GOD HAS TO BE THE ONE WE LOVE!

I had the best time getting dressed for work singing to God and Him singing to us all today through Jagged Edge’s song, ‘I Gotta Be:’

Me to Him:

Is it real?
What I feel
Could it be? You and me
‘Til the end of time
Never part
Take my heart
Hold it tight, it’s true love

Him to me:

I gotta be the One you love (I’m telling you that)
I gotta be the One you feel
And I gotta be the One to fill your life with sunshine
I gotta be the One you know
‘Cause I will always love you so (I’m loving you, girl)
I gotta be the One you need
I’m just telling you that I gotta be

DON’T MISS OUT ON ALL THIS LOVE FROM GOD! This life is too rough! WE NEED GOD! I was so happy to share with my daughters all that I’ve been learning from my brothers, Kevin and Ceri. Like Ember’s feeling some emotional pain, and I’m like, ‘I’m the queen of that!’ (LOL!) I told her how Kevin told me to make God my top priority and focus, and that’s the best advice ever. When you are close to God, He will tell you how much emotional energy to give everyone. PUT EVERYONE IN THEIR PROPER PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE NO ONE IS MEANT TO FILL THE SPACE IN OUR HEARTS WHERE GOD ALONE SHOULD BE. The momma here has been getting it seriously wrong! Kevin also taught me to stay in the ring and take the 10,000 punches (not physical!!!) because life will throw 10,000 punches at you. IMPORTANT LESSONS GOD TEACHES US WHEN WE DON’T GIVE UP SO EASILY! Just make sure that you involve God in the discussion about who is worth taking these punches from! Wink! Wink!

I don’t play with my Ceri messages! I start every day listening to him and doing a complete reset on my brain about the thoughts God Himself would have me to think! The recording today was super great where he spoke about these verses that are becoming extremely special to me and God:

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. – 1 John 4:4 (The peace you cannot buy knowing you walk with God and He is greater than anything we will ever face!)

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So, we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” – 1 John 4:16

Ceri spoke about how John was very close to Jesus, and he spoke so much about love! THIS IS WHERE GOD WANTS US—LOVING HIM AND LOVING EACH OTHER!!!

GOD DOES NOT WANT US JUDGING EACH OTHER!!!

And He went to great extents to say this to me! This God wink started with my sit-down conversation with my sister on Saturday. She said that she got herself in trouble when she started quoting the scriptures to a friend about their lifestyle choices. I said to her, “No, sweetie! That’s not our job to judge anyone. Only God can judge.” She told me the verses, and I explained that Jesus himself said some of the Bible was incorrect in his opinion, and I quoted this from Jesus:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth (this is written in the old testament!).’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. — Mathew 5:38-42

I told her how Jesus told the crowd who wanted to stone the woman who committed adultery that anyone without sin should cast the first stone. No one did because we all are sin-ridden creatures! NONE OF US ARE PERFECT!!! So, Ceri has been teaching me to not judge; instead of looking at the speck we might like about others, we should look at ourselves.

I then have breakfast with my brother, Jason, and it’s the same conversation – J, judging anyone is not our job. We are to love them!

Then, of all verses, my sister Nora quotes this one on here Facebook wall:

“DO NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.” – Matthew 7:1-2 AMPC

I asked Nora if she discussed with Melba our conversation as to why she picked those verses. She said she hadn’t spoken to Melba, but just God’s spirit within her told her to select that one.

I then called my son/spiritual guy, Joshie, all the way in Nigeria to have an appointment with God with Him, and of our entire 365-day devotional, he on his own read this to me:

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. – Luke 6:37

The message for that day, written as if God was speaking, said this:

“My children make a hobby out of judging one another—and themselves. But I am the only true Judge. I hate seeing My children put themselves down or judge others.” – Jesus Calling Devotional for Kids

Got that? GOD SAYS HE IS THE ONLY TRUE JUDGE!!! He wants us to love and forgive each other, not condemn and judge!!! I am so grateful to my church time with Ceri daily and all the valuable lessons he is teaching me about walking with God. God is using Ceri to rewire my character, making me stronger and softer! Make sure you check out his Ceri’s words of wisdom playlist on our We Roll with God channel.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” – Colossians 3:12-14 NLT

“I’VE FIGURED OUT YOUR SECRETS!!!”

That was me to a Muslim client today whom I’ve only met two brief times, but he has had such a grand impression on me! Such that I would even say, “Here’s my daughter; marry her, please (just kidding!)!” His charm, strength, and softness truly got my attention. So, I’ve been watching these Muslim pastors on Instagram, and I’ve figured out what I found so appealing about him:

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His closeness to God! Muslims pray five times a day, and one time, I called him, and he said her would call me back when he had finished with the Mosque. I told you guys how the pastor said to take those prayers seriously because the more you spend time with God, the more His character rubs off on you! Like God is this all-powerful Being (strong!), yet at the same time so soft in the way that He finds all these sweet ways of letting us know that He is with us – so humble, extremely loving, lighthearted, fun and down to earth.

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Discipline! Honestly, at a very young age, Muslim kids are taught how to fast and have self-control, and I just sensed that this young man is very disciplined, and why I could say, ‘Marry my daughter!' Discipline is also one of the fruits of the spirit taught by Christianity that I’m constantly working on! I call it sweet discipline because I love myself better when I’m training myself like an athlete to be more self-controlled - mentally, physically, and spiritually. Heehaw!

That’s my message for us today! As that Muslim Pastor advised, take your alone time with God seriously! Every day, I run to my God tree to commune with God. I realize what HE is doing with me in those alone times. He is rewiring me on the inside as if saying, ‘Nik, these are the parts of your character I would like you to work on.’ Like He lovingly corrects us, making us softer and, at the same time, strengthening our inner beings when we take time to just be with Him and tap into His voice and the people He would like us to be.

That’s also where we develop discernment, Godly wisdom, values, principles, and guidance. You then know what God Himself would have you do moment-by-moment so that we don’t get misled by the teachings and bad advice thrown at us by the world, but we know what God Himself would have us do! MAKE GOD YOUR PARTNER IN EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE! TAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS WITH GOD SERIOUSLY!!! This life is too hard to do on our own!

GOD CONFIRMS THAT HE IS MY PARTNER!!!

Wow! Forget about it, Ember, I’m definitely God’s fav! God loves us so much that my daughter and I argue over who is God’s fav, me or her! We’re a family rolling with God, baby! What more can I say? Knowing me, LOTS!!!!

So, I’m back in the US trying to unpause our family’s business. Yesterday, I was discussing with our manager how he said we should put “In God We Trust” on our signs because we want to honor God in everything we do and not give God a bad reputation for acting poorly. Can you believe God got involved in our conversation a few hours later? I was throwing out the trash when I felt God in my spirit saying to take up a book. Look what incredibly showed up guys:

“You have a store? Have you taken God into partnership with you? Do you start every day with quiet, purposeful communion with God? Do you really ask God just what to do in each and every transaction?” – The Story of Unity

The way I be running to my God tree, even in the dark sometimes, just to have a quiet and purposeful communion with Him to build up my courage to get this business going again, has been something else. God had me open this book to reveal another glimmer of His presence with me as if saying, ‘Nik, relax, my boo, I’m your partner in this business, remember!!!’ NO WAY THIS WAS SOME RANDOM COINCIDENCE!!!

Honestly, though, God is my Partner and Guide in every aspect of my life, and He wants to be involved in yours as well, but you must take the time to get to develop a relationship with Him. I feel like I am in a different realm of closeness with God now. Of all my old pictures yesterday, I decided to reuse one that said this:

“God gives us more than we can imagine when we stick with Him.”

Fast forward to having an appointment with my son Emmie, out of 366 posts in my book, he selected post number 300 that God used to confirm the caption on that picture:

“When we stick with God, seeking to please Him in all our ways, He leads us on the path to these unimaginable lives – I’m talking meaningful, joyful, peaceful, and happy.”

I was so happy talking to Ember today! She was on her way driving to work at Nike, and there is no doubt that God Himself planned everything for my daughters in New York, including this job at Nike! We’re not going by the ordinary rules, guys, we’re rolling with God, the King of Kings, and His spirit is at work in the spiritual realm on our behalf. Our family motto is to do the best of our abilities and then leave the rest for God! If God is for us, who can be against us!!!!

Please don’t miss out on this most crucial relationship with God where you start learning His voice!!! Wake up every day to have quiet, purposeful communion with Him reading or listening to anything spiritual that connects you with Him. I don’t want to feel this loved by God by myself! (HUGE SMILE)

“ARE YOU HAPPY?”

That was the question from my brother, Jason, yesterday. I replied, “J, happiness is overrated! You can follow bliss and pleasure, and they can lead you down very wrong and dark paths. I instead look for true joy, fulfillment, and well-being from having a close relationship with God.

Like every day, I wake up like my life is on a mission from God to be His Rockstar wife, mom, and person in the world. To feel God’s deep and intimate love for me and know He is with me 24/7 as my life Partner and Guide is what I want the world to know – how deep, wide, high, and long God’s love is for us. Walking in His Divine favor, protection, and power!

And sometimes that means our happiness must go to the back seat, and we must instead pick up our crosses and carry them! It is what it is! Even though Kevin says my crosses are only specks of crosses, they are sometimes challenging and painful – not happy times – that God asks me to endure. And for God, who is doing so much for me, I say, ‘Anything to please You God, let me learn!’ DON’T FOLLOW HAPPINESS; FOLLOW GOD, ASKING HIM WHAT HE WOULD HAVE YOU DO IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE. EVERY RELATIONSHIP. EVERY DECISION.

God talks to me through Justin Bieber, saying, ‘You can take it out on Me.’ So that means when I look at everything God does for me, I can take all the disappointments, frustrations, and aggravations and hand them over to God because He exceeds anything I can imagine. My “311” showed up two times while out with Jason yesterday, and it’s my beautiful reminder from God to Be still (relax, stay calm, and let go of trying to control situations and people) and allow God to be God. We don’t have to fight our battles alone! DO YOUR UTMOST BEST AND LEAVE THE REST WITH GOD! He is the universe’s ultimate Controller, and I trust that whatever He wants for me is best for me!

I told hubs today that God can even use the devil to bless us! I bragged about how I’m in a new realm of closeness with God. “311” is also my reminder to stay on the HIGHEST road with God. Anything anyone else does is between them and God; whatever I do is between me and God! And let me tell ya, BEING OBEDIENT TO GOD IS WHERE THE BLESSINGS ARE – PEACE, JOY, LOVING RELATIONSHIPS, HEALTH, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT. I love talking to my 91-year-old mom every day now! LOVE YOU, MY SWEETIE!

A Muslim preacher has given me great advice about taking my alone time with God more seriously, and I want you to do the same. In every aspect of our lives, I want us to involve God! I’ll never forget a conversation with my hubby when I had turned into a crazy lady on him, and he said, “Nikki, I’m tired of trying to justify myself to you. Talk to God about me!” God said, ‘Nik, I found you the best husband (for you!) in the world!’ I tell hubs that whatever we must go through, we will go through it together! No breaking up over here!

So, that’s where I want us, referring everything to God! Make Him our Partner and Guide! Don’t look to these people on social media (they be making me mad with all the terrible advice they feel they need to give people and destroying relationships!). Look to God! That’s where those appointments with Him will pay off! He knows the hearts of everyone and the best decision for us in every moment, but we must develop our relationship with Him so we know what He would have us to do. He will tell us how much emotional space and energy to give everyone! The Muslims have 5 daily prayers a day! Let’s learn from them, please, AND TAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TO THE NEXT REALM! Wink! Wink!

GOD KNOWS EVERY THOUGHT I THINK!

Your girl was up early today running in the dark, just thanking God that Kevin told me that we ALL have our crosses to carry. Still, my cross was a little speck of a cross, and I should, therefore, enjoy my gorgeous life. I started thinking in my head, is “spec” one word and “speck” another? Like random thoughts, you know. So, fast forward to having my sit-down session with God, reading through some old posts on our family’s website, look what incredibly showed up out of 146 pages there:

“Kevin tells me my cross is a spec (should be speck!) of a cross (Wink! Wink!) compared with other people’s crosses! So, I run with that! I carry my spec of a cross joyfully on behalf of God with the hopes that my life will glorify Him.”

NO ONE CAN TELL ME THAT WAS A COINCIDENCE! It was again God revealing another glimmer of His Presence that is always with us, down to every thought that we think!!!!

Did you see what it said though: “I carry my speck of a cross JOYFULLY on behalf of God with the hopes that my life will glorify Him.” This was also on that page:

“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

Got that? Whatever those crosses God has asked us to carry, HE WILL HELP US CARRY them. All we must do is show up every moment, giving our utmost best, and we can trust that God is faithful and will take care of His part. This also showed up:

I really have to thank our friend, Ceri, who made one crucial statement to me one day: ‘You have kids.” I thought that meant that the sad, emotional, crazy lady needed to say bye, and the strong, focused, mature, handling her business woman needed to come out. Today on that run, I wore my greatest of all time (GOAT) shirt, meaning I’m going for God’s top prize of being the best wife, mother, and person He would have me to be. When I die, I imagine Him saying, “Well done my good and faithful servant.’

Don’t worry what anyone else is doing, let’s be God’s representatives going the extra mile in love, support, patience, faithfulness, and kindness doing our thing for GOD, OUR FAMILIES, AND THE WORLD! Under the tree today, praying with hubby, I just asked for one thing: STRENGTH! So help us, God!

“I will seek to honor God, obey His word, and do His will.” – Courageous

EVERYBODY NEEDS A KEVIN AND A CERI IN THEIR LIFE!

So, it’s my mission to teach you guys what they teach me! They both have an extraordinary gift of wisdom, and I am blessed to have them in my life. I just called Kevin to thank him for teaching me to stay in the ring and take the 10,000 punches (it was really God speaking to me through Him because I felt God in my spirit telling me to listen to Kevin. God’s sheep know His voice!). I don’t know who would advise their baby sister to do such a thing, but he later explained that life will throw you 10,000 punches, and you must stay strong and MANLY take them. MOST IMPORTANTLY, BEING WISE AND OBEDIENT TO GOD AND WHAT HE WOULD HAVE YOU DO.

In a very low moment, though, he told me that the only advice he could give me was to focus on God and prioritize God. Months later, my brother, Jason, introduced me to Ceri. I began having church with Ceri daily, who has become like another messenger from God. I stalk him in this Clubhouse app, and I promise you, it’s like a private meeting between God and me with God saying, ‘Sit down, Nik, I want to talk with you.’ No joke!

That’s the kind of love I receive from God that I don’t want you guys to miss out on. HE SENDS PEOPLE TO SUPPORT, UPLIFT, ENCOURAGE AND ADVISE US! All the advice I’ve received from Kevin and Ceri led me to this morning looking to purchase vehicles with my husband for our business, which we had to put on pause for a little bit. TO GOD BE THE GLORY, we’re confidently moving forward in FAITH, trusting God with all our hearts. This verse is becoming one of my favorites in the Bible:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” – Psalm 32:8

Don’t play around with your relationship with God! Make sure you wake up daily to some type of God morning routine, making Him your top priority. Eventually, you will learn His voice and, incredibly, what He would have you do on a moment-by-moment basis! God is so amazing in how He will find all these unique ways to let you know His Presence is with you.

Like I was working late in my daughter Julie’s bedroom last night, and as I stood next to where my phone was charging, I had my thumb between my front teeth in a tense moment. God had me look a few inches away, can you believe out of the hundreds of celebrity photographs Julie has posted on her bedroom wall, God took my attention to Michael B. Jordan with his thumb in his mouth between his teeth exactly how I had mine own at that precise moment? Tell me, how could that possibly be a random coincidence? God had Julie post that pic precisely there because He knew that I would be in her room at that time, needing a little wink from Him to let me know His invisible Presence was with me. See the love and sweetness of God that I don’t want you to miss out on! Wake up every day to read or listen to something that connects you to God and His principles for our lives! GOD ALWAYS KNOWS BEST! Wink! Wink!

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” – Colossians 3:14-17

NOTHING CATCHES GOD BY SURPRISE!

I told you guys how I started calling my sons in Nigeria to have appointments with God with them, and yesterday, Joshie called me to have one with him, and he read this from our Jesus Calling Devotional for Kids:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me. – Psalm 23:4

“I (God) go before you as well as with you into this day. Nothing surprises Me. I know exactly what will happen—both the good and the bad. Trust in Me and don’t be afraid.”

I started screaming! Joshie, that’s the same verse that showed up under my God tree today! I then told him that nothing catches God by surprise because of the way He showed up for me the day before in this HUGE wholesale club. Of all the things to buy for my dinner, I purchased a Rotisserie chicken and a bag of Ceasar Salad mix. The place was filled with people, but at the very line where I decided to enter to pay, I looked up, and directly ahead from where I was standing was a menu item at the snack bar with the words and pictures of precisely Rotisserie chicken and Caesar salad! THAT WAS NO COINCIDENCE!!! God Himself was saying, ‘Nik, I know you so well! I know what you would buy and where you would be standing to pay for them!’ I just started smiling with Him, blown away by the love and attention He shows me! NOTHING INDEED CATCHES GOD BY SURPRISE!

Fast forward to today. I’m under my God tree and decided to read the Jesus Calling adult version. I took the scroll button at the bottom, asking God to pick what He wanted me to read. I read this verse:

“… to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:19

Then it said this:

“Set your heart on living steadfastly in my Presence, as a tree rooted in Me.”

I looked at my God tree and imagined the roots growing that keep the tree steady despite all the storms that come through Florida, and I thought how I must get my roots down deep with God, that nothing can shake me.

Fast forward to this afternoon, I’m listening to Ceri’s message that he had recorded earlier, and he incredibly spoke about these verses:

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (Wink! Wink!). And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. – Ephesians 3:17-19

For Ceri to quote the exact verse that showed up under my God tree and the whole part with “YOUR ROOTS WILL GROW DOWN IN GOD’S LOVE AND KEEP YOU STRONG” was again God Himself revealing a glimmer of His invisible Presence and letting me know just how long, high, and deep His love is for me! NO ONE CAN TELL ME THIS WAS JUST A RANDOM COINCIDENCE!!! God was letting me know that He saw me staring at that tree this morning, imagining my roots growing into Him.

Ceri’s message was about how he prays that we all experience God’s deep love for ourselves. I do, too. Amen! Make sure you wake up every day to some God routine! PUT GOD FIRST!!! Even if you start with just one minute. Read or listen to something spiritual that connects you with God! Peace!

“HOW MUCH DOES THIS WIFE LOVE YOU?”

That was me to my hubby just now! At first he said 5%, then 100%, and then I responded, “Wrong answer. Infinity percent!” And our son, Joshie, added in, “Infinity percent and beyond (HUGE SMILE)!” Our families are so important to God, guys! But we need Him to be at the center of every relationship, every decision, and every circumstance, with us continuously asking for His guidance and perspective. This is how He directs our paths on the most beautiful ways (ANOTHER SMILE)! It isn’t always pretty, but it is always the best! Wink! Wink!

And about God guiding us, I can’t get over how He had us to buy this home in this area almost 20 years ago. After looking for a house for months, hubby and I finally agreed. Honestly, this home has been such a blessing to our family! My sister-in-law casually told me one day in Nigeria that her daughters missed out on scholarship opportunities because they didn’t graduate from schools in the US. A few months later, the girls and I left my hubby and sons in Nigeria, and they were enrolled in a nearby high school. Long story short, this high school pushed my daughters extremely hard with advanced and college-level classes. The next thing we knew, they got great scholarships from top-notch universities in New York. This verse has been spot on our experience with God:

“I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Hubby and I were like little kids when we were purchasing this home! Like so excited and enthusiastic! That’s how God leads us. His answer is always a big “YES!” when He directs us in a particular direction. Doubt, uneasiness, and stress are His way of saying, ‘Hold up. Let’s rethink this before moving forward!’ And honestly, this house has been an enormous blessing for us, and I can go on and on with stories! That pic is of me running in our gorgeous neighborhood today, where I meet with God under my God tree. Even the planting of that tree was all orchestrated and planned out by God, especially for me! That’s the intimate love and attention He shows us!

So, involve God in your 1,000 daily decisions, seeking His perspective. Also, pay attention to the nudges from Him throughout the day. He was the one I felt saying to call hubby in Nigeria, not from a space of crazy lady and wanting to track his movements without the wifey around, but from a space of ‘Hey, do you know how much this wife loves and appreciates you?’ This message from Ceri has genuinely inspired me to show up as the best wife, momma, and person on behalf of God in the world:

“… You got to be kind. It reverts back to what they said Paul said in this verse. He says to make allowance for everyone for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. When you make allowance for something, you prepare yourself that people will fail you. Ain’t nobody perfect. And even when people mess up, you must give them that Grace (wiping the slate clean daily for others the way God does for us!!!).

Remember now, we cannot keep asking God for grace and mercy when we don’t extend His hand to each other. Whatever it is that God gives us, he provides us with the opportunity to reflect that onto our fellow man. Hence, he told us he made us in his own image. What He’s given to us, we have the opportunity to give to other people. Every day, we see the love that God has given us. From the moment we wake up and have our eyes open, we now have the opportunity and the ability to Grace others with what God has been so gracious with us. God helped us to wake up to see another day. He shows us love continuously. He tells us once we wake up, ‘Hey, that’s what I did for you; now go out there and do for others.’ And forgiveness is one of those things.

Remember, it’s something that I always used to preach here from when I first started preaching in this room. Forgiveness is something that God gave to you. He gave that to you. Forgiveness is for us. Nobody cares if you forgive them or not. Trust me on this one. Nobody cares. The only person to be affected by you not forgiving somebody is you. You’re going to walk around with a spiteful heart. You will walk around with hate in your eyes. You will be having sleepless nights because something this person did to you upset you. Do you think they care? They don’t care because they can repeatedly run into the same problems. They can keep running into people who either forgive them or who don’t. Do you think that like they are going to stop at you? Nah. It just doesn’t work that way.

The forgiveness is for us. The forgiveness is for us to say, ‘Hey, I forgive you.’ You don’t do it because we want God to forgive us. That isn’t just the reason. You have to honestly search deep down inside you and realize that whatever this is, I am bigger than this. I’m not gonna let this consume me. This isn’t a part of me. This isn’t me. This isn’t what I’m going to focus on. I need to focus on the word of God. I need to focus on loving other people. I need to devote my energy to something more important than what this person did to me. And that’s just what it is. So today, let’s remember to go out there with exactly what God asked us to do in these particular verses when He asks us to clothe ourselves today with love, mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God our Father.”

“AS YOU HELP OTHERS, YOU HEAL YOURSELF!”

I called my son Emmie on Sunday, completely angry and spewing that anger out on my poor son! The crazy lady was out feeling so hurt, overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed! Fast forward to today, Friday, I called him for our daily appointment with God, and out of 366 posts from my book, he picked the perfect one for me to discuss what had happened with the momma on Sunday.

_“LIVE AS HUMBLY AS YOU CAN” _

That was my message from God one morning leaving a store. I was thanking the gentleman who paid after me for the kindness he showed the lady who was behind him, and he responded (I paraphrase here):

“We have to live life as humbly as we can, doing God’s will. We’re not here to judge anyone but to leave all the judging to God. He is the only one who can judge us. No one is perfect.”

This was truly a message for crazy lady here from God Himself. This stranger perfectly articulated my latest lesson from Him. I want to judge all the imperfect people in my life instead of focusing on what God would have me to do, which is to love them.

A couple of days ago, frustrated and angry, I go to work on the final editing of my book, and there was another perfect message on the screen from my meditation book this time:

“You know well how to excuse and gloss over your own deeds, but you will not accept the excuses of others. It is better for you to accuse yourself, and excuse your brother or sister. If you wish to be borne with, bear also with others. See how far you still are from true charity and humility, which knows not how to feel anger or indignation against anyone but oneself.” – The Imitation of Christ

Here’s what I wrote in that post: Can you imagine getting to a place where you do not feel anger, insulted, offended or annoyed by anyone for what you believe is unfair treatment by them and having such feelings only against yourself? Wow, what a wonderful life that would be, but is that even possible humanly speaking?!?”

Well, God is truly trying to get me there, and I want to challenge you to get there with me. We’re to love others, stop judging them. Everyone is on their own path with God.

We must be professional ignorers; otherwise, we will go through our lives always offended, insulted, and frustrated. When others disappoint us, we must immediately shake off the hurts and disappointments and keep walking humbly with God, extending grace (pardoning without punishment), forgiving endlessly, and becoming better instead of bitter and loving extravagantly.

We can do this! Superhumans we shall be, all for the glory of God!

I explained to Emmie that this has been a real challenge for me, but I listen to this message just about every day from Ceri, and it’s helping me with this constant judging I have going on:

“And that’s why God told us in this particular verse, like how could you look at somebody and tell them that they have a speck in their eye when you have a log in your own? THE REASON WHY IS A SPECK IN THEIR EYES IS BECAUSE THAT’S ALL THAT YOU SEE. You judge someone by the little bit you see when God knows all, and he isn’t judging that person. But we come right here with our big eyes knowing all the bad things we do, and we’re quick to point fingers at somebody and say, ‘Oh this person ain’t living this way. This one ain’t righteous. This one ain’t doing this. This one is doing that. But what have we done to repent for our sins? Have we changed? Have you woken up this morning to do something and intentionally not do it again because you know you already promised God that you won’t do this anymore?”

“AS YOU HELP OTHERS, YOU HEAL YOURSELF!”