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| 2005 PFC brother - Neil Geisel |
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"Pay It Forward"
My PFC Testimony: I want to say how much my life has been influenced by the
men at PokerFishandChips. I know that God lives in my heart. The men at PFC have really encouraged me and helped me feel better
about who I am and what God can do with my life. They have encouraged me with prayer and show me Gods love and generosity
through their acts of kindness and encouragement. As in the movie "Pay It Forward", I have then been able to do the same for
others, all for God's glory. My prayer life has been enriched tremendously and I have a stronger desire to share the gospel
with others. This ministry has been a major motivator in my life and I hope others will share their experiences as well. God
is surely at work here! Thanks. -Neil
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| PFC Brother 2005 - Josh White |
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"Doin the '180..."
Well, where should I begin? I guess I should start by saying
that I have been a christian for most of my life, but like so many of us I struggled to remain close to God during my teens
and early twenties. One of the things I sustituted for God in my life was gambling. This started early in high school, playing
poker with friends at our homes for dimes and quarters, but over the years it escalated into trips to Atlantic City, home
games with $80 minimun buy-ins and most seriously a daily poker game at work that started out small, but grew to the point
where somedays I would bring home a hundred bucks or of course lose forty or fifty. I have the good misfortune of having alot
of free time at my job and we could usually look forward to about three hours of "playtime" a day. Of course the company looks
down on gambling on the premises and says so in their rules and regulations, so we just try to hide and stay out of sight.
My wife had been after me to quit for the simple fact that I was putting my job at risk. So I tried...and failed. What I discovered
through many failed attempts to walk away from the game was I was hopelessly addicted to it and I really didnt want to quit.
Thats when things took a turn for the worse. Since i wasnt able to stop, but knew my wife really wanted me to, I just started
lying about it. Whats the harm I thought. What she doesnt know wont hurt her. What I learned very quickly though is that God
intended husbands and wives to be open and honest with each other. My lying, day after day, was causing a rift to form in
our relationship that made it harder and harder to get along. I give glory to God for allowing me to see that I have a BIG
problem. I say "have" a problem because I feel that gambling is like alcoholism. Once an addict, always an addict. Once God
showed me this, I was able to clear the air with my wife and tell her what I had been doing. Bear in mind somedays I would
have to come home after a thirty or forty dollar loss and figure out where I was going to get the money. She took the news
of my lying suprisingly well considering and we talked about getting me help several times. In the end we decided to allow
God to work in my life and heal me of my addiction. Enter POKER FISH AND CHIPS. Almost as soon as I turned this area of my
life over to God I was invited to take place in the final game of last season. I accepted the invitation and had a blast.
It is a strange transition going from stakes poker where there is money and risk involved to a game where you only lose if
you dont come. I eagarly awaited the start of the new season and fortunately I didnt have to wait long. Now every two weeks
you can bet your entire bankroll where Ill be. (Not that I recommend betting anymore:) You will find me at lancaster county
bible church playing no stakes texas hold'em with the greatest bunch of God loving men Ive had the pleasure to meet. We support
each other, pray for one another and fellowship in a way that I never thought possible...around a card table. I look to these
brothers to keep me accountable in my daily fight against gambling. I know that with their prayers and support and Gods grace
and strength I will be able to win this battle. To those skeptics out there that think a church has no business allowing a
ministry to be formed around playing cards, I say this. Jesus reached out to the tax collectors and prostitutes. He reached
out to those with leprosy. He opened his arms to the ones that the world despised or deemed unclean. In this ever-changing
world we live in that is desperatly in need of a savior, should we turn our backs on alcoholics or drug addicts? What about
addicted gamblers? NO! To do this would be hypocritical. We need to realize that the world is changing and that the church
needs to adapt its approach to win more souls for the kingdom. With the exploding popularity of poker on TV right now, what
better time to start a ministry geared towards playing cards and loving Jesus! God Bless this ministry and may other churches
see this and decide to start one of their own. Lets do what Jesus did and open our minds and our arms to a world caught in
the pit of gambling. Lets open our arms to those that the "normal" church may deem unclean. Forever a PFC Brother and in Christ,
Josh White
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| PFC Brother 2006 - Brendan Zeiset |
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"Its Fun, And Thats No Act!"
Honestly, before PFC, I was kind of ashamed of liking the game
of poker. I am a pretty good actor and I must admit I enjoy it when I get away with a bluff. However, every time that a fellow
christian would find out that I like to play poker I got almost the exact same reaction from them all "*Gasp* You play poker?!"
I don't approve of gambling and I never will. The bible is quite clear that gambling money is wrong. So when me and some friends
would get together we would just play with plain old poker chips with no money envolved. It is awfully fun and the gambling
is taken out of it. But, all the wrap I seemed to get from people made me feel bad about simply enjoying the game for the
purpose of playing the game, without gambling. I pose this question... Why must poker be a bad thing just because it was made
for the purpose of gambling? Poker is Poker with or without money. So, when my dad invited me to this PFC I jumped right on
it and what do you know. Everyone there feels the same way I do. We have fun and fellowship without the gambling and I look
forward to it throughout the week. God bless you all who heard God's call and answered it. Thanks for your time and effort
and I am behind you all the way. Your brother in Christ, Brendan the Fisherman
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| PFC Brother 2005 - Steve Minnich |
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"Grandma Says Its Ok!"
The best way that I can describe what PFC means to me, and especially how it's a good way to spend a few days
a month is a story about my grandmother. My 81 year old grandmother is a Christian, and extremely conservative Christian.
As with all grandmothers she loves me simply because I'm her grandchild. She loves me, but she doesn't approve of everything
I do and she's not afraid to tell me if she thinks I'm doing something that I shouldn't be doing. A few months ago I called
her on the way to a Saturday PFC event. She asked what I was doing and I told her I was on my way to church to play poker.
Poker? she asked, the church let's you play poker, you don't play for money, do you? When I told her it's not for money, but
a way for Christian brothers to spend a few hours together in fellowship and having a good time, she immediately realized
what we at PFC already know. She told me she thinks it's great that a group of guys gets together and spends time together
playing poker. I'm quite certain she's never played poker, doesn't watch it on tv, and most certainly has never gambled one
dollar in her life. But she immediately realized that it's not about poker. Yes, poker's the way we spend most of our 3 hours,
but you can find a poker game anywhere. There's a reason that more than 30 people per event take 3 hours out of their Friday
nights or Saturday afternoons. I'm sure poker plays a small part of it, but it's the fellowship and brotherhood of the time
spent that keeps our numbers growing and keeps people coming back. My ultra-conservative 81 yr old grandmother realizes that,
I realize that, upwards of 70 pfc brothers realize that, and anyone who truly will take time to see what it is we do will
also realize that.
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| PFC Brother 2006 - Ralph Egbert |
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"Coming out of the Shell"
I have been attending LCBC with my family for a little over a
year now. When I heard of Poker Fish and Chips, I felt it would be a good way to meet other Christian men. I am not a very
outgoing person, however I know it's important to fellowship with others. PFC is a way for me to socialize casually without
feeling uncomfortable or pressured into being someone I am not. I have been open to sharing prayer request during the devotional
times. That is something that was way out of my comfort zone, but with PFC I feel more comfortable and more at ease. This
is also the first group I felt comfortable about joining by myself(without my wife). I am grateful to be able to go to PFC
because of friendships made and the ones to come. I truly believe this is a GOD THING!!!!
Feel free to post my thoughts also. Tracy Egbert
From a wife.... When my husband told me he wanted to go to PFC
I was ecstatic!!! He has NEVER showed an interest in anything without me. I feel it is very important for men to fellowship
without their wives. Whether they are playing golf, playing other sports or playing Texas hold'em. They need this time together.
Wouldn't you rather have them playing a game for FUN with other believers and maybe nonbelievers (as a ministry)then just
sitting at home watching TV or playing poker online??? When my husband comes home he has so much to talk about and most of
it is not about poker. The fellowship means so much to him. Yes, he enjoys playing but it's more than that, it's FELLOWSHIP.
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| PFC Brother 2005 - Joey Henderson |
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"Happily Shocked"
Poker Fish and Chips is
not about the gambling part of poker, it is about meeting those new guys that you never thought existed. My PFC career started
when I met Marcos and Noel at basketball last year and they had told me about it. I was shocked at first that church of all
things having a poker night. Then I thought how bad can it seriously be? I can't say enough about these guys that have led
me into this new gathering of guys on certain nights. Without PFC there would be no actual guys ministry for a guy like me.
I mean its amazing what some guys can do to bring you in from another church and still not care about what religion you are
this is about a friendship of guys being guys. I wish the best of luck to Jimmy and Marcos as they continue to keep this ministry
going. Joey Henderson
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