THIS IS EMBARRASSING!!!

The amount of dust we cleaned out of our house today! But I love my relationship with God, who makes me feel so loved despite my faults and failings:

“Those who look to him are radiant, their faces are never covered with shame.” – Psalm 34:5

“I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” – Philippians 3:13

“He has taken our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west.” – Psalm 103:12

“I, I am the One who forgives all your sins, for my sake; I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25

And no matter our sins and failings, we can confidently keep our eyes fixed on God, knowing His love for us is unconditional and unfailing. Whatever the problem area, God can help us get everything back on track, little by little, and one step at a time, once we keep looking to Him for His guidance and direction. Even if we start at nothing, we can give Him our nothing, knowing He created the entire world from nothing. Our hope is in Him!

But these humiliating situations are great if we use them to reflect on where we are going wrong and ask how we can improve and work on being better. We’re not running from our weaknesses! I love that illustration about what happens if a child is running across the street and falls. Does the child stay there crying, or does the child pick themselves up and keep going? That’s our challenge that we keep picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves off, and keep moving confidently forward, HOLDING ON TO GOD’S HAND super tight, knowing He can give us more than we can ever ask or imagine (Wink! Wink!). Fall a million times, get up a million and one!

Make sure you have your appointments/alone times with Him asking Him to be your Guide and Helper to take on anything that comes your way and tackle any struggles you’re having. Pray and cry out to God! He loves getting involved!

I called to thank my brother, Kevin, for some great advice he gave me two years ago, and he asked, “Was it me, or God’s voice through me?” God is deeply involved in our lives; it is just for us to start seeking Him and paying attention to what He is saying to us. The more you practice listening to Him, the better you learn His voice through having experiences going the direction you feel He would have you to go. Then looking back to see how those decisions worked out. Like God’s direction through Kevin worked out extremely well! It has given me even more faith and confidence in God, knowing I’m not going through life alone, and He is directing my footsteps. Get God involved with every aspect of your life! Don’t make a move without seeking God first!

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GOD, THIS IS HARD!!! (REPOST)

That’s me lately with Him. This morning, I even had to fight back the tears. I went to have a little chat with my daughter, Julie, and said, “God is taking us out on a limb with Him.” Then, I got closer and whispered in her ears, “But that’s where the fruit is, out on the limb.” Less than a minute later, I look outside our kitchen window. Can you believe a bird was eating a guava (the fruit) on the limb of the tree, like three feet away from me?

And that right there was no coincident, it was another one of my God winks, when out of the blue everything lines up strangely too perfectly. For me to say those words to Julie and then come to see this bird eating this fruit on a limb less than a minute later, was all orchestrated perfectly and sweetly by God. His way of saying, ‘Nik, I don’t want you sad. Cheer up. I’m with you.’ And another reminder that His sweet Presence is always with me, and that He will also be with me, even as I climb out on this shaky, risky, and unsecured limb on a new adventure with Him. Phew!

How incredible is that? The Creator of the entire universe is thinking of me, and He doesn’t want me unhappy. That’s why when I wrote that He asked me to not to turn into the crazy lady, I said, “I’ll do anything for You.” “Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

So, I totally get it. This life with God is super challenging to follow through with at times, but we’re doing it for God. As we say an obedient, ‘Yes, Father,” He holds our hands as we bravely go out on the limb with Him to collect our fruit – success, victory happiness, joy, peace, triumph, accomplishment and every other good thing God has in store for us there. Wink! Wink!

So, as I wrote yesterday, no turning into the crazy lady this time, but being the calm, wise, loving, kind, loyal, gentle, disciplined, mature, and obedient to God Nik He would have me to be. Amen! This goes for you too! Let’s seek to please God in every moment as we live in His Presence, allowing the God standard of excellence be the ruling basis for all our decisions. Collect that fruit of victory, baby!

WEROLLWITHGOD.COM

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YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE DAY

I’M LIVING MY BEST LIFE WITH GOD

https://youtu.be/yPWRsDG2omQ

LIVE IN GOD, LIVE IN LOVE

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HEALTH MATTERS

DAY 71 OF 365 DAYS OF DISCIPLINE!

DISCIPLINE IN OUR THOUGHTS, TOO! We can choose what we think about! I’m taking all my negative ones to God to look at everything from His perspective. So even the negatives in my life, including those annoying thoughts, I’m allowing to pull me even closer to him! Sweet!

“LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE AND MEDICINE THY FOOD”

“NIK, I DON’T HAVE MONEY FOR YOU RIGHT NOW TO FINISH YOUR EDUCATION”

That was my single parent, super momma when I had high hopes of traveling from the Bahamas to the US to finish college. “You’re going to have to work and save up some money,” she continued. And your girl here did exactly that! Following in my mother’s footsteps, giving my best on my first real job, with her words constantly ringing in my head, “Even if you’re a street cleaner, be the best street cleaner!”

Fast forward a year later, my boss comes to my desk and says, “I want you to finish your education, but not at just any university. I want you to go to the same university my son went to in New York.” By the grace of God, I ended up going, and it was life-changing. I even worked at a top bank on Wall Street.

Some months ago, my daughter, Ember, calls me and says, “Mom, you know how you always talk about the university you went to in New York, and all the experience you got working there. Well, I want to go there, too.” Can you guys believe that not only did they accept my daughter yesterday, but they also gave her the President’s scholarship and some other ones totaling almost $30,000 per year?

“How great are his signs,_

how mighty his wonders!_

His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;_

his dominion endures from generation to generation.” – Daniel 4:3_

As I type this, I’m in Ember’s bedroom in Nigeria. Let me tell ya, my daughter spent many hours here staying up late studying, doing homework, and earning her respect, not only from us, her parents but, more importantly, from God. I instilled in her my belief that everything you do is between you and God, not between you and anyone else. When you give God your best, He gives you His best! My daughter ran with that, and she has been rewarded. All her hard work was not in vain.

She did 50 days of discipline challenge with me right before she and her sister left to finish high school in the US. She went as far as putting up a poster here with her number 3 objective: HAVE DAILY APPOINTMENTS WITH GOD.

Not a moment spent with God has been wasted! I am so proud of her! I say to her that God knew why He sent her to us first! She has been an excellent role model for the other kids to follow.

Moral:  Don’t play around with your relationship with God. Do everything as if you are working for God, not humans! Ember told me that she is on a streak with God reading the Purpose Driven Life Devotional for Kids by Rick Warren. I’m thrilled because even the God maniac here learns a lot from that book! Seek God and make Him your priority! He doesn’t disappoint!!! Do your best and leave the rest with Him! What time are your appointments with Him? Then, start seeking Him in the 1,000 decisions you make every day to help you make the best decisions for your life!

“Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” – Psalm 34:8

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“NIK, LET’S HAVE THAT FISH FOR DINNER THAT EMMIE LIKES”

That was my hubby this morning, making me so happy! Such love he shows us! I’m honestly enjoying the Emmanuels (husband and sons) here in Nigeria, despite feeling sick for the past few days. It’s like God knew I needed this little downtime to wake me up to all the beauty in my life. He has guided me on a very gorgeous path thanks to me continually asking this one question: ‘GOD, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME TO DO HERE?’

It wasn’t always easy, especially when the crazy lady wanted to come out, but with one glance at Him, I knew what He would have for me to say, where to go, what to think, and what to do. And because of the great love I receive from Him, I respond, ‘Anything for You!’ Staying on the high road with Him, going the extra mile in love and forgiveness has paid off. God’s ways are nothing like our human ways, they’re so much better!

I want us all continually going to Him in the 1,000 decisions we make every day, asking God to be our Partner. No area is off-limits for Him, He is an expert in everything! And He loves getting involved in our lives!

Last year, I wrote how I would always call my brother, Kevin, for advice, but this year, I feel God saying, ‘I want you coming to Me, Nik.’ Kevin has been my crutch to lean on, and in my spirit, AGAIN I feel God saying I should lean on Him. He’s my strength!

I know that it sounds hard to believe that the Creator of the entire universe wants to be a part of our lives, but He does. This love I’m experiencing from Him is nothing like you will ever get in this world. He has to be our first love and priority, and we should make our decisions from there, going through life resting on His heart (this life is rough!) and seeking to please Him.

This is the way He guides us on the best paths for our lives. He knows the future, and He knows the ultimate best direction we should take for every aspect of our lives. It’s just up to us to invite Him in and start seeking His help. ‘GOD, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME TO DO HERE’ Then start listening to Him in your thoughts. You’ll begin to know His thoughts and impressions versus your own. Also, through our feelings, He communicates with us. Like if you think about going in a certain direction and you don’t feel peace, excited or happy and instead feel doubtful, nervous or paranoid, that’s God saying to rethink that decision. You’ll begin following that KNOWING that isn’t explainable, you just know this is the way to go. Call it gut or instincts, but you’ll just KNOW this is what God would have you to do.

That KNOWING has helped me to make some pretty major decisions, and I don’t regret any of them. Like marrying this husband after knowing him for only 5 months. That was 19 years ago! Even when I didn’t know it was God, I can now look back and connect all the dots and know it was His loving hands guiding me all along. Don’t miss out! Make God your life Partner!!!

“LORD your love reaches to the heavens, your loyalty to the skies” – Psalm 36:5

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‘OK, GOD. ENOUGH. I’M TIRED OF FEELING SAD. HELP ME OUT HERE.’ (REPOST)

That was me on Good Friday, locking myself up in an office/closet to have some quiet time with Him. And let me tell ya, He showed up. There was a chapter in one of my meditation books about the crosses God asks us to continue carrying from Jesus:

 

“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

 

Reading those three words, “Who hurt you,” was God speaking to me. I then looked up from that book to see the picture I’m holding in my hands of Jesus carrying his cross, and I instantly got the message: Nik, this hurt is the cross I’m asking you to carry for me. I brought this picture of Jesus all the way from Nigeria and I had placed it in this office/closet as a constant reminder that I’m going to joyously continue carrying the cross from Jesus. And on Good Friday, when, historically, Jesus carried his cross thousands of yeas 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 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?

 

What made it a great Good Friday though was calling my sister in the Bahamas earlier that day to vent to her. She was just talking to her son about a book, ‘Man’s Search For Meaning,’ by Victor Frankl, but hung up from him to talk to me. We ended up talking about the book as well about how he believed that we can find beauty in any situation we find ourselves. I told her maybe I need to read it. Fast forward to that evening, my mom asked to listen to Wayne Dyer’s podcast and exactly where we continued playing from where we had last left over, out of hundreds of episodes, this very one was about this very book, ‘A Man’s Search For Meaning,’ and him meeting Mr. Frankl years ago. Wink! Wink!

 

This again lined up too perfectly to just be some regular coincident. It was another one of my God winks where he orchestrated this entire thing to let His girl here know He was with her and to let you know, too, His Presence is with all of us. I’m just the God maniac here who pays attention. Relax…

 

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EVEN DURING MY WORST YEAR, GOD MADE ME FEEL SO LOVED

I can’t get over how I complained that it felt like I fell like a million times, but yet God was there in those million times to wrap His arms around me and let me know that His invisible Presence was always with me. That’s the love I’ve gotten to know from Him. Unlike human love that cut you off when you’re not what they expect you to be, God’s love is unconditional, and it never fails. It’s a love you must feel for yourself!

Like yesterday, I pushed myself out to work despite not feeling too well. I complained to God that even with His work, I didn’t do that well. Can you believe He read that slightest little thought from me? Someone on Facebook liked this old post, and I decided to read it, not knowing it was a message from Him:

“MOMMY, EVERY DAY YOU SAY YOU’RE GOING TO DO THAT!!!”

That’s my Joshie to me again today after I promise that I will take care of something for him. My son has found out one of my weaknesses – PROCRASTINATION! I even apologized to my husband the other day that this year, performance wise, hasn’t been my best. The proud Vice-President fell A LOT. 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

Are you receptive to God’s unconditional love? I’m talking the slightest thought about not doing His work well and He figured out a way to get that message to me minutes later from 4 months ago. Here’s what else that post said:

“When I say God’s ways are not our human ways, trust me on that! Here I am apologizing to my hubby for not performing up to my expectations, and God sweetly says, ‘Switch those feelings of discouragement, My Nik, to my unconditional love, regardless of how you perform!’

AND GOD SHOWS ME HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!!! Like I can’t get over how a book showed up at a friends’ house on Saturday. I wrote this in yesterday’s post:

“Of all books in the entire world for God to take my attention there was just Him revealing His invisible Presence with us. This lined up EXTREMELY too perfectly to be some ordinary coincidence! It was God saying, ‘Nik, I go with you, I GO BEFORE YOU, and I’m familiar with all your ways.’ Wink! Wink! “

Can you believe God went as far as confirming that this was Him? This also showed up in my morning appointment with Him:

“As you go through this day, look for tiny treasures strategically placed along the way. I LOVINGLY GO BEFORE YOU and plant little pleasures to brighten your day. Look carefully for them, and pluck them one by one.”

What kind of love is this? For the Creator of the Universe to go to all this trouble to reveal His Presence with me. From planting the book there, having me sit three feet away from it and pull my attention to the book at the precise MOMENT I was asked its name. It was unbelievable! God is too much!

MORAL: STOP FOCUSING ON PERFORMANCE AND FOCUS ON GOD’S LOVING PRESENCE THAT IS ALWAYS WITH US!!! Amen!!! The world and ourselves condemn if we don’t perform up to expectations, but God loves unconditionally!!! He says, let’s keep going. Try to do better next time. Even if we fall a million times (like I feel I did this year), He helps us get back up, and back on track step by step and little by little. The sweet life with God continues DESPITE THE MANY TIMES WE FALL AND FAIL!”

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GOD IS PRETTY TALKATIVE!!!

Are You learning His voice? For my appointment with Him this morning, I asked where I should go to hear from Him. I go to an electronic copy of the book Jesus Calling, and I was drawn to Proverbs 3:5, feeling in my spirit like God was saying to me that I should pay attention to it:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Then, I love starting my day reading from our family’s website, werollwithgod.com. I randomly picked a page, and the post there again was based on Proverbs 3:5:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Next, just for a quick appointment with God reading a hard copy of the same book, Jesus Calling, out of over 700 pages, I randomly opened to one that referred to Proverbs 3:5 as an additional verse to read, with a message from God saying:

“TRUST Me in the depths of your being, where I live in union with you.”

And if that’s not enough, I go to Instagram to share my video for today, entitled, ‘Trust God with All Your Heart,’ feeling strongly that’s what He wanted me to discuss today. And the first 30-second clip that came up in my feed was of these two beautiful young ladies saying:

“Proverbs 3:5: Always trust in the Lord completely. Do not think your own wisdom is enough.”

They’re all what I call my God winks! For me to go to that first electronic copy of Jesus Calling, to next go to our family’s website, then to go to the other 700-page hard copy version of the same book and open directly to that verse, and to going to Instagram and of all the hundreds of thousands of clips there, for that very one to play first, was all God’s sweet way of revealing His invisible Presence with me. There was no way that all of this lined up on its own so perfectly! It was God working behind the scenes of my life orchestrating these winks to let me know of His intimate love and involvement in every detail of my life. It’s my prayer and hope that through sharing my God stories, you too will begin having the eyes that see Him and the ears that hear Him and know that you are not going through life alone; God got you!

I recently started having appointments with God with my husband before he leaves out to work, and this morning I asked him what’s been his major trusting God moment. I reminded Him of a time when God totally came through for us. In this life you will have trouble! And God showed up and showed off like, “Who’s messing with my people.” The direction came as to what steps to take. The people showed up to help us. And most importantly, God did some work behind the scenes, leveling the mountain before we even got to it. His love. His favor. His protection. All showed up for us BIG TIME!!! That challenge made me a strong believer in the power of God and His intimate Presence in our lives to help us tackle any situation that could possibly come our way.

Since then, many problems have come and gone, but God stayed consistent in His commitment to helping us. Different favor. Different people. Different solutions. Different communications from Him as to what He would have us to do. I’m talking step by step direction to handle any type of situation! Let me tell ya, God is an expert in everything!!!

These verses from Proverbs 3:5-6 have been spot on in my relationship with God, and I want to make them your constant meditation as well no matter the trials you face:

“Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success.”

Whenever my mind tells me to doubt God, I just remind myself of all the many times God has come through for us. I just commit to doing my best in the physical realm, leaving the rest for God to handle in the spiritual realm on our behalf.

Like no doubt whatsoever, we see and feel God’s hands at work behind the scenes of our lives. Even the times when we make big mistakes or we go in the wrong direction, He shows up with such loving guard rails to get us back on track. The times I feel so frustrated with myself, I go and have appointments with Him. He would figure out some way to let me know He loves me, with Him saying something like, ‘If you feel you’ve done wrong, just wash it away, not at my feet, but on my heart. And just do better next time.” Such LOVE ALWAYS!

I don’t want to be this happy and at peace by myself! I want you confidently trusting God with all your heart. This life is filled with troubles and hardships, but we can keep our eyes fixed on God, knowing anything is possible with Him. He can instantly turn any situation around. It’s just up to consistently look to God for guidance in the 1,000 decisions we make every day. In my appointment with Him today, another verse showed up that I want us running with:

“So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” – 2 Corinthians 5:9

Like I always say, everything is between God and us, not between us and anyone else. By making it our goal to please God, He beautifully guides us on the path that He has for us. That even when we mess up, He lovingly pulls us back on course. That’s the love I’ve gotten to know from Him. Too good to be true!

But it does take some commitment on our end to seek Him. To learn His personality, His character, and the people He is calling us to be in the world. Also, to learn His voice so that you know precisely what God would have you to do when you have to make crucial decisions. In one of those big challenges I faced, I’ll never forget how God had us to leave Nigeria for Christmas one year to travel to the US. He then had someone out on a dinner date to tell us the type of professional we should hire to help us. The next day, I Googled the specific person they advised, and my husband and I ended up meeting a gentleman who sat with us for free for three hours to give us specific instructions on how to handle the situation we were fighting. It was incredible! And for free he did it! “TRUST IN GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART!!!”

I invite you to say this prayer with me, “God, I want a closer walk with you.” Then start seeking Him. Wake up a few minutes earlier and have appointments with Him reading or listening to anything spiritually uplifting. I love our family’s website, werollwithgod.com, but once you start learning His voice, He will start telling you specifically where He would have you to go to hear what He has to say to you. I’m forever getting messages from Him here in Whatsapp groups. Like I said, He is pretty talkative. It’s just for us to invite Him in and start learning His voice. I promise you, the best life, not perfect o, where you have peace and joy knowing God’s invisible Presence is always with you. He has your back!

Can you believe that after watching a YouTube video this morning of how God uses feathers as a sign of His Presence, I just felt something on my left ear as I type this, and I pulled out a feather? God’s love! A sign to us all that He is here with us!

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