Pray remembering your audience: Nehemiah prayerfully recognized the Lord at the beginning of his prayer.  Pray confessing your sins: he confessed the sins of his people and of his family and himself.  Pray remembering God's promises: he claimed the promises God had made through scripture and the prophets of old.  Pray believing in God's redeeming power: Nehemiah believed in the Lord's sovereignty and power and asked for success and mercy as a servant of the One True God.