Paolo Punzalan.com

Shared about Esther’s life yesterday in church.  She was no special person but because she made herself available for God, she was used in extra ordinary ways – to save her nation.

(Video podcast here)

One might say, “I’m not a queen.  I look like one or act like one, but I’m really not one.”  But you gotta remember that way before she became queen, she was a regular young lady ready for whatever God wanted to do for her and through her.

Concurrently, right at the same time, God was raising up other guys to rebuild the nation of Israel.  Ezra opened the Scriptures to reconnect people to God.  Nehemiah was used to fix the infrastructure of the nation and rebuild the walls.

You see, when God rebuilds a nation.  It’s never one guy.  He pulls many together to accomplish His purpose.  Sometimes, leadership can be over glorified.  It’s still HIM, at the end of the day.  He uses ordinary, regular Joes like us to accomplish his purpose.

To see this nation rise from the ashes, it can’t be one leader, candidate, ’savior’.  It will have to be all of us coming together to see this thing happen.

It’s a banker who keeps his integrity intact.  It’s the young high schooler studying hard and pushing to excel for one day he will be in a leadership position.  It’s the teacher who gives her best to not only download info but also character.  It’s the father who disciples his kids into all God has planned. And so on…

Each one, doing his part.

Yesterday, one guy did his part.  Joshua Suarez ran 102 km for the DEATH MARCH and raised Php 102,000 for underprivileged students of Real Life Foundation’s Scholarship Fund.

He’s not a Senator, not a governor, not even a CEO of a multi national company.  But in his way, he is making a contribution to make a difference in this nation, this time.

Imagine what this nation will look like in 40, 50, 70 years if everyone did his ‘little’ contribution to make a difference.

Remember, it’s the little things that make the little difference that eventually make the big difference.

* Friday, Ryan graduated from K2.  Wow, he is now grade 1.  As my friend, Robert Hern said, “Ganito pala feeling ng nakapagpatapos.”  His daughter Shaunese is Ryan’s classmate.  VCS Preschool rocks.  Ms. Sheryl Panlilio is doing an excellent job running the preschool.

* Prepared for the child training seminar in the evening with Jenn.  I love teaching with Jenn.  She always has great insight in parenting.  I learn a lot from her.  She actually is the better parent between the 2 of us.  Don’t know what I’ll do without her.

* Ran to a dinner (we were late for it because we came from the seminar).  Orli and Ampot prepared Shabu Shabu in their house with some friends.  He makes the best shabu shabu.

* Saturday morning, which has been our routine for the past several months was t-ball games.  It was Ryan’s last game of the season though.  But I was so proud of him.  He did so well.  He hit a homerun too.

* Ran to a house dedication after of a friend.  She and her husband recently moved in to a condo at the Fort.  She shared her testimony of how God’s blessed them.  To think, a few years ago, their lives were falling apart and marriage almost in shambles.  Truly, God is a God of restoration.

* Saturday night was fun. Double bday celebration of Joe and Carla.  Dessert party.  Love those.

* Sunday was pretty packed.  Because P. Joey was in Brazil and on route to Orlando, I pitched in for him and preached at the morning services.  I did the afternoon services too.  My one point, “You don’t have to be a queen to make a difference!”

(Video of Ryan’s homerun last Saturday)

Got a chance to sit down with Keith Deloria, our pastor from Ilo Ilo who is doing a phenomenal job.  Our topic?  “Your only as good as your team.”

It’s unfortunate sometimes that the leader is the only one that gets the credit when none of the achievements can really be realized without the team.

I got the chance to catch the last 2 quarters of game 4 of the PBA finals (Alaska vs. Purefoods).  Tim Cone is now a legend.  He has won 12 championship rings for Alaska and that’s such a difficult feat to achieve.  An awesome coach but this past championship series was a disappointment for him, I’m sure.

On the other hand, the young mentor of Purefoods, Ryan Gregorio looked really, really good.  How come?  Not only because they won the championship, but his whole team pitched in and stepped up… as in everyone.  From Caneleta to Kerby, J.Yap to R.Yap, Maierhofer to MarcPing, Artadi to Allado.  His team made him look good.

At the end of the day, it really isn’t JUST about the coach.  In fact, the coach is only as good as his team.

We have too many leaders with “messianic complex” and with an “all-star attitude.”

There’s no “I” in the word team.  Remember, it takes five to complete your starting line up.

Leadership lesson moment with Keith – “You’re only as good as your team.”

Our Tuesday staff meetings have been fun for me.  When 25-30 people come together to regroup, download, upload, report, celebrate wins, it’s always a good thing.

But what makes it more fun is when you have someone cracks a joke, someone buys pizza, someone tells a story about their week that makes us bust out laughing, manny makes a comment, miko gets lost in outer space, ganns gives a witty remark with his evil laugh, bernard chides and blows us away with a story… stuff like these make staff meetings fun.  Now include LA MUMAR’s clapping invention when we celebrate a win.  Ask him about it when you see him.

Mark Batterson said, “I cannot cite a verse or a study, but I honestly believe that the healthiest churches are churches that laugh the most. I’d also add cry the most to that. They are churches that feel deeply, feel freely. The gospel isn’t just in their heads. It’s in their hearts.”

I believe that.

I’m just so glad I serve with a team of fun people.  We have every reason to rejoice – we have JESUS.  That’s more than enough.