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personal.htm
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<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name="description" content="John Farese has been disabled since birth with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a disease related to muscular dystrophy. Using a speech recognition computer system, John is serving Jesus Christ through the Internet on his web pages, that are designed to provide information and links to Reformed Baptist Resources.">
<meta name="keywords" content="Christian, salvation, Jesus, Christ, reformed, Baptist, disabled, Farese, churches, web, page, design, music, Bible, Bibles, angel, angels, heaven, Hell, cross, Testament, old, new,.">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Mozilla/4.75 [en] (Windows NT 5.0; U) [Netscape]">
<title>FARESE.COM</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" link="#FFFFFF" vlink="#FFFFFF" alink="#FFFFFF" background="assets/backgrey.gif">
<center><table BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 COLS=1 WIDTH="800" >
<tr>
<td ALIGN=RIGHT VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT="146" BACKGROUND="assets/logo.jpg">
<div ALIGN=right><table BORDER=0 COLS=4 WIDTH="400" BACKGROUND="assets/blueback.jpg" >
<tr ALIGN=CENTER VALIGN=CENTER>
<td>
<center><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="index.htm" style="text-decoration:none">HOME</a></font></font></b></center>
</td>
<td><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="about.htm" style="text-decoration:none">ABOUT</a></font></font></b></td>
<td><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="links.htm" style="text-decoration:none">LINKS</a></font></font></b></td>
<td><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="support.htm" style="text-decoration:none">SUPPORT</a></font></font></b></td>
</tr>
</table></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF">
<table BORDER=0 COLS=2 WIDTH="100%" >
<tr ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>
<td WIDTH="200" BACKGROUND="assets/blackbar.jpg">
<table BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=3 COLS=1 WIDTH="100%" BACKGROUND="assets/blackbar.jpg" >
<tr>
<td><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="about.htm" style="text-decoration:none">ABOUT</a></font></font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="sma.htm" style="text-decoration:none">Disability</a></font></font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP BACKGROUND="assets/redbar.jpg"><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="personal.htm" style="text-decoration:none">Personal
Interests</a></font></font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="articles.htm" style="text-decoration:none">Articles</a></font></font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="design.htm" style="text-decoration:none">Web
Design</a></font></font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b><font face="Calibri"><font size=-1><a href="support.htm" style="text-decoration:none">Support
this Site</a></font></font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/faresecom" target="new"><img SRC="assets/amazon1.jpg" BORDER=0 height=49 width=125></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT="100%"><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><img SRC="assets/email.gif" BORDER=0 height=26 width=89></a></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td WIDTH="590">
<table BORDER=0 COLS=1 WIDTH="100%" >
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.ebcfl.org/" target="new"><img SRC="assets/ebc.jpg" BORDER=0 height=82 width=180 align=LEFT></a><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>In
October of 1984, God was pleased to save my soul and lead me to Emmanuel
Baptist Church where I am a charter member. The church is located
in beautiful Coconut Creek, Florida. Emmanuel Baptist Church is a
Reformed Baptist Congregation which proclaims the Doctrines of Grace in
the tradition of historic Christianity. I had the privilege of building
their web site, which you can view by clicking the church photo.</font></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<hr WIDTH="100%"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.cghsfl.org/" target="new"><img SRC="assets/cgh.gif" BORDER=0 height=150 width=190 align=LEFT></a><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Though
now a Reformed Baptist, I was raised a Roman Catholic and graduated from
Cardinal Gibbons High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. There I
met one of my dearest and closest friends, Brad LaMontagne. I had
the privilege of leading Brad to the Lord. He now lives in Virginia
with his wife and two girls, but we speak often on the telephone and still
see each other a couple of times a year. Access Cardinal Gibbons
web site by clicking the photo.</font></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<hr WIDTH="100%"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="design.htm"><img SRC="assets/pc.jpg" BORDER=0 height=232 width=359 align=LEFT></a><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>With
the advancement of technology in the past 15 years, I'm able to live a
productive life through the use of various devices such as environmental
control units, speech recognition computers and various medical technologies.
With the various equipment and devices that God has provided me through
the help of some generous friends, I'm able to build web sites, communicate
with people all over the world and study the Scriptures via the PC.
Click on the photo to view some of the sites I've created for businesses
and ministries.</font></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<hr WIDTH="100%"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<table BORDER=0 COLS=4 WIDTH="100%" >
<tr ALIGN=CENTER VALIGN=CENTER>
<td><a href="http://www.redsox.com/" target="new"><img SRC="assets/bosox.gif" BORDER=0 height=60 width=80></a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.patriots.com/" target="new"><img SRC="assets/nepats.gif" BORDER=0 height=60 width=80></a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.nba.com/celtics/" target="new"><img SRC="assets/celts.gif" BORDER=0 height=60 width=80></a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.nhl.com/teams/bos/index.htm" target="new"><img SRC="assets/bruins.gif" BORDER=0 height=60 width=80></a></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Having been raised outside of Boston,
Massachusetts I am a die-hard fan of the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and
Bruins. After some long painstaking years of watching my teams lose
games and championships by just about every conceivable way, the past several
years has been wonderful as the Red Sox have won two World Series and the
Patriots three Super Bowl Titles. The Celtics are playing like the
days of old when Larry Bird was leading the team to be atop the NBA and
though the Bruins have improved this year, they are still a long way off
from their glory days in the early '70s.</font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>By clicking the team logo you can
access their web sites.</font></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<hr WIDTH="100%"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.stevegreenministries.org/" target="new"><img SRC="assets/sgreen.jpg" BORDER=0 height=200 width=256 align=LEFT></a><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2><b>Steve
Green </b>has been a personal friend of mine for over 15 years. We
first met at a concert in Boca Raton, where Steve was ministering.
We exchanged email addresses and telephone numbers and have kept in touch
ever since, encouraging and stirring oneanother up in the faith.
It's been my privilege to speak to audiences at several of Steve's concerts
on various topics. On February 8, 2003, one week after the Columbia
Space Shuttle tragedy, Steve gave a concert at Coral Ridge Presbyterian
Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Once again I was invited
by Steve to speak on the subject of trials and suffering. God seemed
to richly bless that evening, as Steve shared some of his personal memories
from his friendship with Rick Husband, Commander of the Columbia mission.
Steve's selection of music, his testimony of Commander Husband and my talk
on trials and suffering, were providentially in orchestrated harmony.
I praise God for this and believe that He was glorified that evening. </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Steve was in attendance for Rick's
first shuttle launch several years ago and was also in attendance for this
launch. He sang both times at pre-launch receptions. He said
the reception for the Columbia launch was very Christ-honoring. Steve
described Rick as a quiet, unassuming man who was, yet, very vocal about
his faith in Christ. He said Rick did not miss an opportunity to
give glory to God and mentioned that when Mission Control said it was a
beautiful day for a launch, Rick responded with, "The Lord has given us
a perfect day!" A suit technician shared the following story with Steve.
He said that after the astronauts suit up they walk down a hallway and
then open a door to "face the press!" Rick stopped the crew before they
opened the door and said he wanted to pray for them. Later the technicians
talked about this and one said that in all his years he had never heard
of a captain praying for and with his crew. </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>The spouses of the crew each get
to pick a song for them to wake up to one of the mornings they're in space.
Rick's wife selected "God of Wonders" by Steve Green. Steve played
a tape for us of Rick communicating with Mission Control after the song
was played. The conversation went something like this: Mission Control
- "Good morning. That song was for Rick. It was 'God of Wonders'
by Steve Green." Rick - "Good morning. Thank you. We can really
appreciate the lyrics of that song up here. We look out the window
and see that God truly is a God of wonders!" Steve also shared part of
an e-mail he received from Rick, transmitted from outer space! Rick wrote
about how overwhelming it was to see God's vast creation from space.
He said he had never cried while exercising before, but peddling on the
bike and looking out the window at God's incredible creation brought tears
to his eyes. </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Steve then sang several selections
from his latest CD "Woven in Time". He then spoke about our mutual
friendship and proceeded to ask me the following questions: </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Steve: "Why is there suffering in
the world?" </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Johnny: "The Scriptures tell us,
that all suffering and eventually death is a result of man's rebellion
against God, which first took root in the Garden of Eden." "God cursed
man and all of creation". (Romans 5). However, the good news
is that God so loved the world, that He sent His Son into the world to
restore man and to create a new heaven and a new earth". (John 3:16
and Revelation 21:1). </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Yet, I believe that suffering was
also necessary, in order to show the immense character of God's love, mercy
and compassion. This is best displayed at the Cross. Jesus
said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His
work." (John 4:34). The last words Jesus said on the cross was, "it
is finished"! And in the cross of Christ, all suffering and death is finished." </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Steve: "How has suffering affected
your relationship with God?" </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Johnny: "The best way I can answer
that question is to borrow the words of King David when he says in Ps.
119:71 - "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn
Your statutes." I also identify with Joni Eareckson Tada, who refers to
suffering as her "strange friend". Suffering and trials have helped
me to realize, that I must fully rely upon God for all things. They
help me let go of this world and eagerly look forward to eternity with
Christ. </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>"When I'm experiencing intense pain,
frustration and discouragement, I often think of the portrait painted by
Scripture of the Apostle John with his head laying on the bosom of our
Lord. (John 13:22). When meditating upon this passage, I sometimes
sense the Lord's bosom resting under my head." </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Steve: "What advice would you give
to those who are presently going through difficult trials?" </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Johnny: "First I would remind them
that though their trial may not be pleasant, to remember that God is sovereign.
He is not unfamiliar with their suffering. He suffered, so that He
could sympathize with us and comfort us in all our trials. (Hebrews
4:15). Next I would encourage you to embrace your suffering.
Our hearts are so pridefull. With our advanced technology and medicines,
we try to fix all our problems. But we can't. Only God can.
Steve, you have a song entitled, "Embrace the Cross". I want to encourage
others to embrace their cross. The cross that God has called them
to bare. For it's in our weakness where God's grace and strength
is made manifest. This brings glory to our God. Suffering is
the very vehicle for which God draws us into intimacy with Himself.
It's through suffering that we are sanctified and made fit for Heaven.
(Philippians 3:10) </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Steve then dedicated his next song
"Refiner's Fire" to me and closed the concert by singing "A Mighty Fortress"
and "Amazing Grace". </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Immediately following the concert,
I was surrounded by countless numbers of people, who began telling me of
some of the difficult trials they were facing. They gave testimony
how God visited them through the things I had shared that evening. </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>It's tremendously delightful and
fulfilling to be used of God, to bless others and to reflect His glory!
I thank my God for allowing me this privilege and opportunity to serve
Him. </font></font>
<p><font face="Verdana"><font size=-2>Please pray for Steve as he continues
to serve our God through his gifts and talents. You can check out
his web site by clicking the photo of Steve and myself at the beginning
of this article.</font></font></td>
</tr>
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<hr WIDTH="100%"></td>
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</td>
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<td HEIGHT="25" BACKGROUND="assets/blueback.jpg"><img SRC="assets/line.jpg" height=6 width=800></td>
</tr>
</table></center>
<br>
</body>
</html>