PRAY LIKE NEHEMIAH

Keep believing in what God can do!

Pray like Nehemiah, and carry through. 

Let’s think back to a year ago or even a few years ago: What were you working towards? 

I remember vividly after years of writing, I felt prompted to start on the venture of publishing back in 2020. And yet, I had no clear directives on how to. I kept praying for wisdom, clarity and direction. When the promptings came, I wrote them down as reminders for the days doubt tried to steal the show. (Nope, not today or any day!) Through it all, I was prompted to TRUST… to rest within God’s embrace. 

However, it all seemed like light years away as hurdle after hurdle came too. (I always enjoyed running; but not the hurdles.) I kept thinking of that line in “Little Nemo,” when Dory says, “Just keep swimming...” 

Just keep going!

But how could I swim, if I wasn’t even in the “waters” yet?

Oh those new waters… 

They are not easy. 

They often make it feel like we are strangers in a sea of experts. And maybe we are, but we won’t always be. Still, we can find ourselves asking… Why did you take me here Lord? I don’t fit in. 

I mean I was starting off with only my ideas… the ideas placed on my heart in prayer. But, the reality was… 

I had no illustrator. Hurdle…

I had no publisher. (Still don’t but praying and believing…) Hurdle…

I had no clue what would happen or even how to do each step. I still don’t. Each new step into the unknown is just that… unknown, new territory of learning. Hurdle, hurdle, hurdle…

Jump, jump, JUMP…

So much jumping!

Yet, God put ideas into my heart (Nehemiah 7:5). I spent years working on it and preparing it. I spent building it and I still am. I spent years building

For what?

To stop?

OR

TO STEP more and more into it?!

So like Nehemiah, through whatever it is we are building or working towards, we must keep praying. We must PRAY and STEP, PRAY and have CARRY THROUGH. And when the hurdles come, we must intensify the prayers too. “Now strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭6:9‬)

So when we get into the waters, our strategy can grow from trying to stay afloat with “just keep swimming” to praying as we walk in God’s will and way. 

~ Just keep PRAYING. 

~ Just keep LISTENING. 

~ Just keep OBEYING.

Two years later, I have learned so much through this journey of building The Art of a Messy House. However, there is more work to be done. Therefore, even though I still don’t know where this road will lead, I must keep moving forward in obedience with the Holy Spirit.  I must remind myself to,

we must all remind ourselves to…

Keep praying. 

Keep stepping.

Our very own dance of pray-stepping…

pray-step,

pray-step,

pray-step…

Some steps may mean rest or jump while others may require waiting or turning but pray-step!

Keep believing in what God can do!

Keep praying like Nehemiah and carry through!

I say this to encourage. I say this to get us all reflecting on vision, on what this year’s steps need to be, on how far we have come. I am no different than anyone. We all have purpose. We all are known and loved. We all are God’s treasure. Therefore, whatever you are working towards right now...

whatever seems so far away...

each prayer... 

each step... 

each act of obedience 

is

~~one 

~~~~step 

~~~~~~closer 

to such beauty and blessings.  

Let’s be like Nehemiah:

♡ Let’s prepare. We can do that by spending time daily with God and in the Bible.

“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” (Ezra‬ ‭7‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV)

♡ Let’s pray about the burdens on our heart, asking God if and what we should do. Let’s talk to God about the plans before we even step.‬‬

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

♡ Let’s define and if needed, refocus the purpose. What is the purpose? Is it aligned to Christ?

“The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

♡ Let’s plan and proceed.

“so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work. Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

♡ Let’s participate. Even if others join, a leader will do their part too. Build a like-minded team but make sure to be working too. (Nehemiah 3)

♡ Let’s pray to keep the passion fueled. Proactive rest is important for this too.

“So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

♡ Protect. Pray for protection and armor up in His Word. Stay proactive in this area too. Opposition may come. Be ready.

“After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.” (Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

♡ Persevere until prevail. Adjust when needed.

“So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.”

‭(Nehemiah‬ ‭6‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

♡ Praise the Lord throughout it all! All the glory and honor goes to Him.

“Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.”

‭‭(Nehemiah‬ ‭8‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

And just imagine where you will be this time next year. 

I am praising God for that today. I am praising God for you! 

And in the meantime and throughout it all, let’s lean into the Lord with a posture like David in Psalm 18.

“To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.” (‭‭Psalm ‭18‬:‭25‬-‭31‬, ‭33‬-‭36‬ ‭NIV‬)

Strengthen us Lord. Help us rise up as bold leaders filled with integrity, authenticity, humility, generosity, compassion, strength and courage. Give us a dream and vision so great that without You Lord it is impossible, right here right now. 

“They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

(Nehemiah‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

“So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:” (Nehemiah‬ ‭7:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

The Art of a Messy House Reflection & Challenge is this…

Look back and reflect on what you have achieved. Write it down and lift it up. Praise God for equipping You and providing. Praise Him for what is to come. Lean in and pray. Asking such questions as…

What do you want for me Lord?

What is your vision for me?

How do I start?

How do I continue?

What is my next step in building the life You have for me on Your firm foundation?

What is my goal for the year? Month? Week? Break the larger goal into smaller, attainable chunks to work towards each month or even week.

Then listen and obey, trusting what God will continue to achieve in and through you! Because the truth is YOU ARE HIS MASTERPIECE. You are a blessing! And He has given you such gifts to use in this world to do good.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Dear God,

You are so good. Forgive me when I don’t carry through or obey, or even when I doubt. May I never grow weary in following You. May I walk in what you have for me. I pray to listen and obey. Strengthen me to pray like Nehemiah and have carry through too, trusting in what You oh Lord will do. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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God bless!