My friend Jon Swanson’s been conversing with Nehemiah.
Yeah, that Nehemiah, the one from the Bible who lived like twenty-five centuries ago and led the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. I know they talked because Jon published their discussions in A Great Work. If we weren’t sure, the subtitle confirms their relationship: A Conversation With Nehemiah For People (Who Want To Be) Doing Great Works.
Typically I worry a bit when my friends talk to guys who died 2500 years ago, but Jon got Nehemiah to explain the story behind one of the most famous construction projects in history. It’s fascinating to hear the inside story about how the whole thing happened, how God worked through ordinary circumstances to accomplish an extraordinary task.
Jon and Nehemiah talked through what it’s like to take on a big dream. One of the cool aspects of the book that Jon stopped occasionally to summarize Nehemiah’s thoughts and distill them into handy lists. They’re not recipes, but they’ll serve as reminders for those of us who get lost in the middle of our own great work.
A Great Work was a quick read because it’s conversational. However, at several points I found myself saying, “Wait, what was that?” Like the book of Nehemiah itself, I need to revisit this discussion—several times.
If you’re wondering about your own great work, A Great Work might be just the inspiration you need.
As for my friend’s discussion with a dead guy, I’m not too concerned. However, if he suddenly plays the “I was just chatting with Habakkuk” card, I’ll be calling his wife.
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