Life is certainly circular. In time, we face the same struggles, reenter the same habitual cycles, and encounter the same types of frustrating people. In time, we always end up facing what we tried our darndest to evade. In fact, we spend so much time trying to avoid the inevitable that we rarely take time to learn, grow, and embrace the rough stuff. Half Life / Die Already suggests that the route to real living is dying to self. With non-stop humor and out-there insights, Mark chronicles his journey-in-progress with often hilarious results. Readers of all ages will enjoy his wit and wisdom, and be inspired to just die already.
Mark is the Founder, President, and Executive Creative of Steelehouse Productions. Mark is also a well-known author, speaker, comedian, and film writer/director. Mark graduated from Oral Roberts University in 1991 with a degree in Drama, Television, and Film Telecommunications. He then spent the next seven years as a writer and director at Impact Productions. In 1998, Mark launched Steelehouse Productions with his longtime friend and associate Kevin Anderson.
Mark also has a long-standing history of stand-up comedy and performance in both stage and film as well as producing and directing film projects for both the corporate and artistic worlds. He speaks regularly at media and artistic conferences and events across America.
Mark has written several books incorporating humorous stories from his personal life while weaving in spiritual truths. Flashbang, Half-Life/Die Already, and Christianish have been released to great commercial success and overwhelmingly positive reviews. Mark also writes extensively for VeggieTales in his role as Chief of Creative Affairs for Big Idea Entertainment, Inc.
Tulsa World Review: Flashbang Crosswalk Review: Christianish
He is a frequent contributor to Relevant magazine and Collide magazine, and recently retired from creating and producing the Steelehouse Podcast weekly with friend and fellow director Jeff Huston.
This has to be the most honest book I have ever read. Many people go through hard times. Few bare their souls in the process. Dying to self is hard. Mark makes a clear case that it is the only way to live.
This wasn't the book I had planned to start next, but I had a gift card to Lifeway and it was just about the only thing I was interested in there, as I enjoyed Steele's first book, FlashBang. I sat down at Panera tonight to read just a little, and found myself nearly a 100 pages in relatively quickly.
And then I finished it, just over 24 hours later. Quick read. Pretty good stuff, very open and honest about a lot of struggles that most people would try to keep hidden. And a lot of it shared in a rather funny way.
My husband and I read this book together and loved how it spoke into our relationship. It was not pretentious or condescending but was able to speak life, truth and hope into various areas for us. I would recommend it to absolutely everyone in Christian circles.
Very personal memoir that reads like the dark side of the Psalms before coming through the most challenging times of life with a new outlook on life... true life. This book deals with depression, fear, anxieties, addictions, loss, grief, marriage struggles, and more from a brutally honest and fresh point of view.
Entertaining and funny stream of consciousness in this book made it hard to put down. Some of the content flip-flopped and was hard to follow but the humor made you want to read on and get through it. Would highly recommend it for any parent or man!
One of the most honest and insightful works of contemporary non-fiction I've ever read. Mark Steele is still hilarious, but here he digs the knife a bit deeper into his own gut - not afraid to tell it straight sometimes, without the humor to hide behind. The more esoteric and personal his confessions, the more I find I can relate - and the less I want to keep clinging to my own pathetic half-life.
Truly funny book, full of heart-wrenching events and bare-your-heart, come-to-Jesus honesty.
This book is about a guy and his family and a no good horrible year. Perhaps you can relate. While I'm not married and have no kids, I can still relate to many of the things the author has been going through.
Read for the fun if nothing else, but open your heart and mind to the deeper things.
Gal 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me." We rarely understand these things, but Steele bares his soul in order to give us a vivid picture of how this looks as reality hits. People, things, circumstances-all untrustworthy, but Christ is completely trustworthy, faithfully loving us even when we're unlovable.
It takes a few pages to get used to the intermingling stories, but it is totally worth it. Honesty has a captivating and encouraging edge as you read through these pages. Not your typical "you'll make it through" type of reading. More like a riveting look into what it looks like to be transformed by God's love through pain.
This was really a tremendous book. It was a very real, funny and thought provoking look at how God is with us in the midst of turmoil in our lives whether we realize it or not. I highly recommend this book, especially those of us who are wading through family life in our culture
Um - it was good. I liked it - You can tell he is a bit ADD which makes for interesting reading - you have to try to keep up with where he is at in a story. But, some very good life lessons and spiritual life lessons.