“It’s worth the risk!” Have you ever heard that statement? So often, people make the choice to “play it safe,” when God is calling us to come out of our comfort zones to do something mighty! Nehemiah had everything to lose and nothing to gain…by the world’s standards. He was in an elevated position serving the most powerful king in the world, yet he saw beyond the comfort to the crisis. As a resul...  Read More

Nehemiah 1:1-11How do you respond to bad news and deep emotional stress? Do you respond with action? Do you respond with prayer? Nehemiah’s burden led him to tears, fasting, and prayer. He prayed to the “God of heaven,” acknowledging God’s great and awesome character. Prayer is Nehemiah’s first response, his first order of business upon hearing terrible news about Jerusalem. His prayer comes from ...  Read More

Nehemiah 1:5-11The story of Nehemiah is one of my personal favorites. This book is rich with history as well as a testimony to the faithfulness of Nehemiah. In these passages, Nehemiah is confessing before God the wickedness of his people. When praying, this is an important factor in our prayers. When taking the Lord’s supper, we are told to first reconcile with anyone with whom we are at odds wit...  Read More

Joshua 1:7-9When you think about a leader, they are often the go-to person when you don't have the answer or know what to do in a situation.  Leaders must be ready to face anything and everything that comes their way. As a husband, I am to lead my family; as the leader at the Grand Blanc Campus, I am to lead the members of the church well. There come times when things are not always going as we ma...  Read More

Nehemiah 1:5-11How's your prayer life? I think we could all do better when it comes to prayer. Too often, prayer becomes our last resort when it could and SHOULD be our first line of defense. Nehemiah is a wonderful example of a man who went straight to prayer when there was a problem, but he didn't stop there. He prayed, and then he took action! Upon hearing the news of the wall of Jerusalem bein...  Read More

Nehemiah 1:4“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” I love seeing Nehemiah’s response to his brother’s news. He had gotten the report that Jerusalem was in great trouble and shame because the walls were broken and the gates destroyed by fire. This meant that the city was vulnerable, defenseless, and spiritually disco...  Read More