Daily Encouragement

Friday, September 15, 2023

A view of the Pittsburgh skyline from the Monongahela Incline as seen in the immediate foreground.

Click on photo to enlarge

"When The Mountain Is Steep"

Message summary: At times the road will seem steep but God gives strength so that we may endure as we call upon Him.

Listen to our message on your audio player.

"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word" (Psalm 119:28). "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" (Isaiah 40:29). "Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees" (Hebrews 12:12).

For the last several days I was in Pittsburgh with my young friend Moses who turns 20 tomorrow. He was there to receive treatment for a shoulder injury. Pittsburgh is a beautiful city with several outstanding views. Our first skyline view was over 40 years ago when Brooksyne and I drove in from the west under the Fort Pitt Tunnel. When exiting the tunnel the city skyline appears before you and in our experience it was a complete surprise.

Pittsburgh is well known for its rivers. At the tip of downtown the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers join to form the Ohio River. Pittsburgh is also known as the “City of Bridges” since there are a total of 446 bridges in the city.

But here's another lesser known factoid about Pittsburgh that I didn't know before preparing for this trip. It has the steepest street in the continental US.

I initially questioned this considering the steepness of a famous curvy street in San Francisco where there are about eight switchbacks in the 1000 block of Lombard Street. The natural 27-percent grade of this street was actually leveled slightly to 16 percent in 1922 when the city used cobblestones while paving the street. It affords a beautiful view of the city from the top.

But Canton Avenue in Pittsburgh is the steepest street in the continental United States. Although only 600 feet long it has an average grade of 30% over its length. There is even one short section that has a grade of 37%. Moses and I drove over to examine it and walked to the top, although I used the stairs that went up beside it, assisted by the railing. Public steps are another feature of Pittsburgh!

It's a cobblestone road and I just didn't feel like driving my car up with the extreme washboard effect but a car did climb it while we were there. It seems there were other curious onlookers but there were houses along the road as well and if you live there you probably get used to it, but I can only imagine what it's like in the winter!

The steep street prompts a consideration of "Press On", a song by Selah, which begins with this line:

When the valley is deep

When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall

At times the roads and the mountains sure seem steep.

Our first daily text is a candid petition from David, “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.” Many will identify with the colorful vocabulary of the KJV translation, “My soul melteth for heaviness.” The NASV states, “My soul weeps because of grief.”

Our third daily text comes from a section of Hebrews where followers of Christ are implored to be persevering. "Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees" (Hebrews 12:12).

The chapter begins with a call to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us". This is one of the great Biblical texts describing the long-term nature of our service for Christ. The strenuous race we run is not a brief sprint but a life-long marathon. And this marathon has steep hills!

As we run the race for Christ sometimes everything seems to be going great; runners describe this by using the terms, “having the wind” or being “in pace”.

But at other times the going is really tough. It may be like the famed “heartbreak hill” in the Boston Marathon. These providential hard times are ultimately a part of God’s disciplinary work in our lives. We will groan in despair if our emotions and focus are solely fixed “at the time” upon our painful discipline. Instead we must, through eyes of faith, look ahead to the “harvest of righteousness and peace” that are a result of our unshakable walk with God in the shakable events of life.

Are your arms feeble or your knees weak today? Are you dealing with setbacks that weary you along the way or increase your fear of tomorrow?

Corrie ten Boom wrote, “Worrying about tomorrow will rob you of strength for today.” Who would know more about anxiety, setbacks and uncertainties than Miss ten Boom whose father and sister were executed during the holocaust and she herself was imprisoned in the concentration camps for saving hundreds of Jews.

Strengthen or lift up your arms today in faith and praise to God. This must primarily be an act of willful obedience rather than an emotional response. As you lift them up in obedience I believe you will experience the uplifting spiritual, physical and mental revitalization that Isaiah writes about in 40:29, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak".

Choose to gaze upon your permanent destiny and only glance upon your present difficulties. This will enable you to praise God with a sincere heart. Thank Him for the discipline He is bringing into your life to conform you to His likeness and to prepare You for the joys of heaven where sorrow, loss, pain and disappointment no longer exist.

In Jesus' name, we press on
In Jesus' name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13 )

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we are encouraged and emboldened when we consider that in everything we experience You go before us preparing the way. Sometimes the mountain really seems steep and we can hardly catch our breath; it's hard to go on. We need your strength. As we fix our gaze on the eternal peace that awaits the faithful believer we can deal with the temporal conflict here and now. We wait upon You in prayer and faith so that we are renewed in our strength emotionally, physically and spiritually. We are thankful that You give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. And thank You most of all for renewing our spirit so that we can press on. Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Press On" Watch video on YouTube Selah

The 10 Steepest Streets In America

Canton Avenue in Pittsburgh: The Steepest Street in the United States

Bicyclists race up (and fall) on Canton Avenue at Pittsburgh's Dirty Dozen (Video)

Pittsburgh’s City Steps

We parked at the top of Mount Washington with stunning views overlooking the city and rode down and back up on the Monongahela Incline. It is a commuter route for residents who live on the hill to get to and from work in the downtown area. This view is going up, of course, so you can see how steep it is. The Monongahela Incline: A Pittsburgh Icon

This house is in the Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh near the place we stayed. Overall compared to many cities Pittsburgh seemed to be in pretty good shape wherever we went

In the course of getting lost driving around Pittsburgh we did drive up this steep cobblestone street (perhaps it was brick - not sure!)

On the way out to Pittsburgh on Monday, 9/11 we passed just south of the Flight 93 National Memorial.
Click on photo to enlarge

Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne

About Us

"We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!"

Personal Ministry Update

Daily Encouragement email!

(each weekday)

Name:

Email:

We respect your email privacy

To receive the "Daily Encouragement" each Monday-Friday use our sign-up form or this page to subscribe to our free email list. You can also subscribe to the Wordpress rss feed or through a Wordpress email subscription. (See the email subscription on the top right side after opening this page.)

We want to thank all who financially support our ministry. We realize there are many fine ministries and causes requesting support at this time but if you would like information about making a donation to our ministry see here.

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 to a page that states "Brooksyne Weber". We keep this option available due to the familiarity, convenience, for international supporters, and for those who may not need an official receipt. You can also set up for recurring donations.

Thank you,

Stephen & Brooksyne

Daily Encouragement on:

Wordpress

iHeart radio

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."

dailyencouragement.net

"Living securely today anchored in God's solid foundation"