"You just have to have faith in yourself, and you can turn the situation around," said Wahlberg.
Mark Wahlberg was born into a family of humble means in Boston. Poverty was not his only problem as his life was marred with crime and his brother even ended up locked up in a youth facility. These times were testing and his faith helped him steer through the obstacles life threw at him and emerge as a successful actor and a millionaire.
"Being a Catholic is the most important aspect of my life," the 51-year-old said, adding, "Once I focused on my faith, wonderful things started happening for me. And I don't mean professionally – that's not what it's about. […] For me to sit down and ask for material things is ridiculous. It's a much bigger picture than that." He further devoted himself to being a servant of God and thereby rectifying his mistakes. "That's what I'm praying for, and I recommend it to anybody."
As per PEOPLE, the businessman is now happily married to his wife of 13 years, Rhea Durham, whom he married in 2009. When asked in August 2010 how he met his love, Wahlberg shared they first crossed paths in New York City when he was promoting a movie. As they met each other and talked, Wahlberg asked her if she would be willing to go to church with him the next day, "and she said yes again," he recalled. The couple even had their first date at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. "I knew shortly after that she was the one," said the star.
Today, Wahlberg is worth a staggering $400 million – a fortune he made through his extensive work profile, including being a rapper, a producer, an entrepreneur, and an investor, also his successful acting career, as per Parade.
Despite accumulating wealth and fame over the years, the Ted star remains humble and a grounded person. As per TODAY, he wakes up at 2:45 every day to pray for half an hour as he cannot begin his day without it. "It's a process, that's why I start my day every day by getting on my hands and knees and starting a time of prayer and reading, and I feel like I can go out there and conquer the world," he revealed to The Things.
Wahlberg was invited as a guest in Chicago for an event, joining the archdiocese of the city attended by thousands of young Catholic adults. As per TODAY, he advised them, "God is so good, so forgiving, you just have to have faith in yourself, and you can turn the situation around."
He is also a loving family man. He and his spouse Durham are parents of four children: daughters Ella and Grace and sons Michael and Brendan. He wants to provide his kids with all that he lacked in his poverty-stricken childhood. However, he has also instilled the value of family in them.
When speaking about his faith, Wahlberg shared with TODAY, that he does not pressurize his kids to tag along with him to church but that he must make it there regardless of what was going on.
As per Fatherhood.com, the doting dad also wishes that his offspring would see that going to church, reading the bible, and praying "work for me and that dad became successful because he was willing to work harder than anybody else. And if I can give them that, then they're good."
References:
https://people.com/archive/mark-wahlberg-answers-your-questions-family-guy-vol-74-no-4/
https://parade.com/celebrities/mark-wahlberg-net-worth
https://www.today.com/life/inspiration/mark-wahlberg-explains-important-not-deny-faith-rcna71761
https://www.thethings.com/mark-wahlberg-morning-ritual-details/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXwkiS07LY4
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Clodagh Kilcoyne
