Guess who these girls are?

Faith Family has TWO artists!

Debby's Biography

A Lifelong Passion for Art


Debra was born in central Illinois and has lived in Tallahassee, Fl. for more than 25 years. She is married to Randy (also an artist) and has raised three children. She is a self-taught artist working in acrylic. She has drawn and painted all her life either inspirationally or by commission. Her most recent venture, Painted Memories, offers paintings developed from her client's travel photos or home landscape photos intended to preserve places or events on canvas to grace the walls of home or office.

Her work typically expresses the joy and happiness she finds in living. Her work favors idyllic moments, real or remembered, home landscape portraits such as your personal residence, childhood home, or beach house, historical renditions, nature landscapes, and cottage florals.
Randy is painting also! See more at http://BrienenArt.com

Click on link to take you to their website.

Hugs from Karen Power

Greetings Faith Family!

WOW! I can't believe it's been almost 10 years since I left Tallahassee and Faith Assembly. Since then, I've moved a couple of times for work. First, I went to the Atlanta, GA area for five years. After that I was called out to Albuquerque, NM to continue working as a course developer for Pitney Bowes and start working as Speaker Services Manager for a company that represented Christian Speakers and Authors. After a couple of years of working almost 7 days a week between those two jobs, they both suddenly ended -- one due to company downsizing and the latter due to time to move on. In January 2007, I revamped a business that I'd had for 12 years and it had been sitting on the shelf -- the new version became Christian Speaker Services (www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com). It was the reality of a lifelong dream finally coming to pass!

This past November 2007, I made another change and moved back to the South. I currently live in the Dallas, TX metroplex and work for myself with Christian Speakers Services and a new venture -- www.FindChristianWomenSpeakers.com.

Alas, it's not all work...well, at least not all the time. There seems to be an abundance of good churches in the area. My home church to be Heartland World Ministries where Steve and Jeri Hill are pastors. Some of you might remember the awesome youth group and band that we had at Evangel Assembly while Steve and Jeri were the Youth Pastors. It's really been both fascinating and a blessing to have them as pastors 25 years later.

If I haven't bored you yet, you can find out more about me at my personal web site www.KarenPower.com. You'll find my contact info on the web sites. And, if you are ever out this way, PLEASE let me know as I'd love to see you again.

Marlene...it is so weird to see the picture of your boys (MEN), especially Maverick with a beard!

Hugs across the miles,
Karen

Ronnie Dodson

Grace - the free gift and ability to accept what comes, and mercy - witholding of the judgement we deserve.

I'm so thankful that we have each other. Please continue to pray for Ronnie Dodson and his family. As some may not know Ronnie is battling cancer. My last visit with him, at the hospital was precious as he arose and prayed for Pastor Kathy from Evangel Assembly. Imagine that! Yes, I can. Ronnie was and still is praying for others. He is a prayer warrior and I know the Lord is standing and interceding for Ronnie during this time where I pray that God's peace, love, and joy will overshadow him and protect him. My prayer is that the Lord Jesus would come down in the midst of the chaos that is "everywhere" on this earth and shine His glorious light into the darkness and cause the darkness to RUN.

I'm feeling such a stillness in my soul, it is like the calm before a storm. I don't know when and if it will hit, but I'm so thankful that I feel the Lord's presence so strong. It's like being in a coma and just awakening to a new awareness of how precious our life is, each day, each hour, each minute. I don't want to waste a moment....

I love the Dodson family,and I feel the Lord is showering you with a fresh anointing of His love, His Grace, His Mercy. Walk tall in the presence of the Lord, Keep your eyes on Him who is the Lifter of Your Head. Don't let it (your head) hang low, but arise shine and let the glory of the Lord arise in and shine through you in this hour....in these minutes....in these seconds that we have left on this earth.

Roger Smith (Ronnie's brother-in-law) grew up with Ronnie. Ronnie was 15 and Roger was 7. Please pray especially for Roger during this time that he will feel God's love and presence.I pray Jesus will embrace Him and be his help in this time of trouble. I know Roger loves Ronnie and respects him so much.

Faith Flashback:

I'm remembering when Ronnie, Roger Casavant and I were called to the 7 gates of Tallahassee. Muslims had been at these corners each week passing out propaganda. The Lord showed me to make signs with certain scriptures on them, to fast, pray and stand on 7 specific corners holding up the signs. We weren't to preach, just let God's word stand alone on the signs. This was July - for seven weeks we stood in the frying hot sun on the street corners holding up these signs. We stood no water, no food, from 8:00 to noon. We met at 7:00 and prayed for an hour before hitting the streets.

Everyone probably thought we were crazy, but can I tell you, these were some of the most precious moments in my life and we saw miracles, signs and wonders. People would break out in fits of cussing or praise. Some would burst into tears that drove by. Rednecks on the way to Wakulla Springs, would hold up their beer cans out of the window and salute, saying Yes, Jesus, honking their horns. We had one sign that said "Honk" if you love Jesus.

We would be in Ronnie's van huddled together sweating bullets, but praying in tongues and prophesying and actually seeing the manifested power of God. We shared dreams and words of encouragement with one another and we felt like we could have walked through hell because Jesus was present. The Lord shared with us that we were HIS ARMS, LEGS AND FEET. If we were obedient He would show us great and mighty things and HE MOST CERTAINLY DID. Ask any of us. The power of God can not be denied. We felt like true disciples of Jesus.

Ronnie was always at every prayer meeting early. I remember for several years we would meet at the church (Faith) on Mondays at 6:00 a.m. Ronnie was always demonstrative in his love for Jesus, but many times in these early morning times of prayer we all would just lay before the Lord quiet, because God's presence was so strong none of us could speak. We would just weep. Another precious moment that touched my heart was to hear Ronnie weep before the Lord. There is nothing I can think more precious to the Lord than a broken and contrite spirit. This is Ronnie Dodson.

My prayer is for Ronnie to make it to the reunion. The Lord may have other work for Ronnie in a realm we can't see with our natural eyes. I know God has prepared a special place for each one of His saints and I know Ronnie's place is going to be super special.

Ronnie, we love you and are praying for you.


Marlene Hoenig

Hi from Roger and Debby Smith to all Faith family and friends!!!

We are so looking forward to the 2009 Faith Reunion and getting together with friends we have not seen in so long.

I still work for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. However, I now work in
our Division's Information Technology office. My focus is to apply Continual Service Improvement to all areas/aspects in/for IT (Woo Hoo - a bona fide CSI!).

Jordan, who is now 9, just started 4th grade at Gretchen Everhart. He loves it. They have a indoor pool, and he loves swimming. He gets to ride the bus to school in the morning. In the afternoon he gets to ride home with his care giver Kemi.

Jordan at 1 year old:



Jordan now:






Roger and I are learning daily on how to raise our busy 9-year old. He keeps us very much on our toes.




Chad, my older boy, who will be 26 this month, works as an electrician and just passed his journeyman's test. Here is a picture of Marlene, I, and Chad on Mother's day in 2008. And let me tell you, Chad "cleans up" real good.

















Roger's oldest son, Chris, lives and works in Jacksonville. He gets to Tallahassee every now and then to visit us. We wish he lived here so we could see him more often.

Here is a photo taken of Roger, Chris, and Jordan in August 2008:


I've started to compile a lot of the writings I have done over the years. I have a few posted. I started a small publication about 4 years ago called "Seed Sowers Series" and then put it on the shelf. I took it out about a month ago. You can find a few of the writings here: http://seedsowersseries.blogspot.com/

I am also venturing into gardening. It has been hit and miss... But each year I seem to get better at it, so I keep tyring. Here are a few photos of some of my plants:




If anyone wishes to get ahold of us, reply to this post and let us know how things are with you and your family. Love you all and am looking forward to the 2009 Faith Reunion!!!

Debby Smith & Marlene Hoenig

This photo taken around 1992 at a prison fellowship conference.

Wow can't believe we were that skinny and what is with the Sally Jesse Rafael glasses!

Guess Who?