Hello Everyone,

Leaders keep their eye on the big picture.

Verse 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate

This is the brook Kidron...located on the Mt. of Olives. Nehemiah has left his close up tour of the walls and climbed the closest mountain to step back and see the BIG picture.

Jesus sat on the same mountain overlooking Jerusalem and wept over it.

Nehemiah has an overview of the ruins, and also a vision of what it will look like when he is done with it! Leaders do this or else they won't be able to see the forest for the trees! Leaders plan out the details, but don't get bogged down in them.

He keeps his eye on the BIG picture. Now he has to delegate and trust others with the details while he made sure the main project was on track.

Micromanagers and control freaks wear out and break down quickly!

Leaders carefully choose their words.

Verse 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

They don't speak until it's time. They don't run off at the mouth until they know what they are talking about.

"It's better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

Share all the details too soon, before people are ready to receive them, and you can start a wave of discouragement before you ever start, because human nature is for us to think of reasons it can't be done.

Remember, this same project was attempted a few years before and it was shut down.

And Nehemiah knows that the #1 thing he's going to hear once he shares the details with his workers is, "We tried that before, it won't work!"

Verse 12… I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem...

You don't jump up and tell everything you know immediately. You wait for God's time and place like Nehemiah did.

Listen you can’t hang around here for long and not realize that God has really BIG plans for Freedom Center. It's why He has kept us around.

I don’t know exactly where we are headed all I do know that God has been faithful to open up doors at just the right time.

God also has greater things still to come for you, your family, and our city.

He is looking for leaders that He can show Himself strong to and through.

GREATER THINGS ARE STILL TO COME!

Pastor Phil 6