✝ Daily Encouragement (01/02/26) "A Perspective On The Passing Years"
Published: Fri, 01/02/26
Updated: Fri, 01/02/26
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Friday,
January 2,
2026
Jackson's
Sawmill
Covered Bridge
in southern
Lancaster
County was
first built in
1878
to
cross the west
branch of the
Octoraro
Cree
k.
It's the only
one in
Lancaster
County set at
an angle to
the water as
it crosses the
creek.
Crossing it
for the first
time yesterday
I have now
crossed every
covered bridge
in Lancaster
County which
has the most
covered
bridges in
Pennsylvania
and ranks
second in the
nation with 29
covered
bridges. Parke
County,
Indiana has
the most
covered
bridges, with
31.
Click on photo to enlarge "A Perspective On The Passing Years" Message summary: The Psalmist presents a non-disputable truism. "I was young and now I am old".
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"I
was young and
now I am old"
(Psalm 37:25).
"Even to your
old age and
gray hairs I
am He, I am He
who will
sustain you. I
have made you
and I will
carry you; I
will sustain
you and I will
rescue you"
(Isaiah 46:4). I began life in January 1954. After spending some nine months , presumably cozy (although I can't remember), in my mother's womb I was born in October of that year. Everyone born in 1954, who is still living, will turn 72 sometime during 2026. That is an immutable fact! No fountain of youth or anti-aging drug can change the aging process. This coming Sunday I will be teaching our Adult Bible Fellowship class, known as "Crossroads". The class is comprised of about 70 seniors who are mostly in their 60's and 70's. As we like to say at our age we are a "young old", still active and in reasonably good health. We joined the class in our mid-sixties and prior to that really didn't know any of them. Most of our class attendees came of age in the 1970's and 1980's. We were young adults at that time, some still in school, others beginning our work years. Marriages and families were being established. We had a projected and hoped for long life ahead of us.
Now
here we are
some 50 years
later and
still going
and seeking to
keep our
lights shining
for the Lord!
Most are
involved in
some type of
ministry
and/or
volunteer
role.
When
we were young
we never
considered
where we might
be the first
Sunday of
2026. Even the
year 2000
seemed so, so
far away. At
that time we
saw those in
their 60's
seemed old and
beyond that
age they were
really old.
But we stayed
alive and here
we are today,
in 2026!
There
are some among
us who knew
others in the
class at that
time. Perhaps
in the same
school, youth
group or young
adult class.
Perhaps some
knew each
other from
attending
“Youth For
Christ” which
was very
popular at
that time.
One
couple in the
class gave me
permission to
share in this
format. At
this point
they are in
their late
teens. For the
men sideburns
were the in
thing
(remember,
that was the
Elvis years).
We chuckle but
it sure seems
a lot better
than current
trends like
body piercings
and multiple
tattoos. When
that trendy
thing of your
youth was no
longer "cool"
all you had to
do was cut off
the sideburns!
Or how many
remember when
bell bottoms
were the
thing? "I was young and now I am old". The Psalmist presents a non-disputable truism. If you were born around 1954 you will agree! Then find assurance in this passage: "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you" (Isaiah 46:4).
B e encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13 Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Teach Us To Number Our Days" Watch on YouTube The Worship Initiative Our last message we shared an update about our ministry. If you care to read it see here and scroll down to below the Amish classroom photo.
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to us.
From a
dedicated
reader in
Iowa:
Stephen
and Brooksyne,
Happy New Year! I enjoyed reading your New Year’s Eve devotional and especially the details about your ministry at the end of the email. This is definitely a labor of love and demonstration of an enduring partnership. Your (Stephen’s) exhaustive research and implementation of the production aspects of mailings, website, and podcast are more fitting of a technically-trained specialist than an ordained minister. When I think of those who have faithfully persevered in ministry, you two are amongst the first to come to mind. I can’t comprehend how much you get done in a day as you minister in ways both large and small. The portfolio you’ve built of original, Spirit-inspired material is breathtaking. While many devotion writers have relied heavily on AI to simplify their writing efforts (with obvious clues of AI content to practiced readers), you’ve chosen to stay on the tried and true path. Your photos and personal stories bring the devotionals to life. Your location in the heart of Amish country lends a load of story material! Being an engineer, I especially enjoy the occasional technical illustrations such as the TPV on water heaters. (I had no idea how far a water heater could launch into the air without this device!) As we look forward to this new year, which will come with surprises good and bad as you’ve pointed out, may God bless you in your ministry.
The
million dollar
view from the
inside of the
Jackson's
Sawmill
Covered Bridge
as you drive
through.
Click on photo to enlarge
On
New Year's Day
the Amish
gather with
their youth
groups. My
neighbor Isaac
asked me to
take him and a
van load of
friends down
to Kirkwood in
southern
Lancaster
County. We
began early in
the morning
and the roads
were a bit
slippery but
traffic was
light. It was
24 degrees
with a much
lower
windchill.
Youth who are
distant from
the event use
a driver like
me to take
them. Those
closer come
like this
couple. Some
seventy in
their group
spent the
entire day
together.
Click on photo to enlarge
This
group arrived
in style in a
Conestoga
covered wagon!
I was told
this can be
rented for
special
occasions sort
of like we
English (as
Amish call us)
might rent a
limousine.
Click on photo to enlarge
When
I passed them
Isaac rolled
down the
window and
challenged
them to a drag
race but I had
a lot more
horsepower and
it was no
contest. FYI
the Conestoga
wagon (for
those who
enjoyed such
TV shows as
Rawhide,
Bonanza, and
other western
themed shows
or movies) was
invented here
in Lancaster
County.
I
picked up the
same youth
last night to
take them home
and saw the
covered wagon
was also
departing.
There's 10+
youth in the
wagon so they
probably kept
warm and had a
lot of fun
being snuggled
together!
Click on photo to enlarge
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, 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. the King James Version and a variety of other versions using Bible Gateway.
Personal
Mission
Statement:
How to become
a
Christian: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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