Lord, not five days since I prayed, but five days since I have written my prayers. These last five days have been amazing. Much celebration of the life you have given me to raise and instruct and grow and nurture.

Thank you for giving me a greater ability to do that than I have in nurturing a house plant. Those poor things die. Fast. But my son is still rooting and blooming.

Now, Lord, I sit here dressed in pink, with my pink purse next to me, sitting on a pink towel, seeing the reflection of my pink lipstick on my iPad – clearly needing a minute of girl time after all that boy stuff.

Lol. Will I always be the girly girl? My thought is, yes. Yes, I will. It’s who I am. My question for you is this, Can you use my authentic girliness, mix it all up with your will, and pour our combination (you and me) out all over the desires and plans of my heart?

In five days, our schedule switches from these lazy, sunny days to school routine. With that switch comes hours a day for me to write, to work, to turn the swirls within my heart into a reality.

God, reading through Nehemiah this week I see his devotion to you. So sincerely devoted that when taunts and doubts arose around him he saw them as what they were, taunts and doubts.

• He remained in communion with you.
• He remained in your hand.
• He remained kick-buttedly focused on the hard work set before him.
• He remained steadfast on the desire you placed on his heart.

Oh, Lord, that We may be Nehem-ettes. Authentic and ready! May we enjoy these last few days. May be begin internally preparing our hearts for the work set before us.

Thank you that we do not have to build a wall with a sword in one hand, but, Lord, I pray that we will ___________________________ with Your Sword in our hand.

All that we do, Sweet Father, we do for You.