“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.”
‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭2:1-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/neh.2.1-6.esv

All,

This stands out because Nehemiah says, “So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king”.  Do you pray while in conversation with someone?  Nehemiah already prayed for wisdom before this meeting, but continues to pray DURING the conversation also. I often put the pressure on me in the moment, whereas it seems God would rather us be dependent on Him in the moment and abide in Him(Psalms 127). Please pray that we and our friends pray continuously today. Please pray if you should be a Mentor to younger men through our “Elbow to Elbow” study for 46 weeks.