Tag: Relationships

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What’s Your “Why”? 

What gets you up in the morning? What motivates you through your day? When things get tough (and they often do), what keeps you going? 

Although I’m sure he was not the first to explore the topic, Simon Sinek made our “Why” popular in 2009 with his book, Start with Why.

Since then, he’s created an entire body of work related to the subject. He makes the following distinction:

  • “What” – the jobs (tasks) we perform
  • “How” – the things that make us different or standout 
  • “Why” – our purpose, cause, or belief

Although the “what” and the “how” are important, our “why” drives everything. For individuals and organizations, it’s the “why” that matters. It gets us up in the morning. It’s how people persevere. “Why” is what excites people. It’s the reason people are willing to engage, including buying goods and services.  

What is your “why”. To follow Simon’s process, it’s based on past experiences in your life that create themes, that you then narrow down to the foundational elements of your “why”. Last week, we talked about your lifeline. Reference that for this. You’ll see certain occurrences as brighter, bigger, and more important. In reflecting you’ll think, “that’s me…that’s who I am”. 

You’re “why” statement is relevant in your personal and professional lives. As per Simon, it is to be:

  • Simple and clear
  • Actionable
  • Focused on the effect you have on others
  • Expressed in affirmative language that resonates with you

The format is: To ________________________ so that ________________________. 

In reading my blogs, you know my story. When I understood and internalized the penetrating and unconditional love of Jesus Christ, it rocked my world. It changed my life forever. It gave me my “why”, which I’d state as follows: 

 

Mark’s “Why” – To share the gifts of God’s love and the lessons He’s taught me with as many people as possible, so that they can live lives of true peace, joy, and fulfillment. 

 

You’ve seen me write about it previously. God made each of us for greatness, giving us special gifts and talents, in His image and likeness, putting us on this earth for a specific purpose, each of us individually. That purpose (or cause or belief, as per Simon) is our “why”. What’s yours’? Figure that out and you’ll be on your way to peace, joy, and fulfillment, which is what God wants for all of us. 

Simon Sinek did a TED Talk that speaks to our “why”. It is the 3rd most listened to in history. You can watch it here.

As always, please contact me at [email protected] 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

Have You Walked on Water?

I got to spend some relaxing time with family a couple days ago, for a long weekend, on a beautiful lake in Michigan. Sitting at the dock, late in the afternoon, watching the sun’s reflection on the water, my mind went to a different place, to a time I’ve read about in Scripture. 

The story is told in Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus sent the disciples out on the boat. They were on rough waters, with the wind stirring around them. Startled, they saw Jesus walking towards them on the water. In Matthew 14:27, Jesus responds to them saying, “Have faith. It is I. Do not be afraid”. As an aside, the Bible says 365 times some derivative of “be not afraid”. God clearly doesn’t want us to live in fear. 

In verse 28, Peter says, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you over the waters”. With Jesus telling him to “come”, Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water. After some steps, beginning to fear, he was sinking when he said, “Lord save me”. In verse 31, extending His hand and grabbing Peter, Jesus said, “O little in faith, why did you doubt?”

Sitting at the edge of the lake, watching the sun reflect off the water, I got to pray through the above. I love the imagery. Can you imagine being on that boat, with the waves whipping and the winds bustling? You’re concerned for your safety when you see something (Someone) walking towards you on the water. What? People don’t walk on water. 

Peter, always the first to speak, the first to act, yells to Jesus. I love Peter’s boldness. Believing, having faith, Peter asks Jesus to have him walk on the water too. Can you imagine? Who does that? A person of great faith. Peter does that. Jesus is asking each of us to walk on water, to step out of the boat and into the deep. 

  • What is Jesus really asking us…to exercise our greatness, to fully utilize our God given gifts and to fulfill our God given purpose.
  • Why does Jesus do this…because he knows that it’s our only path to peace, joy, and fulfillment. 

There’s only one way we do what Jesus asks…that’s with great faith. To me, there’s only one way that such faith exists in us…that is to understand and internalize the unconditional and penetrating love of Jesus Christ. God loves us more than we’ll ever know, no matter what we’ve ever done. When are we going to get that? 

For those of us who know that love, we’d never go back to a life otherwise. We know Jesus’ invitation is the only means to true happiness (peace, joy, and fulfillment). Nothing else but following Him, living a life in Christ, will do it. Speaking boldly (like Peter)…that’s an absolute fact. 

For those who don’t know that love, there is hope…you can get there too. Please reach out to me and I’d be happy to help you on your journey….the path Jesus wants you to pursue.  

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

What Church Could Be Once Again

Pre-COVID, what’s your experience of Church? Were the pews full? Do entire families attend? Is there a vibrancy?

Many of us are old enough to remember when the Parish was central to family life. As I recall, most of the people on our street attended my boyhood Parish. So did many more, who we got to bond with every Sunday as entire families. With the Masses full, we didn’t just jet out of the parking lot after, but engaged with other families, often around the donut table. Sacraments were flourishing. My parents would go to the New Years’ Eve and Valentine’s Day dances at the Parish with their many friends. There was the summer Parish picnic and other events throughout the year. Father used to come over for dinner and my parents would volunteer at the Parish.

For most of us, those memories are of the past. Christianity has suffered from dramatically decreasing numbers over the last several decades. This trend includes the Catholic Church, with Masses being much less crowded. In many Dioceses, some Parishes are closing or clustering. Statistically our numbers are way down, whether it’s the number of weddings, baptisms, or first communions. Add to that the reduced number of Priests and Religious Sisters. What is on the rise is the number of Parishes without a resident Priest, now 1 in 5 in the U.S., up five-fold over the last several decades.

What the Local Church Can Become

Imagine Parishes where Churches are full for every Mass. Parishioners participant in vibrant and engaging liturgies, in Parishes that are known for their hospitality. The number of volunteers at the Parish is only exceeded by those in small groups. There’s an atmosphere of “family ministry”, where programs not only exist for the entire family, but youth and adults of all ages, at all stations of life. In addition:

  • Religious Education classes are full, led by engaged teachers, who share the love of Christ with their students while providing strong Catholic orthodoxy in a compelling way.
  • With a culture of evangelization and discipleship, the RCIA program ushers in numerous people to the Church every year.
  • Based in a deep spirituality, there is a culture of generosity which includes Parishioners’ time, talents, and treasures, both within the Parish as well as providing service to the community.
  • Parishes are known for their outreach to those in need, attracting people to the faith, and accompanying their Parishioners in their spiritual growth.
  • Parishes are the center of activity for Parishioners and others in the community.
  • Not only are vocations to religious life no longer in short supply, but the elderly are cared for, marriages are thriving, and families are growing in holiness.
  • Significantly more people are living their faith, have hope, and know their purpose in life.

You think the above is a thing of the past, a pipedream? Think again. It can be done. Although they are not in significant number, there are Catholic Parishes, with strong Pastoral leadership, as well as non-denominational Churches, which are “re-envisioning Church” and renewing the spiritual lives of their Parishioners.

What Can We Do?

I don’t know about you, but the parents and grandparents I know who are actively engaged in their faith (me included) have one primary desire, in addition to pursuing our faith. That is passing along the faith to their kids and grandkids. Friends too. It’s Jesus’ desire too, giving us the Great Commandments and Great Commission.

Consistent with Vatican II and the New Evangelization, the laity are called to work with our Clergy, who cannot do it alone. Our Priests need support, assistance, and collaboration in revitalizing our Parishes, making them places of vibrant worship and missionary discipleship.

What do you see as your role? How can you help? What can you do? There’s a lot. Feel free to reach out to me. Happy to chat about it. We can have what we had years ago and to my way of thinking, it’s a pursuit worth pursuing. Amen!!!

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

Saved That One

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by what’s going on around you? It could be something in your immediate sphere, i.e. a personal problem, challenge with someone close to you, etc. Or it could be the enormity of what’s transpiring on a much broader scale, i.e. in our Church, our country, or the world. Especially with the latter, the thought often is, “there’s nothing I can do”. 

Here’s a story that involves starfish to refute that point. Btw, a quick internet search indicates that while starfish are living creatures, all 1,600 species, they aren’t really fish. Anyhow, there’s a boy who’s walking down the beach after a storm, where numerous starfish have washed up on the shore. Every couple steps, he bends over, picks up a starfish and throws it into the water, with the hope of saving its life. He’s walking on the beach for quite a while, saving (hopefully) dozens and dozens of starfish. 

Coming from afar in the opposite direction, is an old man who can see what the boy is doing over the course of several hundred yards. Having taken note of him, he says as he approaches, “hey boy, what are you doing?” The boy, startled, looks at the old man, being caught by surprise and having a laser focus on the starfish he is endeavoring to save. He looks back down, picks up another starfish, and throws it into the ocean.  

So engrossed in what he’s doing, the boy didn’t look to respond to the old man, but kept walking, picking up the next and the next starfish. The old man yelled out to the boy again, this time in a voice sure to get his attention, “hey boy, what are you doing?” The Boy responded this time, saying “these starfish washed up on the shore in the storm. I’m picking them up and throwing them back so that they can live”. 

The old man chuckles sarcastically and says as he’s passing by, “boy, look up and down this beach. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of starfish. You’re never going to save all of them”. Without losing a step, the boy picks up another starfish and yells to the old man to get his attention. When the old man turns, looking straight into his eyes, the boy throws another starfish back into the water and says, “I saved that one, didn’t I”. 

“I saved that one, didn’t I”. Think about it. A smile. A handshake. Asking someone how their day is going. Buying a colleague a coffee. Calling a friend out of the blue. Visiting an elderly relative. I’m reminded of the Great Commandments (Matthew 22:35-40 or Mark 12:28-34) and Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), where Jesus tells us what is most important….love God, love our neighbors, and share our faith. 

Not only can we make an impact…one soul at a time, but if more people made such an impact, think about the Church, country, and world we would have. 

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