"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 Jersey, 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