A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
Tuesday, August
6, 2019
Ester
snapped a photo of this monarch butterfly on one of
our many back yard sunflowers.
"Our Spiritual Lineage"
Message
summary:
Our spiritual
lineage is a
valuable part of who
we are. We can all
look back to those
who made an impact
on our life. Now we
devote our life to
Christ and seek to
pass our faith along
to others. Let us be
found faithful!
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also" (2 Timothy 1:5).
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also" (2 Timothy 1:5).
MaMa & PaPa
George
Washington
Steincross and
Nellie Mae
Steincross
(Charles)
Attending
our Steincross
family reunion last
week caused
consideration of and
appreciation for my
lineage. These are
the descendants of
my grandparents on
my Mom's side. We
all can do that and
hopefully most of us
can do so with
appreciation. My
grandpa left a
positive mark not
only on his family
but on his
community. He was
born the son of a
recent immigrant
from Germany in 1882
and did very well in
America as a farmer.
He also, for many
years, was the
president of the
small town "Bank Of
Harwood". Some 25
years after his
death I stopped by a
service station in a
neighboring small
town and the owner
still recalled my
grandpa. His
descendants, now
numbering in the
hundreds, have done
very well and still
gather annually for
a family reunion
nearly 50 years
after his death in
1971.
Each of us
has a spiritual
lineage as we look
back and remember
those who impacted
our life, some more
pronounced than
others. Many of you
can recall the very
person who led you
to the Lord. For
others there are
scores of believers
who have poured into
our lives, helping
us to walk in the
way of
righteousness, as
they spurred us on
to love and good
works in Christ.
Brooksyne can trace her spiritual lineage to her grandpa and grandma who lived very simple lives on a mountain top in northwest Arkansas. To get to their place we drive off the interstate (I-40) for some 25 miles on a paved state highway up the mountain and then drive back on a road along the ridge for about 5 miles to another dirt turnoff lane about 2 miles back. To say it's remote is an understatement, though in recent years there are more families who've made their home on this mountain including Brooksyne's kin folks!
Her paternal grandparents were both still living when we first met and for the first several years of our marriage. They lived in a small cabin-like home and he farmed the rocky soil with a mule team. When we would visit her grandpa would call the family together each evening in the living room. Since he had great difficulty reading he would always ask one of the family members to read a chapter of the Bible. Following the Scripture reading everyone would kneel as we prayed prior to going to bed. My, did he pray in a passionate way! I specifically recall his burden for the lost members of the family as he prayed that they would be saved so they wouldn't go "down, down, down."
That
was nearly 40 years
ago. He died in 1981
and when Brooksyne's
dad died in 2000 she
inherited her
grandpa's very worn
leather-bound Bible.
Looking through it
one sees abundant
evidence of his
dynamic faith and
interest in ongoing
spiritual growth.
Many Bible sections
are page-marked by
white medical tape
he would use, now
worn and browned.
In the daily text the Apostle Paul is reminded of Timothy's sincere faith. This sincere faith "lived" first in his grandmother and mother, who apparently passed the faith on to Timothy. Paul even names them "your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice".
Brooksyne can trace her spiritual lineage to her grandpa and grandma who lived very simple lives on a mountain top in northwest Arkansas. To get to their place we drive off the interstate (I-40) for some 25 miles on a paved state highway up the mountain and then drive back on a road along the ridge for about 5 miles to another dirt turnoff lane about 2 miles back. To say it's remote is an understatement, though in recent years there are more families who've made their home on this mountain including Brooksyne's kin folks!
Her paternal grandparents were both still living when we first met and for the first several years of our marriage. They lived in a small cabin-like home and he farmed the rocky soil with a mule team. When we would visit her grandpa would call the family together each evening in the living room. Since he had great difficulty reading he would always ask one of the family members to read a chapter of the Bible. Following the Scripture reading everyone would kneel as we prayed prior to going to bed. My, did he pray in a passionate way! I specifically recall his burden for the lost members of the family as he prayed that they would be saved so they wouldn't go "down, down, down."
In the daily text the Apostle Paul is reminded of Timothy's sincere faith. This sincere faith "lived" first in his grandmother and mother, who apparently passed the faith on to Timothy. Paul even names them "your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice".
Paul was
persuaded that this
sincere faith lived
in Timothy as well. I
am persuaded,
now lives in
you also"
A few
verses later, Paul
commissions Timothy
with this charge, "And
the things you
have heard me say
in the presence of
many witnesses
entrust to
reliable men who
will also be
qualified to teach
others" (2
Timothy 2:2).
Timothy had a
lineage and was to
be part of the
lineage of others.
Our spiritual lineage is a valuable part of who we are. We can all look back to those who, like Brooksyne's grandparents, made an impact on us. Now we devote our life to Christ and seek to pass our faith along to others. Let us be found faithful in doing so!
Our spiritual lineage is a valuable part of who we are. We can all look back to those who, like Brooksyne's grandparents, made an impact on us. Now we devote our life to Christ and seek to pass our faith along to others. Let us be found faithful in doing so!
Be
encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
Prayer: Father, we
thank You for those
who have shown us
the way of salvation
both by their
lifestyle and by the
biblical principles
they espouse. Just
as Paul was reminded
of Timothy's sincere
faith, which first
lived in his
grandmother Lois and
in his mother Eunice
and now was evident
in Timothy, may we
also pass down to
those whom we
influence the way to
eternal life. Just
as we have a
spiritual lineage we
want to be a lineage
to others so that
they may follow
Christ all their
days. In the name of
Jesus we pray. Amen.
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
Prayer: Father, we
thank You for those
who have shown us
the way of salvation
both by their
lifestyle and by the
biblical principles
they espouse. Just
as Paul was reminded
of Timothy's sincere
faith, which first
lived in his
grandmother Lois and
in his mother Eunice
and now was evident
in Timothy, may we
also pass down to
those whom we
influence the way to
eternal life. Just
as we have a
spiritual lineage we
want to be a lineage
to others so that
they may follow
Christ all their
days. In the name of
Jesus we pray. Amen.
Brooksyne's
note: Here's a
photo of me in my
junior year of
college with my
Grandpa Elbert
Sherrell beside
Horsehead Lake (Google
map) in
Arkansas. He and
Grandma had a
practice of
gathering each night
in the living room
of their small four
room mountain home
and reading
Scripture aloud
before kneeling in
prayer. Whether you
were a visitor or
not you were
expected to drop
whatever you were
doing and join them
for devotions.
Precious memories!While I
was on the mountain,
over Memorial Day
weekend for the
Sherrell reunion
this year, I
attended my cousin's
church and he
preached on Hebrews
11 about the cloud
of witnesses. He
(George) told a
story about how he,
as a young boy,
would often ride on
the wagon with
Grandpa as he plowed
the fields with his
team of mules.
George said it was
not unusual for
Grandpa to be
plowing a field and
then suddenly yell,
"Woe, Nellie; woe
Rhodie" while he
pulled back on the
mule's reins. He
would then jump down
from the wagon and
say, "George, I feel
like we need to
pray." And pray they
did - it left a
tremendous spiritual
legacy for my cousin
to follow.
Coincidentally
George and his wife
just celebrated
their 50th wedding
anniversary over the
weekend!
I had two grandfathers: Elbert and Elmer. Their names are similar but their lives stood in great contrast. The name, Elbert, brings a smile from deep within my heart while the name, Elmer, stirs up sorrow and heartache from past memories. If you care to you can read that story here.
This
butterfly and bee
are demonstrating
the virtue of
sharing on this
sunflower
(photo
by Ester)
Early in
the morning our
sunflowers point
toward the sun
except for one,
who must have
missed the memo!
Harvesting
zinnias on the Cramers
Farm commercial
flower farm here on Kraybill
Church Road.
Progress
being made on our new
Kraybill Church Road
Amish school just up
the road from the
flower farm. I expect
it will be ready for
the new school year in
several weeks.
Across
from the school our
neighbor was
concentrating on his
field work.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"What You Leave
Behind" Video
The Talleys
Finally today:
Several of our
readers have enjoyed these
aerial mystery quizzes so
here's another one:
Where is this?
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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