A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
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Friday, July 13, 2018
Message summary: We don't get to pick our problems and we don't get to schedule them. But we do have a choice on how we handle them.
Note: Podcast not prepared today since Brooksyne is out on chaplain visitation and Stephen is dealing with condition described below.
"We make our own plans, but the Lord decides where we will go" (Proverbs 16:9). "Order my steps in thy word" (Psalm 119:133).
We have been looking forward to a trip to Colorado for a family reunion, leaving very early this coming Sunday morning. We had all our plans made; airport parking, flight, rental car, hotel reservations. For me part of the fun of a trip is the planning, now using Google maps to scan the area and determine where we will going. I experienced the first part of the daily verse, "We make our own plans".
Tuesday afternoon I moved some large landscape paver stones and afterwards felt extremely weary, just fully pooped out. As you get older it's hard to acknowledge that you just can't do the same things you did in your younger years. Wednesday I was very short of breath and even a short walk was wearying. Through the night my conditioned worsened while Brooksyne and Ester provided nursing care. Early Thursday morning we went to the emergency room at Hershey Medical Center.
Thankfully it wasn't heart related, which was a concern, but a respiratory condition. I received a double dose of some type of breathing treatment and a prescription for an inhaler. It will require a referral and follow-up by a respiratory physician. I was advised that making a trip to a location (Breckenridge, Colorado) that is nearly 10,000 feet above sea level was not a good idea in my condition. I then experienced the second part of the daily verse, "but the Lord decides where we will go".
That's my current story, which of course impacts my whole family as well. But you all have a story as well. For some of you, like me, it's current. And of course for many it's far more severe than mine. But all of you can recall times when your life just didn't go as planned. To use the words from a song popular when we were younger, "When things have not turned out the way that you had planned."
For many years, ever since I went through a severe health problem in 2002 I have shared a lesson I learned at that time, we don't get to pick our problems and we don't get to schedule them.
Our second verse today is a prayer, "Order my steps in Thy word". Certainly one aspect in the personal application of this brief but power packed verse is having a submissive heart to learn more about God and to obey His Word. Surely we cannot merely pray this portion without have a growing knowledge of the Word and a determination to obey. Earlier in this very Psalm we read, "I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes" (Psalm 119:59).
May the Lord God help each of us to consider our ways and ask Him to direct our steps according to His Word. When thing don't work out as we had planned let us Joyfully trust God for His outcome.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, help us through the times in our
life when things just don't go as we had planned.
May we see the big picture and that you are
working all things out for our good. When
experiencing disappointments help us to joyfully
trust. Our prayer, like the Psalmist, is that You
will order our steps in Your Word. May we stand on
the unflickering hope of Scripture that reassures
us, "God keeps every promise He makes, He is
like a shield to all who seek His protection."
Praise God! Amen.
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Tears Are A Language" Video Booth Brothers This is the song with the line "When things have not turned out the way that you had planned."
"It Is No Secret" Video Booth Brothers
Ester's trip to Texas to see her aunt was also postponed since I was not up to taking her to the airport last night. She was disappointed but is overcoming. Due to her heart condition we were advised months ago that a trip to high elevations was not recommended.
My condition, for any who may be the medically interested, was diagnosed as bronchospasm and acute bronchitis.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe to our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
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."
© Copyright 2018 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Friday, July 13, 2018
"On Making
Plans"
Message summary: We don't get to pick our problems and we don't get to schedule them. But we do have a choice on how we handle them.
Note: Podcast not prepared today since Brooksyne is out on chaplain visitation and Stephen is dealing with condition described below.
"We make our own plans, but the Lord decides where we will go" (Proverbs 16:9). "Order my steps in thy word" (Psalm 119:133).
We have been looking forward to a trip to Colorado for a family reunion, leaving very early this coming Sunday morning. We had all our plans made; airport parking, flight, rental car, hotel reservations. For me part of the fun of a trip is the planning, now using Google maps to scan the area and determine where we will going. I experienced the first part of the daily verse, "We make our own plans".
Tuesday afternoon I moved some large landscape paver stones and afterwards felt extremely weary, just fully pooped out. As you get older it's hard to acknowledge that you just can't do the same things you did in your younger years. Wednesday I was very short of breath and even a short walk was wearying. Through the night my conditioned worsened while Brooksyne and Ester provided nursing care. Early Thursday morning we went to the emergency room at Hershey Medical Center.
Thankfully it wasn't heart related, which was a concern, but a respiratory condition. I received a double dose of some type of breathing treatment and a prescription for an inhaler. It will require a referral and follow-up by a respiratory physician. I was advised that making a trip to a location (Breckenridge, Colorado) that is nearly 10,000 feet above sea level was not a good idea in my condition. I then experienced the second part of the daily verse, "but the Lord decides where we will go".
That's my current story, which of course impacts my whole family as well. But you all have a story as well. For some of you, like me, it's current. And of course for many it's far more severe than mine. But all of you can recall times when your life just didn't go as planned. To use the words from a song popular when we were younger, "When things have not turned out the way that you had planned."
For many years, ever since I went through a severe health problem in 2002 I have shared a lesson I learned at that time, we don't get to pick our problems and we don't get to schedule them.
Our second verse today is a prayer, "Order my steps in Thy word". Certainly one aspect in the personal application of this brief but power packed verse is having a submissive heart to learn more about God and to obey His Word. Surely we cannot merely pray this portion without have a growing knowledge of the Word and a determination to obey. Earlier in this very Psalm we read, "I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes" (Psalm 119:59).
May the Lord God help each of us to consider our ways and ask Him to direct our steps according to His Word. When thing don't work out as we had planned let us Joyfully trust God for His outcome.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, help us through the times in our
life when things just don't go as we had planned.
May we see the big picture and that you are
working all things out for our good. When
experiencing disappointments help us to joyfully
trust. Our prayer, like the Psalmist, is that You
will order our steps in Your Word. May we stand on
the unflickering hope of Scripture that reassures
us, "God keeps every promise He makes, He is
like a shield to all who seek His protection."
Praise God! Amen.Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Tears Are A Language" Video Booth Brothers This is the song with the line "When things have not turned out the way that you had planned."
"It Is No Secret" Video Booth Brothers
Ester's trip to Texas to see her aunt was also postponed since I was not up to taking her to the airport last night. She was disappointed but is overcoming. Due to her heart condition we were advised months ago that a trip to high elevations was not recommended.
My condition, for any who may be the medically interested, was diagnosed as bronchospasm and acute bronchitis.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe to our email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the right side after opening this page.)
Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
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."
© Copyright 2018 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA