The February 19th Virtual Transform Westside Summit started off with an upbeat devotion from Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church’s Reverend Dirk Thomas. Drawing inspiration from The Bible’s Book of Nehemiah, Rev. Thomas spoke on the efforts to rebuild Jerusalem and what lessons the story might lend to Atlanta’s Westside community as members continue to work to improve life for residents.

Rev. Thomas educated viewers on the meaning of Nehemiah: Yahweh’s Comfort, as a springboard for understanding the ups and downs of Nehemiah’s journey through adversity. “God brought us to it to lead us through it,” said Rev. Thomas.

The reverend went on to encourage summit attendees looking to do good in their communities to “start with God and finish with God.”

See Rev. Dirk Thomas’s full devotion below.