Start Building the Wall

Lately I can’t get enough of reading the book of Nehemiah. God has just really impressed this book on my heart. I have read it through now a few times and I just keep coming back to it. There is something about Nehemiah, as a leader, that keeps making me come back to read his story.

It has been great examining how God stirred Nehemiah’s heart with a vision. Then seeing what the vision was, and how he (Nehemiah) would put that vision into action; even with the opposition he faced from the critics.

They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

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 1:3-4

Nehemiah had a burden for his hometown people. He knew that God was calling him to do something great. To do something that may seem insane, impossible, stupid, and even life threatening.

He would then go to King Arteaxerses (what a name!) to see if he would help him with this massive vision that God had placed inside Nehemiah to rebuild the Jerusalem wall that had been burnt down. This was risky to do.

For Nehemiah, it started with a simple burden for the people who were closest to him. He saw and felt the burden for the people. God didn’t put this vision inside of Nehemiah so he could wait for SOMEONE ELSE to do it. He placed it inside of Nehemiah so he could be the CATALYST to start it.

Nehemiah would go on to rebuild the city wall. He faced opposition throughout the entire building process.

Even when other leaders were scheming against Nehemiah and the people who were helping him, he wouldn’t back down. He wouldn’t listen to those outside voices no matter what they were saying.

They were 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

What burden has God placed inside of you? It may not be to build an entire wall around a city. However, it can seem that scary and intimidating even if it is something small. No matter what you feel God is prompting you to do…DO IT. Don’t let the critics talk you out of it. Pray that God would strengthen your hands to build your wall. Get other people involved with you like Nehemiah did. Those people, friends, and/or mentors can help you, encourage you, and support you.

Don’t let another moment go by with out beginning the process to build the wall God is calling YOU to start.

The Deactivation of Facebook

As I sit at my Kitchen table this morning drinking my french pressed coffee (mmmm...); I do not even know what to do with myself to a certain extent. Usually my morning consists of getting everything together for school, making some coffee, and then, of course, checking my Facebook. Whether it was on my computer or on my ipod. Every single morning I just had to take a look to see what the latest updates and notifications were.

Deleting Facebook was something that I thought long and hard about. It was not until I had some people in my life challenge me on the reasons why I did have it. Honestly, what they had to say was only part of it. When really sitting down to think about it....I realized a sobering thought. Facebook had become almost this addiction for me. Whether it was always being on it in class, or coming home and having that be the first thing I do. It was time for a change.

Facebook is something that can most definitely be used for good. For the most part I would say that I did use Facebook for good. However, it became something in which I was entangled in too many hours of the day. So, my apologies to those of you who did enjoy reading posts and what not of mine.

This blog will be a place where I plan to do more writing; that is with the free-time that I will now have! I will be posting stuff about my walk with Jesus, leadership, vision, stories, life, and things in between. I also want to be able to challenge you, the readers, with posts that I put on here. I do not just want this to be another blog in which people. I want to be able to give insight and speak into the people who do decide to read it.

Also anything that has been posted on my twitter you should all be able to see. It should on the right side of your screen. Therefore, if you would like to post those things on Facebook go right ahead! I greatly appreciate all the people who do read this and who read my Facebook posts. It is an honor to be able to speak into some of your lives. Thanks for reading...keep an eye out for updates. I plan to write 4-5 times a week.


MS