This morning, I went out for my run with tears in my eyes but came back feeling like the most BLESSED person in the world. Here’s what happened under my God tree, when at 27 minutes past the hour, I picked page 27 to read on our family’s website, werollwithgod.com:
I first read about my daughter, Ember. I called her to ask one question, “Do you have any doubt that God arranged all of this for you?” My girl is about to leave to what I call a country club university in New York, where she can learn horseback riding, join the tennis club, and most crucially, have internship opportunities with the top companies in the world. I can’t get over how the university already received a part of the loan money from Discover Card. Her dad did not initially agree for her to go, so I said I would guarantee them for her like my mom did for me.
One day I said to her, “Don’t come to work until you find out about applying for student loans?” She Googled and discovered that Discover Card offered them. Within less than a few hours, they approved her for up to $140,000 for her 4-year degree. This is after the school had already given her $120,000 of scholarship monies. When I write that God exceeds our expectations, He truly does! “Please, God and university, take her, and finish raising her for me!!!” I have no doubt God will continue to guide and be with her every little step of the way. God, our confidence is in You!
“LORD your love reaches to the heavens, your loyalty to the skies” – Psalm 36:5
Then, I continued reading about what had me in tears before leaving – my hurts – that have become my cross to carry for God:
“What then will the cross be for us? Look: what do you find most difficult in your everyday life? Well, that’s the Redeemer’s cross for you. Those tough temptations you meet, your ill health, your heavy demanding work, the defects of the people among whom you live, WHO HURT YOU…. Have supernatural outlook! All this, for you, is the cross of Christ…Carry it joyfully, lovingly. Carry it generously and you will learn to hide it from those around you, as you would hide a treasure. Hide it behind a generous smile and you will discover in the depths of your soul, what our Lord’s words mean when he says, ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light’ (Mt 11:30); for he, the good Cyrenean of souls will help you carry it.” – Jesus As Friend by Salvatore Canals
And on Good Friday, when, historically, Jesus carried his cross thousands of years ago, God was personally asking me to carry this one. No problem, God, anything for You. I will happily and joyously carry it. Especially after talking to my brother, Kevin, who said my cross is nothing compared to the crosses others have to carry. I’ll take my spec of a cross any day, any time! (SMILE) What’s your cross?”
Reading that “spec of a cross” was just the perspective change I needed. I decided not to run back home but to take a slow walk to look around and smell the roses. I passed Calvary Church, promising God that just like Jesus who carried his cross to Calvary, I too will joyfully carry my cross for Him and stop being a big, babyface whiner.
“Look around. Look at your life,” I felt God saying to me in my spirit as I walked home happily singing and dancing. God has been my loving Guard Rails who has guided my life on a gorgeous path. Thank You, God, and my brother, Kevin, pictured here with me. I will joyfully carry my spec of a cross, being my most loving and joyful self, all for the glory of God! Everything is between Him and us, not between us and anyone else. Ember, enjoy the country club! You deserve it, my fierce babe! Keep blazing the trail for your siblings to follow!
Those were the lyrics from Juice WRLD & benny that got me all excited on my God run today! That’s my time to hash out with Him what He would have me write about, and I was just thinking of the words “LIVE GREATNESS” printed on the shirts of the servers at the Hard Rock Hotel where we spent Sunday. When I heard those lyrics, SO I’M LIVIN’ GREAT, I knew it was God (my DJ!) reminding me that His Presence is always with me and He knows everything I think about. (HUGE SMILE) Are you getting the message that we can live these fantastic and great lives KNOWING He is with us in every moment, giving us His love, encouragement, wisdom, strength, approval, support, favor, direction, clarity, and grace. I’m talking DIVINE ASSISTANCE, baby, from God Himself, who is PERSONALLY and INTIMATELY involved in our lives.
But don’t take my word for it. Say, God, I want a closer walk with You!’ Then, start involving Him in every decision you make. Every relationship. Every circumstance. He is there to offer His guidance. Even yesterday, after getting a quote from a mechanic that was almost $800, I said to my nephew, Duro, to call around to some other people we work with. Immediately he told me what another mechanic had said, I said, “Let’s take this vehicle to him.” I felt that assurance in my spirit from God (His green light of approval!) that this was the direction to take. He took care of the issue within a couple of hours and only charged us $140. The wiser Nikki knows that God is my Partner in everything, including our business. He was the one nudging me to switch mechanics! And as I’m typing this, I’m waiting for a customer who wants to purchase it, and I know it’s God’s favor sending people our way to support us. No doubt!
Then, I have to mention my YouTuber, Stargirl, who has DIRECT messages from God, confirming so many things I feel God has been saying to me. The love I receive from God through listening to this lady has been unbelievable. Like on Sunday, I was telling the kids that I’m a rebel. Like who opens up their life the way I do talking about God’s invisible Presence is winking at her? Only me! They said, ‘Mom, you are no rebel, you don’t even speed.” Can you believe Stargirl brings this up in her latest video? She said something like, “You’re a rebel. You don’t conform. You’re a trendsetter. People follow you!” And my prayer is that the world follows me by making God a priority! Seeking Him all day. Every day. As we LIVE GREATNESS WITH GOD!
“ONEKA, ARE YOU ALRIGHT? I DIDN’T HEAR FROM YOU TODAY”
That was the WhatsApp voice message my “Sama” sister/mama, Kelly, left me yesterday. I called her to say that the baboon is working hard these days because I AM KNOWN TO BE VERY LAZY AND PROCRSAITNATE TOO MUCH. So, even though, I had lots on my plate this morning, the feeling from God was to take some time and talk with her while walking. I got to my God tree, and asked her what she had to say to it, and she sweetly said, “Thank you, tree, for giving my sister peace and clarity.” I then hung up from her to see what God had to say to me there. It was 16 minutes past the hour, so I went to page 16 of our family’s website, and look what incredibly showed up:
““MOM, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING LAZY AND PROCRASTINATING!” (Wink! Wink!) Oh my goodness! I’m so thanking my daughter, Ember, for being so real with me when she said this to me recently – l love criticism!”
See how God found a way under that tree to remind me that His loving and invisible Presence is always with me. That’s the love I want you guys to know and experience for yourselves. The better you know Him, the more you love Him! He is too much! How could my very words to my sister show up so perfectly on page 16 at 16 minutes past the hour? No coincidence. All God, baby!
And let me tell you, I love the alliance I have with this sister. She makes me stronger and better! Every conversation with her is sacred. Like after speaking with her today, I had to have a tough meeting with my daughters. I explained that life is not just about always asking, ‘What’s in this for me?’ But, ‘What can I do to help you?’ Relationships are a two-way street. You give, and you get! Having humility and asking, ‘How may I serve you?’ with a helpful, grateful, and kind attitude, and always giving your best is the way to go. Not just asking other people to do for you! It ain’t that kind of party! “If you’re a street cleaner, be the best street cleaner!” God loves the humble!!!
The conversation with the boys on the way to school was the best, though! We read about faithfulness (something we seemed to have forgotten about in the world today!):
“This fruit of the Spirit is the word for standing fast, steadfastness, devoted, tried, constant, reliable, unwavering, trustworthy, dependable, resolute, honest, punctual, and steady… The faithful person is dependable in all kind of life circumstances.” – Robert Strand
I explained that this will be a HARD year for them because that’s what I did for their sisters when they were their ages. Now, my girls rock! Ember is about to go to university in New York, where she eventually wants to work on Wall Street. Julie is registering for in-person college classes that will be held 30 minutes away from our home, even though she technically is still a high school student. By the grace of God, we’ve raised some confident, hardworking, disciplined, wise, independent, and responsible daughters. Heehaw!
Like I tell you guys, I GET MY ADVICE FROM GOD! He knows the utmost best for us (including the people we need in life like Kelly and my brother, Kevin (in the picture with me!). I want us all going to Him for clarity and direction in every aspect of our lives. A LIFE GUIDED BY GOD CANNOT FAIL!!!
“SHOULD I TAKE MY SONS TO WORK WITH ME EVERY SATURDAY?”
That’s the question I’ve been asking everyone like a crazy lady. I don’t want to be too hard nor too soft. Like Mike, our customer/friend, told me, “Nik, you’re raising men.” Even my husband is against me taking them EVERY week, but I look at how hardworking he is, and it’s because he had a mom who took him to work hard in her business. So, I went to God, praying and asking Him for some guidance on the matter. Can you guys believe He figured out a way to answer me?
So, there I was, again debating in my spirit before going out for a run to touch my God tree. An old post from three days before came through my phone’s email, and something told me to stop and read it. Look what incredibly showed up:
“Take them to work EVERY Saturday!”
And that right there is what I call the sweetness of God. He found a way to answer me. (HUGE SMILE) My son, Emmie, was so upset at me that morning, and I questioned myself. Taking that little minute to hear from God before going out on that run made me so happy, knowing God is PERSONALLY involved in every aspect of my life.
That’s the great news I have for you: God wants to help us in our individual lives! He didn’t just create us and say, ‘Good luck with this life thing!’ I’ve happily accepted this assignment from Him to be His little guinea pig to tackle whatever He throws my way and report to you guys how He shows up for me no matter what is going on.
In my last post, I wrote that I want us all winning together, and God even confirmed that in an appointment with Him with a poem saying something like, ‘I don’t want a crown for myself, but for all to wear one!’ That’s His love—He wants us all winning!!! He is with us, for us, and on our side. It’s just for us to commit to a relationship with Him and follow His lead in every decision. He is constantly speaking to us. Those feelings of peace are His way of saying go this way, versus doubt, anxiety, and stress, when we think of going a certain direction, means to hold up, rethink this! Will you commit to walking closer with God today? My eyes are on the prize, baby, with God lovingly leading the way! I hope you join me! Let’s win together! Wink! Wink!
“TRUSTING GOD AND IGNORING HUBBY’S RED FLAGS IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT”
Was the message I got from a Facebook friend. She continued:
“Saying hubby is too busy and tired to call his wife and children is exactly that, an excuse. A red flag! Hubby has been too busy to be a hubby and father for many years now. That’s God’s truth, but you’re not trying to hear that.”
Tough crowd, right?!? My brother, Kevin, said I should keep it real with you guys, so the God’s truth is that I have the best husband/baby daddy in the world! Like I say, though, we ain’t perfect, but we’re damn close! Every marriage has its own set of challenges (demons!!!), but God has been the best Marriage Counselor! Wink! Wink!
One day I got upset with hubby, and he made the best statement, “Nikki, I’m done trying to explain myself to you! Ask God about me!” No joke guys, God opened my eyes to all the excellent qualities of my husband that I now love and adore. The devil would have me to focus on the wrong things!!! But God has been teaching me to love hubby His way, going the extra mile in love (forgiveness), joy, goodness, forgiveness, patience, humility, self-control, kindness, and faithfulness (the fruits of the spirit). That goes for all our significant relationships!
Hopefully, these characteristics are what I’m reflecting in these posts because they are the foundation to a God-centered life/personality where we constantly ask Him, “God, what would You have me to do here?’ His ways are not the ordinary human ways, but when we follow His lead, staying on the high road with Him by being our most loving, patient, and excellent selves, he lovingly guides us on the best paths uniquely for us.
I’m thankful, and I’m blessed to have this gift of faith and for God’s guidance with my family and me. I can’t imagine my life without Him! But I want you here with me, too, not conforming with the world but learning God’s voice. I want us all WINNING together! Wink! Wink!
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8
