Hi Mama,
I just wanted to let you know that I've taken a big step in my life. It was a decision I knew would be the right one to make for me and my family. Below is my speech and a picture of me as I stood behind the podium. I thought this would be important to share with you even though I knew all along that you were watching me up in Heaven.
Love and miss you,
Pastor Joe Baldivia
A Life for God
Message on 2/22/09
When Pastor Justin asked me to become associate pastor my heart wanted to say yes right then and there but my mind pumped the breaks and I decided to go back and think about it, talk it over with my wife and decide if I’ll have the time to really do this. A few weeks past by and I was still on the fence with it. I wanted to do it but I just kept thinking: how am I gonna juggle work, family time, and being an associate pastor?
Then I think God got tired of waiting for me and said if you think you won’t have time, let me make some time for you and so I got laid off which freed up a whole bunch of time. God also tested my faith in Him because the same day I got the news that I was being laid off, my wife Erin got into a car accident and totaled her car. That morning as I was driving to the hospital to see Erin, I had a peaceful calm over me. Yeah I didn’t have a job anymore, yeah my wife was in the E.R. but I remember driving and saying to myself that everything is gonna work out. It always has for me. I’ve kept God first in my life and he’s always been there for me.
Like it says in Matthew 6:33:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” and Hebrews 13:5-6:
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”My family and I are living testaments to God’s faithfulness to those that put Him first in their lives and seek His will. Erin was only sore for a few days and everything is ok with the baby.
That weekend I decided to accept this position. Everything that happened only brought me closer to God and I felt Him calling me and I answered. I’m declaring to all of you today that I’m living my life for God. Its going to be a humbling experience and I thank God that Erin has been so supportive and understanding. We talked about it and we definitely are gonna have to cut back on a lot of expenses, so that means not going out to eat as much and instead of a 5 dollar footlong from Subway we stay home and make a peanut butter sandwich, a lot of good ol mac and cheese, and Tuesday nights at Denny’s cause kids eat free.
I’m ready for it though. I’m excited about this. I’m ready to be used by God to do His work.
As we read in Isaiah 6:8 in the responsive reading,
"Isaiah offered himself to do the Lord’s work. When the Lord asked “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah said “Here am I, Send Me!” And that verse hits home for me because that’s exactly where my heart is.
Everything that I have and everything that I am I’m offering up to Him to use. I’m not the same person I was a year ago, a month ago or even last week. And I hope I can show you all that. I don’t know how he’s gonna use my goofy dorky personality or my dancing/bboy skills or for those that know me well my loud annoying laugh but I’m sure He’ll find a way and I can’t wait. I feel God has brought me into this position to help grow this church and spread His Gospel. Our church has been around the same size for a few years now and I think 2009 is finally gonna change for us. We used to meet in a library meeting room and now we have this beautiful sanctuary to hold our services. We have classrooms to hold meetings, bible studies, seminars etc. and we need to utilize what God has provided.
I’m laying it all out on the line for God and I need your help because I will be attacked. Satan doesn’t like this decision that I’ve made and I know he’s gonna do everything he can to make me change my mind but it won’t change and I’m ready to go through the storm and that’s why I need your help to keep encouraging me and standing beside me when I slip and fall because I will slip. I’m not perfect nobody is I sin just like everybody else. We’re human. But like Pastor Justin was talking about last Sunday as believers, living righteously is all about progression growth moving forward. It’s about learning from your mistakes and not making the same one twice. If I commit a sin I want to be able to grow stronger from it so the next time I am tempted I’ll be strong enough to resist. I have a lot of growing to do, a lot of studying because there’s a lot for me to learn, But I’m confident that with the support here in this church and my family and friends backing me up I’m gonna get through it all. I’ll be able to stay in the middle of that circle of obedience God has put around us and stay on the path that He has set for me.
In my life, I’ve gone down many different paths. There are people here that know me from all phases of my life. You may hear different people call me different names. People that know me from when I was a kid you may hear them call me Joe. People from my previous jobs you’ll hear them call me Jose. And of course the ones that know me as a bboy know me as Fugi Rok.
But however you know me…..know me now as a servant of God!
Justin and I have talked about several plans for the church and you’ll be hearing about all of them in these next couple of weeks and months. And these plans we give to God because we know that no matter what the future holds for us, with God first and by trusting in Him anything is possible.
As I close, I want to leave you with one thought, I don’t know who you’re living for…I don’t know if you’re living for yourself or another person, or for money and possessions. But I want you all to think about who or what it is that you are living for…because I’m living for God and I couldn’t be happier with how my life is.
It’s my hope and prayer that if you aren’t living for God, that you make the decision to accept Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior. And if you’ve already done so, that you wait and listen closely for his call and I pray that when he does call upon you that you will answer it and do His work here on earth in whatever way that may be.
God Bless
