The Making of a Preacher's Family - Prep

The Profile of Matthew Paul Marks

IN-DEPTH CHARACTER PROFILE

(Thanks, Rosielle, for the template.)
https://www.writing.com/main/forums/action/view/message_id/3298197#3298197

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Matthew Paul Marks
Sex: Male
Age: 40
Birthplace: Fort Worth, Texas
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brunette
Ethnic Background: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Nickname: "Matt" (Some poke him with "Thomas" for his propensity to doubt himself.)
Religion/Religious Background: Southern Baptist with some Bapticostal mixed in.
Social Class: Lower-Middle Class
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Education, Master of Divinity
Children: Twin Girls
Health: Runner with a slight paunch
Physical Condition/Disabilities: Wears glasses, needs orthotics, has allergies
Friends: Paul Letras, (mentor, 2nd father)
Allies: Artista, his wife;
Enemies: Both daughters upon occasion; Lazarus Whatyudid; Andy Attlepate; Diotrephes Broadway
Most Significant Other(s):
Community Status: Pastor of the largest Baptist church on ZoNed4, well-respected
Pets: 2 dogs, 4 cats
Languages Spoken: English, some Spanish, and Chinglish (mix of Chinese & English, during ESL)
Intelligence: Above-Average (125 IQ)
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual, although he did explore bisexuality in his youth
Type Of Friends Preferred: Good listeners, people who lead him to the truth, gently
Type Of Lovers Preferred: Completely found in Artista. One is enough.
Name Transmits First Impression To Reader: Matthew Paul Marks is wholly committed to the Lord
Reason/Meaning Behind Name: Matthew & Mark were the first two Gospels, Paul wrote most of NT

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Face/Eyes/Jaw/Lips/Chin: Rounded, alert, soft, tense, slight point
Build/Body:. Mesomorph, athletic, but slightly overweight
Distinguishing Marks: scars on his hands from working in the field as a teen
Posture: Erect, head looking straight forward
Appearance: Well-groomed, smartly dressed
Hair: Brunette, almost always combed
Predominant Feature/What Noticed First: squared shoulders
Physical Aids?: glasses
How They Walk: strong gait, short steps, 45 degrees (turn-out like ballet dancer)
Eye Shape/Color:. European roundness, blue
Sensitivity To Others Demonstrated Through The Eyes: eyebrows scrunched in concern

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Father: Carlos Marks
Profession: pastor
Living/Dead: died a number of years ago, train accident

Mother: Noami Mara Marks
Profession: teacher
Living/Dead: died a number of years ago, train accident

Parents' Marital Status: They were married for 40 years
Brothers: Straitway Marks (3 years younger than Matt)
Sisters: He wishes he had had a sister, but he never did.
Home Life/Childhood Experience: Perfect family example in public, shaky in private
Family Relations: Good over-all, but not extremely close. Family of loners, Straitway had friends outside the family
Family History: A dozen preachers in the extended family, many deacons, and Christian business people, and too many teachers to number


PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS/CHARACTER TRAITS

Morals: Biblical by choice, imperfect in living
Ambitions, Aspirations, Desires: Poetry, Photography, Exploration of places yet unseen
Major Traits: Precise in everything he does, relational (Blue,) Believes the best about others
Minor Traits: doesn't like being alone, but has difficulty trusting others
Outstanding Qualities: He is faithful for life to anyone, who gets past his quirkiness
Character Flaws/Weaknesses: Self-doubts, perfectionism, hesitant to try new things
Character Strengths: Unwavering commitment to his closest friends, and chosen projects
Habitual/Favorite Expressions: "The Bible says it. That settles it. I believe it. That settles me."
Habitual Mannerisms: He visually scans new environments before speaking, walks cautiously
Fears, Anxieties, Hangups: Making mistakes, doesn't like "winging it."
Frustrations: Having to justify his every word to a close confidant. He likes to be trusted.
Complexes: Having his sentences finished by someone close to him.
Temperament: Generally: Melancholy, High-C, Blue. Specifically: Mel-Chlor (Melancholy-Choleric)
Emotions: Even, doesn't show often. He will cry in worship when the Lord touches his heart.
Attitude Toward Life: "Live every day for the Glory of God. Send treasures ahead to Heaven."
Attitude Toward Death: "Be prepared by receiving the Gift of Salvation. Everlasting needs to be with Jesus."
Leader/Follower/Dropout: Consistently a follower, Matt can lead when he sees what needs to be done.
Most Cherished Beliefs/Values: "Jesus is my Substitute by His life, death, burial, and resurrection. I love Him with all my heart."
Worst Habit: Picking his nose
Highest Hope: Full assurance of Salvation for himself and for others
Preoccupations, Worries: That he will let somebody down
Biggest Source Of Pride: That he is a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Biggest Source Of Shame Or Defeat: That he was sexually profligate as a teenager, feels unworthy now
Dialogue: He uses Roberts Rules of Order. Lengthy speeches, when someone talks over him, he gets quiet
How They Talk/Speech Patterns (Diction, Tone, Speed, Pitch): Dialect-free, started school in Oklahoma
Direct Statement Of Thoughts: "The Bible is God's Word. The Father is Absolute Ruler. Jesus is God's Son. The Holy Spirit is necessary for Salvation."
Body Language/Posture: Stands erect, but doesn't look people in the eyes.
Gestures: One or both hands emphasize words and ideas, but rarely uses an index finger
Perception Of Others: "Created by God for a relationship with Him."
Evaluations Of Others: Gives the benefit of the doubt, tries to see good in others
Reactions To Others: "Hurtful people need to be helped. Hurting people need to be helped. Everybody needs to be loved."
Involvement With Objects: As a rule, he doesn't touch things, unless those things belong to him or he has permission to use them.
Attitude Toward Opposite Sex: Respects the younger women as sisters, and the elder women as mothers
How They Handle Crises: "Pray. Choose wisely. Act as quickly as the situation requires."
Memories, Dreams: He dreamed about Hell when he was 3 or 4. He didn't want to go to that bad place. He doesn't want others to go there, either.
How They Protect Themselves: Matt goes to his big walk-in closet to write.
Public Persona: Great speaking voice, receptive to others, compassionate
Daily Habits: Listens to the audio Bible, while making breakfast and washing dishes
How They Dance: Moves back and forth on his legs & feet.
Pet Peeves: Putting glasses too close to the edge of a counter, rolling stops when riding with someone in a car
Ways Of Dealing With Children Or Those In Inferior Positions: Gentle, compassionate
Eating Habits (When, What, How): Grazing all day long, always aware to keep liquids away from the computer keyboard
Heroes: Presidents Washington, Lincoln & Reagan, Dr. Billy Graham, John Calvin
Motivational Patterns/What Gets Them Going: A cup of coffee and fast Christian music
Landscape Observations--We Are A Product Of Where We Live: Matt loves to garden. The plants are many and varied, Calldiums, coleuses, hibiscuses, roses, wildflowers, Wandering Jew, Elm tree, Bradford Pear trees, Sasanqua Camellias, Lantana bushes, etc.
Point Of View (Neurosis, Self-Absorbed, What Noticed First In A Room,
Perspective): He tried to prevent imperfections (self-absorbed,) but he notices when someone is hurting and in need of compassion.
Degree Of Intensity = Pace Of Life: Often runs flat-out, getting to bed after midnight, and is up by six or seven.
Attention To Detail/Degree Of Concentration: He loves to write. He rereads his compositions at least 3-4 times, checking for errors
Confidence Factor: Fluctuating. Strong when he has to be, but often doubts himself
Generosity: He rarely keeps money in his pocket because his heart bleeds for those in true need. However, if a man says he's homeless but is drinking a can of beer, Matt tends to be skeptical of the need.
Handicaps: He second-guesses himself, but over-all he's pretty healthy
How They Treat People They Like: He often touches and hugs them, praises them.
How They Treat People They Dislike: He avoids them, keeping his distance, not looking their way.
How They React When Angry/Upset: He keeps calm and may leave. When he can speak to the issue, he does so with control.
Self-Value/How They See Themselves: Matt realizes, that God created him with unique skills, that are valuable in God's Kingdom, however, he still feels less-than-usage too often for some reason.
Personality Type: Blue - relational
How They'd Describe Themselves: Loving to God and to others, but not so much to himself
Do They See Themselves As Happy/Satisfied?: "Happy is not that important because it challenges being in control. Satisfied means not being in too much pain. Satisfaction is more important for others. I just want to be basically peaceful."
Do They See Themselves As A Hero?: He sees himself as a workhorse. "It is my job to serve."
Sense Of Humor:. Puns
Most Instructive/Meaningful Experience: He won top honors as a speaker in both high school and college. He has been given multiple speaking awards throughout his years in ministry.
Attitude Toward Sex/Sexual Values: "Sex is to be reserved for the safety and for the honor of covenant marriage with one woman and one man for as long as they both shall live."
Attitude Toward Religion: "Religion is 'Man reaching up to God.' Salvation is God reaching down to rescue Man."
Attitude Toward Politics: "Politics is the tool for protecting the public peace, maintaining the safety of a nation. Politics is wise when it agrees on Earth with the Plan of God from Heaven. Bottom Line: If a politician supports abortion in any form, that politician is unfit for office. If a politician does not support God's chosen people, the nation of Israel, then that politician is unfit for office. The protection of the life of the preborn and the nation of Israel is the litmus test for serving in public office."
Attitude Toward Authority: "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." (Romans 13:1, NLT)
Ethnic Considerations: "There is only one human race. All ethnicities are due my respect."
Attitude Toward Money: "All of my money belongs to God. The tithe is to be given to Him at the storehouse of my church. The rest of my money should be spent in agreement with the principles of God and His calling on my life."
Attitude Toward Work: "'His work is honorable and glorious,' Psalm 111:3a. If the Lord's work is honorable and glorious, then our work should be honorable and glorious (or praiseworthy,) too."
Attitude Toward Play: "'Then he said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.' That's Matthew 18:3, NLT. Play teaches us to be childlike in trusting, in being present with the Lord and friends, and in being close to the original creation before we were made old and stiff by Sin."
Attitude Toward Their Looks: "3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. That's I Peter 3:3-4, NLT."
Opinion As A Soldier/Fighter: "My job is to protect my family as well as my close friends, and anyone else in the world, that I can help, regarding physical needs as much as it is in my power, that I may have the privilege to leading everyone of the people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ for their everlasting protection."
Feelings Toward Family: "Love is the choice the Lord requires of me, first. My family needs my love, my protection, my compassion, my interest in everything, that is the best for that dear, precious soul. Feelings are the caboose, that follows the engine of choice. Choose to be loving, then the feelings will come."
Feelings Toward Friends: "Love is the choice the Lord requires of me, first. My friends need my love, my protection, my compassion, my interest in everything, that is the best for that dear, precious soul. Feelings are the caboose, that follows the engine of choice. Choose to be loving, then the feelings will come."
Feelings Toward Enemies:. "Love is the choice the Lord requires of me, first. My enemies need my love, my protection, my compassion, my interest in everything, that is the best for that dear, precious soul. Feelings are the caboose, that follows the engine of choice. Choose to be loving, then the feelings will come."
Secrets: "When I am called upon the share the burden of some issue, that someone does not wish to be made public, then I have the responsibility to keep that secret unless it violates some law. Again, I am called to do the best for that precious soul."
Philosophy Of Life (In A Phrase): "This life is the womb of Eternity. Therefore, just as a young child grows with abandon in the womb of his or her mother, I must grow with abandon throughout my life of Earth, that when I see the Lord on the other side of my death, (which is actually my birth into Eternity Proper,) I will be ready for everything the Lord has for me there. The perfection of growth is not His requirement. The desire to grow is. He is responsible for making me all I am created to be throughout my eternal service to Him."