Tag: prayer

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Living in the Bubble

I’ve come to believe most (maybe all) things we truly engage in are about encounter and community. Take sports or a hobby…we have a first encounter or introduction, most often followed by support like training, coordination, events, i.e. games. Experienced in person or online, community is affirming.

The same is true with our faith. To be truly engaged, there’s been an encounter…with Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Encounter can then also be one on one with others. Examples of community are worshipping together (for Catholics…Mass), small groups, like-minded friends, ministry or mission work, etc. All are affirming.

I have the privilege of working at Franciscan University of Steubenville, in the Office of Outreach and Evangelization. As part of my work, I travel the country for our Steubenville Conferences. I get to associate with the best of the best Catholic authors and speakers, all holy people. I’m honored to call our regional partners friends, all joy-filled people committed to sharing the love of Christ. Every year, I see literally thousands and thousands evangelized.

I run into others outside of work who I’m connected to through my faith. Our church, even with its challenges, has so much to offer. Pre-COVID, my wife and I were part of a vibrant Parish (we need to get back to that). I belong to a small group, a free, online Steubenville Discipleship Quad. All of my friends are on my same journey of loving God, loving others, and sharing our faith.

I fondly refer to all of the above as my “bubble”, the bubble. I love living in the bubble. In that bubble, I have encounter…with Jesus and with others one on one. I also have community…all of us heading in the same direction, the right direction.

 

It’s a Crazy World

We live in a crazy world, that has gotten crazier over the last six months. I refer to it as bizzarro world. What’s going on is unimaginable…or at least it was 12 months ago for most Americans.

Given society’s challenges, I thank God for the bubble. I’m incredibly appreciative of my encounters (including and especially with Jesus) and my community. It’s hard to imagine life without both. My bubble is my safe place, the joy filled experiences, where authentic relationships live, where common bonds are had because common beliefs are shared.

All of us are called to go outside the bubble as well, where we love God, love others, and share our faith. It’s our call from Jesus in the Great Commandments and Great Commission. It’s also our passion, given the gift of Christ we’ve been given. While I love being in the bubble, I know I have to go outside it…to help it grow.

Given that you’re reading this blog, I assume you have your version of the “God” bubble. Maybe the above is suggesting a new or expanded context for you. Go outside your bubble. It’s our calling. That said, embrace your bubble. Grow the relationships within your bubble. Engage. Encounter. Enjoy community and be affirmed by it. God is great. Your bubble is a great place to experience Him and others on the journey.

As always, feel free to contact me at [email protected] 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

We’re All Broken

Years ago, I gave my testimony at a Catholic Men’s Fellowship event. Following me was a man whose name I don’t recall. However, he asked a question that I’ve never forgotten, that is “you know when you ask someone how they’re doing and the say ‘good’; do you know they’re lying?”

How true is the above? So many of us rarely share our true feelings, instead putting forward a gruff exterior…believing that we’re unique in our challenges. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is…we’re all broken. 

This issue is central to my ministry. Praise God…Jesus is the answer to our universal brokenness. Only in following Him leads us to a path of peace, joy, and fulfillment.  

Matthew West sings a song, Truth Be Told, which speaks to our brokenness and always lying about it. It could be the theme song of Mark Joseph Ministries.  

I’d encourage you to close your eyes and listen to Matthew sing it here. Then pray through the lyrics, which are below. 

Truth Be Told

Lie number one you’re supposed to have it all together
And when they ask how you’re doing
Just smile and tell them, “Never better”

Lie number 2 everybody’s life is perfect except yours
So keep your messes and your wounds
And your secrets safe with you behind closed doors

Truth be told
The truth is rarely told

Now I say I’m fine, yeah I’m fine oh I’m fine, hey I’m fine but I’m not
I’m broken
And when it’s out of control I say it’s under control but it’s not
And you know it
I don’t know why it’s so hard to admit it
When being honest is the only way to fix it
There’s no failure, no fall
There’s no sin you don’t already know
So let the truth be told

There’s a sign on the door, says, “Come as you are” but I doubt it
‘Cause if we lived like it was true, every Sunday morning pew would be crowded
But didn’t you say the church should look more like a hospital
A safe place for the sick, the sinner and the scarred and the prodigals
Like me

Well truth be told
The truth is rarely told
Oh am I the only one who says

I’m fine, yeah I’m fine oh I’m fine, hey I’m fine but I’m not
I’m broken
And when it’s out of control I say it’s under control but it’s not
And you know it
I don’t know why it’s so hard to admit it
When being honest is the only way to fix it
There’s no failure, no fall
There’s no sin you don’t already know
So let the truth be told

Can I really stand here unashamed
Knowin’ that your love for me won’t change?
Oh God if that’s really true
Then let the truth be told

I say I’m fine, yeah I’m fine oh I’m fine, hey I’m fine but I’m not
I’m broken
And when it’s out of control I say it’s under control but it’s not
And you know it
I don’t know why it’s so hard to admit it
When being honest is the only way to fix it
There’s no failure, no fall
There’s no sin you don’t already know
Yeah I know

There’s no failure, no fall
There’s no sin you don’t already know
So let the truth be told

 

Thank you, Matthew for such a great song. Thank you, God for loving us more than we’ll ever know, no matter what we’ve ever done. 

As always, feel free to contact me at [email protected] 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

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 [email protected] 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

 

Categories
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 [email protected] 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!!!