"Joe and JUDE… a story of faith and its rewards" by Joe Weiser is an
amazing and inspiring true story of a man in search of purpose and
meaning.
"Joe and JUDE… a story of faith and its rewards" by Joe Weiser
(ISBN:0978931203) is an amazing and
inspiring true story of a man in search for purpose and meaning.
Joe Weiser's story starts in Newark, New York, at the age of five
years old when his parent divorced and he spent his childhood
bouncing around from one relative's house to another. Each uncle or
aunt's household had it's own share of trouble, so young Joe
experienced and absorbed a 'troubling home life' ten times that of
other children. Joe slept on porches and was "… forced to carry
around a thick, black magic marker…" at all times to write his name:
JOE "…in big black letters." The only thing young Joe was allowed to
eat was what was labeled JOE. There were "audible battles" in each
house and at that time Joe began to understand and realize his
faith. "Not religion exactly, just a spiritual awareness of
something greater."
As a freshman in high school, Joe wore hand-me-down clothes and
dreamed of a normal life with a mother and warm dinners. He dreamed
of a "…permanent place with a room of (his) own. Nothing big , just
a space….where (he) could have a little privacy and hang banners of
(his) favorite baseball teams on the wall." Joe quickly found out
what he needed was money - his own money, so he started working
"…six days a week from 4:30 AM to 7:30AM for four dollars a week."
Time after work he searched garbage cans and dumpsters for bottles
to return for twenty-five cents, "…the amount (he) needed to buy
lunch at school."
Fortunately, Joe was a good athlete and a star baseball player. He
broke county homerun records (which still exists) - He was the best
baseball player in school. On the baseball field Joe had finally
seemed to find his place. "One where money didn't matter, where you
knew your position, your place." He loved the game and was so good,
he was contacted and recruited to play for the New York Yankees -
"…A dream come true." After learning that the Yankees would only pay
for his room and board Joe found the offer "Unacceptable" and
without any guidance and ONLY a craving for money, over a chance of
a lifetime, he declined the offer and finished school. He was again
without a dream and "stranded, powerless…"
At 16, Joe lied about his age and signed up in the Navy. He served
nine years flying jets catching the end of the Korean War and the
beginning of the Vietnam War. Joe's story is tender and touches
emotions but the author makes very clear that his book "Joe and
JUDE… a story of faith and its rewards" is much less about him and
more about …"faith, about finding yourself, and about the help you
can find along the way."
After the Navy, Joe was fighting off "…old feelings…that (he) was
being abandoned again." The Navy had not filled his needs and was
not "…the family he was searching for." Joe prayed and asked God for
"…guidance, for a sign…" to lead him. Give him answers for a
fulfilling life. He wanted to know his destiny. But as Joe says,
"…my prayers, it seemed, were falling on deaf ears, so I went back
to what I knew best: work."
Joe taught flying for a while and founded the first flight program
in Seton Hall's ROTC program - He was successful and had money but
still was uncertain and unhappy. Gambling on horses at the Belmont
Park racetrack, Joe fell in love with horses and soon bought horses
and a small stable. With little experience Joe soon was a winning
racehorse owner, but still had feelings of confusion and
bewilderment. He prayed. His faith still stronger than the horses he
owned.
One day another horse owner, Sal Basile, came by Joe's stable with a
young woman. The woman gave Joe a gift - "Something to help you…with
everything." The gift was a small eighteen inch clay statue of
"Saint Jude.." The woman assured Joe that if he "…prayed to him, to
Saint Jude, she was sure he would help…" Joe. Joe was not impressed
but politely took the gift and placed it on the window sill of his
office. Life went on as normal until one day Joe entered the office
to find the statue of Saint Jude had fallen from the window and was
broken on the floor -"…broken headless on the floor." That broken
statue immediately changed Joe's life.
The statue had fallen from approximately eight feet - "it should
have shattered or at least broken in several pieces but instead it
was neatly severed at the head." Joe glued the statue back together
and firmly put it back on the window sill. About a week later Joe,
feeling depressed and empty, went into his office and amazingly
found the statue again laying on the ground in the same spot as
before - and you guessed it, the neck was sliced in the exact same
spot. Joe felt as if he was on the verge of a breakdown - What was
happening "…was absorbed." In his desk drawer was a pamphlet that
had come with the statue -- Joe gave in and read the pamphlet which
told of Saint Jude -"The Forgotten Saint."
Joe had a new vision and a new belief - Who is Saint Jude you may
ask? In a recent interview the author says, "Jude Thaddeus is said
to be a first cousin to Jesus Christ. He was one of his Apostles. He
went out and helped and cured many people such as Kings, Lepers,
Rich, Poor it didn't matter what religion you were he helped all. I
am sure you have heard of Saint Jude's Children's Hospital in
Tennessee, well you don't have to be Catholic to get in, and that
speaks for it's self."
Over the years Joe has been given other statues of Saint Jude by
friends and on other occasions he returned to find these new statues
on the floor broken at the neck. Coincidences? As Joe says in his
book, "There sometimes comes a point where denying a miracle becomes
more irrational than accepting it."
After years of praying, Saint Jude had arrived in Joe's life and his
healing was beginning. Saint Jude was "…the patron saint of
desperate, lost, and impossible cases." All his life Joe was all
three. Saint Jude refusing to renounce Jesus was beaten severely
and then ---- BEHEADED! Joe's signpost and direction was now clear.
Life for Joe still had its ups and downs but now Joe's faith was
stronger - Now he had someone in his corner cheering him on. Joe
stepped out of racing game and started a horse therapy farm. Taking
care of wounded horses and curing them seemed to be more rewarding.
Before long, Joe had the largest horse therapy farm on the East
Coast. Still Joe could not shake the feelings that his calling was
somewhere else. Joe realized at that time that as a child he thought
money was the answer to all of his problems and now he had lots of
it but the money did not bring him what he had been searching for
all his life --- and that was peace.
In the '80's new tax laws hurt the racing business and affected Joe
- He nearly went bankrupt. He lost the farm and property but with
the remaining money he had he bought some property and started a
riding therapy school for the handicapped. Joe had finally found
something that was rewarding. He was now helping handicapped
children overcome their fears and gave them rewarding experiences.
Joe started the very first "Special Olympics in the state of New
York." These were major accomplishments and gratifying to an
extent, but Joe still felt something missing.
One day Joe ran and errand for supplies for the farm. He witnessed
and a car accident which resulted in an insurance claim agent
showing up at his farm for additional questions. After the
interview, Joe gave the agent a tour of the farm and the two quickly
created a rapport and friendship. Several weeks went by and the
insurance man showed up again and said he was on his way to the
marina where he kept his boat and wanted to see if Joe would like to
accompany him. Joe went and listened to the man's knowledge that the
marina was in foreclosure, "That day was November 25th 1996. I will
forever remember the date, for it was the first day in my life that
I felt like I belonged." At the marina, Joe had the feeling he
"…was home."
In the Navy, Joe always had a love for water and boats and wondered
what it would be like to own a marina. The problem was Joe was broke
- He barely had enough money for lunch "…let alone buy a marina." He
had $50.00 to his name and the bank "…wanted $1,5550,000 plus
$850,000.00 in back taxes." Joe "…prayed to Saint Jude Thaddeus,
hoping against hope."
What happens next dear reader you will have to read yourself as I
cannot and will not give away the 'originality of how faith, prayer
and hope" worked for Joe, but Joe Weiser is now the owner of 'The
Jude Thaddeus Glen Cove Marina'.
"Joe and JUDE… a story of faith and its rewards" is the story of
one's man spiritual journey that begins and ends with faith and
hope. All of his life Joe wanted a family and purpose.
"Illumination had finally come." This is a special story that is
true. This is a remarkable journey that will ignite in you that the
possibilities you desire are there if you believe in your heart.
Just have faith and keep the faith. If you have never heard of the
story of Saint Jude Thaddeus, the patron of impossible cases, this
book is for you and your loved ones. This book proves that dreams do
come true and what dedication, faith and 'Divine Intervention' can
do in one man's life. All proceeds from the sales of "Joe and JUDE…
a story of faith and its rewards" by Joe Weiser go to The Shrine of
St Jude. Buy a copy today - You will be inspired. You could be the
next Joe Weiser.
"Joe and JUDE… a story of faith and its rewards" by Joe Weiser
ISBN:0978931203
FALCON BOOKS
Page One Literary Book Review
Page One Literary Book Review
"Every book begins with page ONE"
Joseph Weiser has overcome many insurmountable
challenges throughout
his life. Sports played a major role in his childhood. After two
tours of duty in the U.S. Navy, Joe returned to teach a flight
program for ROTC students. He then returned his attention to the
sport of Kings, training racehorses. Most of his success in racing
came at the Meadowlands, Monmouth Park and Keystone Racetrack in PA.
After that, he built and opened the largest therapy farm for horses
on the east coast, later turning that farm into a facility for
handicapped children. Joe started the first Special Olympics in the
State of New York and hosted it for a second time the following
year.The rollercoaster continued as Joe went from horses to the
boatyard. Joe established one of the most successful marinas in the
State of New York. Visit Joe online at
http://www.kpsearch.com/df/stjude/all-book.asp
