Message From Richard
Greetings my brothers and sisters and welcome to our latest edition of Gods Faith Book's weekly newsletter.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
GFB is having discussions with a major cruise ship line to organize a Biblical Cruise. This will be a 4 day cruise that will feature lectures from prominent speakers during your days on the ship. Prayer sessions as well as Bible Class's will also be held. Topics to be discussed include port of departure, departure dates, and cost to members. We will need a minimum of 50 members to sign up in order to take advantage of deep discount pricing for cruise. This cruise will not be limited to members, but will be offered to all Christians looking for a fun filled spiritual time to share in fellowship and spreading HIS WORD. Think about this and let me hear your comments/thoughts. Before pushing this any further, I need to hear from our membership to see if there is an interest in this cruise.
The following is a repeat of the comments I made in our last news letter regarding our unique point system which no other site offers.
Many questions have come across my desk asking about our point system, especially from many of our newer members. The point system was set up to reward members for their activities on GFB. Every time a member comes on to the site and posts a comment or posts a new video or posts their photo in their profile they receive points. Points are also given out every time a new friendship is made. Almost anything that members do are awarded with points. These points are tracked and posted on your profile page. FREE gifts are mailed out to members when they reach various point levels starting with 100 points. When you reach the 100, 250, 500 or 1,000 point levels you must notify the admin section at: mornstar100@aol.com with your full name and mailing address and your gift will be mailed to you.
The drop down box located under the quick link section on the black menu bar now includes our poll question in addition to: E Cards, Sermons, Special Days, Missing Children. E Books Special Events and Charles Spurgeon Devotions.
We're still looking for a name for our Christian dating site which will be going live very soon. All suggestions are welcome and remember we will be awarding a special gift to the member that gives us the winning name.
With Easter approaching, we are continuing our program of giving away a third product of your choice (except those items in the "As Seen on TV section)when you make a purchase of 2 items from out gift store. After you make your purchase, just notify me at: mornstar100@aol.com with the name of the product and it will be included with your order completely FREE. As usual all postage and handling id FREE and all purchases are guaranteed FOREVER.
Remember, that this site does not belong to one person, it belongs to all of you. Without YOU, there is no US. Always Dare To Dream.
"Thank You Lord for this day, and for all you have done for us. Lord forgive us our sins, and help us with forgiveness of others. Lord please heal our bodies, minds and hearts, so that we are free and healthy in body, mind and Spirit. Lord may you guide , protect and provide for our family needs. In Jesus name we pray. Amen"
WE ARE IN JESUS HAND SO DON'T WORRY HE IS ALWAYS WITH US.
GOD'S GRACE IS WHAT ENABLES YOU TO BELIEVE IN HIM. SO THANK HIM EACH DAY FOR REVEALING HIMSELF TO YOU!
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Please visit the new and improved GFB gift store! The store is found on the menu and also by clicking here. Shipping and handling is FREE for all GFB members in the continental United States.
Proceeds from our store are used to both host and improve the GFB site...as well as fund different charities we are involved with.
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Lessons Learned From a Snake, a Cake, and an Apple
by Jean V. Dickson
I don't remember the argument. It's the rage, frustration, and anger I remember. Forty-five years later, I still have no clue WHY I was so angry with my mother.
I do remember something, however. At three years old, revenge wasn't in my vocabulary - but it was in my heart.
Outside on a sunny day a slithering line of brown ripples through lush green grass. I've found my perfect revenge. A garter snake! Even whispering the word, snake, Is enough to make my mother shiver and shriek.
Racing to the door; up goes the mail slot; in goes the snake.
I sit down and giggle. I wrap my arms around myself and giggle some more. I almost wet myself with delight I'm so eager for my mothers coming fright. In my imagination I see Mom walking, suddenly stopping, face turning white, mouth opening, a horrified howl.
I would like to say I heard a scream. I would like to say my revenge was satisfied.
I can't.
Instead I waited for the scream. Wait. Wait. Wait.
Fast forward ten years. Once again I'm waiting - waiting for my sister's fiancée to get out of the bathroom. He carefully brushes strands of hair forward to cover his bald spot. I watch him spray until his hair's a solid mat of fastidious fibres studiously cemented to the crown of his head like a rooster's comb.
Later, I have the pleasure of watching him water ski. Speedos several sizes too small - partially hidden by an overlapping stomach dancing to the drum-beat thump of skis hitting waves, varnished mat of hair flapping up and down in the breeze.
To say I like Don would be like saying a person with a sensitive nose likes the smell of wet burlap bags.
At dinner I notice Don shaking the pepper over his food. And I get an idea for payback. There, on the table, a single slice of birthday cake remains. I'll play a nice little girl and give that slice to Don. But I can't just give him plain vanilla cake. I have to spice it up.
I lift the icing - and add pepper. I even scoop out part of the cake and scoop in a teaspoon of pepper. Carefully I reassemble the cake. My brilliant alterations are barely noticeable.
Innocence exuding from my face, I'm an angel, bearing a gift in my hands. I offer the cake to Don. He lifts a fork to his lips.
I anticipate a cough, cake spewing across the table, Don's eyes watering from the strength of the spice.
I wait. And wait. And wait.
In the years past I've often wondered if Don saw me doctoring his cake and decided to spoil my plan by showing absolutely no reaction at all. Or was he so used to pepper he never even noticed additional seasoning! Or, perhaps, like my mother, Don was wise enough to know that revenge, like pepper, is a disappointing dish. It's best not served at all?
Let's go back to when I was three years old, sitting on the front porch, waiting for Mom to scream. Mom heard the bronze mail flap shut - CRACK. Looking into the hall, she sees IT! Her first instinct is to scream. But my giggling gives me away. If she screams, I'll learn to revel in revenge. If she berates me, well ... all that will do is build a wall of anger between us.
Mom steps over the snake, opens the hall closet, gets her broom. Sweep, sweep, sweep - down the stairs and out the back door. One reptile out the door, the other giggling on the front porch.
Mom always said, "Things done in spite don't turn out right."
I heard it often enough. Too bad I didn't 'hear' it - I never learned from the hearing so I had to learn from the hurting.
Let's go back in time. I'm not three. I'm not 13. I'm 18 this time.
Saturday morning tasks - my mind isn't on scouring the pans, wiping the sink, water pooling on the floor. Instead, I'm thinking of the dress I made my sister. Gail's difficult to buy clothes for - no waist, no hips. You could say she's not a woman of substance. Most things don't look good on her. Then there are her allergies - only 100% cotton will do.
I knew the dress was going to look good on her before she even slipped it over her head. It did. It looked more than good. Gail was gorgeous!
I finish wiping the counters, grab the garbage, step down the stairs and out the back door. I lift the lid to the garbage can not concentrating on task at hand - that grey blue fabric sure did change Gail's blah blue eyes to bright blue.
Grey blue fabric. Grey blue fabric!!??!! What's it doing in the garbage can?
Drenched and dripping from my hands, the remains of Gail's beautiful blue dress. Cut to pieces, soaked in salad dressing. My masterpiece! All my work; all my planning; all the hours away from TV and telephone working to make her beautiful.
Why did she do it? Revenge! It had to be. Just another instance of getting back at Mom through me.
My childish pranks - the snake, the cake - aren't such fun anymore. Revenge is a lovely apple if you overlook the worms.
I'm not three or 13. And I'm certainly not thin anymore. I still wrestle with rage, frustration, and anger. However, revenge isn't as tasty as it once was. Now I know the apple's sweet but the worms silence your heart.
You never get revenge; it gets you.
Revenge, like a wormy apple, is best left on the ground.
Jean V. Dickson is a Canadian-based entrepreneur who puts creativity's ZING into training and communications. For more information on creativity and innovation, visit www.jvdcreativity.com and www.experientialexercises.com. Put some ZING into your corporate communications at www.powerpointjoint.com. For church zing, see www.fatsheep.org and www.worshipzing.com.
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Weekly Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, You are the love of God incarnate, the perfect expression and revelation of God's great love for us! You are our Redeemer, our Savior, our righteousness, and our sanctification. Keep us firm in faith, and joyful in Your salvation, filled with the festal shout, giving our thanks and praise to You all the day, and forever! Amen.
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Featured Video
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Christianity, the first 1000 years
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Bible Study Classes and Prayer Meeting
Bible Study is held in the AV Chat Room each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Each Saturday we also have a Video prayer and worship session. Classes begin promptly at 8:00 PM EST except for the Tuesday class which begins at 3:00 PM E.S.T.
The GFB Prayer Meeting is held each Wednesday at approximately 9:00 PM EST in the AV Chat room.
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For all members or friends of members who have your own ministry...
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