āYouāre happy when your kids get detention!ā Yup! Thatās me! Emmie got Saturday detention today, and I was thrilled about it! I want them to learn that their actions have consequences, and sometimes, unfortunately, you learn best the hard way. I explained to Emmie that our failures and mistakes can teach us far more than our successes, though, if we learn from them and improve. Thatās certainly been my experience! Iām grateful for the corrections from the universe on how I can be better. Woohoo!
God corrects those He loves, is my belief! So many times I fall and I go running to Him, and I find such love and approval, with His arms WIDE OPEN to receive me, just saying, āItās Ok Nik, just do better next time.ā Thatās why I was so happy last night going to sleep after a conversation with someone Iāve been fighting with for the past few days. He said to me, āNikki, I used to think of God as someone who was just set on punishing us, but you taught me that God is love.ā
God is love, and He shows me such unbelievable love, attention, and approval. Like after arguing with him an entire day, I sent him a text at exactly 1:14 am saying, āLetās work smarter, not harder.ā I went to bed extremely angry and frustrated, though. And I woke up still feeling upset in my appointment with God the next morning. For that time with Him, I felt God nudging me in my spirit to read my book, āKeep Calm, Youāre Rolling with God,ā a compilation of 366 of my old blog posts. In this very big book, I opened directly to one that said this:
āWith God, WE CAN WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER (Wink! Wink!).ā
For the words of my text message to show up on the very page I had just randomly opened to, in a book of over 140,000 words, believe it or not, was Godās way of letting me know that His invisible Presence was with me at that very moment AND HE WAS ON THE CASE TO HELP ME WITH THE MATTER THAT WAS BOTHERING ME. That STRONG FEELING to read specifically my book, was HIM, let me tell ya! Like He was wrapping His arms around me and comforting me in my distress. What kind of love is this?
So, God is not mad at you, either. More like MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU! And we really can work smarter, when we know we have access to God as our life Partner and Guide. I donāt know about you, but Iām getting Him involved in ALL my decisions, as I live my BLESSED life with Him. Heehaw!!!
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āWHATāS WRONG WITH ME?ā
I took these words from Devon Franklin as God having some fun with me reading his book, The Truth About Men. This was after I said, maybe an hour or so before, I had asked, āGOD, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!!!ā For my very words to show up there, was my little wink from Him that He incredibly knows every thought I think, He is familiar with all my ways, and His invisible Presence is always with me.
Devon has been my example of a Rockstar for God, so, to read these words from him after my complaints to God about some areas where I get it wrong, just reminded me that WE ALL HAVE OUR STRUGGLES. And that we need to go easier on others AND OURSELVES. We all got demons weāre fighting!
āLove is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.ā 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Thatās why I so love and respect my brother, Kevin, who kept telling me last year, āNeeks, youāre just going to have to be patient right now.ā Let me tell ya, that patience has paid off! STAYING ON THE HIGH ROAD WITH GOD IS WHERE WE ALL NEED TO BE AT ALL TIMES. Between God, Kevin and Devon, they were my guard rails that kept me on track and making good decisions last year.
āThe LORD says, āI will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.ā ā Psalm 32:8
āAre you and Daddy doing anything special for Valentineās Day?ā my Julie sweetly asked yesterday. I replied, āTo be very honest, every day is Valentineās Day for your dad and me!ā Every evening we make a big deal about dinner together. Our cook, Victoria, goes all out, making sure we have the best Nigerian foods to enjoy with our sons. Then on her time off, hubby lovingly takes over catering to us. Spoilt wife here!
I was so happy when Julie told me today how she sees how much her dad genuinely loves me. So important that we as parents teach our children how to love. Our kids see everything we do, and theyāre learning from our example! They see us fighting, forgiving (aināt nobody perfect!), ENJOYING each other, and sticking together through the good, bad and ugly with the HOPE that tomorrow will be better. LOYALTY, FAITHFULNESS, DEPENDABILITY are the values that are working for me, baby. Letās make God proud by seeking to be the going the extra mile in love, forgiveness, and kindness kind of people. Amen! No matter how many times we fall, His love for us is ALWAYS unconditional. Humans might reject us, but God will never leave us or forsake us! That’s why I keep my eyes on Him!!! Wink! Wink!
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I STILL CANāT GET OVER MY GOD WINK FROM YESTERDAY! (REPOST)
Two of my fav messengers from Him, Joel Osteen and Devon Franklin, both had the same message for me within hours of each other:
Joel: But God didnāt BRING YOU THIS FAR TO LEAVE YOU.
Devon: ā¦let that be confirmation to you that Godās not going to BRING YOU THIS FAR TO LEAVE YOU.
Right at that precise moment of reading the confirmation from Joel Osteen, I went running to God in an anxious moment, saying, āGod, I need to hear from You!ā He lovingly showed up as if asking, āNik, whatās the problem here? I will never leave you or forsake you!ā
I know weāre so used to human love that disappoints, but God doesnāt! Even the bad that happens, He uses for our good! I loved a comment from a Facebook friend telling me how my running is working for me. I told her it was all the drama in my life that got me running every day with God, reminded that Iām not going through life alone ā MY GOD IS WITH ME! So, in the big picture, the drama turned out to be so good, it got me wrapped up in Godās arms where I now know that Iām His girl and crucially that I need Him in every moment.
Donāt miss out! Know that we have God with us on a moment by moment basis for His wisdom, guidance, approval, love, acceptance. That no matter the situation we find ourselves in, we can look to God for His help.
Thatās what Iām teaching my daughters lately! They are the ones taking care of my 88-year-old mom in the US while Iām with hubs and our sons in Nigeria. Iām using the experience as relationship training because good relationships are what make life beautiful. Iām teaching them how to go to God and use His tact, personality, and charm to win over their grandma. When my mom complained recently that the girls had done something wrong, Julie took my advice and calmly responded, āWeāre so sorry. Ember (her sister), how could we have done such a thing? Grandma, it will never happen again!ā Instead of getting upset at my momās harsh criticism, my daughters handled the situation from a God perspective ā kindly, wisely, and lovingly! Way to go, my girls! Iām so thrilled they get to be around my mom to learn all the values she has instilled in me, like KINDNESS and going the extra mile.
I loved Ember calling me recently and saying, āMom, I got you!ā And I want these posts to be all of our reminders that God has all of us. Every moment, letās look to Him and respond to every situation the way Julie did with lots of Godās wisdom, tact, love, and charm! Even the tough challenges that had me running to Him! No shame in my game ā God, I need You in every moment!
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āARE YOU BACK IN NIGERIA ON BUSINESS?ā
That was the question from my sweet sister, Juanita, that got me all fired up! She meant office-type business, but Iām taking it as a wink from God to take this time with my hubs and sons just as seriously as I took the challenge I came some months ago to tackle. My sons have some crucial exams coming up, and Iām going to take some time to FOCUS on them to help them be all they can be, by Godās grace! Yes, Iām here on business! To help raise some fantastic sons and spend time with the best husband!
I love this word āFOCUS,” though! Pretty cool that I get to leave the US and everything I have going on there to come to Nigeria and say to my sons, “Iām here to FOCUS on you guys. You’re what’s most important on my agenda!”
Let me tell ya, it was lots of conversations with God about whether to come or not, and I felt Him giving me the nudge in my spirit that this was where He wanted my FOCUS for now. I felt those feelings of peace that I always write about when God wants me to go in a certain direction. However, if I had felt stressed or anxious when I thought about going, I knew thatās His way of saying, āNik, donāt go!ā
So, Iāve wisely learned to keep my FOCUS on God and what He would have me to do on a moment by moment basis based on these feelings, nudges, signs and cues that Iāve learned from so many times of practicing listening to Him. Like I now read back on all my old posts and I’,m wonderfully reminded of so many times when Iāve followed Godās leading, and things have worked out incredibly well. In fact, EXCEEDING well!
āI will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over youā (Psalm 32:8).
Are you allowing God to be the Guide of your life? Our job is to stay FOCUSED on Him, doing what He would have us to do in every relationship, every circumstance, and every decision. Before you make any decision, start practicing asking God first. If you feel stressed, worried, doubtful, anxious when you think about going in a certain direction, that maybe God saying, ‘Hold up, let’s rethink this.’However, if you feel excited, happy, peaceful, that’s His way of most likely saying, ‘Yes, this is the way!’ It takes lots of PRACTICE to really learn His voice, but it’s worth all the effort! I’m so enjoying boys, hubs, and a yard full of the most delicious mangoes!
āDirect me in the path of your commands, for there I find delightā (Psalm 119:35). (Wink! Wink!)
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āAND YOU GUYS CALL ME THE DRAMA QUEEN OF THE FAMILYā
That was me to my daughter, Julie, this morning when she called to tell me something ābadā had happened. That ābadā was that she didnāt get her usual 100% in her collegeās Public Speaking course, and instead got a 97%. The horror! (SMILE!) I used it as an opportunity to tell her how life is like that grade. We can either focus on the 97% good and positive things, or we can focus on the negative three percent. āAnd as I speak to you, Iām really talking to myself. Iām very much guilty of stressing too much over that 3% in my life that Iām not thrilled about instead of the 97% of my life that Iām in love with,ā I confessed to her. I encouraged her with this verse that showed up in my morning appointment with God:
āFinally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.ā – Philippians 4:8
And we all have so much to be optimistic about no matter the circumstances we face, especially when we look at everything from the God perspective knowing He is our wonderful life Partner who will never leave us or forsake us. Our hope is in God, baby! My appointment with Him was also about trusting Him, leaning on, and being confident in Him. That we can relax and enjoy our lives knowing He is holding us by our right hand as we walk through life with Him as our Guide. Our God is faithful!
āLetās work on getting closer to God this year,ā was the conversation with my daughter, Ember, this morning. She didnāt feel a high five from God in her appointment with Him, and I encouraged her to stay with them until she felt she had heard from Him, like, āYes, God, high five! I know Your Presence is here with me!’
Are you having your alone times with Him? I promise you, He is the best Partner. As you seek Him through these alone times, you will find Him. Youāll begin to learn His voice and specifically what He has to say to you through His nudges, cues and messages that can show up anywhere as He helps you to make the wisest decisions in every aspect of your life. He is pretty talkative! Off to study with my sons with my husband’s voice reminding me in my head, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” Let’s do everything for God’s glory! Heehaw!
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GUESS WHO IS BACK RUNNING? (REPOST)
Me, baby! Canāt let a little cold get me down! And I had the best time with my Nike Running Clubās Coach Cory jogging up and down the stairs of our home in Nigeria. He kept reminding me that I was powerful and strong. Yes!!! I have a big project I need to complete, and most importantly these runs are the way I start my day KNOWING that Godās invisible Presence is always with me. Instead of thinking worst-case scenario, I think best-case: If my God is with me, who can be against me! I love this old post:
GOD, YOU KNOW EVERY THOUGHT I THINK
That was me freaking out over God, as usual. I strangely wasnāt having the regular doubts and fears about a big challenge that was going on with me at the time. Suddenly, a thought came out of nowhere, spooking me out: āMaybe youāre too confidentā! I thought of how Iām always fussing my daughter, Julie, for being overconfident about her school work and refusing to study. Then 15 minutes later or so, I needed to use the restroom, but it was occupied, so I had to wait. I opened my meditation book, Jesus Calling, on my phone, and unbelievably read:
āYou have every reason to be confident, because My Presence accompanies you all the days of your lifeāand onward into eternity.ā
Wow! God is so intimately involved in all our lives. I opened it to the perfect sentence for me at that very moment. Hereās what else He had to say about all those worries and anxious thoughts:
āDo not give in to fear or worry, those robbers of abundant living. Trust Me enough to face problems as they come, rather than trying to anticipate them. Fix your eyes on Me, the Author and Perfector of your faith, and many difficulties on the road ahead will vanish before you reach them. Whenever you start to feel afraid, remember that I am holding you by your right hand. Nothing can separate you from My Presence! For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.ā Isaiah 41:13
And this message was confirmed in my other meditation book that I opened for a brief minute when I needed to grab something from my handbag:
God: āI will go before you and level the mountainsā (Isaiah 45:2).
Our Father, thank You for Your intimate Presence in every aspect of our lives. May we always trust You and follow Your guidance. Amen.
KEEP CALMāYOUāRE ROLLING WITH GOD
āWEāVE HIT THE JACKPOT WITH YOU AND GODā
That was me to my hubby a short while ago! Between the two of them, weāre well taken care of. Even in a down world economy, we feel God sending customers our way. And my husband never stops hustling HARD to make sure everything is good for us. So much so that I told our kids, āNone of us have any right to be upset at your father for anything. Whatever he does wrong, we just have to forgive him immediately because he does so much that is right.ā That goes for crazy mama over here too! No marriage is perfect but I love that we stay committed to each other, constantly working on being BETTER TOGETHER. Aināt nothing perfect! Letās not let the weeds that show up, overshadow the wheat in our lives.
I feel Godās Presence so strongly with our family, though. Like some months ago someone out of the blue said to me that if I needed help with something, I should let them know. Turns out Ember did need some help with it. I stopped in the middle of my run to call them and ask for the help they had offered and they said no problem, and to see them later. I send Ember a text in regards to the situation, āI got you, boo.ā
Fast forward to about two hours later, Julie asked to go to Target. We hop in the car, and of all the songs in the world, she plays one entitled, āI GOT YOU (Wink! Wink!),ā with the lyrics astonishingly saying āhit the TARGETā as we drove to Target.
Believe it or not, this was Godās sweet way of saying, āNik, I got you guys!!!ā There is no way this all lined up on its own so perfectly to be called some random coincidence. It was God letting us know that He is with our family.
Everything worked out well for Ember and itās just incredible how God shows up with such love to have that person say that to me months ago. Ember was amazed!
Thatās the love from God I donāt want you to miss out on. His invisible Presence is ALWAYS with us. Itās just for us to keep our eyes fixed on Him, making Him apart of every decision we make. This is how He beautifully guides us. Iām so inspired by something I heard Oprah Winfrey say that Iām making this my life statement: To live my best life with God as I inspire others to do the same. Our hope is in God!
