Steve Faiai

I haven’t posted in a while, I almost forgot my password to sign in on wordpress. Anyhow there hasn’t been much to post about. These past few months has been one hell of a roller coaster ride. From moving from Raleigh to San Diego to trying to land a job in this crappy economy, it has definitely been a growning and learning experience. As of today February 8th 2009 I still have no job. I think I’ve applied at 32 different places, interviewed at 2 and have landed absolutely nothing. It’s weird how rejection starts to play with your emotions, it’s like the fat kid who gets picked last as a sympathy pick. Everytime I hear a NO from a potential job, it hurts my feelings and drives me to this place where I feel like crawling in a hole until Jesus returns. However I don’t think that’s part of my story, when my life is over the story is suppose to go a little different. My friend Kelly in North Carolina suggested that I needed to post because she needed some encouragement and so that is why you are reading this today.

Lately I’ve been listening to some old songs on my playlist seeking encouragment for the season that we’re in and I keep coming back to this song by Sara Luneack. She wrote this amazing song a while back called “More than just enough” I’ve heard it many times however lately it’s become one of those reminder songs of GOD’S bigness in my life. A lot of my life I ‘ve been blessed to have a lot of things work out in my favor. I grew up in a GOD fearing and loving home with awesome parents and cool siblings, I have a beautiful wife and two adorable sons of my own. Through the years I’ve built great friendships and have been bleesed to be part of great communities. And the cool thing through all of this is that GOD has been faithful to me.

Lately though, things have been kind out of whack for me and my family, we’ve been knocked off the seat of comfort and the norm to experience the true meaning of taking up my cross. I had a meeting with a friend a few weeks back and I had this come to Jesus moment, he asked about our situation and from what I sensed had this certain tone to the question “How are you guys doing?” it quite honestly was a poor example of sympathy. However  I was pretty passionate about my answer as I said to him. “In no way do we compare to what’s happening in the a third world country, but one thing I do see, is a little glimpse of what it means to praise GOD for everything even in the midst of having little or nothing.”…”He’s been more than just Enough”

We are so blessed to have awesome support from family and friends, and we’re soo blessed to belong to such a great community at Journey. Today our teaching pastor Ed’s last point was Faith,Hope and Love. As we continue on this journey my prayer is that these three things would increase in the lives of the Faiai Four!

Be Blessed!

A couple weeks ago I was invited by a friend here in Raleigh to attend a Leadership breakfast with different business leaders from around the city. Some of the men in the room were Top executive leaders, Lawyers, Doctor’s, Business owners and City councilmen. There were even Farmers there, yup, I said farmers. It was cool, I sat at their table. When I walked in I didn’t see my friend there so I started to panic thinking that I was probably at the wrong place. I was then greeted by a gentleman named Jerry and he handed me a plate and said “let’s get something to eat” and so immediately I felt at home. They had an all you can eat buffet breakfast for two bucks, and it was all homemade and some of it was made to order too. It was AWESOME!

I sat down with the farmers and we immediately hit it off, my friend shows up about ten minutes later. It was so cool how to hear the buzz in the room. I was the younest guy in the room and the oldest guy had to be like 90 years old. The host of the morning sent around a card for all of us to sign for one of the regulars who couldn’t make it because he had a heart attack and was recovering in the hospital.

After a good half an hour of great conversation and great food, it was time for our keynote speaker to come and share with us. He talked about how he lost his wife in April and how they had a trip planned to Ireland in August. He almost didn’t go but decided since it was his wife’s dream that he would fulfill it. As he was telling this story there wasn’t a dry eye at our table, it was a really moving moment. He talked about his trip and his learnings of that culture. He challenged everyone to expose ourselves to things and places outside of our comfort. After he shared, he prayed and we all ended together with the Lord’s prayer.

From this Leadership breakfast I’ve been challenged to…

1 – Surround myself with great leaders from ALL spectrums not just the church sector.

2 – Embrace every moment with your loved ones, share each other’s dreams and LOVE.

3 – Expose myself to other things out of my comfort zone.

4 – Never stop learning from people regardless of how young or old, of their economic status, vocation, we can help each other become better.

The word LOVE has become on of those words that have been tossed around loosely and in some ways have lost it’s effectiveness. I remember growing up, how my Dad never would say the words but I always knew that he had nothing but love in his heart for GOD and his family. He was pretty soft spoken and not a huge disciplinarian. Mom on the other hand would be the one to shower us kids with love and at the same time did all of the discipline stuff that Dad didn’t do. So we knew when mom was mad at us, SHE WAS SERIOUS.

Fast forward… Now that I’m a proud father of two adorable boys, I’m unlike my father in my verbal expression of love to Cameron and Riley. Because they watch every move I make and are at the age where they are starting to soak up everything, Lauren and I purposely say “I love you” like a million times. OK maybe not that many but pretty darn close. What’s so cool is that they are starting to get it, they are starting to realize that saying the words “I LOVE YOU” are powerful, they don’t know how much yet, they just know when to say it. That alone melts our hearts.

I hope to someday be a Grandparent and watch from the sidelines my sons share with their families the importance of love. We’ve all experienced someone saying those words to us, sometimes it’s said with all sincerity and sometimes it’s said with a wink and a gun. As the leader of my family, I’m learning that withholding love or not really meaning it when you say it can be a very tragic thing and in some ways devastating. I’ve heard some say that love is a choice and some say it’s a must… Whatever the stance you take, LOVE IS LOVE. spread IT!!

I praise GOD for this season of life that we were able to experience here in Raleigh. It has been an AMAZING time here in North Carolina and we’re really going to miss it a whole bunch. On the same token we’re excited to head back home to be with our family and friends. Because I haven’t done one of these in a while, I thought I’d create a list of my top ten things that I’m going to miss. (In no particular order.)

10. Our awesome apartment!

9. Lauren’s softball team.

8. All my friends I made through Craigslist.

7. Danny’s BBQ.

6. All my friends at CATT.

5. How green and beautiful this state is.

4. Wilmington (wrightsville beach)

3. Bojangles.

2. Chick fil A’s everywhere!

1. All my friends at Lowes Foods.

I also thought that I’d throw in a bonus of some of my favorite moments here in Raleigh too! again in no particular order.

10. Driving cross country with one of my best friends Jerry Ring.(Going back too!)

9. Steve and Linda Wood’s lightning stories and the laughter and wittiness that followed (You had to have been there)

8. Watching the thunderstorms with my family.

7. All the parties at Dave and Brenda’s house.

6. Rock Band with the fellas (Chris, Dave and Jarrad.)

5. Coaching the Bobcats.

4. Meeting Ted from Ted’s transmissions (what a Godsend!)

3. Celebrating my son’s birthdays here!

2. Worship rehearsals with some of the best musicians in Raleigh NC!

1. Getting to show my in laws and Becky P around when they visited us!

I will never forget my friends here in Raleigh and all the great times that we shared together. All of them made this experience so worth it for us. The reality of it all is that our paths may never cross again in this life, only GOD knows that, all that I know is that I’m thankful and Blessed that they already have.

Peace and Love,

Steve

Yesterday we visited a pretty cool church in Durham and honestly it was a little different than what i’m used to, but over all it was really good. The worship time was off the chain for me, I knew almost every song and the musicianship was incredible. So that was really cool. There was an opportunity to participate in communion, which i thought was really cool. The pastor had a different approach on the communion set up, it was more a celebration for what God has done for us rather than a more somber type of set up. It was really well done.

I walked away with a bunch of learnings from yesterday, however I just wanted to highlight my top three.

First – Be satisfied in God and what he’s done in your life and what he’s going to do.

Second – Love with an International love.

Third -God is not overwhelmed with all that’s going on in my life, I may be but he’s not.

I was also encouraged that I saw people of all ethnic backgrounds there, Lauren and I were greeted by at least four different people from different backgrounds. For a brief moment after the worship segment, there was a turn and greet that lasted for about 3-4 minutes and people were hugging and laughing, celebrating the Lord and each other. It was such a joyous moment, I thought to myself, “If this is a glimpse of Heaven, then man I can’t wait to get there.” Thank you GOD!

After nine months of working at Church at the Triangle, today was our last Sunday there as part of any serving capacity. It has been a such a great experience to be a part of this church plant. God really did some cool things here in Raleigh. However we felt the tug back as a family to move back to where it all started… San Diego. Because GOD blessed Lauren and I with such great families, we thought that it would be a tragedy to keep our boys from family. We want them to experience what it means to live “family first” lives. This is something that Lauren and I both value so much. Along the way the LORD really spoke to me and I’ve learned some really valuable lessons as a leader in ministry but more importantly lessons as the spiritual leader for my family.

- Anyone with any type of platform role is always being watched and evaluated.

- People are truly your most precious commodity.

- Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.

- Fear and Faith, when one decreases the other increases.

- Family is your number one ministry.

- Stand firm in your convictions and #$@% what others think.

- The church is not a used car sales lot and shouldn’t be treated like it, Jesus is real and real is what people want and desire, anything else is just fluff.

- Pay attention to your hellos and goodbyes.

These are some of the many lessons that I’ve learned here. What’s interesting is that when we first moved here we ate at a restaurant called PEI WEI and when we left we took fortune cookies home, when we got home and opened them, mine said “sometimes traveling to a new place leads to great transformation” and honestly this is what this whole journey was for me, one of much transformation. Transformation in my heart, mind and soul. I’m reminded that I’m created to worship, not only from the platform but more importantly in my every day life and in all that I do.

So as we close this chapter in the story of the Faiai Four, we leave Raleigh with no regrets. We have met great lifelong friends. We grew closer as a family. Lauren and I also grew in our marriage and our love for GOD and one another.

We’re excited about what GOD has in store for us in this next chapter of life. Thank you GOD!

NEXT DESTINATION… SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA (YES!)

For the last few months it has been a season of trying to listen and trying to be obedient to what I hear from God. It’s also been a season of pruning and shedding all that is old of me, so that God can grow something new in me. Letting something go that you absolutely love is a hard thing to do, it puts that lump in your throat and that uneasiness in your gut, but in your heart and soul, it’s the right thing to do. For a long time now I’ve been struggling with the guilt of trying to live up to others expectations of me, rather than who God has created me to be. I’ve been enslaved by the desire for approval by friends and family only to come to the conclusion that that approval still leaves me empty.

I’ve been pondering on this verse for a while, it’s Colossians 1:16-17 it says this…”For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and the earth, visible and unvisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

I’m growing in my trust that GOD knows best and he has a plan for my family. I think we’re in this season now of clarity, of peace, and of purpose. Stay tuned, I’ll fill you in on how it all plays out.

When I was growing up, my father and I use to go on a “date” every week. Sometimes that would be at a restaurant, sometimes that would be grocery shopping, Winchell’s donuts in National City or at a little filipino bakery for some warm sweet rolls, fishing on the pier, our out helping those less fortunate than we were. My favorite of all our hangout places was the barbershop. We always went to the same place and got the same cut (flattops) for both of us. We had the greatest of times, had some of the best conversations about life, GOD and what he was most passionate about, our FAMILY. He would always tell me the story of how he and mom met. He would go through all of our birth stories of all eight of us kids, so our conversations at times would be really lengthy, but all worthwhile. Our conversations would always end with a “Son…” and it was then that I knew that he was going to throw me nuggets of wisdom for my life. So i did my best to remember all of those Learnings. I learned so much from him and I miss him a bunch.

Lately I’ve been thinking about the FAMILY that my father talked about. Being involved in high powered ministry there needs to be a balance between the two and right now I’m trying to find it. But then I remembered one of those dad nuggets he would ALWAYS tell me… “Your family IS your number one ministry.” I’m starting to realize that like never before now.

I’m starting to understand that I need to set a great example for my boys like my father did for me. I need to leave that kind of legacy. My family IS my most important ministry and everything else is second. I believe like my dad did that’s how GOD intended it to be.

I recently received an email from a great friend of mine who I love and respect and he said that in his twenty years of ministry that he’s still trying to figure that balance out. I’ll probably spend the rest of my life trying to figure this all out and I’m ok with that. I love my wife and boys soo much and want whats best for them. GOD has entrusted me with them as my first priority and until HE says differently this is how it’s going to remain.