An Interview With Jake Frankel
Cultivate habits like prayer, meditation, fasting, reading, and reflection that will nourish your soul.
As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jesse Bradley.
Jesse is an author, pastor, speaker, and former professional soccer player. After a tragic illness in Africa ended his athletic career, he was fighting for his life for a year, and it took ten years to fully recover. His restoration story includes cultivating habits and discovering an indestructible hope. His purpose and passion include encouraging and empowering people around the world. Check out his new book, The Power of the Second Thought (powerthought.org).
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
When I was two years old, I told my parents that I wanted to be a professional athlete. After high school state championships and Ivy League championships the dream became a reality. Playing in Scotland and Zimbabwe were remarkable experiences. I was focused on academics, sports, and friendships, thinking I would be fulfilled. I was an atheist who came to know Jesus at Dartmouth College after taking a religion class that included reading the Bible as an assignment. I never expected to be a pastor, but sometimes in life, the greatest blessings are a surprise.
What or who inspired you to pursue your career? We’d love to hear the story.
Jeff Johnson was a significant mentor who both personally cared for me during my low points and gave me opportunities to spread my wings as I began learning about ministry. You can impress people from a distance, but impact happens up close. Jeff passed along what he knew, and I was eager to learn and grow.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?
E.K. Bailey was my mentor with preaching and leading in Dallas, Texas. God ignited a fire in my soul during our time together. I was a member of Concord, a vibrant, predominantly African American church family, for four years. Dr. Bailey gathered all of the pastors once a month for in-depth training and personal time.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or take away did you learn from that?
Leaving my headset mic on during live streaming services was memorable. My singing voice is not pleasant to the ears and really should not be broadcast online.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
I created a video series called 7 Days of Transformation, a marriage video series with discussion questions, and an eBook called Your Relationship with God. All of these resources are free and available on JesseBradley.org.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Authenticity — God’s love brought a new security and a reassurance that frees me to be real, open, and honest in any setting.
Passion — I wake up every day excited about what I do. My team is outstanding. I love our church family, too (graceinauburn.com).
Collaboration — We truly go further together. Win-win partnerships are exciting. Unity is wise and powerful.
For the benefit of our readers, can you briefly let us know why you are an authority about the topic of finding joy?
I know what it is like to be pushed to the brink physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I have spent the last twenty years helping people discover and develop a vibrant inner life. I was a Psychology major at Dartmouth and have a master’s degree in theology. I like the verse in the Hebrew Bible, book of Nehemiah, that says, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Ok, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview about finding joy. Even before the pandemic hit, the United States was ranked at #19 in the World Happiness Report. Can you share a few reasons why you think the ranking is so low, despite all of the privileges and opportunities that we have in the US?
You cannot purchase happiness. Technology cannot produce happiness. Happiness cannot be manufactured. Faking happiness does not really fool anyone. There is the outside story of our lives that people see, and the inside story that no one else fully knows. God wants to heal and satisfy the inside. The inner work is the greatest work. We need to value our souls and learn how to abide daily with our Creator.
What are the main myths or misconceptions you’d like to dispel about finding joy and happiness? Can you please share some stories or examples?
If you make happiness your main goal and focus, you won’t find it. The lottery winners are not any happier after their payoff. Nothing created can truly satisfy our souls. Jesus said that He has living water that brings the ultimate contentment. A relationship with God is our deepest need, followed by close relationships with other people. There is nothing greater than receiving and giving love.
In a related, but slightly different question, what are the main mistakes you have seen people make when they try to find happiness? Can you please share some stories or examples?
The performance-based identity trap is quite common. What you do is not who you are. Being loved and accepted is not predicated on your achievements. Receiving, not striving, is the answer. Otherwise, there is a rollercoaster ride that includes pride and shame, inflated and deflated. In school, sports, and the marketplace I have seen this scenario played out thousands of times. I was unaware of how deeply it was entrenched in my own life. My worst day became my best day when I shifted the source of my identity. My house was no longer on the sand, it had a new foundation on the rock.
Can you please share with our readers your “5 things you need to live with more Joie De Vivre, more joy and happiness in life, particularly during turbulent times?”
- Cultivate habits like prayer, meditation, fasting, reading, and reflection that will nourish your soul.
- People who will love you, mentor you, and hold you accountable with truth and wisdom.
- A deep and daily relationship with God, based on grace, not dead religion.
- Hobbies, vacations, and activities that are refreshing.
- Meaningful work, drenched with purpose that leads to transformed lives, making this world a better place.
What can concerned friends, colleagues, and life partners do to effectively help support someone they care about who is feeling down or depressed?
Be there. Your presence is the best starting place. Listen with your heart, mind, and spirit. Make understanding your goal. Bring compassion. Connect them to both community and professional help as needed. A counselor, psychiatrist, or pastor can bring healing on many levels. Positive friendships are significant. Help them to find a place to serve as well.
Ok, we are nearly done. You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Open up your heart and home. Have someone over for a meal who is a different ethnicity than you. You will learn so much, have a great time together, and start to build a friendship. I would also like to see more adoptions so that we no longer need a foster care system. Every child should have a forever family.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them 😊
I would fly to Miami to meet Messi.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
@jessejbradley on all socials, my website is jessebradley.org and my new book can be found at powerthought.org.
Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success and good health!
Jesse Bradley Of Grace Community Church On Finding Happiness and Joy During Turbulent Times was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.