moment-by-moment basis making decisions from a crucial God perspective knowing He is always with and for you. As you do your best in the physical realm, you know He is fighting your battles in the spiritual realm on your behalf. That’s faith!
He has a pretty funny sense of humor, too, once you get to know His personality. Like the other day, after taking a shower and putting on deodorant, I looked in the mirror at all the armpit hair I had going on. I said to myself, ‘NIK, WHAT IS THIS??? This is terrible! How did you get to this point?!?’ Can you believe minutes later, I’m talking to my husband in Nigeria and he says something to someone else in the background like, “If you have a lot of armpit hair you should go and shave it before you get carried away.” Where did that come from?!? Believe it or not, that’s what I call a God wink where, out of the blue, everything lines up a little bit too perfect to be some ordinary coincidence. It was the fun and cool side of God I’ve gotten to know and love with Him finding a way of revealing His invisible Presence with me. I’ve been with my husband for twenty years now, and I’ve never heard him say anything like that before. It was all orchestrated by God to sweetly remind us all that He is with us in every moment. And He knows every thought we think! The horror, right?
But we don’t have to be all cleaned up for God!!! I’m so so so far from perfect, but I know I have God’s love and approval no matter how badly I make a mess of things. He doesn’t judge us and cut us off like other humans. Instead, he loves and accepts us exactly who and how we are (shaved or unshaven armpits! LOL!). He just makes us better.
Give God a try! I love waking up to my appointments with Him reading old posts from our family’s website, werollwithgod.com, where I’m reminded of all my God winks and that I’m not going through life alone and He is always with me. I’m also reminded of the person He is calling me to be in the world: tough, strong, brave, courageous, and faith-filled, yet soft, gentle, joyful, calm, humble, flexible, loving, forgiving, and patient. That I can enjoy my life at peace knowing He is my right hand/my go-to (My help comes from the Lord!). God, bring us all closer to You! Amen!
“FORGET WORST YEAR; THIS WILL BE MY BEST YEAR EVER!!!” (REPOST)
That was me to my fierce daughter, Ember, who called me a little while ago. She said to me a few months ago that 2020 was looking like my worst year, and that was just the reality check I needed to turn things around. I can’t let my daughters see their momma down! No way! I’ve switched the script, and I’m making this year my best ever as I get closer and closer to God!
I loved a Tumblr post:
“My dear friend, when grief presses you to the dust, worship there.” – Spurgeon
That’s me all the way! I’m worshiping and thanking God no matter where I am or what comes my way. I’ve made Him my Life Partner, and I know there is never a single moment that His invisible Presence is not with me. Like my God wink the other night when our manager called me from the US and said, “in the house” exactly the same time as a cartoon show my kids were watching showed in very big writing across the screen, “IN DA HOUSE.” It was another one of my God winks where out of the blue, everything lined up too perfectly to be some ordinary coincident. It was God revealing His invisible Presence with me. Nik, I’m with you always!
And that’s the sweetness I’m finding from God. That no matter where I am, US or Nigeria, He finds a way to show me His deep love and intimacy with everything going on with me. For that manager to say that precisely as those words appeared up on the screen was all God!
This gives me the CONFIDENCE TO TACKLE PROBLEMS BRAVELY. Late last night before sleeping, he said through my meditation book, Jesus Calling, “WATCH TO SEE WHAT I WILL DO.” So all the problems that I’m up against right now, this was His way to remind me that I don’t have to figure out the next ten steps alone. I could trust that as I show up as my best, excellent, most loving, forgiving, courageous self, doing what He would have me to do, He will handle the rest. I felt Him giving me a nudge through my spirit of how to tackle something, and once again, I know I’m not that smart. It’s all God! MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD.
