Many times friends, family, our brother and sisters in Christ and even our country find themselves dealing with circumstances that lead to situations beyond what they can handle. Often can be heard the lament, "whoa is me, life is unfair, nobody understands our plight, on and on. " As a people, we have certainly cornered the market on the 'victim's mentality.' It is too bad the only reward that reaps is misery and sorrow. In chapter 1 of Nehemiah, we see that Nehemiah has received news of his countrymen in Jerusalem, who are suffering from the results of a violent attack, where many were killed and taken as prisoners, exiled from their homeland. Now many have returned, only to find everything they once knew and loved destroyed. This news deeply pains Nehemiah, and he cries out to God. Please notice with me what his prayer was not. It was not a litany of poor us, how could you let this happen to us, God, feel sorry for us. Nehemiah's prayer contained four elements: repentance for his fellow countrymen, repentance for himself and his ancestors, remembrance of God's word and promise, and a request of a favor with the King. In the next several chapters, we will take a deeper look into what made Nehemiah's prayers so significant that they not only moved the heart of a foreign king, but they moved the heart of God. This book is also the story of the restoring of a people from ruin and despair to a new walk with God.