That’s the best advice I can give you guys! No shame in my game; I use all the so-called “bad” stuff in my life as opportunities to seek God! I look for His perspective, His guidance, and His wisdom on what He would have me to do. And let me tell ya, His ways are not our ordinary human ways; they’re so much better!
Like yesterday, I woke up for an appointment with Him reading my book, a compilation of 366 blog posts that I felt He wrote with me as the Co-Author! I turned directly to one entitled, ‘The Best Marriage Advice Ever (For all significant relationships too, by the way),’ with the first point being:
“PATIENCE AND PRAYER – In areas that I’m not 100% happy with in my marriage, I practice patience, and I pray asking God for help. Sometimes, believe it or not, it’s me who God has to change, not my hubby. God gives me the wisdom to look at things from another perspective. Other times it’s my hubby, but I don’t nag him about it. I worry about nothing and pray about everything. PATIENCE AND PRAYER!”
I ended up having such a good laugh with God thinking about how long ago I wrote this post to be STILL struggling with this lesson from Him of patience. So, fast forward to that afternoon, I went running to Him again in a difficult moment, and there was a post on Tumblr.com that I loved:
“Be much in secret prayer. Converse less with man, and more with God.” – Tumblr.com via thesovereignword
I loved it so much I went to this person’s feed to see what else they had to say to me, and there were so many posts that I loved (God is pretty talkative!). But what really blew me away was this one:
“Prayer and Patience go hand in hand (Wink! Wink!).”
That was no coincidence! After God and I had that laugh together in my big book about this prayer and patience thing, for this to show up on that feed that I just happen to go to was God’s fun, cool, and sweet way of revealing a tiny glimmer of His invisible Presence that is ALWAYS with me. He knows more than anyone that I struggle with patience (God, I’m trying!) and that He sees me. That I can be patient with my eyes on the prize knowing my best days are still out ahead of me! Sometimes we have to patiently go through tough paths to get to the best ones! Wink! Wink!
See how He turns my bad into such good? Me running to Him in that awful moment, He revealed His Presence with me. That’s what gives my life such peace knowing that He is with me in my struggles and challenges. HE IS IN THE FIRES OF LIFE WITH US! Are you running to God? Like that other post said, “Be much in secret prayer. Converse less with man, and more with God.” God’s ways are higher than any human’s ways. Start looking to Him for guidance! I love Tumblr and my other meditation books I go running to hear from Him. Then all day, I TRY to pause and listen to what He would have me to do, where He would have me to go, and what He would have me to say OR NOT SAY. Lol! I get it wrong LOTS but I don’t give up! I pick myself up, dust myself off after my slip-ups, and I keep rolling with God, baby! Patient with myself, too!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“WE’RE NOT LUCKY; WE’RE BLESSED!”
That was me to my sweetie pie daughter, Ember, yesterday when she asked me to wish her luck on a test. “We’re rolling with God! That means His favor, wisdom, and strength follow us wherever we go. We just have to walk in His confidence and boldness, knowing He is with us every step of the way! Just pray and ask Him to be with you!” I further explained.
That’s where I want us all; KNOWING WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD ON A 24/7 BASIS! We’re never alone! Like I’m so thrilled about a challenge that has come up for me. I see God pushing me out of my comfort zone to tackle some severe weaknesses I have going on. I love how my daughter, Ember, called me out, saying that I have a reputation for being lazy and procrastinating. Like how long I’ve been saying I need to work on my next book! I see my guy Devon Franklin being this Rockstar for God, producing faith-based movies, writing books, and he’s all over the place promoting God. I want to do that, too! BUT I MUST UP MY WORK GAME! And this challenge is God’s way of pushing me to be better. God corrects those He loves! (SMILE) What areas can you improve in? Ask God to help you!
This challenge has also seriously increased my faith in God (HUGE SMILE). He keeps revealing glimmers of His invisible Presence that’s always with me. Last night, I had a document of 107 pages to review. I was like, ‘Seriously, God!’ and I had a fun time laughing with Him about it. That was until He took be to all the numbers lined up together from page one to read 1/107. Of all the numbers to line up together, 11 and 7 showed up when I’ve written so many times that whenever 11 and 7 line up together that’s my little wink from God that His Presence is with me. This lined up too perfectly to be some ordinary coincidence, it was God HIMSELF saying, ‘NIK, I AM WITH YOU!!!’
This gave me such peace and joy knowing that I’m not handling this overwhelming challenge alone, My God is with me. That gives me the peace that surpasses all understanding. I simply go to God on a moment-by-moment basis asking for His guidance. He then directs me through my thoughts, nudges, and cues as to what He would have me to do. He doesn’t give me the next ten steps, though, just one at a time, and I confidently follow His leading. I truly can’t get over His love and intimate involvement with every aspect of my life!
But I don’t want to feel all this good loving from God by myself! Give your heart to Him! Say, ‘God, I want to roll with You on the daily!’ Then start having your alone times with Him to hear what He has to say specifically to you! Like that 1107 showing up was His way of communicating with me because I have learned His voice. He wants that kind of relationship with you, too, where you know His voice and can feel His constant direction. I promise a life of victory, despite the numerous failures and mistakes, knowing God even uses them for our good! He said to me today, “If I love you, that means I love both your strengths and weaknesses.” HIS LOVE IS TOO MUCH!!!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
“THIS COULD EXPLAIN WHY I DON’T HAVE MANY FRIENDS, RIGHT!!”
That was me to my daughter, Ember, last night when she said I brag too much. She heard from someone who was congratulating her on her scholarship to a top university in New York. “Did you tell them?” she asked. “You know your momma loves to brag! I just write about that every day in my posts! (LOL!) But we’re a family rolling with God so we must brag and tell the world of His goodness.” And after just completing a YouTube video of how I’m savoring every moment of my life with Him and how His favor follows me everywhere I go, look what God had to ask me through my meditation book, He and I, waiting for the video to upload:
“Can I be present and not make your cup of blessings overflow? Who is as rich as I? Who could desire your highest good more than I?”
Honestly, that’s how I’m feeling: my cup overflows with blessings! Only a few minutes of talking with Ember made me so happy! She called me out on my laziness and procrastination, and I appreciated the honesty. She said, “You know you have a bad reputation in regards to that!” And that sincere, candid kind of relationship is what I cherish about her and my daughter, Julie. We can call each other out on areas where we can improve. We have this fierce babes’ alliance that God was behind the scenes nudging us to form, and it has brought us so close together. Relationships are sweeter with God’s involvement!
The conversation with Julie yesterday was letting her know how much I’m looking forward to spending the summer with her as my official driver. She’s starting college early for the final year of high school and will also be working part-time, so I have the honor and privilege of teaching her how to drive. “We’ll do Starbucks. We’ll listen to all the Rich Roll podcasts. We’ll have such a sweet time bonding together!” God has blessed me with the best family, y’all. But there I go bragging again!
Emmie has so impressed me with the way he took some recent tests so seriously. Proud momma! After spending two weeks working with his businessman/boss dad over the holiday, my thirteen-year-old son has come up with his own way of making money. I call him, “Mr. Hustle!” He now buys his own internet credit and pizza! Today, I borrowed from him for mangoes, and he said, “No need to pay me back!” I was thrilled because I’ve been trying so hard to teach my kids KINDNESS and LOYALTY. Both are repaid by God Himself! Wink! Wink!
And this boss husband who works so hard for us, I’m doing what God has ordered: “Overwhelm those who work hard for you with love and appreciation!” When he asked what was for our dinner tonight, I quickly told him about the special menu our cook and I discussed yesterday with fresh ingredients from the market. Our cook will prep everything beforehand, and actually cook it when he gets home so he can have it hot and freshly prepared. God, how about that for overwhelming with appreciation!
And for You, God, I want to overwhelm You with my love and appreciation, too, for all the love and attention you show me by upping my game in finding new ways to make You happier. I’ve given Him the front row seat of my life!
I can’t get over how yesterday He pushed me in my spirit to go back to my completed post and include these specific words: “Our God Is Faithful.” I said, “No problem! You’re the Boss!” Minutes later, I go to Facebook to share it with all my groups there, and Facebook immediately prompts me to ask if I wanted to join a new group, of all names: “Our God Is Faithful (Wink! Wink!).” That was God reminded me that I can count on Him and that He won’t let me down. That goes for you, too! Let’s keep committing ourselves to an even closer walk with God, seeking Him in every moment of our lives, making Him happier!
