“Total. God. Maniac.” That was Ember and I having fun out eating at our I Heart Fries yesterday and asking each other conversations questions. It was a day of celebration for us, with Ember officially working with us full time before she leaves to go off to college. You guys should have seen me at the office dancing to the song Who Dat by JT Money: “Aiy ya ya ya ya ya ya (who ‘dat?).” So, I can’t blame Ember for saying that three words to describe me were “Crazy. Ass. Mother.” I get that. (HUGE SMILE)
But I’m giving all the glory to God, who has beautifully guided our family. Staying close to him has been the game-changer, baby. In every decision, every relationship, every circumstance, I’m looking to Him for direction. Ember is constantly questioning my decisions, and yesterday I got to ask her, “See why I stick with God even when He asks difficult things of me? He gives me more than I can ever ask or imagine!” So when he asks me to continue carrying the cross from Jesus, I say, ‘God, may Your will be done in my life? Anything for You!’ To be honest, there are lots of hurts in that cross that I carry, but like my friend, Chris, reminded me yesterday, “That’s your cross which will bring you crowns.” What is the cross God asks you to carry? Let’s carry them joyfully for God’s glory! He will be our strength as we carry them.
This is where I want us all, sticking close to God in the 1,000 decisions we make every day asking what He would have us to do. I was talking to my friend in Nigeria yesterday next to the vehicle I crashed on a major highway recently. God wonderfully protected me! Not one scratch on my body when I could’ve easily lost my life when my car skids and turned in the complete opposite direction of incoming, speeding traffic. It was the perfect reminder that God is my protection no matter the challenges, stresses, and trials that come my way. It’s only for me to acknowledge Him IN ALL MY WAYS, seeking to do what pleases Him (even the hard stuff), knowing He is the guard rails of my life keeping me on track, despite all my failings, weaknesses, and mistakes. His UNCONDITIONAL love is just too much! (BIGGER SMILE!)
Are you staying close to Him? I pray you join me in saying this prayer, ‘God, I want to get closer to You!’ AMEN!!!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
TODAY, I RAN SIX MILES IN TWO HOURS UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS OF OUR HOUSE!!! (REPOST)
I’m working on a better me, baby! The goal was to get rid of the old Nik and my constant sad and hurtful thoughts, and for a happier and more focused person to emerge. And so far, I think it did the trick! I’ve learned that if I don’t control my thoughts, they will take control of me. Let me tell you, the quality of our thoughts WILL determine the quality of your life!
The run was fantastic! I did another one of my Coach Andy Nike Run Club runs and heard the incredible story of his guest athlete, Lopez Lomong, from being kidnapped in Sudan as a six-year-old kid by rebel soldiers to being an Olympic athlete representing the United States years later.
But, in between listening to his story, I pretty much played one song repeatedly, ‘Let Me Be The One To Love You,’ (William Singe’s version) imagining God singing these lyrics to me:
“You should let Me love you
Let me be the One to
Give you everything you want and need
Ooh baby good love and protection
Make Me your selection
Show you the way love’s supposed to be
Baby love you”
After hearing that one song so many times I said, “God, You got it! I will let You be the One to love me!” Phew! So when the depressing thoughts and reminders come up again about some hurts and disappointments from the past, I can now say, “Go away!!! God’s girl here!” and I can instead focus on God’s love and be happy, keeping no more records of wrongs.
On Saturday, I was asking Him to help me wrap my head around a situation and He answered me. As I was in one part of our bedroom reading my meditation book, my son, Joshie, was asking my husband a question and at the very same time I read the word “SUPPORT,” my husband was responding to our son with the exact word. LIKE PERFECTLY TIMED!!! Of course, I took this as another one of my God winks when out of the blue, everything lines up STRANGELY TOO PERFECTLY, with an important message from God for all of us:
“Of Bearing the Defects of Others
But now God has disposed things that we may learn to bear one another’s burdens; for there is no one without defects, no one without burdens, no one sufficient for himself, no one wise enough for himself, but we must SUPPORT one another, comfort one another, assist, instruct and admonish one another.” – Imitation of Christ
Can we do that for Him? Honestly, that’s what I took from that conversation from Lopez today, how everywhere he went, he considered everyone family the way he was SUPPORTED through his horrific journey. My fav were the boys who helped him to escape the rebel camp who he called his angels. They knew his older brother and immediately when he was brought there, they met him and said something like, “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you. We’re family.” And they did.
I believe we’re not the human race; we’re the human family! Let’s go the extra mile in loving, supporting, assisting, instructing, and admonishing one another. God is our BOSS, and our reward is with Him. And let Him be the one to love us! His love is more than enough! Wink! Wink!
That’s the question from my spiritual son, Joshie, that freaked me out a few minutes ago. I had just started typing my blog for today, telling you guys about my fav YouTube PSYCHIC, Stargirl. Still, I hesitated about mentioning that she’s a “psychic” after some negative feedback I got the last time I wrote about her. So, for Joshie to ask me if I was a PSYCHIC as I typed about her was another one of my God winks, when things line up a little bit too perfect to be some ordinary coincidence. It was all orchestrated by God to let me know that His invisible Presence is ALWAYS WITH ME. Like He was personally saying, ‘Nik, I never leave you alone. I know everything about you.”
I know this may sound all crazy, but that’s the sweet loving I receive from God, that there are glimmers of His Presence all around me confirming what David wrote some three thousand years ago in the Bible:
“Where can I go to get away from your Spirit?
Where can I run from you?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there.
If I lie down in the grave, you are there.
If I rise with the sun in the east
and settle in the west beyond the sea,
even there you would guide me.
With your right hand you would hold me.” – Psalm 139:7-10
I want the whole world here with me, picking up on God’s loving Presence with you, too. Like saying to my manager so many times yesterday that we have divine assistance with getting our business back on track, Stargirl confirms it in her latest video saying, “RIGHT NOW YOU ARE BEING SUPPORTED HEAVILY BY YOUR SPIRIT GUIDES.” This manager and I both strongly feel God’s Presence with us. I always write about how God reveals His Presence when I see the numbers seven and eleven showing up together. Can you believe when we sold our last car, the customer’s credit score was 711? Then another recent sale, the customer’s date of birth was 7/11? Looking at another document yesterday, from another customer, “117” surprisingly showed up in a very tiny print at the top with God again confirming that He is supporting us.
Then this morning, in debating if I should write about these sevens and elevens, a YouTube video shows up in the suggested videos with timing of exactly 1:17:11. Tell me, how could all of this be a coincidence? It’s just God sweetly letting us know that He is behind the scenes of our lives HELPING US. This was also one of the messages Stargirl confirmed in one of her recent videos that these repeating numbers are a sign that I’m getting a lot of angelic support. Even as I replay what she said, she mentioned 11:11 as another sign of God’s help as I get a text message on my phone highlighting the time of precisely 11:11. This was God again saying, ‘Nik, I never leave you.’
“‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” – Zechariah 4:6. God is intimately involved in our lives. It’s just for us to show up every day, giving our best to whatever He would have us to do, being our most loving, forgiving, brave, and courageous selves. Then we can confidently leave the rest with Him to take care of on our behalf in the spiritual realm. Wink! Wink! He is excellent at that!
WEROLLWITHGOD.COM
A CHALLENGE FROM GOD
For this old post to show up in two separate places and appointments with God today, I’m taking these words as a personal challenge from Him to show up as my best self, all for His glory:
“MARRIAGE IS LEARNING TO PUT UP WITH SOME STUFF WE DO NOT LIKE”
I said this to someone over the phone on Saturday. After that conversation, in thinking about it, I said to my friend who I was with, “I’m going to make that the message of my next post.” I figured that if I’m going to do the best I can with my work for God, I have to keep it as real as possible: YOU WILL HAVE SOME MESSY STUFF TO DEAL WITH; NOT EVERY DAY IS LIKE THE HONEYMOON.
I also mentioned to my friend about deciding to NOT attend any more of our BBQ’s at the office after my last SURPRISE that ended with me leaving early. This decision was from a place of freeing my husband to live his life. I can’t be with him 24 hours a day, and I need to trust that he will make good decisions whether I’m around or not. Not that anyone ever gets it entirely right, but my hope is that every day we learn crucial lessons and become BETTER. My prayer for us all!!!
Can you believe God used these two situations to reveal His invisible Presence with me there at my friend’s house? I’m such a nerd because I took four meditation books with me. And shortly after our conversations, I had an appointment with God reading one of them, and looked what incredibly showed up:
“… but more in the sense of what we mean by “trust.” This goes beyond simply presuming that the other is not lying or cheating. Such basic trust recognizes GOD’S LIGHT SHINING BEYOND THE DARKNESS… This trust enables a relationship to be free. It means we do not have to control the other person, to follow their every step lest they escape our grip. Love trusts, it sets free, it does not try to control…
…This means that love bears every trial with a positive attitude. It stands firm in hostile surroundings. This “endurance” involves not only the ability to tolerate certain aggravations (or like I put it, putting up with some things we may not like), but something greater: A CONSTANT READINESS TO CONFRONT ANY CHALLENGE. IT’S A LOVE THAT NEVER GIVES UP, EVEN IN THE DARKEST HOUR. It shows a certain dogged heroism, a power to resist every negative current, AN IRREPRESSIBLE COMMITMENT TO GOODNESS.” – The Joy of Love by Pope Francis
Wow! This just lined up strangely TOO PERFECTLY to be coincident. Of all the books and pages for me to read! It was like God was RIGHT THERE in our conversations! This confirmed where God Himself would have me to be in my marriage: Nik, leave your hubby to have his BBQ to hang out with his friends without you present. Love trusts. AND NOT ONLY AM I ASKING YOU TO PUT UP WITH SOME THINGS, I’M CHALLENGING YOU TO RESIST ALL EVIL WITH AN EVEN STRONGER COMMITMENT TO LOVE, GOODNESS, AND FAITHFULNESS.
Roger that, God! I will be the SUPER GLUE that keeps my family together no matter the challenges that come our way. In fact, yesterday, I got on my knees in front of my kids and hubby and prayed, “God, let me have this same husband AGAIN in my next life! Amen!” Between God, hubby, and this friend I was hanging out with, they’ve bettered my STANDARDS as a wife, mother, and person. I’m God’s little superhero! Wink! Wink! His intimate Presence and LOVE keeps my FAITH STRONG, baby!
KEEP CALM—YOU’RE ROLLING WITH GOD
“NIKKI, YOU HAVE A GORGEOUS LIFE. ENJOY IT.” (REPOST)
That was my brother, Kevin, to me some months ago, and honestly, I’m giving all the glory to God, who has led me on this extraordinary path. I get to live between the US and Nigeria, truly enjoying the best of both worlds. I then have the honor and privileged of sharing these fabulous adventures with you. My life’s assignment, which I’ve happily accepted from God, is to live my best life with Him, as I, hopefully, inspire you to do the same. Forget Cardi B, y’all, I’m living my best life with God!!!
When I say gorgeous, it doesn’t mean I don’t have my share of challenges, hurts, frustrations, disappointments, losses, and sadness. Believe it or not, though, God uses EVERYTHING, NOTHING IS WASTED BY HIM, to help us learn some pretty fantastic lessons that make us wiser, stronger, bolder, more loving, braver, and most importantly, to bring us closer to Him.
Like 2020, which I now call my year of one million falls. My daughter, Ember, at one point said, “This is looking like your worst year ever.” I said, “No, no, no. This will be my best year because it will bring me closer to God.” I took that statement to heart, realizing that my daughters were both watching me take on some complicated, messy and difficult stuff, and I had to show them how to take on whatever life throws their way, KNOWING God is right there with us.
That mission of getting closer to God was wonderfully accomplished. In every one of those million falls, I would run to God, seeking some little glimmer of His Presence, and He would find some way to let me know He was right there with me. It taught me that my GREATEST STRENGTH was knowing I need God every moment. I must always look to Him for wisdom, guidance, approval, strength, and direction. That I can lean on and be confident in Him! In fact, I felt God go to great lengths to let me know His Presence was always with me.
My favorite one was when my husband sent me a picture from Nigeria from some years ago. I sent Him back a text (feeling in my spirit that God was the one dictating the words):
“Forget the former things! God is doing a new thing! He is taking our family to new and greater heights! HE WILL MAKE A STREAM in the wastelands, a spring in the desert.”
Turns out, that day, there was an urgent errand that needed to happen for our office. Although I could’ve easily delegated it to someone to take care of, I felt God in my spirit saying, ‘Nik, you do it.’ I asked my daughters to accompany me to make it a day together. As we were driving to our office, Ember says, “Mom, look!!!” She pointed to this LONG STREAM of water flowing next to the highway that was not there before. It was like a new river just suddenly appeared! Apparently, all the rain that we were having ended up flooding over next to this major highway. I immediately thought of the text to my husband that very morning. “God is doing a new thing. He will make a stream in the wastelands.”
And let me tell ya, that lined up too perfectly to be some ordinary coincidence! That was God giving me that unbelievable sign so that I remember His promise – Nik, I’m doing a new thing with your family! Just watch me! And that He was with me!!! It was like the rainbow He gave Noah after the flood. Asking me to stick with Him on the high road being my most patient, loyal, and loving self. I remember spending that day with my daughters, so incredibly happy, feeling so loved by God, that His loving Presence was with us, and He loved our family that much to have this large stream of water to flow next to this major US freeway.
That’s just an example of the amazing love I feel from Him. The love where I feel He sings to me, sends people to help and support me, the solutions to problems that will magically pop in my mind as to how to handle complicated situations. Like, ‘Nik, do this.’ I’m talking step-by-step instructions in the most difficult of problems.
With such love and tenderness He shows me, He has asked me this, though:
“This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.” – John 15:12
As I look back at 2020 in hindsight, I can see clearly now that this was what God was definitely teaching me: TO LOVE OTHERS THE WAY HE LOVES ME. A recent experience, feeling cut off by someone, I go to have an appointment with God, and my meditation book said this:
“It may then well happen that on certain days I count twenty lapses (mistakes), while I couldn’t none on other days. And yet I may have made greater progress on the days when twenty failures occurred than on the days without one.” – Yes, Father
In thinking about this, I can now see that those one million falls last year were all God’s way of helping me make LOTS of spiritual progress. He taught me all about loving others unconditionally, forgiveness, patience, perseverance, loyalty, and staying on the high road with Him. To be this person who kept getting back in the ring to fight, no matter how many times I got knocked down, knowing He was my strength and support.
God’s ways are certainly not our human ways. Humans cut you off and reject you when you are not who they would have you to be. But God’s love is faithful, dependable and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. In my year of one million falls and mistakes, He brought me even closer to Him.
So much so, this was me back in August after spending an entire weekend totally frustrated with myself:
As of yesterday, August 24, 2020, I want to give my life COMPLETELY to God. To wrap myself in His love (no other love necessary!) and go through every moment of my life KNOWING I’m completely loved, approved of, and accepted my God. To be His girl totally, following His leading in every moment of my life as to what He would have me to do – complete surrender! To be the mother, wife, and person He would have me to be. Not trying to get love from others, but just showing up as my most loving self, sharing God’s love with everyone. Like my brother, Kevin, taught me, I want to SHINE BRIGHT. Like if you’re not rolling with God, you’re missing out on the best life! I want everything about me to REFLECT Him:
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
I just wanna be His, glorifying and enjoying Him! That means continually keeping my focus on God as I walk through life wrapped up in His arms, sucking up all His love and attention!
Are you with me? Living a life close to God and enjoying Him? No matter how far you feel you are away from God or how awful a place you find yourself, trust me, He is waiting with open arms for you to invite Him in and to be a part of your life, helping you no matter the challenges you face. No matter how long you’ve traveled in the wrong direction, you can always turn around.
God’s an expert in everything! It’s just for us to learn His voice so we know on a moment-by-moment basis what He would have us to say, what he would have us to do, and where He would have us to go. It just takes practice. The practice of pausing and listening to Him in our spirit, to see what He would have us to do in the 1,000 decisions we make every day. Like that conversation with Him about the important errand that needed to happen. When I thought about everyone else going, I didn’t feel peace. But when I thought about going myself, I felt that peace from Him, and me and the girls ended up having such a memorable day together.
Right now, I’m back in Nigeria with my Emmanuels (husband and two sons), and honestly, I’m enjoying them so much. Again, I felt peace about travelling with them. So, my entire life is becoming this beautiful conversation with God, and I’m filled with peace, joy, and love for everyone and everything. Even the bad knowing they’re all there for my good.
Can we all commit to a life of more love? It’s a practice like listening to God and following His lead! The more you practice the better you get at it, and the better your life will become. Love is the way, baby! Extremely hard sometimes, but that’s where God’s strength within us shows up perfectly to assist us. We do it for God. Our reward is with Him, because this is the way He guides us on the paths He has for us. His plans for us are good! He truly has given me more than I can ever ask or expect, but being my most loving self has helped me to get here. God is love. Let us reflect His character everywhere we go, especially in our homes and then spreading out from there! Let’s all say a joyous Yes, Father, committing to a life guided by Him in every moment being the people He would have us to be. Even if we fall a million times, we still know He loves us unconditionally! Amen!
I’ll never forget feeling so sick, discouraged, and overwhelmed by so many balls I had in the air, and my son Joshie came and asked me if I would like to have an appointment with God. I said, “That’s a great idea! I need one right now!” It was exactly 4:00 so I said let’s read post number 40 from our ‘Purpose Driven Life Devotional For Kids.’ It was the perfect message:
“Eyes on God
“But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.” – Genesis39:21
…A good example of suffering because of other people is Joseph of the Old Testament (Genesis 37-50). After being sold by his brothers into slavery, Joseph found himself in a foreign country, alone and hurting. He had every right to ask, “Why me?” How was Joseph able to hang in there?
First, Joseph recognized that God has given everyone free choice. No one is a puppet or a robot. We can choose to ignore what is right, and God does not force his will on us.
Second, Joseph knew that God saw everything he went through. He never doubted that God cared about him. There is an important phrase that is found five times in the story of Joseph, each time after a major crisis or defeat: “But the Lord was with Joseph.” Even when everything was going wrong, the Lord was still with Joseph.
Remembering these truths allowed Joseph to survive the pain and forgive his brothers in the end—because he kept his eyes on God.
Prayer: Lord, I need to remember that you are with me through sadness and joy, just as you were with Joseph. Thank you for caring for me and caring about me.”
And that’s been my testimony! No matter the challenges and problems I face, God stands with me. The best solutions would pop to mind when I know I’m not that smart. People I need will magically show up to assist me. God’s total guidance, strength, wisdom is always there as my back up no matter what comes my way. I just have to show up with my eyes on God, listening to His direction in every moment as to what He would have me to do.
“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.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
But God sent me a special message through Devon Franklin, who said that the righteous WILL FALL seven times, but they will get back up eight. That’s your girl right now! I fell, but I’m getting back up! No shame in my game! I can’t seem to get feeling my strong self again, but tomorrow I told my daughters will be a day to take care of me. The first stop will be the BJ’s Wholesale Club, where I stock up on my fruits and veggies to make an extra nutritious batch of smoothies and up the quality of our family meals. Take care of your body, and it will take care of you!
But this time of feeling weak has been so good for me. It has forced me to slow my roll and get God involved with every decision I make. It’s been such a beautiful thing! I’m sweetly leaning on God, knowing that whatever He wants for me is ultimately good for me. Like on Friday, we had a situation with a car we needed to quickly handle. My manager suggested a solution, but I didn’t feel at peace about it. Repeatedly I told him no, and instead, in talking to God, I went with the decision that brought me peace. As I debated the several options in my head, I went with the choice that brought me no stress when I thought about it. We ended up having the car towed to a mechanic, who quickly figured out that the problem was coming from a plug that was not connected properly. He didn’t even charge us!
And that’s what I find with God. His solutions are always there to guide me no matter the troubles I face. Even with feeling a little sick, this has been the perfect opportunity to teach my kids the importance of a healthy lifestyle. My daughter, Julie, cooked us some healthy Nigerian food today. Seeing my kids eat and enjoy made the momma here super happy.
Are you seeking God in your decisions? Talking to someone today, I reminded them how they rushed and decided something without involving God some months ago, and things haven’t gone too well. I hope they learn the lesson to have a relationship with God because we need His wisdom. He knows the future, and He knows the utmost best decision we need to make. But if we don’t involve Him, we miss out on His guidance.
My song of the summer is ‘Leave the Door Open’ by Bruno Mars because it’s God reminding me that His door is always open for you, and for me too. His love, approval, strength, wisdom, and guidance. Don’t miss out! Follow those feelings of peace before making any move. Doubt, stress, anxiety when thinking of going a certain direction is God saying, ‘Don’t do that!!!’ DON’T MAKE A MOVE WITHOUT INVOLVING GOD!!!
