“LOOK WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU WERE OBEDIENT TO GOD. YOU’RE WINNING, NIK.”
These words from our friend/customer, Mike, surprised me one day we were chatting outside our office. For him to notice that and comment on it blew me away. I may go through my tough and challenging times, but following God’s voice has guided me to a beautiful place that I confidently tell you, A LIFE CLOSE TO GOD CANNOT FAIL!!! And that’s my message to the world: when you are obedient and follow God’s lead, this is the way to the best life with Him as your PERSONAL Guide and Adviser.
A verse in the Bible says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” I want the world here with me, listening and following God in the 1,000 decisions we make every day, trusting that God knows what’s best for us in every situation. He has been teaching me such important values in my alone times with Him. That when I’m back out in the world, I try to center my decisions from a ‘God, what would You have me to do here?’ perspective. Super tough sometimes when the crazy lady wants to make an appearance, but the wiser, calmer, more loving, and patient Nik has learned that God ALWAYS knows best. I may lose here and there, but in the BIG picture, I’m winning! Wink! Wink!
And a strong life has an impact on others, was the message from Dr. Charles Stanley, who has been such a tremendous blessing to me. I listen to his sermons and always pick up on so many ways where I can improve. Check him out on YouTube! I now look at my 50 days of discipline as not just about being an opportunity to improve myself and tackle some weaknesses, but how can I inspire you to seek a closer walk with God. I want us all to win together by being the people God Himself would have us to be.
I loved a story on the news of how Russia and the USA have supported each other in their space endeavors. When one country lacks the funds, the other country backs them up. They share information for the betterment of the space program and with vital information for the world. I feel this is where God wants us all: WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER!
May we all show up as our best selves, doing our best with whatever God asks us to do as we make the world a better place, starting in our homes and close relationships. The more beautiful we look – inside and out – the more beautiful God looks! Wink! Wink! Join me in the days of discipline! What bad habits do you need God’s strength to help you overcome? We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Amen!
“WERE YOU THINKING HE WAS WITH HIS OTHER FAMILY IN NIGERIA? THAT’S WHY HE WASN’T CHECKING ON YOU?”
I just read this comment on Facebook after sharing that I was a little hurt when I didn’t hear from my hubby one evening. He is in Nigeria, and I’m in the US, and of course, the devil is busy with wanting to put all sorts of crazy thoughts into my head. But I’m saying, “Devil, you’re not going to put me to shame; I’m going to put you to shame!” Your girl here is going to use this time from hubby as an opportunity to up my game in every aspect of my life. HEEHAW!!!
I began my 50 days of discipline again—no time for weak, silly thoughts. I need to discipline my mind to think of good, lovely, worthy of praise, excellent, true, and honorable things. I have the best husband in the world! That’s all I know and all I need to know. Time and energies are limited and valuable. Don’t waste them dwelling and focused on what is unimportant and useless. I want to work on being an even better wife to this hubby who has been God’s gift to our family, and has stuck with me for the last 20 years. Ride or die chick forever, boo!
“Take them to work EVERY Saturday!” was the advice of a customer, Mike, regarding my sons. He blew me away when he told me how he kept up with all his bills even though he didn’t have a job during the Covid lockdown. I asked him how he did it, and his response was, “Nikki, I’m a man. I have to do what I have to do.” That reminded me that I’m raising my boys to be men one day. This life is not easy, and just how my mom dragged me to work with her to prepare me for life, I’ll be taking our sons. To hopefully pass on the vital legacy my mom taught me: “If you are a street cleaner, be the best street cleaner.” Amen! Let’s do everything for the glory of God! He is our ultimate Boss!
“This business needs you, Nik!” was also Mike’s advice. After our manager wasn’t able to find a good deal for him for a car he wanted to purchase, he came to see me and in that conversation with him about the boys, I came up with an idea (God’s whispers solutions to me!) and made the deal happen. Then hearing myself say that I have 20 years of experience opened my eyes to the fact that our business does need me there. And with God’s spirit and wisdom backing me up, the people to assist me, God’s favor sending customers our way, I can go in with the strength and courage to take on my life joyfully, knowing He is with me in every moment.
“Run,” was incredibly the text message from Mike yesterday morning, exactly as I left a meeting and was debating whether or not to go for my run with God or not. It was like he was reading my mind. Guys, I went running in the rain feeling like this that a message from God saying I should not skip my run (alone time with Him!). Julie, my accountability coach, later explained that I need to keep the running going as a crucial part of the 50 days of discipline.
See how Mike has been such a Godsend? Let me tell ya, he does not play around with his relationship with God. He wakes up every morning to alone times with God and spends all day on Sundays at church praising and thanking God. That’s where I want us all – Making God a priority! I have no doubt it was God who sent him with all this great advice. That’s the love of God I’ve gotten to know! He corrects those He loves!
Mike also said, “Look what happened because you were obedient to God. You’re winning, Nik.” Honestly, I’m amazed how God has led my life on such a beautiful and gorgeous path. Don’t play around with your relationship with Him. Make all your decisions from the perspective of, ‘God, what would You have me to do here?’ I promise you, this is the way to the best life with Him! Thanks, Mike!!!
And it turned out to be such a beautiful thing! So yes, I was a bit disappointed not hearing from him now that he is back in Nigeria and I’m in the US. But God showed up! After feeling sad about it all the following morning, I go for my run with God. When a glitch occurred with the Nike run I selected, and it refused to play, I knew it was God’s way of calling my attention to the lyrics of this song that was the very first to randomly play:
“The very first time that I saw your brown eyes… I knew right then you were the one… You were more than just a face… I JUST WANNA BE THE ONE YOU NEED… I just wanna be the One to serve you… To be with Me through thick and thin… Please share My love with Me, My friend… I cherish every moment that We share… I need someone who will be My friend… Promise that you’ll never leave me lonely… I JUST WANT TO BE THE ONE YOU NEED…” – If I Ever Fall in Love, Shai
Told you guys, God is pretty talkative once you have ears to hear Him! For this song to be the very first to play during my morning run with Him, was His sweet way of telling me that He didn’t want me sad and upset by feeling a little rejected by hubby and that HE WANTS TO BE THE ONE I NEED! God is really a jealous God! Others may reject us, but His love is everlasting, faithful, and unconditional.
In hubby’s defense, though, he has so much going on, and he is pretty tired by the time he gets home. I was getting spoilt with spending every evening with him here cooking for us and watching our show Blacklist on Netflix together. Love ya, boo!
How is your relationship with God going? Are you His friend? I promise you, all my alone times that I’ve invested in getting to know Him have paid off infinity percent! Hubby may not be here with me, but knowing God is my Constant Companion (who sings to me!) gives me the courage to take on my life bravely, joyfully, lovingly, peacefully, and STRONG!
My daughter, Ember, was supposed to pick up some stuff at a nearby Audi dealership yesterday. However, we both forgot! This morning, I felt God in my spirit saying, ‘Nik, you go!’ Immediately I saw the building, the happy tears started coming. I didn’t remember that this was the building that we passed every Sunday on our way to church and my husband would say to me and our kids, “That’s our dealership!” Can you believe this very business inspired my husband to replicate it in Nigeria? Those drives with them were over 15 years ago, and it just filled me with overwhelming gratitude for the faithfulness of God. Not only did He give my husband the courage, strength, inspiration, wisdom, and clarity to accomplish such a feat, He has been with our family EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY! I called hubby crying, saying, “It’s my honor to accompany you on this life adventure! God has exceeded our expectations!”
“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9
That’s why I take such delight in telling you guys my God stories! To say that if you are not rolling with God, you’re missing out on the best life! This pic is of me and my husband hanging out with my brother, Gil, and his wife, Grace, my sister, Marilyn, and her son, Warren at his restaurant, The Salty Crab, on Junkanoo Beach in the Bahamas. We had such a great time there, enjoying the out-of-this-world ambiance, eating some delicious food. If you go, have the shrimp and conch combo with extra ketchup and hot sauce! Great job, my War! Hope to be back soon for some more! To God be the glory!
And speaking of faithful, that’s my sister, Marilyn – Madam Faithful herself in that pic! Seeing her go the extra mile for everyone (including me and hubs who just showed up to surprise them) inspired me to up my game in faithfulness, loyalty, and dependability, knowing that these values are repaid by God Himself when we stick with being the people He would have us to be.
That was my message to some people God had me run into yesterday. I needed to go to the bank, so I rushed out before they were scheduled to close. But like 20 minutes before I left, I called this person who I haven’t spoken to in weeks, and they texted me back saying they were on a call and they would call me back. I get to the bank, and the feeling from God was not to use the bank’s drive-thru window, but I must go inside. Can you believe I ended up parking right next to the person I had called? “It’s like I’m stalking you!” I excitedly said. There was no way this was some mere coincidence! It was God Himself directing my footsteps to meet them there!
I was even wearing a T-shirt that I took the tag off that very morning that I purchased for all of us to wear and take pictures together that says, “Better Together.” The pictures never happened, but meeting them there was God’s way of confirming that He wants us together. I was blown away by how God is so involved in our lives! I encouraged them to stay on the high road with God no matter what anyone else is doing. Everything is between God and us. Let’s just ask, ‘God what would make You happy here?’ and be about doing it. I promise you, the disappointments will still come, but God will pay You back more than anything anyone could ever take from you! He doesn’t disappoint! You can ask yourself this crucial question:
“Were you insulted or were you given a lesson in forgiveness, a test in unconditional love?” -Change your attitude, change your life. (Tumblr.com via michaelbogild)
I questioned myself yesterday after I shared that we sold two cars as to whether or not I reveal too much about my life in these blogs and vlogs. But when I think about the awesomeness of God and His involvement in EVERYTHING concerning me, I say it’s my pleasure to document this great news. That no matter the aspect, God is personally concerned about anything concerning us on an individual basis. Don’t ask me how He keeps track of the billions of people on the planet on a moment-by-moment basis, but He incredibly does. God knows what’s best for you, best for me, best for cousin John, and everyone else. My job is to report to you how He shows up for me on the daily so that you too will begin to feel His Presence. I call it the sweet life with God, baby!
Let’s take a closer look at those two vehicles we sold, though, as to how God shows up for us in our business. “How do you know what cars to buy?” my sweetie sister, Kelly, asked me yesterday. I told her about our buying strategy, where we go through two detailed reports giving us the history of the cars. Then, most crucially, we get God involved. We have a conversation with Him about each vehicle. Feelings of doubt from Him mean don’t buy. The ones we are excited and feel peaceful about after praying for His guidance are the ones we try to purchase. God is an expert in everything! He knows the real history and condition of every vehicle that those reports can’t tell us. I’ve learned that those feelings are His way of constantly communicating to us 24 hours a day. It’s just for us to stay close to Him and pay attention to what He is saying. Kk?
These two particular vehicles we sold; I remember asking God whether the price points were too much before trying to bid on them. I got the feeling from Him that He would send the right customers who would qualify to buy them. That gave me the confidence to purchase them, and God didn’t disappoint. Send us customers He certainly did! Both customers were easily qualified, and both talked about how they went to nearby dealerships, but something told them to come to us instead. That was God’s spirit (His favor!) working in the background of our lives on our behalf! Those who look to the Lord will not starve! Amen!
My mission from Him is to bring you closer to Him! This picture is of my hubby and I celebrating 20 years together at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, where we met for the first time. It’s our closeness to God that has brought us here, no doubt. We both seek to be the spouses that God Himself would have us to be. We both get it seriously wrong at times, but the Godly principles of patience, loyalty, going the extra mile in love, forgiveness, gentleness, kindness, peace, and joy have kept us on a beautiful path. I am so proud of our family, and I give all the glory to God! Every night, no matter the day I had, I get on my knees to say, ‘God, thank You!’
CAN I BRAG ABOUT MY FANTASTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
Oh my goodness! The love and attention I receive from Him are out of this world. Like for over a month or two now, I’ve had a picture of a signed Tom Brady’s jersey as my phone’s screensaver because he has been such an inspiration. He is considered the greatest of all-time athletes, and an interview he did with Oprah Winfrey changed my perspective on my entire life: I want to be the greatest of all time person for God, wife, and mom. So fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I went to the Bahamas, and my nephew, Mario, showed up this pictured Tom Brady’s jersey (Wink! Wink!). Of all shirts for my nephew to wear that day to match up perfectly with my phone’s screensaver, I took it as no coincidence! It was God again revealing His invisible Presence wherever I go and His deep love for me.
I know this sounds crazy, but I wanted to remove this picture so often, feeling like it was maybe a little disrespectful towards my husband, but I would feel God saying in my spirit, ‘No, Nik, don’t remove it! If this photo inspires you to be a better wife to your husband, a better mother to your children, and a better person in the world for Me, leave it.’
And inspiring me to be better, it certainly has. Yesterday, my manager sent a text that he wouldn’t be coming to work. Your girl had to step up into Tom Brady mode. I went out for my run with God to get myself all fired up to take on my life to the best of my ability. God told me recently on a run that we’re doing everything together, so I grabbed my sons and my nephew and said, “Let’s do this!” knowing God had our back. Can you believe we ended up going in and selling two cars, along with my faithful assistant, Martha? I know without a doubt that both of these customers were sent by God to us. Both said to me, “I may not go to church every week, but God is in my heart.” Another wink from God letting me know WE ARE DOING THIS TOGETHER! How could two different people show up repeating the same statements to me?
God has wonderfully influenced every aspect of my life! The business I want to give up on sometimes, He says, ‘Keep going. Don’t give up. I’m your Partner in labor.’ His prompting me to keep this Tom Brady jersey as my screensaver is His way of reminding me to keep training like an athlete, all for His glory, so that I can show up as the best me possible. No that I’m perfect, but I try to go for my run every day with God, drink my awful tasting smoothie, eat a variety of fruits and veggies, stay focused on the battles God would have me to take on, and leave the rest with Him, and to get proper sleep and rest. Like a real athlete! I try to discipline my thoughts, emotions, what I say, what I eat, where I go, what I do, constantly centering my decisions on what God would have me to do. Again, I’m not perfect, but I try.
And I’m so much happier here! All the depressing and anxious thoughts have gradually diminished, with me trusting God more than ever. IN GOD WE TRUST. I simply show up to my life doing my best and trusting God to do the more difficult parts in the spiritual realm. That’s why I say that the quality of your life will be determined by your closeness to God. Him telling me in my spirit to keep that Tom Brady’s jersey as my screensaver was his way to keep me on the disciplined track (especially in my mind!!!), and it has paid off! (HUGE SMILE)
“For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose].” – Hebrews 12:11
But let me tell ya, GOD STOOD WITH ME!!! That’s the great news I’m sharing with you! That we can go through our share of trials, disappointments, challenges, frustrations, difficulties, hurts, and miseries, but God is always available to guide us safely and confidently through every storm. The battles belong to the Lord!
During a heated moment, I felt Him saying that I should stay calm. I decided that I needed to go out for one of my God runs. This is where my brother, Kevin, perfectly articulated what these times alone with God do for me:
“I don’t know if it gives you strength. I think it gives you wisdom. It gives you time to think, to plan, to focus. You are in a war; you realize that right. Any problem that you have is a war. So, you need to strategize. And I think your runs give you clarity in everything. Keep running. Trust me when I tell you this, I think that is the key.”
I jogged a little bit past my God tree to a bench to ask God what was my next battle move. A picture came up with my daughters that said: “Half the battle is choosing the right battle.” I felt this was God saying, ‘Nik, choose this battle.” Next, an old post came up where I wrote about Joseph and how every time he went through challenging and difficult times, there was a line quoted five times that said, “… but the Lord was with Joseph.” I took that as a reminder to me that God was also standing with me in that difficult situation. Then, there was some great advice about staying calm, not turning into the crazy lady, and going to God in every decision. A Whatsapp message also reminded me that God and I were a majority. Nothing I can’t overcome with Him by my side!
Can you guys believe I took all that advice from out on that run and calmly handled the situation, knowing God was right there in the midst of everything with me? And God did it! He helped me to conquer a significant battle. Phew! Thank God for me, please, guys!!! (With tears in my eyes!) This was one that felt like seven times the intensity of anything I’ve ever faced. But all the advice I give, paid off. I calmly, confidently, manly, and courageously faced my storm, doing my best with what God asked me to do, and I left the rest of the battle with Him.
Like I always say, God is with us, for us, and on our side. It’s just for us to tap into His voice and know the battles to take on and the ones to leave with Him. Wink! Wink! Pretty proud of myself. I stood up for something vital to me, and God was right there standing with me! Heehaw! This experience increased my faith in God even more than ever! Where are you with your faith in Him? Make sure you are also taking time out to hear what He has to say specifically to you! He is all up in our business! (HUGE SMILE)
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
#love #God #faith
“DON’T WANNA RUN RUN”
That was the perfect Nike Running Club choice for me out on my jog/walk with God today. There was a moment where Coach Bennet gave us two minutes to vent about all our negatives and frustrations. But instead of complaining, your girl here just said, “God, I have nothing but gratitude for You. Yes, things are not quite the way I would want them, but I trust You.” Minutes later, I’m at the tree, and at 44 minutes past the hour, I read page 44 of our website and look how God revealed His invisible Presence with me, with these words showing up there:
““When things are not going well in our lives, we have a tendency to want them to be different from the way they are. But things are the way they are because they’re supposed to be the way they are because there is something bigger than all of us and our personalities handling all of this. The trees that don’t ever complain about the moss growing on them, even though it’s discoloring them, and so on. It’s just this allowing and this acceptance of the universe the way it is.
And I think one of the hardest lessons is to reach a state of inspiration. You talked about being in spirit and looking for inspiration, it is to figure out a way to be in a state of gratitude for the things that our minds are telling us shouldn’t be happening…so filled with anger towards whatever the universe is doing to us instead of being grateful for it because ultimately you know that as you look back on your life the things that while you were going through them that seemed so awful and difficult years ago, now from a new point of looking at them, with more clarity and seeing them more clearly now, you realize that you had to go through them to get to the other side.
And being in that continuous state of gratitude (EXACTLY ME AT THAT VERY MOMENT!!!), even for the really really really hard things it’s like to get down on our knees and be thankful not just when things are going right and when everybody smells good, and the money comes in, and so on but to be in that state of gratitude for…everything coming at you is just part of the perfection of what your curriculum is. That is called your life…” – Dr. Wayne Dyer
Then, reading this part: “The trees that don’t ever complain about the moss growing on them,” I looked at my beautiful God tree with the moss growing on it and felt extra loved and supported by God. Again, this was God’s way of letting me know that He is ALWAYS with me.
I left the house not wanting to run, but came back God’s little superhero, ready to take on whatever He sends my way! Heehaw!!!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“EVEN AT MY LOWEST, I’M PRAISING GOD”
That was me yesterday in one of my YouTube videos, and where I want us all, praising and thanking God no matter what is going on in our lives. Yesterday, I was home alone feeling all sorry for myself, and I didn’t want to call my kids to let them know I was missing them. I was having one of my pity parties feeling down physically, mentally, and emotionally. I thought to instead have an appointment with God reading from my book that I’m currently NOT working on. This showed up:
“I cried yesterday listening to a freshman in high school, Madison, pray this prayer at Bel Air’s church in California:
“Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for waking us up this morning. And thank You for everything You give us. I pray for us to help know Your BOLDNESS. That we will be able to move forward in our faith, in our prayer life, and in everything that we are doing. That you will be at the center of every move we make and KNOW THAT MISTAKES ARE OK. To know that we can move forward and that YOU ARE BY OUR SIDE THROUGH ALL OF IT. And that we will be able to prosper and have abundance and growth and help other people to grow as well through knowing you and knowing your faith and boldness… Amen.”
I smiled with God, feeling reminded that He was by my side through everything I go through, even the low moments. I see His loving hands in every aspect of my life. Yes, sometimes He asks some difficult stuff of me, but when I put them against all He is doing, I just have to say, ‘God, anything for You.’ In fact, I’ve made this my personal challenge from Him and phone’s screensaver:
“I’m challenging you to resist ALL evil with an even STRONGER commitment to love, goodness, and faithfulness.”
Can we all do that for God? Going the extra mile, all for His glory. Someone had really inspired me this week when He said that He sees God reflected in me by how I live my life. I mess up constantly, so that was a nice compliment. He also encouraged me to do a better job in my work for God because He sees how God shows up for us. The more beautiful we are, the more beautiful God looks! Let’s all be His angels in the world. He is increasing my capacity to forgive, overlook, and to be gentler in my interactions with others. Life is hard enough. We don’t need to make it harder for others or ourselves. Wink! Wink!
