How I Trained My Mind to Feel God 24/7 – And Why I’ll Never Go Back
by Nikki Walton for CurlyNikki.com
“Hayya ‘ala al-salah, Hayya ‘ala al-falah.”
– an Arabic phrase a friend taught me that means, ‘Come to prayer, come to success.’
Sitting outside on the balcony, looking out over the water, homemade shot of espresso in arm’s reach… sipping slowly. I’ve sat out here a million times since 2019. I’ve felt God out here a million times since 2019. But this morning, after 48+ hours of intending to abide in Him, with Him, I feel like a live wire. Like I’m on the mountain top. Like I am the mountain top. Like I am the Garden. Like I am pure light.
It’s the same view. The same furniture. But a different atmosphere. Yes, the air is still thick with moisture, that Florida humidity, but it’s thicker with Him. Like, it’s charged… that’s the best way I can describe it. Same environment, but the air is charged. Because the air is changed. The air is Love… it always was.
What Happens When You Practice God’s Presence Nonstop
This intention didn’t make it so. I just woke up to It. You become more aware of It. And let me be clear. It would be 1000000000000x easier to slouch back into the ‘regular’ environment. Into the ‘old’. Into the ‘usual’. The beautiful view I’d come to overlook and take for granted. The energy that when someone asks you how you are you say, ‘aiight...’, or’, ‘I’m good… cool… okay…’ Average.
YOU ARE NOT AVERAGE. OR ELSE YOU WOULDN’T BE READING THESE WORDS. YOU WOULDN’T BE READING PERIOD, BECAUSE NO ONE READS ANYMORE. FOR YOU TO BE READING A ‘BLOG’ IN 2025 ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD, YOU, MY DEAR, ARE CHOSEN.
Okay, I’m done yelling. And I promise this isn’t the very high quality,100% low acidic, organic, Italian espresso talking either. It’s Him. Nudging me to invite you to join me! Here’s some things I’ve noticed when this intention of feeling Him 24/7 is in the forefront.
Why Feeling God 24/7 Feels Hard at First
I don’t wanna lol. Like going to the gym (which I haven’t done since 2005 lol), or working out (I walk, so that counts), you never feel like pitching up… tuning in. It feels like effort. When you’d rather be scrolling or worrying. You’re low key addicted to feeling bad. That’s why you always find yourself gravitating back there… orbiting around suffering. It’s not natural. It’s not easier. It’s just practiced. So we must practice Him.
And whether you need an arrow prayer to keep you here (‘I love you, Jesus!‘ or ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you’, or, ‘BRIGHTER’, or, ‘Oil, Oil, Oil,‘), or you use your attention like an arrow and go straight (t)here… you must, you must, you must. And then stay. And then come back. And then stay. And then come back. All day, back and forth.
The Flame That Fuels Everything Else
I still feel the tendency to want to go dark while working, eating, helping with homework… driving is natural for me to reach for Him now. He was the co-pilot, now He drives and I sing along, praise all the way! Writing is getting easier. He uses my fingers now. The Joy doesn’t slip. It hasn’t this whole time, and I clearly just riff lol… train of thought. I notice the train now… from His Love, instead of jumping on it and getting all tense and wondering where it’s going. My son will have a ton of homework tonight + soccer practice.
My goal is to be this burning flame the whole time I’m helping him, and to continue to be it on the soccer field while engaging with other moms. I don’t want to lose it in conversation. I will pause long enough if need be between sentences to fan the flame! To ignite!
A Daily Meditation That Changes the Atmosphere
We can only help if we have ignition. If we have the oil. If we are the flame. You can’t be a good partner, friend, co-worker, boss, parent, etc. unless you are on fire. The live wire. The Garden. FULL. We can only pour from here. Speaking of which, a powerful mental meditation I use daily before dropping into Him in complete surrender, I see the image of Mother Mary collecting His Blood from the wound in His side on the cross. That’s a popular image used in the Mother Teresa tradition and Our Lady of Schoenstatt movement. See it, HERE.
I have a small one I keep with me. I see that image, and then I pour out that Precious Blood over… everything. My son, and his laptop, his desk at school, over all the teachers and staff and other students, over the building and parking lot, same for my daughter, same for my parents, their bodies, their knees, and backs, my body, my parts lol, the WORLD! POUR POUR POUR. See it. Wash everything clean in Him. Then return to the Silence.
The Posture That Makes God’s Presence Immediate
I have noticed that I can easily reach for this high frequency, this vibration when I’m slouching or laying in bed… but boy is it instant and a given when I’m sitting straight up. Mind goes quiet. The way it would be if you were on a mountain peak. In absolute awe and gratitude. Join me up here now. Hear the quiet. Hear and feel Him. It’s lighter up here.
The Miracles That Follow When You Stay Lit
Babies I don’t know smile at me. Celebrities have reached out to talk about God. Legit. 2. People have messaged and said, ‘I haven’t seen you in a while, and then you started showing up in my feed again, today!‘ Old friends have reached out for advice, for spiritual, God advice… like, they want to hear about Jesus. You become that light in the dark. Here’s a comment from yesterday’s video I posted-
@Iatesammy : I was in a car crash about 2 hours ago, at first I started to cry and worry how I’m going to get a job, how am I going to get to school, how will I pay for school. But as I caught my breath and started to get back to my senses I immediately fell to my knees and thanked the lord for my life….
Sure I am unsure about what the future holds for me now, but I am happy and have a high head because I know Jesus loves me, genuinely I did not lose anything, but I’ve won in spirit because I did not succumb to my human nature which was telling me to be angry, to be vain, to run to my temptation as an escape. NOT TODAY SATAN, FOR I AM COVERED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS
Me: OH SO BEAUTIFUL! And inspirational for all of us. I forgot which saint said it, but a ‘thank you God’ in the midst of pain is worth a million times more than saying it in good times. You absolutely passed the test. God is with you. I am blessed to know you and learn of your testimony. Stay focused on the sliver of Light. On the Joy. He will carry you much farther than you can imagine. I love you!!!!!!! Wow!
Why You Have to Show Up for Him First
nik
