Posted in General Articles by Patrick Baez on 8/28/2010
Powerful. Prophetic. Smart. Hilarious. Undignified. Beautiful. Selfless. Passionate. Humble. Honorable. Fun. Driven. Loving... Simply just Amazing! These are just are a some words to describe one of the most of incredible people I have ever met so far in my life and one of the newest additions to my world.
Tiffany Berkowitz
Your traditional laid back California girl and everyone's best friend except for one major difference and fact. She's crazy on fire for the Lord, Jesus Christ! I get to co-lead with her on my upcoming World Race for the Q - Squad in September. Tiffany was apart of the I - Squad (June 2009 World Race Squad) and after finishing her experience, she felt called to spend some time with AIM's Haiti relief team and work in Haiti. While I was in Spain attending G42 Leadership Academy, I received my acceptance letter for squad leading and in the email, it said I would be leading with Tiffany. I was really excited to finally know who I'd be leading with except for one little thing. Who's Tiffany Berkowitz??? I had no idea who she was and even funnier, it seemed like EVERYONE I knew, knew of her and how awesome she was. My first thoughts to myself were "Great. I'm with someone I know nothing about and now have to spend time getting to know, along with tons of other people from the squad I'll be leading". After getting back to America from living in Europe for 6 months, I was able to call Tiffany and start talking to her. Timely enough, Tiff had just got back into the States a few days after I did and we were able to have our first conversations. Instantly, we were brother and sister and having fun with each other. I could tell that she was someone who I could be open with to have a serious conversation or goof off with to have a good time. After a few weeks of phone convos, texts messaging, and emails, it was time to meet Tiffany in Georgia for our squads training camp. Its always funny to meet someone for the first time after talking to them a lot on the phone and establishing a friendship before actually knowing what they look like in person. But that's the World Race for ya. Over the past several weeks now, I have been able to spend some quality time with Tiffany in Georgia and Colorado so we can work on our dynamics and get to know each other better before going out and leading a squad together.
 
I have zero doubt in this Woman of God of doing her job over the next season of our lives. Tiffany is someone who will bring deliverance and release those in bondage everywhere she goes, as well as empower men and women to live up to their potential and answer their calling in life. She is fully broken and dependent on the Lord and a wonderful asset to my life. Please subscribe to her blogs and follow her stories as she goes back into the world. I also ask that you would consider prayerfully and financially supporting Tiffany on her World Race.
Tiffanyberkowitz.theworldrace.org
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Posted in General Articles by Patrick Baez on 8/28/2010
The other day I was looking back at notes from my time at G42 in Spain. As I was flipping through the notebook, I found a page that had sentence after sentence of me talking to myself. Often in class, we would spend much of our time prophesying over ourselves and one another. A couple times, I spent some time writing down words for myself that I felt were from the Lord so that I could look back at them and find encouragement, purpose, or motivation. These words carried more than just commandments or inspiration. For me, these words held guidelines for my life.
"You don't have time to be passive...
You don't have time to be silent...
You don't have time to be tired...
You don't have time to be lazy....You don't have time to be angry...You don't have time to be wasteful...You don't have time to be afraid...You don't have time to be weak...You don't have time to be hesitant...You don't have time to be disobedient... You don't have time to be selfish..."
To you this might not seem all that impressive or maybe it could be viewed as extreme or harsh. But to me, I see this as a great reminder to not give into the enemy's schemes and never let myself stop moving unless God tells me to. I have to be in tune with the Lord's voice at all times and in all circumstances. I continue to learn more and more everyday that this life of mine that I live is not about me. Maybe at the time of writing this I was previously slapped by Andrew Shearman or realized something more about my purpose in life. Either way, I know these few sentences can be read by anyone and people can identify with, regardless of where and what you have done in the past and where you are now in life.
"Listen to the Voice"
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Posted in General Articles by Patrick Baez on 8/28/2010
Yea I know we have only recently started the second half of 2010, but I gotta say that I'm pretty pumped about the year 2011. Over the years I've learned not to live too much in the future because nothing about it is guaranteed and today is the best time to live life. But it's still exciting to know or guess some of what God has planned for me in my future. As I shared in a previous blog, I will be going back out on the World Race as a squad leader starting in September for the rest of the year. Most likely I will return to the states sometime in January 2011. So why the anticipation for that time to be here when I have a whole new adventures to live out in all the time I have left this year??? Because, as soon as I am done traveling with the September World Race squad, I will be moving to New York City right away to start an internship with a amazing church in Manhattan, NYC called Graffiti Church. I will be there at least one year living and working in the community, while I also attempt to balance my role as a squad leader from the other side of the world. Which I'm sure will be a great challenge itself. Full time internship in the craziest city in the world at the same time as making myself available and still pouring into several people on a full time basis as they bounce all over the globe till August of 2011. Now if I could only find a way to multiply myself...
I've always wanted to spend a season of my life in New York. It's such a cool city to visit and there is something there for all types of people. Just like Austin, there's always something fun going on to check out and a crowd to be apart of. I've been to NYC several times already to visit family and on short term mission trips with my home church, so I'm sure all those visits will help with the whole transition when the time comes for me to make the move there. I've spent the majority of my life growing up in Texas in a small town where I knew tons of people and they knew me. A small town where nothing too crazy ever happens and people felt safe. The loudest time of the day was probably when all the schools got let out and kids were being picked up their parents. Quiet, calm, secure, traditional, peaceful... Now I have to get ready for the city that never sleeps. Loud, chaotic, diverse, hectic, quick pace. It's an adjustment that I'm sure I'll be able to handle, partially because of the lifestyle on the World Race. As of now, I don't plan on staying there for the rest of my life, so I can breathe easy and prepare for what I think will only be a year or so. But only time will tell what God will do to my heart in the time that I spend there...
  Compared to all the various places I've been to in the past years, I know New York may not jump out as radical as some of the others locations. Yes, I will be serving and working in different ministries while I'm there, but there is so much more that I hope to get out of being there. As I've told many people already, my whole purpose for agreeing to this opportunity is obtain knowledge in planting churches and learning about the starting process of a ministry. While I am joining with Graffiti Church on different projects and ministries, I will be taking notice to as many details as possible for my future desires after my time in New York. This will be to actually ask the Lord to place a location on my heart so that I can go and plant His Kingdom. And the coolest part for me is that I feel that I am prepared to spend my life at that location and be in for the really long term time frame. I know I have a calling to go out and make this radical lifestyle (which is really suppose to be referred to as normal more than radical) known to people, start new ministries and churches for all generations, disciple those around me to make them better than myself. So I want to be as intentional as possible during my internship in NYC, so I can build as strong a ministry as possible wherever He takes me in this world.
I know its going to be a challenging time as far as being organized, having strong structure in my days, and balancing my jobs of squad leading and interning at a church. But this is something I feel strongly called to and know will equip me in needed ways. Also, keep in mind that I would love to have people come visit and participate along side me in my ministry, so know that it would be possible for one or two people at a time to stay with me and experience all the hype of NYC. Thanks and see ya soon New York
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Posted in General Articles by Patrick Baez on 8/28/2010
If you've clicked to read this blog cause you're curious to why I have a blog title "Squad Leading", well let me get straight to the point. Yes, I, Patrick Baez, will be squad leading in September 2010. Yea, I can't believe AIM would be taken a chance with me either. Ha! But really, I have recently applied to be a squad leader for the World Race and AIM leadership has decided to allow me to lead a group of individuals around the world for 4 months and help them have the most wide awakening experience with Jesus that they have ever had in their lives yet. What is funnier to me than actually been selected to be a squad leader, is that I am still involved with Adventures in Missions. Not that they are a horrible organization to be working with, but I guess I just figured after my World Race experience that I wouldn't really be working with AIM. There have been so many incredible people that I have met and been loved by in the past 2 years because of my connection with AIM. They are an awesome body to be apart of or be associated with. I've always respected those who have been squad leaders for the World Race in the past. It's a great way to pour into young adults and help them in their walk with the Lord. And that's exactly why I desire to go back out again into one of the most uncomfortable experiences for an American. Shoot, that's actually a personal goal of my; to have uncomfortable situations become comfortable to be in. But that's just a side note.
This whole event started back in Spain earlier this year when a friend asked me to squad lead with her. The preferred way for AIM when sending out a squad is that they have a male and female squad leader, for obvious reasons of course. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case for squads that are sent out. In the past, women have been more present and obedient to hearing God's calling of going out into the mission field as far the World Race goes. It's a crappy fact for a guy to hear, but it's true. I always thought in the back of my mind that it would be neat to go out and actually lead a WR squad, but honestly never thought it would happen. After several weeks of lightly thinking back and forth about the idea, God laid it thick on my heart during a conversation with my guy friends at G42. All the guys I was talking to were previous World Racers, and even more significantly, we all were led by female squad leaders during our experience. It was that night that I decided I was going to take this decision into serious prayer for the rest of the week and make a decision to either apply to squad lead and leave it up to God or find a peace about it and not pursue this course. Fortunately for me, I was around some very wise men and woman to talk to about the opportunity and after a lot of thought and prayer, came to the conclusion that I would apply for leading. All I had left to do was check with some very important prior commitments and see if it was ok if I knocked on this door. Obviously now I can say that God led me to where I am now, getting ready and preparing to launch once more in September for the World Race. Today, I look back at that night of talking with the guys and can remember a fire being lit inside of me. I felt the weight of responsibility and duty to go back out and make sure that whatever guys I would get on my squad would have the best possible World Race experience. But not just that, I wanted to make sure that the men I had to disciple would be challenged in every way I was on my trip as well as be pushed by me in the ways I knew would benefit them. I'm not saying I'm the most qualified person to be a squad leader or that those before me were not great squad leaders. I just believe that I have something to offer as a leader to whoever I have in my squad. I have gone through certain experiences so that I could help others as they go through similar times.
I also believe that there is a huge advantage in myself being a male squad leader. Sadly, I think most would agree that much of the world looks down on women in roles of leadership or just women in general. It's a calling that I strongly feel I need to follow through with and set an example for other men. I need to not be passive in my role as a man and show initiative in a leadership role. Men will always need to be fathered so that they can grow up to be great men themselves. What is so cool in my experience of the past few years, as I mentioned about women not always being respected when they lead or have authority, is that I have been "fathered" by some amazing women of God myself. I had an amazing first squad leader in Allison Johnston , and also an incredible team leader and beautiful sister in Kyla Cornelius . Both who have poured into my life abundantly and challenged me in many ways. I was able to live with Kyla the first 4 months of our first World Race, and through those months she was able to push me in bold and needed ways to become who I am now. She stepped in and did what no other male was doing. As great and thankful as I am for that, it shouldn't always happen that way. Men should always be able to come together and sharpen each other when needed.
Kyla and I in Ukraine
So with all that said, please be in prayer for me and specifically my boys that not only will become more Godly, but will simply become men in its intended context. I'm so grateful for what's to come in the near future for my squad and ask that you would also continue to follow as many if not all the stories written from Q- Squad (Sept 1 - 2010).
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Posted in General Articles by Patrick Baez on 7/3/2010
God is great! So great that I'm not ever sure I will ever be able to comprehend why He loves me the way He does. But then again, does that even matter??? I know that I am one blessed son and luck has nothing to do with it. I'd even say that "luck" is just another word for God's grace that He has for us. It's now July 2010, and as I look back on the past 2 years of my life, all I can do is exhale deeply and say "Thank you Jesus...". I've lived an incredible life in my crazy 24 years of existence. Highs and lows like everyone, but the past 2 years have been extra special for me. I have had some amazing opportunities to serve, minister, travel the world, meet all sorts of amazing people and much more. In early 2008, I had my first real encounter with the Holy Spirit at World Race training camp. It truly was like nothing I had ever experienced before in my life in so many ways. I never really felt His presence like this or even knew what it really meant to be baptized in the Spirit. So its fair for me to say that the past 2 years have been the most exciting and fulfilling years of my life. I was blessed to go 11 months around the world with incredible friends on mission and learning more about how the church body functions and of course a lot about myself...through a lot of brokenness. Well worth it! After that surreal experience, it was time to go back home to Texas and figure God's next step for me. It was great getting to come back to friends and family with open arms, but in all honesty it got old real quick. I had just had my world rocked and now before I realized it, I was back in my home town as if the World Race was just a dream that I had woken up from. I felt like I was dazed and lost in the woods looking for the right direction to get out of there saying, "Uhhh... Jesus? Lil help please..." Over the next first couple weeks of being home, I quickly prayed for direction in my future and was able to come to the resolution of attending G42 Leadership Academy led by Andrew Shearman in Spain. http://www.g42leadershipacademy.org/ Talk about a crazy and amazing Man of God!
I didn't know a whole lot of what G42 in Spain had to offer or what the curriculum was like, but I knew enough about Andrew to want to take a leap of faith and pursue this opportunity and it made all the difference. Before moving out to Spain, I was able to talk to a few friends who had completed or were going through G42 and God use them to bring peace of mind about the whole idea and trust to follow him with the decision. 6 months later, I am here a changed man for the better to who I am supposed to be right now. In summary, my whole reason for wanting to go to Spain, other than the beautiful scenery, was to get my butt in gear for the rest of my life and figure out what I need to be doing with my life. Sure, it was very appealing to have an amazing mentor and the right environment for me to process my World Race experience, but I knew there was something more than that. I knew with smaller group settings that I'd have a better chance of getting that personal attention I was looking for and needing.
And I did. Once it was all said and done, I knew that I utilized my time there in Spain to get ready for the rest of my life. In many ways, I was able to break chains that I didn't realize where still holding me back from living my life. Purpose, planning, direction, apathy, using my voice, avoiding responsibility... It can be hard to understand or accept for many at first, and I'm not saying I have this mastered...probably never will completely. But in this world, I know that what ever I do for His kingdom on Earth, I will do it for others and not myself. Because in the end, I know that I have orders and responsibility to love others and live to be selfless in everything I do. I'm not in anyway saying to have a man pleasing spirit, but rather I want to wake up everyday and lay my life on the line the way many mentors, teachers, and friends in my life have done. God knows I love him, and more important than that, I know He loves me! So now all I have to do is say YES to Him and hear His voice tell me how to love my neighbor, and the the one next, and the one next, and so on... That's it. As harsh as it sounds, MYLIFE is NOT about ME! It's about glorifying His Kingdom and I feel that I do that by loving those who are around me at all times with a joyful heart. That's another thing I'm not sure I'll ever completely grasp, but that's another story. My life now has PURPOSE that I understand and love. I have PLANS that I know are God given. "I" now turns into "You". Because in the end, I believe it has nothing to do with me, but what I can do for Him. Christ HAS ALREADY DONE for me so much MORE than I could ever do for Him. But I still like to think that I can have a friendly competition with Him to see who can do more for the other. And just in case you're wondering how that game between Jesus and I is going... well He is winning by a quite a bit more... All jokes aside, the world is calling and in need of being loved by its creator, savior, and best friend. And I don't plan on being on the side lines. I am self sufficient in Christ. I AM and WILL show the people of this world that there is something bigger and greater than ourselves and I will show up to accept the calling that is put on my life to bring Heaven to Earth. I WILL bring FULLNESS into emptiness! I WILL be the LIGHT in darkness! I WILL restore ORDER in chaos!
So are you willing to do the same and show up for your own life???...
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Posted in General Articles by Patrick Baez on 7/3/2010
June 21, 2009. That date isn't really all that significant to me. It's more as what has happened between then and now... or lack of happening I should say. Its been more than a year that I have posted a blog on my World Race blog page. Most people I think wouldn't be too taken back or surprised at that fact about me. I've never been a blogger or really taken a liking to it. I usually stick to updating people by mass emails or talking to them on skype. So why the BIG change now? Why start blogging again on my World Race blog after so much time has passed? Cause it's more important to me now than ever before in my life and I have been given an amazing opportunity to go back on the World Race as a squad leader. Yep, I'm headed out for a second tour and this time with some serious responsibility. So I want this to be a declaration right now to the entire world and be put on paper, or at least put on the internet, for the world to see for yourself. Despite everything that has lacked in the past, I will take this chance to share the stories of my life through blogging more serious and be way more intentional about this tool to share my heart and what is going on in my life. And no, I promise you that AIM (Adventures in Missions) or Michael Hindes isn't putting a gun to my head and forcing or demanding me to blog. As a matter in fact, I am a little surprised I've gone under the radar for as long as I have. ;) I know first hand and have heard from plenty of other people the impact and influence they have received from reading blogs, so heres to me hoping that God will use my blogs in the same way. Or at least get a few laughs from my adventures and antics. So I apologize for my absence in the blogging world, but if you'd like to follow my journey, you can subscribe to my blog on the left side of my blog page or send me a message if you would like to have more direct contact information.
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