Tag: prayer

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Three Ways to Strive, Not Just Survive

Have you ever felt stuck? Like you can’t get any movement? Make any progress? Do you have an interest in how you might change that? How you might excel, thrive?

Before we identify the three ways to thrive as promised in the title of this blog, let’s establish something foundational. Bear with me. All of the following is truer than true:

  • God loves you more than you’ll ever know, no matter what you’ve ever done.
  • He loves you unconditionally and forgives you unconditionally.
  • He is our creator, knowing you better than anyone else can.
  • God made you with special gifts and talents, with a very specific and divine purpose.
  • He, more than anyone, knows what will make you happy and fulfilled, what will provide you with peace and joy.

Add to the above that His message is incredibly compelling, as demonstrated in Scripture, the Sacraments, the Saints, and so many great books that speak to the heart and/or the head.

Question – who in your life, with the above attributes, would you not want to be communicating with on a regular basis? For me, anyone who knows and cares for me that much, and can offer me so much, I want to be talking to as much as possible.

So now, the three ways to thrive, not just survive:

  1. Prayer
  2. Sacraments
  3. Scripture and Faith Based Books

Please stick with me here. Each can change your life….really.

Prayer

Just 10 minutes a day…take whatever is on your mind to our Lord, i.e. challenges, desires, dreams, relationship issues…whatever. Start out by describing to Jesus what it is you want to solve for…

  • Explain the situation, followed by defining your ideas related to it.
  • Identify all that you know or are thinking to Jesus, including any proc and cons.
  • Pose any questions you might have to Him and then in silence, listen for His voice in your heart, His Will for what you might do.

Guess what, the above really works. Whenever I do it, which is quite often, Jesus helps me in figuring out my challenges, desires, dreams, relationship issues, typically bringing to mind something I hadn’t previously thought of.

Interestingly, the secular world tells us how good meditation is, how much it can help to visualize or exercise real forethought for something. My suggestion is the same, while bringing God into it, the One who knows and loves you more than anyone else in your life.

Sacraments

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) has become a very important part of my faith journey. Going monthly (sometimes I slip to every 6-8 weeks, although rarely), it is so gratifying to talk to someone confidentially, the Priest who is in Christo (the person of Christ), about the challenges I’m having. Going to the same Priest on a regular basis allows me to discuss with him the progress or challenges I’m having. Then, receiving absolution is this feeling of being cleansed…creating a new beginning, by the Grace of God.

Over a year ago, I began going to Mass daily.  There is something about the simplicity, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. And it’s special to me to receive Jesus, His body, blood, soul, and divinity every day in Holy Communion. My first prayer immediately afterwards is always “come into my heart, mind, body, and soul”. What a great and fortifying way to start each day.

Reading Scripture and Faith Based Books

There’s an expression, “it’s one thing to know the Bible, it’s another to know its Author”. The only way to know God our Creator, Jesus who died on the Cross for our sins, and the Holy Spirit, who dwells within each of us, is to read and pray through Scripture. Yes…some of it is dry, but so much of it is intriguing and inspiring.

The other way to grow in your faith and as a person is to read good faith-based books. There are SO MANY good ones that feed the heart and the head. In addition to mine (I know…self-serving), I list several recommendations in my book, which are listed here.

  • Jason Evert, Saint John Paul the Great, His Five Loves (Ignatius Press, 2014)
  • Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, Loved As I Am: An Invitation to Conversion, Healing, and Freedom through Jesus (Ave Maria Press, 2014)
  • Matthew Kelly, Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose (Matthew Kelly, 1999)
  • Michael Scanlan, Let the Fire Fall (Servant, 1986)
  • Deacon Keith Strohm, Jesus: The Story You Thought You Knew (Our Sunday Visitor, 2017
  • Rev Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life (Zondervan, 2002)
  • Jacques Philippe, Searching for and Maintaining Peace (Alba House, 2002

Or pick another. Reading just 10-15 minutes a day (I’d suggest right before you turn out the lights at night) will be so impactful….it can change your life.

You do these three things and I GUARANTEE that you will thrive, not just survive.

As usual, please feel free to get back to me with your comments, questions, or concerns.

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

Mark Joseph

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One of Jesus’ Biggest Asks

Did you know that central to our faith is being a disciple? Did you further know that central to being a disciple is making other disciples? It seems that most Christians, including Catholics, aren’t aware of this.

Two of the most important things Jesus shared with us in Scripture, that He asked of us,
directed us to do, are the:

  • Great Commandments, Mark 12:29-31 – Jesus said, “The first is this…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
  • Great Commission, Matthew 29:19-20 – Jesus said to His disciples, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Jesus wasn’t making mere suggestions. Both are clear to anyone who wants to listen. Critical to our individual spiritual growth, they are also very important to the health of the Church.

What Does It Mean to be a Disciple?

Being a disciple is living the life taught to us by Jesus Christ. It is both the Great Commandments and the Great Commission. Although in some ways simple, it’s not easy. It’s the journey of a lifetime.

With much having been written about it, one aspect that is often ignored is making disciples. Many, including me for a long time, don’t have an idea of what it means to make a disciple. There are those who don’t care and can’t be bothered by it. Others believe they’re doing it, but when you ask them how, they’re very short on details.

Proven Model

I work for the Conference Office at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where several years ago we became very interested in truly understanding discipleship. Endeavoring to find a model that results in spiritual multiplication (disciples making disciples making disciples) over an extended period of time, we researched over 50 organizations during a 2-year period.

The hard work paid off. We found a model that has worked for over 35 years. Developed by Greg Ogden, it’s detailed in his book, Transforming Discipleship, where he points to the benefits of “micro groups” over one on one discipleship and traditional small groups of 6-10. Time tested and proven, Greg’s model is the only one we found that could meet our criteria.

It Serves Your Needs…Not Just Others

We refer to them as Discipleship Quads, where 4 people (men with men, women with women) meet weekly over the course of a year, both learning and living the behaviors of a disciple. If you’re like most, first hearing that seems daunting. But having spent the last twelve months in a group, I can tell you that it’s one of my favorite parts of the week.

I read a study not long ago that indicates that 49% of adults complain about being lonely. Wow…that’s 1 in 2. With the advent of the smart phone and our lives becoming busier and busier, this statistic has dramatically increased. An intentional part of the Discipleship Quads is the fellowship time. Combined with the review of the week’s content, meaningful friendships are born and true learning of our faith is accomplished, all related to your personal journey.

With each taking his/her turn facilitating the group over the course of the year, it’s easy for those interested to start a new group. Not only for you individually, but think about it for your Parish. If just 2 groups (8 people) started in year #1, that would potentially mean 8 groups/32 people in year #2, with possibly 30+ groups and over 100 people in year #3. What would the impact be on your Parish with 100 engaged, enthused Disciples?

The Best Part

Here’s the best news (other than it being a proven methodology)…it’s 100% free. No gimmicks, no tricks….it’s FREE OF CHARGE. Just go to https://steubenvilleconferences.com/discipleship-quads/. There you’ll get the details of the model, how we’ll support you through the process, and how to get the content. Did I mention that it’s 100% free?

Please feel free to get back to me with questions or comments at [email protected].

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

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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

Mark Joseph