November 2023 Update

saluki downtime July 29, 2024

52 day challenge Foundation Story and Passage. 

Chapter 1. Nehemiah was notified the Jews had a problem because their wall had been torn down. 

What was the first thing you think he did?

Verse 5 and 11 Nehemiah prayed

Neh 1:5 Then I prayed this prayer: "LORD, God of heaven, you are the great and powerful God. You are the God who keeps his agreement of love with people who love you and obey your commands.

Neh 1:11 So, Lord, please listen to my prayer. I am your servant. Please listen to the prayers of your servants who want to show respect for your name. You know I am the king's wine servant, so please help me today. Help me as I ask the king for help. Give me success and help me to be pleasing to the king."

Chapter 2

Neh 2:2 So the king asked me, "Are you sick? Why do you look sad? I think your heart is full of sadness." Then I was very afraid.

 But planned through his fear.

verse 4 - he prayed

vesre 5 - ask to go rebuild the city

verse 6 - nehemiah gave him a time line

verse 7 - asked for letters to pass through certain towns

verse 8 - took what he needed with him to rebuild.

Neh 2:19 But Sanballat from Horon, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard that we were building again. They made fun of us in a very ugly way. They said, "What are you doing? Are you turning against the king?"

Chapter 3 they worked together

How hard can you go when you have a partner to do it with? Or if you get subbed out?

Thoughts of getting subbed out? If you are 80’percent or 60 percent is getting subbed out by someone who is at 100 better?

Chapter 4

When Nehemiah started rebuilding the wall he was made fun of right way.

vesre 2 - called weak men.

verse 3 - said they didn't have the skill

verse 4 - nehemiah said these men hate us.

who has had someone make fun of you for your goals?

what about called weak or couldn't do it?

How many of you have had someone just straight out hate. you?

Neh 4:14 After looking over everything, I stood up and spoke to the important families, the officials, and the rest of the people. I said, "Don't be afraid of our enemies. Remember the Lord, who is great and powerful! You must fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters! You must fight for your wives and your homes!"

They changed the way they worked.

Neh 4:16 From that day on, half of my men worked on the wall. The other half of my men were on guard, ready with spears, shields, bows, and armor. The army officers stood behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall.

People started to complain in chapter 5

verse 2 - We have children and are hungry.

verse 3 - time of famine.

verse 4- pay taxes

verse 5 - content but have to sell our kids as slaves already.

Nehemiah was working hard on building the wall in Jerusalem and didn't abuse the people or take anything from them. They were fed and they used the governments money.

Nehemiah was Generous.

In chapter 6 the people around wanted to hurt him. They set up a meeting with him but Nehemiah sent messengers to get the information. It took 6 times.

Neh 6:9 Our enemies were only trying to make us afraid. They are thinking to themselves, "The Jews will be afraid and too weak to keep on working. Then the wall will not be finished." But I prayed, "God, make me strong."

Neh 6:15 So the wall of Jerusalem was completed on the 25th day of the month of Elul. It had taken 52 days to finish building the wall.

So the 52 day challenge has been created.

I want you to get where you want to get.

I want you to be who you want to be.

I want you to change what you want to change.

I want you to add and subtract things from your life because you want to.

This is for you.

52 days is a long time.

Through this journey you will realize through the ups and downs who you really are and where you really want to get to.

You will be frustrated when you don't do what you want to do.

Even through this journey you may realize that where you want to get isn't realistic or you don't want to do what it takes to get there.

That is ok.

But if you do, these prompts are a great way to be encouraged and reminded of just that.

This is not a work out program.

This is not a diet.

This is your plans getting put in motion every day.

every day do what you are supposed to do.

From going to bed to getting up. From workouts to what you eat.

It will help you make decisions in your daily routine.

Someone told me that they won't have many friends when this is over because no one wants to do what I need to do.

That is probably true. Most people don't want to do. Most people just want to wake up and do what feels good. Most people get lazy when things get hard. Most people can't focus for 52 days.

Don't be most people.

If you can do it for 3 days then do it for 3 days. If you can do 4 the next week do 4. When you fail don't worry. Start over.

Fear kept the people from building a wall to protect themselves that would have taken 52 days. It kept them from doing it for 140 years! Yikes. That is a long time.

If you are afraid of the price of getting started. Imagine the price of staying right where you are.

for some of you its time. It's time to commit to who you want to be.

Its not what you are doing but who you are becoming.

Freshman to 5th year senior. We are all in a different place in life.

Fear kept them from building.

What is it in you?

This 52 day challenge is just a way for you to commit to who you want to be.

Honestly nothing special. Just like Nehemiah. Some may make fun of you. Some may be angry with you. You may even lose some friends. But its for you. Do it for you.

We as a group have a responsibiiity to each other to be there for each other. We should encourage each other to be who we want to be. When we fail we should pick each other up. Hold each others hands. Sometimes even sub in for them when we can't do it on our own.