SMILE!!! Scripture Studies: Nehemiah

Smiley devotionals began in a small café BJs market café of North Little Rock Arkansas. Ive been working at BJs for the past five years. The devotionals were born out of a desire to share Gods Word with my coworkers and customers. I began by writing a short Scripture at the very bottom of the menu for my co-workers. I began adding a smily saying to the Scripture like Smile Jesus Loves You! Smile if You Love Him too!!! Then I began adding a short commentary about the verse. Eventually the short comments grew into a devotional on the back of the menus. I began each devotional with a smiley face and !!! because sets of three are superlatives in Hebrew and I ended each devotional with !!!! because thats just the way I am. It also indicates that Jesus is over and above all superlatives!!! Curious customers began asking what I was writing. When they found out it was a devotional some started requesting copies. Others began collecting the devotionals. I was surprised to learn that my little smiley devotionals were being used in classrooms at churches at fellowships and in a prison ministry too!More than a few told me that I should consider publishing them a thing I didnt think possible. However God had other plans.This book-- Nehemiah -- begins with Nehemiahs contrite heart pouring out its concerns to God and ends with that heart simply asking God to remember it for good. Enveloped between these two beautiful prayers are years in a world full of tears terrors trials tribulations and even traps! It is however because of these same things that joy courage triumph and Gods great grace shines brighter than ever. You see Gods hand guiding all things for good toward this small trusting heart. Join the journey learn the lessons grow in grace and find reasons to smile no matter what you face!!!!