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&
Brooksyne Weber
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Friday, May 26, 2023
Yesterday
we passed this
Amish one room
school near
Intercourse,
PA with a good
message for
all who pass
by. Can you
tell what
materials they
used to make
the letters?
(*
The answer is
below)
"When
The Detour Is The Road"
Message
summary:
If you’re on a
winding, bumpy
detour may you
have the
perspective of
the apostle
James and "consider
it pure joy"
and trust that
the detour is
the road.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
Yesterday
we encountered
several
detours in the
course of our
travels doing
chaplaincy
ministry in
eastern
Lancaster
County. A
detour is "a
deviation from
a direct
course or the
usual
procedure"
(Merriam
Webster).
We've all
dealt with
travel detours
which can be
frustrating,
confusing and
at times
rather
time-consuming.But
unplanned
detours are
not just
experienced in
our travels;
they are also
experienced in
our life's
journey and to
different
degrees of
severity. We
may wisely
plan ahead but
detours still
pop up in
life; an
unexpected
deviation from
the expected
route we had
planned to
take. Karen
Peck, in her
outstanding
song titled "I
Choose
Christ",
writes
regarding
these detours,
"It was not
the path I
would have
chosen". We've
all been on
paths we would
not have
chosen!
Many
years ago we
saw a church
sign that
wisely stated,
"Contentment
is enjoying
the scenery
while on a
detour".
Roads detours are often planned and an alternate route is clearly marked out with signs to keep us on the right path. But many detours in life certainly weren't planned and we may have little signage for alternate routes. What's more, we don't even know when we will be back on the main road and what that will look like!
Roads detours are often planned and an alternate route is clearly marked out with signs to keep us on the right path. But many detours in life certainly weren't planned and we may have little signage for alternate routes. What's more, we don't even know when we will be back on the main road and what that will look like!
Several
weeks ago our
pastor
preached a
sermon about
hope and
referenced
this type of
detour and
challenged the
church to have
this outlook,
"I will
trust the
detour is the
road".Detours like this may paralyze us with fear or give us a sense of hopelessness but what we can do is daily build on our Christian foundation so that we are prepared for that which we cannot foresee, as we place our confidence in Almighty God. He can give us the contentment and peace of enjoying the scenery while on a detour.
The daily texts are among the first Scriptures we memorized as young Christians in the seventies. Being thankful during the detours does not mean that we don’t pray for God’s intervention and seek a resolution to our problem. Certainly if I’m on a detour while traveling I still have a goal to arrive at the proper destination in a timely fashion.
However,
while
following the
detour I can
choose to be
annoyed by the
change of
routine that
requires extra
time or I can
enjoy the new
landscape,
adjust my
schedule, and
reach my final
destination
with a good,
or at the very
least, an
overcoming
attitude.
The key to “enjoying the scenery” and being thankful during life’s detours is based on three foundational truths that should be the bedrock of our faith. We must be firmly persuaded that:
The key to “enjoying the scenery” and being thankful during life’s detours is based on three foundational truths that should be the bedrock of our faith. We must be firmly persuaded that:
1)
God is in
absolute
control. “Many
are the plans
in the mind of
a man, but it
is the purpose
of the Lord
that will
stand”
(Proverbs
19:21).
2) God is ultimately fulfilling His purpose in our lives. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
3)
God is always
working for
our good.
"For we know
that all
things work
together for
good to those
who love God,
to those
called
according to
His purpose"
(Romans 8:28).
So today as we
navigate our
way through
the detours of
life, may we
have the
perspective of
the apostle
James and "consider
it pure joy".
In
thankfulness
may we enjoy
the scenery
while on this
detour.
Be
encouraged
today, (Hebrews
3:13)
Daily
prayer: Father,
it is not by
mistake but by
Your design
that we
experience the
detours of
life that give
us perspective
in a way that
nothing else
does. Help us
to persevere
in the midst
of uncertainty
and unfamiliar
landscape. May
we find joy in
the simple
pleasures we
overlooked
when life’s
journey was
routine and
uninterrupted
by the
surprise bends
in the road or
difficult
detours that
bring about
delay or a
change of
plans. May the
testing of our
faith bring
about maturity
and give us a
new
perspective
that makes us
stronger in
our faith and
more effective
in our witness
to those
around us. May
others
see a grateful
spirit in us
even as we
undergo
difficulty so
that we
glorify Your
name rather
magnify our
problems.
Amen.Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"I
Choose Christ"
Click
to listen on
YouTube
Karen Peck and
New
River
"The
Detour"
Click
to listen on
YouTube
FAITHFUL
We heard this
thoughtful
song in our
church several
weeks ago
following the
message I
alluded to
above.
*
The letters on
the Amish
school are
made of red
plastic cups
stuck in the
fence! We
learned that
detail from
our Amish
"grandchildren"
who were
riding along
with us in our
car.
After
our first
chaplain visit
yesterday we
stopped by the
Old Windmill
Farm to visit
the Lapp
family prior
to their farm
tours. Jesse
told me this
horse is
expecting and
I learned that
horses have a
gestation
period of
11-12 months.
The
three youngest
Lapp children
joined us for
the rest of
the morning
which sure
made our trip
more
interesting. I
think what
they were most
excited about,
especially
Stephen, the
youngest, was
going through
an automatic
car wash. I
guess when you
think about it
they wouldn't
take their
horse and
buggy through
a car wash!
When
Brooksyne
heard there
was a day old
kid goat she
headed to the
barn and here
it is! Small
as a puppy!
As
we drove
through the
countryside we
saw a dam
relaxing with
her foal.
We
stopped at a
roadside stand
east of
Ephrata, PA
and saw this
Mennonite ride
by on his bike
hauling some
equipment.
Lots of
planting going
on all around
us!
We
met my brother
Pat and his
wife Laverne
for lunch in
Adamstown
where we ate
outside along
a creek at
Boehringer's
Drive-In which
has been in
business since
1936 and will
soon pass on
to the fifth
generation! It
was a very
busy place
with long
lines. Pat
celebrated his
birthday
earlier this
month and
tomorrow they
will celebrate
their 51st
wedding
anniversary.
They were down
this way on a
camping trip
and we caught
up with them.
Finally
today:
Spreading
Kindness
I
saw this white
board this
morning at JK
Mechanical
with employees
writing
something nice
about a
co-worker.
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In considering support we are so pleased when we hear from you, our readers, that our messages are a source of teaching and encouragement to you. We also urge you to consider the mission aspect of these daily teachings that are freely available and read by many all over the world.
To
donate
directly
online
click here.
(This will
open to a page
that
designates the
offering
to: STEPHEN
&
BROOKSYNE
WEBER -
700001-237376 SERVING
IN SPECIALIZED
CHAPLAINCY)
If
you desire you
can also
donate
directly
through PayPal
using this link.
This will open
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states
"Brooksyne
Weber". We
keep this
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to the
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for
international
supporters,
and for those
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Thank
you,
Stephen & Brooksyne
Stephen & Brooksyne
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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