Daily Encouragement

The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
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Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Spaghetti squash on Kraybill Church Road thriving soon to

be harvested. Notice the farmhouse on the far left and the Amish school on the right which began its new school year just over a week ago.

_^"Thriving"

Message summary: We pray for the righteous to thrive both individually and corporately.

Listen to our message on your audio player.

"When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Proverbs 29:2).

Several miles away in Mount Joy to our east we have a chocolate processing plant which periodically accounts for a very pleasant aroma wafting our way depending on wind direction. When it's not coming to us from Mount Joy we occasionally get the aroma from M&M Mars in nearby Elizabethtown to our west. The alluring aroma is similar to the smells that filled the kitchen when my mom would make chocolate fudge during the Christmas season.

The Mount Joy plant is now owned by Cargill but for many years it was the locally owned Wilbur Chocolate Company, headquartered in nearby Lititz. Its most popular candy, the Wilbur Bud, was introduced in 1893 fourteen years before the far more famous Hershey's Kiss debuted in 1907, which closely resembles a Wilbur Bud. Many locals consider the Wilbur Bud candy superior to the Hershey Kiss in taste and quality.

I noticed this sign when I drove by on my bike recently. Next to the company name are the words, "Helping The World Thrive". That's a noble goal for a company but much more so for the company of Christ-followers, which is the Church Universal. However today let's consider thriving as individuals.

In order to thrive you need an appetite which can be both good and bad. Sometimes it seems I have too much appetite for all the good food around me including Wilbur Buds, but having no appetite is not good and can lead to major health issues, as we've seen in elderly folks in nursing homes.

Forty years ago we cared for Heber, an 18 month old who came to live with us from Guatemala in 1988. Heber had a very serious congenital heart disease and weighed only 13 pounds, unable to walk or even sit up without help. He was also diagnosed with a condition known as "failure to thrive" and had very little appetite. Thank God he improved dramatically following several heart surgeries. We had the pleasure of returning him to his family in Guatemala in much better condition than when he came to us. He was thriving. (In the above photo he is being held by Joanne Butrin, a missionary nurse who was visiting our church.)

Our daily text is an easily observable truth, "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Proverbs 29:2). So we pray for the righteous to thrive both individually and corporately.

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13.

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we as believers, offer prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving for those in authority so that we may live peaceful, quiet, and godly lives while living in societal stability. We see and hear of the atrocities of evil rulers all throughout history and in our present day where there is persecution for the believer, injustice, cruelty, and lack of freedoms all throughout the world. Truly the people groan due to fear, pain, and indescribable loss. Thank You, Father, for righteous leaders who are led by Your Spirit enabling others to joyfully thrive as they contribute to their communities in meaningful ways building up our society. Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Thrive" Watch on YouTube Casting Crowns

"I Stand Amazed/Grace That Is Greater Than All Our Sin" Watch on YouTube Michael O'Brien

Yesterday we shared a "Name That Hymn" quiz: Here it is again.

1. Ev'ry joy or trial falleth from above, Traced upon our dial by the sun of love.
2. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
3. And then one day I'll cross that river, I'll fight life's final war with pain.
4. What a wondrous time in spring, when all the trees are budding.
5. There are sweet expressions on each face.
6. Then He'll call me someday to my home far away where His glory forever, I'll share.
7. Tho' millions have found Him a friend and have turned from the sins they have sinned.
8. There's not an hour that He is not near us.
9. Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work's in vain
10. Ponder anew, what the Almighty can do.

The answers are below the photos.

These work horses in our neighbor's pasture are enjoying the lush green grass for late August due to adequate rain. Notice the thriving garden in the front yard. This is the farm seen in the distance in the lead photo.

Extra roadside produce on Eli's farm on Trout Run Road

Extra produce along the roadside on Eli's farm on Trout Run Road. Today I plan to purchase some tomatoes for Brooksyne to make tomato pie. We've bought very few tomatoes this summer since we are growing our own, but it seems they're in the pre-ripened stage and we have guests coming tomorrow for brunch so Brooksyne needs some ripe tomatoes to prepare her meal.

Answers to hymn line quiz in bold:

1. Ev'ry joy or trial falleth from above, Traced upon our dial by the sun of love. "Like A River Glorious"

2. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? "What A Friend We Have In Jesus"
3. And then one day I'll cross that river, I'll fight life's final war with pain. "Because He Lives"
4. What a wondrous time in spring, when all the trees are budding. "Pass It On"
5. There are sweet expressions on each face. "Sweet, Sweet Spirit"
6. Then He'll call me someday to my home far away where His glory forever, I'll share. "The Old Rugged Cross"
7. Tho' millions have found Him a friend and have turned from the sins they have sinned. "There's Room At The Cross"
8. There's not an hour that He is not near us. "Not Not One"
9. Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work's in vain "There is a Balm in Gilead"
10. Ponder anew, what the Almighty can do. "Praise To The Lord The Almighty"

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Stephen & Brooksyne

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