DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY! | Day 24 of 40 (LENT)

Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
Well, almost! Counting down – only 16 days left of Lent leading to Easter.

Actually, “Eat, Drink & Be Merry” are the instructions given to the people of Judah after the walls of Jerusalem have been rebuilt and the people have gathered for a holy day unto God.

That’s right! It’s time for God’s people to party!
Soul Train line, anybody?
Electric Slide? Cupid Shuffle?
The Wobble?!

Nehemiah says the joy of the Lord is their strength. And it is time for them to get their ‘joy’ on.

Day 24:
See below: NEHEMIAH 8: 9-12
Chapter: Nehemiah 8

9 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.

I like Nehemiah. He’s my kind of leader.
He knows when to weep before God – fasting and praying. But he also knows when it’s time to stop weeping and start celebrating.

The wall is complete. Judah has gathered as one to hear God’s law read by Ezra, the scribe, who stands on a pulpit, so to speak. Ezra reads the law and the people go horizontal, like face to the ground worship. They weep as they hear the word of God.

But Nehemiah breaks up the sob fest. Along with Ezra and the Levites, he explains to the people that it’s time to celebrate. He basically says, “Eat, drink, and be merry!”

Why? Because they understand God’s word that has been made known to them.

What time is it for us, Fam?
Is it time to weep?
Or time to party?

When is the last time we celebrated because we understood God’s word?! It’s a beautiful thing!

As God’s people, we should be some of the happiest people on earth. Because regardless of our circumstances, good or bad, the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Oh, just give us a reason to eat, drink and be merry!
Let’s celebrate today!
And when the fast is over on Easter, and we celebrate our risen Lord, let’s really show ’em how it’s done!

Par-tay in Bev Hills! April 8th! You’re invited!
No tears allowed, unless they are tears of joy!
Let’s wobble!
Shuffle!
Jazz hands!
Naima

DAILY PRAYER (LENT):

1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, etc.

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
REBUILT FOR A REASON | Day 23 of 40 (LENT)

Have we ever completed a work, rebuilt a proverbial ‘wall’, and then wondered, “Why did I do this?” Probably not!

Why? Because we establish the purpose for our work before we start the work. Our purpose drives us to completion. Such is the case with Nehemiah and the rebuilt wall of Jerusalem.

Before we move to the next chapter, though, let’s briefly check in. How was your weekend? How are the reflections, fasting and prayer? I’m hungry physically, but I’m full spiritually, if that makes any sense.

How are you? Are you surviving the tests? Are the devotions helping you? Are you drawing close to God? Only 17 days to go! Time is flying. These last 2 weeks will accelerate. Watch!

This survey of the book of Nehemiah has been refreshing, right?!
Today, we pick up in Nehemiah 7.

Day 23:
Click here and read NEHEMIAH 7:1-6

Jerusalem’s walls haven’t been rebuilt just to look pretty. Nehemiah and God’s people haven’t endured threats and danger for 52 days just to congratulate and pat each other on the back.

The walls have a purpose. They have been rebuilt for a reason.

Nehemiah appoints priests, musicians, gatekeepers, and government officials with integrity and the fear of God. He then assembles the nobles, officials and common folk, (basically everybody), and registers them by genealogical record.

Why? Because NOW it’s time for the people to rebuild their homes and move back into their city. The wall is only Phase I. And the purpose of rebuilding the wall is to start the process of rebuilding an entire nation that has returned from exile and destruction.

As we work, we must keep the real reason for our work in the forefront of our minds. When we build, we must know why we are rebuilding. What is the point?!

If we go back and look at Nehemiah’s fast and prayer in Nehemiah 1, from the beginning, the purpose has been to help God’s people who survived the exile rebuild their lives.

What are we working on today?
And why are we doing the work?
Do we know the real reason we are rebuilding?

Nehemiah rebuilt for the reason of restoring a people.
Why are we rebuilding?

If we can answer that question, and know WHY we are working and WHO we are helping, it will be nearly impossible to stop us from completing our work. We’ll keep working and complete the walls because people’s lives depend on it.

When we’ve helped artists find the true purpose for their work, they become empowered. It doesn’t matter if they are filming, being interviewed, hosting a party, surviving a day gig, walking Pooch at the dog park, or stopping for a latte at the corner cafe, they keep building because they know why they are building. They understand that lives that are being impacted.

Let’s be encouraged today.
And let’s rebuild for a reason.

Go forth,
Naima

DAILY PRAYER (LENT):
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
CELEBRATING LIFE, LOVE & BDAYS | Day 22 of 40 (LENT)

Today, let’s celebrate life & love! Why?
Because today, the love of my life was born.
Not today as in 2012, but today as in St. Patrick’s Day.
Today, he burst onto the scene, bringing a little more peace into a chaotic world.

When you meet my husband, you can’t help but feel at ease. You feel his calm, steady, unshakable strength. He pulsates cool. You feel his hope in you and his belief that you will be alright, regardless of your situation.

He knows a little something about survival. He has faced incredible odds, at no fault of his own, and has found the faith to keep moving forward. That faith runs deep, Fam. He won’t give up. He won’t let hard situations define him. He finds solutions. He finds a way. He finds joy in a heavenly Father who loves him and kept him through the valley of the shadow of death. He smiles a lot. We laugh a lot. If you haven’t yet, you need to meet Kevin. Your life will be better. He’s made mine the best.

He knows that I don’t do this i.e. public posts of our private life. I’m candid-by-birth, and my life is an open book because I make a living sharing it with others through speaking, writing, ministry and performing. But I am fiercely protective of our privacy. Marriages are under attack, and marriages in Hollywood seem to last, what, 72 days? So, I don’t really do this.

But today, I make an exception, because I want to encourage you. Whatever we’re going through – the good, the bad, the ugly – we can still celebrate life and celebrate love. If you are reading this, it means that you are still alive (YAY!) and you are still loved (Double YAY!).

Whether you feel loved or not, you are deeply loved. Even deeper than I love my husband and he loves me and we roll like center-of-the-earth deep. Beyond that, you and I are loved with an everlasting love that is so pure and transformative and real that nothing can separate us from it.

Day 22:
Take a look below at ROMANS 8:38-39.

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our God says He loves us beyond depth and height and anything in all creation. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from His love.

Verse 35 asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”

In other words, no trouble, no hardship, no bad times can make us any less lovable. What are we enduring? Are we hungry? Don’t have enough clothes? Worried about how to pay the rent/mortgage? Facing threats from folks that aren’t in their right minds? What are we facing? Whatever it is, it cannot make us any less loved in Christ.

Many times, we measure love by how great life is.
We think to ourselves, “If God loves me, my life would be grand 24/7.”

This scripture obliterates that idea. Romans 8:28-39 body slams any notion that God’s love spares us from hard times. Instead, God’s love sustains us through them.

As quoted in Verse 35, there WILL BE trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and life-and-death situations, but while we are in those situations, the love of Christ is right there with us.

Let’s celebrate life today, in all its roller coaster glory.
Let’s celebrate the mountains and valleys.
Let’s celebrate the inseparable love of God for us through the droughts and waterfalls.

I am so grateful for life and love.
I’m so grateful for my husband’s life and love.

What about you?

Got a reason to celebrate?
Go ahead, put on some green and go Irish jig in a St. Patrick’s day parade.
Or put on our favorite color and dance around your living room.

We’re alive!
We’re loved!
Let’s celebrate!

Happy Birthday, Love,
Naima

Our weekends through LENT are times of reflection and thanksgiving. Traditionally, during Lent, SUNDAYS are considered mini-celebrations (symbolizing Christ’s resurrection) following FRIDAYS’ special times of fasting (symbolizing His death). Thus, LENT starts on Ash Wednesday and goes for 46 days ending Easter, but the 6 Sundays are excluded, equaling 40 days. We make a sacrifice of something meaningful for the entire 40 days, but Sundays are excluded. So, Saturday, you’ll get a devotional that you can meditate on for the entire weekend. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks.

DAILY PRAYER (LENT):
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
SUCCESS IS NOT A DIRTY WORD | Day 21 of 40 (LENT)

© Artist Harry Starr “Success… For most it begins with a dream, a vision of where you want to go and a determination to persevere.”

‘SUCCESS’ gets a bad rep in many faith-filled circles, which is understandable if we’ve pursued it at the detriment of everything else. But success, in and of itself, is not a dirty word.

The word ‘success’ is defined as “the achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted”.

When we start a work, we aim to finish it. We intend to achieve what we desire, plan, and attempt. Otherwise, why desire? Why plan? Why attempt?

Can we keep a job if we don’t complete the tasks assigned to us?
Can we book an acting role if we don’t prepare, network, and actually do the work?
Can we foster healthy relationships without actually pouring time and effort into them?

The answer is “No”. In order to achieve something, anything, we must first desire, plan, and attempt to actually do it. We’ve got to put forth some effort. And when/if we accomplish whatever we strive for, that is called ‘success’.

Why are we even talking about success? Because today we reach the chapter of Nehemiah where success is obtained. They accomplish their goal. The wall is complete.

Nehemiah & Success:
Nehemiah prays to the God of heaven for success. (Neh 1:11)
Nehemiah tells his naysayers that the God of heaven will give them success. (Neh 2:20)
Nehemiah organizes the people, works relentlessly through threats and opposition, and achieves success. And the nations acknowledge that the success is accomplished with the help of God. (Neh 6:16)

Day 21:
Take a look below at NEHEMIAH 6:15-16

15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. ^16 When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Nehemiah and the people of God rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem in 52 days under great threat. That’s less than 2 months. When the nations surrounding them saw the magnitude of their accomplishment, they recognized that Judah had help from God. How else could they possibly achieve such greatness in such a short amount of time?

Please note that Nehemiah’s mission was not a selfish one of chasing personal fame and fortune. It was exactly the opposite. His heart was broken when he heard of his people’s plight, and he humbled himself and sought the Lord through prayer and fasting (Neh 1). When asked, Nehemiah was prepared and presented a plan of restoration to the king and got permission to go do the
work to help his people (Neh 2). Nehemiah turned down money and personal accumulations through taxes that would’ve burdened his nation, and instead, simply said, “Lord, you remember what I’ve done for the people” (Neh 5).

This doesn’t mean that money and resources are bad. Nehemiah had to acquire money and resources to get the work done. He obtained the resources he needed from the king’s connections to complete his work. These resources were merely a means to an end, not the goal itself. Does that make sense?

Nehemiah’s success wasn’t based on how many camels he had lining his driveway. The success that he asked God for, and that God granted, was to help rebuild an entire nation. Now, that’s what’s up!

What’s the point?

There is nothing inherently wrong with success i.e. achieving our goals. It feels extraordinary to finish a work that we’ve labored over.

The real question is, “Who or what drives our success?”

Nehemiah achieves success and he and all the surrounding nations acknowledge God. His success is not for success’ sake or for personal gain, but to help restore a people.

What drives our success today?
Who drives our success?

This goes back to purpose. Why are we here?
What is our particular uniqueness? What’s our personal mission statement?

Nehemiah’s mission is to rebuild a nation, starting with a wall.
And when Nehemiah asks God for success, God doesn’t say, “Dirty word! How dare you ask me that! Go sit in the corner.” God grants him success, and the nations glorify God.

What area are we asking God to grant us success in today?
When God grants it, will people glorify Him, or do we want them to glorify us?
Something to ponder…

Lots of love your way.
Go forth,
Naima

DAILY PRAYER (LENT):
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
LET’S FLO-JO TO THE FINISH | Day 20 of 40 (LENT)

I used to run track, before shin splints coaxed me back to dance. I was a 200 girl. But once, I remember being asked to pull a 400 in place of our injured. (We were a nationally ranked fine arts magnet school: heavy on artists, light on runners).

Needless to say, that first 200 metres/meters was rough. Even though I had a short time to prepare, I wasn’t used to that first 200 stretch.

Oh, but when I hit the half-way mark!

When I rounded the curve and hit that last 200m, you would’ve thought I was Flo-Jo circa ’88 Seoul Olympic gold 200m world-record-breaking fastest woman alive! Did you see how she pulled away from that crowd? My body hit its familiar stride, like, “I’ve done this before!”

We’re at the half-way mark, Fam! We’re rounding the corner. We’ve completed 20 days of fasting and prayer for LENT leading up to Easter, and we only have 20 to go. We’ve done this before! Can we feel the wind whipping our hair (or non-hair) as we press down the home stretch? Anybody feeling a Flo-Jo kick coming on?!

Welcome, also, to many who are joining for the last 20 days. The bible is full of all sorts of fasts: 40 days, 21 days, 10 days, 3 days, 1 day. The physical number is secondary to the intent of the heart. Whatever time we’ve committed to sacrifice something in order to humble ourselves before God is A-O-K with Him; so welcome aboard!

We’ve been enjoying Nehemiah.
Chapter 1, we put “First Things First” and explored Daddy Drama.
Chapter 2, we got “Ready for Yes“.
Chapter 4, we became “1/2 Worker, 1/2 Warrior“.
Chapter 5 we figured “My Debt is Bigger than Yours!”

Today, we’re in Nehemiah Chapter 6, and the wall is more than halfway done. They’ve completed most of the work, but still have to set the doors and gates. What’s fascinating is that his opposition has only grown more intense.

Day 20:
Click here to read: NEHEMIAH 6:1-9

Nehemiah’s enemies are relentless.
When the enemies hear that the wall is almost done, they start sending messages to convince Nehemiah to stop working and come to them. I love Nehemiah’s response:

“I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”

What if we got half-way through our race and decided to veer off track to go chat with the high jumpers and shot putters? That would seem bizarre, right?

Do we have any distractions trying to derail us?

I keep having dreams of various kinds of cheesecakes. Pray for me. I told my husband last week that I was craving a hamburger. I’m vegetarian. I haven’t had a hamburger in ten years, and would probably get sick trying to eat one. But all of a sudden, in the middle of our fast, my body starts going bonkers for In-and-Out. I had lentils instead, but I find myself craving everything I’ve given up.

What about you?

Any temptations to come down off your wall and go chat with your enemies? It’s a trap, Fam. Nehemiah doesn’t fall for the okey-doke, and neither should we. When Nehemiah’s enemies start lying, he sends back a brilliant reply:

“Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”

That’s what I’m talking about! Let’s call our enemy’s lies just what they are: LIES.

When the enemy says our prayers and fasting are ineffective, let’s respond, “LIAR!” Then speak the truth of what God is doing and what we believe and have faith for.

Some of us have been battling in our dreams at night. Let’s respond, “LIAR! That ain’t happening!” And then let’s speak God’s word over our situations and our dreams and our sleep. Let’s pray for our Lord to guard our hearts and minds.

When the enemy whispers that we will never change and that we will not complete the work, let’s respond, “LIAR!”. And then pray to the Lord like Nehemiah, “Now, strengthen my hands.”

Fam, we’re half-way home!
Don’t give up now.
Let’s kick it up a notch and Flo-Jo to the finish!

Check out this VIDEO of Flo-Jo’s 200 metre Olympic win.

One of Flo-Jo’s famous quotes is, “I pray hard, work hard and leave the rest to God.”

Be encouraged today.
Let’s pray hard, work hard and leave the rest to God.

Florence Griffith-Joyner (1959 – 1998)

Half-way home!
Go forth,
Naima

DAILY PRAYER (LENT):
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
MY DEBT IS BIGGER THAN YOURS! | Day 19 of 40 (LENT)

Can’t you see it? The next big reality competition, “Top Debt!” or “The Biggest Debtor”, or “My Debt is Bigger Than Yours!”

Our next chapter in Nehemiah deals with debt, so I googled “America debt” and this U.S. Debt Clock came up. Have you seen this thing? http://www.usdebtclock.org

A disclaimer says the clock is not affiliated with the government, political party or lobbying group. But if it’s correct, I think it’s saying that our national debt is $15,501,708,193,689 and climbing. That’s like $15 trillion!

Forbes reported a couple of years ago that the national average household median income was $50,000, but the average credit card debt per family was almost $10,000. Anybody else see trouble?

This debt thing is kicking our butts, Fam.

Can anyone relate? How many of us artists move to LaLa Land and spend our savings and go into debt thinking that we will book the next hot series regular role on a top-rated network show within 6-12 months of hitting the ground? Sound familiar? We acquire debt paying for acting classes, new headshots, new reels, agent workshops, casting director workshops, marketing seminars, and the list goes on and on.

We spend money that we don’t have to get our foot in the revolving Hollywood door with hopes that breaking big will replenish the bank.

So what does this have to do with Nehemiah?
Today, we look at Judah’s national debt cancellation plan.

Day 19:
Click here to read: NEHEMIAH 5: 6-12
Entire chapter: Nehemiah 5

During the process of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, a great outcry arises from the people of Judah that their fellow kinsman have enslaved them with debt. A famine caused many to sell their homes, fields, even children into slavery to afford grain to eat. Now they bring their concerns to Nehemiah, the cupbearer-turned-governator-wall-restorator. That’s a mouthful!

When Nehemiah hears this madness, he becomes VERY angry. He calls an assembly and accuses the nobles and officials of pillaging their own with interest and basically says, (my paraphrase) “Fear God! Forgive debt!” And they agree to do so. The whole nation!

Where is Nehemiah when we need him? LOL! Think he could roll up on Capitol Hill like, “Fear God! Forgive debt!” Probably not! Because in our case, our nobles and officials are also in debt. Our whole country is in debt. How can we who are in debt forgive debt?

The difference, I believe, is that the people of God were not living in a culture of debt at that time. And those who became indebted did so because they had no other way to eat. A famine wiped out their land, and they sold their property and themselves into debt for grain to eat. This would be equivalent to a natural disaster wiping people’s resources out and then, those whose
businesses survive enslave those who have lost everything.

As Nehemiah said, (my paraphrase) “That ain’t right!”

In contrast, our country has developed a culture of debt where debt is expected, even necessary. It is near impossible to buy a car, house, or even a refrigerator, without a credit score. Roll up to the local car dealership with thousands of dollars in a briefcase and fowl play is suspected. A friend recently revealed that when she moved to the US and tried to buy a car in CASH, she was turned down because she did not have a credit score. My grandparents had a cash culture. My parents even had a cash culture. When did this happen?

Whether enslaved by debt through natural disasters, economic downturns, poor financial decisions, a culture of debt, whatever the reason, we can still hear the resound of Nehemiah’s refrain, (my paraphrase), “This ain’t right!”

There’s just not enough room to tackle this mountain in a day, but the application, biblically-speaking, is God’s people are to help each other, not take advantage of one another. If there is a natural disaster, and our brothers and sisters lose everything, we are to help them, not take what little they have and charge them interest.

The debtors who came to Nehemiah were not slackers who wanted to mooch off the system. These were hardworking men and women who lost what they had because of famine, a circumstance out of their control. As God’s governor, Nehemiah said, “Forgive their debts.”

We personally experienced this firsthand. An unexpected job loss during the economic downturn caused us severe distress when our year’s worth of savings depleted before landing new employment. We never had debt, but we found ourselves using credit to buy basic necessities like groceries. When God’s child reached out to us, whom we are eternally grateful, we said, “Let us pay you back.” The response was, “That’s not necessary.” In other words, “Your debt is forgiven.” You cannot imagine the grace of God that we experienced in that moment. We were so humbled. They knew we weren’t trying to “get over”, and they chose to help.

If we are children of God, and we know people who have been hit with a natural disaster or equivalent, instead of charging debt and interest, we are to help in whatever way we can. Let’s pray and use wisdom, but let’s help.

If we are children of God and we are in debt, outside of a natural disaster or equivalent, let’s put together our debt obliteration plans and get to work. We don’t have to ride the tidal wave of systemic, cultural debt that burdens our country. We can decide to only spend what we have, not what we don’t have.

Particularly in LA! We may have to decide not to go into debt keeping up with the Joneses. Because guess what? The Joneses might have more debt than we do!

And besides, who wants to win a “My Debt Is Bigger Than Yours” reality competition, anyway?

Lots of love your way today.
Go forth!
Naima

DAILY PRAYER (LENT):
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
DADDY DRAMA? | Day 18 of 40 (LENT)

Seems like everybody’s got daddy drama!
From mob-dads-gone-MIA to baby-daddy-meltdowns on Maury, daddy reputations are spiraling downward these days.

That’s why I pause today, on the day my dad was born, and thank God for a dad who’s amazingly drama-free.

If anything, his children bring the D-R-A-M-A. And his Girl-Child (moi) probably the most.

Do you see that picture above? I’m cracking up ’cause what baby knows how to strike a fierce-to-the-camera look at a few months old? Drama.

No one would’ve called me a “trouble-making” child, but I’m sure I was as sinful as the next, and I’m grateful my parents hung in there with me ’til I left home for college. Geez, did I have a strong will! I think I still do. Which is why I’m not surprised when the Lord Himself calls his children
stiff-necked and rebellious as He tries to provide for them on their journeys (Ex 32-34). We really do think we know best, don’t we?!

We’ve been gleaning from Nehemiah’s adventures over the past week.
Chapter 1, we put “First Things First“.
Chapter 2, we got “Ready for Yes“!
Chapter 4, we became 1/2 Worker – 1/2 Warrior.

Before we see what happens when Nehemiah completes the wall, let’s take a quick peak at where his success started, back at that first prayer.

Day 18:
Click here to read: NEHEMIAH 1: 5-11

Nehemiah asks God for success in his mission and he is granted HUGE success in his work; but it started with a broken and contrite heart. There was no stiff-neck or “child knows best”. Nehemiah humbled himself, wept and asked the God of heaven to intervene for His children.

We’ve already discussed the particulars of the prayer in a previous devotion, but today, look at how Nehemiah couches this prayer in the context of relationship. He reminds God that these are God’s children, the people of Israel. He confesses all of their sins, his sins, his father’s sins. Nehemiah goes for broke.

I’m sure Nehemiah could’ve shaken his fist at heaven and blamed God for not protecting His people and allowing their city to be ruined. But instead, Nehemiah remembers that God warned them that ruin would come if His people rebelled. Nehemiah also reminds God of His promise to redeedm, if His people turn back. Nehemiah brings God back to His covenant because He knows God to be a loving Father, first and foremost.

Fam, we can all probably look at something in our lives that’s not right and want to blame our fathers, whether they are still here or not. And if we have particularly challenging relationships with our earthly fathers, it’s really hard to navigate a healthy relationship with a heavenly father. We’re probably angry, disappointed, hurt, and/or disgusted. Our relationships with our dads seem to trickle down into how we interpret every other relationship.

No joke: daddy issues run deep.

Today, however, let’s try something different. Like Nehemiah, let’s flip the script. Instead of starting with everything that we perceive God has done wrong, let’s start from a place of contrition. Actually, we might have to start with an honest discussion with God about how we believe He has not come through for us. Our candor does not bother God. If anything, He already knows how we feel, and He’s waiting for us to see the truth, get it off our chests, and clear the channel of communication.

Do we have Daddy Drama?

If there is drama, with our earthly fathers or heavenly Father, let’s work through it. Do we need to forgive our dads for anything? Do we need to ask for their forgiveness?

Like Nehemiah, with our heavenly Father, we may need to lay out all our sins and our father’s sins and ask God to forgive all of us. The wonderful encouragement is that we know the end of the story. Nehemiah’s prayer cleared the way for an awesome outpouring of God’s favor upon his work. He wasn’t burdened down under the stress and anxiety of poor relations. He was freed up
to go before the king boldly, to lead the people boldly, to build the wall boldly.

Anybody else want to flow like that? If so, let’s do whatever it takes, Fam.
Let’s ask all daddy drama to exit stage left!

Go forth,
Naima

Happy Birthday, Daddy! Thank you for being the best dad ever! :=) Love you.

DAILY PRAYER (]LENT):
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
HALF WORKER – HALF WARRIOR | Day 17 of 40 (LENT)

I’m not a violent person, but the picture above caught my attention.

“That about sums it up!” I thought to myself when I saw it.

What would you say you are?
1/2 what? 1/2 fighter?
‘Cause believe it or not, if we plan to complete our work, many times, we’ve got to be prepared to fight for it!

Hope you had a great weekend of reflection and thanksgiving. Those are fun.
Happy Monday! We’re back with Nehemiah. These chapters are so good.

In Chapter 1, we put “First Things First“.
In Chapter 2, we got “Ready for Yes“!

Today, in Chapter 4, we see God’s people wielding a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other.

Day 17:
Click here to read: NEHEMIAH 4: 15-18
Whole chapter at Nehemiah 4

Nehemiah begins the work of leading the people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Immediately, his enemies become angry and plot to attack.

Fam, I don’t understand why Sanballat, Tobiah, and their crew are so angry at Nehemiah’s work. Verse 7 says that when they hear the wall is being repaired, they become VERY angry.

Anybody understand this????

Why are folks angry at somebody else’s humanitarian work? I mean, Nehemiah is rebuilding walls, not harming people. He isn’t taking their property or hurting Sanballat or Tobiah in any way. Nehemiah’s work has nothing to do with them. Why are they mad enough to plot an attack to stop the work? Who does that?

Can we relate?

Ever start a good work to restore and rebuild, and angry naysayers (who have nothing better to do) crawl out the wood works?

Well, we can take a page from Nehemiah on how to handle this situation.
1) Nehemiah prayed to God, then posted guards to meet the threat. Verse 9
2) He encouraged the people and admonished them to fight, if they had to. Verse 14
3) They carried a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other, and they never stopped working. Verse 17

Nehemiah did not get distracted with the antics of his enemy. He prayed to God, equipped the people, and kept working. Love it!

Notice, he didn’t pretend like the enemy didn’t pose a real threat. He prepared.
Verse 18 is priceless, “…each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.”

Now, I do not recommend we show up on the set of our next film or our 9-5 gig with a samurai sword strapped on our side, but I do recommend putting on the whole armor of God and taking up the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17

Let’s pray, encourage each other to fight (if need be), and carry our tool in one hand and weapon in the other.

We’ve got work to do, and we can’t stop ’cause somebody else is angry or bothered for no good reason.

I love this quote by Academy Award nominee Viola Davis in her Oscar Interview with Oprah Winfrey. When talking about overcoming self-esteem issues and discrimination and valuing her husband, daughter and work, Viola says, “I don’t have any time to stay up all night worrying about what someone who doesn’t love me has to say about me…”

Isn’t that liberating? Who has time for the enemy’s distractions?
Be encouraged today, Fam.
Let’s pick up our tools and weapons and keep building.

Nehemiah and God’s people kept working and rebuilt that wall in 52 days.
What are we working on?
What will we knock out in the next 60 days? 90 days? 12 months?

Today, my button says: 1/2 worker, 1/2 warrior.
What does yours say?

Go forth!
Naima

DAILY PRAYER (LENT):
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG | Naima Lett
I Love You Because… – DAY 16 of 40 (LENT)

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…,” begins Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Victorian Sonnet 43, a love note to her husband, Robert.

Who doesn’t LOVE love notes?
My husband just wrote such a sweet one for Valentine’s Day. Carry it with me every day.

When we start a sentence with “I love you because…,” and list the reasons, it’s just magical.

Our weekends during LENT are times of reflection and thanksgiving. Let’s take a moment this weekend to reflect on whom we love and why.

The psalmist gives us a beautiful example:
DAY 16:
Click and read: PSALM 116:1-7, The Message

This is a love song to God for rescuing the psalmist. It’s his way of saying “Thank you.”

If we wrote a love note to God today, what would it say?
If we wrote a love song to someone in our lives that we adore – our significant other, best friend, father, mother, etc. – what would we sing?

Feeling adventurous?
Let’s try it!
Here’s our chance to let our inner Whitney, Celine, Luther or Sinatra come out:

I love you _____________ because….
1. You…
2.
3.
4.
5.

How’d we do?

Feeling really bold?
Let’s read our note to our loved one. Sing our song to God.
Let’s knock ourselves out!
Let’s walk on the wild side of Lent! :=)

I love you because….
Enjoy your Sunday off.
See you Monday,
Naima

REMINDER:

Our weekends during our 40-day journey of devotions through [5]LENT season, are a time of reflection and thanksgiving. Traditionally, during LENT, SUNDAYS are considered mini-celebrations (symbolizing Christ’s resurrection) following FRIDAYS’ special times of fasting (symbolizing His death). Thus, LENT starts on Ash Wednesday and goes for 46 days ending Easter, but the 6 Sundays are excluded, equaling 40 days. Get it? We make a sacrifice of something meaningful for the entire 40 days, but Sundays are excluded. So, Saturday, you’ll get a devotional that you can meditate on for the entire weekend. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks.

DAILY PRAYER:
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG | Naima Lett
READY FOR YES?! – DAY 15 of 40 (LENT)

Congrats, Fam! We’re 15 days in. Only 25 to go! Can you believe it?! We’ve been praying and fasting and saturating ourselves in God’s word, and He’s been moving and shaking and meeting us where we are.

Yesterday, we put “first things first” and acknowledged who God is, apologized for our offenses, and asked for success, based on His promises (Nehemiah 1).

Today’s question is: Are we ready for the Yes?!

When God says, “Yes!” to whatever we’re asking, are we ready? Is the plan in place?
When He rolls out the red carpet, do we already have the dress and tux ready to go? Or are we scrambling to figure out what’s next?

Today we see how important preparation is.
Let’s look at the second chapter of Nehemiah.
When God said, “Yes”, Nehemiah was “ret to go”!

Day 15:
Click here to read: NEHEMIAH 2: 2-9

So, Nehemiah has spent days praying and fasting, and now he’s back to work under the king. He’s never been sad in the king’s presence before, but on this day, he can’t hide his grief. He is so distraught over the news that Jerusalem is in ruins. His heart is broken for his people.

Side note: What breaks our hearts?
If we could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
If we could fight for one people, who would we fight for?
If we are trying to figure out our purpose and why we are on this earth, figuring out the answer to these questions will give us a HUGE hint! Our purpose is usually for the benefit of others.

OK, back to the story: The king gives Nehemiah an open door.
I love verse 2-3, Nehemiah says, “I was VERY MUCH AFRAID, but I said to the king…”

Don’t you love that?
The bible is so real. These are real people going through real feelings in real scenarios. Even after Nehemiah has spent time fasting and praying, and he has asked God for success with the king, as he stands before the king to ask, fear is ever present. BUT HE ASKS ANYWAY!

Nehemiah does not allow fear to stop him from moving forward. He acknowledges the fear and keeps it moving. That encourages me so much.

Can I be candid?

We’ve got a God-sized agenda out here in the Hills. I mean, the vision I see is so extraordinary that there are days when fear could literally paralyze me. My prayer usually sounds a little different than Nehemiah’s. I’m usually like, “Today, Lord, I want to hit I-405 and run in the opposite direction, but please help me put one foot in front of the other and just do the next thing.” Seriously.

So, I’m encouraged. You be encouraged too. Fear does not stop our progress.

The king asks Nehemiah, “What do you want?”
Nehemiah then (verse 4-5) prays to God and answers the king, ‘Send me to rebuild my city.’

Nehemiah is praying to God and talking to the king at the same time. Anybody else been there? This is really how it goes down!

Now, here comes the biggie, the king wants the PLAN! How long will it take? When will you get back? Logistics. The king assumes that if Nehemiah is bold enough to ask to go rebuild a city, he must already have a plan, right?!

Do we already have our plan in place?

When God gives us favor with the king, president, board chair, producer, director, casting director, boss, principal, gatekeeper, whoever it is that has resources we need… is our plan clear? Can we articulate exactly what we need?

Nehemiah was ready for his YES!

While Nehemiah had been fasting and praying, he was also making plans. Look at verses 7-9. Nehemiah asks the king for specific resources and specific people and letters for this and letters for that. This brother lays things out like bam, bam, bam. He walks away from the king with a whole calvary.

Preparation, fam, is so crucial.

When God says, YES, to whatever we are seeking over this 40-day period leading up to Easter, are we prepared? Have we thought through the logistics? Do we know exactly what we need to accomplish the goal? When God allows us access to the king and the king asks, “What do you want? What will it take?”, what will our answer be?

Let’s spend some time today refining.
What are we asking of the God of heaven?
What do we want to rebuild? What are the resources? Who are the people?
Let’s pray over the whole kit and caboodle.
And let’s pray that when God says, YES, we are ready to go!

On the verge of the extraordinary,
Naima

PRAYER:
1) Confession & Repentance – Let’s confess our wrongs and ask forgiveness
2) Complete transparency – Let our guard down and talk to God about our lives.
3) Listen – Let’s quiet and listen to God’s Spirit re: the scriptures, etc.
4) Intercession for others – Let’s pray for our family, friends, coworkers, church, etc.