“GOD WILL SEND YOU AN ANGEL TO CALM YOUR MIND”

I can’t get over these words from someone who called me from Nigeria. The crazy thing is that God didn’t just send me an angel, He honestly sent me an entire team of angels. Like my husband questioned my relationship with our friend, Ceri, yesterday (hubs is low-key jealous!) and I had to explain to him how Ceri faithfully does these messages every morning in a group that I now upload to YouTube and no shame, I replay them repeatedly to literally help calm my mind.

I realized that a BIG problem I have going on is that my mind gets stuck replaying the same nonsense all day long. If I don’t fight it (the battlefield of the mind is real) with positive, uplifting messages, I fall continually. The message from Ceri that I’ve listened to a good 10 times reminds me that despite all the negatives, I still have so much to thank God for and that I should REJOICE AND BE HAPPY. And like I always say, “It’s a celebration when we discover our weaknesses!” Thank You, God!!!

Another angel God has sent my way is my sister, Nora. She brings such calmness to our home and such great vibes that I’m blown away by God’s kindness. When I asked her why she was up so early today, she replied, “I wanted to make our smoothie.” Honestly, our biggest fight is about her wanting to help me more and me telling her to support me less and focus on her goals. See the love of God! When I asked Emmie to take him to buy supplies for a project recently, he told me he wanted Nora and not me to take him. It was my sister, Kelly, who asked one day who would be helping me with the boys since both girls were leaving for university. One phone call to Nora, and she immediately agreed to come and support me. She even came a week before Julie left just so she would know the precise routine and what I needed help with. I always write about how God exceeds my expectations, and Nora and Ceri are only two examples.

And about this jealous husband (huge smile) who is another gift from God to me, I tell him that Ceri has been pointing me to God and how to be the wife God Himself is calling me to be: loving him unconditionally. I’m sticking with the vows I made: Good times and bad times, sickness and in health, until death do we part, baby! That whatever we have to go through, we will go through it together. I want to be an even better wife for this husband who goes overboard in his family responsibilities. He is in Nigeria at the moment working extremely hard for us (as usual) and it was so funny that a song played on the radio one evening when I was out with my son, Emmie, and he said, “This is the song I played for daddy:

“Early in the morning, late at night (I will wait for you)
It don’t even matter what time it is (I will wait for you).” – Future

I then showed him my phone with so many messages to his dad playing the song whenever I hear it on the radio. That was so special to me that my son and I both landed on this song for hubby without even knowing it. I noticed one day Emmie was looking through my phone, and he went directly to my messages to his dad. I asked him why and he said he wanted to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. This reminded me that my kids are an audience to my life now, and I want to be an example for them to follow when its time for them to fight for their familes. Amen!

Julie made me so happy when I told her that she has to go into Tom Brady mode, training herself like an athlete every day. She said “No, I need to go into Nikki mode.” Our kids are watching us! She sees me fall a million times, but she also sees me get back up a million and one, and how I never stop seeking a closer relationship with God.

I’ve decided to use the time away from hubby to build my foundation with God even stronger and to focus on doing my crucial work in the world of bringing you guys closer to Him. “A STRONG LIFE IS ONE THAT HELPS OTHERS.” Don’t take my word for it, though, get to know the sweetness of God for yourself!!!

“DON’T FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT.” THAT’S GARBAGE ADVICE”

(REPOST)

I disagreed with this Facebook post yesterday because let me tell ya, it’s wisdom sometimes to put on a fake smile and keep it moving. I told them how I could be boiling angry inside, but I’ve learned to put on a poker face and keep my emotions in check. Even yesterday, I had my daughter with me at work, and a representative came from one of our banks to say hello. I brought Julie to my office to meet him because he brings such energy, personality, enthusiasm, and positivity with him. I told Julie, “This is how I want you to be when you go to New York. No matter how you feel inside, you show up with that joyful, fun, and eager attitude. You fake it if you must!”

There is an art to this wisdom thing that I’m learning from God and a big part of that is knowing the battles to fight and the ones to ignore. I loved this message from my Joel Osteen’s inspirational email today:

“And they regarded Saul with contempt and did not bring him a gift. BUT HE IGNORED THE INSULT AND KEPT SILENT.” – 1 Samuel 10:27

That’s wisdom, baby! We have to get great at this ignoring if we’re going to live God’s best life, He had planned for us before we were even born. Unfortunately, that means faking it (putting a smile on your face) whenever necessary and leaving certain situations and people with God to fight for us. I loved the verse our customer, Richard, told me one day under my God tree:

“Vengeance is mines, says the Lord.”

Minutes after speaking to Him, it was 59 minutes past the hour, and I went to page 59 of our family’s website, and look what incredibly showed up there:

“Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink.” – Romans 12:19-20

God went to the trouble of confirming that this is where He wants us all. So all day, I want us to have precious conversations with God about the battles we’re to fight and the ones to ignore and keep silent about. Everything is between God and us, not between us and anyone else. And let me tell ya, when I ask God to be the Guide and priority of my life, the blessings chase me down.

Yesterday was one of the best days ever with my daughter, Julie. Today it’s Ember’s turn, and I’m so happy teaching them my side of the family hustle for when she starts her college internships in New York, by the grace of God. Teamwork makes the dream work! This morning, I ran into a fellow jogger who explained that everyone has their cross to carry, but he opened his arms and said, “Look around. Look where you live. You’re in paradise!” That’s the blessings of God that I don’t want you guys missing out on. God has been the trusted Guide of our family. Not that we’re perfect, but even the imperfections are all a part of His perfection to help us be calmer, wiser, more loving, braver, and closer to Him people. I loved what my brother, Kevin, said today when I said God was teaching me courage. He said, “No, God is teaching you to depend on Him for your security and not other people.”

Pray all day. Every day. Tapping into God’s direction for our lives on a moment by moment as we show up as our best and shiniest selves, all for His glory! Amen!