12.14.22
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Let’s Take This One Day At A Time Planner

I am so proud to introduce my new book, Let’s Take This One Day At A Time Planner! Just in time for Christmas and the new year. And being released in a season where I have been going through a lot as well as feeling up and down. So, we pushing through and looking forward to a new year!

To continue with the theme of my book, Bring It To The Surface: Poetry & Journal, I want to further encourage others with a special planner. I discovered that healing is continuous and living must be intentional.

Take a look!

Let’s Take This One Day At A Time Planner helps you to be intentional in taking one day at a time. This planner helps you to not only plan your week and stay organized, but also continue your healing journey and growth by being intentional in five areas: prayer, goal setting, self-care, gratitude, and reflection.

Available on Amazon now!

10.23.22
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October

Those nights or early mornings when you can’t sleep, pray. Have a conversation with God, our Father in the name of Christ Jesus. Seek God, you will find Him. Right there, waiting.

The month of October has been one heck of a month. It started with me gearing up for FAFSA season. I was looking forward to helping as many of our high school students and their parents complete their FAFSAs (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for college during this month, the start of FAFSA season. Then one day of the first week, I was struck by a car and was for about two weeks at home resting from my injuries. I was also granted a work from home and managed through the resting and healing to do a little paper work and correspondence. Although, I was in pain and in shock, I thank Jesus that the accident was not fatal and that I didn’t get any head injuries or fractures. I also thank God for the people who helped me that day at the scene of the accident, the paramedics, and the med team of the ER.

Update: Just recently, my church also lost an integral part of our church, one of the mothers, Sis Thompkins. She had the sweetest smile, hugs, and personality. My heart is heavy because I wasn’t able to make it to her birthday party just last month, and hug her one last time. I pray she knew just how much she was loved and appreciated. She leaves behind a great legacy. The honor from her family while she was here is evidence of just how sweet she was as well as how much she prayed for them and poured into them. I send my sincerest condolences to her family.

While home resting, some nights, I would awaken early in the morning. Now my sleep isn’t always the best but I was awaking now between 1 and 3 or 3-6 am. I remembered from a last instance where I was taught when moments like this occur you must pray. And then a video from a YouTuber and fellow sister in Christ Jesus popped up on my YouTube feed one evening reminding the same thing. Why You’re Waking Up From 3 am-6 am! From Shannon Wells was the video. It was confirmation for the next time I woke up, get to praying, talking with God, spending time in His Word, etc. And surely that next morning I awoke to a sound. I thought it was a mice scurrying but saw the shadow of trees outside blowing in the wind and hoped the sound I heard was from leaves brushing against the side of my roof, reminding me they need to be removed. I rather the leaves than a mice, lbs. And I saw my dog laid out on part of her bed to part of the floor sleeping peacefully. Surely, I thought she would have been up trying to see what the sound was also, unless it was her moving. After looking around in the dark from my bed with my phone’s light, I laid there and immediately began to pray. I didn’t scroll through Instagram or TikTok or any other one of my social mediums, which I end up doing a lot of times even sometimes in the midst of reading my Bible. I will see a verse or message, have to share, share it and then keep scrolling for awhile after on social media. I get distracted.

But I began to pray. This was the opportunity to seek God, listen to Him, and allow Him to minister to me. Or me minister to Him through worship, drawing closer to Him, and abiding in His presence.

I prayed for a little, then read a Bible plan day’s message or two, and proceeded to journal. And then I went back to reading the Word and praying. And I was praying not just for my self but for others. Interceding and crying out to God with His full armor on. I wish I could tell you one of my prayers were answered immediately or something spectacular happened but it didn’t, at least not in the natural or physical. (Update: whew, prayer time and the time in the Word was powerful, I felt it, and I give thanks to the Holy Spirit leading me in prayer.) But if I pleased God by sitting with Him, worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth, then something happened to my spirit and in the spirit realm, and I must believe so. I must have faith. Let His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

I had already learned when moments of rest or pause are brought forth that you do just that. And you focus on what it is God wants you to learn. You draw closer to God even if it’s a tiny step at a time. You pray like never before. You empty out and allow God to pour in and fill every crevice of your heart and mind as well as renew your spirit.

Isaiah 40:31

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Jesus is our hope. When we hope and have faith in Him, He renews our strength.

Allow God to breathe in you and refresh you. Allow God to help you to redeem the time. Allow God to grant you the wisdom to eradicate distractions, to take every thought captive and to mind your walk and time to focus and live with purpose and according to God’s will.

Got questions talks more about redeeming the time here:  https://www.gotquestions.org/redeeming-the-time.html .

I still have some discomfort and pain from the accident, and am not yet at full recovery. However, I am slowly on the mend. One day at a time.

A Word: Lean not unto your own understanding and trust God with all thine heart. Also Matthew 7: 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Prayer:

Help us to trust You God and to lean not unto our own understanding and to build the foundation of our lives, dreams, and goals, and so much more on the Truth, Life, and Way which is Your Son, Christ Jesus. Build on Your wisdom and Word as well as Your love and in Your presence. Help us to be not just hearers but doers of Your Word, and then we will also be able to stand. Help us to trust You with the rest of this month and November. I pray we remember You are the Comforter and we can rest in You. I pray we remember You are a healer and that by Jesus’stripes we are healed. I pray that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. And I pray we love others as we love ourselves. Thank You we can take one day at a time and You love us beyond measure. In Jesus’ name, amen.

I’m Tannika Nikeya,

And I’m out, but still here (Thank You, Jesus!)…

10.16.22
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Seeds of Doubt

Yesterday was another Saturday at home, resting and healing from my recent accident. I also had to watch my youngest nephew for a few hours. Thankfully, I managed to keep him still for a little while—we watched movies, he snacked, had lunch, and then finally took a nap. Thank God, because that little guy is one busy toddler, lol!

I’ve seen this movie several times before, but this time, I felt a clear ping from the Holy Spirit!

Spoiler Alert below.

I was watching The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, where a pregnant mom gets molested by her doctor. She comes forward to expose him, he takes his life, and his widow realizes not only is his life over but hers is collapsing also. The widow goes into labor prematurely, and the baby doesn’t survive. She is in the hospital recovering after such loss of her child, and I believe she also had an emergency hysterectomy done. She sees the victim of her husband on tv, and this is where the grief and anger surfaces. The evil wheels get to spinning.

Six months later, the lady, Claire, who was molested by the doctor has given birth to her second child and he is now three months. The widow of the doctor, Peyton, meets Claire. She is applying for the nanny job and Claire and her husband approves of her. Peyton moves in with them to begin her duties. They do not know who she is and she is not going to reveal it.

After Peyton moves in, all hell breaks loose. I am not going to tell you all the things that happened, but Peyton was behind them all. And it was how she did everything. The light bulb went on, and I’m like man, “this lady is crazy and evil,” and her schemes were working at first.

Peyton caused chaos, confusion and strife. And how did she? By sowing seeds of doubt. Sowing seeds of doubt about Claire’s family handyman’s interaction with her daughter who was totally innocent. By sowing seeds of doubt about her husband and his faithfulness. By sowing seeds of doubt about her competency as a mother. She did more stuff but you have to watch or rewatch the movie if you have seen it before.

And that is what the enemy does. He sows seeds of doubt. According to the Idioms – Free Dictionary.com, sowing seeds of doubt is To cause someone to have doubts, worries, or concerns (about something); to introduce someone to a doubtful or worrisome idea. He plants seeds of doubt and causes strife and confusion and everything in between.

Now Peyton came in the door winning everyone over. She was supportive and a great help to the family but slowly turning the household upside down. Sounds familiar?

What helped them realize at first something was wrong although they couldn’t put their finger on it fully? There was too much disorder and confusion. Claire was falling apart at the seams. She couldn’t as she said go on like that. There was no peace or little peace.

And Peyton seemed to be at the source of it all.

Peyton even tries to seduce Claire’s husband. But love was stronger, boundaries were set. He looked like he may have been wrestling a bit in his head, but he clearly respected his wife and marriage and didn’t take the bait.

So, realize the enemy comes into sow seeds of doubt. He may not send a Peyton, but he may send something or someone else and in a different way. And we must do the following to overcome:

  • Be alert. Know the spiritual climate of your home and when something is off, seek God’s wisdom and address it. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8) Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:38
  • Guard your heart. Guard it with the Truth of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. Saturate in the Word of God. Ask God to cleanse it and to heal any areas of it that need healing. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).
  • Ask God for wisdom to discern the enemy’s lies. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him (James 1:5).
  • Set boundaries and enforce them. Set standards and keep them. Setting boundaries protects you and others. It enforces self control and it draws the line with disrespect, unhealthy or ungodly intrusion. It show people how to respect you and treat you. For scriptures regarding boundaries, I will just include the link here. https://www.openbible.info/topics/boundaries
  • Know your enemy. Even if he disguises himself, we should be able to recognize his tactics, his M.O, his ways, etc. And remember we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). For knowing your enemy, I will include more scriptures regarding such here. https://www.openbible.info/topics/knowing_your_enemy
  • Trust God and know that His love is unfailing. He will win and help you overcome. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses (Proverbs 10:12). So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Claire and her husband’s love won and in the end they trusted one another and came together to protect their family.

Whew, we don’t always see the enemy coming nor realize that he has been either invited in, has crept in, or finessed his way in, but I pray we realize more and more his tactics and lies. And I pray we replace his lies with the Truth of the Lord. That is what Jesus did. He fought the enemy with the Word of God, the Truth, and His commitment to the Father didn’t wane. Sidebar: He also knew His own identity and He knew His opponent. Knowing who we are as well as knowing and receiving God’s love and purpose for us are crucial in our walk of life and continual fight for our destinies, souls, and families. We are in this fight whether we want to be in it or not.

Moreover, be alert as best as you can. Allow God to remove the distractions, heal you where needed, and to see things the way He does. We need His insight, wisdom like never before in these times. I pray peace for all over our homes, the kind of peace that surpasses all understanding and that peace only comes from Jesus.