SEPTEMBER 2015

5 MEMORABLE MOMENTS (AUGUST)

  1. Invested in my leadership by attending the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit in San Jose and the Catalyst One Day in San Diego.
  2. Re-formatted edwardpaz.com and re-committed myself to consistently writing again. 
  3. Ran the half-marathon in Oakland for the 2nd consecutive year. (This year, with my dad and brothers.)
  4. Played a role in seeing Sarah and Erica commit their lives to Christ.
  5. Biked from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge with the Romero's for Rebekah's birthday. 

4 GOALS (SEPTEMBER)

  1. Enjoy a nice weekend away for our 11th anniversary. 
  2. Register for either the Spartan Sprint or the SF Half Marathon.
  3. Read 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John C. Maxwell.
  4. Finalize and follow Fall work plan.

3 HABITS 

  1. Read Word/Journal 25x.
  2. Write 250 Word Blog Post 25x.
  3. 30 minutes of cardio 20x. 

2 SACRIFICES 

  1. No fast food/soda.
  2. No shopping. 

1 COMMITMENT

  1. By October 1, 2015, I read the Word and Journal my prayers 25 times. 

#369 - NO OTHER WORDS ARE MOTIVATING ME THESE DAYS LIKE THESE THREE

As I do my best to get back into the habit of writing daily, today, I am reminded of a concept that I believe will serve me well in the coming months. I am reminded of a mantra that will encourage me to write especially when I don't feel like it. I am reminded of three words that will propel me towards consistency not only in my writing, but in other areas of my life as well.

JUST. SHOW. UP. 

As it relates to my writing, I need to just show up to the laptop and start forming sentences. I need to just show up to the iPhone (which I am currently on) and start typing away. I need to just show up to my desktop and start putting together paragraphs. 

Though I may be tired. Though I may feel like I have nothing to say. Though I may have other things I'd rather do. For me to become the writer I believe I have the potential to become, I need to just. show. up. 

But this doesn't only apply to me and my writing. It probably also applies to you and some area of your life that you desire to improve upon.  

 What is it for you?

Do you need to just show up to the gym? Do you need to just show up to the practice? Do you need to just show up to the appointment? Do you need to just show up to the class? Do you need to just show up to the rehearsal? Do you need to just show up to the meeting? Do you need to just show up to the group? Do you need to just show up to the game? Do you need to just show up to the church? Do you need to just show up to the interview? Do you need to just show up to the audition? Do you need to just show up to the job?

I encourage you to identify where you need to stop making excuses and start following through on your commitments and... Just. Show. Up.

Because as far as I know, greatness has never been achieved by someone who was consistently absent.

#368 - THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I HOPE IT NEVER HAPPENS TO YOU.

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I'm so disappointed in myself. How could I let this become my reality? Shouldn't I know better? Wasn't I raised to know better? With all the material I consumed on the topic and with all the material I created and taught on the topic, How could I let this happen to me?

How did I ever allow myself to stop dreaming?

At what point did I stop envisioning my preferred future? At what point did I stop writing down long-term goals? At what point did I stop believing that God could do the impossible in and through my life? 

Maybe because it was because I got older. Maybe because it was I saw certain dreams go unfulfilled. Maybe it was because I just lost faith.

Though I like to tell myself I was just "surrendering my future into God's hands." Though I would like to believe I was just "being faithful when the amounts are small." Though I would like to argue I was "seeking God's will and not my own." I don't think that was really the case. 

Here's why. 

When I stopped dreaming, I became cynical. I became pessimistic. I became fearful. I became jaded. I became unresolved. I became a "realist." If I was truly seeking "God's will," I don't believe I would've taken on these negative character traits. 

 Well, today, all of this ends.

Today I start dreaming again! Today I start imagining again!  Today I reignite my childlike faith!

Because though I may have grown older, this childhood lesson I have not yet forgotten, 

Without faith it is impossible to please God.    

 

#367 - THE STAFF TEAM I SEE

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"Develop a right hand TEAM not a right hand PERSON." Craig Groeschel

During the first two years of theMOVEMENT's existence, unfortunately, I have already had several people transition off of our Staff Team.  I am very aware that I have made many leadership mistakes that have led to these transitions, and I want to get better.

Therefore, as I enter into a season of developing a new staff team, in an effort to become a more effective leader, one of the things I'm doing is investing time envisioning the type of Staff Team I'd like us to become. Instead of developing a staff culture by chance, I'd like to do my best to develop a staff culture by design. Here's what I have so far. The Staff Team I See...

1. LAUGHS

We laugh. We laugh at ourselves. We laugh at each other. We laugh at our mistakes. We laugh at our circumstances. Though we will take God and the mission of the Church very seriously, we will not take ourselves too seriously. And if we find ourselves short on things to laugh about, we will always take time to laugh at the absurdity that God actually choose us to lead His Church!  

2. LEADS

We lead. We are not "Yes Men" and "Yes Women." We take initiative in our roles and do not wait to be told what to do. We lead ourselves. We lead our teams. We lead the church. We are extremely aware of the fact that the health and strength of the church rises and falls on the health and strength of our leadership. 

3. LISTENS

We listen. We listen to God. We listen to each other. We listen to our members. We listen to our guests. We listen to the community. We understand that we can learn more about each other and the people who we've been called to serve by listening. We understand that we can meet needs best by listening. We understand that we can avoid and resolve conflict and frustration by listening. We understand that if we don't listen, someone else will, and opportunities will be lost.    

4. LEARNS

We learn. We learn from the Scriptures. We learn from other churches. We learn from each other. We learn from people both inside and outside of the church. We learn from both our fans and our critics. Conferences. Books. Podcasts. Vodcasts. Blogs. Vlogs. Mentors. We have an ever-increasing appetite for learning because we understand that not all learners are leaders, but all leaders are learners. 

5. LASTS 

We last. We last through ups and downs. We last through good times and through bad. We last through triumphs and transitions. We understand that every great team and every great organization has at its' foundation a group of people who have committed to last. We understand that for our mission of Overwhelming Oakland with Love to become a reality, longevity must become a necessity.   

#366 - THE REASON WHY HATERS HATE

You ever wonder why people take the time, effort, and energy to criticize, make fun of, and put down other people? Out of all the things that they could be doing with their brain power, they use it to bring someone else or a group of people down...WHY? Don't they have better things to do? Don't they have more productive ways to invest their time?  

Haters of organizations. Haters of companies. Haters of people groups. Haters of products. Haters of religions. Haters of initiatives. Haters exist for everything and everybody!

And this doesn't only have to be people who are outspoken about their hate. I know plenty of people who are "undercover" haters and critics. They might not be well known for their hate, but if they were to be honest with themselves, they would say that the conversations with themselves and with others that come easiest to them are more destructive than constructive. 

Why is this? Why do so many people live their lives in this way?

Well, being that I am someone who has hated on others and am also someone who has been hated on, I have come to the conclusion that...

Haters hate on others as a way to avoid dealing with the things that they hate most about themselves. 

It's hard to deal with your character flaws. It's hard to focus on your shortcomings. It's hard to break your bad habits. It's hard to overcome your fears.  

So, instead of changing themselves, haters spend their time mouthing off about what should be changed in others. 

Some people eat to avoid. Others spend money to avoid. Another group of people drink to avoid. There are a million different things people do to avoid dealing with their issues. 

Haters hate.  

And this hate hurts, humiliates, and harms people each and every day.

But even worse than that, it results in the hater being distracted from the very thing that they should be focused on changing...themselves.

#365 - THE ONE LIST THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON MY LIFE IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS

"There's usually about a half-dozen things that makes 80% of the difference. Keep looking for the few things that makes the most difference...then spend most of your time working on those few things. Don't spend major time on minor things." Jim Rohn

As I endeavor to make this next year of my life the best year of my life, I am determined to invest my time in, what Jim calls, "the few things that make the most difference." I want to focus my efforts and my energies on the half-dozen, simple disciplines that, compounded over time, will produce the results in my life that I desire.

With that in mind, after much thought and consideration, I have identified the following "daily disciplines" that I will commit to and re-commit myself to for 30 days at a time. 

  1. I desire an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, I commit to reading the Word and journaling to Jesus daily.

  2. I desire a "connected" relationship with my wife, I commit to praying with my wife out loud daily.

  3. I desire a healthy body, I commit to exercising for 30 minutes and eating less than 2,000 calories daily.

  4. I desire to be a proficient writer, I commit to writing a 250-word blog post daily.

  5. I desire to be a caring pastor, I commit to making 3 pastoral calls daily. 

  6. I desire to be disciplined, I commit to being in bed by 10pm and to being out of bed by 6am daily.

Though these half-dozen things are easy to do, they are also very easy not to do. Therefore it will be the very pointed words of personal development expert Brian Tracy that will keep me focused on executing these disciplines each day. 

Successful people are simply those with successful habits.

Though I wish leading a successful life were more complicated than that, it really isn't!

So with all that in mind, the key question for you is, What are your half-dozen things?

#363 - THE MOST HELPFUL PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIVITY ADVICE EVER

What do you do when there's too much to do? What do you do when you're overwhelmed? What do you do when you don't know what to do first? What do you do when you find yourself overly discouraged by your inability to get anything done?

WRITE. A. LIST.

Or for the millennials...type. a. list. 

Of every task. Of every responsibility. Of every objective. 

Write a list of everything that needs to get done. 

This list will take the abstract and make it actual. This list will turn your frustration into focus. This list will help you to identify the necessary from the unnecessary. This list will help you to determine what must be done by you and what can be delegated. This list will reveal what is urgent and what can wait.

This list is a key to let you out of your prison of laziness. This list is an antidote for your sickness of apathy. This list is a life preserver to save you from drowning in a sea of neglect. (You may think that's a little strong, but anyone who has been unproductive for any length of time knows the feeling.)   

This list will be the initial step that you take towards a life of greater self-leadership. This list will be the visual representation of all that you must accomplish. This list will be the physical evidence that you are moving in the right direction. 

Write this list. Today. 

A higher experience of focus and productivity await you. 

#362 - 33 - PART TWO

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As I mentioned in my previous post, this last year was quite challenging, especially as it related to my role as the Lead Pastor of theMOVEMENT. I went through some experiences as a pastor and a leader that I would wish upon no one!

But, instead of dwelling on the difficulty of the situations, I think it would be most wise to reflect upon the lessons learned from the situations. Here are three lessons that I learned this past year that I hope to hold on to for many years to come! 

1. BE SILENT. GOD IS YOUR DEFENDER.

"The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." Exodus 14:!4

Over the last several months, the above verse has been an absolute lifeline for me! Slowly but surely I am getting it through my thick skull that there are certain battles that I was just not meant to fight. One who is wise discerns which battles those are and allows God to fight them on their behalf...all while keeping their mouths shut.  

In certain "battles," when I feel I need to to convince, I need to be silent. When I feel I need to convict, I need to be silent. When I feel I need to clarify, I need to be silent.  In these battles, when I feel I need to speak up, I probably need to shut up!

And when the time is right, in the areas that God chooses, He will convince for me. He will convict for me. He will clarify for me. He will ultimately defend me. My job is to keep me and my words out of the way!   

2. BE CONFIDENT. THE CHURCH IS RESILIENT. 

"Through various seasons and transitions, the church is resilient." Brian Houston

In the midst of the difficulties that I have experienced this past year, I have come to discover that when the Church of Jesus Christ takes a hit, like a punching bag with a weighted bottom, it gets back up again! Every. Single. Time.

For over 2,000 years the "Big C" church has faced difficulties from both outsiders and insiders and for over 2,000 years the Church has advanced through those difficulties! I am just so thankful that theMOVEMENT church in Oakland, CA is no exception!

Resilient through change. Resilient through disappointment. Resilient through loss. Resilient through pain. Resilient through difficulty. The Church of Jesus Christ is resilient, and it is this newly experienced resilience that gives me the confidence to keep moving forward! 

3. BE HUMBLE. PRIDE WILL DEBILITATE YOU.

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom." Proverbs 11:2

"Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility towards one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" 1 Peter 5:5

The consequences of unhealthy pride are devastating. This past year, I've seen it in my own life and I have seen it in the lives of others. Pride will keep you from confessing your sin. Pride will deter you from fulfilling your purpose. Pride will discourage you from developing your relationships. Pride will distract you from growing your faith. Pride will prevent you from trusting your God. 

Pride has been at the root of all of the most challenging situations I have faced this year. With that in mind, I am desperately in need of the Holy Spirit to bestow upon me a supernatural portion of humility.

Humility to forgive. Humility to reconcile. Humility to extend grace. Humility to confess. Humility to obey. Humility to love. Humility to persevere. In my 34th year of life, humility will be the character trait I will be committed to developing most because I am convinced more than ever of the following truth, God stands on the opposite side of those with pride.    

 

#361 - 33 - PART ONE

Today I turn 33 years old, and though it has definitely been one of the most challenging years of my life, in many ways, it has also been one of the best. In an effort to reflect upon and recount God's blessings in my life from the past year, here are some highlights of the 32nd year of my life.

  1. Celebrated 10 years of marriage to Rebekah Paz by traveling to the Dominican Republic! Celebrated the 1-Year Anniversary of theMOVEMENT. (September)

  2. Ran the San Jose Half-Marathon in under 2 hours. Watched the San Francisco Giants win their 3 World Series in 5 years! (October)

  3. Preached the first "Money Series" at theMOVEMENT and saw giving increase dramatically! (November)

  4. Raised over $25,000 through Be Generous campaign. (December)

  5. Awarded a scholarship to attend Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and began attending to pursue a Master's Degree in Theological Studies. (January)

  6. Re-Connected with my old students from Exchange at THE REUNION. Experienced my first hot air balloon ride with Rebekah on Valentine's Day. (February)

  7. Started consistently playing basketball again. (April)

  8. Attended the Drive Conference at Northpoint. Enjoyed watching my sister graduate from Life Pacific College! (May)

  9. Completed 10 units at GGBTS with a GPA of over 3.0! Watched the Golden State Warriors win their first championship in 40 years! (June)

  10. Experienced an awesome family reunion in Orlando, FL. Participated in theMOVEMENT's 2nd Annual Serve Our City week. Preached at Crosswinds' High School Houseboats Trip and saw God move powerfully! (July)

  11. Finished a Half-Marathon with my dad and two brothers. Celebrated 5 years in Vocational Ministry! (August) 

I am so undeserving of the moments, outcomes, and joys that God allowed me to experience this past year, but because God is a gracious, faithful, and good Heavenly Father he pours these blessings out on my life anyways. I am so THANKFUL!