We usually start about 5:00 AM each weekday morning. Messages are prepared in the morning if we don't have early morning chaplaincy duties and the night before if we do. Sometimes I have an idea and do some preliminary work prior to the daily preparation. Other times I really need to get the idea and inspiration that very morning! Sometimes it really is a chore to come up with a fresh message that I feel would be a blessing and encouragement.  At other times it just seems to flow.

Periodically I will update and refresh a message I have previously written since at this point I have nearly 6,000 messages on file and many were written years ago when the list was small. On occasions when I know I'll  be unable to work on the message or won't have access to the internet, I might prepare the messages ahead of time and schedule them. However I do this very rarely. I really find my niche writing a fresh message each morning or previous evening.

The daily messages are written directly on a web editor (presently Kompozer). I use various study resource materials both online and from my library. For the Bible I especially enjoy the Bible Gateway program due to the variety of translations and search capabilities. I also seek supplemental materials that may be a blessing such as photos, music, or additional resources that I can either place on the site or link to. The study/writing portion usually takes two-three hours each day.

After I prepare the encouragement Brooksyne edits it and writes a prayer and might prepare a personal note. This also takes her several hours.  (She is very conscientious and deliberate in her preparation!) During this time I work on supplemental music, photos or other resources as we often work side by side using both two separate computers.

Prayer is essential to the printed message we share with our readers and we do this individually during our time of preparation.  After writing and editing the daily message we join together in prayer just before recording the podcast asking that God would use it to minister to our readers.

We then read the message together to create a .wav file of the message and mix this with background music and then mix down to an .mp3 audio file using the Acoustica Mixcraft MP3/WMA recorder. This also allows us to further edit and hopefully sharpen the material since it doesn't always "read" right the first time.  The recording and mixing phase usually takes about 1/2 hour. At this point Brooksyne is finished with the preparation part.

I then copy and paste paste the material to Word file for further editing.  Each day I prepare four versions: web, archive, email.

• The web version is merely an update to the website with the new message.
• The archive is just the message without all the footers that goes out on the email version and is filed on the site by date. (This also serves as the "print" version since it is designed to print out well.)
• The email version contains all the boilerplate footers that I feel are important since the email messages often get forwarded along.

This technical takes about ½ hour.

Then the main index webpage, archive and mobile versions are updated to the website using an ftp program (presently FileZilla). (I can also update using the control panel on the website if I need to.)  This takes about 15 minutes but can take longer if something is not quite right upon testing and I have to go back fix the html and reload it, check it again, etc.

I then upload the audio message to the Podcast site which takes about 15 minutes.  

I then open up the listserver software (presently Constant Contact) and copy and paste both the text and html to a special "new mailing" page. I then send to a control address and run through special preview filtering software program that checks for any words and formatting that may get the message flagged as SPAM. When it looks right I send the entire message to the list with another brief prayer.  This process takes about 15-30 minutes.

Hopefully the website, archive and mobile edition are updated, the podcast uploaded, and the list mail is sent out by 11:00-12:00 Noon! Most of the time the email is delivered in a matter of minutes.

Throughout the day Brooksyne or I respond to comment email. Although we are not always able to respond we especially try to if they request prayer or share a need. Many comments are just expressions of encouragement and appreciation for which we are very grateful!

We also welcome and thankfully receive offerings to support our ministry and I take care of the accounting aspect and correspondence and "thank yous" with supporters as needed.

I also have technical tasks such as individual subscription change requests (although most are handled completely automatically). Also something is always breaking and needing fixed and I am the entire resident IT department!

I continue to add new material to the website as well and regularly seek to improve the technical and formatting aspect. Of course time for this varies. Some days very little, other days many hours. Since I resigned from the EAP agency in 2004 this has essentially been a full-time "job" in regards to time.

We supplement our income through our chaplaincy and through generous gifts to support us!

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Support: If you would care to give an offering to this ministry here is info on how to do so.

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Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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Daily Encouragement Net - Mount Joy, PA 17552