We sense that 2024 is a year of restoration – rebuilding the walls that are broken down – rebuilding the church and transforming the communities in which we serve. In this talk Jamie looks at how Nehemiah addresses the problems he found when he got to Jerusalem. The Old and New Testaments tell us that God is a God of detail. He inspires men and women to undertake great projects that require tremendous preparation and careful planning. Having started with prayer, Nehemiah turns next to planning. If we want to see restoration in the church and in the life of the city, we must start with prayer, but we must next make careful plans. Our plans must start with a careful and realistic assessment of the current situation; what is broken and what needs fixing. Next we need to know what we are wanting to achieve, where we are wanting to go. Then we need to determine how we are going to get there. Nehemiah had to undertake all these steps before he started any practical work. he took no short cuts, nor did he expect God to do it all for him.