When I came to preach and teach on the book of Nehemiah, a friend of mine -David Crawford-Bixby- suggested the word "Blueprint" and I've found it an illuminating suggestion. For not only was Nehemiah a capable project manager who must have dealt with some ancient version of the blueprint in his construction work, but the word itself forms a parable of how God dealt with him. As we shall see, the character of Nehemiah is at the heart of the book that bears his name. He is the orchestrator, the midwife, the warrior... but in all he does he seeks only to replicate the pattern given to him by God. So, finally, it is his integrity and faithfulness that shine through. He is God's blueprint, enshrined in Holy Scripture to encourage us to see just how it's done.