Tag: Mark Joseph

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Finding Your Greatness

Many of us have good jobs, good marriages and/or relationships, and healthy kids. Others may have never found their thing professionally. Marriage and relationships can be tough. Good health isn’t a given, including for our kids.

Regardless of which fits you best from above, we often feel that there’s something missing, something that would take us from “OK” to “great”. Something that would take us from being overwhelmed to fulfilled, from significant pace to peace.

My experience would indicate…that something is finding your greatness. There is no feeling in the world like it, nor is there any other way to find true peace, joy, and fulfillment.

 

So how do you do it? 

Here’s the thing. God made you with very specific gifts and talents. He wired you a specific way. You know what those things are because they’re the things you enjoy employing. They are also the things that you do very well. You excel when utilizing your God given gifts and talents. In addition, when doing them time flies. You gain energy from doing them. They are not a chore, but something you look forward to.

Another indication of your “greatness” is your desires. What are those things you like to do? What are the things you desire to do? What are you drawn towards? What excites and energizes you?

The opposites are also good indicators. If you aren’t good at something and don’t enjoy it, it’s not where your talents lie.

Where your talents and desires intersect is where your greatness is.

One More Step

Finding your greatness alone isn’t going to lead you to a life of Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment. One more step is required in the process, that is discerning God’s will. Where is God calling you? What is he calling you to do?

God made you for a specific purpose, according to His grand plan, individually and as part of all of humanity. God’s plan for all of us is to love. You just need to figure out who/what/how you are to apply that love.

 

Finding Your Greatness…..Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment

So the answer to finding your greatness is to discern (prayerfully determine) your gifts, along with your God given purpose (which is to love). In other words, use your gifts to love and serve others. Those others can be family, friends, coworkers, people at Church, in the community, and especially those in need.

Do the above and you’ll not only find your Greatness, but the Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment.

As always, feel free to reach out to me with comments or questions at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com.

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

 

Mark Joseph

 

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Weekly Blog

Lessons from the Mass Shootings

On July 29th, 3 were killed and 16 wounded at the Gilroy (California) Garlic Festival. On August 3rd, 20 were killed and 26 wounded at a Wal-Mart in El Paso, TX. Then just 13 hours later, 9 were killed and 27 wounded at a popular downtown area in Dayton, OH. Add to that other active shootings of the past months and years, in addition to what takes place in our biggest cities like Chicago, on a regular basis.

So the question is “why”.

Some want to point to guns and others mental health issues or current public discourse. Given our current political climate, I’m not confident that our politicians will do anything to positively impact the issue. And how about this…even if it were the best of political climates, would what they do really address the core problem?

The Impact of Religion

As religion, spirituality, and attending Church decline in our society, we lose our moral compass. We become desensitized to so many things, including the value of life. Here are some facts:

  • Pew Research Center finds that the percentage of adults (ages 18 and older) who describe themselves as Christians has dropped by nearly eight percentage points in just seven years, from 78.4% in 2007 to 70.6% in 2014. Over the same period, the percentage of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated (atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular”) has jumped more than six points, from 16.1% to 22.8%. You can get more info here.
  • Gallup indicates that U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.
  • In 2014, the FBI released a study showing that “active shooting incidents” had increased at an average annual rate of 16 percent between 2000 and 2013 (Blair and Schweit, 2014). Blair and Schweit found that active shootings had increased from only one incident in 2000 to 17 in 2013.

Notice the correlation above between active (mass) shootings and a decline in religion, spirituality, and church membership.

Other Potential Reasons

Some would blame Justice Hugo Black and the Supreme Court for their ruling in Everson v. Board of Education(1947), where they had an interpretation of “a wall of separation between church and state” which was much different than that of Thomas Jefferson. Although just one ruling, the impact has been devastating to those of us of faith.  

With a little looking, you can find articles or research that point to societal issues, like “Individualism” rather than laws or government. In the same article, the researcher points to kids not going to church because their parents don’t go to church.

Here’s the Point

Without God, without our faith, we lose our way. To understand what the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit are, or what the seven Christian virtues include, is to want them for ourselves and for our children. But more and more of society is turning its back on the only institution that teaches them.

I saw a recent post that said, “Dear God, why do you allow so much violence in our schools?”, signed Concerned Student. The same post had the following reply, “Dear Concerned Student, I’m not allowed in schools”, signed God.

Jesus Brings Meaning to Our Lives

More important than the institution is Jesus Christ, our Savior. As many of us know, it’s only being in relationship with Him, understanding our identity as children of God, that life is meaningful. In fact, if you’re a reader of my blogs, you know that:

  • God made each of us with special gifts and talents
  • In His image, as part of His grand plan, individually and as part of all of humanity
  • He put you on this earth for a specific purpose
  • God made you for Greatness!!!

So…what to do. Here’s what I think. Pray for the victims. Pray for our society. And share the love of Christ with as many as possible…one soul at a time. 

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

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

Mark Joseph

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Weekly Blog

Great Leadership Starts from Within

Leadership, leadership, leadership…it’s all about leadership. Last week we talked about the critical role of leaders and their impact on organizations. We also discussed my transition as a leader from being “me” to “other” focused. I thought it would be helpful to discuss how that transition took place.

Prior to my conversion, which I mentioned in last week’s blog, I was very much motivated by success for success sake. Based on my belief system, I thought it spoke to my worth as a person, believing I needed to succeed to be loved. I was very busy trying to establish prominence, obtain numerous possessions, and experience pleasure in my life. I had a big ego. It was all about me.

Being a student of leadership, even back then, I had read numerous books. But I still didn’t get it. I’m not proud to say that I used to view my employees as “necessary evils”, there to help me achieve my goals.

Note…If you’re interested in why I was the way I was, you can reference my past blogs athttps://markjosephministries.com/blog/ or get my book, Overwhelming Pursuit: Stop Chasing Your Life and Live, at https://markjosephministries.com/book/.

Pre-conversion my “who” was my “do”. My “role” was my “identity”. The better my business was doing, the better I was doing. I felt loved, accepted, and respected based on my accomplishments. Post-conversion that all changed. I came to understand my identity as a child of God, loved unconditionally by Him and His Son Jesus Christ, made with special gifts and talents, put on this earth for a specific purpose.

I went through a process of healing my wounds, forgiving myself and others, and eliminating the resentments from my life. Then surrounding myself with only those who would help me in being the very best, I began to learn how to live the life God called me to. In referencing Scripture, specifically Jeremiah 1:5 and 29:11, as well as John 10:10, I found that I (we) am made for Greatness. The fact is that:

  • God conceived of each of us thousands of years ago.
  • He made us in his image and likeness.
  • He doesn’t make junk, nor mistakes. We’re all a 10.
  • God loves us more than we’ll ever know, no matter what we’ve ever done.

Given His love, He guides us in following His Will, to use our God given gifts to do great things…and to be happy. BTW, there’s no other way to achieve true happiness (peace, joy, and fulfillment). No longer concerned with the views of others about me…because it just doesn’t matter, I can now do those things which truly make me happy. I can be me.

Only once that transition was made could I become the leader that I am today. It’s not about me, but the people I have the honor to work with. It’s my deepest desire that they do very well in life, personally and professionally. And I know doing the very best they can do means living a life in Christ. That doesn’t mean I beat them over the head with a Bible, but instead love them for their “who”, not their “do”, their “identity” instead of their “role”.

It’s only in helping them be their best that our organization can be its best. Happy and fulfilled people make enthused and effective employees. And as stated last week, that only comes from contribution and ownership, neither of which are possible without the right leadership.

As always, please email me with questions or comments at Mark@MarkJosephMinistries.com.

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

Mark Joseph

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Weekly Blog

Made for Greatness

Did You Know that You Were Made for Greatness?

Most of us have no clue as to the above. Many of us strive for greatness (or at least being very good at the things we do), but that doesn’t mean that we know that we are made for it, specifically designed by God to achieve it.

The same God who made us for greatness wants nothing more than to see us live lives of peace, joy, and fulfillment.

Assuming the above to be true, why do so few of us know these things, let alone live lives that reflect them?

I Didn’t Know

I didn’t know any of the above for most of my life. Then not unlike many others, I had some things happen that led me to the Lord. Since then, I’ve learned things that I never knew before, that I never thought possible before.

There was a time that I was overwhelmed with life. I was pursuing what I thought would make me happy, i.e. possessions, prominence, and pleasure. None of it worked. Back then, it was all about the pace. Now, it’s all about the peace, joy, and fulfillment God wants for all of us.

Gratified for the journey and convicted by what God has taught me, I feel called to share the lessons I’ve learned with as many people as possible. As such, I’ve written a book, titled, “Overwhelming Pursuit: Stop Chasing Your Life and Live”, which will be published in September, 2018, by Our Sunday Visitor. I’ve launched MarkJosephMinistires.com. I am now blogging and continue to do the public speaking I’ve done for a while.

Why I’m So Convicted

A major part of my conviction is in what’s not being said, at least not frequently enough or specifically enough. To start, God loves all of us more than we’ll ever know, no matter what we’ve ever done. In addition, the following is abundantly true:

  • God made you with unique gifts
  • He doesn’t make mistakes; doesn’t make junk
  • You are a 10 on a scale of 1-10
  • God has blessed you with a specific purpose
  • He wants you to live a life of peace, joy, and fulfillment
  • God made you for GREATNESS

It’s Simple, But Not Easy

For me to truly grasp all of this, it didn’t happen overnight. Although simple, it’s not easy. That said, it’s very possible. By the grace of God, I’ve identified the process to get there. God showed me the way. I did it and so can you.

Join Me On This Journey

I invite you to be on this journey with me. Although you may not agree with everything I say, what I have to offer will cause you to think, and hopefully to grow. And after a period of time, if you don’t think it makes sense for you, you can “opt out”.

As with all my future blogs, I invite you to comment to me via email at mark@markjosephministries.com.

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

Mark Joseph

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