Joseph was born and raised in Seattle in a loving and supportive family. But at the age of 16, his parents separated and he began struggling with alcohol. He spent the next 20 years as a functional alcoholic. At Odea High School, he was active in football, soccer, and basketball, and was offered a full-ride soccer scholarship to the University of South Carolina. After only two years at USC, though, he forfeited his scholarship and returned to Seattle.

In 1991, Joseph moved to South Florida. Six years later, he relocated to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, where he worked as owner/operator of Hooked and Landed Tackle & Guide Services from 1999 to 2002.

Sometime in March 2002, he came to the realization that he could not continue living the destructive lifestyle he had been living and that he needed help breaking free. He spent 30 days at a recovery center in Palm Springs before returning to Seattle.

In March 2003, he decided to take a trip to Canada to seek spiritual clarity and a break from the distractions of Seattle. Not long after, at a bed and breakfast in Mt. Currie, BC, owned by two seasoned missionaries, Bob and Jolene, Joseph made a wholehearted commitment to serve the Lord Jesus.

The Lord soon led him to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There he founded Jacob's Well Solutions and Outreach Ministries in 2005, and became the owner/operator of Jacob's Well Cafe / Coffee House from 2014 to 2017.

In 2017, Joseph returned to Seattle to assist his invalid mother. He was introduced to the Philadelphia Church community through the New Heart recovery program in December 2019.

In 2020, Joseph relocated to Moses Lake, where he reactivated Jacob’s Well Outreach. Since May of 2023, through JWO, volunteers have been offering a weekly meal to those who gather at Civic Park. The nonprofit also provides information about available resources to those who struggle with substance use disorders and interested in detox or sober living.