It's 8:45 am 10.24.07. I am praying on how to incorporate a study of Nehemiah I am doing into this blog (I hate that word). I have discussed this with no one. The phone rings... it's my wife, Boo, on her way to work at Gentle Shepherd Hospice in Roanoke. She says the Lord just prompted her to suggest I weave a type of devotional into these updates. What are the odds?

I am studying Swindoll's commentary Hand Me Another Brick on the book of Nehemiah. The parallels related to our task at SMLCA are pretty amazing. First and foremost may seem superficial... just building a wall/school for God. After that, however, it goes much, much deeper. What do the walls of Jerusalem/education of children represent?

Primarily fortification and security... as a means to keep the enemy out. Just as the walls of Jerusalem were meant to keep the enemies out, a good education for our children should do the same. But does it? How many of us remember times when our own education sought to knock the walls of God down? A cursory look at the daily headlines make us wonder... birth control to middle schoolers, sex abuse by teachers, shootings... it goes on and on. Perhaps we need to question the kind of education our children are receiving. Perhaps the walls of education need to be rebuilt on the firm foundation of God and His Word. I highly recommend reading The Veritas Conflct by Shaunti Feldhaun. It's a riveting novel that offers insight to the shift by Harvard away from its roots.

Beyond the school analogy, we might as well delve into the walls of our own life. Are our own walls of God's protection crumbling? It starts with a crack that if not addressed right way will slowly but surely eat away until crumbling begins. I had a pebble ding a windshield. In the winter, moistrue would get in and then freeze, melt, water, freeze, melt so that each cycle the crack would slowly enlarge. Fortunately, I repaired it before it shattered, but you get the picture. If you are reading this, maybe there's small crack in your wall.  Why not go to the repairer of the breach before it cracks?

 Please pray that the walls of SMLCA will be built upon and maintained by The Rock.

 More to come...