Nikao (verb)/nik-ah'-o/ (Greek) To conquer, triumph, overcome, to be victorious
Whenever I feel that God is calling me to do something, I get nervous. I think about how unfit I am, how I’m not as knowledgeable as I can be, how I sin, etc. One day as I was wrestling with these fears, I thought, well, even if all these things are true, that doesn’t…
What an Easter Sunday! Even though it was celebrated unusually in the midst of social distancing, I hope it was still a beautiful day to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection — a fundamental, guiding premise of our belief and the greatest act of love ever committed. “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the…
Recently, I watched a Netflix talk by Brené Brown on the necessity of vulnerability. Among the many great lessons she presented to listeners, one piece of wisdom stood out among the rest. Each day she settled to choose courage over comfort, and she encouraged viewers to do the same. “‘Be strong and courageous. Do not…
Recently, I had to make a return at a local grocery store. Before I could proceed to the customer service desk, one of the workers greeted me, and asked if he could see my return. He diligently rummaged through the items marking each tag to signify a return, and then marking those same items on…
The fear, anger and anguish of seeing black man after black man, black woman after black woman, being attacked, murdered and punished unjustly is too heavy for words. It’s difficult to comprehend the senseless violence that continues to take lives. But, when human comprehension fails, God speaks. I have no notion of telling you how…
In my house, I identify myself as an efficient, supersonic dishwasher. But, with this speed comes little nicks and dings on my fingers from various cooking utensils. One of my most memorable gashes came in the form of a vegetable peeler. As I washed it rapidly (too rapidly), I peeled off part of my thumb.…
Think of a place you’re most comfortable in – past or present. Maybe it’s a relative’s home, a best friend’s bedroom, a favorite teacher’s classroom, a sunny beach. For me, reminiscing about my childhood home makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. The harmony created within these walls was a solid rock throughout my ever-changing…
The unprecedented access we have to the wisdom of others on YouTube, Netflix, social media, in books, etc. proves bittersweet. On one hand, these outlets provide encouragement, wisdom and advice. On the contrary, these sources can easily take the place of our own personal knowledge and revelation of the Bible, which comes from reading it…
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed writing – journal entries, short stories, poems, etc. For the younger me, it was easy to attach words to the worlds I created in my head because there was no pressure. Now, as I’m working towards a writing career, I’m consistently overthinking and repeatedly riddled…
To love deeply, to love sacrificially, to love with every implication of 1 Corinthians 13 is a heavy responsibility. “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom…
The Nikao Collection 