Tag: Hope

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Weekly Blog

Do You Ever Feel All Alone?

Have you ever felt like you’re running the race of life alone? You may be surrounded by lots of people every day. Or maybe you’re lucky enough to have several good friends. But still, you feel alone. You feel isolated, unable to turn to anyone who truly understands what you’re experiencing.

Yea, I hear you…because I’ve been there.

Not long ago, I read a study that indicated that 50% of adults complain of loneliness. Can you imagine the numbers for teens and young adults? Some observations. First, with social media, our smart devices, the internet, and other technology, while we’ve never been more connected, we’ve never been more isolated. Statistically speaking, people have fewer friends today than decades ago.

When things get challenging, we often are most isolated, doing it to ourselves. That was true for me. I was surrounded by all kinds of people, but felt all alone. I was an island unto myself, not sharing with anyone what was really going on. I remember after the fact, talking to an old buddy, explaining what occurred during my tragic times. He apologized for not being in touch, to which I responded that it probably wouldn’t have mattered in that I wasn’t really willing to communicate the real truth to anyone.

Sharing our true feelings, our challenges, our “secrets”, takes vulnerability, which leads to trust, the foundations to authentic relationship. You know…we’re not meant to go through life alone. We’re meant for community. We’re meant for relationship. With the exception of my wife, where that vulnerability and trust exist, the only place I’ve been able to find it is in my men’s group, where I get tother with the same 3 guys every week to learn more about our faith and grow in fellowship…sharing real life. I’d encourage you to find or start a small group. For ideas, visit https://steubenvilleconferences.com/discipleship-quads/.

There’s another way I’ve found authentic relationship. Can you guess who or what it is? Can you say JESUS? In John 15:15-16, Jesus tells us “I have called you friends…it was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you”.

Jesus wants to be your friend and is there for you. That may sound strange for some, but it’s true. It’s been true for me for the last 15 years. Fortunately, by God’s grace, I learned some critical things that allowed me to leave the loneliness, now being surrounded by the best people I ever have, including JESUS.

If you’d like to make the same transition in your life, I have a message for you today. It’s never too late to become the person God made you to be.  I invite you to attend this free webinar to see how you can accomplish the same things for your life. It starts here.

 

REGISTER NOW

 

As always, feel free to contact me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com with comments, questions, concerns, challenges, or prayer requests.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Remember: God made you for GREATNESS!!!

Mark Joseph

 

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Weekly Blog

Why is Prayer So Difficult for So Many?

Why do so few people truly pray? Why do we pray in bad times, but not the good times? Why do people struggle in establishing a prayer routine? 

Growing up Catholic, I’ve gone to Mass every Sunday for as long as I can remember. Now approaching the age of 60, I’ve been on a serious faith journey for 15 years. With strong intent, I’ve struggled with prayer. We all struggle with prayer. But why? I think there are 3 primary reasons:

  1. We live incredibly busy lives; we just don’t fit it in
  2. It’s challenging to do, especially in quieting our minds and being still 
  3. We’re not convinced it works (or does anything for us), so we don’t give priority to it

I heard long ago that if you want to know what’s important to people, look at how they spend their time and money. It’s interesting to me the discipline I show in other areas of my life. As an example, I’m an exercise enthusiast. I never miss a workout, doing so 6 days a week (I take Fridays off by design). 

My wife and I eat a very healthy, disciplined diet. Did I say very? Believe me, it’s “very”. I’m in disbelief as to the number of foods I have a sensitivity to and can’t eat. It takes incredible discipline on both our parts. We do it because it’s important to us. 

I’ve always been very disciplined when it come to my work life. I literally think I was knee-high when I first heard my Dad say, “plan your work and work your plan”. I’ve been heeding that advice ever since. I’ve always had a plan, organizationally and individually. I’ve historically worked with others in accomplishing the institution’s plans, in addition to their own, plus mine on a weekly and daily basis. Requiring discipline, there’s also a sense of accomplishment. 

Here’s the good news. Although I don’t have it completely figured out (my sense is that very few truly do), I’ve made significant progress over the last year. I consider it one of my few gifts of COVID. So, let’s address each of the 3 impediments I identify above. 

First, our busy lives. The pace that most live is ridiculous. It’s exhausting. And for what? What are we doing? What are we really accomplishing? I like to say, “my life used to be all about the pace; now it’s about the peace”. In slowing down, in learning to say “no” (which can only come from having a stronger “yes”), life is more enjoyable. You might not see how you can do that right now, but please start thinking about it…pray about it (no pun intended).

Second, it’s difficult to quiet our minds. It sure is. Part of the reason is because we’re so busy. Another reason is that one of Satan’s primary strategies is distraction. Yet another reason is that it takes discipline, not unlike diet, exercise, and work. And just like those things, for us to get good, it takes practice. 

Lastly, and I think the major reason so many are challenged to spend time in prayer is that they aren’t convinced that it works. I’m here to tell you (charitably), you’re wrong. It does work. In last week’s blog, I laid out a prayer process that works incredibly well. As part of my upcoming course, we talk about prayer and its merits. We even have a “bonus” giveaway on prayer. Pst, don’t tell anyone but if you email now, I’ll send it to you now. 

Regarding the three impediments I list above, prayer helps us to overcome each. Spending time in prayer will help slow your mind. You’ll find peace in the quiet. It will uncover for you where your priorities should be, what your greater “yes” is and what you need to say “no” to. Lastly, as referenced in last week’s blog, it will help you in making the right decisions. It works. It really does.  

Resource: Matthew Kelly, one of my favorite authors and speakers, does a great job on prayer. It’s the subject of his “Best Lent Ever” program, which you can access at https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/lent/best-lent-ever.html. 

As always, please contact me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com with comments, questions, concerns, challenges, or prayer requests. 

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Remember…God made you for GREATNESS!!!

 

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Weekly Blog

Losing a Classmate

A couple weeks ago, I went to the funeral of a college classmate. Although I had not seen Midge, who died way too young, since graduating 35 years ago, I felt compelled to attend. Not a surprise, there I saw Mary Anne, Midge’s college roommate and lifelong best friend since grade school. My college roommate (Jim) and I had a connection with Midge and Mary Anne, in that we were all from Pittsburgh. We hadn’t known each other prior to college, nor did we see one another between semesters, but we had that common bond that connected us. Interesting how that happens.

Realizing that it’s 35 years ago and my memory isn’t what it used to be, I can’t remember ever seeing Midge separate from Mary Anne. They were inseparable….always together. And always, always SMILING AND LAUGHING. Reflecting on it, I can’t recall ever meeting two more joy filled people during that time in my life. What a great memory.

Fr. Tom, who was the Celebrant for Midge’s Funeral Mass, is Mary Anne’s brother, and as such has known Midge his entire life. During his homily/eulogy, he told stories of her life, always smiling and laughing, always bringing joy to other people. While he also used words like “love” and “courage”, he said his lasting memory of Midge would be “joy”. Independent of circumstance, she apparently never lost that joy during her 20-month battle with cancer.

Over the last 60 days, I lost two other friends who exuded pure joy. They are Fr. Jose Robles-Sanchez and Joy Rapp, two outstanding individuals I knew from our Steubenville Conference Ministry. Again, always smiling and like Midge, always concerned about the other person. Always bringing joy to others.

Being my age or younger, all three died way too young. If we believe what we say we believe (and I do), we know they’re in a much better place. Praise God!!! But what about us? What are we to do? What lessons do we take from losing such wonderful people…so young?

Here’s one of my lessons. We’ve all heard that love is a decision, not a feeling. In unpacking that, I think we can agree it is true. For me, I’d like to make joy a decision, not an emotion. Looking at Midge and Mary Anne, Fr. Jose and Joy as examples, I want to live in a place of joy, independent of substance or circumstance. I want to smile and laugh. I want to bring joy to others.

As evidenced on my website and the things I write about and speak on, I firmly believe that there is a Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment. I also believe that God made each of us uniquely, with special gifts, for a specific purpose. God made you for Greatness!! It’s in using those gifts and pursuing your God given purpose that you can experience joy (along with peace and fulfillment). There’s one more important factor. To experience true joy, again independent of substance or circumstance, you need to know the unconditional love of Jesus Christ (if you want more info on that, please reach out to me). May we all be so blessed!!!

As always, please contact me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com with questions, comments, concerns, challenges, or prayer requests.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Remember…God made you for GREATNESS!!!

Mark Joseph

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Weekly Blog

The Gift of an All Knowing, Ever Present Mentor

If a parent, maybe you can identify with the following. It has been humbling for me to see our three kids, all of whom are now married, go to their spouses for advice instead of me and my wife. I assume I did the same when I newly married. That said, it’s interesting. With all due respect to our two sons-in-law and our daughter-in-law, each of whom we like a great deal, they don’t have our same life experiences.

As interesting is watching our kids as they matured, making the same mistakes we did when we were their age. Again, not unlike us in our youth, they didn’t go to those in the know. If like me, you’ve probably said to yourself or them, “I wish you would have asked me about that”. It’s just part of human nature…to not learn the lesson without making the mistake.

Here are some questions for us to ponder:

  1. How would you feel if you had someone in your life who knew you better than anyone else; knew your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes; what it is you were designed for, your life’s calling?
  2. What if that person were always there for you, always present and never letting you down; constantly there to pick you up no matter how many times you fell down, always helping you course correct and prepare for the future?
  3. What if that person loved you so much that his or her ultimate goal was your happiness, your peace, joy, and fulfillment?
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a mentor like the above? Given my first 57 years, with hindsight what it is, I could have saved myself many, many challenges. Assuming I had the maturity and humility to listen, having an all-knowing, ever-present, all loving-mentor would have been a game changer.

I have some good news and some bad news. Let’s do the bad first. There is no one on this earth, for the history of humanity, who has been capable of 1-3 above. With best efforts and really great people in many of our lives, the above is just an impossibility. Blame it on the human condition.

Here’s the very good news. What is described above in 1-3 does exist in the Person of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

  • As evidenced by His torturous death on the Cross, He loves you unconditionally, wanting the very best for you.
  • It’s scriptural (Jeremiah 1:5 and 29:11, John 10:10) that God His Father, made you for greatness, knowing intimately your every gift and talent.
  • Through His Holy Spirit, He’s always with you…always.

There’s an expression in the recovery program (AA), that I believe can serve all of us, no matter who we are or what our experiences. That is, “let go and let God”. How do we know our Heavenly Mentor….by being in relationship with Him and abiding by His Will. We do that through prayer and the Sacraments (if Catholic), through encounter and community.

Doing the above, which is a function of embracing God’s unconditional love, will result in for you:

  • The unimaginable being achievable
  • Living Heaven here on earth
  • Experiencing true Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment

As always, please reach out to me at Mark@MarkJosephMinistires.com, with questions, comments, concerns, challenges and/or prayer requests.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfilment!!!

Mark Joseph