Good News From Mary Feb. 17, 2009

The Untold Ordeal of a Christian Convert in Saudi Arabia

Christian converts in Saudi Arabia go through many untold ordeals at the hands of government officials and other Muslim fundamentalists because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

As reported by Open Doors, the Saudi authorities have arrested 28-year-old Hamoud Bin Saleh simply because he gave testimony of his conversion from Islam to Christianity, and also of his critical posture of the kingdom's judiciary on his website.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

UK 'eyes' to hunt for other Earth

The telescope Nasa is preparing for launch next month won't reveal if there is intelligent life in the Universe, but it should at least provide concrete evidence that there are places like Earth for ET to live.

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How Growing Up in a Recession Can Shape a Child's Future

K. Esther Szabo was a small child when the recession of the early 1970s sent her family's fortunes into a tailspin. Her father, an economist, struggled to find work, and her mother worried about paying the bills. The family eventually filed bankruptcy.

The tensions at home put a permanent mark on Ms. Szabo. To help her family, she started working at age 8, doing chores for neighbors, and has been working ever since. When a personal-finance class in college introduced her to the idea that calamities like the one that crippled her family could be avoided with careful planning, she found the idea "mind-blowing," she says. She now co-owns a Los Altos, Calif., financial-planning firm.

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Obama: Stimulus lets Americans claim destiny

Racing to reverse the country's economic spiral, President Barack Obama signed the mammoth stimulus package into law Tuesday and readied a new $50 billion foreclosure rescue for legions of Americans who are in danger of losing their homes.

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New foreclosure defense: Prove I owe you

Kathy Lovelace lost her job and was about to lose her house, too. But then she made a seemingly simple request of the bank: Show me the original mortgage paperwork.

And just like that, the foreclosure proceedings came to a standstill.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009 Good News Stories (Margaret)

Mediterranean Diet Helps Women's Hearts

"Pass the olive oil, please. There's more good news today for people who eat a traditionally Mediterranean diet.

American women whose diets are high in monosaturated fat, plant proteins, whole grains, and fish are significantly less likely to develop heart disease and stroke, according to a study published in Circulation."

Click here to read about this study


MyFaith.com Announces GodTube Alternative

"MyFaith.com announced today plans to launch a new video sharing site for Christians with the theme 'Broadcast Jesus'. For over 10 years MyFaith.com has served believers on-line with valuable content and resources, helping Christ-followers grow in their faith. Now under new ownership, MyFaith is re-launching as a new video sharing website in early 2009. MyFaith will continue focusing on Jesus and becoming a community of believers sharing God's love with one another and with the world."

Click here to read more.


CURE introduces patients to the true Healer

"If you have ever wanted to make a permanent impact on someone's life, but are not sure you have the time, a CURE short-term mission trip could be for you."

Click here to read about CURE's mission trips


Combat changes in appetite, mood with exercise

"As you learned in last week's column, you can avoid problems such as hypothermia, frostbite and heart attack when out in the cold if you dress properly, stay hydrated and avoid overexertion. The cold winter months can also bring about changes in appetite and mood, even though we don't hear as much about it."

Click here to learn about winter weather's affect


Brands you know pay you back

"I'm a fan of Google. I'm hooked on Apple's iPhone. And I love that Danone yogurt, thanks to its low-cal version that still tastes like the real thing. But who would've ever thought that the brands I know and love could pay me back?

It turns out America's Top 100 brands (as ranked by BusinessWeek and InterBrand) would have generated a 31% return from 2000 through 2008, while the S&P 500 left you with losses to the tune of 28%."

Click to read more

February 17 is a Good News Day (posted by Mary Beth)

Eight Is Enough?: In-Vitro Fertilization and Nadya Suleman

"By now you’ve heard more than you wanted to hear, probably, about Nadya Suleman, the California mother of six who recently gave birth to octuplets. Her story has dominated talk radio and cable news."

More of Chuck Colson's commentary here.



Chicago, Seattle first markets to get instant Starbucks
"
Starbucks Corp. will launch its new instant coffee product next month in Chicago and its home turf of Seattle, with a full-scale, national offensive set for the fall."

Get the scoop here!



Does the United States make anything anymore?

"It seems like the country that used to make everything is on the brink of making nothing. But manufacturing in the country isn't dead, it's just becoming more efficient."

Produce the rest of the article by clicking here.


Folsom, CA - The Heritage of a Gold Rush Town - Part 1

"We in Folsom are blessed with a treasure trove of historic buildings, larger than life characters and pivotal moments in time. Our heritage is all around us, and we are close enough to touch it, to feel it, and be part of it."

Investigate the background of a piece of history here.



In New York, working to help their school in Haiti and its city

"For two decades and more, Haiti, a land of grinding poverty, has endured coups, riots, a repressive military regime and hurricanes, travails that have often been overlooked beyond its borders. But one group of 60 Haitians, most of whom live in Brooklyn, has worked hard to maintain a bond with one small part of their homeland."

Read more about this dedicated group here.



A Biblical Pattern for Conflict Resolution

"In Acts, chapter 6, we have the election and ordination of the first Board of Deacons. The new committee was formed because of a dispute—sound like your church? There were two kinds of poor widows in the early Christian church: Palestinian (Aramaic speaking) widows and Hellenistic (Greek speaking) widows."

The complete article awaits you here.