Nehemiah didn't even start to build before repenting for Israel, his family, and himself. We need to take a page out of his book and repent before trying to build anything. Could be why nothing being built is lasting! We don't need another marketing idea we need to go back to basics and repent! A repentant heart is a heart that God can work with. Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses." (Nehemiah 1:5-7 NLT) As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus - our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and so much more - what a perfect time to take an introspective look at our hearts, to confess our sins, and begin again. "Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down. You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I’ve been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life." (Psalm 51:41-6 MSG) We are not beyond God's grace, mercy, and love. Let's cry out for forgiveness, direction, and to get in step with what He is doing. Let's ask God to: "Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise." (Psalm 51:7-15 MSG) Now we can offer true worship: "Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice. Make Zion the place you delight in, repair Jerusalem’s broken-down walls. Then you’ll get real worship from us, acts of worship small and large, Including all the bulls they can heave onto your altar!" (Psalm 51:16-19 MSG) #LeisaWilkins #EncouragementInTheWord Be Encouraged! ❤ www.leisawilkins.com