Comments on: welcome to whyismarko.com

By: my career discernment process — whyismarko

my career discernment process — whyismarko — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:54:37 +0000

[...] back up to december of 2008. i’ve blogged about this before, but in mid-december, a year ago, i found out i had to lead ys through a major downsizing. in that [...]

By: Jim King

Jim King — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:48:42 +0000

Marko,
It is such a blessing to see that God has a plan for all of us. 6 months ago, I was running a youth ministry and a middle school teacher. Now, God has put me in the interesting world of Auto Sales! I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know what He has planned for me. But, now I am working on my calling to ministry as a local pastor. May God bless you in your journey. I will be looking forward to the new blog. Thank you and thank God!!!

By: jeremy zach

jeremy zach — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:00:06 +0000

yes!! it is soo great that you re-engaged!! you bring a great and rare leadership example and perspective to the youth ministry field. seriously thank you soooo much for everything you have done and will do for youth workers!

By: jonny

jonny — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:54:26 +0000

peace for what comes next…

By: brad griffin

brad griffin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:52:08 +0000

yes, welcome back marko. thanks for your courage.

By: Karissa

Karissa — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:50:30 +0000

I’ve missed reading your blog and I’m glad you’re back! Thanks for sharing so openly about your journey. As a youth worker, I struggle as well with finding my identity in what I do. God has recently brought this to my attention as I prepare to give birth to our first child in the spring. I know that at some point I will take a break from full time youth ministry to focus on my family, and because of that, I’ve been asking myself some similar questions.
I love the story of the vision the youth worker shared with you. God sure does find ways to take care of his people. May he shield you and give you peace and direction in this season.

Blessing to you and your family!

By: marko

marko — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:21:17 +0000

BL (brian) — actually, i’ve gone by “Marko” since high school, when my friends started calling me that to differentiate between me and the other two Marks in our youth group. even my parents call me Marko.

what you suggesting, though, is what i thought i was saying in this post (as well as the “the end of ysmarko” post back in may. i don’t think i would put it quite like you did (in terms of ‘getting caught up’ in this ‘other thing’, instead of ‘being defined by god’). but i would say that my ‘who i am’ and my ‘what i do’ got way too enmeshed. or, more accurately, my ‘what i do’ became my ‘who i am’. of course, i’m also saying i spent the whole year addressing that and bringing some correction — that wasn’t a new revelation in this last month when i got laid off.

By: BL

BL — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:50:46 +0000

Mark,

When you write about “ysmarko, the persona” what do you mean by that? Is that a separate identity? Could part of your problems be that you define/d yourself as a different persona, the “youth guy,” the “YS Expert,” instead of defining yourself by God and His grace? Not to say this was intentional or on purpose, but that you just got caught up. I mean, to call yourself and have everyone call you “Marko?” Maybe you got so caught up in being the youth specialties “persona” that it created an identity for you that was kind of like a WWF wrestler. It was not you, and it consumed you being the YS guy instead of just being Mark Oestreicher. No disrespect intended here, just an outsider looking in. I could be WAY off…

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:24:34 +0000

God is indeed very good.

By: Larry Bates

Larry Bates — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:36:46 +0000

Marko,

I have been catching up on the newer posts and can see how God has prepared you for this part of your journey. You have touched so many people and given encouragement to so many people that God does have something good in store for you!

Its people like you who have kept me motivated to teach young people about God and His love for them, and for that I will always be greatful!

Larry