Daily Encouragement

The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.

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Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Little boy in Amish pickup, Lancaster County 9/20/18

This little boy, riding in the back of an Amish pickup, gave us a big wave when we passed. There is also a baby carrier but we assume the baby is up front with the parents!

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Message summary: Through our times and seasons of life we've had disappointments, some very hard, prayers not answered as we would have liked. Some things we just don't understand. But God's been faithful, at times in mysterious ways. We indeed sing of the goodness of God.

Listen to our message on your audio player.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens" (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

As we live through life we see the wisdom of today's verse which precedes a rather famous section of Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

Today I muse on the seasons of my life beginning with one of my first distinct memories when my Mom took me to register for Kindergarten. However since my birthday was near the line separating classes she held me back a year. Perhaps she decided I could do a little more maturing before she passed me on to a teacher for that job. All through my school years rather than being one of the youngest in my class I was one of the oldest. It was a significant difference at that age but not so much now!

Interestingly, Brooksyne was in the same grade as I was but is a year and one week younger. I guess her mom wanted to get her moving along. We were both in Kindergarten at the same time though I was in school in Belton, MO and she was in Tulsa, OK some 250 miles apart.

Well that was about 65 years ago. I made it through my Kindergarten season, my schooling season and many other seasons since. Today we ended a season of nearly eight years as we visited a company for the last time in our official capacity as their chaplains. For many retirement is a single distinct event, but for us it is something we have been phasing into for several years with this company being the latest.

Upon retirement (in our case partial) another time and season has passed. The times of Ecclesiastes 3 beginning with life's bookends, "a time to be born, and a time to die". There are many other times and seasons between those two certainties.

Through our times and seasons of life we've had disappointments, some very hard, prayers not answered as we would have liked. Some things we just don't understand. But God's been faithful, at times in mysterious ways and we can indeed sing of the goodness of God.

All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God

Today these times and seasons apply to all of us but apart from the bookends of birth and death the details will vary. Let us all place our steadfast faith in Christ who said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b,6).

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, You have been so very good and abundantly faithful in every season of our life: in the good times, but also in times of hardship, sorrow, illness and mystery. You have ordered our steps according to Your plan for our lives and worked out that which seemed impossible at the time. It's why we can trust You no matter the circumstance, knowing You work out everything for our good, because You are a good God. Therefore we will tell of Your goodness and sing of Your faithfulness day in and day out. Amen.

Note: After today we will still be serving three companies as chaplains on a regular basis down from 12 before covid and after we began to scale back (both voluntarily and involuntarily). With these three companies and continuing with our Daily Encouragement ministry we will still have a pretty full plate. But we find with aging comes less stamina! In addition we continue to periodically visit many of the companies we once served and we are both involved in other types of ministry.

Next month I (Stephen) hit the big three score and ten years mentioned in Psalm 90:10, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away". Thus according to the Bible, 70 is the marker that one has reached a full span of life, and anything further is a blessed bonus, often referred to as the golden years.

"Everyday Christian: on turning three score years and ten" (a thoughtful blog article)

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Goodness of God" Listen on YouTube Don Moen, Rachel Robinson & Tom Lane

Or check out this Crosby family version: Listen on YouTube This little girl sure has a voice!

The comments on these videos can be so encouraging such as "I was homeless, got into drugs, went into prisons, then i got to know Jesus, He changed my life.. Now i have a home, a wife, a lovely daughter and a new identity... A child of God.. Hallelujah".

"Stay Strong" Listen on YouTube Danny Gokey

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Our ministry in daily encouragement is primarily for those who have placed their faith in Christ but we are aware there may be those who come across these messages who may not know or understand the plan of salvation. Here's a site with a good explanation. How to become a Christian: https://twowaystolive.com/

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Stephen and Brooksyne Weber

495 Kraybill Church Road

Mount Joy, PA 17552

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Stephen & Brooksyne

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How to become a Christian: https://twowaystolive.com/

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 and a variety of other versions.

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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