Nehemiah
It may not be the most popular or well-known book of the Bible, but my favorite book in the Old Testament is Nehemiah. I love the story because all you have to do is change a few names and places and you have a story very much like your own. Nehemiah, exported to a land far away from his home in Jerusalem, worked as a cupbearer for the king in Susa. When he heard about the state of his homeland - that the walls had been destroyed and the people were in turmoil - he prayed, asking God to intervene. When the king noticed Nehemiah's unusually sad disposition and asked him what was bothering him, Nehemiah jumped at the opportunity to get permission from the king to return to Jerusalem on behalf of his people. Not only did the king let him go, but he also sent him with calvalry, army officers, and letters of approval. And Nehemiah recognized that all this was evidence of "the gracious hand of God" upon him. So he returned to Jerusalem, rallied the people, and started rec...