Inspiration Vol 3

How To Have An Abundant 2009
Last Friday, my 3‐year old Francis walked up to me with his big smile and said, “I want to go to
Southmall!” For those who aren’t familiar with the South of Metro Manila, Southmall in Las
Pinas contains a rollercoaster. And my little boy loves, adores, worships rollercoasters.
Here was the problem: It was 10 o’clock in the evening.
So I told him casually, “Son, we can’t go to Southmall now. It’s closed.”
That’s when his big smile turned to big tears and said again, “I want to go to Southmall
now!”
My wife told him, “Francis, I really want to bring you to Southmall. But we’ll do it on
Monday. Because Monday is the first day of school. So you’ll have the rollercoaster all to
yourself. No long lines!”
But Francis wasn’t listening. He says again, “I want to go to Southmall now!”
Friends, Francis can act like that because he’s three years old.
But many times, we still act like this with God.
We want a specific prayer answered now. But God knows things we don’t know. And He
delays the answer to our prayer because He wants the answer to be bigger and better. That’s
why His timetable is different from ours.
This morning, as promised, my wife and I brought Francis to Southmall.
True enough, it was almost empty.
And little Francis was a happy boy: He rode the rollercoaster 18 times.
Friend, trust in God for your needs… (to be continued below)
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Are you looking for Spiritual Nourishment From God’s Word? Join me at The FEAST every
Sunday at the Valle Verde Country Club (Beside ULTRA) in Pasig. Before or after Mass, I preach
God’s Word to you. Choose between 3 sessions: 7:30‐9:30am; 10am‐12noon; and 12:30 to
2:30pm. Attendance is FREE. (For more information, call 725‐9999 or email
support@kerygmafamily.com) See you this Sunday!
–Bo Sanchez
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Friend, do you want to have an abundant 2009?
Follow Matthew 6:33. Put God firstand the Bible says that “all things” will be added unto
you.
Can I tell you a funny story?
Last Christmas season, a mother and her little girl were shopping in Megamall. The
crowd was extra thick. The mother sternly told her child, “Princess, no matter what happens,
hold onto my skirt! I don’t want you to get lost. Hold my skirt, you hear me?” The little girl said
yes as she wrapped her little fingers tight onto her mother’s skirt.
Two hours later, the mother was talking to the Security Guard. “Guard, have you seen a
little girl holding a skirt?” (to be continued below…)
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Just in case you haven’t joined, log on at www.KerygmaFamily.com It’s totally FREE. You get a
mountain load of spiritual blessings to nourish your soul.)
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There are people who look for the “skirt” of blessings. All they want are the blessings of
God. That’s what they hold on to. That’s dangerous. Because one day, they’ll end up holding an
empty skirt.
Instead of looking for blessings, look for the Blesser.
When you have the Blesser, the blessings will follow.
The most important decision you can make in 2009 is to put God first.
That doesn’t mean you won’t work anymore or care for your family. If God is “first”,
then there must be a “second” and a “third” and so on. I believe family is second. I believe work
is third.
But God must be first.

May your dream come true,
Bo Sanchez

How A College Dropout Became A Mega‐Millionaire
“I don’t come from a rich family,” Edward said.
I blinked hard. “For a moment there, I thought you were related to the Taipans. Sorry to
say this, but you look rich.”
“Not at all,” he said, “My parents are very simple people. My mother was a school
teacher and my father was an ordinary door‐to‐door salesman. That’s why I believe that anyone
can succeed in life.”
That day, I was having lunch with the Chairman of the Board of a few mega‐
companies. (I never knew that this was going to be the first of many, many lunches with Mr.
Edward Lee. He has now become one of my best business and life mentors.)
“I was a bad student too,” Edward said.
“No Harvard under your belt?” I asked.
“Bo, I was a failing student all my life! People called me dumb. In fact, I never finished
college.”
No college degree?
At that moment, a nice waiter came to our table.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that the young chap serving my dish probably had a college
degree! (We were eating in a really expensive restaurant.)
And here I was, seated in front of a man who had no college degree, yet was now a
billionaire.
Why? What happened?
I couldn’t wait to find out…

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Are you looking for Spiritual Nourishment From God’s Word? Join me at The FEAST every
Sunday at the Valle Verde Country Club (Beside ULTRA) in Pasig. Before or after Mass, I preach
–Bo Sanchez
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One of the Secret Ingredients of Success
“Do you know how bad a student I was, Bo?”
“Really bad?” I asked.
“In Grade School, I was an overweight kid who always slept at the back of the class,” he
said. “Because my mother was a teacher in that same school, she would silently enter the room
and wake me up. Being stout, I’d sweat a lot. She’d pull me out of the classroom, wipe my back,
and change my shirt. She’d then tell me to return to class. And yes, I’d go back, sit on my chair,
and sleep again.”
We both laughed. “You loved sleeping.”
“I was so lazy. And I just didn’t like school. That’s why I failed most of my subjects. All
the way to High School. The only reason why I never repeated a year was because of my
mother. As I told you, she was a teacher in the school.”
“Must have been very difficult for your parents.”
“I gave them hell. I caused them so much heartache. They’d cry and cry and cry in front
of me, saying, ‘Edward, we know you’re not dumb!’”
“They never condemned you,” I said.
“Never. Not once did they say, ‘You’re stupid,’ or ‘You’re hopeless.’ Instead, all I saw
were their tears and their unconditional love for me.”
“Wow.”
Edward continued. “So if you ask me today, ‘What was the most important ingredient
for your success?’ I would have to answer, “I am who I am today because of the unconditional
love of my parents.”
“Beautiful. And did you at least try to go to college?”
“Yes. My parents insisted. But I failed there too. I cut classes and played bowling
instead. By age 20, I dropped out.”
“And then what happened?”
“That was when I started investing in the stock market.”
“Huh?”
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Just in case you haven’t joined, log on at www.KerygmaFamily.com It’s totally FREE. You get a
mountain load of spiritual blessings to nourish your soul.)
————————————————————————————

God Moves His Hand
“One day, while playing bowling, I met another bowler. I was shocked to learn that he was
one of my college professors! As the days went by, we became fast friends. And he was the one
who taught me how to invest in the stock market.”
“So that’s what happened. You were 18?”
“Yes. On that day, I believe that God intervened in my life.”
“Wow.”
“By the way, after 36 years, that professor is still my friend today. He now sits in the Board
of Directors in one of my companies.”
“Fantastic. And you never left the Stock Market ever since?”
“Been there for 36 years. That’s how I created my wealth, Bo.”
“Edward, here’s my big question for you. Can anyone create his wealth in the Stock
Market?”
“If you can save P5000 a month, yes you can.”
“P5000 a month?”
“That’s right.”
I frowned, “But Edward, isn’t the Stock Market dangerous?” (At that point, I have not yet
gotten into the Stock Market.) “So many people say that they lost a lot of money in the Stock
Market. I know some who curse the day they got into it.”
Are You An Investor or Trader?
Edward chuckled. “Bo, there are two kinds of people who get into the Stock
Market. There’s what you call Investors and there’s what you call Traders. Investors hold their
stock positions longer with the view the company’s growth will eventually carry the price.
Traders take a short‐term view trying to make the most out of market swings. Trading therefore
is much more difficult and more prone to risk…”
“We shouldn’t trade then?” I asked.
“Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “If you know how to trade, you’ll earn much more. And
yes, I can teach you to be a good Trader. But it requires time and experience to be a good
one. But because you don’t have time…”
“Hmm, you know my schedule!” I laughed.
“Because you’re always busy preaching and doing your ministry, I’d rather that you be
an Investor. It’s a no‐brainer. I believe anyone can be an Investor in the Stock Market. And
you’ll earn millions over time.”
“So when you’re an Investor, you don’t sell?”
“You do sell, but only after ten or twenty years.”
“And my P5000 a month will grow substantially and possibly make me a millionaire
someday?
“Over time,” he smiled.
I was dumbfounded. “You seem so sure, Edward. Doesn’t the Stock Market go into dips,
crashes, and recessions? Won’t I lose my money when these happens?”
“It is possible for your investment to lose some value temporarily, but if you hold and
ride the lows out, and keep on investing your P5000 every month while it’s low, soon, the
market will go up again. Most stock markets, if not all, climb higher over time. It’s all a cycle.”
“How could I buy when everything is crashing?”
“That, in fact, is the best time to buy as you attempt to pick up good companies at fire
sale prices.”
“Last question, Edward. How will I know what is a good company to buy? What if I buy a
lemon that will go bankrupt next week?”
“You only buy shares of great companies that will keep growing for the next 10 years or
more.”
“How will I know if a company will do that?”
“I can tell you their names now,” he winked. “We’ve got an army of analysts who don’t do
anything else but study all the companies in the Philippine Stock Exchange.”
“Hey, that’s great. Okay, last, last question. When can I start?”
“Today if you want. Everything is online now.”
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Get Mentors for your Financial Life. If you want to meet Edward Lee face‐to‐face, he’s one of
my great Financial Mentors you’ll meet at my TrulyRich Financial Coaching Program on January
23 to 24. Get serious about growing your wealth! To join the TrulyRich Financial Coaching
Program, click here.
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Making Millions At P5000 A Month
That conversation happened two years ago.
That was when I began to invest in the Stock Market.
And for two years now, Edward has mentored me in business and life.
And obviously, he has guided me in my Stock investments.
Today, I’m actually thrilled when the Stock Market is down (like now!). That means I can
get richer. Because the little money I invest each month can buy more shares—which will
multiply faster when the Stock Market cycles up again.
By the way, if you want to start investing in the Stock Market and don’t know how,
Edward’s company, CitisecOnline, has a fantastic program called Easy Investment Program,
exactly the way I described above. If you want to know more about this excellent program, log
on now at www.citiseconline.com/eip

May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez

Will Homeschool Work For Your Kids?
As I write this, Bene, our 9‐year‐old, will be Grade 4 this school year.
Let me share to you something shocking: To this day, he has yet to step into a regular
classroom. He’s a deprived kid! Check out this list:
∙ He’s never ridden a school bus.
∙ He’s never lined‐up for a flag ceremony.
∙ He’s never eaten lunch in a school canteen.
∙ He’s never had to raise his hand for recitation.
∙ He’s never had to do assignments at night.
∙ He’s never had to go to the principal’s office.
∙ He’s never played basketball with his classmates.
∙ Because, technically, he’s never had a classmate!
Poor kid. Some of the experiences above are really good stuff.
But life is a choice. We chose that he experience OTHER things by homeschooling
him. And my son loves homeschooling. He won’t exchange it for the world. Here’s why…
∙ He’s able to spend more time with his Daddy and Mommy each day. His
relationship with us is tight—and for this alone—I thank God for homeschooling.
∙ He loves his younger brother and cares for him a lot.
∙ He can read any book he chooses, he reads five books a day.
∙ This 9‐year old speaks fantastic English.
∙ He’s able to follow his passions with more freedom. It’s his 4th year now joining
a gym class. He also joined a painting course—and has produced 12 lovely
paintings so far. (So yes, he does have classmates after all.)
∙ Together with other homeschooled kids in Catholic Filipino Academy, he’s
rappelled from a 30‐foot hanging bridge and swam in an underground
river! With them, he’s also visited zoos, parks, and factories.
∙ He has lots of other friends. He meets his playmates each Sunday at the
FEAST. They play the whole day! In the middle of the week, he gets to play
during our Care Group meetings. And believe me, his friends are the coolest
bunch of kids you can get on the planet.
∙ When he was 5 years old, he started a business selling Bangus and earned
enough money to buy his own toys.
∙ He plays the guitar and composes his own songs.
∙ He hosts a kids’ TV show each week. He’s having so much fun. (Catch him on
MustardTV, every 7am, Saturdays, on TV5.)
∙ He also writes for a kids’ magazine, Mustard.
∙ Because he’s not tied down in school, he travels with me a lot in my mission
trips. He’s been to ten countries so far. Again, it’s not so much the places we go
to, but the fact that we’re together—that’s the incredible gift.
∙ He’s great with computers and the internet.
∙ He’s writing his own book now.
∙ He has another project he’s busy with: Creating his own “godly” videogame
that will teach values to kids. I’m excited to see that one.
∙ He loves God. He wants to follow Jesus. (To be continued below…)
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Get a mountain load of spiritual blessings to nourish your soul! Log on at
www.kerygmafamily.com It’s totally FREE!
————————————————————————————
Hey, I’m not putting down regular schools. There are great schools out there!
But what I’m doing, perhaps for the first time, is making parents consider
homeschooling as a valid alternative. That it can be a great option for your kids.
Because for the longest time, homeschooling wasn’t even in the radar of most parents’
thinking. It was unthinkable. “Give the education of your kids to the experts,” we were told.
I repeat: There are great schools out there. So do your research.
With your research, why not study this option—Teach your kids at home.
I’m not going to kid you. It’s not easy. The sacrifices are huge.
But I think it’s a wonderful option to consider.
To find out more about homeschooling, check out my other website:
www.CatholicFilipinoAcademy.com You’ll find articles that will help you decide if
homeschooling is for you or not. Or call Rita at Tel. (632) 5336097 (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Mondays to Fridays).

Bo Sanchez

We Lost Our Baby
Three days ago, Marowe lost her baby.
She was 7 weeks pregnant.
And it was her third miscarriage.
We have three kids in Heaven: Angel, Benjamin, and now, Mikki.
But for the first time, I was able to go into the operating room. I sat in the corner, praying
for Marowe. After a few minutes, Dr. Sheila, our friend and Marowe’s OB‐Gyne, walked to my
corner. She opened her gloved hand and presented to me a tiny red blob. “This is the
embryonic sac,” she said.
It was baby Mikki.
I pulled out a bottle of holy water from my pocket. I whispered, “I baptize you in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Your name shall be Mikki. Welcome to the
Kingdom of God.”
At that moment, Marowe woke up.
I stood beside her and brushed her hair.
“I baptized Mikki,” I said.
A tear escaped her eye. And a faint smile appeared on her lips.
Friends, I thank God that we both trust God in our losses.
I don’t understand why God allows trials to happen to our lives.
But I’m content not understanding.
He doesn’t ask me to understand.
He calls me to trust.
And that’s what I do in situations like these.
You see, I believe that behind every problem is a hidden blessing.
He has a purpose why baby Mikki is in Heaven.
He has a purpose why we have three children in Heaven.
Because we believe that all things work for good to those who love Him.
I believe that even this situation is a perfect blessing.
I can only say, “Thank you, Lord.”

Bo Sanchez

Find Your Passion, Find Your Prosperity
“I didn’t know how to do my hair. So I put up a beauty parlor.”
Ella Sanchez is what you call a Serial Entrepreneur. That means she just loves putting up
businesses and will do so at a drop of a hat.
For 15 years, she ran a beauty parlor right beside her travel agency.
She also ran a suit shop in the hotel—because she needed suits to wear in her meetings.
She loved to garden, so she supplied the hotel with plants.
And because her office was in the hotel, she also ran a car rental company with 30 cars
and 60 tour guides.
But the travel agency was her first business.
I invited her for lunch one day. She was happy to meet me at a lovely restaurant. But
when she learned that I wanted to interview her, she was aghast. Still, she obliged. She had no
choice.
Ella Sanchez isn’t a relative. (Too many Sanchezes around in the Philippines.) But she is
such a wonderful person, I wish she were my sister. And in my heart, she really is.
And now, the interview she didn’t like to have… (continued below)

Are you looking for Spiritual Nourishment? If you live in Manila, join me at The FEAST every
Sunday at the Valle Verde Country Club (Beside ULTRA) in Pasig. After the Holy Mass, I preach
But if you live anywhere around the world, you can still receive spiritual nourishment
via our virtual community, www.KerygmaFamily.com Receive a mountain load of spiritual
blessings! Log on at www.KerygmaFamily.com now. It’s totally FREE!

Bo: Hi Ella. Can I interview you?
Ella: No!
Bo: Please?
Ella: My gosh.
Bo: What’s your philosophy in business?
Ella: When you like what you’re doing, your heart will be in it.
Bo: Are the smaller businesses still there?
Ella: Nope. I closed the beauty parlor, the suit shop, and the plants business because the
headaches were more than the money I earned. And during the Gulf War, tourists weren’t
coming so the car rental company began losing millions. So I moved on.
Bo: We should never be attached to our businesses.
Ella: That’s right.
Bo: And you’ve moved on to bigger things. Like you’re in the Airline business, representing
Garuda and American Airlines. Failure can be a message from God to move onto bigger
things. Tell me about your first business…
Ella: In 1976, I was an employee. I was a copywriter in an Advertising agency. I was probably
doing a good job because my boss invited me to be his partner in a travel agency. After 5 years,
when he went to the US, I bought him out.
Bo: Another lesson. Whatever you’re doing, do a good job. Who knows who’s going to invite
you to partner in a business? By the way, was it through your work in the travel agency that
you met Jesus in a personal way?
Ella: Yes, I had a spiritual conversion when I went to a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. My life has
never been the same since. And my business changed as well. We focused on spiritual
pilgrimages. So far, I’ve sent thousands of people to the Israel and other holy sites. Sometimes,
I lose money because some groups can’t reach the minimum number to make it financially
feasible. But because I’m doing this for God, I’m happy.
Bo: Let me plug here that ever since I began leading pilgrimages, Ella and Executive Resources
have been my travel agency. Because they do such a great job.
Ella: Thank you!
Bo: I’m leading another Pilgrimage to the Holy Land this April 20.
Ella: Yes, and we’re gathering pilgrims now for that trip. (Editor’s note: For more information,
email beaconlightevents@gmail.com or call Beckie at 7229562 from 9am‐6pm.)
Bo: What made you a Serial Entrepreneur?
Ella: My mother was an entrepreneur. We lived in the province and had a small farm. She
loved her workers. She took care of their needs. She’d take care of them when they needed
medicines or a hospital. Because they didn’t have the means to go to town, she paid the
workers in kind—such as rice and groceries, etc. But doing so also made her a little profit. We
had land but I never appreciated it before. Because we never had money. To enroll me to
school, Mom had to sell our pigs. To buy me a dress, she had to sell a sack of rice. I envied my
friends who had cars! And they had so much money. But it’s sad that today, they’re not
successful in life. Because they weren’t trained for success.
Bo: I agree.
Ella: Many young people today don’t have passion. I don’t know why. They have no hunger to
be better.
Bo: As opposed to a serial entrepreneur who never stops growing, always wanting to be
better everyday. Thank you for this interview, Ella!
Ella: I was going to pay for lunch. But since you interviewed me without even warning me, you’ll
have to pay for it!
Bo: Gee, you’re acting like my sister already.

Bo

Do You Want To Gain Financial Freedom?
I used to think that Christians should be poor.
I used to think that Christians should struggle with debts all the time, so that they can
trust God all the time. (Oh yes, I had weird ideas.)
I used to think that Christians should not aim to get into business or aim to grow their
money because that means they love money—which is the root of all evil.
Friends, I don’t believe in that garbage anymore.
I now believe that I can grow my money without loving money.
I now believe that I can grow my money and do it because I love God.
I now believe that Christians need to gain financial freedom—so they can provide for their
own family and also give generously to the Kingdom.
I’d like to invite you to my How To Be Truly Rich Seminar on June 6, 2009, in Quezon
City. It will transform your thinking—and thereby transform your life. Here’s a part of what
you’ll gain…
∙ You’ll discover the invisible prisons of your mind that have kept you in financial
bondage all these years—and how you can finally break out of those internal
prisons!
∙ You’ll discover the negative, emotionally‐charged, beliefs that have kept you stuck
in your financial level all these years—and how you can face them and change them.
∙ You’ll conquer the common external obstacles that have always prevented you
from moving forward on your road of material abundance.
∙ You’ll learn to take 100% responsibility for your financial life, no longer blaming
others for your money problems—thereby giving you the power to solve them!
∙ You’ll learn how to be spiritually open to the pacific ocean of God’s blessings
around you waiting for you to claim them.
∙ You’ll learn the powerful secret of how to attract wealth to your life.
∙ And so much more!
Now, the cost.
We regularly charge P8,000.00++ per person when companies ask me to give a private
Seminar to their employees. But as a way of helping more people through our ministry, we
sometimes offer it to the public at the subsidized cost of P475 only per person. (That’s not a
typo!) I suggest you sign up as soon as you can because the class gets filled up easily.
To register, call Beckie now at Tel. (02) 7229562 or email her at
beaconlightevents@gmail.com. Don’t delay! We don’t want to reject your application
because we’ve reached the maximum number of participants.

Bo Sanchez

Do You Spend Enough Time With Your Kids?
This morning, I biked with my boys around our little village.
More accurately, Francis rode his bike and Bene rode his scooter. They flew around the
block like young Arabian Racehorses. Me? I was on my sandaled feet chasing (and panting) after
them. So I also felt like a horse too, but I was like those aging ones that pulled Karitellas in
Quiapo and Intramuros.
But I loved it. I got sunlight. I got exercise. I got fresh air. Most importantly, I got lots of
love. Because I was spending time with the boys. Gosh, what else can I ask for?

After I write this blog, I’ll join the brood downstairs. I’ll slip in a VCD of Jurasic Park in our
player. My wife Marowe is now cooking buttered popcorn and she’ll give each of us a giant
bowl. The boys will sit on the floor and my wife and I will plop on the couch behind them. While
we munch popcorn, we’ll see dinosaurs munch people. (Hmm, maybe we should watch
something else…)
Here are a few other favorite things we do together:
∙ I doodle with the little guys. Francis loves to draw roller coasters and Bene loves to
draw fun caricatures of the family.
∙ I sit on the floor and play cars, planes, and trains with them—whatever their flavor
of the month is.
∙ I play 15 minutes of video games with Bene everyday. (We only allow him to play
for 30 minutes a day.) Obviously, he beats me every single time.
∙ I read books to them, especially before sleeping. This is something they both
love. Or sometimes we just make up stories together out of thin air.
People ask me, “How do you get the time to do all these?”
Easy. I don’t do certain things. Like I don’t watch TV. And I don’t surf the net for
entertainment.
Friends, do you spend enough time with your kids?
Share to the world your activities by writing at the comments below. Inspire others.
Here’s my belief: When parents spend time with their kids, we solve a lot of problems in the
world.

Bo Sanchez

Wake Up Early!
I’m now an early riser.
I wasn’t like this before. There was a time when I woke up at 7am, sometimes at 8am,
and it’s all rush, rush, rush from there. This is so shameful to admit this to all of you, but in my
haste, I even tried brushing my teeth, combing my hair, and taking a leak at the same time. (You
don’t want to try it.)
A long time ago, I thought I was a night person.
In college, I read in our psychology textbook that there are people who are morning
people and night people. Because I slept late and woke up late, I concluded that I was a night
person.
Twenty years later, I realized I was wrong. I woke up late because I slept late.
Today, I wake up at 5am. Sometimes, even 4am.
That’s when I do my “inner work”. This sacred time include my morning Tai Chi, cycling
on my stationary bike, reading books, writing on my journal, and chats with the Almighty.
Picture this: Before 5am, in the darkness of my backyard, I inhale the cool air and slowly
do my Tai Chi movements. It is just wonderful.
By 7am, I do my preliminary work: planning and answering emails.
By 8am, I bike around the village with my boys. We have breakfast and we horse around
the house a bit. My favorite part of my day.
By 10am, I’m back in my home office working.
Man, I just love my mornings!
Let me tell you how I wake up early…
Is Your Dream Big Enough To Wake You Up?
People ask me, “Bo, how can I wake up early?”
I can give you lots of advice, but let me start with the most important one: Have a big
dream that’s so exciting, it’ll wake you up every morning.
Some people ask, “What dream? I don’t have a dream…”
Perhaps that’s the problem.
If you really had BHAG Dreams (Big Hairy Audacious Goals), you’ll have no problem
waking up in the morning.
Are you excited with life?
Do you believe that God made you for greatness?
Write down your dreams. Read them everyday. Talk about it with your friends. Get
passionate about life!

Don’t Lounge, Just Stand Up

Years ago, I had the habit of waking up but staying in bed for a few more minutes just to
rest a bit. I always felt that my sleep wasn’t enough. Sometimes, because I chose to lounge
around the warm bed, I wake up really late.
So it was rush, rush, rush again.
Not wise.
I’ve now decided to do something very simple: the moment my eyes open, I stand
up. That’s it. This little habit has worked miracles for my day.
I stand up and start my morning ritual.
When you study successful people in business, many of them wake up early.
I know that my financial mentors (who are either multimillionaires or billionaires) wake
up early too.
Why not you?

Bo Sanchez

Do You Want To Be Very Happy?
Let me tell you a crazy story.
One morning, a woman was sad when she faced the mirror. She discovered she only had
3 strands of hair on her head. Suddenly, she smiled. “Today,” she said, “I’ll braid my hair!” And
after doing so, she walked out of her home and had fun, fun, fun.
The next morning, the woman woke up and felt sad as she saw the mirror. She
discovered she only had 2 strands of hair. Suddenly, she smiled. “Today,” she said, “I’ll part my
hair in the middle.” After she did that, she walked out of her home and had fun, fun, fun.
discovered she only had 1 strand of hair left. Suddenly, she smiled. “Today,” she said, “I’ll wear
my hair in a ponytail.” After she did that, she walked out of her home and had fun, fun, fun.
discovered she had zero hair left. Suddenly, she smiled. “Yeepee!” she shouted in glee, “I don’t
have to do my hair today!” Immediately, she walked out of her home and had fun, fun, fun.
Do you want to be happy?
Here’s how…

The Difference Between Pleasure and Happiness

A thick wad of P1000 bills gives pleasure.
A chocolate parfait with thick chocolate syrup gives pleasure.
A fun movie, with a bucket of popcorn on the side, gives pleasure.
A roller coaster ride gives pleasure.
A kiss gives pleasure.
What’s the difference between pleasure and happiness?
Pleasure is an outside job.
But happiness is an inside job.
It doesn’t depend on any external circumstances. Yep, even if you only have three strands
of hair on your head.
Happiness isn’t the absence of problems.
By the way, do you want me to show you a few people who don’t have
problems? Great. Bring your shovel out and let’s dig them up from their graves.
The Bible doesn’t say, “Be joyful sometimes.” Or “Be joyful when you don’t have
problems.” The Bible says, “Be joyful always.”
It that possible? I mean, c’mon. No one can be happy 365 days a year.
But the Bible says, “Be joyful always” because happiness isn’t a mood.
Happiness isn’t an emotion either.
Happiness is a way of life.

7 Tools Of Happiness
I know of strange human beings walking this face of the earth who are extremely
happy. Not just moderately or mildly happy. But deeply joyful. (Hey, you may be one of
them. Congratulations!)
I know them. Some of them are my friends.
Because of my work, I’ve traveled all over the world.
Last count: 36 countries. That’s a lot of frequent flyer miles, jet lag, and lost luggage.
But that also means I’ve met more people than the average person on the street. It’s not just
the sheer number or the variety of people I’ve met. Because I’m a preacher, I’ve not only met
them, I’ve engaged many of them on a deep level. Like on our first meeting (or phone call or
email), they open up their heart and pour to me their problems like I was their soul mate.
So I have this distinct advantage of knowing lots and lots of people on an intensity that’s
beyond superficial.
So I asked myself this question: Who are the happiest people I know? I listed them
down. After sifting through the hundreds of thousands of people archived in my brain, I asked a
more difficult question: What is common among them all?
I came up with seven great things I see in extremely happy people.
I call them the 7 Tools of Happiness:
1. Happy people create their destiny
2. Happy people like themselves a lot
3. Happy people nurture connections
4. Happy people find delight everywhere
5. Happy people embrace change
6. Happy people trust deeply
7. Happy people work their purpose daily
At the FEAST, for the next few Sundays, I’m preaching on these 7 Tools of Happiness. (If
you want to join me, it’s at Valle Verde Country Club, beside ULTRA, in Pasig. Join us every
Sunday with three sessions to choose from: 8am, 10:30, and 1pm. It’s FREE! For more
information, email support@kerygmafamily.com.)
But let me share with you why many people are unhappy…

Your Body Is Hardwired To Be Afraid
The enemy of happiness isn’t sadness.
The enemy of happiness isn’t problems.
The enemy of happiness isn’t loneliness.
The enemy of happiness is fear.
Our lives are so fueled by it. We run our lives by fear.
In Dan Baker’s excellent book, What Happy People Know, he explains how our body
circuitry is wired to fear.
Our brains have three parts. The brain stem, the amygdala, and the neocortex. The more
primitive parts of our brains, the brain steam (also called the reptilian brain, because reptiles
have these for brains) and the amygdala are programmed for fear.
Why? Our ancestors needed fear for their physical survival. Imagine yourself living in the
wilderness with lions, wolves, and cobras around you. Danger lurks behind every tree and
shaddow.
Once their brains register fear, the endocrine glands produce our fear hormones
adrenaline and cortisol. It gave them super strength to fight or flight. And in fighting or fleeing,
they exhaust the adrenaline and cortisol in their bodies. Well and good. But what about us who
usually sit behind desks and work on computers?
We still have the same fear mechanism.
But this time, we’re no longer afraid of lions or cobras behind every tree.
We afraid of our rising credit card bills.
We’re afraid of our boss.
We’re afraid of losing our jobs.
We’re afraid for our children—what will happen to their future?
We’re afraid that at 35, we won’t get married anymore.
We’re afraid we’ll grow lonely.
We’re afraid we’ll run out of money.
We’re afraid of social rejection.
We’re afraid of social shame and losing face.
We’re afraid of disease.
And these fears are so real, our endocrine glands produce adrenaline and cortisol as
well. And because we’re seated behind our desks, pounding on our computers, we really don’t
use up any of it. Adrenaline and cortisol become poison in our bodies, destroying our health bit
by bit.
Thus, very few people are happy.
Conclusion: If you want to be happy, we need to overcome our fears.
How?
The Only Antidote to Fear Is…
Twenty years ago, a friend gave me a book about facing fears.
My arrogant response to her: “Thanks for the book. But frankly, I don’t think I need it. I
don’t know why, but fear isn’t a problem for me. I don’t have any fears.”
Ten years later, I ate my words.
Because after a deep soul search, I realized how my life was run by many fears. Many of
the things I was doing I did because of fear!
I feared what other people said about me.
I feared failure.
I feared angry people.
I feared of not having enough.
I feared of not being enough.
In my life, I’ve discovered that there is only one thing that can overcome fear.
There is only one thing that is more powerful than fear.
The only antidote to fear is love.
When you fill your life with love, your fears naturally disappears.
I’m talking about a love for God, a love for others, a love for yourself, and a love for life
itself. The Bible says, Perfect love casts out all fear, and I totally believe it.
In fact, remember the 7 Tools of Happiness I listed above? Every single one of them is
really a facet of love—and each tool can drive away a specific fear in your life. Once your fears
are gone, happiness will flood your soul.
I’ll talk more about it in my next Blog.

How To Create Your Destiny
One day, Marissa was strolling on the beach.
And that was when she stumbled upon a lovely Genie’s lamp.
With much excitement, she picked it up and rubbed it. True enough, POOF, a giant Genie
appeared right in front of her!
The bald‐headed fellow bowed low before Marissa and said, “Lady, your wish shall be my
command. What do you want me to do for you?”
Startled by the phenomenal site in front of her, she could only think of one thing. She
said, “World Peace”.
“Eh?” The Genie scratched his head. “Lady, this isn’t a Beauty Pageant. My goodness, you
want me to give you World Peace? That’s impossible. I mean, think of the Middle East conflict
that has been there for the past 3000 years. Or the tribal wars in Africa… C’mon Lady, give me
a break. Can you think of something easier?”
Marissa began to think hard. Finally, she said, “I’m still single. And I want to meet a really
drop‐dead gorgeous guy who doesn’t smoke, drink, gamble, or womanize. He should be kind,
thoughtful, responsible, and godly. He should also earn a lot of money. Finally, I want him to fall
in love with me the moment he sees me.”
For a few moments, the Genie stared at Marissa.
Finally he said, “You know what? Let’s just work on World Peace…”
Friends, Marisa has to fire this Genie.
Let me tell you why…

The Story of Jessica Cox
Jessica Cox is a happy 25‐year old Filipina‐American woman.
But she was born with a rare birth defect.
She was born without arms.
Doctors cannot explain why. But her father, an American retired music teacher, and her
mother, a nurse from Samar, gave her all the love she needed to overcome her disability.
And overcome, she did.
Today, Jessica is a licensed pilot, flying her airplane with her feet.
She also has 2 Black Belts from the American Tae Kwon‐Do Federation and the
International Tae Kwon‐Do Association.
With her feet, she also plays the piano, drives a car, texts her friends on her cell phone,
and puts on her contact lenses all by herself.
I read her story and realized anew the power of our dreams.
Almost anything is possible for those who believe.
We need a Genie that believes this.
But you have more than a Genie. You have a God within you who has given you all the
resources you need to fulfill the dreams He has planted in your heart.

Focus Not On Your Disability,
Focus On Your Dreams
Jessica could have just moped at home, angry at God that she as born without arms. She
could have sat and watched TV the whole day, wasting her life in misery. She could have just
cried and cried, “I don’t have arms!”
Instead, she shouted with joy, “I have legs!”
All of us have disabilities.
Perhaps you don’t like how you look. Perhaps you come from a broken family. Perhaps
you were born poor. Perhaps you were molested as a child. Perhaps your boyfriend dumped
you. Perhaps you don’t have a job right now.
I’ve got good news for you. You can be happy. You can overcome!
Whatever your disability is, the key to overcome it is by not focusing on it.
Don’t focus on what you don’t have, focus on what you have.
Don’t focus on your disabilities, focus on your possibilities!

Don’t Aim For Zero
Dan Baker in his great book, What Happy People Know, gives a mathematical explanation
why focusing on our problems don’t work.
Imagine that because of your problem, you’re a negative ten.
In trying to fix your problem, you’re trying to move back to zero.
From my experience, this is slow. Fixing problems is tiring. Perhaps after a few months,
you’d be able to raise yourself from a negative ten to a negative eight.
Here’s a better way: Don’t focus on your problem, focus on your dream.
When you do, you leapfrog from a negative ten to a positive ten. You bypass
zero! Why? Because dreams excite. Big dreams attract more energy, more attention, and more
resources.

We’re Trained To Focus on Problems
I asked my staff to get me a bunch of old newspapers and divide them into two
piles. Based on their headlines, divide into Good News and Bad News.
You know what happened, right?
I got a tall pile of Bad News, and teensy weensy pile of Good News.
Media sells Bad News. We’ve been trained to focus on your Bad News.
The other day, I gave a seminar to 200 Store Managers of a clothing company. I told them
to stop reading the newspaper (figuratively). Because all they read about is negative: the
financial crisis, companies closing down, and people losing their jobs… It’s so depressing.
They’ll be opening their stores with this outlook in life. “Oh boy, no one will come in and
buy our clothes…” And when someone does enter their store, they’ll say to themselves, “She’s
just going to look. She won’t buy…”
But when you focus on your problems, you begin to have tunnel vision. Like a horse with
blinders. You miss out on the fantastic opportunities for expansion and blessing outside your
narrow vision.
Here’s a business tip for entrepreneurs: Don’t just solve problems. Focus on your
dreams. Solving the problems becomes part of reaching for your dreams—but you did it with
passion and excitement.

Why Focusing On Your Dream Is Important
To Your Happiness
The act of choosing is oxygen for your soul.
Choosing feels good!
I’ve met countless of people who can’t choose. They run their lives on fear. Because they
fear others, and what other people say, they let other people run their lives. Their bosses. Their
families. Their friends.
That is one miserable way to live.
Happy people create their future. It’s not created for them. They deliberately choose what
they want to do and where they want to go.
I met a big executive who was so harassed at work, working 16 hours a day. His family was
a mess, his health was a mess. I told him to take a month‐long leave to pray and reach out to
his wife and kids. He said he couldn’t do it. “My boss will kill me!” he says. He was afraid he’d
lose his job, lose the lifestyle he was accustomed to having. He was afraid of what other people
will say if he downgrades. This big, imposing, intimidating man was really a coward, a man run
by many fears.
In my last blog, I wrote that the only antidote to fear is love.
God’s love for you. And your love for God. Love for others. Love for oneself. And love for
life itself!

In my next blog, I’ll continue these thoughts on real happiness.
By the way, this is a short version of the talks I give at the Sunday FEAST at Valle Verde
Country Club, Pasig. If you live in Metro Manila, join me each Sunday at the FEAST. It’s the
happiest place on earth. For more information, call Tel. 7259999 or email
support@kerygmafamily.com.

Bo Sanchez

Do You Like Yourself A Lot?
If you don’t mind, let me start with an old Genie joke.
One day, a Genie appeared to a woman and said, “This is your lucky day! I will give you 3
wishes.”
“Yeheey!” the woman squealed.
“But on one condition,” said the Genie, “Whatever you ask for, your husband will
receive 3 times more.”
The woman frowned, “What? But I hate my husband! He’s a despicable man!”
The Genie shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m the Love Genie. I repeat: What you ask for,
your husband will receive 3 times more.”
The woman said, “Oh, okay. My first wish: Make me very rich. I want $1 Million.”
The Genie asked, “Are you sure? Your husband will have $3 Million.”
She says, “Oh, never mind. What is his is mine and what is mine is his.”
“Very well then!” the Genie said, and with a wave of his hand, and “Poof!” the woman
had $1 Million—and her husband had $3 Million.
“My second request is that I want to be very beautiful.”
The Genie asked, “Are you sure? Your husband will look like Piolo Pascual and Sam
Milby and John Lloyd put together. This is very dangerous. The girls will flock to him.”
The woman said, “Just as long as I’ll be beautiful.”
And with the wave of his hand, “Poof!”, and she became utterly beautiful and the
husband three times more handsome.
The woman then said, “For the third wish, I would like to have a very mild heart attack.”

Life Is A Mirror

Here’s the lesson: Whatever you give to yourself, you give to others more.
If you like yourself, you’ll like others too.
If you dislike yourself, you’ll dislike others too.
Because life is a mirror. What you see in others is a reflection of what you see in yourself.
I’ve met very critical people. Sometimes, I think they feel that they were born to criticize
others. It’s their life mission. All they do is size up everyone they meet and point out their
mistakes. Where does this critical spirit come from? In their heart of hearts, I believe they don’t
like themselves. And they project this self‐criticalness on others.
This “disliking ourselves” is more widespread than we think…

It’s An Epidemic
At their inner core, people don’t feel good about themselves. Like background music
playing 24 hours a day, people inflict upon themselves self‐rejection, self‐doubt, self‐contempt.
It’s an epidemic in the world today, and it’s robbing people of much happiness.
Where does this sickness of self‐hatred come from?
Self‐hatred comes from fear. After all, hate is fear. We hate what we fear.
Specifically, we fear we’re not enough. Bottom line, we fear we’re unloved.
And when we don’t like ourselves, we try to solve it by many common false solutions. For
lack of space, let me give you two here. One is having Status Symbols. The other is Religious
Performance.

Collecting Status Symbols
I know a lot of people who clutch, grab, and collect Status Symbols.
I remember the story of the guy with a BMW. After parking, as he opened the door,
another car crashed it and ripped out his door—together with his entire arm.
When the police came, they saw the guy looking at his mashed up BMW and crying, “My
car! My car! It’s gone…”
The police said, “Excuse me sir, but don’t you realize that your arm is gone?”
The man looked at where his arm was supposed to be, and when he saw nothing, began
to cry, “Oh my gosh! Where’s my Rolex?”
Some are so attached with their Status Symbols.
You see these people walking in malls. Shirt by Lacoste. Shoes by Bally. Watch by
Rolex. Waistline by Crispy Creams.
I was talking to a friend who wore a Rolex watch. I asked him, “I’m curious. Why are you
wearing a P300,000 watch on your wrist?”
His answer made me very sad. He said, “Honestly? To make me feel like somebody. To
make me feel good about myself.”
Wow. If I want to feel good, I breathe. I smile. I pray. I love.
Let me give you another false solution to not liking ourselves…
We Make God In Our Image

The other false solution is Religious Performance.
When we don’t like ourselves, some get into religious practices to appease a God whom
they believe also doesn’t like them. Why?
Because life is a mirror.
Because we make God in our image and likeness.
Because we project our self‐hatred on God.
For years, I used to be like this. I prayed, read the Bible, and did my religious work
because I wanted the approval of an angry God.
No more.
I do all these because He loved me first. (1 John 1:14)
So how do you start liking yourself a lot?

What’s Your Default Question?
You have a Default Question that you ask yourself a thousand times a day.
It’s like your OS or Operating System, working in the background.
For many people, their Default Question is “What’s wrong?”
They wake up in the morning and unconsciously ask, “What’s wrong with this day? What’s
wrong with my life?”
And throughout the day, they keep asking their Default Question:
“What’s wrong with my husband?”
“What’s wrong with my parents?”
“What’s wrong with my kids?”
“What’s wrong with my job?”
“What’s wrong with my friends?”
And the deadliest Default Question is “What’s wrong with me?”
Some people ask this question again and again throughout the day, it kills their
spirit. Because they find so many things wrong about them. No wonder they don’t like
themselves!
The question “What’s wrong?” is a very useful question—not as a Default Question—but
as a question during emergencies. (When there’s really something wrong!)
What then should be your Default Question?

Key: Appreciation
The Default Question we should ask is, “What’s right?”
Ask it a thousand times a day.
“What’s right about this day? What’s right about my husband? What’s right about my
kids? What’s right about my job?”
And especially the very healthy question, “What’s right about me?”
If the Bible is right that you’re really made in the image of God, then by golly gee, you
must be a phenomenal human being.
You’ve got stuff in you that are fantastic—and you need to take time to appreciate them.
Remember: Only love can defeat fear. And appreciation is love.
When Jesus healed the ten lepers, only one came back to thank Him. He asked, “Where
are the other nine?” On that day, ten were healed physically but only one was healed
completely. Ten were healed physically but only one was healed physically and spiritually.
Heal yourself by appreciation.
And here’s one thing you can do…

Write It Down

Sit down and write 25 things you like about yourself.
I did this the other day and couldn’t stop at 25. I ended up writing 67 things I like about
myself! And since the list is in my journal, I plan to keep adding onto it until I reach100.
But start with 25. Celebrate who you are. Thank God for who you are!
This will change you.
All of a sudden, you realize how special you are.
And slowly, you’ll start liking yourself a lot.

The Most Important Reason
Three days ago, I was swamped with work.
I had so many articles to write, so many meetings to plan, so many business
concerns… But my wife said, “Please bring Francis to the Barbershop. He’ll be a ring
bearer.” That’s the disadvantage of having a cute son. He gets to be ring bearer a lot.
So I put aside all my work in the afternoon and brought him to the Barber.
After the haircut, I was thinking that we were going back home so I could work. That
was when 4‐year old Francis said, “Daddy, I’m hungry.”
So we marched to Jollibee and he ate chicken and rice at 4 in the afternoon!
Again, as we were leaving, I was presuming I could now go back to work. But Francis
tugged on my arm again and said, “Daddy, I’m still hungry.” My gosh. Where does this little guy
put all that food?
Later on, I realized he was hungry not for food but for love. Specifically, hungry for
Daddy’s love.
So we kept on walking, visiting other shops, until he saw a playground. His eyes grew
large and said, “Daddy, can I play?”
I believe life is about moments. So I bought myself a cup of coffee, sat on a park bench,
and enjoyed watching my 4‐year old jump from one slide to another.
We had the grandest time.
Why did I disrupt my whole afternoon for Francis?
Because I’m his father and he’s my son.
He’s more important than all my work.
He’s more important than all my ministries.
He’s more important than all the books I write and all the talks I give.
Friend, this is the ultimate reason why you need to like yourself.
Because you have a Father who loves you so much.
You’re more important than all the stars in the sky.
You’re more important than all the galaxies of this universe.
In the heart of God, nothing compares with you.
If He loves you this much, how can you not like yourself?

Bo Sanchez

How Do You Create Happy Relationships?
My little boy wanted a pet dog.
But my wife doesn’t like dogs.
So we gave him a potted plant instead.
I know. We sound cruel, but that’s not true. We even disinfect the torture chambers in
our basement regularly with Lysol.
“You need to learn responsibility,” my wife told my son. “If you take care of your potted
plant, we’ll know if you can take care of a pet dog.”
The logic was superb. But for some reason, my son wasn’t too happy. My wife pinched
me, indicating that it was now my turn to tell my son something. Anything. (I’m very adept in
the language of pinchywoo. It’s an ancient dialect where people spoke to each other by
pinching.) In pinchywoo language, my wife wanted me to tell my son that he had to accept the
fact that he’ll be the only boy in the entire galaxy that’ll have a potted plant for a pet. Isn’t that
cool?
I had to think of something, fast. And eureka, my brilliant mind remembered a profound
philosophical insight from an ancient source.
I quoted Barney, the purple dinosaur. “Just imagine, just imagine!” I pointed to the plant
and said, “Imagine this is a dog. Let’s call him a name. I suggest Ruff.”
My son’s jaw dropped.
“Ruff is very unique,” I went on, “He doesn’t bark. He doesn’t eat. He doesn’t poop. He
doesn’t walk. He doesn’t lick your face with saliva…”
“Uh…maybe because it’s not a dog?” my son interrupted my creativity.
“Shhh. Don’t say that,” I whispered, “The plant may hear you…”
“I don’t get it,” my son said.
“The plant has to think it’s a dog too.”
His eyes rolled up to the ceiling.
“Son, you only have to do one thing. You have to water it, everyday.”
“Sure, Dad,” my son intoned with the great excitement and enthusiasm and zest of
a…potted plant.
Soon, he forgot about watering his pet plant. He found it boring. Hmm, I wonder why.
And in a few weeks, Ruff the potted plant died.
We didn’t bury him. After all, it wasn’t really a dog.

Water Your Relationships with Love
Do you want to have happy relationships?
Your relationships are just like plants.
You need to water them daily or they die.
For relationships, their water is love.
If you don’t give your relationships enough time, or attention, or respect, or kindness—
all of which are expressions of love—they too will die.
Happy relationships don’t just happen. You make them happen.
How do you create happy relationships?
Here is the secret: Deliberately nurture them.
The key word is “deliberate”.
I know of husbands and wives who live under one roof but whose hearts are so far
apart, you’d think one lives in Venus and the other in Mars. (Hmm, why does that sound so
familiar?) I know of parents and kids who no longer connect at a deep level—because they’re
not deliberate in nurturing their relationship.
All the happy people I know in this world are fantastic experts in building happy
relationships. No exceptions.
Today, I want to share with you 4 powerful ways of creating happy relationships in your
life.

1) Create Patterns of Connection

Spending time with each other must be a pattern—or it won’t happen.
You can’t say, “When I have free time, I’ll play with my kids” or “Whenever my schedule
lightens up, I’ll date my spouse”. Believe me, they’ll never happen.
My wife and I set aside Tuesday night for our weekly date night.
Nothing touches that sacred time. Unless Pope Benedict calls me up to ask for my
opinion on some Theological issue. Or President Obama requests for a videoconference with
me on certain world issues he needs clarity on.
This is what “Create Patterns” means. I don’t accept any speaking engagements or place
any of my meetings on Tuesday nights. This isn’t easy. I lead nine non‐profit organizations,
three of which are international. I also run a few small businesses. For over ten years now, my
wife and I have been faithful to our Tuesday nights.
And for my kids? On Monday mornings, I have a yummy breakfast with my eldest son
Bene. We go out and grab pancakes and omelets together. We talk about life and how to
conquer the world.
For my 4‐year old son, we don’t have dates. He doesn’t appreciate them yet. But what
he does appreciate is that we go biking together every morning. Correction: He bikes and I run
beside him breathless.
Patterns don’t just happen. I make them happen regularly—or they don’t happen at all.
But creating Patterns of Connection isn’t enough. You need to determine the quality of
these connections…

2) Be Kind
I know. Boring, right?
Some of you may be asking, “Bo, can you be a little bit more sophisticated? Call kindness
something else. Invent a big word.”
Okay, I can play that game.
If you want to be happy, enlarge your psychoneuralsensitivity and affective‐
interpersonalization skills…”
Nah. Solutions are simple.
Friends, do you want to have happy relationships? Be kind.
Oh, if only husbands become kind to their wives—and vice versa—a lot of marriages will
be saved. And if only parents become kind to their kids—and vice versa—a lot of families will
become great again.
Yes, I’m talking about old‐fashioned kindness!
∙ To speak with respect.
∙ To be courteous.
∙ To show affection. (Hugs.)
∙ To give affirmation.
∙ To be gentle.
∙ To serve in the little things.
∙ To smile and delight when you see them.
∙ To encourage.
I’ve seen many people who’re very kind to visitors and friends—speaking to them with
great gentleness. They smile at them. They make them comfortable. They defer to them. And
yet these very kind and respectful people will turn around and scream at their own family
members! All of sudden, they’ll be rude, selfish, and uncommunicative.
If you want to create happy relationships, make a decision to be kind to everyone—your
family members included.
How many times do you say, “I love you” to your parents? (Answer? Daily!)
How many times do you hug your kids? (Answer: Many times a day!)
How many times do you praise your spouse? (Answer: 7x a day!)
Show kindness everyday!
The next principle is equally important…

3) Prioritize People over Money
One day, two very proud Egyptian Jewelers were on the street, debating who had the
biggest, most beautiful diamonds.
“I’ve got the biggest diamonds!” shouted one man. The other said, “Well, I’ve got the
most beautiful diamonds!” Their voices were loud and angry, just like Congressmen in the
Philippines.
A third man approached them and smiled, “My name is Ibrahim Matta Zakariya Yunus
Al‐Yasa Efraim Dawud bin Tariq bin Khalid Al‐Fulan.”
“What?” the two Jewelers asked.
“Just call me Ib for short. I’m also a Jeweler. May I tell you a story?” Before they could
answer, Ib continued, “One day, I was going to another city to sell my diamonds. And I had to
cross a large dessert. But that day, a fierce sandstorm came out of nowhere. It was the biggest
and fiercest sandstorms I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. And I lost my way in the
desert. After many days wandering, I was dying of starvation…”
“Oh no…” said the Jewelers, “What did you do?” The two men had totally forgotten
their argument and were now totally mesmerized by Ib’s story. (That is why I propose that
when Congressmen are debating uselessly, they should show Korean and Mexican Telenovelas
during their sessions. There will be less fights.)
“I sat on the sands, giving up all hope,” Ib said, “but mindlessly, I went through my bags
for the hundredth time. Lo and behold, I saw a hidden pocket I didn’t see before. I opened it
and saw a black pouch! Oh, you can imagine how excited I was. Perhaps it was food, I told
myself. And so with trembling fingers, I opened it…”
“Was it food?” one Jeweler asked.
“Water perhaps?” the other one said.
“Neither. With great dismay and utter frustration, I saw that the pouch was filled with
nothing else but diamonds. It was just diamonds!”
Friends, there are some things more important than money.
As I write this, there are many rich people who are dying on their death beds, surrounded
by their millions, but their hearts are hungry for love—and they find none.
Question: Does this mean that you can’t be wealthy?

4) Make Others Successful
You can aspire to become a millionaire.
But there’s something more important than becoming a millionaire: To become a
millionaire‐maker.
If people are more important than money, you don’t want to be rich alone. You can’t. It’s
against your identity and your core values.
So you take others with you in this journey towards true wealth. You take your partners,
your employees, your friends, and your family.
You’re not greedy. You give the people you love the opportunity to make their millions
too.
You want to share your wealth.
This is the greatest success you can acheive: When you help others become successful.
Go!

Bo Sanchez

Use Gratitude To Receive More Blessings
Grumpy Grandma Gladys was the crankiest old woman in town.
One day, she announced to her family, “I want a pet. It’s gotta be perfect!”
Boy, did her family have a hard time looking for a pet for her.
A nephew gave her a cat.
“Too clingy,” she complained and returned it.
A niece gave her a turtle.
“Too slow,” she complained and returned it.
A granddaughter gave her a parrot.
After a few days, she returned it and said, “It complains a lot!”
Finally, they hit a pot of gold when they found a very special dog that was a genius. The
pet shop owner even told them, “I don’t even know how intelligent this dog is! He keeps
surprising me everyday.” The family was so excited, they gave the dog to Grandma Gladys,
hoping that it will finally give the old woman a happier disposition in life.
The next day, the family saw Grandma Gladys playing chess with the dog!
They were amazed, they said, “Aunt Gladys! That must be the smartest dog in the
world!”
She smirked, “Nah…, I’m returning him to you too. He’s lost 3 of the last 5 games.”
No matter what you do, this Grandma will never be happy.
The choice is ours: To be thankful or complain‐full.
I believe this choice even affects your wealth…

Question: Are You Wealthy?
The story above is pure fiction.
Let me now tell you a true story.
This lady is a multi‐millionaire.
But completely and absolutely poor.
If you’re confused, keep reading.
This wealthy woman has 5 helpers, 1 gardener, and 2 drivers.
“Maid #1 is my personal assistant,” she explained to me one day. “I can’t live without
her. She holds my cell phone. She budgets for the house. More importantly, she gives me a foot
massage every night. Maid #2 cleans the house. Maid #3 does the laundry. Maid #4 cooks. And
Maid #5 is the assistant of Maid #1.”
By chance, I met her one morning and she blurted out, “Brother Bo, I feel so
stressed! Life is so difficult. Why is God doing this to me?”
“Why? What happened?” I asked. I imagined the worst.
“One of my maids is taking a vacation,” she cried, “and she’s been away for a week
now. So instead of five maids, I’m down to four. Oh my gosh, I don’t know what to do
anymore! My life is in such a mess.”
Wow. Poor woman. I mean, having four maids is such a tragedy, right? No human being
should go through such a trial. Makes you want to console her. With a few swats on the head.
I wish I could say that I exaggerated the story to make you laugh.
Sorry. This is a true story.

Wealth Is Measured By What?
I’m fully convinced now.
Wealth isn’t money.
Wealth isn’t the cars you drive or the houses you own.
Wealth isn’t your jewelry, the stocks, bonds, or cash in your bank.
I now believe that wealth is an emotion.
Wealth is an inner feeling.
More precisely, wealth is an outlook, an attitude, a belief.
And the most obvious measurement of wealth is gratitude.
My friend above, though a multi‐millionaire, is very poor because she has very little
gratitude. Ungratefulness is focusing on what she didn’t have; Gratitude is focusing on what
you have.
I learned this lesson a long time ago…

Aling Doring’s Point‐Point
There was a time in my life when I had very little money.
Most days, I couldn’t afford to eat in Jollibee.
So everyday, I went to this tiny corner store called Point‐Point.
In Tagalog, Turo‐Turo.
Instead of a chair, it had a rough wooden bench.
Instead of a table, it had a linoleum‐covered plywood.
Instead of air‐conditioning, it had this large sweaty lady named Aling Doring who, with a
native abanico in her hand, fanned me and swatted the army of flies around me. She also
provided us great entertainment—telling us about Showbiz gossip from Inday Badiday. (Okay,
now you know which century this took place.)
Point‐Point sold me a bottomless soup, a cup of rice, a few strips of ampalaya, and 3
chunks of adobo—all for P10 only. That was a long time ago. When I was young and
handsome. (Now, I’m just handsome.)
But every time I ate there, I felt so happy. I felt like a king. I felt so rich!
Imagine, I could eat! So many people—30% of the world—were starving.
So I enjoyed the yummy food. I enjoyed Aling Doring’s banter. I enjoyed the jeepney
drivers who ate with me–their smells, their burps, and their laughter. It was absolutely
lovely. And I always thanked God for everything.
Today, I have a little bit more money. Most of my business lunches are now done in five‐
star hotels and restaurants. I’ve been upgraded.
But deep inside, nothing has changed. I still feel like a king. I still feel rich.
Oh yes, compared to my billionaire financial mentors, I own crumbs. But in my heart, I’m
already a billionaire. (I hope you are too.)
Remember this powerful truth: Your Wealth equals your Gratitude. And your Gratitude
equals your Wealth.
But what kind of gratitude do you have?
Let’s find out…

3 Kinds Of Gratitude
There are three degrees of gratitude:
∙ Superficial Gratitude
∙ Simple Gratitude
∙ Sacred Gratitude

1. Superficial Gratitude

This is when you’re thankful for Big‐Ticket items only.
You win the Lotto.
You get a new car.
You finally pass the board exam after 9 tries.
Your daughter finally gets married at 45.
Your visa is approved after 16 years of waiting.
Your adulterous, jobless, alcoholic husband finally changes.
Or your adulterous, jobless, alcoholic husband finally dies.
Whichever comes first.
I mean, how can’t you not say thanks?
Everyone starts with Superficial Gratitude. But I call it superficial because this
feeling of gratitude will disappear rather quickly.
Superficial Gratitude is great. But if you want to be really happy, you need to
graduate to a deeper form of gratitude…

2. Simple Gratitude

In Simple Gratitude, you’re thankful even for the small things in life. For the roof
over your head, for the leftover food on your table, for the semi‐neurotic family around
you. Stuff you take for granted.
Remember this famous line?
I once was sad for I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.
–Unknown
One day, my friend complained about his decreasing hair. I told him to think
positive: his hair wasn’t decreasing, it was his forehead that was increasing. He didn’t
believe me and became more depressed.
So I texted him this slightly‐edited version of the line above:
I once was sad for I had no hair until I met a man who had no head.
I think that sobered him up. If you were to choose between baldness and
beheading, what would you choose?
Today, he shines his head and calls himself Bruce Willis.
I read this mother’s prayer somewhere and decided to print it here for all the
wonderful mothers reading my blog.
Thank you Lord for this sink of dirty dishes; that means we have plenty of food to
eat. Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry; we have plenty of nice clothes
to wear. Thank you for this finger‐smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so
badly; It has served us faithfully for many years. It is full of cold drinks and
enough leftovers for two or three meals. Thank you, Lord, for this oven that
absolutely must be cleaned today. It has baked so many things over the
years. Thank you, Lord, even for that slamming screen door. My kids are healthy
and able to run and play. Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says
You have richly blessed my family. I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them
gratefully.
But do you know that there’s something even more powerful than Simple
Gratitude?
3. Sacred Gratitude
In Sacred Gratitude, you’re thankful for life itself.
You’re thankful that you’re alive.
You’re thankful that you exist.
You’re thankful that you breathe!
You’re thankful for the adventure of daily life, with all its ups and downs, highs
and lows, and twists and turns.
This kind of gratitude doesn’t depend on situations anymore.
And there’s a big difference between knowing you need to be grateful, and
actually having every cell of your body singing, “Thank You!”
This is Sacred Gratitude.
It’s one of the sweetest things in the world.
Nothing can touch you. You’re at peace.
When you have Simple Gratitude—and especially Sacred Gratitude—you receive
so many blessings.
Why?
Because when you become grateful, you also become an…

…Inverse Paranoid!
I read this from Jack Canfield in his book, Success Principles, and quoted by many other
authors—and I think it’s fantastic.
What is an Inverse Paranoid?
You know what a Paranoid is: A fearful person. He thinks that the world is out there to
get him. To steal from him. To hurt him. To put him down.
Well, an Inverse Paranoid is a happy person who believes the universe is conspiring to
bless him. To serve him. To love him!
An Inverse Paranoid expects the best out of life.
An Inverse Paranoid expects great things will happen.
An Inverse Paranoid expects that he’ll walk into fields of blessing each day.
An Inverse Paranoid believes that the world is plotting to fulfill his dreams!
An Inverse Paranoid looks at bad things as merely disguised blessings.
An Inverse Paranoid wakes up each morning and say, “I expect to be blessed
today! Yeepee!”

Are You A Blessing‐Expert Or A Problem‐Expert?
Why do grateful people become Inverse Paranoids?
First reason: Gratitude is one of the most powerful forms of love. And you know that love
casts out all fear. Paranoia is fear. So gratitude casts out fear from your life.
Here’s the second reason: Because grateful people focus on blessings in their life, they
become Blessing‐Experts. What does that mean? They know how a blessing looks like, sounds
like, smells like, tastes like, and feels like. Because of this, when they open their eyes and look
around their life, they’ll smell a blessing a mile away! They’ll zero on it and grab it.
Ungrateful people are Problem‐Experts.
When they look around their lives, they can’t see the blessings right in front of their eyes
because they don’t know how they look like.

I hope you become an Inverse Paranoid, a Blessing‐Expert very soon.
Believe me, it’s outrageously fun!

Bo Sanchez

Do You Embrace Change?
One day, a guy calls up his Boss at home, but gets the bosses’ wife instead.
She said, “I’m sorry, but he died last week.”
The next day, the man calls up again and asks for his boss.
She said, “I told you, he died last week.”
The third day, the guy calls up again and asks for his boss.
The wife was mad and shouted, “Don’t you understand? I already told you twice—MY
HUSBAND, YOUR BOSS, DIED LAST WEEK! Why do you keep on calling?”
The guy laughed and said, “Because I just love hearing it…”

Are You Stuck In Life?
Many people are like this guy: They wait for the boss to die.
He clearly hated his boss. So why didn’t he do something about it? He could have
confronted the boss. He could have changed jobs.
Many people are stuck but they wait for things to change on their own.
Don’t wait for the boss to die on you—whatever “boss” means to you.
If you want your life to change, then you have to change.
Today, I want to share two fascinating stories to you.
The first one is a story emailed to me by friends about 273+ times already.
Okay, I’m exaggerating. But I’m sure you have this charming parable in your email inbox
too.
If you know this tale, then skip it, and read my brilliant, profound, and luminous analysis
after the story. (At least, that’s what my mother says, and you can’t argue with my mother.)
If you haven’t read it yet, then enjoy. Here it goes…

The Businessman And The Fisherman
One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach with his fishing pole propped up in
the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf.
He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.
About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of
the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out
why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his
family.
“You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman to the fisherman,
“you should be working rather than lying on the beach!”
The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my
reward be?”
“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer.
“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.
The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat which
will then result in larger catches of fish!”
“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.
The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions.
“You can buy a bigger boat and hire some people to work for you!” he said.
“And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.
The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of
fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!”
Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?”
The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you
understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again!
You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach looking at the sunset. You won’t
have a care in the world!”
The fisherman, still smiling, simply looked up, nodded and said: “And what do you think I
am doing now?”

The Greatest Joy Of Life
Lovely story, right?
But may I poke a giant hole in this lovely story?
Think with me. If the fisherman decided to expand and “complicate” his life by setting
up a large fishing business, wouldn’t he have been able to give jobs, feed their families, and
serve many customers?
Aha.
I believe the biggest question of life isn’t “Who had the most fun?”
The biggest question of life is “Who loved the most?”
Being content with where you are is fantastic.
But growth, if required by love, is fantastic too.
At the end of the day, contentment and growth are important, but not the most
important values. Love is!
This will solve this next problem…

Be Content and Desire Growth,
At The Same Time?
This is absurd.
But this tension in fact is one of the secrets to extreme happiness.
You must learn to be content with what you have, and say “Thank You” often, and take
time to celebrate and throw a party. Yet at the next breath, desire for better things, strive for
higher summits, and embrace change.
How is that possible?
Love is the answer.
Now, let me tell you my second fascinating story.
I’m sure you haven’t read this story before.
Why? Because I wrote 75% of it. Haha.
Okay, read and enjoy!

The Stream And The Wind
One day, the Stream stared at the desert—and sighed a deep sigh.
He knew he was stuck. How could he cross this giant desert?
So the Stream talked to the Wind.
“Mr. Wind, I need your advice. I want to cross this gigantic desert. But if I throw myself
to it, the sand will absorb me and I will be no more…”
“That is true,” the Wind thought deeply.
“So what should I do? You see, I have a dream. I want to grow. I want more fish to make
their home in me. I want more trees to plant their roots on my shoulders. I want happy families
to have picnics on my banks. I want to bless the world with great love.”
The Wind smiled, “I can help you. I can absorb you and carry you through this desert.”
The Stream was stunned. He said, “Isn’t that terrifying? What does that mean that you
will absorb me?”
“That means that you’ll become a cloud and I’ll carry you to the other side of the
desert. Once there, you’ll become rain and you can become a stream again.”
“I’ll change my form? I’ll no longer be me?”
No One Can Resist Change
“Mr. Stream, you have three choices. Your first choice is to give up your dream and stay
where you are.
The Stream said, “Out of the question. My dream of love pushes me to grow.”
“Your second choice,” said the Wind, “is to cross the desert without changing
anything. To dream and yet to prevent the dream from changing you.”
“And what is my third choice?”
“To dream and embrace change,” the Wind smiled.
“Carry me, Mr. Wind. I’m ready!” the Stream laughed.

Be Comfortable With Chaos

Immediately, the Wind rushed down and blew hard on the Stream. Bits and pieces of
the Stream began to swirl upwards. It was terrifying. Chaos ruled!
For a moment, the Stream was gripped by the clutches of fear again.
So the Wind shouted through the chaos, “Who are you? You’re not a Stream. You’re
Water! Your essence is not your form. When you know who you really are, you can be
comfortable amidst the chaos. Because deep within you, you know that nothing will ever
change.”
Water said, “But I am still afraid!”
“Love who you are and love your dream. Love the fish who will live in you, the trees who
will be planted on your shoulders, and the families who will have picnics on your banks. And
love will push all your fear away.”
Finally, at the other side of the desert, the falling rain collected itself into a Stream
again. When he was complete, he said, “Mr. Wind, I don’t know how to thank you. You changed
me.”
The Wind smiled, “No, my friend. Only love can change you.”

What Is Your Path?
So what is your dream of love?
Like the Stream, you too have three choices…

Choice #1: Play Small

One day, a woman came up to me complaining about her husband.
“He’s not had a job for the past 6 years. I’m earning for the family,” she said.
“What is he doing at home?” I asked.
“Praying and reading the Bible. And reading your books!”
So I talked to him. The first thing he said was, “Bo, I love your books. Especially on
simplicity. I’m now living the simple life. I’m so content with my life. That’s what you wrote
about, right?”
For a moment, I wondered if I indeed wrote about it!
He then said something profound. “You see Bo, I’m now at this stage in my life where I’d
rather be poor and close to God than be rich and far from God.”
Touching, right? Makes you want to cry.
If only it didn’t come from a husband and father who hasn’t had a job for 6 years.
For him, life was black and white. If you’re poor, you’re close to God. If you’re rich, you’re
from God. It never occurred to him that it’s possible to be rich and close to God.
A poor fisherman fishing enough for his family is
lovely. Simple. Comfortable. Peaceful. But here’s a question: In the off chance that God gave
him the resources to grow and the chance to feed more people, shouldn’t he take it?
If you play small because love requires you to play small, then fine!
But if you play small because of fear, you’ll never be happy.

Choice #2: Dream Big But Remain Unchanged
There are two types of innovations.
Sustaining Innovations and Disrupting Innovations.
Let’s say you own a skateboard.
And your dream is to travel farther and faster.
Sustaining Innovations means you’ll improve your skateboard.
Perhaps you put more oil.
Perhaps you make the board more aerodynamic.
Perhaps you transform the material to high‐grade flexible plastic.
Perhaps you change the wheels to titanium alloy.
Perhaps you take skateboarding lessons from the masters of skateboarding.
Disrupting Innovations are totally different.
Here you ask the dangerous question, “If I can change anything in my life, what will I
change so I can reach my dream?”
Disrupting Innovations means throwing away the skateboard and getting a 3000 cc
Harley Davidson motorcycle!
That’s difficult.
Disrupting Innovating believes that what took you to where you are now may not take
you to where you want to go.
When people talk about change, they usually talk about Sustaining Innovations, not
Disrupting Innovations.
Don’t get me wrong. Sustaining Innovations are crucial. We need to make them
everyday. But they’re not enough. Especially if you have Big Dreams.
Because Big Dreams require that you embrace Big Changes—another word for Disrupting
Innovations.
That leads us to the third choice…

Choice #3: Dream Big and Embrace Big Changes

I’ve noticed that people who can embrace big changes are those who know who they are
apart from their job titles, positions, reputations, and labels. They know the difference between
essence and form.
My spiritual family, Light of Jesus, is going through a Disrupting Innovation now. As we
approach our 30th anniversary next year, we’re throwing away the skateboard and building
ourselves not a motorcycle but a spaceship!
Because of our dream of discipling 100,000 by 2020, we’re now overhauling our
structure, our meetings, our styles—almost everything we cherished and held dear to
us. Nothing is untouchable.
Oh believe me, it’s unbelievably chaotic! Like a storm passing through us.
But I’m so happy that most of our leaders and members are going through the chaos
with peace. Because they know their essence: they’re people who love God and love
others. That will never change.

Hey, It’s Your Turn
Look at your life now.
1. Out of these 3 choices, what choice have you taken?
2. If you can change anything in your life to reach your dream, what will it be?
3. Are there Disrupting Innovations you’ve been putting aside?
Believe me.
Your answers to these questions will determine your destiny.

Bo Sanchez

Do You Expect To Be Blessed?
Tell me if I’m right.
90% of the things you were so worried about ten years ago, you laugh about them
today. Am I correct?
What were your worries just ten years ago?
∙ You were worried about school projects and exams.
∙ You were worried whether your classmates would laugh at your
hairstyle. Today, you laugh at everyone’s hairstyle.
∙ You were worried that your boyfriend was seeing someone else. Now, you
thank God he was seeing someone else. Good riddance!
∙ You were worried if your boss liked your reports. You later learned he didn’t
even read your reports.
∙ You were worried whether your son would finish school because his report
card had more red numbers than black numbers. But today, he’s a successful
businessman.
What does this mean?
90% of the things you’re worried today, you’ll laugh about them tomorrow.
Let me tell you a crazy story…

Is Fear Killing You?
One morning, a man saw the “Angel of Death” walking into his town.
He was brave enough to ask, “May I ask why you are here?”
The Angel of Death said, “I’m going to kill ten thousand people today.”
The man stepped back in horror and ran all around town. He warned people, “I just saw
the Angel of Death. He said ten thousand people will die today.”
But when nighttime came, seventy thousand people died.
The next day, the man saw the Angel of Death walking out of town. He called after him
and said, “Wait! Wait! You said you were only going to kill ten thousand people. But there were
seventy thousand who died last night!”
The Angel of Death shook his head, “I killed only ten thousand. Worry and fear killed the
others.”

Faith And Fear Are The Same Inside
Let me shock you.
Faith and fear seem so different from each other.
But if you take a knife and peel the cover around faith and fear, you realize they’re the
same inside: They’re both beliefs.
Faith believes that good things will happen.
And fear believes that bad things will happen.
The problem is that because they’re beliefs, they’re powerful. Because beliefs create our
reality. The Bible says that what you believe will happen.
So when we fear, we create the very thing we’re afraid of.
And I’ve met lots of people whose minds are filled with fearful thoughts, they don’t
know that they’re creating the reality they dread…
∙ “The economy is so bad, I’ll lose my job soon…”
∙ “My husband will never change.”
∙ “My marriage will never improve.”
∙ “My parents died of cancer; I’m sure I’ll have cancer too… Oh my gosh, where
did this mole come from?”
∙ “Will my kids turn out okay?”
∙ “My boss hates me” or “My friend hates me” or “My cat hates me”
∙ “I’ll never get married,” or “I’ll end up marrying a serial killer.”
Because they’re beliefs, faith and fear are also expectations.
Fear expects problems.
Faith expects blessings.
And the universe adjusts to your expectations!
Ask yourself: What do you expect to happen today?

When Good Things Happen,
What Thoughts Enter Your Mind?
Once upon a time, I was a person of fear.
When good things happened to me, I’d get scared. I’d think, “Oh no, too many good
things are happening to me! This won’t last. I’m sure bad things will now come like a tidal
wave…”
Subconsciously, I believe in the balance of the good and the bad. (Yep, I watched Gulong
ng Palad starring Marianne de la Riva and Ronald Corveau. Ancient history for some of you.)
Today, I realize that you can’t balance the good and the bad because the good are
always a zillion times more than the bad. Because God’s blessings are limitless.
Today, I’ve become a person of faith.
When good things happen to me, I say, “I’m going from glory to glory, going to higher
levels of victory and abundance and love.” Today, I expect that life will get better, become
happier, and become more abundant.
Albert Einstein said, “There are two ways of living life. One is to live as though nothing is
a miracle. The other is to live as though everything is a miracle.”
Each day, I’m choosing to live as though everything is a miracle.

Expect Good Things
Starting today, expect great things to happen to you.
Say this every morning:
∙ “My God shall supply my needs.”
∙ “My God shall prosper the work of my hands.”
∙ “My body shall be healed.”
∙ “My children will be blessed.”
∙ “My marriage will grow better and better everyday.”
∙ “I’ll soon meet the man (or woman) of my dreams.”
Friend, do you want to fulfill your dreams?
Let me share with you my three steps of faith:
∙ Step One: See the Dream
∙ Step Two: Sow the Dream
∙ Step Three: Surrender the Dream
Here they are, one by one…

Step One:
See The Dream
Do you really know what you want in life?
You’ve got to know your dream so well that you see it in your mind. In fact, you just don’t
see it, you feel it in your heart. Because faith and fear are not just beliefs or expectations—
they’re also feelings. When you see your dream in vivid detail, you’ll feel the faith rise within
you.
That’s why fearful people cannot dream.
Here’s what you do: Imagine all your dreams are already fulfilled. The more you see it
and feel it, the easier it is for your dreams to come true.
Dream in vivid Technicolor—complete with sounds, smells, tastes, and feel.
The reason why many people don’t receive God’s blessings is because they have a limited
capacity to receive those blessings. The problem isn’t in the Supply. (It’s infinite.) The problem
is in the Receiving of that Supply.
So how do you increase your capacity to receive?
By increasing your vision. When you increase the size of your vision, you increase the size
of your blessings.
See your dream. Feel it.
Once you do that, you’re ready for the next step…

Step Two:
Sow The Dream
Actually, you don’t sow the dream.
You sow the seed of the dream. And that small seed will grow to become your big dream.
What’s the seed? Your actions.
Nothing happens unless you act.
When you plant one hundred seeds, not all of those one hundred seeds will
grow. Perhaps ninety‐nine will die. But that’s okay. It’s the one seed that grows that will make
your dream come true.
So make mistakes!
Act. And act. And keep on acting.
Wake up early. And run towards your dream!
Even if you feel that you have very little resources…

Act On What You Have
When David fought Goliath, he didn’t ask for a M9 bazooka, a machine gun, or a bullet‐
proof vest. He worked with what he had—a leather sling and five smooth stones. God
transformed it into a deadly weapon in his hand.
When Moses delivered the Israelites from Egypt, he didn’t ask for a phalanx of warriors,
a naval battleship, or a couple of nuclear missiles to defeat Egypt. He used what he had—an old
wooden stick. But through that old wooden stick, God made a snake, turned a river into blood,
divided the red sea—and drowned the chariots of Pharaoh.
So use what you have!
I hear this a lot from people who excuse their mediocre lives:
∙ “But I don’t have a college diploma”
∙ “I can’t speak English well,”
∙ “I don’t have the right connections.”
∙ “I’m not good in math.”
∙ “I don’t know how to sell.”
∙ “I don’t have time.”
∙ “I’m not as good‐looking as Bo Sanchez.” (Have your eyes checked.)
Don’t look for what you don’t have.
Here’s the truth: You have everything you need to reach your dreams.
Everything.
Did you read that?
E‐V‐E‐R‐Y‐T‐H‐I‐N‐G!
You have the Holy Spirit. You have friends around you. You have other talents within
you. Etcetera.
And here’s the last crucial step you need to take…

Step Three:
Surrender Your Dream
Some of you may even be shocked by my third step.
I’ve asked you to dream, right? To pursue it with so much passion that you see it and feel
it in your heart?
But in Step Three, I’ll ask you to do what seems the very opposite: To surrender your
dreams to God. In Step Three, you say the most perfect prayer of all. “Lord, not my will but
yours be done.”
To trust.
To let go.
To actually tell God that you’re happy now—even without this dream.
Here’s one thing I found out about dreams. If I’m desperate, needy, and frantic—I find it
so difficult to make that dream come true.
But if I surrender to God my dream, and relax, and treat my pursuit of the dream as play—
I find myself attracting every blessing I ever need in an almost effortless way.
This is my experience with money too.
When I’m desperate for money, very little comes my way. Everything I earn is a struggle,
like I’m pulling teeth from the universe.
But when I’m relaxed about money—trusting that I’m swimming in an ocean of money—
the money will come rolling at my feet, begging that I take it.
When I do this, I don’t struggle. The right people come to me. The right connections come
to me. The right book comes to me. The right opportunities come. Almost effortlessly…

Let Go
Recently, I told my wife, “God is teaching me to relax more.”
She was curious. “Are we going to take more vacations? ”
“Absolutely,” I chuckled. “But it means more than that. I’m learning to dream and at the
same time let go of my dreams.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I’m not saying I won’t work with passion anymore,” I said. “I love my work so much. I’ll
still get up early in the morning and pour myself into my ministries and businesses. But I’m
letting go of all fear and all anxiety. Why worry? When I’m swimming in God’s abundance.”
“That’s wonderful,” she said. “Can we go to Sagada?”
“Shhh. I haven’t finished my explanation yet. To surrender means I trust that everything
that happens is for my good. And to trust that everything that doesn’t happen is also for my
good.”
“That’s great. So, is Sagada a good thing?” my wife winked.
(As you read this blog, we’re now on our way to Sagada! Me and my big mouth…)
I remember this crazy story…

What’s Your Lulu?
One day, in a mental hospital, two doctors were taking their rounds.
As they visited patients, they saw a man crouched in bed, crying, “Lulu, Lulu…”
“Who is this man?” asked the new doctor.
“Lulu was his girlfriend. This man wanted to marry Lulu, but Lulu married someone
else…”
“Oh poor guy,” the young doctor said, “He couldn’t take the disappointment and lost his
mind.”
The two doctors walked on. In another room, they saw another patient, crouched in
bed, also crying “Lulu, Lulu…”
The new doctor was surprised and asked, “And who is this man? Why is he also crying
‘Lulu’?”
“This was the man Lulu married instead.”
Let me ask you a question: What’s your Lulu?
Your Lulu is a prayer that’s not yet been answered.
I have a simple message: If you don’t get Lulu, don’t lose your mind.
Surrender your Lulu.
At the end of the day, God will give you the best version of your dream!

Expect Blessings

Last week, I surprised my wife by telling her, “Pack your bags. We’re staying in a 5‐star
hotel for 2 days!”
She asked me, “Isn’t that expensive?”
“I’ll ask for a discount,” I told her.
“And did you call up to reserve?”
“I didn’t,” I said, “we’ll just walk to the front desk and expect to be blessed.”
She asked, “And if you don’t get a discount? Or if it’s fully booked?”
“I placed my wish before God’s generosity,” I told her. In other words, I surrendered. “If
there’s no discount or no room available, we’ll just move to another hotel. It’ll be an
adventure!”
So we packed our bags and off we went.
When I walked to the front desk of my favorite hotel, I asked, “What’s your cheapest
room?”
The guy showed me the rate card. I gulped.
It was P8000 per night.
I asked, “Will you give me a discount?”
“I could give you ten percent…” he said.
I sighed. P7200 was still a lot of money.
At that precise moment, a tall man, wearing a nice coat and tie, walked out of the door
behind the front desk. Immediately, I recognized him. He was a friend. After greeting each
other, he gave me his business card. On the card it said, “Front Desk Manager”. He was the guy
in charge!
On the spot, from P8000, he brought down my room rate to P3000.
Not only that, he upgraded my room two notches higher. So my wife and I stayed in a
room worth P12,000++ for only P3000 a night.
That was not all.
My upgraded life had just begun…

God Wants To Upgrade You
From the hotel, I went straight to the airport to fly to Hong Kong. (A very important
person in Hong Kong wanted to meet with me to discuss a possible donation. This too is an
incredible display of attracting blessings, because I didn’t call him. He called me! But that’s
another story…)
In the Manila airport, I walk to the check‐in counter. Without my asking, the lady behind
the counter said, “Mr. Sanchez, I’m upgrading you to Business Class.” Wow. “If you insist,” I told
her.
Two hours later, I land in Hong Kong and go straight to my hotel. And just in case you
think I get all these crazy breaks because I’m famous, the Chinese lady in the front desk—who
didn’t know me from Adam—says, “Mr. Sanchez, we’re upgrading you to a bigger room.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. This was too much!
The next day, after my meetings in Hong Kong (which went very well) I go back to the
Hong Kong airport. When I checked in, I was half‐expecting that I would be upgraded again. But
nothing happened.
I told myself, “I’m going to enjoy this plane ride.” I was applying the Third Step:
Trust. Surrender. Don’t be desperate. Let go.
So I walk inside the plane and sit down on my economy seat. I pull out a book and began
reading. That was when a steward comes up to me and says, “Brother Bo, let me bring you up
to Business Class.”
As I sat in Business Class, sipping my orange juice, I relax.

Relax!
Live with expectation.
Expect God to bless you!
When you trust more, you’ll relax more. And you’ll realize that what was a struggle
before will now become easy. Doors will open. People will call you. Opportunities will come
near you.
Dear friend, I speak blessings to your life. To your finances. To your family life. And to
your health. Receive God’s avalanche of blessings!
Hey, I’m not saying that you’ll have no more problems.
You will.
But you’ll see your problems in a new light…

How About When Bad Things Happen?
Let me tell you my last story.
One day, a king placed a boulder on the middle of the road. He then hid a pouch behind
the bounder, and waited in the bushes to see what will people do.
Many noble men, knights, priests, and soldiers saw the boulder and complained why it
was blocking the path. That was all they did—complained, complained, and complained some
more.
But later in the afternoon, a farmer walked on the road, saw the boulder, put down his
stuff—and pushed it out of the way. When he did that, he saw the king’s purse underneath. He
opened it and found it filled with the purest gold, including a note from the king. It said, “This is
your reward. Because behind every boulder on the road of life is pure gold.”
Friend, behind every problem in your life is a rich blessing.
Behind every trial in your life is a treasure waiting to be discovered.
Whenever bad things happen to me, I say, “This isn’t a problem. This is an opportunity
for me to grow by leaps and bounds. This will be one my biggest blessings in life.”
Go ahead.
See your dream.
Sow your dream.
And surrender your dream.
Relax!
Expect to be blessed.

Bo Sanchez

Are You Fulfilling Your Life Purpose?
Imagine a hammer.
A solid, shiny, shimmering hammer.
Expensive. Made of high‐grade steel and first‐class polished wood.
Now imagine a primitive tribesman from the mountains who has never seen a hammer in
his life. He picks up the hammer, likes it immediately, and brings it home. And for the next 50
years, he uses it as a wonderful back scratcher.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
That’s all it did for 50 years.
Friends, many people are like that hammer. Because they’re not fulfilling their life
purpose, their greatness doesn’t come out.
I believe there are four kinds of people on planet earth…
A. Extremely Unhappy people don’t know their life purpose.
B. Unhappy people who know their life purpose but don’t work on it.
C. Happy people who know their life purpose, work at it, but not daily.
D. Extremely Happy people who know their purpose and work on it daily!
Question: Who are you among these four people?

The 2 Simple Questions
That Will Make You Discover Your Life Purpose
How do you know your purpose in life?
So many people think it’s complicated. No it’s not. In fact, all you have to do is ask 2 very
simple questions.
Here they are:
Question #1: What do you love to do?
Question #2: Where do you excel?
I’ve talked about this in my other books, so I won’t dwell on it too much. I’ve discussed
this fully in my Free Ebook, How To Know If Your Dreams Are God’s Dreams. (Grab it at
www.BoSanchez.ph) But let me cover the main points here.
First Question: What do you love to do?
What’s the one thing that you do, that when you do it, you feel fire in your
belly? What’s your passion? For example, as I write this book to you, I feel whole. Complete. In
the zone. I believe I was born to write!
However, this first question is only 80% accurate.
Proof: Watch the auditions of American Idol. There are some people who love singing,
who sing with passion, who sing like there was no more tomorrow—but whose voices can be
used to torture terrorists to divulge where Osama Bin Ladin is hiding. As John Maxwell says,
you’d wonder if they have any real friends. Why has no one told them that their singing voice
can cause seizures?
But more often than not, we excel in what we love to do, because we do it often and with
passion.
That’s why the Second Question is 100% accurate in discovering your Life Purpose: Where
do you excel?
God has given you a special gift that’s indelibly connected to your life purpose[1]. This is
what I call God’s anointing in your life.

Make An Inventory Of Your Gifts
To help you discern your Life Purpose, list down your gifts and rate them from 1 to 10,
with 10 being excellent.
Here’s my own inventory of talents:

o Cooking: 1
I’d rather starve or eat raw, then cook. When I heat water, it disappears. Need I say
more?
o Fashion: 1
The only reason why I look presentable when I preach is because of my friend and
top couturier, Adrian Panganiban, who dresses me up. Otherwise, I will wear
teeshirts and sandals everywhere I go.
o Mechanical: 1
When my wife asks me to fix things, I obliterate their existence from the face of the
earth. Today, I’ve learned to fix anything with just one tool: The Telephone.
o Dancing: ‐10
I tried. We had a concert where I had to take a few dance steps with the singers. But
when I danced on stage, I was like a wooden stick suffering from epilepsy.
o Athletics: 3
Do you know what PE I chose in High School? Chess. Do you know what PE I chose in
College? Health Lectures. I remember that class so well. We were required to wear
rubber shoes and do some stretching at the start of each class—and all we did was
sit down and listen to lectures.
o Spelling: 3
In a Spelling Exam, I once got 2 out of 20 items. As a kid, I think I was semi‐dyslexic
but it was never diagnosed. Today, there are so many labels for kids who have a
difficult time in school. “He’s got a learning disability” or “The boy has ADHD” or
“She has dyslexia”. But back in my time, there were no such thing. I was simply
called stupid.
o Singing: 5
Yep, I have three music albums of all my original compositions. In total, I sold 6000
copies. But don’t be impressed. My mother bought half of them to give away to her
friends.
o Drawing: 5
I love to draw. At least my kids love my drawings.
o Business: 5
I’m a late bloomer here. So far, my businesses are doing very well. But I know I’ve
got a long way to grow.
o Leadership: 7
I love leading people because leadership is all about loving relationships. But I’m a 7
because I need to learn so much more.
o Writing and Preaching: 9
As you can see, this is my anointing. But I’m not a 10 because that would mean I
have nothing to learn anymore. Would you believe that even if I’ve been preaching
for 30 years, I’m still honing my craft, watching how other great preachers preach?

Be a Genius!
Do you know why people are unsuccessful?
Two reasons:
1. They don’t know their anointing.
2. Or they know their anointing, but don’t work on it.
I learned that there are two kinds of geniuses in this world.
First are the geniuses that win Trivia Game Shows, like “Who Wants To Be A
Millionaire?” That’s not want you want to be. This type of genius is good only for, well, Trivia
Game Shows.
You want to be the second type of genius: These are people who focus their attention,
time, and energy on one thing.
What’s your one thing?
In my own life, my “one thing” is communicating God’s love to others.
Today, I’m probably the highest paid corporate speaker in the country. When companies
invite me to speak, I charge then an arm and a leg. I do this in part to raise money for our
ministries. Just between you and me, these companies don’t know that if they only send their
employees to our weekly prayer meetings called The Feast, they can hear me preach for
free. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone I told you this.)
But the reason I can charge an arm and leg is because I’ve been speaking to crowds for
the past 30 years.
Starting at age 13, I was preaching everywhere. All for free. I’d preach in schools,
prisons, old folks homes, barrios, hospitals, and the slums. Even while I was studying in school,
I’d preach nightly. Caloocan on Sundays, Alabang on Mondays, Cubao on Tuesdays, etc… On
weekends, I’d preach in Laguna, La Union, Ilocos Sur…
In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell talked about how successful people clocked in an
average of 10,000 hours to their craft before they hit it big.
That’s me.
And that can be you too—if you focus your life on your anointing.

Follow Your Anointing
In the Bible, anointing was done for kings and prophets. They would pour a large amount of oil
on the person’s head, indicating that he is totally set‐aside for a specific purpose.
Today, we associate anointing for religious professions only: For priests or pastors or
preachers only.
I don’t believe in that.
I believe God has anointed people to be entrepreneurs, to be bakers, to be chefs, to be
beauticians, to be accountants, to be administrators, to be stock brokers, to be engineers, to be
doctors, to be mothers, to be farmers…
This is how you are to serve others.
This is how you are to bless the world.

Anointed For Business?
Ed Silvoso, author of Anointed For Business, wrote how he was running three businesses
and impacting the marketplace with God’s love. Many times, he would be an informal pastor to
his business associates, bringing God’s Presence in smoke‐filled rooms and parties.
But church people looked down on his profession. They kept badgering him to become a
pastor. They said, “When are you going to go into the ministry? You don’t live by faith but by
sight. At work you hang around sinners, people who drink and smoke. You have a calling on
your life. Don’t be rebellious. Leave everything and go into the ministry.”
Yet every time the church needed money, they would go to him!
Years later, he left his businesses and became a pastor. In the process, he decreased his
income by 30 times. But he was doing it out of obedience to God.
Yet after a few years, a powerful revelation came to him. He realized that beneath all
the shame was an authentic anointing from God to be a businessman.
Here’s what he learned: That the anointing of a businessman wasn’t lower than the
anointing of a pastor. Both are necessary in the Kingdom of God.
I love that.

A Formula For Mediocrity & Success
Let me tell you why many people live mediocre lives.
Because they put 80% of their attention, time, and energy on their weakness, and put
20% of their attention, time, and energy on developing their strengths.
If I take this approach, then I’ll enroll in Dancing lessons and Culinary Arts.
This is insane. Because no matter how much I study, I’ll never become a fantastic dancer
or a world‐class chef.
The formula for success is this:
First, forget your weakness. Delegate them. Outsource them.
And then focus 80% of your attention, time, and energy on developing your
strengths. Be the very best in this one thing.
And put the last 20% in developing new strengths. (For me, it’s running business and
creating passive income.)
Today, I focus almost all my time in writing and preaching.
And I’ve tasted great success because of this sharp focus.
A flashlight and a laser are both made of the same element: Light. But a laser is a
thousand times more powerful than a flashlight because it’s focused light. A flashlight is pretty
harmless, but a laser can cut through the thickest steel.
When a person is focused on one thing, he becomes powerful too.

I’m A Preacher For The Marketplace
After 30 years of preaching, I’ve become even more focused.
And you should be too!
Today, I just don’t just have an anointing to preach. That’s too general.
I’ve discovered that I have an anointing to preach to the Unchurched.
In other words, I have an anointing to communicate God’s love to outsiders. To people
who aren’t religious. To people who don’t feel comfortable in church. To people who feel
distant from God. To people who won’t go to prayer meetings.
One day, a woman came up to me and asked, “Bo, why don’t you preach more about
doctrines? Why don’t you talk about the deeper spiritual truths?”
I smiled and said, “I love doctrines. There are wonderful priests who can explain them
better than I do. Personally, I don’t think it’s my gift. I’m a layman, so I preach about the
practical things of life. Like how to build a family, or how to handle money, or how to grow in
your relationship with God as a lay person immersed in the world.
If you check my blog at www.BoSanchez.ph, you’ll read thousands of comments from
my readers. Some of them say something like this: “I’m not a religious person, but I really like
your articles.” Wow. When I read that, I know I’m hitting my gold. This is my anointing: To talk
to those who aren’t religious.
I’m anointed to preach not in Church—in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, I’m
anointed to preach in the Marketplace. (By the way, I consider our prayer meeting, The Feast, a
part of the Marketplace. Because The Feast is totally focused on outsiders, not insiders. We
welcome everyone. We welcome all seekers. We welcome unbelievers, non‐Christians, addicts,
adulterers, alcoholics, prostitutes, and believe it or not, even corrupt government officials. We
welcome all those who feel they are far from God.)
This focusing on my life purpose has blessed me so much.
My prayer for you: May you find your anointing and give your whole life to your
anointing. And be very happy.

How To Climb Your Mountains And Live With Great Abundance
I’m not the athletic type.
One reason: I’m an only son.
It so happened that my five sisters were—for some reason—all women.
Dad? He wasn’t also athletic. Oh yes, when I was a kid, he used to ask me to jog with
him. But his entire jogging route was inside his garage. He jogged around his parked car.
But two weeks ago, I did something absolutely nuts. I went to the mountains of Sagada
and I went rock climbing.
For those who haven’t tried it, let me give you a very technical definition of rock climbing:
It’s when you climb a rock. I know my definition is a bit difficult to understand but bear with
me. (I sometimes amaze myself with my brilliance.)
Seriously, my definition of rock climbing is being insane enough to suspend yourself 100
feet above the air with your fingernails hanging onto tiny cracks and indentions on the flat
surface of a rock that ants can’t even crawl on—
And you wonder why you even paid to do this lunacy.
But you know what?
When I was up there, I felt no fear. None whatsoever. I wish I could be religious and all
and say, “Because of Jesus.” But actually, I felt no fear because I had this thick rope tied around
my torso. I knew that whatever happened, that rope would keep me safe.

Don’t Stay Where You Are
Friend, God wants you to go higher.
He wants you to keep on growing, to be wiser, to be more loving, to be better, and to be
even more blessed.
Let me ask you: What’s your mountain? What do you need to conquer in your
life? What dream does God want you to reach?
If your life isn’t exciting, it may be because you’ve not been climbing mountains.
Hear this: It will be your fears that will keep you from reaching the summit.
But God is your rope. No matter what happens, He’ll hold you tight. Even if you slip or
make mistakes in climbing the mountain, He’ll never let go. He’ll keep you safe in His hands.
But if you think I was excited rock climbing, it was nothing compared to my excitement
watching my 9‐year old son climb…

Your Mountains Make You Grow
Believe me, it was incredible just seeing Bene go up!
When he was already some 50 feet up on a rocky ledge, all by himself, I heard my wife
pray to all the saints in Heaven. Including those I never knew existed. She said, “Please pray for
my son, St. Fulgentius, St. Hegesippus, St. Ischyrion, St. Paphnutius, St. Radegundes, St.
Wenceslas…”
What was so frustrating was that I couldn’t be up there beside my son. He had to climb all
by himself. I couldn’t pull him, push him, hold him, or carry him.
But even if I could have done all that, I wouldn’t have done it. Or I would have stolen from
my son the opportunity to grow.
So when he finally rappelled down to the ground wearing a million dollar smile on his
face, I realized he didn’t only conquer the rocky cliff. He conquered his fears—which was the
biggest mountain of all.

I now realize that God will not remove your mountains. You need them. Because He is
using the mountain to make you grow. God will give you all the inspiration and wisdom and
power to overcome your mountains, but he’ll let you do it “seemingly” alone. But He’ll cheer
you. He’ll guide you. He’ll bless you.
In your climb, remember that your God is watching you. With pride.
I got deeper insights when my son asked me for money two days ago…
God Has Piled Up Your Blessings
On The Kitchen Counter
Bene was going to an internet marketing workshop. Before leaving, he asked, “Daddy,
can you give me P20? There are only pay toilets there.”
When I turned to him to say “Sure”, I saw him already stuffing a P50 bill in his wallet. I
left a pile of money on the kitchen counter—and he helped himself to it!
Man, I loved it.
I share you this little incident because of three key insights:
First, God has left all that you need on the kitchen counter.
The universe is God’s kitchen counter. He has loaded it to the brim with every blessing
and miracle that you need in life to reach your dreams. If you only realize what’s available to
you, you’d be totally overwhelmed. If you need love, it’s there. If you need wisdom, it’s there. If
you need money, it’s there.
Second, ask for more than what you need.
Didn’t you notice? My son asked for P20 but got P50.
I asked him why. He said, “My cousin Nicole is attending the workshop. She goes to the
toilet too.” Isn’t he wise? If you’re wise, you should also ask for more blessings because you
want to be generous. Life isn’t about you. Life is about loving others. So ask Big!
Third, be confident when you ask.
Even before my son heard my “sure”, he already got my money from the kitchen
counter. My son already assumed that I would meet his needs because he was confident in my
love for him. And I believe God would love it too when we’re confident in His love for us.
Let me tell you about my little mountain two weeks ago…

When One Door Closes,
Another Door Opens
I wanted to bring 36 people to Boracay.
The top leaders of the Light of Jesus were going to a 4‐day Planning Session in
Tagaytay. But I wanted to hole them up in an island instead—so no one can escape. So I spoke
to Gil Ramiscal, our Finance Director, that I’d just add to the Tagaytay budget with my personal
money —and bring the whole group to Boracay.
In my mind, I calculated that I needed to raise P200T. I could have just taken it from my
bank account, but I challenged God to give me fresh money for this need. So for two weeks, I
looked at my various small businesses and income streams, checking for unexpected lumps of
cash flowing my way.
But after two weeks of waiting, there was none. All the income flowing was regular
income—not what I asked for.
But I’ve learned a long time ago that God isn’t limited to only one door. That in life, there
are millions of doors to choose from.
To cut the story, last week, 36 leaders did go to Boracay and we had the most
productive 4‐days ever. It was absolutely phenomenal.
But how did God answer my prayer?
First, Gil Ramiscal was very generous with his Tagaytay budget.
Second, one of the owners of the hotel we stayed in Boracay was a friend—and he gave
us a huge discount.
Third, instead of eating in restaurants for 4 days—which would easily cost us P100T++, I
brought my brother‐in‐law Abel Victoria to cook for us. Abel served us the most delicious (and
lavish) meals everyday, but by some magic, spent only P21T to feed 36 hungry people for 4
straight days. It was a miracle.
So at the end of our trip, I only had to add—would you believe—P10T to the budget? All I
had to do is sweep under my bed and gather my change.
I repeat: Every blessing you need is already available to you. God has left it on the kitchen
counter ready for the taking.
Finally, let me tell you how to conquer your fear.

Face Your Monsters
Once upon a time, a family of frogs lived in a broken‐down well.
They lived in isolation, content with their tiny puddle of water. Sometimes, it got murky
and crowded, but no frog dared to leave home. Why? Whenever someone would dare leave,
everyone would warn him, “There are monsters outside!”
And so for many generations, these frogs were stuck in their little world.
Until one day, a little frog had a dream—to live outside the well. In his mind, he saw a big
pond of water. Lots of open space. The vision excited him so much.
He would tell his friends about his dream, but they would tell him: “We had a great‐
great‐great grand uncle who went out and never returned! He must have been gobbled up by
the monsters!”
But the little frog didn’t see the monsters.
He only saw his dream of a big pond.
Finally, he made up his mind. Without any warning, the little frog jumped as high as he
could. He landed on top of the well. All his friends below shouted, “Come back! You’ll be eaten
alive!” But the little frog hopped out.
And what he saw blew his mind. Almost right beside the well wasn’t a big pond. Instead,
it was a giant lake—a million times bigger than their tiny puddle.
Friends, face your monsters.
Many of us are trapped in our little worlds because of fear.
God has bigger blessings in store for you outside your walls.
How did the frog jump out of the well? Before he saw the lake with his eyes, he already
saw the lake within him. He felt it in his heart.
What you see with your heart, you will see with your eyes.
Dearest friend, climb your mountains and live with great abundance.

Bo Sanchez

Turning Thoughts Into Things
One day, Juan Miguel died.
And instantly, he found himself in a beautiful place.
A woman covered in light approached him and said, “Welcome, Juan Miguel. It’s easy to
get to know this place. Just walk around. And if you’re hungry, just wish for it. You can wish
for anything you want and it’ll be given to you.”
“Wow! Anything?” Miguel said. “For my appetizers, can I have New Zealand baked
oysters? For my main meal, I’d like to have Alaskan crabs with lemon buttered dip—plus a side
dish of Cebu’s Lechon. For my dessert, I want a tall glass of chocolate parfait drizzled with
Belgian truffles. Oh, and please give me a diet Coke. I’m trying to watch my weight.”
The woman said, “In this place, no matter how much you eat, you won’t gain a single
pound.”
“This is incredible!” Miguel said. “In that case, can you also add crispy pata, liempo, and
pata tim?”
Instantly, all the yummy food he ordered appeared right in front of him in a huge buffet
that looked like those served in 5‐star hotels. Except that the buffet was only for him.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.

Instant Gratification
“Wait a minute,” the man said. “You mean to tell me that in this place, I can have
anything I want?”
The woman said matter‐of‐factly, “Yes.”
“How about a nice car?” he asked.
“Sure. Just say the brand…”
He decided to be daring. “A top‐of‐the‐line BMW!”
The words had not yet left his lips when a shiny silver blue, brand new, custom‐made
BMW popped in front of him. It even had a diamond‐encrusted emblem of his name on the
steering wheel.
“Whoa!” he shouted. As he opened the door to examine the leather seats, he turned to
the lady and asked, “Can I also have a 10‐bedroom house with a swimming pool and jacuzzi?”
In a wink of an eye, a huge mansion appeared in front of him.
“No,” Miguel said, “I changed my mind. I want a 127‐room castle. And I want my
backyard to be a forest spanning a thousand hectares!” And viola, his gigantic castle and
gigantic forest appeared before him.
He got into his BMW and drove into the gates of his humongous castle, all the while
screaming, “Yipeee! I gonna love this place!”
Like a little boy opening his gifts on Christmas day, he was extremely happy, creating
things left and right.
After 7 days, something happened: Miguel was no longer happy.
And he couldn’t understand why.
So he searched for the woman who welcomed him 7 days ago.
When he found her, he asked, “Excuse me, but I’m here to complain. I have everything I
need, but I’m actually very bored,” he said. “In fact, I’ve never been more miserable in my
entire life than now.”
The woman remained silent and just looked at Miguel, her face emotionless.
He began to sob. “How could you call this place Heaven?”
The woman shook her head. “Excuse me Miguel, but who told you this was Heaven?”

When You Don’t Serve,
You’re Not In Heaven
Miguel was taken aback. “What?”
The woman said, “Did I ever once tell you that you were in Heaven?”
He thought back and realized she never did. “Where am I, then?”
“You’re not in Heaven, that’s for sure,” the woman said.
“But everything I want comes true!”
The woman said, “Yes, everything you want comes true. Miguel, haven’t you noticed? In
the past 7 days, you never loved anyone. You never served anyone. All you thought about was
yourself. What you wanted.”
“So?” Miguel asked. “Isn’t that supposed to be fun?”
The woman said, “Heaven is the perfection of love. Hell is the absence of all love.”
Reality hit Miguel like a giant hammer hitting his head. His lips quivered, “Don’t tell me…”
The lady said, “Juan Miguel, welcome to Hell.”
Miguel collapsed to the ground. “Nooooooooooo! How did I end up here?”
“You chose it.”
He shook his head. “No, I didn’t!”
“We all choose our eternity. Because eternity is a mere continuation of our chosen life
on earth. We merely follow its path after our death.”
As the woman walked away, she said to Miguel, “Order a few Lear jets, perhaps some
giant yachts. It may take away some pain. At least for a few seconds…”
Miguel wept.
For a very long, long time.

A Different Ending
In the Philippines, some of our telenovelas have two different endings.
Isn’t that cool? In one version, Judy Ann Santos dies. In the other, Judy Ann Santos
misses the bullet and marries her prince.
So allow me to create a different version of our story…
One day, Juan Miguel died.
And instantly, he found himself in a beautiful place.
Immediately, he saw his grandparents and other family members and friends who had
already gone there before him. They greeted him with a group hug, shouting, “Welcome, Juan
Miguel! We missed you so much!”
“Wow, it’s so wonderful to see you!” Miguel said.
“We love you, Miguel!” they all said in unison.
After many more tears and hugs and I love yous, his grandmother asked, “Miguel, do
you want something to eat? In this place, you can eat anything you want.”
“Wow, really? Okay, for my appetizers, can I have some Ceasar’s Salad with Spanish
anchovies? For my main meal, I’d like to have Garoupa with capers and olives plus a little Roti
breadon the side. For dessert, I want scoops and scoops of Gelato Italian ice cream.”
And in a wink of an eye, a 5‐star buffet table filled with food appeared.
“Unbelievable!” he shouted.
“It’s all yours, Miguel,” they said.
“No way!” Miguel said. He got a plate, filled it with food, and gave it to his
grandfather. He filled another plate and gave it to his grandmother. “You’re all eating with
me,” Miguel said. “Hey grandma, how are you doing?”
She smiled and said, “Miguel, I’m happy here. In this place, we have enormous power.
You can wish for anything—and it will come true.”
“Anything? Like cars and houses…”
“Yes!” everyone shouted.
His grandmother said, “Juan Miguel, I have something to give you. Close your eyes…”

Only Love Can Make Anything Beautiful
As he closed his eyes, she snapped her finger and viola—a shiny silver blue, brand new,
custom‐made BMW popped up in front of him. It even had a diamond‐encrusted emblem of
Miguel’s name on the steering wheel. Below his name were the words, “Love, Grandma”.
Miguel was speechless. She hugged him tight and said, “I knew you’d like it.”
After wiping a tear, he said, “I like the car, Grandma, but it’s your love that makes it so
special. Hey, can I do these things too? You know, snap my finger and give you all some gifts?”
“Not in a million years!” his grandfather said.
Everyone laughed.
“Your grandpa is kidding, Miguel,” Grandma said. “Of course you have the power to do
that.”
“But it’s my turn to give Miguel something,” Grandpa said. “Miguel, I’m going to build
you a little house. Would a castle do?”
Everyone laughed again.
“If it’s big enough for all of you to live with me, I’ll accept it,” Miguel said.
The old man said, “But it’ll take awhile. You see, I won’t snap my finger and give you a
castle.”
“You won’t?”
“Nope. I’m going to build you one with my bare hands. I want it to be a labor of love.
Just to let you know how much I love you.”
“We’ll help,” the others chimed in.
“Besides, it’ll be so much more fun!” Grandpa said.
And you could hear their laughter echo all over Heaven.

The Two Things You Need To Be Successful

You can’t be successful in life without these two essential things:
Giftedness and Godliness.
Let me define them for you.
Giftedness is the ability to turn thought into things;
Godliness is the ability to use that giftedness to serve.
Giftedness is being like God in his skills;
Godliness is being like God in his service.
Giftedness is being like God in his power;
Godliness is being like God in his love.
Giftedness is charisma; Godliness is character.
You can be successful with giftedness alone, but success will be short‐lived and isolated
in one or two areas of your life. For real success that spans your whole life, you need giftedness
and godliness.

Giftedness
Let’s talk about giftedness first.
The most successful people in the world have perfected the craft of turning thoughts
into things. Successful people are those who have the skill of making their dreams come true.
What they think about becomes reality.
One day, Steve Jobs was in his house when he thought of a little gadget that can contain
10,000 songs and that was tiny enough to put in your pocket. And in a few years, Apple
produced the Ipod and it has taken over the music world by storm.
One day, Warren Buffet thought of buying businesses when the values were cheap. It
all started with a thought. Today, Warren Buffet is the second richest man in the world
because his company owns thousands of companies.
One day, Manny Pacquiao was in a tiny town in General Santos, thinking of becoming a
boxing champ. Today, he’s the #1 pound‐for‐pound fighter in the world.
Friends, you have that gift. All of us do. God has given you that power to turn thoughts
into things. He made His co‐creators!
Our problem is that we don’t use this enormous gift that we have.
In my preaching at the Feast and in my writings, I constantly remind people of that
power that we have to turn thought into things.
But giftedness alone isn’t enough to create Heaven…

Godliness
You need godliness too.
Many people imagine Heaven in this way: People floating around in their pajamas and
all they do the whole day is sit on fluffy clouds and play their harps.
If that’s Heaven, I’ll be like Juan Miguel in my first story: bored to death.
More than anything else, I believe Heaven is a place of service. We’ll be serving each
other more than ever before. If that doesn’t attract you, then you won’t like Heaven. Yes, I
really believe we choose our eternity by our way of life on earth. God won’t force Heaven upon
us. He’ll respect how we want to live.

The Rewards Of Service:
Heaven On Earth
I’m living the dream life.
One day, a lady interviewed me for a magazine article. She asked, “Bo, if you had an
opportunity to live your life all over again, would you live your life in any other way?” I told her,
“Except for my sins, I wouldn’t change a single thing. I would still serve God with my life.”
Why? Because I’ve experienced the Rewards of Service. The Bible says, And anyone who
gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the
truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.[1]
Friends, Heaven and Hell starts here.
God promised Rewards. And it will happen.
If you serve, you experience Heaven here.
If you don’t serve, you experience Hell here.
What are the Rewards of Service? I know I could site 2,486 examples, but for lack of
space, let me just share three rewards today:
1. I have so much love in my life.
2. I’ve grown in my talents.
3. I’ve protected my spiritual life.
Here they are…

1. I Have So Much Love In My Life
My friends are the greatest.
Just look at the guys who lead Light of Jesus with me. You’ll notice that most of them
have been with me for 30 years. Look at the second line of leaders. You’ll notice that they’ve
been serving with me for 20 years.
Why do I have these phenomenal friends in my life?
Because we don’t just serve God—we serve each other in personal ways.
I repeat: Service is not a set of activities; Service is a way of life.
Serving each other means calling each other, doing stuff for each other, and praying for
each other. We take trips together; We eat together; We laugh together.
We serve each other. That, in one line, is the secret of maintaining the unity of a church
or ministry. If you see an organization whose leaders are serving God but not serving each
another in personal relationships, mark my word, in won’t be long before you see a major split
in that organization. Guaranteed.
If you want to fill your life with love, learn to serve.

2. I Grew In My Talents
Yes, I grew in my giftedness.
I started serving when I was 12 years old.
I sang in the choir. I played the guitar. I wrote the song lyrics on Manila paper. (Kids,
this was during a prehistoric era when there was no LCD Projector yet.) I arranged the chairs. I
swept the floor. I cleaned the toilets. Even if I was the speaker, I still had to carry the loud
speakers.
For 20 years, almost everyday, I would preach to anyone. You name it, I preached to
them. I’ve preached to kids, teachers, farmers, executives, prisoners, doctors, judges… The
only audience I haven’t preached to are green aliens from outer space. (Perhaps one day.)
Believe me, it was the best public speaking training anyone could ever have!
For 20 years, I served without charge, not knowing that I was being paid in another
way…
Because I grew in self‐confidence.
I grew in leadership skills.
I grew in relationship skills.
I grew so much in my personal life, that by the time I got married at the age of 32 and
needed to earn money and start businesses, it was easy. Why? I had all those fantastic skills
under my belt.
Listen carefully: If you want grow your wealth, you’ve got to grow you.
There’s no other way.

3. I Protected My Spiritual Life
My service kept me godly.
When I was 21 years old, I had an experience I’ll never forget. This was a time when I was
still young and irresistible. (Now, I’m just irresistible to my wife.)
I was alone in my office when I heard a knock on the door. When I opened, I saw a
young beautiful girl crying in front of me. She asked if she could speak to me. She said she was
in so much pain. So I let her in. (At that time, I still didn’t know that men shouldn’t counsel
attractive young women alone.)
Through much sobbing, she told me about her boyfriend. She told me how he was using
her. She told me she had given her body to him and how she regretted it.
As I listened to her story, without warning, she threw herself to me. She knelt in front of
me and embraced me. With her head on my chest, her lovely eyes looking at me, she said, “Bo,
you’re really the man I want for my life. I love you, Bo!”
Picture this scene. Here was this gorgeous young woman throwing herself at my feet,
telling me she loved me. I could feel her supple body and soft skin. I could smell her sweet
scent. I could touch her beautiful hair. At that point, she was putty in my hands and I could do
anything I wanted to do with her.
I want to be honest with you. At that moment, I almost forgot I was a Christian. But as
ridiculous as this may sound, there was one thing I didn’t forget: That I had to give a talk in a
prayer meeting in two hours!
That’s what saved me. My thoughts were, “My gosh, how could I face my audience if I did
something naughty right now?”
So I pulled her up and led her to the door. She couldn’t understand why I was driving her
out. Two times, she tried to embrace me again, begging me to love her.
I had to literally push her out of the door.
Let me tell you how human I was. After I pushed her out and closed the door, I leaned
my back on the door and said, “Sayang”[2].
But twenty years later, all I can say is, “Thank God, nothing happened!”
My service protected me from sin.

Serve In God’s House
Be a world‐changer in a new level.
Yes, serve God in your families, in your jobs, in your businesses. Complete the picture
and serve God in His House too.
You have a choice.
Every time you come to Church…
Choice A:
You can park in your favorite parking spot, walk to your favorite seat, sing a few songs,
listen to a talk, chat with friends, and go home and watch TV.
Choice B:
Or you can roll up your sleeves, serve in a ministry, love people with all your heart, and
go home with that sense of satisfaction, joy, and fulfillment that you’re serving God and
God’s people in His House.
Friend, do something bigger than yourself: Build the Kingdom of God.
Our organization, Light of Jesus, is run by thousands of selfless volunteers. Without
these wonderful people serving as administrators, singers, ushers, musicians, intercessors,
programmers, caregivers, counselors, group leaders, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. (If
you’re abroad, log on at www.KerygmaFamily.com and be part of our borderless, international,
non‐physical community.)
Believe that God will lead you to the best way to serve Him.

Bo Sanchez

How You Can Harvest More Blessings
You know how old I am?
Here’s a hint: My first computer monitor wasn’t black and white.
It was green.
And the only real popular computer game in my time?
Pacman. It was a green round character with a big mouth that ate everything in
sight. Like greedy politicians of the Philippines.
If your dictionary was published before 1980, throw it away. Thanks to the computer, the
English vocabulary has radically changed.
When I was young, a mouse was a furry animal.
A mouse pad was the house of a furry animal.
A virus caused the flu.
A bug was an insect.
A hard drive was a difficult journey.
An apple was a fruit.
And windows were rectangular holes on the wall.
My friend (whose name I won’t divulge because it’ll be hazardous to my health) has been
frozen in time when it comes to computers. She refuses to learn. One day, her boss enters her
office and says, “I need new Windows for the office.” He was referring to the computer’s
Operating System, but she didn’t have the foggiest idea what he was talking about. Being the
bubbly girl that she was, she said, “Cool! Interior design is my specialty.”
What is an Operating System? It’s the system that operates the computer. (Man, I’m
bright.) Okay, let me try that one more time. The Operating System is the most basic program
of your computer. Your various applications—Word, Excel, and Powerpoint—sit atop the
Operating System or OS.
Why am I giving you a lecture on computers?
To make a very important announcement.
Friends, I’ve just discovered the Operating System of the universe.\

It Answers The Mystery
How did I come to this discovery?
I like to ask a lot.
I’ve always wondered why some people are successful and others are failures. I’ve
wondered why some people are happy and others unhappy. I’ve wondered why some people
have loving families and others have broken families.
What determines success and failure?
I’ve now come to the conclusion that it’s how we relate to the OS of the universe.
The Operating System of the universe is the Law that governs all of reality. Success and
failure hang on this one Law. Follow this Law and you’ll succeed. Disregard the Law and you’ll
fail.
So what is the OS of the universe?

Luck
Some people think luck is the OS of the universe.
If good things happen to you, you’re lucky.
If bad things happen to you, you’re unlucky.
So to be successful, just be lucky!
I remember the husband who told his wife, “Sweetheart, when I had a big trial, you were
there beside me. When I lost my job, you were there beside me. When I got sick, you were
there beside me. When I lost all my wealth, you were there beside me…” His wife was about to
cry, so touched was she by his words. And then he said, “I’ve come to realize that you bring me
bad luck.”
People who believe that luck is the OS of the universe will wear amulets. They will also
knock on wood, follow their horoscope, hang mirrors on their homes, and kill a rabbit and bring
along his foot. (I can assure you that rabbit wasn’t lucky at all.)
Luck says that your life is based on how the stars are arranged.
My friend and I were going to have lunch one day. But early in the morning, she called
me and said, “I can’t meet with you today, Bo.”
“Why?”
She said, “My horoscope says I can’t leave the house. It says I may have an accident
today.”
“I have a suggestion,” I said. “Buy another magazine where your horoscope says you can
get out of your house!”
I don’t like my life being controlled by the arrangement of the stars. Because that means
my life is totally out of my control.
Because the last time I checked, I can’t seem to control those stars. They’re a bazillion
miles away and they’re also bigger than me. Goodness, I can’t even control my kids who are
only 2 feet away—and much smaller than me!
I added, “You shouldn’t be superstitious.”
“Why?” she asked.
“It’s bad luck.”
God
Some believe that the Operating System of the entire universe is a capricious, self‐
centered, immature, insecure God.
They don’t call him by that description, but that’s who their God is. He is a Divine Being
who sits on the throne, looking for people to reward because they adore him—or looking for
people to punish because they forget him.
So to succeed in life, all you have to do is make this capricious God happy. Don’t anger
him. And perhaps, He’ll throw some rewards in your direction.
Plu‐eeeeese.
That’s not my God. That sounds more like the Volcano God in the movie
Kingkong. Whenever the volcano rumbled and spewed more smoke then usual, these primitive
people imagined their god was angry. To appease him, they would choose a poor guy among
them, tie him up, and throw him through the boiling mouth of their volcano god, hoping that
this human sacrifice will pay for their sins.
Why would you want to worship such a tyrannical God?
If the OS of the universe isn’t lady luck or a self‐centered God, what is it then?

To Be Successful,
Follow the Operating System
Friends, I don’t believe in luck.
I believe in blessing.
Luck is based on chance.
Blessing is100% sure!
What people define as luck, I define as getting ready to be blessed.
My belief is simple: When the soul is ready, the blessing will appear.
Are you ready for the truth? Right now, you’re swimming in an ocean of blessings. You
don’t see this ocean, but it’s there all around you.
If you lack blessings, it simply means you lack readiness to receive the blessings. There’s
no shortage of blessings. There’s only a shortage of your readiness.
The key? Get ready.
How? By planting seeds.
Let me now tell you the Operating System of the Universe.
Friends, the Operating System of the universe is the Law of the Harvest.
This is what governs the world.
And this is what governs your life.
The Law of the Harvest states:
What you plant, you harvest. What you don’t plant, you don’t harvest. The more you
plant, the more you harvest. The less you plant, the less you harvest.
If you plant mango, you get mangoes.
If you plant bananas, you get bananas.
And if you plant love, you harvest love.
If you plant hatred, you harvest hatred too.

Experiment
Try this out tomorrow.
Put a permanent smile on your face and greet everyone you see. Smile at people
walking on the streets. Give a cheery “Good Morning!” to the security guard, the janitor, the
messenger in the office. And give hugs to the staff in your office.
Though a few would wander if you’ve taken shabu for breakfast, I can assure you that
you’ll receive more smiles than you’ve ever received before.
That’s just how the universe works.
Make a decision now to plant today what you want to harvest tomorrow. Or next
week. Or next month. Or next year. Or 10 years from now.
Do you want to more joy?
Give joy to others. Face it. The happiest people in the world are those who’ve planted
the most seeds of happiness to others.
I can share with you an example in my life…

Why Am I So Blessed With A Loving Family?
I’ve got a great family life.
Why? Because for the past 10 years now, I’ve been planting seeds of love into my
family. I spend time with the boys. I play with them everyday. In fact, they know my policy that
at anytime, my home office is always open to them if they want to play with Daddy.
Everyday, I bike with Francis. Each week, I have a one‐to‐one breakfast with
Benedict. Each week, I have a romantic date with my wife. In fact, this past week, despite being
away to Davao and Cebu for a couple of days, I still was able to grab two romantic dates with
my wife. (I can’t get enough of her.)

I’ve planted all these seeds of love, and I’m now harvesting!
If you want to harvest love, you have to plant seeds of love.
By the way, do you want more money?

How To Harvest More Money
If you want more money, plant value.
Remember: Money is nothing else but a symbol of value. So the surest way to increase
your income is to increase your value—and give that value to others.
My friends own a chain of restaurants in Metro Manila named Trinity.
Visit them in Mall of Asia and you’ll see that they’re always jampacked. How come? Go
ahead. Try their food. I recommend Sinigang sa Miso. But before going in, write your name in a
small card and put it in your pocket. Because when you start sipping the soup, I promise you
that it’s so good that you’ll forget your name. Thus, the card in your pocket. My friends are
giving you incredible value.
My other friends own In My Womb Prenatal Ultrasound Clinics.
They too are prospering because they want to serve the customers.
First, they took the ultrasound out of hospitals and into malls. Pregnant women don’t
like going to hospitals for their ultrasound. Because they’re not sick and don’t want to be
around sick people. Second, the clinics are such a lovely, family‐friendly, attractive place. While
a doctor is doing your ultrasound, your family can watch your baby’s prenatal videos because
they placed a wide‐screen, TV set on the wall. Third, only OB‐Gynecologists work on each
pregnant woman—not their staff or assistants. That means you get the ultrasound interpreted
to you as its being done.
Do you now understand? The wealthiest person (minus Drug Lords, etc.) is the one who
can give the most value to the most number of people.
Anyone who has a lot of money but not a lot of value will soon loose all that
money. Take a look at LOTTO winners. According to the US Certified Financial Planner Board of
Standards, Inc, nearly one‐third of LOTTO winners become bankrupt within five years of their
winning. Just five years and the money flies away. Why? Because money symbolizes value, and
if there’s no value behind the symbol, it won’t last.
Let me close with one last story.

What You Give, You Receive
In Sagada, we visited the Echo Valley.
Standing on the edge of the cliff, I told my 4‐year old boy, “Okay son, shout I love you as
loud as you can!” So Francis hollered, “I love youuuuu!”
It was a delight to see the surprise on his face when he heard his high‐pitched voice
bounce back… “I love you, I love you, I love you…”
Being the killjoy that I was, I took him aside and gave him a 2‐minute lecture on life.
“Francis,” I said, “life works the same way. The entire universe is a giant Echo Valley. What you
give to life, you’ll receive back a hundredfold. Imagine if you said I hate you. You would have
heard, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you… Hatred will return to you many times over
too. Remember: Whatever you give to the universe, you’ll receive it multiplied.”
“Okay Daddy,” he nodded, “the universe is a giant Echo Valley.”
Of course, that was his polite way of getting rid of me.
As I watched my little boy holler more I love you’s to the universe—and receiving it
back—I realized how simple God created the world.
Friend, what do you want to harvest in your future?
Plant it today.

Bo Sanchez

How To Have A Breakthrough In Your Life
Have you ever been denied a visa?
If not, believe me, you don’t want to experience it.
I’ve been denied a visa. Twice. From the US Embassy no less.
Look into my heart and you’ll find two ugly scars.
I remember my first attempt.
I was still in my teens.
When I woke up, I was already wet with nervous sweat. It didn’t help that when I arrived
in the US Embassy, I saw a humongous crowd of hopeful Pinoys outside the gates of American
Heaven. They were standing in long lines, all of them begging for a visa. I felt their collective
fear. It was nerve‐wracking.
Each step closer to the interviewer made my stomach churn. I could actually hear the
loud beating of my chest and wondered if everyone else heard it.
Dub‐dub. Dub‐dub. Dub‐dub.
Finally, it was my turn.
I walked up to the glass window and said with a trembling voice, “Good morning…”

Am I Human?
The consul, a thirtyish guy with square spectacles, was all business. He looked at my
passport. I bet he already made up his mind right there, but the interview had to go on. He
asked, “So why do you want to go to the US?”
I said, “I’m a preacher and a Catholic convention is inviting me to give a talk.”
That was when I realized—My gosh, who in the world would believe me? A pimple‐
faced, scarecrow‐looking teen‐ager being invited to speak in a religious convention?
The man abruptly left his cubicle. I imagined he was laughing out loud and rolling on the
floor. When he came back, he said matter‐of‐factly, “I’m sorry Mr. Sanchez, I can’t possibly give
you a Visa.”
Again, I imagined him say instead, “I’m sorry Mr. Sanchez, you’re so totally unworthy of
stepping on the beautiful shores of America because we only accept human beings.”

Another Rejection
The second time I applied, the interviewer was an American lady.
She was very kind to me. Instead of saying, “I’m sorry, I can’t possibly give you a Visa,”
she said, “I’m so very sorry, I can’t possibly give you a Visa.” But it still broke my heart.
By the third time I applied, I thought I was already an expert in the body language of
foreign diplomats. I got ready for another denial.
Here were the signs I was looking for:
If the consul has an emotionless zombie look on his face, I’d get denied.
If he shakes his head… Denied.
If he raises an eyebrow… Denied.
If he yawns… Denied.
If he looks at his watch… Denied.
If he inhales oxygen… Denied.
If he exists in front of me… Denied.

I’m A Human Being After All
So I was so shocked when he approved my visa.
Just like that.
Without asking me a question, the guy said, “Have a nice trip.”
“Excuse me?” I asked.
He smiled and repeated himself, “Have a nice trip.”
“Where am I going?” I asked.
But I finally got it.
I almost ran out of the embassy jumping up and down.
Hey, I’m a human being after all!

Life With A Visa
When I still didn’t have a visa, I remember visiting my neighbor who had a potted plant
from the US. I put my foot in it and announced, “Hey guys, I’ve finally stepped on US soil!”
When I didn’t have a visa, I couldn’t step on an inch of US territory.
But because I got the visa, I’ve now preached in 34 cities in North America.
Friends, there’s something better than a US visa.
There’s a visa to the land of abundance and love and victory that God wants you to
have.
I should know.
I’m experiencing it right now.

It’s Harvest Time For Me
People ask me, “Bo, how can you be so blessed?”
They point to my loving family.
They point to my fantastic job that blesses the world.
They point to my financial blessings from my small businesses.
They point to my incredible circle of friends.
They point to my irresistible good looks. (Note: “They” consist of my mother and my
wife.)
Yes, I’m living a dream life.
Sometimes, I have to pinch myself. Is this really happening?
Let me tell you a curious thing that started happening when I hit 40.
In 2006, I was named Ten Outstanding Young Men, awarded by the President in
Malacañang Palace no less.
In 2007, I was given the Serviam Award, the highest award of the Catholic Mass Media
Awards by none other than Cardinal Rosales himself.
And just last week, another fantastic recognition: The Golden Gavel Award from
Toastmasters International—the highest award given to non‐Toastmasters for public speaking.
Do you know why I’m so blessed?
Here’s my theory:
There are two seasons in this universe:
∙ The Planting Season
∙ The Harvest Season
For 40 years, I was in the Planting Season.
Today, I’m in the Harvest Season of my life.
It’s that simple. For years, I’ve planted and planted…and planted! Crossing the line
between planting and harvesting was like receiving a visa to a land of abundance and ease. In
other words, I’ve experienced a breakthrough.
Let me describe these two seasons as simply as I can. I cannot think of a clearer
explanation as this:
In the Planting Season, I chased after blessings.
In the Harvest Season, blessings are chasing after me.
How to get to Harvest?
There really are only 2 Powerful Steps…

Step #1:
Even If You See No Results,
Keep Planting
Many of you are getting tired of doing good, of doing the right thing.
Why? Because you don’t see the results.
So you want to give up.
Don’t! Or there will be no Harvest.
Perhaps you’ve been applying for a job, but the right job has not been coming. Never
mind. Keep applying anyway.
Perhaps you’ve been reaching out to your son, but he’s still distant as ever. Never
mind. Keep reaching out to your son anyway.
Perhaps you’ve been working on your finances, but you’re still buried in debt. Never
mind. Keep working on your finances anyway.
Perhaps you’ve been working on your marriage but the relationship is still
strained. Never mind. Keep working on your marriage anyway.
A wife said to her husband, “I’m so tired of our fighting. I can’t take it anymore. I’m
leaving the house!” And the husband said, “Me too! I can’t take it anymore as well. I don’t want
to stay in this house too! I’m coming with you.”
That husband wasn’t about to give up!
(Note: I’m not talking about abuse in marriage. These are the exceptions where it may
be better for a husband and wife to live apart. In this article, I’m talking about the regular
problems that slowly destroy marriages if we don’t work at our relationship.)
Some of us think if we plant, we’ll harvest.
That’s not how this universe works.
You’ll need to plant and plant and plant…and then you’ll harvest.
My friend, don’t give up.
Believe that harvest is coming!

Keep Showing Up!
Friend, if you want to succeed in life, you need to show up.
In the US embassy, I needed to show up for my interview.
And when I got denied, I just applied again.
When life denies you of what you dream for, here’s the key: Show up again.
What if I got so depressed and I never tried again? I would never have been able to
preach in 34 cities in North America.
Remember that in the Planting Season, not all your seeds will grow. Many of your seeds
won’t reach the Harvest Season. Some of your seeds will die.
I remember one area of my life where I had to plant again and again, almost giving up
because it seemed as though nothing was happening…

Planting Seeds Of Love
In My Emotions
For almost 30 years, I was run by my fears.
Each morning, I would wake up with a profound sense of sadness. For many years, I
didn’t know why I felt so sickeningly sad. Many years later, I was able to define it: it was
shame. I had a shame‐based personality, rooted in my molestation as a child and teen years. (I
talk about this painful part of my life in my 2 books, Your Past Does Not Define Your Future and
7 Secrets To Real Freedom.) I was totally ashamed for who I was. I was ashamed that I existed in
the world.
For years, I tried to please everyone. Because if someone didn’t like me, I would panic. I
would die within. I was desperate for people to love me.
But daily, I planted seeds of love in my heart.
I received God’s love. I loved myself aggressively. I allowed others to love me. There
were days when I was okay. But there were more days when my old fears would grip me again.
There were days when I wanted to give up.
I felt it was all a waste—that I would never get healed.
And then one day—I just noticed it—my fears were lessening. Its intensity
weakening. My shame reared its ugly head less frequently.
I knew a miracle was happening.
I knew love was conquering my soul, edging fear out of my life.
Today, as I write this piece, my life has totally changed.
Harvest has come!
I now profoundly love myself. I’m no longer ashamed of myself. I cannot begin to
describe to you the change in my inner life. It’s like night changed to day—and I’m a brand new
person inside.
But there’s a second step to Harvest Season…

Step #2:
Plant In The Right Environment
The Law of the Harvest says, what you plant, you harvest.
But hidden in this Law is the need to plant your seeds in the right environmental
conditions: Good sunlight and abundant water.
If I plant the right seeds in the wrong environment, there’ll still be no harvest.
What is the right environment? Faith.
You need to plant your seeds with blessing mindset. Faith is the water and sunlight of
your seeds.
What is a blessing mindset? That no matter what happens, you expect to be
blessed. That you expect good things to happen to you.
I know people who work on their finances—but don’t expect to be truly rich.
I know people who work on their family relationships—but don’t expect that they’ll ever
get better.
I know people who work on their health—but don’t expect healing.
If you want to be blessed you have to expect to be blessed.
You have to expect the harvest.
Let me give you an example…

Develop Your Wealth Mindset
In my last Blog, I said that if you want to harvest more money, you have to plant
value. Why? Because money is simply a symbol of value.
But why was it that for the first 30 years of my life, I was poor, even when I was planting
the right seeds?
When I started serving God at age 13, preaching almost daily and leading non‐profit
organizations, I was already planting value into my life and enormous value in others—by
helping countless of people. I planted what I believe are the 3 seeds of wealth—character
(integrity), competence (gifting), and connections (relationships).
So why no harvest?
I didn’t have the right blessing mindset to make the seeds grow. In this case, I lacked a
wealth mindset to make the seeds of money grow.
In other words, I didn’t want to become rich. I didn’t expect to be blessed.
It took years to get rid of my scarcity mentality. It came from…
∙ Wrong beliefs about myself: I identified myself with poverty.
∙ Wrong beliefs about God: I thought He wanted me to be poor.
∙ Wrong beliefs about money: I believed it was the tool of the devil.
I remained poor because I didn’t want the harvest.
I was already giving so much value to people, all I had to do was ask and I’d get paid
handsomely. But I didn’t want to be paid.
So I remained poor.
When I hit 30 years old, I began to open myself to harvest.
I began to grow a wealth mindset.
And I began to grow my wealth too.
I remember reading all the books I could get on money and searching for all the mentors
I could find. Sometimes, it seemed like the more I knew, the more confused I became. But I
didn’t stop. I kept learning. Until everything made sense.
I also got into 8 small businesses—and failed in every single one of them. I lost tons of
money. (I didn’t have much money then, so “tons” is a relative term.) It was
devastating. Depressing! But I never gave up.
And then breakthrough came.
Today, money flows to me like a river. (Compared to my multimillionaire mentors, my
river is more like a trickle from a leaking faucet. But it sure looks good to me!) I don’t look for
business opportunities; Business opportunities come to me. And the right people, the right
resources, and the right wisdom just come to me.
Yes, harvest has come.
And greater harvests are coming because I keep planting.

Even At Harvest, Keep Planting
Some of you are enjoying your Harvest Season in various areas of your life.
Don’t stop planting.
Don’t forget to take some of the seeds that you harvest and plant them.
If you do this, greater Harvest Seasons will come.
Next Week, I share with you the answer to this difficult question:
Is there a right time to quit?

Bo Sanchez

Quit Often To Succeed In Life
One day, Max, a criminal in death row was about to be executed.
The warden was extra kind that day, so he asked him, “Max, for your last three meals, you
can ask for anything you want. What do you want for breakfast?”
Max said, “Pancit (Local noodles). For long life.”
The warden smiled and said, “I don’t think it will work. But here’s the pancit
anyway.” Max ate with gusto.
After a few hours, the warden asked, “What’s your second meal?”
“Spaghetti. Also for long life,” Max said.
The warden laughed as he shook his head, “Max, this won’t give you long life, but anyway,
here it is…” He gave him spaghetti and Max devoured it.
After a few hours, the warden asked, “What’s your third meal? Sotanghon?” (Another
local noodle dish.)
“No,” Max laughed, “noodle dishes have not been working for me.”
“So what will your last meal be?”
Max said, “I want a bowl of fresh strawberries.”
The warden said, “But it’s not the season of strawberries. That’s about ten months away!”
Max said, “Oh, it’s okay. I can wait.”
Max had a simple purpose: To extend his life.
If you noticed, his first two strategies didn’t work. So he shifted strategy.
Friends, you need to be an expert in using this powerful tool of success.

Are You A Quitter?
I know it sounds shocking.
But I’m serious.
Unless you learn how to quit, you won’t reach your dreams.
I don’t say that because I read it in a book. I say that from personal experience. I’m
successful now because I know when to quit, how to quit, where to quit, and what to quit.
By the way, do you have problems?
Today, I’m going to teach you how to solve your problems by quitting.
Let me give you a hint: Most of the time, the best way to solve your problems is not by
solving your problems. The best way to solve your problems is by making them irrelevant.
And the way to do that is to quit.
I hope I’ve confused you by now.
Let me now tell you my first story: A love story. A tragic love story.
But I’m going to ask a favor. Notice whenever I use these three words in my story:
Purpose, Path, and Problem.
Let me define them for you:
o Purpose is the final destination
o Path is the road going there.
o Problem is the barrier on that road.
Ready?
My love story is about Jenny, a beautiful single woman with many dreams.
Like many single women, her big purpose is to have a happy marriage.
Which includes a lovely wedding, romantic dates each week, cuddling in bed every
Saturday morning, and hugs under a starlit sky.
One day, Jimboy walks into her world and offers a path to her purpose.
He has good looks. Dresses smart. Speaks well. Has what Filipinos call “arrive”.
She meets him, likes him, and walks home with her feet on the clouds.
She also has many profound signs from Heaven that they’re meant for each other:
They’re fans of the same artista.
She’s excited. She believes she has found the man of her dreams.
Unfortunately, the dream turns out to be a nightmare.

The Problem of Jimboy
She discovers that Jimboy is an irresponsible bum.
He always doesn’t have money. His wallet is thick, but it’s filled with old receipts,
discount cards, and an expired driver’s license that he can’t renew because he has no money.
He hasn’t held a steady job for the past five years. When Jenny asks him why, he says
he’s a free spirit. But since his spirit is still trapped in a physical body that gets hungry three
times a day, Jimboy has to borrow money from Jenny.
Jenny also discovers that Jimboy has mixed blood. He’s 25% Filipino, 25% Chinese, and
50% Alcohol. When she asks why he drinks so much, he says, “When I drink, I fall asleep. When
I fall asleep, I don’t sin. When I don’t sin, I go to Heaven. So I drink to go to Heaven.”
Finally, she also discovers that Jimboy flirts with anything that moves with a skirt. She
finds he has other girlfriends. “In case of emergencies,” he laughs.
Let’s review the three elements of our story.
Her Purpose is a happy marriage.
Her Path is Jimboy.
Her Problem is his character flaws: being a bum, an alcoholic, and a playboy.
What should Jenny do?
Wouldn’t it be so much simpler if she just quit this path and take another?
But from my experience, many women don’t. They just keep on trying to solve their
problem—in this case—Jimboy’s character flaws.
I see two reasons why people don’t quit…

1. When You Confuse Purpose And Path
Jenny must see boyfriend Jimboy as a path.
Just a path, not the purpose.
Because if she’s confused between purpose and path, she’ll be attached to Jimboy. If
Jenny confuses Jimboy to be her purpose, then she’ll try to solve the problem of his character
flaws head on—by trying to change him.
That may include emotional manipulation, sexual blackmail, dragging him to prayer
meetings, forcing him to counseling, and driving out demons via exorcism.
Or she may just marry him and hope that marriage will change him.
Which is a huge mistake. Here’s the truth: Marriage doesn’t change anyone, it simply
magnifies what’s already there.
But okay, I admit. There are rare exceptions. A few guys do change after their wedding
day.
But that’s like playing Russian Roulette. With a gun that can hold 100 bullets—and 99
are loaded. Do you really want to take that risk?

2. When You Become Unclear With Your Purpose
Emotionally, the Jennys of the world are discombobulated.
They will keep their Jimboys because marriage is no longer their purpose.
For example, if Jenny has a strained relationship with her parents, and her parents told
her that Jimboy wasn’t good for her, Jenny will keep him as her act of rebellion. In this case, her
purpose isn’t marriage anymore. It’s to get back at Mama and Papa and declare her total
independence.
Another example.
If Jenny has a broken self‐image and believes—in her subconscious—that she deserves a
jerk, then she’ll keep him too. Again, the purpose is no longer to get married. The purpose is to
inflict self‐punishment for being such a terrible person. Even if Jimboy leaves her, Jenny will
continue to search for other Jerks. She will be a Jerk‐magnet for the rest of her life.
When the purpose is messed up, our lives are messed up as well.
Sadly, I see this tragedy again and again.
Oh, if only we learn to quit!
But our problem is that we think there’s only one path.
So when a problem blocks our way, we try to solve it head on.
Not understanding that sometimes, the best way to solve a problem is to make it
irrelevant. For example, Jenny can make Jimboy’s character flaws irrelevant by simply dumping
him—and choosing someone with better husband‐potential.
Life will be much simpler. And happier!

Tell Yourself: There’s More Than One Path
People don’t know how to quit.
I’ve met otherwise wonderful people who’ve been stuck in dead‐end relationships for
years—because they don’t know how to quit.
I’ve met great employees who—for the past 10 years—have been stuck in a job they
don’t like, working for a boss they don’t like, and receiving a pay they don’t like—because they
don’t know how to quit. (I’m not saying you quit tomorrow. Apply at another job first before
you quit.)
I’ve met entrepreneurs who’ve been stuck in a business that doesn’t earn much or that
isn’t in line with their passion—because they don’t know how to quit.
I’ve met people who—for the past 10 years—have been stuck in abusive religious
groups that kill their spirit—because they don’t know how to quit.
A friend of mine showed me this principle at work…

There’s Got To Be Another Way
A couple of years ago, my friend said he was taking up nursing to go abroad to earn for his
family. Though he and his wife owned a school, they still couldn’t make ends meet. Because the
school had very few students and many parents weren’t paying or were delayed in paying their
tuition fees.
So the guy went abroad to work.
But after a year, I met him again. He told me something beautiful. A line I want you to
say often. He said, “Bo, there’s got to be another way!”
“What happened?” I asked.
“My kids need me. And I was so lonely out there. I don’t want to go abroad again!” he
said.
My friend and his wife decided to work on their little school. They did massive
marketing and doubled their enrollees. They also did the unthinkable: They raised their tuition
fees. (In the past, their tuition fees were very low.)
Today, this couple is happy to report that the school is doing so much better. And
wonder of wonders, the parents now pay regularly. Why? Because they were able to reach
parents of a higher economic bracket who don’t have problems paying tuition fees.
Filipinos think that there’s only one path to financial abundance: Go abroad. Be an
Overseas Filipino Worker.
But the problem to that path is huge—leaving your children.
Hey, don’t solve that problem. Make that problem irrelevant by choosing another
path. Yes, there are other paths to financial abundance!
You can be wealthy here in this country!
One last story…

Choose Another Problem—
A Problem You Can Handle
Four years ago, I wanted to build the first Catholic homeschool provider in the
Philippines. At that time, all homeschool providers in the country were non‐Catholic.
For those who don’t know what homeschooling is, let me give you a simple
definition. Homeschooling is when parents teach their own kids at home and try their best not
to kill them before the day is over.
Just kidding. I believe in homeschooling so much because kids learn with fun. When
done correctly, homeschooled kids can have a broader intelligence than kids from regular
schools. And ironically, they can have greater social skills too. Today, two million kids in the US
are being homeschooled because it’s a fantastic alternative.
I love homeschooling. But my problem was that the Department of Education didn’t
love homeschooling. (Yet!)
They had this iron‐clad condition: If I wanted a license for homeschooling, I needed to
build a physical school—complete with a few concrete building, an army of teachers, yellow
school buses, a nice tall flagpole, and a security guard named Mang Jun—before they gave me a
go signal to open my homeschool center.
That was the giant problem in my path.
Now I could have bulldozed my way through that big problem by simply building a
physical school. I knew I could do it. I’ve built stuff before.
But my goodness! First, I’d need millions. Second, I’d probably become bald from
stress—and I don’t like to be bald because my head is shaped funny. But more importantly, why
build a traditional school if my heart was in homeschooling?
I took one step backward and prayed.
That’s when I found another path with a much smaller problem: I could partner with an
already existing school and work out a joint‐venture agreement with them.
That’s when I remembered my dear friend and fellow‐Preacher Alvin Barcelona and his
wife Tess. They owned a wonderful, multi‐awarded school called PowerKids. The only problem
was whether we could work together on the project.
We solved that small problem over a nice dinner of boneless Bangus and Quezo ice
cream in my home. That night, we signed the papers, and Kaboom—we launched the
www.CatholicFilipinoAcademy.com the next day.
Today, PowerKids CFA serve almost 150 kids and their very brave parents.
Here’s the key to great success: Be unflinching with your purpose, be flexible with your
path.
Never give up on the dreams that God has placed in your heart.
But you can experiment in various ways in fulfilling them—until you find the right one.
Just like Peter…
Fill Your Nets!
One day, Jesus asked Peter to fish. Peter said they’ve been fishing all day and have
caught nothing. But Peter said that he’d still do it.
But Jesus said something curious.
He just didn’t tell them, “Lower your nets one more time.”
He said, “Lower your nets in the deeper water. And lower your nets on the other side of
the boat”
In other words, quit the old way of doing things and take another path.
Result? Peter’s nets were so full of fish they almost broke. That’s abundance.
Friend, do you want your nets to be full? Do you want abundance too?
Don’t quit your purpose. Still lower your nets.
But quit where you lower your nets.
Quit when you lower your nets.
Quit how you lower your nets.
Find another path.
Are you going through some problems now?
Ask yourself:
1. What is really my end purpose?
2. Is there another path to this purpose whose problems I can handle?
And take new paths.
And may your nets almost break with your abundant harvest.
Next Week:
I’ll tell you one more reason to quit:
Even when a path seems to be working!

Bo Sanchez

How To Become A Superstar
Last week, I got a body massage that I’ll never forget.
I was massaged by “Ate Guy” (Not her real name).
I call her “Ate Guy” because though she looks like a woman, I have a suspicion she’s
really a guy. In fact, she has the strength of 10 guys in her little female body. But I’m getting
ahead of my story.
One of my friends recommended Ate Guy to me, praising her skill to the highest
heavens. My friend said, “Ate Guy’s singular mission in life is to remove your lamig (cold). She’s
obsessed. She goes berserk when she finds lamig in your body. She’ll not stop massaging you
until the lamig is pulverized under her fingers.”
With that glowing description, my wife and I contracted her services.
By the way, let me educate my non‐Filipino readers. Lamig means cold, but it means
more than that. Sometimes, it’s also called hangin or air. When Asians get sick, we say we have
lamig or hangin in our bodies. It doesn’t jive with modern medicine, but this belief has lived on
for centuries. In fact, it’s not uncommon that when you get massaged using this traditional
method, you dighay and diglo at lot. Translation: Dighay is burp. Diglo is butt burp.
On the agreed time, Ate Guy came to our house.

The Torment Begins
I studied Ate Guy.
She was 4’11. Mid‐thirties. Bordering on thin. Girlish ponytail.
Pretty harmless, I thought to myself.
My wife placed a mattress on the floor of our living room and lay down. She wanted to
go first. As Ate Guy started massaging her, I sat a few feet away, writing on my computer. I
looked on Marowe’s face: She was so relaxed. She appeared half‐asleep. I got excited. I wanted
to relax and sleep too.
After two hours, my wife stood up and said, “That was great! Bo, it’s your turn.” Oh
goody. I lay down and got ready to relax too.
Ate Guy knelt beside me and held my face.
Ahhhh. Pure bliss.
At least, for the first two seconds.
After that, it was pure torture.
Pure, unadulterated, CIA, KGB, Mafia, Yakuza, Al Qaeda torture.
During her massage, I reached levels of pain I thought never existed in human experience.
Her little thumbs were like Jack Hammers. Like a Sumo Wrestler was massaging me.
As I lay on the mattress being massacred, I mean, being massaged by Ate Guy, I
wondered if I offended my friend who recommended her to me—that this was his way of
revenge.
In the entire 2 hours, I groaned aray, aray, aray (ouch) the whole time.
Actually, I didn’t want to groan. I wanted to scream, ARAAAAAAAAY! But my neighbors
may think someone was being raped.
My wife came up to me and with a sly smile asked, “Do you like it, Bo?”
I whispered to her, “I feel I’m being run over by a train again and again.”
She laughed. I added, “Please call the US Embassy. Tell the Ambassador I have the
perfect person to send to their captured Terrorists. Just 2 hours of Ate Guy and they’ll confess
where Osama Bin Laden is hiding.”

Ate Guy Was Rich
After two hours of excruciating agony, it dawned on me that I had to pay Ate Guy for
almost killing me. We live in a crazy world, I tell you.
My wife asked her how much we owed her.
Ate Guy said, “P250 an hour.”
Two hours for her and two hours for me. So we paid a thousand bucks for 4 hours of
torment.
I wondered. How much does this little woman earn a month?
I asked her, “Ate Guy, how many prisoners, I mean, customers do you massage
everyday?” She answered, “An average of 4 to 5 a day.” I learned that she massages every
single day. No day offs.
“Isn’t that tiring?” I asked her. “That’s 10 hours a day.”
“I like it that way,” she said, “If I don’t massage anyone, my body looks for it.”
Aha! I knew it. She was a closet masochist.
“Do you advertise your services?”
“No. My customers just recommend me to others.”
“I’ll recommend you to others too,” I said. I started thinking of all the people who owed
me money. “But you mean to tell me every single day of your week is full?”
“Yes,” she said. “Because I’ve got mga suki (regular customers). Some even want me to
massage them three times a week.”
“Three times a week?” I almost fell off my chair. These people need to see a psychiatrist.
That was when it all hit me: Ate Guy told me she was a former house helper who earned
P3000 a month. Today, she takes home P50,000 to P60,000 a month. Much more than many
managers I know.
No doubt about it.
Ate Guy is a Superstar.

Be A Niche Superstar
How much do other masseuses earn? More or less P10,000 a month.
Why does Ate Guy earn five times more? Because she stands out.
She’s dominated her niche: The niche of torture camouflaging as massage.
Other massagers try to please everybody. They’re average. They’re typical. They’re all
alike. They’re forgettable.
Not Ate Guy.
You either like her or hate her.
Fortunately, there are enough insane people in this world who like her to make her a
Superstar. My wife is one of them. She invited her back. I’ve already noted the date of her
return—and I’ve arranged to be as far as possible from my house on that day.
You too need to find a way to become a Superstar.
But first, let me describe how problems create the phenomenon called Superstars.
Why Problems Create Scarcity,
And Scarcity Create Superstars
When I taught this message yesterday, I placed a number of ladders on stage. I told the
audience that life offers many ladders to climb. And that ladders represent opportunities for
growth.
A Superstar is a person who’s able to climb to the top of a ladder.
Do you have problems in your work or business? Each problem is like a step on the
ladder. Each problem is an invitation to become a Superstar. Superstars are Superstars because
they can solve problems.
That’s why I say problems are wonderful. Without problems, there will be no
Superstars. (I wish to thank the brilliant Seth Godin for these insights.)
Example? Imagine that you and I can pick diamonds in our backyards.
Would you and I be wealthy? Of course not. In fact, women will stop wearing diamonds,
period. Why? Diamonds are Superstars precisely because they’re scarce. If they’re no longer
scarce, why bother?
Diamonds are scarce because of the problem of getting them. You have to build
underground tunnels and excavate them from beneath the earth.
Think now of the many problems of becoming a great singer, a great artist, a great chef,
a great businessman, a great priest, a great father, and a great mother.
Problems create scarcity. And scarcity creates Superstars.
Here are the reasons why you need to be a Superstar…

The Rewards Of Superstars
People go to Superstars.
People watch Superstar movies.
People read Superstar books.
People eat in Superstar restaurants.
Let me ask you: When you see an empty restaurant, with two waiters sleeping on the
tables, would you go there? Not likely. Something in your brain says, “The food there must be
awful.”
But when you see a restaurant filled with people, with a long waiting line outside, you’ll
say, “My gosh, I better try that restaurant.”
Before you think that this article is just about money, let me also say that Superstars are
more emotionally fulfilled. They feel they’ve found their place in the world. They feel they’ve
found their mission in life.
And Superstars can serve God with more impact.
Do you want to become a Superstar?
Read on.

Superstars Have Skill And Spirit
To become a Superstar, you need Skill and Spirit.
For example, Ate Guy studied for 6 months in a technical school. Not satisfied with that,
she enrolled again in another school for 2 months on specialized massage. But her most
important education is the years of massaging almost 60 hours a week—year after year after
year.
But what made her develop her Skill? Spirit.
When you really think about it, Superstars are a little bit crazy.
Superstars are obsessed!
At the end of the day, it’s Spirit. Passion. Fire. Love. In Japanese, they call this Otaku.
For example, Ate Guy hates lamig with an almost neurotic obsession.
Once, Ate Guy had a patient whose lamig was stubborn. She ended up massaging this
man for 4 hours straight—free of charge—until she got rid of his lamig. I pity the man. Probably
became a paraplegic.
But no wonder Ate Guy is a Superstar. Only people with spirit do those crazy things.
Let me give you an example from my life.
These past 5 days, I had 14 meetings. But despite that hectic schedule, I was still able to
write 8 long articles. How did I do it? There’s only one answer: I’m crazy. I love writing. I love
crafting words.
How much do I love writing?
Others get high on drugs. I get a high choosing the right adjective for a sentence. I’m
nuts!

Why Do People Not Become Superstars?
I’ve met people who aren’t Superstars even when they could have been.
They could have been Superstars in their businesses.
They could have been Superstars in their careers.
They could have been Superstars in their service for God.
But they’re not.
Why?
I see three reasons.

1. Wrong Theology
Some people think that God wants them to remain small.
God wants them to remain insignificant.
God wants them to remain humble (a distorted definition).
Their religion tells them, “Don’t stand out. Don’t create waves. Just follow. Just
obey. Just be quiet.”
Please. Throw that rubbish way.
Go ahead. Stand out! Create waves. Be the best that you can be!
Use the core gifts that God gave you and develop them to the hilt.
Because your God will be proud.
How do I know? I’m a Dad of 2 boys.
When I see my kids show their Superstar qualities, I get giddy with joy. My heart
palpitates. My chest expands. I feel delirious.
Here’s my Theology: You owe it to your Maker to become a Superstar.
Because when you become a Superstar, you’re praising the One who made you.
Here’s the second reason…

2. Wrong Psychology
Some people believe they deserve to be small.
Some people believe they deserve to be failures.
Perhaps because their parents treated them as dirt and not as stars.
Or some other past trauma.
Friend, be aware of this inner programming and reboot!
Get a new internal software!
You deserve to be a Superstar because you already are one.
You’re made in His image.
God created Superstars. Get used to it!
Finally, the third reason.

3. Wrong Strategy
People fail to become Superstars because they climb the wrong ladder.
Let me shock you: If a ladder will not make you a Superstar, quit.
If you have no hope of reaching the top of that ladder, get off that ladder.
Why? Because you’ll always be mediocre. You’ll always be average. And in business,
average is death. In jobs, average means you’ll be the first one to be retrenched. Even in
relationships, average is risky. To be good enough is not enough.
You’ve got to be remarkable. You’ve got to be phenomenal.
Choose a ladder where you have Spirit and Skill to make you a Superstar.
This is just what Rex Robillos did.

Climb The Right Ladder
My friend Rex owns Buns and Pizza—a fast‐food chain of restaurants. Rex already knew
he couldn’t fight Jollibee. Why climb this ladder where the chance of success was almost
zero? Why not climb another ladder where the chances of success is bigger?
Here’s what Rex did: He made Buns and Pizza the Superstar in secondary towns where
there was no Jollibee. In these smaller, more far‐flung towns, Buns and Pizza was king. It’s
usually the only air‐conditioned fast‐food restaurant in the area. This is where the children of
the Mayor hangout. He dominated this niche. After only 5 years, Buns and Pizza now operates
139 branches in the Philippines.
If you’re average, it’s time to quit.

Be A Superstar In One Thing
Years ago, I was climbing the wrong ladder.
Because of this, earning money was like pulling teeth out of the mouth of the universe. I
had to struggle for every peso I earned. It was as though money didn’t like me—so I had to drag
it with me by force.
My food businesses—which I was so excited at the start—were collapsing.
My hotdog stand, my ice cream store, and squid ball kiosk were all drowning in red
ink. Money was flowing out from my hand like water from a broken faucet.
During those dark days, I wondered if I made a mistake in becoming an entrepreneur. I
began to doubt my desire to become wealthy. Was this really from God? Perhaps this was God
telling me to stop. Perhaps I should have just remained a preacher and kept begging for money
whenever I needed it.
But in those agonizing moments, I went deep into my heart and listened.
There was chaos outside, like a signal 8 hurricane.
But in my heart, I found peace.
Somehow, I knew I was doing the right thing.
I was simply climbing the wrong ladder.
That no matter what I did, I’ll always be average in the food business.
Because I didn’t have Spirit and Skill in the food business.
Instead, my passion and gifts were in communication—speaking and writing.
So I closed all my food stores.
Today, my businesses are doing so well because they revolve around communication.

Live To The Max
Friends, the world needs Superstars.
You owe it to the universe to become one.
No one benefits if you play small.
You only live once.
So go full throttle.
Live to the max!

Bo Sanchez

Live Like A Dying Man
One day, I attended Mass and the priest was in a hurry.
He either was very tired. Or had diarrhea.
Because he was going through the motions and doing it quickly.
So very different from my friend Bishop Honesto Ongtioco.
For years, I’ve admired how the good bishop celebrates Mass. He does it with so much
passion. Like he speaks every word with fire. And he acts every gesture with love.
Two weeks ago, I had lunch with this great man.
I asked him why he does his Masses this way.
He said something so profound, I’ll never forget it.
He said, “I always imagine every Mass to be my first Mass and my last Mass.”
For me, the key word is imagine.
He added, “What if I died in my sleep tonight? I really don’t know, do I?”
Today, I invite you to take a very special 30‐Day Retreat with me.
No, I’m not asking you to go to a Retreat House with me. You’ll just do it wherever you
are. (I’ll talk more about it later.)
Using the power of your imagination, you’ll allow death to be your teacher.
Let me tell you how…

We’re A Dying People
Here’s a fact: According to statistics, if you gathered a thousand 25‐year‐olds in a room,
241 of them will not reach the age of 65.
That’s scary.
We’re all a dying people.
It’s just a question of when. Some sooner. Some later.
But all of us are dying.
But if people know they are dying, I’ve noticed that these dying people will live more
deliberately, laugh more joyously, celebrate more happily, give more generously, serve more
freely, love more intensely.
Here’s my realization: If you really want to live a spectacular life, you have to live like a
dying man.
This became true with my friend Alvin Barcelona.

Wham!
Once upon a time, Alvin was a incredibly busy man.
Alvin, with his mom Aida, was running a flourishing school, the Cardinal Academy. He
was in politics. He was in theatre studying under Laurice Guillien. He was also a rock singer with
the likes of Freddie Aguilar. Plus, he and his wife Tess had a four‐month‐old baby boy they
named Aio.
Then it happened. First, he felt sharp stomach pains. Then he began to bleed. He went
through medical tests the result of which would drastically change his life. The tests showed
there were tumors in his intestines and his doctor told him he must undergo surgery. “Alvin,”
the doctor told him, “you may not see the first birthday of your baby.”
Wham! Colon cancer crashed onto his life like a train gone berserk.

His Life Totally Changed
Alvin says, “I was only 30 years old. At that moment, I understood the Pilipino saying,
pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa,” Alvin recalls. “For I felt it. I felt heaven and earth enveloped
me and crushed me.”
Alvin admits that at the outset, he thought of his family. “My wife and I always thought
we’d grow old together,” Alvin says. His son—“He was just a baby. I thought I’d play with him,
teach him how to ride a bicycle, fly a kite, play the guitar…”
Those days made Alvin realize what were essential in his life.
And he prayed like never before. He found himself visiting the Divine Mercy church in
Marilao. And there he knelt and gazed at the image of Jesus clad in a long robe, His right hand
raised up to His shoulders ready to bless anyone who would come to Him, His left hand resting
on His chest where rays of hope from His Sacred Heart radiated down to His feet.
Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months. Alvin found himself in church the
entire day. He opened the gates in the morning and closed them late at night. He begged to
give him a second chance at life.
But then, on his journey towards death, something happened.

“I’m Ready To Die…”
“One day,” Alvin says, his eyes lighting up in wonder, “I simply felt the presence of God
and I just knew I was ready—I was ready to meet up with him, to join him in heaven.” He was
ready to die and surrendered his life to God.
Alvin underwent surgery for an hour.
When he woke up, his doctor, flabbergasted, told him the strangest thing. He said he did
not see any tumor in Alvin’s colon. What was confirmed through a Barium Enema X‐Ray—that
Alvin had three tumors and spreading—had completely vanished without a trace!
It was Alvin who found something: A steadfast faith in God.
Today, Alvin’s 4‐month‐old baby is now 13 years old. And Alvin has done what he
thought he wouldn’t be able to do—teach him how to bike, fly a kite, and play the guitar. And
bless the world with his preaching and music. (Today, Alvin also leads the Marilao, Bulacan
FEAST of my spiritual family, Light of Jesus.)
But here’s my point: During those precious months when he thought he was dying, Alvin
changed his life.
Friend, you don’t need cancer to change your life.
You can do it right now by the power of your imagination.

If I Had Only 30 Days To Live,
How Will I Live?
Imagine that when you woke up this morning, the phone rings.
You’re still in your pajamas, drinking your coffee.
You stand up and pick up the phone.
You hear your Doctor’s voice. In a very somber tone, he says, “I have to say this to you
because I’m your friend and I’m your doctor. I’m now holding in my hand the results your
medical tests. I’m very sorry, but you’re going to die in 30 days.”
The shock is overwhelming.
The room around you starts to spin.
You sit down.
“Thirty days? But that’s so soon…”
And a big question reverberates in your mind… “If I had only 30 days to live, how will I
live?”
That’s the question I want you to answer today.
And this is the big question for your 30‐Day Retreat with me.
I repeat: I’m not asking you to go somewhere.
Wherever you are, take this 30‐Day Retreat.
Just imagine that these next 30 days of your life are your last 30 days.
Believe me, you’ll live a different life in these next 30 days.
Make this your big experiment.
In fact, don’t just decide.
Make it an agreement between you and God… (Print this out and sign this prayer. Or get
a piece of paper and copy this prayer.)
Prayer:
Lord, I will live the next 30 days
like they were my last 30 days.
Starting Date: _________
Ending Date: __________
____________________
Signature
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
–Psalms 90:12
What 10 Things Should I Do
In The Next 30 Days—If They Were My Last?
Get a pen. Answer this question: What 10 things should I do in the next 30 days—if they
were my last? Write whatever comes to your mind. You’ll be surprised at the stuff that’ll come
out. What will come out are the most important things in your heart.
1. _________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________
6. _________________________________________________
7. _________________________________________________
8. _________________________________________________
9. _________________________________________________
10. _________________________________________________
Invite Friends To Take the Retreat With You!
Get friends to take this journey of 30 Days with you.
Invite one or more persons to do it with you.
Each week, I’ll be emailing you the questions you need to answer and share together. So
each week, even just for 15 to 30 minutes, share your answers. Your experiences. Your
realizations.
In our spiritual family, we’ve nicknamed this small group of friends as a Caring
Group. Because it’s really all about caring for each other.
In the next weeks, I’ll send you Guide Questions, one for each of the 4 Weeks.

Props For The Retreat
At our Sunday Feast, I gave people a tin can with 30 marbles inside.
Inside the can is a little card that says…
Step 1: Each morning, pick 1 marble and thank God for the gift of a new day.
Step 2: Carry it in your pocket to remind you to live your last days with love.
Step 3: Each night, thank God for the whole day. Set the marble aside.
When the can is empty, thank God for your life of love. Pray for more days…
It doesn’t have to be a can. It doesn’t have to be marbles.
Find your own props.
Something to remind you of your 30‐Day Retreat.
Have a great one!

Bo Sanchez

My Message In Pictures
This week, I’m going to share my message via photos.
May I?
I’m not a photographer—so forgive my poor lighting, etc.
But there’s a reason why I want to show you these photos.
I’d like to show you the four greatest awards of my life…

My Award With A Golden Hammer
Recently, I received the very prestigious Golden Gavel Award, the highest recognition
ever given by Toastmasters to non‐members who excel in public speaking. This is special to me
because I’ve been speaking for 30 years. A big chunk of my life is spent holding a microphone in
my hand. So being awarded for it is really sweet. And it’s also the most intricate plaque I have in
my collection. It just looks beautiful.
My Award Made Of Exquisite Glass
Last year, I received the Serviam Award, the highest award ever given by the Catholic
Mass Media Awards (CMMA). No less then Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales handed it to me in a
lovely red carpet ceremony. (Trivia: Today, I visit him in Arzobispado just to chat with him. I
learned that everyone there, even the security guards, affectionately call him Lolo because he’s
77 years old and has the kindest soul.)
My Award Made Of A Tree
And in 2006, I received what is perhaps the most prestigious: The TOYM Award, for Ten
Most Outstanding Young Men, given by no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in
Malacanang. By the way, each wooden sculpture is an original art piece by National Artist
Abueva. So cool.
My Little Car Award
But let me share you my highest award—ever.
This favorite award of them all was given to me just last Sunday.
If I were forced to throw all my awards away and keep only one—without batting an
eyelash—I’d throw all the others as rubbish, so that I can keep this one, forever.
It was Father’s Day last Sunday.
There were only two distinguished Judges in the Panel: My 4‐year old son named
Francis. And my 9‐year old son named Benedict. And this Expert Panel of Judges unanimously
voted to give me “The Best Daddy Of The World” Award.
And because my two boys knew that I loved old toy cars, they crafted my award out of
some special clay. They put some plastic wheels and painted it with their own bare hands.

I now carry this little car with me wherever I go.
It’s in my bag. I don’t go anywhere without it.
Why? Because every time I look at it, I feel connected with my kids.
You see, when I’m far away from them, I miss them terribly.
Because whenever I’m at home, I play with them. Nothing touches my play time with
my boys.
One day, I asked them, “Do you feel loved?” And they smiled and answered, “Yes!” It
was the greatest thing a father could ever hear. (In the past 30 years of helping people, I’ve
noticed that those with a lot of emotional hang‐ups, psychological trouble, and even addictions
are people who didn’t feel loved when they were kids.)
So the little car reminds me of the most important things in life…

My Greatest Achievements In Life
Here’s what I’m sure.
When I’m lying down on my deathbed, I’m sure I won’t be embracing my TOYM statuette,
caressing it until I breathe my last breath. This won’t happen, believe me.
Instead, there’ll be a high chance that on my deathbed, I’ll be holding this little
car. Holding it close to my heart.
Because it’s what I’m most proud of: That I am the best Daddy in the world according to
my irrefutable Panel of Judges.
On my deathbed, I will cherish my greatest achievements in life.
Believe me, it won’t be the 14 books I’ve written.
Or the non‐profit organizations I created.
Or the fact that I’ve gone to 30+ countries because of ministry.
Here are my greatest achievements:
My first greatest achievement is that I love my wife.
They say that after many years of marriage, your love for your spouse wanes. Gets
tired. And finally dies. Not me. I can say this to you with all the conviction in the world: I love
my wife now more than I’ve ever loved her. My love for her has grown through the
years. Why? I’ve worked on this love everyday.
My second greatest achievement is that I love my kids.
And for them, love is spelled T‐I‐M‐E. There are days when I get home extremely
exhausted—as tired as a dog. And all I want to do is lie down. But when Francis sees me enter
the door, he shouts, “Daddy, I’ll ride on your shoulders.” It’s not a request. It’s a command. So
from a dog, I become a horse. He hops on me and we run around the house shouting,
screaming, and laughing together. My exhaustion is swept away. I feel so alive. These are the
moments that I’ll treasure forever.
My third greatest achievement is that I cut the fingernails and toenails of my
father. Before he passed away, I would do that little service for him—because his eyesight was
no longer good. I loved sitting beside him, cutting his toenails and fingernails. I loved doing it
because I remember when I was small, he would do it for me. Now it was my turn to love him.
I loved it also when I brought him to the barbershop. I loved it because when I was
small, I remember that he’d be the one driving me there. He’d lead me to the barber’s chair and
then sit behind me reading the newspaper. Now, it’s my turn to lead him to the barber’s chair. I
also sit behind him and read the newspaper.
But I’m not really reading the paper. It’s a camouflage. I’m covering my face so people
won’t see that I’m crying. Tears flow down my cheeks because I’m thanking God for the
opportunity to thank my father for the love he gave to me all his life.
My fourth greatest achievement is that I love the poor.
My fifth greatest achievement is that I love my friends.
My sixth, my seventh, my eighth… You can be sure it’s all about love.
When you really think about it, what else can one be proud of?

Love Like A Dying Man
Last week, I invited you to take a 30‐Day Retreat with me.
To live these next 30 days as though it were the last 30 days of your life. (This blog is my
second weekly installment on this series. Two more to go.)
Because I’m imagining these 30 days to be the last 30 days of my life, I’m changing. This
past week, I’ve become corny. Sentimental. Mushy.
This week, I’ve never said more “I love yous” in my life!
This week, I wrote many mushy letters to my friends, telling them how much I love
them. (And they happen to be guys!) I also asked for forgiveness for any hurts I caused them.
This week, I began to love like a dying man.
I noticed that it was purer love than whatever love I gave before.
I think I know why.
There are two kinds of love that the world passes as love.
One is true. The other is false.
False love says, “I love you so you can love me back.” It’s a co‐dependent love. It’s
manipulative. It’s insecure and jealous. Because it’s not really love.
True love says, “I love you—period.” I don’t expect anything back. I love you and set you
free.
If you notice, this is very close to parental love.
Compared to married love, parental love is even more unselfish.
Parents don’t love their kids so someone can do the laundry for them. (At least, the good
parents I know.) Parents love their kids because they want to set them free. Parents love their
kids so they can one day watch them walk out of their home and conquer the world.
Friends, this too is the love of a dying person.
But the one walking out into the sunset is the lover.
The dying person knows he’s dying. He doesn’t need love—because deep within his spirit,
he knows he’s going to a wonderful place of profound love. So in his last days of life, he just
wants to love. He wants to fill the world with his love.
I repeat: We’re all dying.
If you want to live a spectacular life, I invite you to love like a dying person.
And your life will never be the same again.

Bo Sanchez

Are You A Giver Or A Taker?
She was nuts.
When I was a teenager preaching in small prayer groups all over the country, I’d see this
woman sneak into the room—trying hard to conceal her face—carrying a mammoth of a tape
recorder inside a white plastic bag over her shoulder.
And like clockwork, before I step down the pulpit, she’d sneak out and leave quietly,
vanishing into thin air.
This woman would be present in every single talk.
I can only imagine the lunacy of this woman. If she wasn’t listening to me live, she was
listening to me on tape.
So naturally, when I go home, I knock on my mother’s door and say, “Mom, how many
times do I have to tell you, stop doing that! You embarrass me!”
My mother would open the door and with an innocent look that could win an Oscar ask,
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
But behind her, I could already hear my voice being played from her recorder.
“Mom, you’re getting too proud,” I said, “and that’s pride just the same. Look at your
room. It’s a national museum of my talks, my articles, my photos…”
Mom said, “Bo, don’t you know that God has given mothers an exception to that
rule? Mothers can be very proud of their children.”
“Where did you read that? Vatican III?”
“Go away now. I’m busy,” she said.
No doubt about it. My Mother is the Founder, Chairman of the Board, and Chief
Executive Officer of Bo’s Fans Club International.
Today, at 84 years old, she hasn’t changed.
Every Sunday, I preach three times at the Feast: 8am, 10:30am, and 1pm.
Would you believe? She attends all three sessions and listens to me preach every single
time. Not content with that, before leaving the house on Sunday, she’ll first watch me preach at
six in the morning on TV5.
And from Monday to Saturday, she wakes up really early just to listen to me preach
through Radio Veritas at five in the morning. And in the middle of the week, she’ll ask my sister
to put on the internet so she can watch me at www.PreacherInBlueJeans.com
Mom loves me. No doubt about it.
I also remember one thing about her…

Mothers Are Givers
We were a big family. Six kids.
And whenever there was a birthday or some other special event, we’d always have fried
chicken.
Like all kids, we would fight for the “drumstick”. Because chickens—for some reason—
only have two legs.
All those years growing up, I always thought that Mom’s favorite part of the chicken was
the neck. Because every time we had fried chicken, she chose it.
Later on, I realized she chose that piece because no one wanted it.
Why? Because my mother was a giver.
I guess most mothers are givers. They’d rather starve as long as their kids are able to
eat.
I love my Mom. I really do.
But I’ve resigned myself to this undeniable fact—that I’ll never love my mother more
then she loves me. It’s impossible. She loves me so much. My heart is filled with love today
because Mom and Dad loved me. I am who I am today because of that love.
I repeat: I think most mothers are givers.
My own wife is a giver too.
Yes, she is the Founder, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer of Benedict
and Francis Fans Club International—our two boys.
When Bene was a toddler, he drew a line for the first time. She screamed, almost in
tears, “Bo, look at your son! He was able to draw a line! A line!”
That’s the role of the mother and the father—to affirm, to inspire, to love.
Today, my wife homeschools our kids.
It’s not easy. I’m so proud of my wife. She gives 100% of herself when she teaches our
boys at home. Each morning, she’d wake up early to prepare her lesson plans—for two little
boys! She’d choose the activities, prepare test papers, and draw charts for them. She’d spread
out the paraphernalia needed—crayons, scissors, clay, blocks, gizmos… Everyday, she’d teach
our kids from 8am to 3pm.
No doubt about it. My wife is a giver.
I repeat: I believe most Mothers are givers.
When they’re not, bad things happen.

Why Many People Have Problems
I thought all mothers and fathers are givers. Not true.
How did I find out?
In my 30 years of ministry, I’ve met people who have so much emotional baggage, so
much hurt and violence in their hearts, that they’ve made terrible choices in life. Consequently,
they have monstrous problems. They have addictions. They have really bad relationships.
And through the years, I’ve found out one common thing among most of them: Their
parents weren’t givers. They were takers.
Their mother or their father were selfish people—thinking only of themselves, shouting
at their kids, beating them up, verbally abusing them, or abandoning them all together. When
these children became adults, they made terrible choices in life, because they were so
desperate for love—they had no anchor, no confidence, and no inner peace.
Sometimes, the problem wasn’t selfishness. Just ignorance.
“As a child,” my friend said, “my mother gave me away to her older sister. Like I was a
puppy.” Most of these people, now adults, still wonder why they were given away. They have a
big hole in their hearts that they desperately want to fill.
My friend, if your parents weren’t givers, go to God.
God is the greatest giver.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son.
Yes, God is the Founder, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer of your Fans
Club International. He watches every step you make, listens to every word you say. He loves
you so much.
And He wants you to be a giver too.

The Lifestyle Of Giving
Do you want to receive anything?
More joy? More wisdom? More friends? More money?
Here’s what you do: Give away that exact same thing that you want to receive.
Because that’s how the universe works.
Whatever you give, you receive.
Take the case of wisdom.
I give wisdom to people. I’ve written 14 books so far. (By the way, I’m now launching my
15th book, entitled, Don’t Worry, Be Happy.)
But between the author and the reader, who gains more wisdom? The reader reads the
book once. But the author rewrites his book ten times. Guess who remembers the truths
more? Yes, I give wisdom. But I gain ten times the wisdom I give away.
Or how about happiness.
Who are the happiest people in the world? Those who are able to give happiness to
others.
That’s just how God made the world. We receive what we give away.
Even money.

When God Blesses Our Tithing
Yesterday at our meeting, I asked Randy Borromeo to share his story with us. Randy
is our Feast preacher in Makati and the guy in charge of our media ministry.
Like me, Randy gave his life to God when he was 12 years old.
He shared how as a young kid, he started tithing or giving 10% of his allowance to God.
When he was a teenager, he recalled that life was hard. He had 9 siblings. And one day,
his helper Aling Esther said, “Randy, there’s no food in the house.”
Randy told her, “Pray to the Lord. God will provide.
So Aling Esther prayed, “Lord, give us four viands!”
Randy was shocked. “Aling Esther, why did you ask for four viands? One is enough!” He
turned around and prayed, “Lord, you better answer her prayer. I don’t want us to lose face.”
A few minutes later, someone rang the doorbell.
Randy opened the gate and saw a woman carrying a tray of food. It was Mrs. Cabigao,
their neighbor. “It’s my birthday today! I hope you can use some food…”
Randy quickly counted the viands on the tray. There were four viands!
As the family gathered around the table, still mesmerized by how God blessed them, the
doorbell rang again. When they opened the gate, it was Mrs. Cabigao again, this time bringing
ice cream for everyone. God gave more than what they asked for.
Randy said, “Even if life was hard, I tithed. Because I saw that God cannot be out‐
given.” And almost 30 years later, he continues to tithe. Whatever he gave, God gave back to
him many times over.
Let me share with you one last story.

Be A Giver Until The End
One day, a woman was dying of cancer.
In a few days, she would celebrate her birthday. And deep in her heart, she knew it was
the last birthday she’ll ever have. But there was no bitterness or sadness.
So she called all her closest friends and invited them all to a party. She told them the
truth: “You better come,” she said, “because I think this will be my last birthday party.”
Her friends came and they had lots of laughter together.
After the meal, she brought all of them to her living room.
She faced them and said, “For years, I was in the gathering phase of my life. Today, I’m
no longer in that phase. I’m in the surrendering phase. As I’m about to depart this earth, I no
longer need material things. I have only one need in my life now. I need to love. I need to love
you. So before you go home, please allow me to love you…”
She then spread on the table all her most precious belongings—a favorite teacup, a
lovely pitcher, a scarf, a warm jacket, a watch, a few pieces of jewelry…
She said to her friends, “Please bring one gift that you need. I don’t need any of them
anymore. So that every time you use it, hold it, or look at it, you’ll remember that I love you. It’ll
be our connection.”
Many tears were shed in that party. But much laughter as well.
Six weeks later, this woman went to Heaven.
She was a wise woman.
She gave until the last breath of her life.
She knew the language of Heaven.

Bo Sanchez

It’s My Birthday This Saturday!
Yesterday, my little boy asked me, “Daddy, how old are you?”
I said, “I’ll be 43, son.”
He kept staring at me, trying to fathom my age but couldn’t.
Finally, he shouted out his realization, “Dad, you’re ooooooold!”
My son is now in our torture chamber in the basement of our house.
Thankfully, a close friend visited me to tell me, “Bo, you’re not old.”
I gushed, “Thanks, bro. I needed to hear that.”
Trying to comfort me, he said, “It’s just that the number of cells dying in your body far
outnumber the cells being born. In other words, you’re atrophying, decaying every single
second. Like a piece of old wood rotting inside. But you’re not old.”
Wow. Made me want to hug him. In the neck area.
That was when my wife entered the room, saying, “Hi Love, I bought you a youth cream
for your face. It’ll remove your awful wrinkles.”
Her timing couldn’t be more perfect.
“Sweets, those aren’t wrinkles. They’re lines of luminousness. Marks of maturity. Warts
of wisdom. And you know I don’t put that…stuff…on my face. That’s girly…stuff.”
“No, it’s not. Lots of cute guys put this on. Tom Cruise. Brad Pitt. John Lloyd. Piolo
Pascual. You know, guys with fantastic looks like yourself.”
“Oh. Do I apply it with a circular motion or dabs and strokes?”

Just Wanted To Drop A Note
To Say, “I Love You”
Sorry, just had to make you smile a little bit.
Before I tell you why I wrote you today.
With your permission, I’ll be writing a short and sentimental letter to you now.
It’s my birthday, so I have a license to be mushy today.
Friend, I’d like to personally thank you for being part of my life.
My life is wonderful. It really, really is. Can’t think of another way to live.
And you’re one of the reasons why my life is so wonderful.
You read my stuff. You laugh at my corny jokes. You pass on my e‐mails to your
friends. You encourage me to keep writing. And you pray for me and tell me you love me.
I’m now the envy of every writer on the planet. Because I have what every writer
dreams about: Readers who love him and whom he loves.
At the end of the day, I write because I love you.
I preach because I love you.
Corny. But true.
I’ve been writing for 20 years and preaching for 30 years. Yes, I’m getting old. But I will
continue doing what I’m doing as long as God gives me the strength.
Once again, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU.
I repeat: You’re my dream come true.
And through my writing, may I help you in making your dreams come true.

Can I Hug You?
My birthday was a blast.
I received 280+ text messages and almost 600 e‐mails—not counting greetings from
Facebook, Multiply, Friendster, etc… On the day itself, I received phone calls from Canada,
Australia, Singapore…
And yesterday, at our Sunday prayer gathering (which we call the FEAST), I probably
received a thousand hugs! If we had more time, I would have loved to embrace every single
person there.
It felt so good to be loved! And so good to love.
And wherever you are right now, let me give you my “spiritual” hug too.
Because the embrace is so important to my life.

My Morning Prayer
Every morning, I tell God to embrace me.
I’d close my eyes, stretch my arms, smile a big smile, and say in Tagalog, “Yakap naman,
Lord.” And I just stay there in that tight, warm, lingering embrace for awhile. Believe me, it
makes my day.
The embrace is my basic form of prayer. I love it so much, I even wrote a tiny prayer book
entitled, Embraced.
How did I learn to do this?

Blood Inside The Brain
Fourteen years ago, at 75 years old, my father was fixing a light bulb in our garage. He
stood onto a chair for greater reach. He lost his balance and went crashing down. His head hit
the concrete floor and blood spurted out like water from an open faucet.
Because of the impact, there was like a dripping faucet inside his brain as well. He had
blood clots in his brain and he began to experience paralysis in his body. The gravest blow was
severe pneumonia, an infection that developed after a few months of staying in the
hospital. His lungs were now filled with fluid, and that was when the crisis hit.

My Last Embrace
On that fateful night, the doctor called us up, telling us to rush to the ICU because he
could go anytime.
When I entered the room, I saw Dad hooked up to a respirator. At that point, he was only
absorbing 20% of the oxygen they were pumping to him. Someone doesn’t last too long in that
state.
I looked at Dad’s hands and face, and they were bluish in color. I whispered to his ear, “I
love you, Dad. If you see Jesus anywhere, just go with Him. It’s okay.”
That was when the miracle happened. He opened his eyes.
Then he did something that he had not done in the past 25 years. He raised his hands
towards my face, and clasped me on both cheeks. Then he brought me down towards him, and
gave me a hug.
My father gave me a hug.
My father was not the hugging type. He probably hugged me when I was a kid, some
twenty plus years ago. But he never hugged me as an adult.
A volcano of emotions erupted within me.
At one moment, I was happy he was hugging me.
At the next moment, I was sad, knowing it may be his last embrace.
And at the next second, I was angry. I wanted to ask, “Dad, why only now? Why didn’t you
embrace me when you were stronger?” But truthfully, I was also angry at myself. I asked
myself, “Why didn’t I hug him before?”
After awhile, his arms collapsed on his side.

The Great Miracle
I took one step backward as the doctors and nurses attended to him.
After fifteen minutes, the doctor faced me and gave me a surprise. He said, “Bo, you can
go home now. Your father is out of critical danger. He’s better now.”
When I visited him the next day, Dad was even better. And he got better and better and
better.
This was the great miracle in our lives. Dad was able to walk out of that hospital. And he
lived for another 12 years!
But guess what we were doing during those 12 years?
You bet. We were hugging each other everyday.
Sometimes, we’d meet in a mall. We wouldn’t care if there were thousands of people
walking by us. We’d still hug each other.
Being hugged by my father—and feeling so loved by him—gave me an idea of how much
my Heavenly Father wanted to embrace me.
Thus, it became my morning prayer—to get embraced by God.
Alas, many people don’t feel that embrace.
Let me now ask you a question.
A very big question.

Are You Afraid To Die?
Most people are.
Sometimes, people are afraid to die because they’re leaving behind unfinished
businesses in their world. Like kids. Or dreams. Or projects.
But that’s just half of the story.
Most of the time, people are afraid to die because they have unfinished business in their
inner world. I’m talking about stuff in their life that they know is wrong. Stuff called sin.
Sins are excess baggage that weighs down our souls.
It steals away our joy.
It robs us of our peace.
When you know you have but a few days to live, spontaneously, you want to get rid of
sin in your life.
First, you want to be forgiven.
Second, you don’t want to sin anymore.
When you know you’ve washed your soul, then you’re ready to die.
You’re not afraid of death.
I don’t speak from a book.
I share from experience…

I’ve Stood Beside A Lot Of Deathbeds
For the past 30 years of ministry, I’ve stood beside many deathbeds. Many times, I’ve
prayed over people who were in the last moments of life.
When it comes to death, I’ve realized that there are only two kinds of people: Those who
are afraid to die. And those who are not afraid to die.
All classifications disappear. Rich. Poor. Educated. Not educated. When it comes to death,
they’re all the same. They’re either afraid or not afraid to die.
I’ve noticed that when a person’s heart is filled with love, he isn’t afraid to die. But a
person whose heart lacks love has great fear of death.
I’ve noticed that many of them, as children, weren’t loved. Or they experienced traumas
early in life, making them fearful people.
I’ve realized that behind all our minor fears is really The One Great Fear: The Fear of
Death. If you fear rejection, you actually fear social death. If you fear heights, or sickness, or
anything else in this world, you actually fear the loss of self—which is another word for death.
Here’s what the Bible says: Perfect love casts out all fear.
I’ve noticed that people whose hearts are filled with God’s love aren’t afraid to die. They
know death will bring them more of God and more of love.

The Biggest Question
A few weeks ago, I prayed over a woman on her deathbed.
As I put my hand over her arm, in a very weak voice, she asked me, “Brother Bo, where
am I going when I die?”
It’s a question that dying people ask. Except for atheists who don’t believe in souls,
everyone nearing death asks the question.
But that’s precisely my message: We’re all a dying people. Some today, some in 10 years,
some in 50 years. We just don’t know when. But it doesn’t matter. We’re all going to die.
So the question asked by that woman is important for us all: Where am I going when I
die?
I answered her question with another question, “Why don’t we pray that God bring you to
Heaven?”
I held her hand and asked her to repeat after me. I let her ask for forgiveness from God
for all her sins. I made her invite Jesus into enter her heart. Though it was difficult for her to
speak, she repeated my prayer.
And I inserted my favorite prayer: “Lord, embrace me!”
When we finished, she had a smile on her face.
She was ready.
A few days later, she breathed her last.
She continued the Eternal Embrace that she began on earth.
My friend, always be ready.
Embrace God now.

Create Passive Income Thru The Internet
Join the 2‐Day TrulyRich Internet Marketing
“Hands‐On” Workshop in Manila, Davao, or CDO
I had a conversation last week that was incredibly inspiring.
I met Fely (not her real name), a mother of two kids. She was a masseuse/reflexologist
earning P12,000 a month. She said they lived in the slums. I asked her what her husband’s work
was.
“He sells banana‐cue (fried banana),” she said.
“Where?” I asked.
“On the street. Right in front of a bank,” Fely said.
“How much is a banana‐cue?” I was curious.
“Five pesos per stick.”
“And how long has he been doing this?” I asked.
“More than ten years now. It’s really hard work. He works for 12 hours everyday,” Fely
said.
“Wow. How much does he earn doing that?” I was expecting she was going to tell me
“P10,000 a month”. Her answer floored me.
She said, “He earns P800 to P1000 a day.”
I didn’t hide my shock. “Is that gross?”
“No, that’s minus all the expenses already. That’s pure profit.”
“Is that from Monday to Friday?”
“No Brother Bo, he works seven days a week.”
I began to calculate. Her husband, the banana‐cue vendor, was earning an average of
P27,000 a month! I began to laugh. “I wonder if he knows that he earns more than some of
those bank employees who buy banana‐cue from him?”
“Yes, he knows,” Fely smiled, “but he just doesn’t tell them.” She added, “During
Christmas, he earns much more because he also sells Christmas wrapping paper. So we too
enjoy a 13th month Bonus.”
Friends, I believe many Filipinos are fantastic entrepreneurs. Hard‐
working. Patient. Creative. We just don’t celebrate it.
I believe you too can be an entrepreneur.
Especially now with the internet at our fingertips.
I too have a “store”. Except that it’s not on the street. But on the world wide web. And
it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—without me actually being present there.
To set up my internet business, I had to be like this banana‐cue vendor. I had to work 12
hours a day—but only for the first week or two. After that, I now probably work 4 hours a week
on the business. But I earn many, many times more than the banana‐cue vendor. I know that
doesn’t sound fair, but that’s the power of technology. And especially the internet. It multiplies
you.
Hey, you don’t even have to reach my profits to call yourself a success.
I know some people who create a blog or sell stuff via the internet (there are many
business models to choose from) on their spare time and they earn P5T to P10T a month—and
they’re very happy. It gives them extra money to invest in Stocks and Mutual Funds and create
a retirement fund for themselves.
If you want to learn more about how to create passive income via the internet, join my
internet mentor, Jomar Hilario, in his two upcoming 2‐Day “hands‐on” workshops. For 2 days,
you’ll be in front of a computer, working on your Cash Machine with the expert guidance of
Jomar.
For those in Manila, join Jomar on July 31 and August 1, 2009. For more details, click
here.
For those in Davao and Cagayan de Oro, join Jomar on September, 2009. For more
details, click here.

Bo Sanchez

Have You Received The Rewards Of Your Giving?
Like any ordinary boy, my 4‐year old Francis sometimes quarrels with his playmates. We
hear him shout, “Mine! Mine! Mine!”
So for two years now, we’ve been teaching him how to share his toys. We’ve told him,
“Francis, sharing is good!” It’s almost a mantra we repeat to him.
We also remind him of the rewards of sharing. “Francis, if you share your toys with your
playmates, you’ll have more fun. You’ll gain more friends. You’ll cry less.”
Yesterday, my wife went with our little boy to eat. He ordered fried chicken and
palabok. He then asked his mother, “How about you, Mommy?” My wife was touched, elated
that the 4‐year old was thinking of her. But then the little guy added, “Mommy, why don’t you
order French fries? Then you can share it with me. Remember, sharing is good!”
Yes, sharing is good.
What I tell Francis applies to you too: If you share, you’ll have more fun everyday. You’ll
gain more friends. And you’ll cry less! Because I believe many of our problems come from not
sharing.
Friends, let me introduce you to one of the most powerful forces in the universe. This
one thing will give you miracles, deepen you happiness, enrich your relationships, unite your
family, prosper your job and business, make your body healthier, and bring you closer to God…
What could this force be? Hint: It’s the real G Force.
Yesterday, I welcomed again this force into my life…

You Don’t Receive Your Rewards Only Once!
Yesterday, I spent the afternoon playing with my boys.
We drew spaceships, airplanes, and roller coasters. We played a video game. (Can you
imagine me, a 43‐year old guy, playing with his 4‐year old kid, Mariocart? I’m nuts.) And finally,
I brought Francis to the barbershop. We didn’t have a car yesterday, so we rode the tricycle
together. Francis loved it so much. Every time we passed over a hump, he raised his arms and
said, “Wheee!”
When we were in the barbershop, Francis had so much fun getting his haircut, making
faces on the mirror, twirling on the barber’s chair, laughing and singing the entire time. He was
so happy.
But guess who was happier? The Daddy, of course.
Yesterday, I was generous with my time with the kids. Despite a mountain of work that I
had to do (including this article), I put it all aside and spent time with the boys.
Instantly, I receive the reward of my generosity. Just listening to the happy laughter of my
kids was music to my soul. It made me feel wonderful. It removed my stress, made me
healthier, and refreshed my spirit.
Friends, there is an absolute law written in the fabric of universe. It states, “When you
give, you will receive a reward.” Always. No exceptions. Oh yes, there can be delays. Sometimes
you’ll have to wait for a long time. But the reward will always come.
And the Bible also says that we will receive more than what we give. Example: In the
years to come, I know I’ll receive an even greater reward for spending time with my kids
yesterday. Because they’ll grow up to be men secure in their father’s love.
It doesn’t end there. In Heaven, I’ll receive even greater rewards. (More on this next
week.)
Let me explain why you get rewards.

Too Full To Receive Anything Better
In my talk yesterday, I showed people a big fishbowl filled with grey stones. It was
overflowing with them. I then showed some gold nuggets. (Okay, they really weren’t gold
nuggets. They were stones covered with gold paper, but don’t spoil my illustration. Imagine
them to be really gold nuggets!)
Even if I wanted to put gold nuggets in the bowl, I couldn’t, because it was already filled
with stones.
This is a perfect picture of a selfish person.
God is a generous God. He wants to give us better things. But He can’t do that if there’s
no space to receive new and better things in our lives.
I then removed one stone from the bowl. I explained to the audience that the first
reward of giving is “space”. And space is beautiful. Space means we can grow.
I placed one gold nugget in the bowl, and explained, “Some people give only a little and
so receive only a little. But there are people who give more,” I explained, removing more grey
stones from the bowl, “and thus create more space for God’s new blessings.” I quickly filled the
bowl with more gold nuggets.
Remember, when we don’t receive much, the problem is not in the Giver. The problem
is in the Receiver. The Lord wants to give more to our lives (that’s His default posture), but the
Receiver has not created enough space to receive more.
And friends, the universe abhors space. The universe will fill up that space with better
things.
But what if you don’t get your rewards?

Real Generosity
One person asked me, “But Bo, I’ve been giving and giving and giving all my life—but I
haven’t been receiving my rewards!”
Perhaps because it may not be generosity at all.
You see, there are two types of giving that happens in the world.
1. When we give because we love
2. When we give because we want to be loved
Look. There’s nothing wrong if you want to be loved. It’s your most basic need. But
friends, never use generosity as a way of getting love. That’s toxic. You call that co‐dependent
love and it’s lethal. Pleasing people so that they will love you is slow suicide.
If your “Love Tank” is empty, you need to do two things. First, ask God to love you. And
second, love yourself. Unless you learn to be generous to yourself, your generosity will not be
real.
My friend Mila (not her real name) was such a woman. She always gave gifts to her
friends. Food. Clothes. Flowers. Sometimes, expensive stuff like cellphones and Ipods. People
would tell her, “Oh, you’re so generous.” But deep within, I know Mila is one of the most
miserable people on earth. She’s constantly depressed. Because she has no true friends. Her
friends are there simply because she gives them stuff. People abuse her constantly, asking
things from her.
Mila isn’t receiving the rewards of her generosity because she’s not really generous. She
is needy.
When you give out of need, you will become even more needy. But if you give out of
love, you will receive more love.
Remember the bowl with grey stones? Mila gives away her white stones—creating
space in her heart. But because she’s giving out of need and fear and not out of love, misery
and bitterness fill up that space she created.
I repeat: Real generosity is giving out of love, which fills our lives with more love.
And let me share with you the biggest reward of generosity.

The Greatest Reward Of Giving
My friend and fellow preacher Arun Gogna just came from Japan. He met a Filipina
there who told him a wonderful story.
Years ago, this Filipina married a Japanese man. Her husband was earning very well and
asked her to manage his money. So every payday, he gave all of his money to her.
This Filipina loved God and wanted to follow Him in the area of giving. So she gave 10%
of her husband’s earnings to the Lord. When the husband—who was an atheist—found out
about it, he asked her, “What are you doing with 10% of my salary?” She said, “I give it to my
God.” The amazing thing was that he didn’t object at all. He let her be. So she continued to do it
every single month.
Here’s the great news: A few years later, this man converted and is now a baptized
Catholic. Today, with his wife, he serves in a ministry in a Church in Japan.
What’s so beautiful about this story? Even before he got baptized, he was already
generous to a God whom he didn’t fully know.
My point?
Generosity brings you closer to God.
Let me tell you why.

Your Heart Follows Your Treasure
Last year, I bought stocks in Ayala Land.
I noticed that whenever I read the newspaper, I would be very interested to read anything
about Ayala Land. I would read their Ads. I would ask people in the industry about what’s
happening to this company.
Before I bought stocks in this company, I didn’t give a hoot. I didn’t care. I didn’t read their
articles or their ads.
Why the change? Simple: The Bible says that my heart follows my treasure.[1] Wherever
my treasure goes, my heart will go there too.
When your money goes to God, your heart goes to Him as well. Yes, even if He really
doesn’t need your money.

Tithing Is A Declaration Of
God’s Importance In Your Life

God doesn’t need your money.
But why is it that the Bible says over and over again, “Give the first fruits of your harvest
to God”?[2] Yes, God doesn’t need your money, but God wants what your money
represents. Money represents value. What do you value the most? When you make God your
first expense, you’re saying that God is first in your life.
Tithing is a declaration that all things—including your life—belong to God. The Biblical
standard of 10% is a fantastic guideline to follow. When you give 10%, you’re saying that 100%
belongs to God. Tithing is your declaration of God’s ownership over your life. God gave all that
you own. When you die, you’ll give it all back. So all you have is lent to you. You’re a steward of
His assets. As stewards, you use material blessings for His purposes. That’s what you declare
when you tithe.
Friends, I invite you to give because you love.
And receive the fantastic rewards of generosity.

Bo Sanchez

What’s The Best Investment In The World?
When I was a kid, I learned that my mother lived during the war. With great excitement,
I asked her, “Did you meet Magellan and Lapu‐lapu?”
I was disappointed when she said, “No, I’m not 450 years old.” So I asked, “Did you meet
Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio?”
That’s when she explained to me that she didn’t live through World War I but World
War II.
She’s 84 years old today and I grew up with her war stories.
I remember her stories about the Japanese Peso.
“When the Japanese came, they printed their own money,” she said. “Eventually, we all
got used to them. But after many months, the Japanese Peso began to lose its value. Soon,
everyone called it Mickey Mouse money. It became play money.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because of the rumors that the Americans were coming back. You won’t believe me,
but when we heard over the radio that the American planes were coming, I remember how I
had to bring a bayong of Japanese money to buy a bayong of food. One duck egg cost P75…”
Here’s a photo of the Japanese money at the start of the war…

2 years after, they had to print 1000 bills to cope up with inflation.

My friend, Nanay Coring, Founder of National Bookstore, also lived during the war. She
too was a young woman when the war broke out. But unlike my mother, she had business
savvy.
With her Japanese money, she bought goods that could be stored until the war
ended. Early in the war, she saw what was going to happen. So she converted all her Japanese
money to another currency—goods and inventory.
One day, a Japanese officer walked to her little store and asked if she wanted a
warehouse filled with whisky. She said, “Yes, I’ll buy it,” not knowing where she’d get the
money. She gathered as much Japanese pesos as she could find and bought the entire
stock. When the US soldiers came, she sold every bottle to the Americans who paid her in US
Dollars.
Mom didn’t do anything. She kept her Japanese money in her bayong. When the
Americans came, the money was all burned because it had become useless.
No wonder Nanay Coring now owns 157 branches of National Bookstore all over the
country while my mother runs a tiny bookshop in her house!
Why am I sharing this to you?

Question: Are You Business Wise?
When you die, all the money you hold becomes Mickey Mouse money. All. The Dollars,
the Euros, the Yen, the Yuan, the Peso…
You know that.
But are you doing something about it?
You need to be business wise like Nanay Coring.
You need to start converting your material wealth into eternal wealth. How? Start giving
generously to God and to the poor.
Giving to God isn’t just a spiritual thing. At the end of the day, it’s also the wisest, most
practical thing to do. It makes all the business sense in the world.
I know of a lot of very rich businessmen who aren’t giving to God or to others. So their
wealth will be very short lived. It will only last until their life on earth.
I strongly suggest you convert your worldly money to the only currency that Heaven will
accept. Heaven has only one currency: Love. Loving God and others is really the only thing you
can bring with you when you die.
Read carefully what Jesus says. You’ll be shocked:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also.[1]
Wow. Can you believe it?
It’s actually possible to exchange what you have for the currency of your future
home. While on planet earth, you can actually store great treasure in Heaven.
That’s why I believe generosity is the wisest, the best, the most perfect investment in
the world..

How Much Is Your Balance?
Let me ask you a very important question: How much of your worldly wealth have you
used to create your heavenly wealth?
How much investments have you already “wired” to Heaven?
When you put your money in the bank, the bank gives you a bank book. There, you find a
history of your deposits. If Heaven issued you a “bank book”, how much deposits have you
already made so far?
In other words, how much have you loved?
How much have you served?
How much have you used your material wealth to give love? .

But Let Me Clarify:
It’s Building Heaven On Planet Earth!
Warning: What I’ll say next will be hard to swallow.
So chew on it. This is definitely not milk for those starting in the spiritual journey, but
solid food for the mature.
I’ve met Christians whose only goal in life is to go to Heaven. Their only concern is to
guarantee a Heavenly visa. To them, this is what salvation is all about. Nothing else.
Friend, I want you to outgrow that attitude.
Because I don’t believe this is the point of Christianity.
Think with me: Today, there are 25,000 children who die every single day because of
poverty and hunger—and all we can think of is our personal Heaven? Today, there are many
people around us who are starving for God’s love—and all we can think of is our personal
Heaven?
Jesus didn’t call you to be His disciple just so you can go to Heaven only. Jesus called you
to be His disciple so that you can bring Heaven down to earth, specifically to those who are in
“hell” right now because of their material, emotional, and spiritual poverty. Jesus called you to
be His disciple to love the way He did. Jesus died on the Cross so that you too can die for
others.
So what am I saying?
Everytime you’re generous because of love, you transfer your wealth to a particular
Heaven that starts now, right here on planet earth. And it’s not a personal Heaven, but a
Heaven for others.
I’ve got one last thing to say…

Among These 5,
Who Are You?
When it comes to managing money, there are five kinds of people in this world. Who are you?
#1: Gloria Gastadora:
Gloria Gastadora lives on 100% of her income. Sometimes, when she borrows money,
she lives on 120% of her income. She’s never absent during Midnight Sales. Her credit cards are
faded due to overuse. Even if she wants to give to God or invest in her future, she
cannot. Obviously, after all is spent, she has nothing to give to God except her loose change. In
Church, Gloria Gastadora isn’t a tither, but a tipper.
#2: Kunat Kuripot:
Kunat is a frugal and fearful fellow. He lives on 80% of his income, because he saves 20%
or more for his future. He lives in fear. He feels safe only when he knows he’s got lots of money
in the bank. It really seems safe, except that he doesn’t know that putting his life savings in the
bank isn’t such a wise idea at all. When he retires, Kunat will realize that his savings isn’t
enough. And like Gloria Gastadora, Kunat Kuripot can only give his spare change to God—
because he’s always afraid of his future.
#3: Bertong Bulag:
As a kid, Berto was a financial whiz. Upon graduating from college, he already opened a
mutual fund. He also started investing in a blue chip company in the stock market, putting small
amounts of money every month. He also started a business, and it has done very well. Berto
has become wealthy. The problem is that he still cannot give to God, because he sees it as an
expense, like it was a luxury he can’t afford. He doesn’t realize that giving to God is also an
investment—the most secure and long‐term investment of them all.
#4: Wally Waldas:
Wally has no problem giving to others. He is very generous to others, but he isn’t
generous to himself. Because he doesn’t invest for the future. Wally just likes giving his money
away to people who end up abusing him. His close friends tell him that his giving is no longer
helping others, because they have become parasites. But he’s blinded by his need for their
attention. Wally, in the long run, cannot even give to God, because his money will be long gone.
#5: Manny Mapagmahal:
Manny gives to God, gives to others, and gives to himself. After receiving his income, the
first thing he does is set aside 10% to God. The second thing he does is to set aside 20% to put
in investment vehicles—such as funds, stocks, businesses, and real estate. He also has set aside
an Emergency Fund—3 to 6 months of his salary in the bank. The third thing he does is to limit
his expenses to 70% of his income.
Today, Manny is prosperous. He now gives 20% to God, invests 30%, and lives on 50% of
his income. In his old age, he’ll continue to be even more generous. (If you’re interested to
become like Manny Mapagmahal, join my TrulyRich Club and get trained in the principles of
spiritual and material abundance. Log on at www.TrulyRichClub.com now.)
Among these 5 people, who are you?

Bo Sanchez

Do You Want A Life Of Abundance?
I’m terrible when it comes to picking gifts for my wife.
The first gift I gave her was a dress.
When I saw it, I thought it was beautiful. But when I gave it to her, I learned again the
truth that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Because she said, “Oh Bo, I love you for giving
me a dress. Thank you so much. But I suggest you stick to preaching. Your fashion sense is
awful.”
I pouted, “You mean you won’t wear the dress?”
She smiled. “If I become suddenly suicidal, perhaps. In other words, I won’t be caught
alive wearing that thing.”
But last month, I hit the jackpot. I finally bought her a birthday gift she really adored.
I bought her a book. But it was no ordinary book.
It was a gigantic 1000 page book containing beautifully stunning pictures of the most
gorgeous places all over the world. She loved the book because I wrote on the first page,
“Sweets, when our kids are grown up, I’ll bring you to these places.”
She loved the book because it wasn’t just a book. It was a promise. I promised, “I’ll grow
old with you. I’ll stay with you forever. I’ll love you forever.” Because I wasn’t really giving a
book. I was really giving myself.
My marriage is abundant because these past 11 years, I’ve been giving my time, effort,
attention, and energy to my marriage.
Here’s what I learned: Life is not one bucket.

Life Is A Collection Of Buckets
You can’t expect abundance in one bucket when you’re giving into another bucket.
Some religious people think that if they give their time to their religious bucket, their
family life will be abundant too. That won’t happen.
I’ve met a lot of religious people who are always in church, attending their religious
activities, but they don’t give their time, attention, and energy to their family life. Thus, their
family life is empty. They complain to God, “Lord, I gave my time to you! Why is my marriage
suffering? Why is my relationship with my kids suffering?”
Simple. Because life is not one bucket but a collection of buckets. If you want to harvest
abundance in a particular area of your life, you have to plant in that specific bucket.
Remember: Jesus said “Seek first the Kingdom of God…” If God is first, then there must
be a second, a third, a fourth…
Some people think God wants them to give all their time to Him and be in church all the
time and serve in ministries—neglecting their jobs, businesses, and families. They reason that
“because if I put God first, God will take care of all these anyway.”
Not really.

Even Money
I met a woman recently who said, “Bo, for the past 22 years, I was serving the church
fulltime. Without a salary. Today, I’m my 54, and I just realized I have no money for my old
age. So I’m catching up, starting a small business and investing for the future.”
In between the lines, I could tell that she was asking, “Lord, why didn’t you take care of
me financially? I gave my life to you.”
Many preachers I know simply tell people to give 10% to God. I’m one of the few
preachers who tell people to give 10% to God (as a guide, not as a law) and also give 20% to
their future in the form of paper assets, businesses, real estate, etc. Why? So that they can
keep giving to God in their old age.
Let me state this again: I believe that God blesses us when we are generous to Him.
But because we lack financial wisdom, many spiritual people simply consume all of His
financial blessings. They spend it all. Instead of setting aside a portion and investing it for their
future.
If you want abundance in your finances, you need to give more time, effort, and energy
into your financial bucket. Grow in financial wisdom, learn new skills, read financial books,
attend financial seminars, and get financial mentors.
So you see, financial abundance is much more than giving to your spiritual bucket. If you
want to grow your money, you also need to give to your financial bucket as well.

Where Do You Want To Have Abundance?
Here’s my question.
What bucket of life do you want to experience God’s blessings and abundance? Another
way of asking this question: Which bucket in your life is empty or lacking today?
Give to that specific bucket!
∙ If you want abundance in your “marriage bucket”, give time and attention and love
to your spouse.
∙ If you want abundance in your “family bucket”, give more time and energy and
patience to your children.
∙ If you want abundance in your “financial bucket”, give time to learn and invest in
your financial future
∙ If you want abundance in your “spiritual bucket”, give your time, your service, and
your tithes to God.

Season of Delay
Here’s my belief: When you give, you receive.
This is a law in our universe. You’ll even receive much more than what you gave. This is
as sure as the sun rising tomorrow. This is 100% guaranteed.
Here’s the great mystery of life: When you give, you don’t lose. You gain.
People don’t see this.
Why? Because between our giving and our receiving, there is a delay. If you want to
receive the blessings of your giving, you need to be patient during the season of delay.
People expect instant returns.
But the greatest things in life—a great marriage, a strong family, a happy friendship,
financial freedom, and godly character—doesn’t happen instantly.
When you plant, you don’t harvest right away. You have to enter into a season of delay.
So what do you do while you wait?
Keep on giving.

Why Giving To God Is Crucial
Giving to God will train you to give in the other areas of your life. Personally, I don’t
believe that tithing is a law for Christians. (Sorry, too long to explain.) But tithing is a great
guideline and a fantastic training tool for greater giving. Because the first blessing of giving to
God is not abundance but an abundance mentality. Without an abundance mentality, it’ll be
difficult to receive abundance in every area of life.
I have a conspiracy theory.
I believe that the entire physical and spiritual universe around you is conspiring, plotting,
and conniving to give you massive abundance.
One of the most difficult things to overcome is a scarcity mentality. That there’s a limited
amount of blessings in the world.
God is an abundant God, not a God of scarcity.
Today, I meet many people trapped in mediocrity and stagnation today because of their
scarcity mentality. They think that God wants them to stay small, live small, and be small.
I’ve met spiritual people who believe they should be poor.
I’ve met good people who believe they should always remain in hardship because they are
good people.
I was like this for almost 20 years of my life.
But when I was 30 years old, I changed my thinking. I decided I wanted to become a
millionaire missionary. It was crazy but I believed it was possible.
Today, I’m still a missionary. I run 9 non‐profit organizations, doing beautiful work in the
world. Only one pays me a salary. I can do that because I earn through my small businesses and
other investments.
I’ve broken out of that scarcity mentality.
I believe God wants abundance for my life.
And I believe God wants abundance for your life too.
Have you ever met a parent who has a secret desire that their children suffer? Who prays,
“Lord, please make my kids poor?”
I doubt it. There are a few deranged parents out there, but a normal father and mother
would want the best for their children.
God wants abundance for your life.
No, it’s not primarily money. Abundance is primarily about love. But I believe it includes
money—but only so that we can love!

Make Do With My Imperfect Love
Last week, someone told me, “Bo, you’re so selfless.”
“No,” I told her, “I’m a selfish person.”
I really am. I know myself!
But at least, I’m trying to love everyday of my life. Every morning, I pray, “Lord, help me
to love the people you will send to my path.”
Before writing this article, I imagined you reading it and I prayed for you. Yes, I love
you! My love is very imperfect, but you’ll have to make do with this imperfect love. This is all
that I can offer you.
For the past 30 years, I’ve been trying to love people with this imperfect love. Let me
share with you the 5 ministries for the poor that I’ve been involved in.
And it’s true: When I gave love, I’ve received so much love. That’s been my experience…
Here are the 5 ministries where I have received so much love…
∙ Anawim: We’ve picked up 60 abandoned elderly from the streets and give them a
loving home. We love and care for them until God calls them home.
∙ Tahanan ng Pagmamahal: Led by my friend Rey Ortega, we house 18 orphans in a
small home in Pasig.
∙ Pagasa ng Pamilya: Also led by Rey, we now send 95 poor children to school. For
the past 30 years, this ministry has graduated hundreds of scholars who are now
helping their families.
∙ Grace to be Born: We counsel pregnant women in crisis who are considering
abortion or are being forced to abort their babies. We provide a temporary shelter
for them until they give birth. We also care for abandoned babies and facilitate
adoption.
∙ He Cares Foundation: Led by my friend Jodean Sola, He Cares Foundation sends
240 streetkids to school and feeds 300+ of them every week. This ministry also runs
a micro‐lending program in 6 slum areas. We also built a village for 120+ homes.
Love abundantly.
And receive love abundantly as well.

Bo Sanchez

From Clerk To Chairman Of The Board…
Gain Financial Abundance!
Join Me At My “How To Be Truly Rich” Seminar
On August 29, 2009 In Metro Manila
I just received a text message from my friend.
“I’m giving P1 million to build one new Anawim home,” he said.
Yeheey! (Anawim is a ministry for the abandoned elderly that I started 12 years
ago. One home can house 20 abandoned elderly picked up from the streets.)
Thirty years ago, my friend was a lowly clerk earning P8 a day.
Before this, he was kicked out from college.
Before this, he borrowed money from relatives to invest—and lost everything.
Not a very good start, believe me.
But thirty years later, he is Chairman of the Board of a number of companies—and one of
the wealthiest guys I know.
But that’s not the main thing I wanted to talk about the man.
There’s even something more spectacular about the guy than his rags to riches story. Are
you ready for this?
Amazingly, my friend is one of the most loving men I’ve ever met in my life. I’m not
kidding. I always tell him, “You don’t have one greedy bone in your body!” You’ll be amazed at
what he does for everyone around him—his employees, his partners, and even his customers.
For example, there’s no labor union in his company because he, the owner, is the top
labor leader! He’ll fight for their rights. Everyone loves him and they don’t want to work
anywhere else. His employees stay with him for 20 to 30 years.
I asked myself this hypothetical question: If he were greedy, would he be
richer? Perhaps. But he wouldn’t have any friends. Today, he’s got a ton of friends who would
drop everything for him.
In my jargon, my friend is Truly Rich.
Many think that all rich people are greedy, selfish, and corrupt.
That’s not true. My wealthy friends aren’t like that.
∙ There’s a married couple I know who are so incredibly loving, I get teary‐eyed just
thinking about them. (I’m such a mushy wreck when it comes to receiving
love.) Through the years, they’ve helped me so much in my ministry too.
∙ There are these two widows who make me feel very small every time they serve in
Anawim. So dedicated! Very wealthy yet serving the poorest of the poor. Recently,
they donated one house for 20 abandoned elderly too.
∙ There’s this rich businesswoman I know who is so loving and generous, her friends
call her the sister of Mother Mary. Okay, if she isn’t, then she must be a cousin. Man,
is she the kindest person.
Oh, I could go on and on with my other Truly Rich friends.
And I want you to be one of them!
If you live in Metro Manila, I’d like you to join me in my How To Be Truly Rich Seminar on
August 29, 2009. It’ll bless you.
Read carefully. If you think that rich people are crooks, then subconsciously, you
wouldn’t want to be rich. Because we will avoid what we subconsciously do not want. You need
to get rid of your old financial mindset. Here’s what I learned: You need to think in different
way if you want your financial life to change.
How much to attend the seminar?
Companies ask me to give the How To Be Truly Rich seminar to their employees, and we
charge them P8,000.00++ per person. (Yes, I’m one of the highest paid corporate speakers in
the country, and I do it as my way of supporting our ministries.)
But I run public seminars so I could help more people, and you can join me at the give‐
away price of P475 per person only. I know I’m nuts, but this is my way of practicing what I
preach—generosity. I want to help as many people as I can get out of poverty thinking and get
into abundance thinking. I want to help people learn practical strategies necessary to change
their financial life.
For more information on the How To Be Truly Rich Seminar, click here.

Bo Sanchez

Want More Miracles? Be Generous.
This happened some twenty years ago.
One day, I discovered I only had P9,000 left in my savings, tucked safely in my desk
drawer. Aside from that, I had P700 in my wallet. That was it. My entire net worth. The total
sum of my wealth! I was the poorest “Chairman of the Board” this universe has ever known. (I
was Chairman of two ministry organizations.)
At about nine that morning, a friend called up and told me that her daughter was in the
hospital, and that she needed P9,000, pronto!
I wanted to ask her, “Are you sure it’s not P9,700?”
I closed my eyes and asked God what to do. And as clear as daylight, I felt He told me in
my heart, “Give it to her.”
So I told my friend as cheerfully as I could, “Pick up your money here,” hiding my
anxiety. At the back of my mind, I was already imagining the morbid consequences of my
decision. Living with only P700 in my wallet meant not eating my favorite pizza.
A few minutes later, another friend barged through our front door, weeping, and told
me about her family problems. It ended with her very nervous plea, “Bo, can you give me
P500?”
I started laughing. “Not P700?”
She shook her head, baffled at my question. I pulled out my wallet and gave her
P500. (When you have a very thin wallet, that simple act was very difficult to do!) But as I did
that, a small crumpled, folded‐up paper popped out of my wallet. I picked it up and couldn’t
believe my eyes: It was another P500!
Where in the world did that come from? Suddenly, I felt God was telling me it was
“miracle” time.
In my excitement, I wanted to get my P9000 ready to be given away. (Who knows what
will pop out as I did that?)
I went to my room and grabbed the wad of paper bills from my drawer—and shoved it
into an envelope. But before sealing it, I thought of recounting the cash.
I counted, “One thousand…two thousand…three thousand… four thousand…” I began to
cry when I counted, “ten thousand… eleven thousand… twelve thousand… thirteen thousand…
fourteen thousand… fifteen thousand!”
To this day, I don’t know where that extra money came from. Perhaps I counted it
wrong the first time. But whatever reason, it really doesn’t matter. What I knew was God was
telling me a very simple message, a message that I still bring in my heart to this day—“When I
give, God will take care of me.”
I knelt down and said, Thank you Lord. You still want me to eat pizza.”

The Universe Is A Giant Mirror
I’ve never forgotten that lesson in my life.
Life is a mirror. If I smile at the mirror, the mirror will smile back at me. If I frown, the
mirror will frown back. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be very worried if I smile at the mirror
and the mirror frowns back. Heebeejeebies.
The universe operates like a giant mirror. What I give, I receive. Most of what happens
to me is simply a reflection of what I’ve been giving to the universe.
People ask me why my life is so profoundly blessed. One reason is because I’ve been
giving.
I remember one old story I’d like to share with you…

Trip To Jerusalem
When I was 16 years old, I won a trip to Jerusalem from a Bible Quiz on national TV. Not
the “Trip to Jerusalem” where kids circle around chairs. (That’s how Filipinos call the game
“musical chairs”.) I really won a trip to Israel.
It was the first time I was going to travel, and I was going to travel all by myself for 41
days, visiting 20 cities all over Europe.
Obviously, as a 16 years old backpacker, I was scared and excited at the same time. My
mother sewed a hidden pouch on my socks and inserted my dollars there. Because they were
very few. Her instructions to me, “Don’t stay in hotels, stay in convents. Don’t eat in
restaurants, buy your food and eat on park benches.”
My first stopover was Athens, Greece.
I sat in the airport, waiting for my flight to Israel, when a somewhat plumpish woman
(okay, really plumpish woman) came walking towards me carrying two huge suitcases.
I ran to help out. I said, “Madame, can I help carry your things?”
She didn’t understand a word I said.
I knew a little Spanish, so I asked, “Puedo llevar tus cosas?”
She also didn’t understand.
Being charismatic, I was tempted to speak in tongues. But decided against it. Instead, I
used the universal language.
I held up my hands as though I was carrying two suitcases.
Immediately, she understood. She handed me her suitcases, thinking perhaps I was a
porter.
I then moved my hand like it were a plane, made the “whoooo” sound, and said,
“Jerusalem.”
Her face lit up. She did the hand action of a plane, the “whoooo” sound of a plane, and
said, “Jerusalem!” We were going to the same place.
We walked to the airline counter. I gave my ticket and the kindly gentleman gave me my
boarding pass. I was ready to fly.
It was the woman’s turn. She handed her ticket with a smile. The man read her ticket,
shook his head, and said, “I’m sorry Ma’am, this is an invalid ticket. You can’t ride this plane.”

“Buy Her A Ticket!”
She couldn’t understand him.
They had to get a translator, what language I have no idea, to tell her that she had to
buy a new ticket if she wanted to fly.
Tearfully, she told them that she had no money. And that this was a stop over for her too,
so she was stranded. The man behind the counter raised their hands in surrender, telling her
they couldn’t do anything about it.
She picked up her suitcases from me. She walked to a corner of the airport, sat down, and
wept loudly.
I watched her from the distance. How could I leave her like this? But what could a 16 year
old kid do?
So I prayed, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
I learned that was a very dangerous question to ask. Don’t take it flippantly.
Because in my heart, I felt God tell me, “Buy her a ticket.” It was absolutely nuts! Didn’t
He know that my dollars was in my socks?
I walked up to the counter guy and asked, “How much is a ticket to Israel?” He said,
“$256”.
Gulp.
But I knew in my heart that I had to do it.

A Miracle Happens
I walked up to the weeping lady.
Through sign language, I told her I was going to buy her a ticket. (I tapped my back
pocket and did my plane hand action again.) She understood me immediately. She literally
jumped for joy and hugged me. I disappeared in her embrace.
Gently, I brought her down. I checked for broken bones and found none. We both
walked to the counter.
“Sir,” I announced, “I’m buying a plane ticket for this lady.”
The man gasped. He asked, “Do you know her?”
“No, I don’t. I just met her here.”
He shook his head. “Are you rich?”
I smiled. “No. But my Father is rich!”
He didn’t want to sell me a ticket. He called his big boss. In a few minutes, the man
marched in and they both argued our situation.
Finally, when our flight was about to go, I thought I heard the big boss sighed in
exasperation and said, “Okay. Let the lady fly. But don’t let this stupid guy pay!”
I couldn’t believe it. They were letting her have a free ride. My dollars remained safely
in my socks.
Both of us boarded the plane. We even sat beside each other and prayed together.
I was sixteen when this happened.
You can imagine the impact this event had in my young life. I learned that if we give,
God will see us through. I learned that giving will open my life to His miracles.
That is why to this day, giving has become a lifestyle.

My Friend Earns P1.5M In One Day
Last week, I wrote about a friend who told me he wanted to donate P1 Million to build
one Anawim home, our ministry for the abandoned elderly. It’ll house 20 Lolos and Lolas that
we’ll pick up from the streets.
He told me about his desire to donate on a Sunday.
On Monday, he texted me. He was so shocked because in one of his income streams, he
earned P1.5M on that day!
Talk about instant provision.
I believe miracles happen when we give.
Give and experience more miracles happen in your life.

What Kind Of Daddy Do You Have?
A college student in Manila called up his Mom in the province.
“Mom, I need money,” he asked. “Can you send money over please?”
“Sure,” the mother said. “By the way, there’s a Math textbook you left here at home. I’ll
send it over with the money.”
“Uh, oh yeah, Ok,” her son answered.
His mother sent the money and the book.
Later that day, the father asked his wife, “How much money did you send?”
She said, “I sent two checks. One was a P1000 check and the other was a P100,000
check.”
“What?” cried the father in shock. “That’s huge!”
His wife smiled. “That’s okay Honey. I taped the P1000 check on the cover of his Math
textbook. I then inserted the P100,000 check somewhere in chapter 25 of his Math
textbook. Believe me, he won’t find it.”
Your relationship with God is like a Math textbook. Because I believe the biggest
blessings of God for your life are in “chapter 25”—when you go beyond the surface and go
deeper in this relationship with God.
My goal today is to bring you to chapter 25 in your relationship with God.
Let me tell you how.
I want to start a new series today I’ll playfully call, OMG! If you don’t know what that
means, LOL. (For those my age who didn’t grow up with chat and IM and facebook: OMG!
means Oh my God and LOL means Laugh out loud.)
For the next five weeks, I want to help you get to know God more—which will deepen
your trust in Him. And the more you trust Him, the more you’ll be open to His blessings for your
life.
I’ve met a lot of people who don’t trust God because they don’t know Him. They’re
confused with misrepresentations of who God is.
Here’s what I learned: Your problems are big because your God is small.

Before Anything Else, God Is Daddy
I just arrived from the US the other day.
It was my shortest trip ever: Four days!
But I had to do it.
I was there to meet a very special man who was a spiritual mentor to Presidents, Kings,
Prime Ministers, and other heads of government. In other words, he disciples them to follow
Jesus. He’s awesome.
This spiritual giant has been working in the United Nations for the past 25 years. Each
month, he holds 30+ face‐to‐face meetings with heads of government, ambassadors, and other
high‐level officials, guiding them how to lead their country using the Bible.
So for three whole days, I sat around his table (we were just four students—myself, two
bishops, and a secretary general) to learn one thing: How to disciple Heads of States. It was
mind‐blowing.
So on my way back, I felt very important too.
I mean, how couldn’t I?
I spent three days with a guy who takes phone calls from Presidents and Prime Ministers
before he has breakfast. How cool is that?
But the moment my plane landed in Manila, everything became clear to me. I knew the
first Heads of States I would meet.
That entire day, upon arriving from the airport, I spent time with the two Kings who’ve
conquered my heart since I saw them: My two boys—ages 9 and 4.
Together, we did very high‐level, critical, world‐changing, life‐altering work.
We drew robots and airplanes.
We played with little cars.
We played a video game (I lost, as usual).
We jumped around the coach.
Why did I spend the entire day with them?
Because I believe that before I’m a preacher, writer, leader, missionary, and businessman,
I’m a father.
And I suspect that God will say the same thing. This is just my personal opinion. I think
before God is supreme judge and king of kings of the entire universe, He’s a Father. That’s why
when someone asked Jesus, “Teach us how to pray,” He answered, “Say this: Our Father…”
The original word that Jesus used for “Father” is Abba, which doesn’t really translate to
Father but Daddy or Papa. It was what a little baby would call his father.
But as I played with my boys yesterday, I began to think of all the other children who
don’t experience what they experience. And I believe that one of the reasons why we don’t
know God as Father is because of the wrong fatherhood we’ve experienced.
Specifically, I thought of four of my friends: Emmanuel, Grace, Dulce, and Fides. I’ve
changed their names to protect their privacy.
But unfortunately, their stories are true.

Invisible Fathers
My friend Emmanuel’s father was a lawyer. Later on, he became a judge and was
promoted all the way to the Supreme Court.
Emmanuel was proud of his father. But when our conversations became intimate, he’d
tear up, and tell me that he rarely saw his father. When he woke up, his father was rushing out
for his breakfast meetings. In the evenings, his father wasn’t home yet.
Emmanuel grew up knowing his father was an important man doing very important
things. But as he grew up, he realized he wasn’t one of these important things his father did.
Years later, Emmanuel came to know God in a personal way. Yet for years, he wondered
how important he really was in God’s heart.

Autistic Fathers
Some fathers are physically present at home.
But they don’t engage their kids.
Instead, they’re wrapped up in their own world. Either watching TV or surfing the
web. That’s why I call them autistic fathers.
Many years ago, I met Grace. She told me that as a child, her goal in life was to make her
father smile at her. Because he never did.
Oh, she would find him laughing with his barkada.
But never to her.
One day, she came home with very high grades on her report card. In her heart, she
hoped that perhaps today, he would smile at her.
But when she gave him the report card, all her father did was look at it for two seconds,
grunt, tossed it back, and went back watching TV.
Not one word of affirmation or appreciation.
Her little heart was crushed.
For years, Grace had a hard time imagining that God was pleased with her. She always
imagined God having a perpetual frown on his face.

Cruel Fathers
Dulce’s father is the most barbaric father I’ve ever heard of in my life.
When she was 3 years old, he raped her.
Years later, she always had this nightmare of her head being pushed into a toilet
bowl. She realized why. Because her father warned her not to tell anyone of the rape or he’d
drown her in the toilet.
For the next ten years, for the slightest mistakes (such as a spilled glass of milk), her father
would whip her with his belt until blood flowed. When he was lashing her, her mother would
tell him, “Don’t hit her below the knees!” So that the wounds would be covered by her skirt.
He would then grab her ankles, hang her upside down, and bang her head on the floor. He
would do this for thirty minutes until she stopped crying and was a lifeless rag in his hands. He
would do this each week for ten long years.
Here’s the absurd fact of this story: Until the day he died, her father was an elder and
deacon in church. To everyone else, he was an angel. Upon arriving home, he was the devil
incarnate—and no one knew.
Dulce is now an adult but suffers massive physical, emotional, and spiritual torments. She
has gone through 9 surgeries in various parts of her body. Her doctors discovered micro‐strokes
in her brain, caused by the head banging she suffered as a child. But her emotional pain was
even more severe than her physical pain.
I’m happy to say that Dulce enjoys an intimate relationship with God. God has healed
and continues to heal her. But it took years of healing and learning to trust a tender loving
Father.

Unfaithful Father
Fides was still a small child when she saw her father walk out of their house carrying his
suitcase. At that time, she didn’t know that he was abandoning her, her mother, and her two
brothers for another woman.
Unlike her brothers who rebelled and got into drugs, Fides became even more
obedient. She became even more responsible. Her school grades shot to the moon. Everyone
praised her for being such a good girl.
Later on, Fides realized she blamed herself for the separation of her
parents. Inexplicably, she believed that if she were only a better girl, her father would have
never left. And for years, she secretly hoped that if she became that better girl, perhaps her
father would come back.
For years, Fides’ relationship with God was also about buying His love. She would always
try to be good to try to please Him—so He would love her. She had this constant fear that if she
made one mistake, God would abandon her too.

May The Real God The Father
Please Stand Up?
For many Christians, it’s so much easier to pray to Jesus. After all, He died for our
sins. He’s the sweet one. The Father was the mean guy who sent Jesus to die on the cross.
And for many Catholics, it’s so much easier to pray to Mother Mary than to God the
Father. Because they believe Mary is more merciful than God. If you can’t go through the front
door, go to the back door—Mary has the key.
Which is utterly preposterous.
We have these difficulties because we don’t know who the Father really is.
The Father and the Son are one. And Mother Mary is a beautiful reflection of God’s love
for us.
May the real God The Father please stand up?
I changed the names of our four real‐life characters. I chose each name deliberately to
show you who God the Father is: He is Emmanuel, Grace, Dulce, and Fides.

Daddy Is Emmanuel
A tribe in Africa had a very scary manhood ritual.
When a boy turned 12, the entire community gathered around him for this once‐in‐a‐life‐
time chanting and dancing ceremony. The elderly women painted red die on his face. His
mother gave him a beaded necklace. And the tribal chieftain handed him a long knife with a
carved wooden handle.
By nightfall, he was blindfolded and led by six men into the middle of the forest. Once
deep inside, the men left him. Alone. In total pitch darkness.
The instruction was simple. Survive until dawn, and he gets accepted as a real man in
the tribe.
But the young boy knew very well that the forest was an incredibly dangerous place. It
was the home of tigers. Snakes. Bears. Hyenas.
And so for the entire night, this scrawny little 12‐year‐old boy was now all alone in the
forest. The entire night, he held his knife trembling in his hand. Not for one moment could he
rest. Try as he might, his eyes could see nothing but shadows around him. In his imagination,
every little sound—even a leaf swaying in the wind—was a wild animal ready to pounce on him
at any moment.
The whole night, he could hear his heart pounding in his chest.
When his terror overwhelmed him, tears ran down his cheeks. He wanted to shout, “I’m
just a little boy! I’m not ready yet to be a man!” But who could hear him now? He was all alone.
But after many hours of fighting his fear and exhaustion, his eyes could see more
clearly. Dawn was approaching. The first shafts of sunlight pierced through the thick canopy of
leaves above him.
That was when the little boy felt something move behind him.
In terror, he turned around.
And there, standing tall on a rock behind him, was the towering figure of a fierce‐looking
man holding a long spear.
The boy shouted, “Daddy!”
The father smiled.
“When did you arrive?” the boy asked, “Are you here to pick me up?”
The father said, “Before you arrived last night, I was already here. I stood guard,
protecting you the whole time. I never left you for one moment, my son.”
Daddy is Emmanuel—which means God with us.
Friend, I don’t know what darkness you’re going through right now. Perhaps you’re
praying for your child who is on drugs. Or your husband is having an affair. Or you’re having
financial problems right now. Remember that in your darkness, God is with you. He will never
leave or abandon you.
When you’re in pain, God embraces you and feels your pain. He weeps with
you. Because Daddy is Emmanuel.

Daddy is Grace
When I think of Grace giving her very high report card to her father—and all he did was
grunt—I remember my own experience with my report card.
When I was in grade school, my report card had red marks. (At least, it was
colored. Yours was just black and white.) Because I failed in Math and Pilipino.
That day, I went up to Mom and showed her my report card.
All she said was, “Show it to your father.”
Gulp. Oh boy. I walked up to Dad and gave it to him.
He read it, nodded his head, and handed it back to me, and said, “Son, just study some
more.”
No spanking. No scolding. No disapproval.
He then said, “Let’s eat.”
That’s why for the rest of my academic life, I kept failing. (Hehe.)
I guess Dad knew that my brilliance wasn’t in academics. It would bloom
elsewhere. (Ahem.)
I thank God for having parents who loved me whether I performed in school or not. They
just loved me, period. Unconditionally.
Daddy means Grace. Grace means gift.
Two weeks ago, my son Bene came up to me and showed me his Math exam. He was sad
because out of 100 points, he got 92. I couldn’t help but laugh. Because if I got 92, my mother
would have fainted. Because when I was a kid, out of 100 points, I would get 36. One time, I
got 28. I would show those test papers to Dad. And all he’d say was, “Just do better next time.”
Grace means “free gift”.
Here’s my point: You don’t have to please God so that He loves you. He loves you as you
are. He accepts you totally.
I don’t care what sin you committed. I don’t care how many times you’ve done it. God
loves you and will forgive you of your sins. It will be this love that will bring you to repentance
and a new life.
Because Daddy is grace.

Daddy Is Dulce
Dulce means sweet.
I believe God is the sweetest Daddy in the world.
A few years ago, I was in a preaching tour in the US.
I remember one big event. After the last song, I was signing my books. There was an
unusually long line of people who wanted my autograph. In front of me were four ushers
telling people to wait for their turn.
That was when someone ran past the long line of people, squeezed himself in between
the ushers, and ducked underneath the table. He then climbed on my lap, handed me a bottle
of water, and said, “Please open, Daddy. I’m thirsty.”
Bene was four years old at that time.
Obviously, I stopped signing books and opened his bottle.
How could Bene do that? Because he was my son and I was his Daddy.
He was confident that I wouldn’t reject him. He knew that I loved him more than the
entire world.
This is what Jesus meant when he taught us the “Our Father”.
Like Bene, we too can run to God, climb on his lap, and ask for what we need.
Because Daddy is dulce.

Daddy Is Fides
I like to believe I’m a good father.
But I’m nothing compared to Dick Hoyt and his love for his son Rick.
In 1962, while baby Rick was in the womb of his mother, he was strangled by the
umbilical cord—causing a lack of oxygen in his brain. He suffered cerebral palsy and couldn’t
speak or control his arms or legs.
As an eight month old baby, doctors told Dick and his wife Judy to place the child in an
institution. “Because he was going to be a vegetable all his life,” they said. But the parents
refused and brought him home. Dick promised that he would try to give his son as normal a life
as possible.
Fast forward today: Dick learned that Rick loved sports. After a lot of pain and exercise
(Dick wasn’t athletic), he pushed Rick in a wheelchair in a 5 kilometer run. After the Run, Rick
said that while he was in the race, he didn’t feel an invalid.
That was the start of a great adventure. Today, this father‐and‐son team has
participated in 66 marathons and 229 triathlons.
While running, Dick would push his son in a wheelchair.
While swimming, Dick would pull him in a rubber boat.
While biking, Dick would carry him at the front of his bike.
When I watched the life of Dick and Rick Hoyt, I saw a glimpse of God’s love. This is the
Father’s love for you.
I don’t know about you, but I must admit that I’m handicapped in many areas of my
life. I’ve got weaknesses I still battle to this day.
But in this adventure called life, I’ve experienced my God pushing me, pulling me, and
carrying me in his arms.
I know God does the same to you.
Fides means faith. The root word for faithfulness.
God has faith in you. He believes in you.
Daddy is fides.
Next week, I’ll talk about God as Leader.

Bo Sanchez

Wealth Is A Choice
“Bo, can I be honest with you?”
“Sure,” I answered Mandy (not his real name), a dear friend of many years.
“Please don’t be offended. But I feel you’ve lost your focus on the Lord.”
I knew it took a lot for him to say that to me. I felt his discomfort. I was also disturbed by
what he said, coming from someone I trusted. Mandy is a lay missionary who has been serving
God for the longest time I can remember. He was the leader of a network of prayer groups.
“I welcome your input. Please go on,” I said.
“I’ve been reading some of your articles and I feel uncomfortable about your topics on
finances. I just feel you lack trust in God now. You depend on your businesses more than on the
Lord.” (This conversation took place five years ago, when I began writing about money.)
“What makes you say that?” I asked him.
“Because I remember the old Bo. When you were poor. When you had no money. When
you stood on the street, with empty pockets, praying to God for your bus fare to preach in a
prayer meeting.”
“Those were good days,” I said.
“Bo, I’m still poor today. There are days when I don’t have money for my needs. But every
time, God provides. And I see so many miracles. But you’ve become rich, Bo. You’re different
now. I really pray hard for you. May you remain pure.”
I said, “Thank you so much. I need your prayers.”
After Mandy left, I searched my heart and confronted God.
But all I could find was peace. My decision to get into business, my decision to teach
finances, my decision to become wealthy—I felt even more convinced that God was smiling at
me. As crazy as it sounded, I’ve found God in the worldly. I’ve found God in business and
profit. It was absurd, but I felt closer to Him more now than I’ve ever been.
That was five years ago. Today, my conviction is as strong as ever.
Since then, there have been many times when Mandy called for help. Tuition fees for his
kids. Hospital bills for his father. Electric and telephone bills. And his ministry needs.
Each time he’d call me up, he’d be very embarrassed. I knew that he was the type of
person who would rather starve than ask for help. But he had no choice. He was asking for his
family’s needs.
Each time, I was very happy to help out my friend. But every time he came to me,
desperate and troubled, I saw what my life would have become if I didn’t decide to work on my
finances.
Mandy and I are both missionaries. (I still devote 90% of my time to ministry.) But here’s
the difference: Mandy chose to be poor. I chose to be rich.
My message? Wealth is a choice.
I believe God leaves that up to you.
What’s your choice?
Get Financial Mentors
How did I become rich?
I added to my mentors.
Being a missionary, all my mentors were other religious leaders. Not one of them knew
much about money.
Here’s a simple lesson in life: You become like the people you hangout with.
So I prayed and searched for millionaire mentors. God answered my prayer and I found
them, one by one. I learned from them and my life has changed 180 degrees.
From being poor, I now have many income streams. I’ve invested in real estate, buying
foreclosed properties from banks and turning them into rental properties. I’m earning passive
income from my other businesses. I’ve also learned how to invest in the stock market. It’s been
an amazing adventure.
But what’s more amazing is the incredible freedom I have to help others.
If you want that freedom, I encourage you to learn more.
You don’t have to attend my seminars. There are other seminars out there. Look
around. You don’t even have to read my books. Read other books on money.
But my seminars and books have a distinct advantage: They have a very strong spiritual
perspective. It’s an essential part in transforming your mindset. I believe that wealth is God’s
gift and we need to use it for His purpose.
If you’re in Metro Manila, join me and my Financial Mentors at the Truly Rich Financial
Coaching Program on September 18 to 19, 2009. Learn the various strategies I used to become
wealthy. Learn from the same mentors who mentored me. It’ll bless your financial life.
For more information, click here.

Bo Sanchez

How To Make God Your Leader
One day, a huge crowd was in front of Heaven, waiting to get in.
To put more order, Jesus announced, “I’ll see the men first.” He then said, “All husbands
who are the leader at home, form a line on my right. All husbands whose wives are the leader
at home, form a line on my left.”
Immediately, thousands of men lined up on His left.
And only one brave guy stood at the right.
Jesus shook his head. He scolded the husbands at the left, “I’m a little bit disappointed
with you. I specifically told you in the Bible that the husband should be the leader at home!” He
then looked at the one man on his right and smiled. “Congratulations!”
The man said, “Thank you, Jesus. But I really don’t know why I’m here. My wife told me to
stand here, so I did.”
Today, leadership is a bad word.
Let me tell you about my friend Carlos. He’s only in his thirties, but has already had
eleven jobs in eleven companies. All because he can’t work with his bosses. Either his boss is
too selfish or too inefficient or too lazy or too picky or too bossy. Though it was clear as
daylight, Carlos couldn’t see the pattern. That he had issues with all authority figures.
Later on, I found out that Carlos never had a good relationship with his father.
This was the root.
(Note: This is the second of the series I’m giving on OMG!—describing who God is. Last
week, I described God as Father. Today, I’ll describe God as Leader. But as you can see, both
messages are one.)
Your father, whether you like it or not, was your first leader.
If you had a difficult relationship with your father, most likely, you’ll have a difficult
relationship with all the leaders in your life. Including God as leader. You may be able to relate
to God as healer, savior, and miracle‐worker, but not as leader.
Plus, leadership is a bad word because of all the bad leaders in the world.
Let me give you a few crazy examples.

Top 10 Evil Leaders In The World
Take tyrants like Pol Pot.
In the three years that he ruled Cambodia, he killed most of their intellectuals. He then
forced people living in cities to work in the barrios as some extreme agrarian
communism. Because of the mass executions, the poor health conditions, and the poverty—
two million people died—half of the population of Cambodia.
Another word for Tyrant is Bully. Bullies like Adolph Hitler.
Hitler was an incredible leader. He spoke so powerfully, he convinced all of Germany to
conquer Europe. But at the end of Hitler’s rule, 10 million people died—including 6 million
Jews.
Or take Joseph Stalin. He was head of the Soviet Union for 31 years. Because of the vast
number of executions he ordered upon those he deemed “enemy of the state”—plus
administrative decisions that caused widespread famine in huge parts of his country—
international observers say that Stalin may have killed 10 million to 60 million people.
Based on death tolls and barbaric torture, here are the other top 10 evil Leaders in the
world: Ivan IV, Vlad Tepes, Leopold II, Idi Amin, Ruholla Khomeini, Maximien Robespierre, and
Atilla The Hun.
For many people, God is like them—a tyrant and a bully.
That’s why they can’t relate to Him.
He bullies us to follow Him—if we don’t, He throws us to Hell.
How can we follow a God who is a bully?
I know I can’t.
Thankfully, God is not a tyrant and a bully.

What Is A Good Leader?
Somehow, you already know a good leader when you see one.
Movies show good leaders all the time.
Remember the movie Karate Kid?
If you remember, then that means only one thing: you were born in the sixties, your
James Bond was Sean Connery, your Darna was Vilma Santos, and your Batman had written
sound effects (“Kapaw”).
In Karate Kid, young Daniel had Mr. Miyagi as his leader. (Favorite quote in that movie:
“Wax in, wax out.”) Remember how Mr. Miyagi spent time with Daniel and taught him about
life? Remember how Mr. Miyagi loved him and poured his life into him?
It was the same in Star Wars. If Karate Kid had Mr. Miyagi, then Luke Skywalker had
Yoda. You see the same thing: Leadership is relationship.
For those of you who can’t relate because you were born in the 90’s, then let me fast‐
forward in time. How about Lord of the Rings? If Karate Kid had Mr. Miyagi, and Luke had Yoda,
then Frodo had Gandalph.
Goodness, even in Kung Fu Panda, Po had Master Shifu. (Favorite quote: “Squadoosh.”)
What is common among Mr. Miyagi, Yoda, Gandalph, and Master Shifu?
Three very important things…
1) A leader builds a relationship with a disciple
2) A leader plants a dream in that person’s heart
3) A leader empowers that person to reach that dream
Let me tell you about my first spiritual leader.

My First Spiritual Leader Was A Woman
I met Aida Manongdo when I was 12 years old.
She was our prayer group leader. At that time, she was already a mother of six
children. But despite our age difference, she took me under her wing and discipled me.
First, she built a relationship with me. She sat down with me and we studied the Bible
together. She shared her conversations with God. She poured into me her faith and
wisdom. And I’ll never forget those times when she prayed over me. When she did, it was like I
was transported to Heaven.
The second thing she did was plant a dream in my heart. When I was 13 years old, she
took me aside and said, “God told me that you’ll be a preacher. God told me that He has given
you the gift of wisdom.” To this day, I have no idea what she saw in me. I was a normal 13‐year‐
old kid who watched Voltes V on TV (I even memorized the theme song) and read Superman
Comics. But that’s what great leaders do—find gold in the rough—and pour their lives in that
person until the gold comes out.
And third, she empowered me. She said, “I want you to give a talk this coming
Friday.” Being obedient, I went home and prepared a 20‐page talk.
That Friday, when I took the microphone, I saw everyone was excited. I heard them say,
“Wow, Bo’s going to give a talk! He’s the youngest in our group!”
But a few minutes later, they weren’t very excited anymore. Everyone was bored to
death. Except for my mother of course who was absorbing every word, they were acting like
chickens, their heads bobbing up and down.
I panicked. I decided to skip most of the pages in my talk and turned to the last
page. And I said, “That’s all. Good night.” I was totally humiliated. I sat down and told myself I’ll
never give another talk in my entire life. Never!
But Aida came up to me after the prayer meeting and said, “Bo, next Friday, give
another talk. I said, “Sure!”
I am who I am because of Aida.
I owe my life and ministry to this great leader.

A Leader Builds A Relationship
Bottom line, Leaders are Lovers.
All throughout the Bible, when God wants something done, He’ll call one person—and
establish a relationship with that person—and love that person.
This is His modus operandi.
When God wanted a new nation that will follow His ways, He called one person—
Abraham. He shows Himself to him, speaks to him, spends time with him, and gives him a
vision—“to be a father of many nations.”
When God wanted to rescue Israel from Egypt, He called one person—Moses. He brings
him up to Mt. Sinai, shows Himself as the burning bush, introduces Himself as the Great I Am,
and gives him a vision—“to rescue my people from Pharaoh.”
In this same way, God wants to build a relationship with you.
He doesn’t want to intimidate you so you’ll follow Him.
He doesn’t want to dominate you into submission.
He doesn’t want to terrify you into obedience.
Instead, He’ll spend time with you. He’ll win your trust. He’ll expose His own heart to
you. He’ll pour his life into you.
In other words, He’ll love you.
This is His brand of leadership.

Don’t Cut The String
Imagine a Kite flying on high up in the sky.
You are the kite. God is the boy flying that kite. The string between the boy and the kite
is your relationship with God.
But there are kites that feel that the string is holding them back.
So the kite says, “I want to fly higher. I can do so if this string isn’t here.”
So they cut the string. They want to live their lives on their terms. Their theme song is
Frank Sinatra’s I did it my way.
When they cut the string, they soar even higher into the sky. And the kite feels
wonderful. But in due time, the kite will come crashing down and destroying itself to bits.
Don’t cut the string. Remain in your relationship with God.
In other words, allow Him to love you.
However, we’re not just talking about friendship with God. Leadership is friendship, yes,
but it’s more than friendship. Aside from relationship, a leader casts a vision—a dream.
Like the boy flying the kite, God has a vision for your life: For you to fly high up in the
sky—as high as it can possibly fly.
God has a vision for your life. It’s found in John 10:10—I have come that you may have
life and have it more abundantly.
Here’s what I found out: Like any great leader, God is totally committed to this vision for
your life.

Ready To Die
One day, a General knocked on the house of an old priest.
The General said, “Old priest, tomorrow, I’ll be going to war. I want you to offer Mass
for our victory.”
The old priest opened the door, saw the General, and said, “You seem very calm for
someone who’s about to go into battle.”
The General smiled. “I assure you old priest that this will be an easy victory.” The enemy
has 1000 men, I’ve got 4000. They’ve got 1000 guns, I’ve got 4000 guns.”
The old priest asked, “Where are they positioned?”
The General laughed and said, “They are insane. As we speak, they’re now positioning
themselves on the seashore, between my army and the sea. And they have no boats. They’re
trapped. They’re sitting ducks.”
The old priest asked, “Where will you be when your army attacks?”
“At the back of my army,” the General said.
“And where will the commander of the enemy be?” The priest asked.
The General chuckled, “I heard that he will be at the front of his army. I guess he wants
to die first.”
The old priest shook his head. “I urge you, do not go to battle. You will lose.”
The General was shocked. “Old man, didn’t you hear me? We’re 4 times their number. We
have 4 times their weapons.” He stormed out of the priest’s house and said, “Don’t bother
praying for us! Good bye!”
Three days later, the General—wounded and battered—walked back into the old priest’s
house. “You were right,” he said, “my army was wiped out. I’ve come back here to ask you how
you knew we were going to lose.”
The old priest said, “Their commander was ready to die. You weren’t. Their commander
positioned his army between you and the sea, because he wanted all his soldiers to know that
they either win or die. He positioned himself in front of his army to tell his army that he was
ready to die—and they should too. Because battles aren’t won by numbers or weapons, but by
the commitment of their leader.”
I repeat. God has cast a vision for your life: To give a life of abundance.
But how committed is He to make this come true?
He’s so committed, He’s not only ready to die for it—He already did.
He gave His life on the cross to make that vision come true.

Nothing Can Stop God’s Vision In Your Life
I cannot tell you the name of my second spiritual leader.
He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
He wore a nice barong with a nice large silver cross around his neck. He preached
well. He sang well. He prayed well. He looked very holy.
But he was the man who molested me when I was 13 years old.
He was also the same man who molested my other friends in the youth group.
I cannot begin to describe to you what followed next. My addictions. How I hated
myself. How I lived with shame. I had this incredibly deep wound in my heart that would take
two decades to heal. (Even to this day, God is healing my inner wounds.)
I will not wish this pain on anyone—not on my worst enemies.
But here’s my point: even this tragedy in my life was not enough to stop God’s vision for
my life—to give me an Abundant life.
Because I’m experiencing this abundance today.
Friend, God won’t allow any problem, any crisis, any trial, any evil in your life to stop His
great vision to happen in your life.
You will receive an abundant life.
Trust Him.
I urge you now to make Him your Leader.
Give yourself to Him.

Bo Sanchez

Are Your Parents Comfortable In Life?
She is 94 years old.
Abandoned by her family and living in poverty for years, Lola Toyang now lives on in
Anawim, our home for the poorest of the poor.
When I visited her last month, she kissed me for a long time. (On the cheeks!) With tears,
she said, “Thank you for giving us a home.” (These are the perks of my job—getting kissed by
lots and lots of women!)
Most of the time, Lola Toyang sits in a wheelchair and spends her days praying. She also
loves talking to total strangers who visit her. Because almost all of the Lola’s and Lolo’s we’ve
picked up from the streets don’t have families visiting them anymore. (By the way, Anawim
residents pray for you, our supporters, three times a day. We lift you up and your needs seven
days a week, twelve months a year. Just our little way of saying “Thank You” to you.)
Thirteen years ago, I founded Anawim, a ministry that picks up Lola’s and Lolo’s
suffering and alone on the streets. We give them a home and care for them.
If your own parents or grandparents are materially comfortable in life, there are many
old people who are abandoned and alone. If you have a soft spot in your heart for the
abandoned elderly, pray if God wants you to adopt a Lola or Lolo in Anawim. How? By giving a
small amount each month to Anawim. You’ll receive a description of the Lola or Lolo you’re
adopting. For more information on how you can do this, please email Sol Saura at
solmsaura@gmail.com now.
I know God will bless you for your generosity!

Bo Sanchez

How God Provides For You
One day in America, two people were arguing in church.
They were debating if Jesus was white or black.
“He’s white!” said one. “No, He’s black!” said the other guy. Even as they walked out of
the church, they kept arguing.
Not looking where they were going, both fell into an open ditch and died on the spot. And
both found themselves in the gates of heaven.
They saw Jesus walk to them and they were so happy. Both of them asked, “Jesus, can
you help us answer one question? Are you black or white?”
Jesus smiled and said, Magandang Umaga.
In our current series entitled OMG!, we’re describing who God is. We didn’t describe God
as black, white, or Filipino. Two weeks ago, I said He was Father. Last week, I said He was
Leader. Today, I’ll tell you that God is Provider too.
The Bible says my God shall supply your every need[1]. Because I have many needs. I need
food. I need a roof over my head. I need friends. I need parking spaces. I need money. Boy,I
thank God He’s Provider!
Which makes me redefine what prayer is…

Is Prayer Twisting God’s Arm?
For many people, prayer means changing God’s mind.
For many people, prayer is “convincing God to bless you”.
Prayer is begging God, twisting His arm until He relents and says, “Oh, okaaaaay. I really
didn’t want to bless you, but because you’re forcing me, here it is…”?
Nuts!
I don’t buy that.
I don’t believe God really needs any convincing to bless us.
Because He’s a parent.

Parents Are Providers
One day, I was in Hong Kong.
I felt so sad when I saw thousands of Filipinas there. Why were they there? To put food
on the table of their families back home.
On the flight back to Manila, I sat beside a Filipina. My heart was torn when she told me
she hasn’t seen her kids for 2 years. Working as a domestic helper was very hard, she
said. Sometimes, it got very lonely. Sometimes, her employer doesn’t treat her well.
Her words struck me. “I can’t help it. I’m a mother.”
By nature, parents are providers.
I have an announcement to make: God is a parent. He wants to provide for us!
You don’t need to convince him to bless you.
The Bible says that God delights in the prosperity of His servant[2].
He’s happy when we’re blessed, abundant, prosperous, and fulfilled.
He loves to bless you. I believe it’s His favorite thing to do. I believe the highlight of His
day is to bless you with abundance.
Not only that, but He already has provided every blessing you need. So why convince
him to do what He has already done?
Are You Afflicted With Spiritual Emphysema?
I believe everything you need is out there.
Love. Wisdom. Opportunities. Money. God’s blessings are as abundant as the air around
you.
So just breathe them in.
But I believe many of us have spiritual emphysema.
Let me explain.
My friend has physical emphysema.
He started smoking when he was 13 years old. He became a chain smoker, lighting up 2
packs a day, until the age of 45 when he wasn’t feeling very well anymore. But it was too
late. His lungs developed emphysema.
Just to make my story more graphic, stop reading and take a deep breath. Inhale deeply
for a few times. Fill your lungs with wonderful oxygen.
Do you feel great?
My friend will give anything to experience what you’re experiencing now. Because he
can’t do what you just did. His damaged lungs can no longer absorb the oxygen that’s
abundantly available around him.
Why? Emphysema has destroyed his lung tissue. There’s no shortage of oxygen. There’s
only a shortage of his ability to absorb that oxygen.
This for me is a perfect example of what’s happening to many people who are
surrounded with God’s blessings but aren’t partaking of those blessings.
Because many people have spiritual emphysema.
There’s no shortage of blessings.
Only a shortage to receive those blessings.
If physical emphysema destroys lung tissue, spiritual emphysema destroys your
expectation for God’s Provision.
You see, people of faith expect to be blessed. They say things like, “I expect good things
to happen to me. I expect doors to opportunity to open before me. I expect to attract the right
people. I believe that blessings will flow to me like a rampaging river everyday of my life. I
expect that God’s creation is conspiring to bless me, plotting, scheming, and finding ways to
give me what I need.”
But when you have spiritual emphysema, you have negative expectations.

Say No To Negative Expectations
I’ve met a lot of people who operate on negative expectations.
They expect bad things to happen to them.
They say things like, “Life is difficult. Life is painful. Life is a land of sufferings.”
Which is true. I’m not denying that we’ve got problems. But why focus on that? Why not
focus on God’s blessings amidst our trials?
But I’ve met people who mope around and expect bad things to happen to their
lives. “I’ll always remain poor,” or “I’ll never get married anymore,” or “I’ll never get out of my
debts,” or “I’ll never get a better job,” or “My life will never get any better.”
These negative expectations damage your ability to absorb God’s blessings.
Today, make a decision to change your expectations.
Enlarge them. Because the size of your blessings will be determined by the size of your
expectations.
But you need to know the two parts of expectation.

Two Parts of Expectations
To receive more of God’s abundant blessings, you need an inner expectation and an outer
expectation.
Inner expectation is about your heart.
Outer expectation is about your hands.
Let me describe to you inner expectation.
One day, my 9‐year old son was going to a whole‐day workshop. Before leaving, he
asked, “Daddy, can you give me P20? There are only pay toilets there.”
When I turned to him to say “Sure”, I saw him already stuffing a P50 bill in his wallet. I
left a pile of money on the kitchen counter—and he helped himself to it. Even before he heard
me say “Sure”, he already got the P50 from the counter.
That, my friend, is inner expectation.
My son didn’t wait for my answer. He assumed that I was going to give it to him, that’s
why he got the money available on the kitchen counter.
I want you to believe that God has left all the blessings you need on the kitchen
counter. The universe is God’s kitchen counter. He has loaded it to the brim with every miracle
that you need in life to reach your dreams. If you need love, it’s there. If you need wisdom, it’s
there. If you need money, it’s there.
Second, didn’t you notice? My son got for more than what he needed. He asked for P20
but got P50.
I asked him why. He said, “My cousin Nicole is attending the workshop. She goes to the
toilet too.” Isn’t he wise and loving? If you’re wise, you should also ask for more blessings
because you want to be generous. Life isn’t about you. Life is about loving others. So ask Big!
That’s inner expectation—believing with your heart that you’ll be blessed.
But what is outer expectation?

Build Pipelines For His Blessings To Flow
One day, the parents of two little boys went out on a date and asked grandma to baby sit
for them. After dinner, grandma led her two grandkids to their rooms to say their night
prayers. Both of them knelt beside their beds.
The younger boy was the first one to pray.
From the top of his voice, he said, “LORD! I NEED A NEW BICYLE! I NEED A NEW
PLAYSTATION!…” On and on, he prayed, as loudly as he could.
His older brother elbowed him and whispered to him, “Why are you shouting? God isn’t
deaf.”
The younger brother said, “I know. But grandma is.”
Here’s my point: The younger brother knew that God uses pipelines to bless us, and he
hoped that his grandma was a pipeline. This is what I mean by building pipelines for God.

Make It Easier For God To Bless You
One day, my friend Eric Baroquillo felt God nudging him to donate a drum set for their
music ministry. At first, he balked. “Lord, that’s a lot of money!” But ultimately, he said Yes to
God and began scouring the internet for the best drum set money could buy. He finally bought
one—a really nice one—and donated it.
Eric said, “Two weeks later, my stock market investments hit a jackpot: I sold a stock
that earned P400,000. God is more generous than me.”
Now this is what I mean when I talk about building a pipeline for blessings to flow. For
years now, Eric’s been learning how to invest in the stock market. Through many failures and
struggles, he finally learned how to do it.
If you want God to give you financial blessings, you need to increase financial literacy,
create businesses, and make investments—so that you have pipelines for His blessings to
flow. Without them, God will be limited to using your existing pipelines: Your mother, or your
Ninang, or a Lotto winning, or an unexpected inheritance. Very limited, if you ask me.
If you want God to give you physical health, build pipelines like a healthy exercise, healthy
diet, and healthy relationships.
Let me give you a personal example.
Do you know how I prepare my talks?
Simple. I believe the best preparation is over‐preparation.
Here’s the truth: I do lots of research, read lots of books, scribble lots of drafts, write
lots of paragraphs, discuss it with other preachers, share it to my wife, and actually rehearse
lots of times.
Some religious people will be disappointed. They’ll say, “Bo, don’t you depend on God
anymore? Why not just stand in front of the people and let the Holy Spirit speak to you?” Oh, I
do. But what I’ve done is build pipelines for His blessings to flow to my talk. My reading a ton of
books is a pipeline for His Holy Spirit to flow into me. My writing the talk in outline and
expanded form is another pipeline. My discussions with other preachers is a huge
pipeline. That’s why I believe my talks are blessed.
Before I end, let me answer one very difficult question.

Why Some Specific Blessings
Aren’t On the Kitchen Table
Some of you may be asking, “But Bo, I’ve been praying for a baby for 12 years now. Why
isn’t God blessing us with a child? Is it because I lack faith in God?”
Or, “My wife died of cancer. Why didn’t God heal her?”
Or, “I’ve been praying that God convert my husband. But after 27 years of praying for him,
he’s still the same worldly man. Bo, that blessing doesn’t seem to be on God’s kitchen counter
yet.”
Here’s my answer: God has a very different way of defining a blessing.
We define our blessing according to what our human eyes can see—and our eyes are
terribly short‐sighted. God defines a blessing according to what His eyes can see—and He sees
beyond death and eternity.
My point? When you think you’re not being blessed, you may actually be receiving your
greatest blessing ever.
Let me end by sharing two stories.
A married couple was praying for a baby for the longest time. But after 7 years of
praying, they were still childless. Finally, they adopted a baby girl. Today, they’re so happy
with her and can’t imagine life without her.
Another married couple I know, also childless, didn’t adopt. Instead, they immersed
themselves in God’s ministry. One day, the wife told me (now in her sixties), “As a young bride, I
prayed for three biological children. But God decided to say No to me. Instead, He gave us
three‐hundred plus spiritual children that have passed through our ministry. We care for them
like they’re our own children. We’re very happy.”
In both examples, God defines a blessing in a very different way.
What we see as a curse—childlessness—turned out to be a great blessing to them, but
not only to them, but especially to those children they welcomed in their heart.
Here’s my point: God will always provide the best blessings for your life.
Trust Him.
Next Week: God is Healer.

Do You Want God To Heal You?
I got sick last week. Twice.
I bet one reason was so I could write about healing today. (I’m getting worried. Everything
is so personal with me. What if I write about exorcism?)
Last Thursday, after eating my breakfast, I felt an ache in my stomach.
It was my usual breakfast: A tall glass of carrot juice with apples thrown in. Plus two
bananas. Or some other fruit. Been eating this way for years.
So I didn’t know why I had the sore tummy.
As the searing pain continued, I took a shower, got dressed, and rode the car. I figured
the pain would disappear.
But it didn’t.
As I sat in the car, I still felt the fiery throb in my belly.
That was when it hit me: This was acid!
It didn’t click right away because it’s been two years since I felt it.
After living with my body for 40+ years, I’ve learned a lot of things about it.
That I’m incredibly macho and completely irresistible to the girls, shucks, that’s
obvious. That my brain is deranged and hallucinatory, I learned that too.
Kidding aside, here’s one thing I learned about my body: When I’m over‐stressed, my
stomach acids would hit turbo.
But here’s the great thing. Every time I have acid in my stomach, I’ve learned how to
heal it. No pills necessary.
All I did was close my eyes (By the way, I wasn’t driving!), place my hands on my chest,
and inhale and exhale very slowly. And I said over and over again, “I’m totally, completely,
perfectly loved.” I breathed in God’s love into my life.
And in minutes, I felt the pain vanish. Completely.

Sickness Is A Message
But here’s the funny thing: I didn’t know I was stressed out!
Sure, I knew I was juggling lots of stuff. But what’s new? I lead 9 non‐profit
organizations, plus a few personal businesses. I thought I was managing my work pretty
well. But here’s the curious thing—my physical body picked up my inner stress even before my
conscious mind knew about it.
When my subconscious mind couldn’t get through to my conscious mind, it would speak
directly to my body.
Today, I listen to my body more. Why? I believe that 90% of the time, a sickness means
your soul is telling you something. Disease is a message. Because you don’t pay attention to
your soul, your soul is using your pain to slap you on your face and cry out, “Listen to me, will
you?”
But what do we do? We swallow a pill to deaden the pain. Wrong move. The message
was not heard. The wound isn’t healed.
But in the car, I listened.
And my soul quietly told me, “Bo, your To‐Do‐List has become just too long. Who are
you trying to please? Relax in God’s love. Don’t try to win love. You’re already loved. There’s
nothing to prove!”
I didn’t only listen. I acted on it. I began to relax. It was like I hit the “refresh” button of
my life and saw my work for what it is: Play.
I felt wonderful.
I was healed.
But funny, two days later, I got sick again.

The Second Time I Got Sick
Two days later, I ate in a seafood restaurant.
I ate something really bad and had the runs.
Sorry to be graphic here, but I now know why they call diarrhea the runs. Because I was
literally running from one toilet to another.
Believe me, I’ve never thanked God enough for the clean toilets along the road going
home. My reward? I now know the best toilets along C‐5 Hi‐way. It was like Good Friday for
me. Not Visitas Iglesias but Visitas Toiletas.
This time, let me make it clear: My sickness had nothing to do with my soul. My soul
wasn’t giving me any secret messages. And I couldn’t remove the pain no matter how much I
inhaled and said, “I’m totally, completely, and perfectly loved.”
I just ate something rotten, period.
I drank lots of liquids, took a pro‐biotic pill, and I was well by evening.
Why am I telling you this? I believe 10% of our diseases are totally biological—and I
thank God we’ve got doctors and medicines.
Perhaps your sickness is purely genetic or purely environmental. My point here is that
not all diseases of the body are diseases of the soul.
But when it’s not purely biological, you need to go to the roots.

Stress Ain’t Good
The medical community has already said this again and again: A huge majority of our
diseases are psychosomatic. (Psyche means soul. Soma means body.) Doctors have been saying
this message for decades. But incredibly, the percentages are getting higher.
Forty years ago, doctors were saying that 50% of diseases were psychomatic.
Thirty years ago, they raised it to 60%.
Twenty years ago, it was 75%.
Just yesterday, I read the report: Some doctors now believe that over 90% of our diseases
have emotional roots. And if I may dare say—spiritual roots.
Some studies even show that specific negative emotions weaken certain organs of our
body. Anger weakens the liver. Grief weakens the lungs. Worry affects the stomach. Fear hurts
the kidneys. And guilt lowers your immune system to fight diseases. And when you hate
yourself, your body starts destroying itself.
People say that heart disease is the number one killer in the world. Every year, 30% of
all deaths in the world are related with heart disease.
But that’s superficial data. I’d dig deeper. I believe that the number one killer in the entire
planet is not heart disease but stress. Why? Stress is the number one cause of heart
disease. (Nope, it’s not crispy pata, chicharon bulaklak, and aligue. Not a license to eat them,
but just clarifying the facts.)

But Where Does Your Stress Come From?
This may be hard for you to believe, but your stress doesn’t come from your job or your
boss. Even if he has the thick moustache of Hitler. Your job is merely the location of your stress.
I believe your stress comes from a broken relationship with yourself, with others, and
with God.
Stress is not a job problem. It’s a relationship problem.
You’re not at peace. That’s why you’re stressed out.
That’s why you took in more than you could chew.
That’s why you’re working hours aren’t human.
That’s why you’re carrying a burden of 10 people.
That’s why you’re trying to prove something.
That’s why you’re trying to be loved.
Because you don’t have peace.
And note: Peace is about relationship.
That’s why when some men brought their paralytic friend for Jesus to heal, He shocked
the crowd because before he said, “Get up and walk,” he said, “Your sins are forgiven.” This is
an incredible revelation. Before Jesus healed his body, he healed his soul. More specifically, he
healed his relationship with God.
Here’s my wild belief. In a deeper sense, the #1 killer in the world is not even stress, but
it’s cause. In essence, there is only one sickness: A lack of love. And that’s why I believe there
is only one medicine. Only love heals.
I’ll say it again: Over 90% of the diseases of the body are diseases of the soul. Because the
body is a blueprint of the soul, the body manifests the wounds of the soul.
How does one get healed? There are only three steps.
1. Locate the Wound
2. Clean the Wound
3. Strengthen the Body
If you want to be healed, you need to go through these crucial steps.

Step #1:
Locate The Wound

Yesterday, I showed a brand‐new basketball to my audience.
I said, “The ball is your body, the air is your soul. They’re one.”
I then dropped the ball. Instead of bouncing, it landed on the ground with a loud “flop”.
I said, “There’s nothing wrong with the ball. There’s something wrong with the air inside
the ball. It’s the same with your body. Your body is sick perhaps because your soul is sick. To
bounce well, you need to repair the air of the ball. In the same way, to function well, you need
to repair your soul.
Locate the wound.
Most likely, the wound is not in your body but in your soul.
Let me give you an example.
Let’s say you feel pain in your leg. But in reality, the cause of the pain is a pinched nerve
in your spinal cord.
So even if you hire the most expensive masseurs from China to massage your leg, you
won’t get healed. Even if you apply imported ointments from Germany on your leg, you still
won’t get healed.
That’s why I believe the first step of healing is to locate the wound.
Let me give you a more common analogy.

Is There Really A Problem Child?
When a boy is rebelling, drinking, taking drugs, parents will knock on my door and beg
me, “Bo, please talk to our son. He’s a problem child.”
But from my experience (around 75% of the time), the problem child is only a symptom
of a problem parent. I’m not kidding. Perhaps the boy is manifesting the conflict in his parents’
marriage. Or the boy is manifesting the immorality in his father’s life. Or the boy is crying out
for love and affection from his emotionally‐distant father.
If his parents locate the wound (themselves!), then they won’t ask me to talk to their
son. They’ll ask me to talk to them! They’ll ask me to help them sort out their marriage. They’ll
ask me to teach them how to build a relationship with their kids. Because if the problem
parents are healed, the problem child is healed too.
Here’s my last example, and I know it’s something you can relate to.

Don’t Just Treat The Symptoms
My friend Sean suffers from ulcers and high blood pressure. So his doctor prescribes him
maintenance medicines and he takes them regularly. The pills are expensive and the leaflet in
the box says it may damage his liver if taken for a long period of time. Sheeesh. That’s the
problem with not listening to the message.
Because I know Sean, I told him, “You’re so stressed! Almost everyday, you work until
12 midnight. If you really want your ulcers and high blood pressure to be healed, you need to
de‐stress your life. Get peace.”
Sean shook his head. “I can’t. My job is my stress. How can I live without my job? That’s
why I’m taking meds.”
How many Seans are there in this world?
They want to be healed but they don’t want to locate the wound.
They just want the symptoms to go away.
Healing won’t happen unless he says, “I’m wounded in my soul. Please heal me.” But the
Seans of the world don’t say that. Instead, they will say, “Me? Wounded? Nah. I just need a pill
and I’m ok.”
After locating the wound, you need to heal it by doing something very simple.

Step #2:
Clean The Wound
A few centuries ago, people didn’t believe in germs. Scientists hadn’t developed the germ
theory yet.
So for many Wars, many soldiers died not because of gunshot wounds but because of
infections. When the wounded soldier came for treatment, doctors didn’t clean the
wounds. They just bandaged them. And millions died.
Today, we know that many wounds don’t even need ointments.
Just clean it—and the body’s healing system will heal the wound.
It’s the same with the soul.
Once you locate the wounds of your soul, clean it from the overstaying dirt: Sin, Guilt,
Fear, Worries, Grief, and Resentments.
And the only cleansing agent I know is forgiveness.
To clean a wound, you need to ask forgiveness and give forgiveness.
It’s the only way.
Ask forgiveness from God. Ask forgiveness from those you’ve hurt in the past. Give
forgiveness to those who hurt you. And forgive yourself for your own failures. (I have met many
who God have forgiven—but who can’t forgive themselves.)
Sadly, I’ve met people who are sick with cancer today because of a deep‐seated anger
towards an adulterous husband, a horrible father, a selfish mother… Anger is a powerful
emotion. At right amounts, it stirs you into action. (That’s why God gave us the ability to get
angry.) But if you keep anger in your heart for too long, it becomes a deadly poison that will kill
you.
Clean the wound of your soul.
If you want physical healing, heal your relationships.
Your relationship with God.
Your relationship with others.
Your relationship with yourself.
Finally, the last step of healing.

Step #3:
Strengthen The Body
The body has it’s own powerful healing system.
Locate the wound, clean the wound, and it’ll heal itself.
But you need to provide it with the nutrition it needs.
For the soul, its food can only be love. We’re sick because we lack love. Fill it with love,
and healing happens spontaneously.
Learn to love yourself as God loves you.
Learn to say, “I’m totally, completely, and perfectly loved.”
You have nothing to prove.
Relax in His love.
Release all stress from your life.
And start giving love more.

Why Some Don’t Get Healed?
One day, someone asked me, “Bo, my father has cancer. I’ve been praying for his healing
for two years now. Why is he still sick? Why doesn’t he get healed?”
So many have asked me this disturbing question before.
My honest answer: I don’t know.
I can’t explain why sometimes, the healing happens in a blink of an eye.
Sometimes, it happens gradually.
Sometimes, it happens without even seeing a doctor. No surgery. No medicines. In a snap,
the person is well.
Sometimes, it happens through surgery, medications, and hospital care.
And sometimes, the healing doesn’t happen. The person dies.
Why? I can only guess. And my guess is Romans 8:28—all things work for good to those
who love God.
All sickness can be used for a greater purpose.
Perhaps it’s to bring you closer to God.
Perhaps it’s to bring you closer to your family.
Perhaps it’s your path to inner peace.
If you’re sick right now, I urge you to listen to God speaking through your soul. Perhaps
there’s a message in your sickness. Once you hear the message, do it.
If you’re sick right now, fill your life with love.
Receive love. And give love.
Like my young friend Gemma.
To end my article, I’ll allow her to speak to you—first person.

Gemma Pasimio
I don’t look sick but actually I am.
I’ve been battling with cancer since September 2006. A tumor was found in my right
ovary so I had a major operation. Upon biopsy it was found to be malignant. I was simply told I
have cancer. My heartbeat stopped for a moment when I heard the word “cancer”. How can I
have cancer when I’m so young? Am I gonna die? I cried a bucket of tears but my doctor assured
me that I’m not gonna die because my cancer was discovered at an early stage – Stage 1C.
However I have to undergo chemotherapy for 6 months.
Initially it was difficult for me to accept the harsh reality. It was painful for my family,
friends, and for my boyfriend. My boyfriend promised to walk with me throughout the difficult
journey.
I had my first chemo in October 2006. After 10 days, I lost my long straight dark brown
hair. I was completely bald and had no hair in my whole body. I felt so ugly. I looked like a
freak. I didn’t want to get out of the house for fear that people would look at me strangely. I
was that insecure. But my insecurity hit rock bottom in November 2006.
Because 4 days after my second chemo, my boyfriend of 3 ½ years, who promised to stay
with me no matter what happened, broke up with me to be with another woman. He simply
decided to leave me when I was battling with cancer.
I thought, God was truly punishing me! Why did I fall for a man who I thought would love
me unceasingly, unconditionally, whether or not I was sick, whether or not I had hair? I was
angry with God. I was angry that I was sick, that I was bald, that I was ugly, and that my
boyfriend left me.
In April of this year, my cancer spread in both my ovary and abdomen. Doctors said my
cancer advanced to stage 3c‐4a. They also said I needed 2 major operations and undergo chemo
afterwards. I asked, if I go through this again, can you assure me that I will be completely free
from cancer? As expected, there was no guarantee.
So my answer to them was simple — “no to operation, no to chemo”. Why would I allow
the doctors to open me up again if they couldn’t guarantee that the cancer cells will no longer
spread? Why would I have another chemo if there was no assurance that I will be completely
free from cancer? Therefore I said “no”.
That day, I decided to do two things: Grow closer to God and enjoy my life as much as I
can. Today, I serve in Singles for Christ. I love God and have given myself to Him.
And I’m enjoying my life so much, I can now swim 50 laps in 40 minutes. I go to the
gym. Since the start of this year, for the first time, I’ve joined 3 marathons, completing 5
kilometer races.
I’ve resigned from my stressful job and now operate my own little business.
Today, because of my faith and my positive attitude towards life, where I avoid useless
stress in my life, I’m receiving God’s healing. Today, my medical tests show that even without
chemo or surgery, both of my tumors have now shrunk!
With God at my side, I live one day at a time. Everyday is such a beautiful gift from
Him. And I enjoy each day so much. I’m happy and at peace. God is my healer and I give my life
to Him.
Here’s my bet: Gemma is healthier than many of us who don’t have cancer.
Fill your life with love, and healing will happen spontaneously.

Bo Sanchez

How To Enjoy God’s Protection
Face it.
You and I live in a scary world.
We’re scared of calamities. Storms. Earthquakes. Volcanoes. El
Nino. Tsunami. Philippine Presidentiables.
We’re scared of diseases. Swine flu. SARS. Dengue. Cancer. Cellulite. Wrinkles.
We’re scared of criminals. Kidnappers. Hold‐uppers. Akyat bahay gang. Dugo‐dugo
gang. Corrupt Politicians.
We’re scared of the economy. The fear of losing your job. The fear of your company
closing down. The fear of having no money. And some people have the fear of having too much
money. (Please email me right away. I can solve that problem for you.)
We’re afraid of the terrorists of the world. There’s North Korea. Abu Sayyaf. Al‐
Qaeda. Osama bin Laden. Your mother‐in‐law.
I repeat: We live in a scary world.
Let me share with you how to enjoy God’s protection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Ramon Revilla, The Incredibles, And Wolverine
Imagine if you were Ramon Revilla in his movies.
All you had to do is wear this special amulet and you’ll be impervious to the nuclear
bomb. Ramon Revilla could face 400 Japanese soldiers shooting at him and he’ll just stand
there, smiling. He’ll then fire his gun once at them and the 400 soldiers will fall to the ground.
For those who don’t know who Ramon Revilla is, let me modernize my example for you.
Imagine if you were Violet, the teenage girl in The Incredibles.
Imagine you too had the power to create a spherical force field.
A missile was launched at your direction? Turn on your force field.
A monster attacking you? Turn on your force field.
A seatmate beside you in the bus has body odor? Turn on your force field.
Imagine if you were Wolverine.
Your body can heal all wounds and broken bones in mere seconds. A train can run over
you and you’ll fully recover—as though nothing happened to you—in 7 seconds flat. Then we
would have no more fear.

God Wants To Protect You
I have great news for you.
These fantasies express the longings of the human heart. And I believe God gives us an
even greater protection than the amulet of Ramon Revilla, the force field of Violet, and the
healing powers of Wolverine.
How? God invites you to live in the circle of His love. And I believe that’s the safest place in
this universe.
Why does God want to protect you?
Simply because He’s a parent.
And every parent wants to protect her child.
I have never heard a mother tell her three‐year old child, “Happy Birthday, Suzy! For
your 3rd birthday, I’m giving you 49 Ginzu kitchen knives.”
I have never heard a father tell his one‐year old boy, “Junior, since you can now walk, I
want you to cross South Super Hi‐way all by yourself.”
I have never heard parents tell their 16‐year old daughter, “Pamela, we want you to
study abroad. You’ll study for 4 years in Afghanistan.”
Let me share with you stories from my home.

The Best Protection Is Teaching You To Protect Yourself
When my son Bene was a baby, he liked to swallow small stuff like coins. So whenever
we needed money, all we had to do was turn him upside down and shake him hard until some
coins fall out. Whatever fell was enough for our monthly grocery.
In order to protect him, we removed tiny objects around the house.
As a toddler, he would also bump into the sharp corners of the tables around the
house. Do you know how crazy we were? I sawed off the sharp corners.
I’m not kidding. I simply chopped them off. Even if we had imported furniture.
(Imported from Shoemart.)
But as our kids grew up, we realized that we won’t be able to protect them all the time. I
couldn’t carry a saw in every restaurant my kids go to and start sawing off the sharp corners of
their tables.
Can you imagine the shock of the waiter?
“Sir, what in the world are you doing?!”
“Shhh,” I tell him as I chop off their tables, “I’m protecting my child.”
At the end of the day, the best way to protect your child is to teach them how to protect
themselves.
When a mother says to her child, “Before you cross the street, look to the right and look
to the left…” she is protecting her child by giving her a simple rule.
What if the child says, “You’re so old fashioned. No, that crimps my style. I don’t want to
look to the right and look to the left. When I cross the street, I want to look up and down.”
Do you think that child will reach his 18th birthday? Not likely.
In the same way, God protects you by calling you to live within the circle of His love. He
knows that when you live according to His laws of love, you protect yourself from a whole
gamut of danger.
Like the danger that Stephen Reynolds exposed himself to 20+ years ago…

Haunted By Past Mistakes
Three years ago, Stephen Reynolds was enjoying his life. He was 45‐years old with a
happy marriage and a wonderful 3‐year old son.
But one morning, he had a hard time swallowing his food. And it went on for weeks, like
a sore throat that never wanted to go away.
Soon, the pain got worse and he was taking painkillers just to be able to eat.
He finally went to a throat specialist. The doctor found a tumor at the base of his tongue
and ordered a biopsy. The result?
Stephen had cancer of the throat, Stage 4.
He couldn’t believe it. He was only 45 years old. And he never smoked in his life. Wasn’t
cancer of the throat supposed to be a result of chain‐smoking and drinking heavily for 30 years
straight?
Doctors told him a terrifying fact that very few people know. He learned that 25% of
cancers of the throat are caused by sexually transmitted HPV or human papillomavirus. It’s the
same virus that causes cervical cancers. So what was it doing in his throat? In his youth, he was
sexually active and practiced oral sex with his girlfriends.
Doctors told him that twenty million Americans are now infected with HPV, many of
them teenagers, and every year, 6 million more are added to this number.
Obviously, condoms cannot prevent the passing of this virus.
For Stephen, having cancer was terrible. But knowing that he may have passed on the
virus to many other women was also terrible.
You can read his full story in Readers Digest (August 2008).
Why do I share you this story?

Avoiding 90% Of the Evil In This World
If you lived in God’s circle of love, being faithful to one person, living in sexual purity, you
protect yourself from a whole army of sexually transmitted diseases. They don’t bother you.
Or how about smoking? If you love your body, you won’t smoke. If you don’t smoke, you
protect your body from an avalanche of health problems, from yellow teeth, dark lips, weak
lungs, bad breath, and cancer.
Or how about Materialism? If you love yourself instead of trying to gain love by buying
stuff you can’t afford it, you’ll protect yourself from debts, stress, ulcers, and a meaningless life.
If you love God, love others, and love yourself, you protect yourself from 90% of the evil
in the world. Isn’t that cool?
When God gives us His laws of love, He isn’t giving them because He doesn’t want you to
have fun. The exact opposite is true. God is giving you these simple rules so that you’ll have the
greatest fun in the world.
But what about the remaining 10% of evil in this world that you can’t control?
Does God protect you from them as well?

God’s Protection Isn’t A Bubble
God protects us, but He doesn’t overprotect us.
Good parents are wise enough not to protect their kids from every pain, hurt, struggle, or
problem—or their kids won’t grow up.
And God wants us to grow up too.
John Travolta appeared in a movie a long time ago called Boy In The Bubble. This child’s
body couldn’t fight any kind of germ. Once exposed to the slightest germs, he will die. So he
lived inside a bubble all his life.
Some of us wish that God’s circle of love be like that bubble. We want God to protect us
from all hurt, pain, danger, disease, and calamities.
We want God’s protection to be like Ramon Revilla’s amulet.
Or Violet’s force field.
Or Wolverine’s healing superpowers.
But God won’t do that. Instead, He’ll do something better.
One day, my friend, a mother of two small kids, asked me, “Bo, my kids get sick so
often. You know me. I’m super clean. I clean our house with lysol, alcohol, holy water, you
name it, I use it. When it’s raining, I make my kids wear raincoats; When it’s cold, I make them
wear jackets. I give my kids vitamin A, B, C, W, X, Y, and Z. They carry an alcogel bottle so they
can clean their hands every five minutes. But they still get sick so often! And then I compare
them to the kids of our labandera (laundry woman). They live in the slum area beside our
village. Her kids run in the street under the rain, naked and barefoot. They sit on the mud, right
beside a stinking open canal, playing with dirty tin cans and plastic bottles. And they don’t get
sick!”
Hey, I’m not a doctor. I don’t know why her kids get sick often.
But I have a suspicion that if you protect your kids from all possible germs, they won’t
become physically strong.
In the same way, if God will protect us from all hurts and problems, we won’t become
spiritually strong as well.

Why God Doesn’t Protect Us From All Pain
I’d like to share with you a powerful love story from a friend of mine.
I’ve changed the names to protect his privacy.
Let’s call my friend Jack.
As a young man, Jack fell in love with his classmate, a beautiful and charming young
woman. Let’s call her Rose.
Rose was Jack’s first love.
And Jack was very happy because Rose seemed to like him very much. They always had
fun together. They’d spend time in school, ride the jeep, and watch the movies. Jack also visited
her in her home and met her parents.
At once, Jack knew that her family was rich and his family was poor. But her parents were
cordial to him, so he hoped that this was fine with them.
But a few months later, a new suitor appeared. A man from a rich family. Let’s call this guy
Titanic. And immediately, it was very obvious to Jack that the parents of Rose liked this other
suitor much more. They would talk to Titanic more. They would entertain him more.
Jack’s heart was crushed.
His hope to marry Rose was dashed to the ground.
Slowly, he drifted away from her. He stopped seeing the love of his life.
Six months later, Jack’s worst fears came true: He received a wedding invitation from
Rose. She was going to marry Titanic.
Jack attended her wedding. He was late for the ceremony. When Rose saw him, she said,
“You’re always late, Jack.”
“Why always?” he thought. It was the first time he was late. Instantly, he knew she was
not referring to clock time, but to something else: He was late for her.
Jack watched Rose from the distance, beside Titanic her husband, and he felt a very deep
pain in his heart.
Jack told me, “That day Bo, I realized that if you don’t have money, you’re treated as
nothing.” The experience was so painful, he vowed to himself that he will become a wealthy
man.
This happened 34 years ago.
Today, Jack is a billionaire.
He’s also happily married, has a beautiful family with wonderful kids.
Jack told me, “Bo, Rose doesn’t know it, but I am who I am because of her.”
Friend, God won’t prevent Titanics from happening in your life. Some of these Titanics
will take away your Rose. And it will be exceedingly painful.

The Safest Place In The Universe
I can hear your questions loud and clear.
∙ “Why didn’t God protect my wife when she died of cancer last year?”
∙ “Why didn’t God protect my house from robbers last month?”
∙ “Why didn’t God protect my family in the earthquake of 1991?”
I too have my own question.
∙ “Why didn’t God protect me when I was molested as a child?”
After 30 years of prayer, deep study, extensive reflection, and discussions with my
spiritual mentors, I’ve come to a very profound answer: I don’t know.
I really don’t!
But God knows.
And that’s enough for me.
God won’t protect you from all pain.
But He will allow the pain that can turn into a great blessing.
The Bible says, All things work for good to those who love God.
Friend, believe that He will turn your sorrow into joy.
He will turn your mourning into dancing.
Live within the circle of His love.
How? Love God, love others, and love yourself.
Because the safest place in this universe is the circle of God’s love.

Bo Sanchez

My Real Heroes In The Flood
I have a confession to make.
Last Monday, I didn’t have a plan to help Flood Victims.
We were flood victims ourselves. Water entered our home and damaged books and
school records. My wife and our helpers were busy cleaning.
As I sat at my couch, reading text messages from friends who lost homes and loved
ones, and reading the newspaper about the hundreds of thousands who have been displaced—
I was paralyzed. What can I—a single person—do in the face of such a massive calamity?
But it was my wife who said, “We need to help. Where do we go?”
I didn’t answer her. I didn’t know what to say.
But that was when my friend, Sonia Lozada, called up. She said she already cooked and
distributed 500 meals to flood victims in Marikina—and asked if I wanted to help. Her words
woke me up. Yes, I said, I’ll join her.
Instantly, my paralysis was gone. I could do something! I stood up from my couch and
began raising money for our massive feeding program. So far, we’ve given away thousands of
meals and distributed a ton of relief goods in Marikina, Montalban, and Pateros.
So honestly, I’m feeling very small now.
Because I’m surrounded by huge heroes.
Check the photos below of our massive feeding program for Flood Victims.

Yes, I’m the guy in the yellow shirt, my arms crossed, doing nothing. Some people think
I’m the Producer–the guy who spends and gives out the money. Ha. If they only knew. As you
well know, the money didn’t come from me. You gave it to me, remember?
So what have I really done? Nothing much. Except perhaps get awed that I was
standing amidst heroes. Which is why I’m showing you these photos.
Below is a photo of some of those heroes, packing meals. My friend Sonia Lozada, the
large woman in the center (you can see her face only), is my big hero.

Sonia owns Trinity restaurants. Without her, our massive feeding program wouldn’t
have happened. Trinity doesn’t only have great food, they’ve got great people. Her lovely
children and her wonderful staff are the ones cooking, packing, and delivering the food.

Can you imagine how many large pots of adobo were cooked?

Sonia also invited her fellow restaurant owners to help–and they did. I met those
generous people too. (I never knew how creative we Filipinos name our restaurants until
now.) Here they are: Aling Tonyas, G‐Squred, Yatai Ramen, Seazar, Dad & Mom’s, Superwok,
Julies, Igmaan, Dulang, Kaymig, Claire de la Fuente, Marinold, Wok with Joe, Sharmila Sisdang,
Stardish, Aling Masha… Thank you so much! And my friend Rex Robillos who owns Buns and
Pizza donated 5000 bottles of mineral water. Thank you!
Here are photos of the people lining up to get food.

Check out the photo below. Do you see the happy smile on the woman’s face on the
right? This woman lost everything—her house and all her material things—and she can still
smile. Filipinos are just incredible.

On this night, we brought 3000 meals—but there were 6000 people in the relocation
site. So people had to share with others. Just like you.

We also gave food in three sites in Pateros (see below), still underwater 5 days after the
storm. It’s horrifying, but some Barangay officials predict floods may last for 6 months in their
area. Pateros is the poorest municipality in Metro Manila. I learned that their annual budget is
smaller than the annual budget of one exclusive subdivision in Makati.

Here are the people going home after they got the food from us, walking in blackish
water. I couldn’t stand the smell, but they lived in it.

Here’s the crowd of people waiting for the food. I’m at the back just watching everybody,
totally useless.

Another team was led by my friend Jodean Sola and other Light of Jesus members. They
went to Montalban. Through your support, Jodean and his team gave blankets, clothes,
candles, and food.

As you can see, their first need was drinking water. And that’s what Jodean gave them.

Here’s Jodean praying for the Flood Victims. More than food, they need to regain their
hope in God.

This week, aside from distributing more relief goods, he’ll be back doing the difficult
work of repairing their homes.

Through your generosity, we also gave funds to my friend Sigrid Aragona and the UP
Mountaineers who went to Marikina (Nangka and Tumana), giving away a very precious bag to
each hungry family. Each bag contained 1 kilo of rice, noodles, canned goods, biscuits, and a
pouch of milk. They also bought medicines for those who needed them. Here are three young
volunteers packing the relief goods. I guess when you give yourself selflessly to others, you
have the right to wear those beautiful smiles.

My friend Chito Manaois and his Light of Jesus chapters in Bulacan were also feeding
people in relocation sites for two straight days. Thank you my friends!

And I’m so sorry, I don’t have more photos to show you about all these other projects.
So many nameless heroes! So many Light of Jesus members who just went around cleaning
homes. They went around carrying rugs, mops, and pails—volunteering to clean flood‐
damaged homes. It was an incredible sight to see.

This week, aside from our existing teams, we’re creating new teams to do relief work.
My friend Alvin Barcelona and our Light of Jesus team will be doing relief work in Marilao,
Bulacan.

Hey, just to make it clear. I’m not the hero in this story.
My friends are.
You are.
Because of your love and support, we’re able to do the work that we do.

Every Storm Will End
Did you suffer a loss recently?
A job? A relationship? Material things stolen from you?
Many of my friends lost many things in the recent flood.
My friends lost homes. My friends lost businesses. With tears, my auntie said, “Bo, I lost
all the material things I’ve collected over the past 50 years of my life!” Some friends told me
that what was most painful was loosing all their photographs—the memories of a lifetime.
Friend, I’ve got a message for you today: Believe that every storm will end. And after the
storm, a new morning begins.
Remember that every loss is temporary.
If you lost a loved one, that loss is temporary. In heaven, you’ll see your beloved again
and your reunion will last forever.
If you lost photographs, believe that in heaven, God will give back to you DVD copies of
all the sweetest memories you’ve had in your life. (I’m not sure what video version they use up
there, but I’m sure it’ll be the most modern. Perhaps it’ll be a virtual reality video!)
If you lost material things or opportunities or relationships, believe that God is creating
room for something better to come your way.
How will this “better” happen?
Start being grateful.
That’s not a typo.
In the midst of your loss, be thankful.
I know you’ll complain, “Bo, there’s nothing to be thankful for! I lost half my life!”
Well, be thankful for the other half that you still have.
Don’t focus on what you lost, focus on what you still have.
You’ve got too many good things happening to you to be down!
Say this with me, “I’m too blessed to be stressed.” (Not original from me. Got it from a
bumper sticker.)
Why be grateful?
Because you attract what you focus on. I’ve said that before so many times, but I’ll keep
saying it until God calls me home. Because it’s so powerful.
When you become grateful, you attract more of what you’re grateful for.
Gratitude is a blessings magnet.

My Business Loss
Many years ago, I lost a lot of money in a businesses venture.
It was a big loss for me. At that time, I lost almost my entire net worth.
I was tempted to mope, to sulk, to carry a heavy burden for a long time.
Actually, I allowed myself to grieve for awhile—which was very healthy.
But I decided not to grieve for too long, or I would be stuck forever.
After some time, I declared, “God has something better for me.”
I chose to smile. I chose to look at the brighter side. I chose to believe that better
businesses would come my way. In fact, I began declaring the unbelievable. I said, “I’ll earn ten
times what I lost!”
Later that week, a friend asked me, “Is it true that you lost a lot of money in that
business?”
I said, “Yes, I did.”
“It happens to you too, huh? And I thought people like you are exempt from these
things. So why are you smiling?”
“Because I believe God is redirecting me to a better business. And I know that I’ll earn
ten times what I lost.”
It was a big claim and some friends couldn’t understand why I was so relaxed.
But a few years later, what I declared happened.
I started new businesses and I began to earn ten times what I lost. What I lost—my
savings for years—I earned in a few months. Today, my new businesses are multiplying. I ask
myself sometimes, “What if I didn’t fail in that business? I would still be stuck in that business! I
wouldn’t have the new business that I have now.”
And imagine if kept moping and sulking—would I have seen the new opportunities
around me? Imagine if I kept mourning my loss—would I have had the energy to venture into
something new?
Friend, don’t focus at the problems in your life.
Don’t focus on what you loss.
Instead, focus on two things: look at what you still have and look at the new things that
God will give you.
And be grateful.

Where Is The Real Storm?
Typhoon Ondoy came and went.
But the real storm is not out there.
The real storm is in your mind.
Do you believe that great things will happen to you?
Imagine a party balloon.
At first, it’s bright and fat and goes up to the ceiling.
But after a few days, it becomes deflated.
It stays on the floor.
We’re like balloons.
What keeps us up is hope.
But life happens, and everyday, we leak hope.
Especially when big trials come, we surely leak out a lot of hope.
And we’re deflated.
Here’s what you need to do: You need to refill your heart with hope.
So that you can rise up again.
Dispel the storms in your mind.
It may be stormy on the outside but it shouldn’t be stormy on the inside.
The only way to dispel the storms is to be grateful for what you have today and what will
happen tomorrow.
God is redirecting you to something better.
Sit up straight. Out loud, say this declaration with me…
I’m strong in the Lord. I’m blessed. I’m forgiven. I’m protected. I’m redeemed. I’m
equipped. I’m anointed. Healing flows in my body. New doors will open before me. I’ll
meet the right people, the right opportunities, at the right time, at the right place. I’ll
regain ten times what I lost…
In Jesus name!

Bo Sanchez
Are You Malnourished For Love?

Before the wedding of Felipe and Maria began, the groom spoke to the priest.
Felipe said, “Father, I’d appreciate that during the wedding vows, you’d omit the difficult
parts.”
“What difficult parts?” the priest asked.
“You know Father, just don’t say anymore the for better or for worse, for richer or poorer,
in sickness and in health thing. Just leave those lines out.”
Felipe then slipped a crisp P1000 into the priest’s pocket and walked away, smiling.
During the wedding vows, the priest looked at Felipe and said, “Felipe, do you take Maria
as your lawful wedded wife for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in
health, serving her breakfast in bed everyday, washing the dishes and doing the laundry
everyday, cleaning the house everyday till death do you part?”
Felipe appeared like a train ran over him. With a very weak voice, he croaked, “I do.”
After the wedding, Felipe walked up to the priest and asked, “Father, I thought we had a
deal?”
The priest slipped back the P1000 into Felipe’s pocket and said, “Sorry, your new wife
gave me P10,000.”

Change Your Life
By Changing Your Relationships
Today, I start a new 7‐week series entitled Relationships Reborn.
Here’s why you need to take this series with me: I believe that if you change your
relationships, you change your life.
Because if you squeeze out the essence of life, you realize that life is all about
relationships. Your happiness, your success, your health, and your dreams depend on
relationships. Give me a person with very happy relationships and I’ll show you a very happy
person. Give me a person with miserable, dysfunctional relationships and I’ll show you a very
miserable person.
Felipe and Maria had great vows, with some very unique amendments.
But would vows help them?
Not unless they renew them everyday.
I’m going to spill the beans here and tell you the central message of the next seven weeks:
Relationships need renewal or they die.
In fact, not only the relationship will die, but a part of us will die. Why? Because you have
a Heart Wound that can only be healed by love—a love that can only be found in relationships.
So you want to change your life, keep reading.

Are You Malnourished For Love?
Have you ever seen a malnourished child?
I believe you have—you just didn’t know.
Here’s the problem: When you hear the word “malnourished,” you automatically think
of the starving kids in Africa you see in pictures. A child living in a famine‐stricken dessert that
has absolutely nothing to eat.
But there’s a second type.
The person could be your next door neighbor. He doesn’t look malnourished. He could
even be fat. And yet, amazingly, he is malnourished.
Because he’s eating the wrong type of food.
Let me stoke your imagination.
Let’s say you love cotton candy.
And you decide you eat nothing else but cotton candy.
Cotton candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
What would happen to you?
Your hunger will disappear. You’ll probably have lots of energy from the sugar. But over
time, you’d be killing yourself. Because you’ll be terribly malnourished.
Spiritual malnourishment is very similar.
If our bodies hunger for food, our hearts hunger for love.
Food is the fuel of the body. And love is the fuel of the soul.
Without food, our bodies die. And without love, our hearts die.
There are people today who feed “cotton candy” to their souls.
I want you to look at this list below.
What is common among these people?
∙ Judy Garland (47)
∙ Jimi Hendrix (27)
∙ Janis Joplin (27)
∙ Marilyn Monroe (36)
∙ Elvis Presley (42)
∙ River Phoenix (23)
∙ John Belushi (33)
∙ Heath Ledger (28)
∙ Michael Jackson (50)
Two things are common among them.
First is that they’re all dead.
Second is that they all died of a drug overdose.
Most of them were taking either illegal or prescription drugs for years.
Most of them had the world in the palm of their hands. They had everything—money,
pleasure, fame, cars, homes, and excitement. They had fans that would worship the dirt on
their shoes. I remember 4 years ago, someone bought the used chewing gum of Britney Spears
on Ebay for $514. (That’s P25,000 for someone’s spit.)
But that’s not the love that will fill a human heart.
Again, that’s like eating cotton candy the whole day.
Your heart won’t get nourished.
Let me tell you why.

The Wound In Your Heart
Every human being has a Heart Wound.
We’re all wounded people.
We may look strong on the outside. But deep inside, we have a Heart Wound that must
be healed.
Note that some people have a deeper Heart Wound than others.
Perhaps they had an alcoholic father or a very selfish mother.
Perhaps they came from a broken family.
Perhaps they were abused as kids.
Don’t be shocked, but filling up your Heart Wound is the most basic motivation of all
that you do. It’s also the reason why people are addicted to drugs and alcohol and money and
sex and power and food and fame and romance.
Let me tell you three tragic stories.

The Crazy Things We Do
Because We Want To Fill Our Heart Wound
Zeny (not her real name) is a twenty‐seven year old beautiful and intelligent woman. She’s
a brilliant marketing manager in her company. But her superior IQ and brilliant logic flies out of
the window when it comes to love.
She jumps from one romantic relationship after another. The moment her boyfriend
breaks up with her, she gets hooked into another relationship. Zeny will grab the next guy
available, like a woman drowning and gasping for air. Even if that guy was a serial killer.
If there’s no guy available, she’ll get a girl and get into a lesbian relationship. Because
Zeny just can’t stand being alone. But despite having all those guys and girls chasing after her,
she’s terribly unhappy.
Why? Because all that is cotton candy.
I also remember Jake, a forty‐eight year old multi‐millionaire. Jake has many companies
under his name, many beautiful cars, many beautiful homes, and many beautiful girls.
But Jake is terribly unhappy.
Why? Because all that is cotton candy.
My third example is more confusing.

Not All Religious Activity Can Nourish The Heart
When you mention the words “spiritual malnourishment”, people instantly think about
people who don’t receive God’s Word—because they don’t attend religious activities.
Well, what about Yolly?
Yolly is a forty‐four‐year old woman who is immersed in religious activities. She goes to
Mass in the morning, reads her Bible during lunch, and attends her prayer meetings, doctrinal
classes, and novenas in the evening. In between, she prays the rosary.
But unfortunately, Yolly is one of unhappiest people I know.
One day, I realized why. Because everytime Yolly prayed, she always heard God tell her,
“You’re a sinner. You’re wicked. You’re dirty. You’re not worthy of my love…” Yolly was
projecting her own self‐hatred onto God. Her God was judgmental and always angry. All her
spiritual activities were her way of appeasing this God.
Friend, your Heart Wound won’t be healed by religious activities. Your Heart Wound can
only be healed by an experience of God’s love found in these religious activities.
In other words, it’s love found in a relationship.

What Your Heart Wound Is Longing For
When we fill up our Heart Wound with sex, with money, with drugs, with romantic
relationships, they don’t work. Because there’s only one thing that will heal your Heart Wound.
As corny as this may sound, that thing that we long for is love.
That’s why another term for Heart Wound is “Love Tank”.
If you want to function well in life, your Love Tank must be filled.
When I meet someone who has problems handling life, it’s usually because the person has
an empty Love Tank.
It could be the jobless person who doesn’t have self‐worth.
It could be a millionaire who doesn’t have friends.
It could be a people pleaser who has no backbone.
It could be a guy controlled by his fears.
It could be a person who is having marital affairs.
It could be a drug addict.
It could be a girl who jumps from one jerk to another jerk.
It could be a greedy politician who has come to believe in his own lies.
I’ve realized that all these people have empty Love Tanks.
They’re desperately finding a way to fill up their wound and are doing it in the wrong way.
Let me tell you now how to heal your Heart Wound.

What Kind Of Love Can Heal The Wound?
At the end of the day, the love that can heal your Heart Wound is love that is found in
relationships.
Your relationship with God.
Your relationship with yourself.
Your relationship with others.
Friend, your relationships will determine your happiness and success in every area of
your life.
So let me ask you a big question: How are your relationships today?
How is your marriage?
How are your relationships with your parents?
How are your relationships with your kids?
How are your relationships with your siblings?
How are your relationships with your friends?
How is your relationship with God?
How is your relationship with yourself?
If you tell me that your relationships are happy and deep and blessed, then in my book,
you have everything.
No doubt about it. You’re one very successful person.

Why You Need This Series,
Relationships Reborn
Some of you may be saying, “Hey Bo, I’ve got lots of relationships! But why is my Heart
Wound not being healed? Why is my Love Tank not being filled?”
Here’s the big problem with relationships: They’re organic. They’re not inanimate
objects. They’re living, breathing things.
Let me give you an analogy.
There are two types of toys: Battery‐operated and wind‐up.
Some people make the mistake of thinking that relationships are like battery‐operated
toys. They think they could just slap a double A battery in their relationship and viola, off it
goes, humming its tune forever.
But that’s not how relationships work. They don’t go on autopilot.
Relationships are like wind‐up toys.
If you don’t wind it up, the ballerina stops dancing and playing music.
When your relationships aren’t working, it’s because you’ve not been winding them up.
What am I saying?
Relationships need renewal or they die.
And dead things can’t give you love and heal Heart Wounds.
In the next seven weeks, I’ll lead you into a brand new series entitled Relationships
Reborn. Each week, I’ll email you an article on how to renew your relationship and thus heal
your Heart Wound and fill your Love Tank.
I know it’ll bless you immensely.
Let me end with one last personal story.
Death Will Tell You What Is Most Important
Three weeks ago, I flew to New York.
Reason? I was invited to the 64th General Assembly of the United Nations.
I know, it sounds like a joke. But it isn’t.
I’m in the harvest season of my life. For 30 years I was planting, and I’m now receiving a
deluge of blessings. This was one of them. A giant one.
Being inside United Nations, seeing the Presidents, Emirs, Sheiks, and Prime Ministers of
192 countries blew my mind.
Not only that, but I stayed in Waldorf Astoria, one of the most luxurious hotels in the
world. And guess who was staying with me in the same hotel? President Barack Obama and a
few other Heads of States.
Of course, they stayed in humongous suites found on the upper floors. Mortals like myself
stayed in regular room.
For breakfast, I got the buffet of bread and fruits which cost $38. I also ordered one soft‐
boiled egg which cost an astounding $8. My gosh.
The experience was surreal. I was in the cusp of luxury, staying in the centre of the world,
seeing Presidents of the world, and eating $8 eggs!
No doubt about it, that trip was definitely a high point in my life.
And yet, here’s my reflection: I’m totally sure that on my deathbed, I won’t remember this
experience. At all.
I’ll remember instead the hug that my son gave me, his little fingers at the back of my
neck.
I’ll remember the times I dated my mother in her old age, the drive going to the
restaurant, the two‐hour conversations we always have.
I’ll remember how early on in our marriage, my wife and I had our romantic dates in
cheap fast‐food joints—and still had to choose with care what we ordered because we couldn’t
afford all the items there.
I’ll remember how I took care of orphaned children for a year, living with them in a
bamboo hut.
In other words, I’ll remember those moments in my life when I gave love and received
love.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what life is all about.
I’ve realized that if you fail in your relationships, you fail in life.
That’s why I’m inviting you to work on your relationships…

Assignment: Pick One Relationship In Your Life
That You Want To Renew and Refresh
Reading this article will do nothing for your life.
But if you apply what you read, it’ll create miracles.
Therefore, I’m giving you an assignment.
I want you to choose one relationship in your life that you want to deepen and
strengthen. Perhaps it’s your relationship with your mother, or your sibling, or your husband, or
your child, or a friend.
Here’s what you do: Go right up to that person and tell that person, “I want to
strengthen my relationship with you.”
In the various FEASTS here in Metro Manila, we gave away a small “Gift of Renewal”
Card to each attendee. I asked them to write the person’s name on the Card and give it to that
person. The Card stated, “I want to deepen, strengthen, and renew my relationship with
you.” It was just a simple tool. It gave people courage because they don’t go empty handed.
Hey, you can make the Card yourself. Or write a short note.
When you do this, you might get shocked looks, questions, laughter, or even ridicule
from the other person.
Or you might get a hug or some tears.
It doesn’t matter.
Just go out there and tell someone your prayer for a relationship reborn.

Bo Sanchez

Why You Need To Fail
Join Me At The Last How To Be TrulyRich Seminar For The Year.
November 7, 2009, 8:30am to 12:00noon
Mandaluyong, Metro Manila

Last week, I had lunch with a friend I’ve known for the past thirteen years.
Let’s call him Patrick Passive.
Thirteen years ago, Patrick and I were in the same financial boat. We had very little
money. We lived by the day. We had zero financial wisdom.
Today, thirteen years later, we’re poles apart.
I’ve moved on. I now have 16 income streams. I’m an entrepreneur, with interest in
many small businesses. I bought foreclosed properties and rent out a few condos. I also invest
in the Stock Market—both here and in the US—and other Mutual Funds.
In the meantime, Patrick has remained stuck. Over lunch, he told me that nothing has
changed since the last time we met thirteen years ago. He said, “I’m still in debt, Bo. My income
is still barely enough to get by. I still don’t have financial freedom.”
I felt the heaviness in his heart.
Patrick asked me, “Bo, what did you do that I didn’t do?”
“Just one thing, Pat. I failed and you didn’t.”
“Huh?” He looked at me like I was talking Martian.
I explained. “These past thirteen years, I’ve attended many seminars that were a total
waste of time. I started 8 businesses where I lost a ton of money. I got into investments and got
burned big time. I’ve succeeded more because I failed more.”
Patrick nodded. “In other words, you acted and I didn’t.”
I also discovered other obstacles in his thinking. I sensed that Patrick was comfortable
with his poverty—because that was what he was familiar with. He was trapped in his fear. He
saw himself as a poor person. He even felt that God wanted him to be poor.
I also met old habits that were sabotaging his prosperity. How he saved for his future
(yes, he was saving, but in the wrong way). How he paid his debts. How he spent his money.
When we parted, I felt a greater passion to give my seminar again, How To Be Truly Rich
Seminar. I want more people to gain financial freedom. I want more people to learn how to
prosper.
Join me on November 7, 2009.
For more information, click on at the link below.
Tell me more about the How To Be Truly Rich Seminar

Bo Sanchez

Stop Trying To Fix People
You know what our monstrous mistake is?
We try to fix the people in our life.
Oh, I see it everywhere.
Everywhere I go, I see people complain about the people in their life.
Wives complain about their husbands.
“Bo, please talk to my husband. He eats too much.”
“Bo, can you help me? My husband watches too much TV.”
One frustrated wife told me, “Bo, please advice my husband. He doesn’t have a one
romantic bone in his body. Last year, he gave me a bar of soap for Valentines Day. The
brand? Mr. Clean.”
But husbands complain about their wives too.
“Bo, please talk to my wife. She’s gastadora.”
“Bo, help me with my wife. My wife is always hysterical and historical. She remembers
all my past mistakes, including date, time, and place.”
One husband told me, “My wife is so talkative. If the universe paid 1 centavo for every
word she said, I’ll be the richest man in the world today.”
Another man said, “My wife is always angry. When she’s angry, she causes global
warming and the melting of the ice caps in the North Pole.”
Parents complain about their kids too.
“My kids are too messy.”
“My kids can’t focus on their studies.”
One mother said, “My kids are so lazy. If given a chance, they’ll ask someone to breathe
for them.”
And everywhere I go, I also hear many kids ask me to fix their parents.
“My parents are too strict.”
“My parents are too corny.”
“My parents are too kuripot.”
One girl told me, “They allow me to swim only if I wear a long gown.”
All over the world, people want to fix people.

Are You Sick Of Comparasonities?
First of all, you want to fix people because you love them.
But sometimes, our motives aren’t pure. Sometimes, we want to fix our loved ones
because of shame. We’re ashamed of what other people will say about our kids, our siblings,
our spouses, and our parents.
Another reason of our “fixing other people” tendencies is we’re afflicted with the
disease called comparisonities.
Humans like to look to the other side of the fence to see if it’s greener.
Someone told me that marriage is like going to a restaurant. After you ordered your
dish, you learn what the other table ordered, and suddenly regret what you ordered.
Believe me, this urge to compare causes so much misery in marriages.
If you always compare your wife’s body with Beyonce or Angel Locsin, she can’t
compete. Or if you compare your husband’s salary with Manny Paquiao’s earnings, he can’t
compete.
Many times, we compare our spouse to someone who doesn’t exist. For example, we
fantasize about Hollywood stars who aren’t real. Because all their blemishes were removed by
photoshop and a huge PR company.
Even the pretty officemate who seems so gorgeous on the outside may actually be your
worst nightmare the moment you live with her. You really don’t fall in love with her. You fall in
love with a projection of how you imagine her to be.
Even parents are guilty of this.

Motivate Your Kids In Other Ways
We have a tendency to compare our kids with other kids.
We even verbally share our comparisons in the hopes of motivating him.
I overheard one mother tell her little boy, “Junior, why can’t you get good grades like your
sister? She gets straight A’s in all subjects. But you’re highest grades are Recess and Lunch.”
Parents compare their kids to their classmates, their cousins, and even to themselves
when they were young. Their sermons begin with this famous line: “When I was young, I wasn’t
like you…”
Kids cannot flourish in an environment where they are being judged. Kids flourish in an
environment of appreciation. They need to know that their parents accept them for their
uniqueness.
Parents, stop comparing!
And there’s also another disease that causes us to fix people.

The Virus of Criticalities
I’ve met people who have a strong critical spirit in them.
I pity them so much. Once afflicted, they become very miserable people.
These people think God created them to criticize others. All day long, they look for the
faults of the people around them.
But behind this critical spirit towards others is really a critical spirit toward oneself. In fact,
the critic pulls down others so that he can hide his own failures.
Let me now tell you what you should do.

Question: Do You Want Less Stress and More Joy?
Do you want less stress in your relationships?
Do you want less fights?
Do you want less wrinkles?
Do you want more joy?
My solution is really simple: Stop trying to fix others.
Big clarification: In my message today, I’m not talking about the big sins. Like marital
abuse, alcoholism, adultery, and all the other major violations against the Ten
Commandments. I’m also not talking about tolerating the sins of your kids. I’m not teaching you
to say, “Wow son, you’re very good in stealing. Perhaps you can be a Congressman one
day.” (I’ll talk on “tough love” on the sixth instalment of this series, Relationship Reborn.)
Today, I’m talking about idiosyncrasies, eccentricities, personalities, and persuasions
that make your loved one very unique.
If you’re not going to fix people, what should you do?
Appreciate them.
I’ll now explain a mystery.

What You Like And What You Don’t Like
Maybe One And The Same Thing
I have mixed feelings about my cellphone.
My relationship with my phone is ambivalent.
I like it and I don’t like it.
There are days when I think it’s the greatest invention since peanut butter. And there
are days when I want to fling it into the mouth of a volcano.
Here’s what I noticed: The very features that I like are the very same features that I
don’t like. Absurd but true.
Why do I like my phone? I like the fact that I can call up the 954 people in my phone
directory anytime. Useful when I have a flat tire, when I need a prayer, or when I’m on the
rooftop because of Typhoon Ondoy.
Why do I not like my phone? I don’t like the fact that these 954 people can call me up at
anytime—even when I’m lying on a hammock in a tiny island far out in the Pacific Ocean.
Why do I like my phone? Because I can bring it everywhere I go.
Why do I not like my phone? Because I can bring it everywhere I go!
Question: Have you ever had the absurd experience of leaving your cellphone at home
and having to make a U‐turn to come back for it? Nuts, right? Cellphones are now like one of
our kidneys. You can still survive if it gets lost, but it’ll be risky.
I repeat: The very things that I like are the very same things that I don’t like.
Funny, but this is also true with our relationships…

Why Did You Fall In Love?
Don’t be shocked, but the very thing that made you crazy for a person will be the very
same thing that will drive you crazy in the years to come.
I’m not kidding.
If you fell in love with your wife because she was bubbly and the life of the party, today,
you want to zip her mouth so that there would be world peace.
If you fell in love with your husband because he was quiet, strong, and steady as a rock,
today, you want to curse him for being so cold and unresponsive—like you’re talking to a rock.
If you fell in love with your wife because of her stunning beauty, today, you find yourself
pulling your hair in the car, waiting for her because she takes 3 hours just to dress up and put
on her make‐up.
Remember: Every strength has a weakness.
My friend Jon Escoto says that “a weakness is really a strength applied
inappropriately.” (As another friend loves to say, “You’re right in the wrong way!”) You can’t
have only one side of the coin. You have to have both.

Why My Wife Married Me
One day, I had a very serious talk with my wife.
“Sweetheart, I want you to be completely honest with me,” I said to her. “Aside from
the fact that I look like John Loyd and Piolo Pascual put together, what else made you marry
me?”
After laughing out loud and rolling on the floor, she finally said, “Sorry Bo, your looks
weren’t the reason why I married you. I married you because you have such a big heart for
God.”
But I bet if you ask her today, “Marowe, what are the difficulties of being married to
Bo?” she’ll tell you, “Because Bo has such a big heart for God!”
She will explain to you, “Our schedule isn’t normal. Our entire married life isn’t
normal. Bo runs 9 non‐profit organizations. He’s constantly stretched. He travels a lot.” She’s
accepted that as her lot in life.
Here’s something she’s also accepted: When we have our weekly dates, she already
expects it to be interrupted. Many times, a total stranger would approach me, cry on my
shoulder, and ask for prayer. In the middle of the busy mall, I hold an instant mini‐healing
rally—because the moment people see me praying for one person, people fall in line.
She’s come to accept this reality as part of the set package called Bo Sanchez.
She’s accepted the fact that when she married me, she also married the people I love—
the flock I care for.
Why am I telling you all these?

Stop Trying To Fix People
To repeat my million‐dollar point: If you want to have happy relationships, you’ll have to
stop trying to fix people and start appreciating them.
Jesus said, “Love your neighbor”; He didn’t say, “Fix your neighbor.”
Two reasons why you need to stop fixing people.
First, you can’t.
Second, I’ve realized that people are like old houses. If one thing gets fixed, another
thing gets broken.
Let me tell you what I mean by appreciate.

Two Levels Of Acceptance
The first level of acceptance is tolerance.
The second level is appreciation.
Let me tell you a story.
Jean came up to me one day and said, “Bo, can I share something with you? My story
might help women you talk to.”
Jean said that her husband is addicted to watching basketball. She told me that it drove
her insane. “Brother Bo, there was a time when his passion for watching basketball made me so
angry. I would nag him, I would throw pots and pans in his direction, I would hide the TV
remote control—just so he can’t watch.”
She told him, “I think basketball has become your god. And the churches you attend are
NBA, PBA, PBL, NCAA, and UAAP. All you talk about is basketball.” And her husband would
answer back, “Foul yan.”
“But after a couple of years,” Jean said, “I just gave up. I realized that nothing was going
to happen. That he will never change.”
That was the day when Jean began to tolerate her husband’s passion for
basketball. Whenever she saw him sitting in front of the TV watching a game, she felt less
irritation in her heart.
But one day, Jean had a bigger epiphany.
That fateful morning, Jean’s best friend called her up crying hysterically on the
phone. Through many tears, she said that she discovered her husband was having an
affair. After an hour of trying to comfort her, Jean’s friend said, “I wish my husband was like
your husband, Jean—so faithful to you.”
That one sentence was like a slap on her face.
She woke up.
Jean realized she was blind to the great blessing that her husband was to her.
Because she was so focused on his basketball addiction, she never appreciated how
faithful her husband was to her.
She also began to count the many ways he was a wonderful husband: He was hard‐
working, he loved the kids, he went with her to her prayer meetings, and he was sweet in his
own manly, clumsy way.
Today, she sometimes joins him watching basketball.
She still doesn’t appreciate the game. She told her husband once, “Why don’t they just
give one ball to each team?” But she enjoys being with her wonderful husband now.
That day, Jean moved from tolerance to appreciation.
And that was the day her marriage became very happy.

Are You A Judge Or A Painter?
What I’m sharing with you is so earth‐shaking, I should be charging you a million for
divulging this secret to you.
Believe me, if you apply this secret into your life, you will change your entire life—
radically. You’ll have less stress. You’ll have less fights. You’ll have more peace. You’ll be more
joyful. You’ll feel and look younger by ten years.
It was Dr. James Dobson who said that before you get married, you should have both
eyes wide open. But after the marriage ceremony, close one eye.
What does he mean? Before you get married, you should be very careful in evaluating
your future spouse. Check
everything. Values. Background. Preferences. Reactions. Beliefs. Examine everything!
But when you get married, stop evaluating. Stop critiquing.
It’s now time to stop fixing the other person and start appreciating the entire person in
his totality.
Remove the robes of the courtroom judge. Instead, put on the robes of a painter
capturing the beauty of a scene. An artist simply accepts what is and nurtures a gratitude for
what is there.
When you accept the other person and become grateful for him, a great miracle
happens: The person learns to accept himself too and thus bring healing of his Heart
Wound. Changes begin to take place spontaneously.
You can never fix anyone.
Because fixing is an inside job. Never forced from the outside.
Yes, you should inspire. You should guide. You should teach. But you cannot force.
At the end of the day, the only thing you can do is to love the person by creating space for
the other person to fix himself..

Your Assignment
One of the ways to show gratitude is to simply to say it.
Here’s your assignment for this session: Go to 1, 2, or 3 people in your life and thank
them for the blessing that they are to you.
Be specific. Write them a letter of gratitude.
Thank your wife for the small things she does for you.
Thank your husband for going to work everyday.
Thank your mother for the way she serves you.
Thank your child for being a wonderful child.
The next time a loved one presses your clothes, or takes out the trash, or fixes the car,
or takes care of the baby, appreciate them in your heart and in your words.
I promise: Gratitude will be like oil in the engine of your relationship.
Your relationship will function in a whole new level.

Final Story:
“I Love The Perfection Of Your Imperfections.”
Let me end with one of my favorite stories.
One day, a wife came to her husband with a magazine in her hand, “Darling, this article is
wonderful. It describes a little activity that we can both do to improve our marriage. Can we do
it together?”
“Sure,” her husband said.
“It says here that for one day, each of us will separately write a list of what areas we want
the other to change. Little annoyances, little irritations, etc. And then tomorrow, we share this
list to each other. Deal?”
“Deal!” the husband smiled.
That day, the man sat on the living room with paper and hand. The wife went to the
bedroom and did the same thing.
The next day, over breakfast, the wife said, “Game? Can I start first?”
“Yes,” the husband said.
The wife pulled out three pages. Single spaced. Font 8. It was a long list. She began to read
her list. “Darling, I don’t like it when you do this…” On and on, she read the little ways her
husbands annoyed her.
The man felt a sting in his heart. The wife noticed this and asked, “Do you want me to
continue?”
“I can handle it. Go on,” the man said.
So the wife continued to read.
Finally, the woman said, “Okay, it’s your turn.”
The husband pulled out his piece of paper and said, “Yesterday, I asked the question what
are the changes I want in you. But hard as I tried to think, I couldn’t think of one thing.” He then
showed to her the empty piece of paper in his hand. “Because to me, you’re perfect in your
imperfections. I’ve accepted who you are—strengths and weaknesses. And I love the whole
package. I love the mix. You are a wonderful person and I love you so much.”
The wife began to sob, rolled up her three pages in her hand, and beat her husband on
the head, “Bwiset ka!” And hugged him tight for a very long time.

Bo Sanchez

Fight The Relationship Drift
Warning: There’s a cruel epidemic afflicting our families, our marriages, and our
friendships. It’s called the Relationship Drift.
It’s a very devious disease. It’s like some cancers. You really don’t know you have it until
it’s fatal. And then it’s too late.
And then Relationship Drift becomes Relationship Dead.
The only solution is to diagnose it early.
But the symptoms of Relationship Drift are almost invisible to the naked eye.
Because you’re not really fighting each other.
There are no screaming matches. In fact, your home is quiet. Like a convent.
And there are no pots and pans flying in the air.
And there are no bloody court cases.
But little by little, your hearts move apart.
Intimacy is gone.
Joy is missing.
In marriage, sex only happens every time Haley’s comet passes planet earth.
You take each other for granted.
One day, you know the disease had run its full course because you wake up one
morning not caring for the other person anymore.
Let me give you examples of the Relationship Drift:
The father who doesn’t have heart‐to‐heart conversations with his kids anymore. Or the
wife who doesn’t enjoy her husband’s company anymore. Or a couple who talk to each other
functionally, not deeply. Or siblings who no longer laugh together, play together, and eat
together.
Here’s why: We live in a busy world.
Where bills need to be paid.
And cars need to be repaired.
And kids need to be fed, vaccinated, and neutered, er, I mean nurtured. (I know of
parents who want to administer this little medical procedure to their kids when puberty comes
along.)
My point? It’s natural that you drift apart.
You don’t have to be a bad person. You don’t have to be Adolf Hitler or The Joker. You
don’t have to be obnoxious, selfish, or evil to cause the disease called Relationship Drift.
Let me give you an analogy.
Two people in a relationship are like two little boats floating on the sea.
Problem: There’s a current that will slowly pull the two boats apart. Before they know it,
the two boats are miles away from each other.
Friend, there’s really only one way to fight the drift: Paddle!
If you don’t want to drift, you’ll have to go against the flow and paddle your way to each
other. You’ll have to work hard, muscle your way, sweat like crazy and fight to be together.
I believe that the only antidote to Relationship Drift is to bond constantly.
If you don’t, the effects can be disastrous…

When We Don’t Fight Relationship Drift
In a previous article, I already shared these statistics from David Perdew.
David Perdew wrote this about “fatherless kids” in America. According to statistics,
children from a fatherless home are:
∙ Five times more likely to commit suicide
∙ Thirty‐two times more likely to run away
∙ Twenty times more likely to have behavioral disorders
∙ Fourteen times more likely to commit rape (this applies to boys)
∙ Nine times more likely to drop out of high school
∙ Ten times more likely to abuse chemical substances
∙ Nine times more likely to end up in a charitable institution
∙ Twenty times more likely to end up in prison for a long period of time
David Perdew says we either pay now or pay later.
And when you pay later, it always costs more.
My suggestion is to pay now.
Fighting the Relationship Drift is very difficult. But it’s easier paying now than paying later.
Here’s how to do it.

Time Management Isn’t The Answer
Do you want to spend more time with your family?
Time Management is not the solution.
I know a company who charges $759 per person for their Time Management
Seminar. Let me save you $759 right now and tell you it doesn’t work.
These guys will teach you how to become experts in multi‐tasking.
While you shave, mentally plan for your day.
While you drive, record your things‐to‐do in an MP3 recorder.
While sitting on the throne of life, make your phone calls.
While talking with your boss, floss your teeth.
I don’t believe in any of that.
Though I must admit, I’m guilty trying all of them.
Except for the flossing. (I don’t have a Boss.)
And believe me, these things don’t give you more time.
Worse, they take away your peace.
Here’s a principle you can take to the bank: Anything that takes away your peace won’t
work in the long run.
Instead of Time Management, I teach people Biggies Management.

What Are Your Biggies?
If you really think about it, you can put everything happening in your life into two
categories: Biggies and Smallies.
If you manage your Biggies, you manage your life.
It’s the secret to great success.
What are your Biggies?
People who don’t know their Biggies will be ruled by their Smallies. They’ll be lost boats
in the sea, being pushed and pulled in various directions.
Your Biggies consists of the 4 most important parts of your life:
1. Your Family
2. Your Health
3. Your Mission
4. Your Spirit
Everything else are Smallies.
If you want to be successful, focus on your Biggies.
When you make your Weekly Schedule, write down the Biggies first.
Each of these Biggies can be broken down. But today, I’d like to share with you the
Family Biggies that you need to do. These are the powerful ways to paddle against Relationship
Drift.
Are you ready?

Create A List Of Untouchables
My romantic date with my wife is an Untouchable.
I told her that we’d have a romantic date every Tuesday night unless these three things
happen:
1) President Obama calls up to consult me on high‐level issues such as terrorism,
global warming, and nuclear disarmament; or…
2) The Pope calls me to discuss some murky theological question that only I can
answer (like “Did Adam have a belly button?”), or…
3) If a comet rams into earth, burning the entire planet’s atmosphere, and human life
as we know it ceases to exist.
Aside from those three scenarios, nothing can touch my date with her.
Seriously, there are weeks when I’m travelling and we can’t date. But I see to it that
when I fly back home, the first thing I do is spend a day with my wife and two boys.
Frankly, I love my romantic dates with my wife. She’s my emotional home. She relaxes
me. (Okay, I confess that one time, I was so relaxed I dozed off when she was still talking.)
My weekly date with my 2 boys is an Untouchable too.
So is my twice‐a‐month lunch with my mother.
And twice‐a month dinners with my extended families.
I also have regular dates with my Friends. (We call them Caring Groups in my spiritual
family, Light of Jesus.)
Friend, the only way to paddle against Relationship Drift is to create your list of
Untouchables.
But before you invite your kids to a date, let me tell you how not to do it.

How To Have Dates With Your Kids
One day, a teen‐age boy approached me and said, “Brother Bo, can you please tell my
father to stop having dates with me? I think he got the idea from you.”
I later learned what his father did last week.
First, he invited his son to have a burger. But the moment they sat down in the
restaurant, the father said, “Son, I want to talk to you about your poor grades.”
After a mini‐sermon on “study well because I work so hard to pay for your studies,” the
father jumps to another sensitive topic. “Your music tastes are terrible,” he said to the lad, “It’s
loud, noisy, and disgusting. I think you should listen more to classical music.”
The father goes on to other topics, such as the length of his hair, the late night phone
calls, and the obscene amount of time he spends playing computer games.
Poor kid. He didn’t know what was coming that day. He didn’t realize he was attending a
multi‐track conference.
After their meal, the father told him, “Son, I enjoyed our date. Let’s do this weekly!”
His son must have had an epileptic seizure right there. Can you imagine going through this
torture for the rest of his teen‐age life? That’s when the boy asked me to rescue him from a life
of purgatory.
So I called the father and said, “Parental sermons, homilies, lectures, and full‐scale multi‐
track conferences are banned from your dates.”
“Why?” the father asked.
“Because the date isn’t for you,” I said. “It’s for your son. You don’t have to enjoy it as
long as he does.” I told him, “Play billiards. Play bowling. Go fishing. Ride bikes
together. Anything your boy wants to do.”
Let me explain why this is essential.
When the relationship is close, kids listen. Their hearts are supple and open.
But when there’s already a Relationship Drift between the parents and the kids, their
hearts are far apart. So no matter how much the parents shout, their kids don’t hear the
message.
So the first goal is to bring your hearts close to each other.

How To Bond As A Family
Another Untouchable you need to create is a Weekly Family night.
The goal is to do something fun together.
Rent a movie and cook popcorn for a family movie night at home.
Or take a Family Walk around the village.
Or play a game together. Monopoly. Pictionary. Patintero.
Or read a book out loud.
Or just order pizza and ask everyone to share around the table.
When you do this each week, you’re creating memories that will last a lifetime. Life is
about moments. And believe me, your grown‐up kids will never forget these special bonding
moments as a family. It will be their anchor. It will be their source of emotional stability. That
amidst the sea of change around them, they know there are just some things in life that don’t
change.
Like the memories of being together as family.
Here’s one more tip before I end.

Invite Your Kids’ Friends To Hang Out At Home
You’ve got to be the cool Mom and Dad–Even if you’re not.
How? Make your home the preferred hang‐out place for your kids’ friends.
I know it’ll cause a little dent on your budget.
Okay, I lied. It will make your life savings disappear.
A group of teens are like a pack of piranha. They will eat anything that looks like food in
your kitchen cabinets. And if your kids come home all tired and sweaty from a basketball game,
be forewarned. That is a perfect storm. You will become poor overnight. You can buy all the
food in your city and it won’t be enough. They’ll just burp and ask for more.
But the rewards are incredible.
First, you’re with your kids more.
Second, you know where your kids are.
Third, you get to know their friends—and counsel the troubled ones. If they lack
parenting, you can re‐parent them. (I’m sharing you a powerful secret: One of the best ways of
influencing your kids is to influence their friends.)
Fourth, because of all racket your guests make, you and your neighbors will not be in
speaking terms. So that’s one or two people dropped from your Christmas shopping
list. Savings!

Two Choices: Drift Or Paddle
I can hear you now.
“Bo, this is a lot of hard work! Weekly dates with my wife and kids? Feeding a pack of
piranhas? And re‐parenting the friends of my kids? My gosh!”
I warned you. It’s going to be rough.
But let me repeat what I said at the start: You really only have two choices in life. You
either Drift or you Paddle. You either pay now or pay later.
I’ve decided to paddle. I’ve decided to pay now.
Believe me, I’m enjoying the benefits.
My relationships are deeply satisfying.
Friend, it’s your turn.
Start paddling.

Bo Sanchez

Is Your Love Genuine Or Fake?
“Buy Rolex. $20 only.”
A moustached guy offered it to me while walking in a busy street.
Wow. Didn’t Rolex watches sell at $5000 each?
Because he thought I was interested, the man opened his jacket and displayed other
designer watches—such as Patek Phillip, Cartier, and Omega. “Choose what you want. $20 only
each.”
That was shocking. I knew some high‐end Patek watches cost $200,000. So how in the
world could this man be selling them for $20?
Too bad for the watch guy, I don’t use watches. Stopped using them 25 years ago. To
know the time, I look at the sun. On a cloudy day, I look at someone else’s watch.
But my buddy bought a $20 Rolex. It was a steal, he said.
Hey, it looked like a Rolex. It worked like a Rolex. It felt like a Rolex. But it wasn’t a Rolex.
Five months later, my friend was sad because his watch broke down. I told him, “What
did you expect?”
Let me use this to explain why we have problems in our relationships.

How To Do The Great Switcheroo
Why do so many marriages have problems today?
Because many couples built their marriage on a pirated version of Love, not Love.
The pirated version of Love is Infatuation.
There was a time when I thought Infatuation was only for pimple‐faced
teenyboppers. Not true. Old fogies like myself aren’t exempted.
Not that Infatuation is a bad thing. It’s totally normal. Infatuation only becomes a bad
thing if a person thinks it was Love.
I repeat: Infatuation is like a pirated copy of Love.
Foolish people think the pirated copy is real. When it breaks down, they panic or get
depressed. They realize it’s fake. And their whole world crumbles.
Wise people know Infatuation is a pirated copy. They enjoy it while it lasts, but they
know it was brittle and wouldn’t last. So secretly, they also bought the genuine article. (Note:
Pirated versions are given; Real versions are bought. I’ll explain later.) So when the pirated
version breaks down, the wise person does the great switcheroo. He pulls out the real thing.
Today, I’ll tell you how to spot the genuine from the fake.
I’ll describe the real deal—and how it’s the only thing that can save your marriage. But
not only your marriage, but every other relationship you have.
Oh yes, so many people have relationship problems with their parents, or children, or
siblings, or friends—because they don’t know what Real Love is.
I’m going to explain to you that Real Love is about dirty hands, not beating hearts.
Let me explain how this great switcheroo works…

“Ngooorrrk!”
“Father, we want to get married.”
When the engaged couple went to the priest to schedule their wedding, their hearts
were beating for each other. It was so loud, the priest could actually hear
it. “Dubdub. Dubdub. Dubdub.”
But he’s seen this before. How sweet lovebirds end up almost killing each other a year
after the wedding. So he warned them, “As you know, feelings of love won’t last.”
And the couple said, “We know Father.”
But at the back of their minds, they’re saying, “We know Father that feelings of love
won’t last for everyone else. But not for us. How can this feeling be fake when it’s as strong as a
roaring volcano? It is as clear as the noonday sun, as eternal as the waves of the sea, as
beautiful as the stars in the night sky.”
After the wedding ceremony, they have their honeymoon.
On their first night, the new husband watches his bride asleep, the moonlight streaming
from the bedroom window onto her lovely face. He gazes at her long eyelashes, her pinkish
cheeks, her parted lips. All of a sudden, she snores.
“Ngooorrrk.”
What does he say?
“How cute.”
Six months later, it’s the same scene.
They’re at home. The guy sees his wife asleep, with the moonlight streaming from the
window onto her face. All of a sudden, she snores.
“Ngooorrrk.”
What does he say?
“How gross.”
What happened? Infatuation, the pirated version of love, disappeared. Real Love must
now kick in.
But only if he has it.
Let me give you another example.

From Gazing To Gossiping
How do you know if a couple in the restaurant are not married?
Easy.
If they’re physically close, touching each other, hand to hand, eye to eye, nose to nose,
bad breath to bad breath—they’re not married.
Look underneath their table, and if their legs are intertwined and they’re playing
footsies together, they’re not married.
If they don’t look at anything else but each other, they’re not married.
If nuclear bombs fall right beside them and they won’t even notice, they’re not married.
If a flash flood engulfs the entire restaurant and all the guy could say was, “Sweetheart, I
love the color of your eyes as it reflects the brownish floodwater around us,” you can bet your
life, they’re not married.
And how do you know if a couple in a restaurant are married?
Easy.
If they’re seated far apart, so far a part, a six by six truck could pass in between them,
they’re married.
If they look bored, they’re married.
If the whole night, all they do is talk about other people, they’re married. The wife
whispers, “Don’t look at her, but the woman behind you is wearing fake eyelashes, fake
jewellery, a fake Coach bag, fake anatomical parts, and a fake husband.” Being dense, the man
turns around and asks, “Where? Where?”
Once upon a time, they had eyes only for one another.
Now, they barely look at each other.
What has happened? Infatuation, the pirated version of love, disappeared. Real Love
must now kick in.
But only if they have it.

Spot The Difference
Let me now share five clear‐as‐daylight differences between Infatuation and Real Love:
1. Infatuation doesn’t require a decision. It just happens. You see a girl and boom—
your hormones kick in and you want her. You don’t know why. It’s her dress. It’s the
way her hair falls on her shoulder. It’s her smile. It’s the way she bites her
fingernail. That’s why I said that pirated versions are free. But Real Love doesn’t just
happen; Real Love requires a decision. That’s why Scott Peck says Real Love can only
start after one has “fallen out of love.”
2. Infatuation, no matter what you do, lasts only for a season. You have these feelings
of love swirling within you until something happens that breaks the spell. Maybe
she’ll open her mouth. Maybe she’ll reveal her fangs. Maybe she’ll pick her
nose. Maybe she’ll spend your money. Maybe she’ll introduce you to her
mother. Maybe she gains 30 pounds. It could be anything. Infatuation can last for a
few days or for a couple of years. But Real Love can last forever precisely because it’s
a decision.
3. Infatuation is directed towards a figment of your imagination. You’re not attracted
to a real person. You’re attracted to a projection of that person from your own
imagination. Like Infatuation itself, you’re in love with a fake. But Real Love is
directed towards a real person. You now know her strengths and weaknesses, and
have accepted it all.
4. Infatuation is a spontaneous collapse of your boundaries. You get lost and you
merge with the other. You’re enmeshed. You can’t survive without each other. But
Real Love requires strengthening of both your boundaries; You actually don’t need
each other, but you choose each other because you want to serve.
5. Infatuation is all about feelings. Dubdub. Dubdub. Dubdub. Cold palms, giddy spells,
dazed looks, and feet on the clouds. But Real Love is about dirty hands. You don’t
have to feelanything to love. Love is a verb, not just a feeling. Love is an action, not
just a state. Let me repeat my message: I believe love is about dirty hands, not
beating hearts. The essence of love isn’t feelings but service. Scott Peck says it so
well—the opposite of love isn’t hatred; the opposite of love is laziness.
Your Physiology Affects Your Psychology
Here’s the thing.
I’ve found out that only mature people can love. Only mature people can do the great
switcheroo when the pirated copy fails. They just pull out the genuine article.
Why? Only mature people have love within them.
Real Love has very little to do with the other person. A loving person can love because
he is a loving person, not because the other person is lovable.
You may be asking me, “But Bo, is love dry? Isn’t there room for feelings?”
Of course, there is.
Here’s a secret mature people know in their hearts even if they don’t know it
cognitively: Your physiology affects your psychology. Your feeling follows your action.
If we keep on doing acts of love, we increase our feelings of love. The more we “dirty
our hands”, the more we find our “hearts beating” for the other.
To make this practical, let me share seven simple ways of dirtying your hands. They are
(1) Help, (2) Prayer, (3) Presence, (4) Touch, (5) Words, (6) Gifts, and (7) Boundaries.

1. Help
Love means giving practical help.
If you’re a mother, I’m sure there are days when you wake up feeling blue and you don’t
want to enter the kitchen. But fifteen minutes later, where are you? Cooking in the kitchen,
because some little people will get hungry. You don’t feel like doing it. But you do it
anyway. That’s love.
If you’re a husband, I’m sure there are days when you go home tired from work. But you
see your kids. And even if all you want to do is lie down on the couch, you decide to play with
them. You don’t feel like doing it. But you do it anyway. That’s love.
If you’re a child whose parents are older, I’m sure you want to help them. Sure, you’ve got
your own problems now, but doesn’t stop you from serving them. You don’t feel like doing
it. But you do it anyway. That’s love.

2. Prayer
Love means praying for your loved ones.
Perhaps your father was a horrible man. And you hate him. But you decide to pray for
him.
Sooner or later, God will answer your prayer. God will change him, but He’ll change you
first. Your father gets blessed, but you get blessed too. Ultimately, you become a more loving
person.
You pray whether you feel like it or not.
That’s love.

3. Presence
Love means spending time together.
Not just being physically together, but also being emotionally together.
That could mean a father playing with his kids. Or a daughter visiting her aging parents. Or
siblings going shopping together. Or friends laughing over pizza. Or a couple taking a walk.
There’ll be times when you won’t feel like bonding together.
But you do it anyway. That’s love.

4. Touch
Love means physical affection.
One day, a couple walking to work noticed a man passionately kissing a woman. “Why
don’t you do that?” said the wife.
“Honey,” replied her husband, “I don’t even know that woman!”
People aren’t machines. They need to be touched. Holding hands, pats on the back,
shoulder rubs, hugs, and kisses nourish and heal people more than you can possibly imagine.
Again, there’ll be days when you don’t want to kiss or hold hands or hug. But you do it
anyway. That’s love..

5. Words
Love means verbal or written expressions.
When was the last time you told your husband, “Thank you for working so hard for our
family”? When was the last time you told your wife, “Thank you for being a great mother to our
kids”? When was the last time you told your mother, “Thanks for serving me all these
years”? And when was the last time you actually said, “I love you”?
You might argue with me and say, “Bo, I don’t want to be a hypocrite. When I say it, I must
feel it.”
Here’s my question: Are you just your emotions?
Or are you much more than your emotions? Are you also your spirit, your soul, your mind,
your imagination, your will?

6. Gifts
Love means giving tokens—or symbols of love.
To you, your gift may mean nothing. But to another person, a small, inexpensive gift
from you could mean the world.

7. Boundaries
Love means respecting the boundaries of the other.
Love means giving space to the other and letting the other person grow on her
own. Love also means letting the other face her own responsibilities.
I like it when my wife goes out with her girlfriends each week. I like it when she takes up
other interests. I like it when she grows and flourishes as an individual. I like it when she tells
me, “Bo, I need some alone time. I’ll just go window shopping for awhile.” So I pray over her,
“Lord, I claim in faith that she’ll be faithful to those words, that she will indeed go ‘window’
shopping only. Thank you, Lord, for this miracle!”

Love Is Service
I dedicate my last story to all those living away from their loved ones today—Overseas
Filipino Workers, Migrants, etc.
Many years ago, I met Alice, a Filipina teacher in Brunei.
She was my host and took care of me while I was there. When I woke up early one
morning, I noticed that she was on the phone. But she wasn’t speaking.
She explained that it was her beautiful ritual of love to her husband. Years ago, her
husband suffered a stroke and he became paralyzed. So she went to Brunei to work for the
family.
And what was this ritual of love? Alice would wake up at 4 in the morning to call her
husband. (This was before the days of cell phones and text messages.) But because they could
not afford long distance calls, they agreed that the husband was not to answer the phone.
Instead, the husband would allow the phone to ring.
And ring.
And ring.
He would allow the love of Alice, symbolized by the ringing, to fill their house and to fill
his heart.
For 8 years straight, Alice did this beautiful ritual without fail.
Until he finally passed away.
That’s what love is.
Not like feelings that come and go.
Not like moods that are here today and gone tomorrow.
Love is simply done, day in and day out.
Because it’s eternal.
Constant.
Faithful.
It was Mother Teresa who said, “Service is a fruit of love”.
If you love, you will serve.
Go now, and like Mother Teresa, dirty your hands.

I Miss My Family
My wife Marowe is in the US with my two little boys for a break.
My 84‐year old mother and sister are there too.
I would have loved to join them. But I couldn’t. I had to lead a pilgrimage in
Europe. Oh, I miss them soooo much, it’s painful.
I know. You must be laughing. Because we’ve been separated for only three weeks and
that’s nothing compared to what other families go through.
Yes, I know. Still, I miss my little family.
By the way, I warned Marowe: The moment she arrives at the airport, I’m going to run
to her and kiss her for two straight hours in front of everybody. I won’t let her go. The guards
will have to carry me away if they want to.
So if you see in the front pages of the newspaper, “Preacher Disrupt Airport With
Indecent Behavior” you’ll understand. Just in case, please visit me in prison and bring some
food. My favorite is peanut butter.
I’m now writing this in my bedroom.
All alone.
I look out the window and see the dark sky.
I close my eyes. And I imagine. I imagine my heart flying around the planet and to
embrace my most important treasure in life—my family.
I now realize that God was right when He said in the Bible, “It’s not good for man to be
alone.”
We need family. Friends. Community.
We can’t do it on our own.
To all the Filipinos out there who are separated from your families, I dedicate this short
piece to you.
Perhaps I’ll never understand how it feels like to miss parents, spouses, children for one
year, two years, five years, ten years… The pain must be unbearable.
I pray for you today.
I pray for God’s Love to embrace you.
Friend, I made a virtual family especially for you.
To be your family wherever you are.
It’s called www.KerygmaFamily.com It’s an international, borderless, non‐physical
community where you can receive a mountain load of spiritual nourishment.
Even if you’re thousands of miles away, we’ll be connected through the internet. You’ll
receive daily Bible reflections and monthly Kerygma magazines sent via email to you—to inspire
you and enrich your life. All Free! (Donations to the ministry are totally optional. You don’t have
to donate anything. But if you so choose to donate, we’ll thank you by mailing you the physical
Kerygma magazine and special surprise gifts from me, all to bless your soul.)
Even through the internet, I’ll be your family.
Wherever you are.
Go to www.KerygmaFamily.com now.

Bo Sanchez

The Only Thing That Can Heal Your Emotional Wounds?
Have you been hurt before?
Have you ever been rejected by others? Ridiculed? Maligned? Gossiped about?
Have you been cheated? Betrayed? Lied to? Stolen from?
If your answer is yes, then I’m writing to the right person.
That means you have emotional wounds, and my big message for you is that there’s
only one thing that can heal your wounds.
Let me start by talking about something of great cosmological and eternal significance:
My bloody ingrown toenail.
Sometimes called hangnail.
Let me translate that in Pilipino: hangnail is kukong nagbigti.
Anyway, would you believe my ingrown toenail lasted for two years? Because the nail
kept re‐growing, puncturing my wound again and again. The wound got infected and my entire
toe was filled with foul‐smelling yellow pus. (I apologize for grossing you out. I’m actually doing
it on purpose and having fun.)
This is my claim to sainthood. If St. Francis of Assisi had his stigmata, I had my two‐year
old bloody ingrown toenail.
After two years, my mother scared me to death and said if the wound doesn’t get well,
they might have to cut off my toe.
I loved my toe.
So I visited a doctor. And he said he had to pull out half of my toenail. I fainted.
I still remember that fateful day. The anesthesia didn’t work because of the pus. So I felt
like San Lorenzo Ruiz who was tortured in the same way. (Please mention this tiny detail in my
sainthood application.)
Here’s how the Doc did it.
Step 1: He pushed his scissors in between my nail and my toe, all the way to the very
end. The pain was so horrific, I was ready to recant anything he told me to recant. Even my love
for peanut butter.
Step 2: He cut my entire toenail into two. “Snap!”
Step 3: He got his metal pliers and yanked out half of my toenail. Blood and pus spurt
like a little fountain.
But it worked.
My wound was now free to heal itself. What lasted for two years took only a few days to
heal.
Why am I telling you this gory story?
To tell you that your emotional wounds are just like physical wounds. Bitterness is like
the ingrown—it keeps the original wound alive by puncturing it again and again. So your
emotional wound doesn’t heal.
And your soul gets infected.
If you’re not careful, the emotional wound can grow until it amputates parts of you,
slowly killing you.
I’ve met people like these.
I pity them so much. They’re like the living dead. They are alive but they’re dead.
Like Minette, for instance.
Pressing The Rewind Button Again
Minette’s husband left her three years ago.
But when you talk to her, it was like it happened yesterday.
Adultery is one of the deepest wounds a human heart can have. After entrusting your entire
life to one person, that one person betrays that trust.
But I believe even the emotional wound of adultery can be healed. I’ve met many wives
whose husbands became unfaithful—and they were able to move on by the power of
forgiveness.
But Minette couldn’t forgive.
Because everyday, she pressed the “Rewind” button of the most hurtful scenes.
Today, Minette has cancer. It doesn’t take a psychologist to connect the dots. Her
bitterness was eating up her body as well.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
I should know.

I Forgive For Selfish Reasons
I was sexually molested twice, not by strangers on the street, but by an older cousin and by
my own youth group leader. William Blake said, “It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive
a friend.” That’s so true.
Those traumatic events warped my thinking, opened my life to addictions, and gave me
self‐contempt that would affect my entire life. I hated myself. I was ashamed of myself. Oh yes,
my wounds were deep.
Yet in my heart, I’ve forgiven them. Totally.
I’ve released the bitterness in my soul.
Why?
Because of a very selfish reason.
Remember: Forgiveness is first of all a gift you give yourself.
I forgave because I wanted peace.
I wanted to move on with my life.
I wanted to get rid of the emotional baggage.
I wanted to be free.
And today, I am!
Let me share with you one more personal experience…

When You Forgive,
You Bless Your Future
Many years ago, I started a tiny business with a friend. I was the investor and he was the
guy who ran the show.
One day, I saw him with a new cell phone. A really cool, top‐of‐the‐line thing that had
everything you could think of—camera, video‐cam, GPRS, missile guidance system, and an
umbrella.
“Wow, that’s a great cell phone,” I said.
“This is a gift. Someone gave it to me,” he said.
The next time we meet, he brought a new laptop.
“That’s really nice,” I said.
“Oh, this is also a gift…,” he said.
A few months later, the business collapsed.
After looking at the records, I realized I was the one who gave them to him!
He was stealing from the business.
A year later, he came to me and asked for forgiveness. I forgave him even before he
asked for forgiveness.
Here’s the reason why I forgave him.
Again, I did it for selfish reasons. I didn’t want to waste any of my time and energy trying
to get the money back. Instead, I wanted to use all my time and energy to earn ten times what I
lost. I used my frustration to create more wealth. I wanted to focus on the future, not the past. I
wanted to focus on my dreams, not my wounds.
Imagine if you lost one peso. And you have two options: Spend one hour looking for that
one peso or spend that same hour earning P100 somewhere else?
A bitter person will choose the first option. Crazy but true.
Today, let me report to you: I’ve earned many, many times what I lost from that tiny
business. This is the power of forgiveness. It heals your wound and blesses your future. That’s
why I believe forgiveness is one of God’s greatest inventions!
Let me tell you how to forgive…

Stage One: Get Angry
Forgiveness is not a one‐stage process.
It’s a two‐stage process.
Here they are…
Stage One: Get angry.
Stage Two: Release the anger.
That’s it.
Don’t be shocked, but anger is the first stage of forgiveness.
You have to admit the hurt.
You have to acknowledge the pain.
You have to say, “What he did to me was wrong.”
Some people think forgiveness is pretending nothing bad happened. That’s not true. If
you’re angry, feel the anger.
But you must express your anger in a non‐hurtful way, without screaming or
attacking. Bring your anger before God. Share your pain to a few trusted friends. Ask for
prayer. Go ahead, cry. Offer your tears to God.
Anger heals because it’s about loving yourself—and love always heals. Anger means
you’re standing up for you. As an abuse victim, I had to do this. Anger is needed to rebuild my
broken personal boundaries.
How long should you stay in Stage One?
Not too long.
Because anger has an expiry date.

How Long Have You Been Angry?
Here’s the truth: Bitterness and anger is one and the same thing. But Bitterness is anger
past its expiry date.
Let me illustrate.
I love spaghetti.
Served hot, it’s wonderful.
But left on the kitchen counter for a whole day, it may still be good but be careful.
After two days, you may get an upset stomach.
After one week, there’ll be more germs than spaghetti. At that point, the plate of
spaghetti has become poison
Just like anger.
If anger stays too long in your heart, your anger no longer heals but kills. When anger
turns into bitterness, it’s poison.
The Bible says, “the sun must not go down in your anger.”
I believe it. Except perhaps for severe wounds (like abuse, adultery, betrayal, etc.), I feel
Stage One should not last for more than a day. I’m talking about the regular hurts we encounter
everyday. Before nightfall, move onto Stage two.
But deeper wounds may need weeks or even months of anger and grief. For deeper
wounds, I believe there’s no clear divide between Stage One and Two. There’ll be an
overlap. But your movement must be towards Stage Two.
Because that’s where the real magic happens.

Stage Two: Release Anger
In Stage Two, you decide to forgive. Key word: Decide.
It’s not about feeling, but about willing. The feelings of anger can linger (that’s normal)
but the decision has already been made in your heart.
Remember, Love is a decision, not just a feeling. If forgiveness is love, then forgiveness
is a decision too.
But here’s a very important footnote:

Forgiveness isn’t necessarily bringing back the relationship to where it was before. If
you caught your boyfriend cheating on you, what should you do? Forgive him! But that doesn’t
mean you have to get back with him again. That’s all up to you.
Let’s say you caught your boyfriend cheating on you twice. What should you do? Again,
you have to forgive him. Now, do you get back into his arms? If you’re a psychotic with
sadomasochistic tendencies, go ahead. Your desires will be granted.

Forgiveness is also not opening up yourself to more hurt. For example, if your alcoholic
husband beat you up, you still need to forgive him; But do you back into the house? No
way. You run away and never see him until he gets counselling and stops drinking for 6 months.

Forgiveness Heals The “Enemy”
The cousin who molested me has long been dead. So forgiving him in my heart was
enough.
The youth group leader who sexually abused me is still alive. After 30 years, I have yet to
face him. You see, I reported his name to a Bishop, asking that he be barred from doing any
religious work until he gets help for his perversion. I had to protect other young boys who may
be working with him. He has yet to come to me to ask for forgiveness. But even if he does not,
I’ve forgiven him—and sent that “spiritually” to him.
The guy who stole money? As I said, he asked for forgiveness, and I was able to say to him,
“I forgive you.”
When you forgive someone, you also offer healing to that person. Whether he accepts it or
not is not your concern.
And by some magic, you don’t only heal yourself and the other person. You also heal all
your loved ones.

Forgiveness Heals Everyone In Your Life
Imagine a room of ten people.
And one person there stepped on poop. (Sorry, my article is really gross today—about
ingrowns and poop. But bitterness is gross.) Slowly, everyone in the room smells the awful
stench. Only one person has the poop, but everyone is affected by it.
Bitterness is like that.
It wounds everyone. Your family. Your friends.
Bitterness is an evil spirit and people feel it. They smell the poison. They sense it. They
want to run away.
Sometimes, when I enter a home filled with conflicts, I feel the collective wound of the
family. You cannot breathe.
But when a person forgives, he’s like opening a window in a smelly room because one
person stepped on poop. Fresh air comes in. If bitterness wounds everyone, forgiveness heals
everyone too.
My last story is a story that I created, adapted from other sources. Be blessed as you read it.

The Son Who Hated His Father
“Hi John,” the priest greeted his favorite nephew.
“Fr. Chris,” the young man said, his voice betraying his troubled soul.
The cleric felt so much pity for the teen. “I heard you’re having problems with your father.”
A frown formed on John’s face. “You know him. He’s your brother. You know he’s
impossible to deal with. He’s so selfish. He’s so cruel…” He fought back his tears.
“Tell you what, son,” the priest tried to sound encouraging, “let’s pray for him.” He stood
up and pinned the photo of the boy’s father on the wall.
“What’s that?” John asked. The sight of his father’s face stung him. He clenched his fists.
The priest said, “It’s just a way to help us pray for him. It’ll be our visual connection to your
father.”
“But I don’t want to pray for him!” the young man shouted.
At that moment, the phone rang. “Excuse me, son,” Fr. Chris said, “let me answer this call
and I’ll get back to you right away.” He left the room.
John found himself alone, staring at the photo of a man he despised with his entire
being. Seething with rage, he saw a knife on the kitchen counter. On impulse, he grabbed it and
ran back to the photo of his father. “I hate you!” he screamed, and stabbed the photo many,
many times.
That was when Fr. Chris ran back. “Oh my God…,” The priest said, as he could only look in
horror.
His energy spent, John thrust the knife into the photo one last time.
He took one step backward, panting.
“John, I had other photos there,” Fr. Chris said.
“What?” The young man looked at the priest.
Fr. Chris walked to the wall and removed the damaged photo.
John couldn’t believe his eyes.
Because underneath it was John’s photo. Also torn.
The priest explained. “After praying for your father, I wanted to pray for you, John.”
The young man looked at his damaged photo. His face was torn, punctured by the same
stabbing he himself made.
Tears rolled down his cheeks.
But even as his vision blurred, John noticed that there was something else behind his torn
photo.
He pulled it off the wall.
Underneath his photo was the picture of Jesus, His face, also torn, also wounded.
And John collapsed on his knees, and wept for a long time.
— 0 —

This is the ultimate reason why we forgive: Because even if we sin against God, He still
forgives us. We don’t deserve His love, but He loves us anyway.
Heal yourself, my friend.
Forgive anyone who has wronged you.

Bo Sanchez

Do You Want Happy Relationships? Love Yourself.
Here’s my big message today: You can only have happy relationships if you have happy
self‐love.
Nope, I’m not talking about narcissism—or extreme selfishness. Here’s why: I believe
selfish people don’t really love themselves.
Let me tell you my story.
Two years ago, I attended my 25th Alumni Homecoming.
It was great catching up with old friends. We were all bigger, balder, and bumpier in
various parts of our body.
But what gave the heebeejeevies was walking through my old school building. I was
overwhelmed with a flood of not‐so‐happy memories. I realized how much I didn’t like school.
You see, I was a very insecure kid.
I was very shy. I was introverted. I had pimples. I was so thin, they called me tipaklong
(grasshopper). For Filipinos, my nose was large, so they called it a grand piano hanging on my
face.
And some classmates bullied me. They called me names. They pushed me around. They
forced me to do errands. And they made me their lifetime supply of pad paper.
In youth lingo, I was a Loser with a capital L.
But I felt all my classmates were so confident, so large, so outgoing, and so happy. They
loved school.
And so I asked myself this disturbing question: What is wrong with me? Hundreds of
times a day, I would ask myself this question. And for years, this question was my constant
refrain.

What Is Wrong With Me?
25 years later, I know God has healed me because I don’t ask that cynical question as
often anymore.
I now love myself.
I’ve grown in confidence.
And I’ve become successful!
I have a wonderful family and fantastic friends.
I’ve written bestselling books.
And my pimples are gone.
I’ve grown to my ideal weight.
My face is larger, so my nose isn’t a grand piano anymore. (Now it looks more like a
church organ.)
And thanks to my friend, co‐preacher, and couturier, Adrian Panganiban, I dress well. Suits,
ties, the works. He makes clothes for showbiz stars and has made it his personal mission to
make me look guwapo. I think he has succeeded (Ahem).
But may I be honest with you?
At rare times, I still find myself asking that judgmental question: What is wrong with
me?
It’s amazing how after 25 years, a tiny part of me is still that insecure schoolboy that
wanted people to like me.
My problem through all those years?
I didn’t love myself.
For decades, my heart was empty of self‐love.
But was my heart really empty?
Your Heart Filled With Either
Self‐Love Or Neediness
Imagine your heart to be an empty bottle.
But it’s not really empty. It’s actually filled with air.
In the same way, when a human heart doesn’t have self‐love, it isn’t empty. It’s filled with
neediness.
The air in the bottle is a symbol of neediness.
But if you pour water in it, it pushes air out of the bottle. The more water it has, the less
air it has.
That water is self‐love.
I believe the only solution to neediness is self‐love.
If you learn to love yourself, you’ll push out neediness from your heart. The more you
love yourself, the less neediness you have. The less you love yourself, the more neediness you
have.
Would you know neediness if you saw it?

Do You Have Neediness?
Neediness, or a lack of self‐love, is expressed in so many ways. Here are a few of them…
∙ Some, like me, become people‐pleasers. They’ll be kind, gentle, and smile at
everybody so they’ll be liked. Because their substitute for self‐love is to be liked.
∙ Some achieve a lot, get good grades, and do great things. Because their substitute
for self‐love is to be admired.
∙ Some rebel, get angry, disobey, and reject everyone. Because they’re substitute to
be loved is to receive attention.
∙ Some become victims of abuse. (Read my example later.)
As I said, I expressed my neediness in the first way—by becoming a good guy. All these
years, people thought I was such a loving person. (I fooled you, didn’t I?)
But in reality, I wasn’t giving love; I was buying love.
I wasn’t giving love; I was giving neediness. Because you can only give what is in your
heart.
Boy, was I miserable!
Because I lacked self‐love, it was impossible to have a healthy, happy, relationship with
others.
Let me tell you an extreme example…

The Need To Be Needed
Angela is married to her college sweetheart Marty.
But Marty is an alcoholic.
A few times a month, he comes home very drunk and beats Angela. He gives her a black
eye. Slaps on the face. Bruises on the arm.
When he wakes up, he doesn’t even remember what he did.
Marty kneels down before a battered Angela and asks for forgiveness. He’s totally
repentant and sobs like a baby.
But one or two weeks after, he gets drunk again and beats her up again. This insanity
has been going on for seven years.
Many friends have told Angela to leave Marty. And she has. But Marty would find her
and beg her to return. And out of love, she would return home—only to be beaten again.
But is it really out of love?
No. It’s neediness.
Specifically, the need to be needed.
Like me, Angela’s heart is filled with neediness, begging for love. Because she can’t find
love, she mistakes being needed as love. And she finds it in her sick husband.
Angela’s neediness attracted Marty’s neediness. Two needy people needing each
other. It was the perfect recipe for an unhappy marriage. (I’ll talk more about this later.)
I talked to Angela.
I told her the harsh truth, “You don’t really love her husband.”
“How could you say that?” she said, “That’s why I’ve stuck with him…”
“If you really loved him, and not needed him, you would have run away from him a long
time ago and never went near him until he stopped drinking for at least 6 to 12 months. He
doesn’t need gentle love. He needs tough love. Are you willing to give that?”
She closed her eyes and wept.

The Problem Of The Needy Heart
I’m going to expose my age again.
Remember this song by Basil Valdez? “It’s your smile, your face, your lips that I miss;
your sweet little eyes that stare at me and make me say, I’ll be with you through all the way,
‘Cause it’s you, Who fills the emptiness in me…”
Lovely song. But here’s what I learned about relationships: An empty heart can only give
emptiness. And emptiness is another word for neediness.
Have you heard this song by Barry Manilow? “You know I can’t smile without you, I can’t
smile without You, I can’t laugh and I can’t sing, I’m findin’ it hard to do anything…”
I’ll be scared if I have a friend who can’t smile without me.
I’ll be scared if I have kids who can’t smile without me.
I’ll be scared if I have a wife who can’t smile without me.
Or have you heard this one by Mariah Carrey? “I can’t live if living is without you, I can’t
live, I can’t live anymore…”
Beautiful song. But if you’re looking for a spouse, I strongly urge you to look for
someone who can actually live without you—but who will choose to live with you—not because
he needs you, but because he loves you.
But this isn’t that easy. Again, I must warn you: Neediness attracts neediness. A needy
heart is naturally attracted to another needy heart. The reason is obvious. If you can’t get love,
might as well get its counterfeit: neediness.
That’s why some women are jerk magnets. They’re attracted to bad guys because they
need to be needed.
The only solution? Replace neediness with self‐love.
Because you can only have healthy relationships if you have healthy self‐love.

Five Ways Of Filling Your Heart
With Self‐Love
Let me share with you the five powerful ways of how to fill your heart with self‐love. I’ve
tried them. They work marvellously.
Many relationships are suffering right now because of neediness. When you learn to love
yourself, your relationships will be freed from neediness. And your relationships with become
so much happier.
But I must warn you: Five is a big number. You won’t remember them all. What I want
you to do is choose one thing that you believe God wants you to do today. Just one!
Here they are:
1. Believe in your own worthiness
2. Fulfil your dreams
3. Care for your needs
4. Relate with the right God
5. Relate with the right people

Step 1:
Believe In Your Worthiness
Do this for me.
Place your hands over your chest and say this out loud, “I’m a wonderful human
being. I’m a beautiful person. I’m blessed. I’m equipped. I’m anointed. I’m talented. I’m
loved. I’m prosperous. I’m generous. I’m wealthy in every way.”
Do you feel better?
Then say these statements twice a day, once in the morning and once before you sleep
at night!
Personally, I had to change my constant question in my mind. Instead of asking, “What’s
wrong with me?” I had to start asking, “What’s right about me?”
Get a piece of paper and answer that question. Write whatever comes to mind. The
longer the list, the better!
Second, go to a loved one—and ask her, “What’s right about me? What’s great about
me? What’s wonderful about me?”
Write down her answers.
And echo the Psalms when it says, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
When you appreciate your worth, it’ll be much easier to appreciate the worth of
others. And you’ll find your relationships growing in love.

Step 2:
Fulfil Your Dreams
This actually saved me.
I wasn’t very good with Step 1, “Believe In Your Worthiness”.
But by God’s grace, I learned my mission early. I gave my first talk as a 13‐year old boy and
it changed my life. I suddenly knew my sacred mission.
I learned to dream about my ministry a long time ago.
But I had a hard time dreaming about my dreams—like what house I wanted to live in and
how much money I wanted to earn or what car I wanted to drive. Because I felt this would be
selfish. Shouldn’t my whole life be for God alone?
But years later, I learned that to honor those dreams in my heart was to honor God who
gave me those dreams.
I began to love myself by working on fulfilling my dreams.
Do yourself a big favor. First, know your dreams. Second, go and reach for your dreams.
Why will this bless your relationships? Because once you honor your dreams, you’ll be
able to honor the dreams of others too. You’ll encourage people in your life to grow.

Step 3:
Care For Your Needs
My wife calls me a low‐maintenance husband.
I don’t need much to be happy.
A part of that is good. But a part of that comes from my past: For years, I felt guilty if I
wanted something. Like it was a bad thing. I had to wrestle with that too.
Later on, I learned to be aware of my needs and meet them generously.
One of my strongest needs is to be quiet, to be alone, to read a book, to reflect. So I give
that to myself as often as I can.
My other need is to exercise regularly.
And when I’m exhausted, I get a massage. My wife knows that if I want to feel loved, she’ll
give me a foot massage. It beats a delicious casserole anytime.
And about money. There was a time when I didn’t like spending for myself, just for
others. Again, I felt selfish if I did.
I could spend money as long as it’s for God or for others. But I’ve always had a hard time
spending for my own needs.
Hey, perhaps this isn’t your problem. I know others who come from the opposite
direction: All they do is spend for themselves and don’t give to God or others. Well, I believe
God will pull you towards my direction. And we’ll meet somewhere in the middle!
But slowly, I’m learning. Last month, I bought a nice pair of headphones for myself. It
was the noise‐cancelling headphones, great when you want to sleep in airplanes. I still couldn’t
buy the expensive brand that costs P5000. So I just bought the cheap brand worth P800. But
still, I felt wonderful.
Being a simple person, I still have very few needs. But those needs, I try to honor whenever
I can.
Go ahead. Write your own needs on a piece of paper. And see how you can honor them
too.
Again, this simple act will bless your relationships because you can now serve people’s
needs with a heart full of love, not neediness.

Step 4:
Relate To The Right Image of God
I’ve met people whose God is always angry and condemning. Then I’m sorry, prayer
won’t help. Because you’re praying to the wrong god.
Fix your picture of God.
Read books on God’s Love. Talk to spiritual people who have the right image of
God. Capture this vision.
And allow that God to love you.
Let Him whisper to your heart that you’re more wonderful than you can ever imagine.
This is one of the goals of the GodWhispersClub. If you’re not yet subscribed, log on at
www.GodWhispersClub.com. You’ll get a GodWhispers Email twice a week. It’s free.
When you change your image of God, your relationships with others will change by leaps
and bounds because you become like the God that you worship. If you worship a judgmental
god, you’ll be judgmental too. But if you start worshipping a God of great compassion and love,
you’ll (slowly) be like Him too.

Step 5:
Relate To The Right People
Remember: Needy people attract needy people.
So be careful with the people who enter into your life.
If you’re not careful, you may end up with an inappropriate number of what many
authors call “Emotional Vampires”. These are people who suck out your love and joy. There are
many kinds of Emotional Vampires: The Demanding. The arrogant and the self‐righteous. The
bitter. The unfaithful. The manipulative. Addicts. Parasites. Complainers. Critics.
Imagine your life as a three‐seater couch.
Because you only have 24 hours a day, there’s a limit to the people who you can hang
out with—in the same way that there are a limited number of people who can sit on that
couch.
If the spaces are filled, they’re filled. Your life isn’t like Facebook where you can
accommodate 5000 friends.
Here’s my point: If you’re always hanging out with Emotional Vampires who suck out
your love, you won’t have time to hang out with great, nourishing, and inspiring people who
can give you love.
Look. I’m not saying you should get rid of your toxic spouse or toxic mother. I’m not
saying you don’t spend time with needy people. Love them! Remember that Jesus spent time
with tax‐collectors, prostitutes, and drunkards, reaching out to them in love. That was His main
ministry. But He balanced this by spending time with his disciples and with His Father too.
So increase your time with people whose hearts aren’t filled with neediness but
love. When you surround yourself with the right people, you fill your heart with love too. So
look for mentors, teachers, and coaches who can bless you.
It could even be a virtual mentor.
For example, by reading my Soulfood Letter each week, you’re “spending time” with
me. You’ve made me a virtual mentor. (I’m happy to be of service to you.)
Proverbs 13:20 says, Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with
fools will suffer harm.

Choose One Assignment From God
Now that you’ve read all five actions, pick one.
Not two, or three, or four, or five.
Just one assignment from God for today.
1. Believe in your own worthiness
2. Fulfil your dreams
3. Care for your needs
4. Relate with the right God
5. Relate with the right people
Done?
Great.
But hey, whatever you chose is still pretty broad.
Write down what one specific action you can do today.
Love yourself, my friend.

Bo Sanchez

Happy Relationships Throw More Parties
Guy 1: Cecilia is so beautiful.
Guy 2: Oh yes. She looks like Demi Moore in Ghost. (Note: This conversation happened
centuries ago.)
Guy 1: If given a chance, would you want to marry her?
Guy 2: Uh….no, not really.
Guy 1: Why not?
Guy 2: How should I put it? Cecilia’s uh…not a happy person.
Guy 1: You noticed that too?
Guy 2: She’s gloomy. She’s a negative person. She may be beautiful, but I don’t want to
live with a negative person for the rest of my life.
Guy 1: So unlike Stella.
Guy 2: Now there’s a cheerful girl. I really like her. So kind. So friendly. Always has a
lovely smile.
Guy 1: She’s not as beautiful as Demi Moore.
Guy 2: But she’s the kind of woman I’ll marry.
Guy 1: What? You have a crush on her too?
Guy 2: Hey, fall in line bro.
This conversation actually happened some twenty years ago between two of my single
friends. In fact, we were all single. And believe me, Stella was like a guy magnet. Five of my
friends had a crush on her.
Except for me, of course. I was immune to crushes. Because I looked at all females the
way I looked at common furniture. Because my heart was focused on God alone. (And my nose
is getting longer right this minute…)
Here’s a lesson for single people: I’ve learned that guys may lust after physical beauty,
but when it comes to marriage, they’ll look deeper. One of the most important things they’ll
look for is a happy woman.
Why? Because a guy knows that one of his roles is to make his wife happy. If he marries
a happy woman, his job will be so much easier.
Because at the end of the day, we all want happiness.

Are Your Homes Happy?
After one of my talks, a very anxious mother approached me and asked, “Bo, can you
help me? I have a problem with my 18‐year old daughter. She’s like a bed spacer in our
house. She goes home only to sleep. She’s always with her friends…”
I had very little time to talk to her, so I took my best shot. I asked her, “Is there
happiness at home?”
Here’s my belief. I believe kids will love to go home if there’s love in the home.
Have you heard that great old song from 1964? (For your information, I didn’t hear the
original version. I heard this song in a revival in American Idol.)
A chair is still a chair even when there’s no one sitting there. But a chair is not a house,
and a house is not a home, when there’s no one there, to hold you tight, and no one
there, that you can kiss good night…
Friend, is there happiness in your home?
I’ve noticed that the happiest relationships have a rhythm of celebration. In other
words, they throw parties.
I don’t mean a party with balloons and clowns (though that’ll be great too), but putting
a “party spirit” in your relationship.
I’ve got four fantastic suggestions.

1. Make The Family Meal A Party
I know of a man who has 11 children.
When he goes home from work, he does a very important ritual before entering his
front door. He mentally unloads all his problems at the front porch. Because his kids need a
happy Dad.
When he enters the door, he shouts, “Hi kids!” And 11 kids rush to him to give him a
hug. He then wrestles them on the floor and they play together.
And when mealtime comes, he makes everyone laugh. He inspires everyone with his
stories.
Alas, the typical family meal isn’t like this.

Jack And Jill Went Up The Hill
The typical family meal is where parents hold court and pass judgments and vent anger
Let me give you an example.
The father turns to his eldest son, Jack, and asks, “Pass the rice. By the way, how was
your exam this morning?” He doesn’t allow him to answer. He answers for him, “I won’t be
surprised if you got a zero. Because I don’t see you studying. The good news is that we can save
money because we can sell your schoolbooks next year as brand new!”
He then turns to his daughter, Jill, (You know, Jack and Jill…) “Pass the gravy. By the
way, where were you last night? With your ugly boyfriend again? Can you tell me what planet
he comes from? I can accept earrings in the ear. But why does he have earrings on his nose? Is
he a cow?”
He then turns to his youngest daughter, Hill. (You know, Jack and Jill went up the hill…)
“Pass the salt. And you, were you born with a telephone in your hand? You already were with
your obnoxious friends in school, why do you have to spend three more hours talking with
them on the phone?”
And finally, it’s the youngest son’s turn, Pail. (Okay, they really like this Nursery
Rhyme.) “Pass the cake. And you, what did you do today aside from wasting your time playing
those crappy video games! And are you deaf? Your music is either very loud or extremely
loud. Go to the doctor and have your ears checked!”
No wonder the family meal is an endangered species.
Parents, please. Make your meals happy!
Here’s a rule you should write on stone: Ban all sermons when you’re around the
table. Instead, feed your children with dishes of laughter, platefuls of inspiration, and trays of
encouragement. Make every family meal a joyful occasion.

2. Hold A Family Night Each Week
My kids love Family nights.
If they had it their way, it’ll be done every night.
Sometimes, we watch a movie at home, with a barrel of popcorn. (According to my son
Benedict, a movie without popcorn is a horrific crime.)
Sometimes, we play games together. Monopoly, Charades, Pictionary, and Trivia.
Sometimes, we all play video games together. Obviously, the kids always win and the
parents lose. But that’s okay. Instead of banning video games from our kids, we enter into their
digital worlds. Doing so makes us able to guide them against violent games.
Sometimes, we go to a bookstore and eat ice cream.
I believe the weekly Family Night is a mini‐party that you should never miss. Believe me,
when you’re old and grey (or old and bald), you’ll look back at these times and thank God you
had them!

3. Weekly Dates With Each Family Member
I date my wife each week.
I consider that a mini‐party too.
Years ago, we had very little money.
So we had dates in our garage.
Sometimes, we took a quiet walk in our neighborhood.
One day, I thought of something crazy. We ate at home, dressed up really well, and
went to a 5‐Star hotel. We entered the hotel like we were millionaires. No one knew we had
very little money in our pockets. And confidently, I ordered a glass of Coke. And for 2 solid
hours, we enjoyed the violin music and beautiful ambiance—all the while sipping our Coke very
slowly.
I date my kids each week, too. Those are mini‐parties. Sometimes, it’s just donuts. Other
times, we walk around a mall. Other times, we play a game together. The key is to make it fun.
I also date my mother every other week. This is such a simple thing, but it means the world
to her.
I have regular dates with my friends, too. Our spiritual community, Light of Jesus, is
organized around small groups called Caring Groups that meet weekly. Amazingly, I have four
Caring Groups, so my weeks are pretty busy having fun times with my many friends.
One last suggestion…

4. Annual Family Celebrations
Create your own Family’s “Liturgical Calendar”.
Sit down and block off the most important dates of the year.
For example, plan everyone’s birthdays.
Many times, it’s very spontaneous. “Oh, it’s your birthday today? Let’s have dinner…” So
why not plan a bit more? Go camping in the backyard, or visit an orphanage, or invite your
child’s friends for a sleepover, or go out and have a mini‐vacation together.
Mark off also your wedding anniversary, Valentines, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and
Grandparents’ Day.
One Valentine’s Day, I did something I cherish to this day. I set up two chairs and a little
wooden table in our backyard. I scattered candles all over the grass, dressed in a coat and tie,
and brought out my CD player to play Kenny G romantic music. I then ordered pizza. Finally, I
got my guitar and sang an original song I wrote for her that day…
Ikaw ang awit ng buhay, Ang tinig ng langit
Ikaw ang himig at kulay, Ng pusong nagmamahal sa iyo
Refrain:
Biyayang galing sa taas, Anghel sa lupa’y naglalakad
Ikaw ang awit ng puso ko…
That happened a long time ago, but I still remember my wife’s tears that special night.
— 0 —
Look at the big Feasts of your faith—Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, etc. Example: During the
entire Advent season, we light the Advent wreath as a family for 4 weeks straight before
Christmas.
Other important days: First day in school. Last day in school. Graduation. First Job of the
new Graduate. It could be Jimbo, the pet dog, giving birth to four puppies.
Hey, if there’s a reason to celebrate, throw a party!

3 Ingredients For Throwing Parties
Let me share three things to make these parties work.

Ingredient #1:
Gratitude
Someone might say, “But Bo, I’m a melancholic person. I’m not like you. I’m the loner and
shy type. I really don’t like these party‐spirit thing.”
Excuse me, but I’m melancholic too.
Every psychological test I’ve taken confirms without a shadow of a doubt that I’m
melancholic. Remember that there are 4 personality types: Melancholic (that’s me), Sanguine
(Bubbly, cheerful types), Choleric (Those with cholera), and Phlegmatic (Those with lots of
phlegm).
I love being alone. I’d rather be quiet than talk. (Honest!) But I had to adjust. I had to do
things that weren’t natural to my personality.
Here’s the truth: Celebrating your relationships doesn’t depend on having a bubbly or
cheerful personality. It depends on your depth of gratitude.
You throw a party because you’re grateful to the person for being there in your life.
If you believe that the people in your life are your greatest gifts from God, then you throw
parties often to thank them.
Even if we know it’s a lot of hard work.

Ingredient #2:
Hard Work
Have you ever prepared for a birthday party before?
It’s always hard work.
But who said love isn’t hard work? As I said before, love is about dirty hands, not just
beating hearts.
Finally, the third ingredient is very important too.

Ingredient #3:
Creativity
Throwing parties requires some creativity.
Do you want to be more creative?
Copy. Get inspiration from others. It’s the secret of the greatest artists in the world:
Leonardo de Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso, Rembrandt, Bo Sanchez, etc…
You don’t know how to express your love in a playful way?
Ask others what they do. Do some research.
Through the years, I’ve given many cards to my wife. Let me share with you two of them
today. You’ll notice that I’m not very original. I stole all these from various sources…
Card #1
I framed this card. I basically got the text from an email I received. Probably Spam. Not
much originality. But she loved it so much, it’s still on her bedside table after all these years.
My Dearest Valentine,
You are the… apple of my eye, mango of my pie, palaman of my tinapay, keso of my
monay, teeth of my suklay, fingers on my kamay, blood in my atay, sala of my bahay,
foundation of my tulay, seeds of my palay, best clothes in my ukay‐ukay, calcium in my
kalansay, calamansi on my siomai, knot on my tie, toyo on my kuchay, vitamins in my
gulay, stars of my sky, sand of my Boracay, beauty of my Brunei, highlands of my
Tagaytay, mole on my Ate Guy, baba of my Ai‐Ai, spinach of my Popeye, sizzle when I
fry, wind when I paypay, tungkod when I’m pilay, feeling when I’m high, shoulder when
I cry, wings when I fly, prize when I vie, cure to my “ARAY!”, my honey even after I die…
From your one and only,
HAPPY VALENTAY!

Card #2
Here’s my final example.
Again, I stole the photos from the internet too, but I edited the text to fit my purpose.

A PSYCHOLOGY TEST TO MEASURE LOVE
It has already been proven that someone in love has a keener sense of observation. His mind is
more alert, his perception more accurate. Doctors suggest that this is so because heightened
emotions of love cause blood circulation to flow more freely in the right hemisphere of the
brain. Today, you will be shown a photo of two almost identical dolphins. Here’s the test: You
can now measure whether a person is in love by the number of slight differences he sees
between the two dolphins. The more differences you see, the more in love you are. Turn this
paper now and count the many differences you can see between the two dolphins—and find
out how in love you really are…

(By the way, I took the test and realized how insanely I’m in love with you. Love, your
husband.)
Let me end with the story of prodigal son.
When the “bad” son came home, his father threw a party. The son wanted to beg for
forgiveness, but the father wasn’t even listening. Instead, he said, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe
and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. Then go and get the prize calf
and kill it, and let us celebrate with a feast!
God loves parties.
And God loves to throw a party to people who don’t deserve a party. If you’re reading
this, thinking of your sins, wondering if God still loves you, let tell you: God is throwing a party
of love for you right now. He loves you more than you can imagine.
Receive His love today.
And learn to throw more parties in your life.
Your relationships need them badly.

Bo Sanchez

Wealth Is A Feeling
Wealth is measured by how grateful you are.
Let me shock you. Wealth is not primarily your cash or your houses or your cars. I
believe wealth is first of all an emotion. Wealth is a feeling.
The true measure of wealth is not your money, your real estate, or your jewels. The true
measure of wealth is how grateful you are. The more grateful you are, the wealthier you
are. The less grateful you are, the less wealthy you are. It’s that simple.
20 years ago, I was earning P30 a day. Yet I felt so rich. Because I was so grateful for
God’s blessings. Today, I even feel richer. Not just because I earn more, but because I’ve
become even more grateful.
As I told you before, there are three levels of gratitude: Superficial, Simple, and Sacred.
1. Superficial Gratitude
Superficial Gratitude is being thankful for big‐ticket items.
A house. Car. Marriage. Baby. Healing. Big Business deal.
Superficial gratitude is very good, but I warn you that it doesn’t last very long.
Like yesterday, I read a story of a man who finally passed the bar exam after 9
attempts. For those 9 years, passing the bar exam was like a full time job. But finally, he passed
it! Imagine if you’re John. You’d be very grateful. But soon, you’d have new problems as a
lawyer.
I remember my friend who finally got married at the age of 51. Imagine her joy. I’m sure
she was very grateful. But eventually, new problems will come up. Like marital problems.
Superficial gratitude is good, but it doesn’t last. Because after awhile, big problems
come with big blessings.
You need to move to the second level of gratitude.
2. Simple Gratitude
I believe there’s no difference between big and small gifts from God.
Last month, I gave my mother a trip to the US. I felt that at her age, she should already
meet all her friends in America before they leave planet earth and go to Heaven. Obviously, at
84 years old, she couldn’t go alone. So I had to pay for my sister to go with her too. So it was a
big, expensive gift.
But I give Mom small gifts too. Like every two weeks, I bring her out on a date. I don’t
really spend much on those dates—just a simple restaurant meal and that’s it.
But if you ask my mother, “Tita Pilar, what gift do you most appreciate from Bo—your
US trip or your dates with him?”—I’m sure she’ll say, “Both. I love them both. They’re equal in
my eyes.”
Here’s what I learned: When it comes to love, there’s no such thing as a small gift.
Take your breathing for example. Is that a small gift or a big gift?
It was Fr. Leonardo Polinar who said, “What if God put an Oxygen meter in your
nose. And an Angel came to your door collecting monthly payments for oxygen?”
Collector Angel: “Your monthly bill, Brother Bo.”
Bo: “Oh no! Why is it so big?”
Collector angel: “Your nose is so large.”
Bo: “But last month wasn’t this big.”
Collector angel: “Perhaps your snoring got worse this month.”
Or how about daily food. Is that a small gift or a big gift?
I was very touched when my friend Dave Quintana shared this with me. He’s an
American missionary who worked among the poorest of the poor in Payatas. One day, he met a
little boy there, working in the garbage dump.
He befriended him and asked him, “What’s your favorite food?” For a few seconds, the
boy didn’t answer. The question was totally foreign to him.
He finally said, “Yung pagkain na hindi bulok.”
Food that isn’t spoiled. That was his favorite food.
Now tell me: Is your daily food a small gift or big gift?
But even Simple Gratitude is not the deepest form of gratitude.
3. Sacred Gratitude
The deepest gratitude is Sacred Gratitude.
The Bible says, Be thankful in all circumstances. This gratitude is no longer tied to
circumstances. You’re no longer attached to circumstances or outcomes or results. Because no
matter what happens, you believe that God will work for your good.
If you have Sacred Gratitude, you’re always thankful. You’re thankful for life, for love,
for God, for presence, for happiness… You’re thankful for the fact that you’re alive. You’re
thankful because you exist.
At this point, gratitude is no longer something that you do. Gratitude is who you are. If
you have Sacred Gratitude, you become one of the wealthiest persons in the world.
So, Is Money Not Wealth?
Money without gratitude isn’t wealth. It’s poverty.
But gratitude with money is true wealth.
Here’s why gratitude is the true measure of wealth: Gratitude is a special magnet. It
attracts whatever you’re grateful for.
When I’m grateful for the love in my life, I attract more of it. My relationships get
deeper. My friendships become stronger.
When I’m grateful for money, I attract more money. The right people come into my
life. Doors open before me. Opportunities fall at my feet.
Friend, how grateful are you?
Bo Sanchez

What Is God’s Call For Your Life?
Last month, I was invited to speak to a special Kids for Christ gathering.
But I couldn’t make it. So the unbelievable happened. The organizers invited my 9‐year
old son, Bene, to speak instead. Ha!
I wasn’t there. But my wife was there. My mother was there. My mother‐in‐law was
there. My sisters were there. My nephews and nieces were there. Goodness, everyone else in
my planet was there—giving their full support to him. After all, it was his first time to ever give
a talk.
According to witnesses (biased, I’m afraid), he spoke like a pro. They said he spoke like
me. But there must be a grain of truth to these biased observations because right after his
speech, he received invitations to speak all over the country—and even as far as Singapore!
I now believe in the improvement of the race. I started preaching at age 13. My son
starts preaching at 9. I was invited to speak internationally when I was 20. He gets invited
internationally at 9 too.
Funny, but all these years, I’ve never told my son, “Bene, I want you to be a preacher
like me.” In fact, I told him, “Bene, I want you to be anything God wants you to be. He’ll fill your
heart with a passion for what He wants you to be. You can be a chef, an artist, a
businessman… Anything!”
But even before his first talk, he already told his mother weeks ago, “Mommy, I think my
core gift is to speak to large audiences.”
My wife was shocked. How did he know? When he said this, he never even tried
speaking to a large audience. It was eerie.
And then he gave the talk—which proved his statement true.
At this point, I still don’t know what my son will be when he grows up. He’s still
discerning his call. He may still become a chef (he likes cooking his own breakfast) or be a
businessman (he started his first business selling bangus at age 5). I’d be happy whatever his
call is.
Here’s a simple message I’d like to share with you. I believe discerning God’s call for
your life isn’t complicated. I think it’s downright simple. Just ask yourself, What’s my
wealth? That’s what He wants you to give to Him. And that’s His special call for your life.
In Luke 18:22, Jesus called the rich young man to sell all he had and follow Him. God
gave him material wealth so that he can give it away and bless others.
My wealth is to communicate through preaching and writing. That is what I have in
abundance. And so for the past 30 years, I’ve been giving it away and blessing the world with
my “wealth”.
My wife’s wealth is her being a wonderful mother. And this too is her call from God, at
least for this stage of her life. She cares for our two boys fulltime and even teaches them
herself. Yes, we’re crazy. We homeschool them. (For more information on homeschooling, log
on at www.CatholicFilipinoAcademy.com)
What do you have in abundance?
What is your core gift?
What is your wealth?
Go ahead. Share it to the world.
This is God’s call for your life.
Bo Sanchez

How To Make Money Without Robbing Your Soul.
This morning, I was doing my usual brisk walk around our village when I bumped into my
Lebanese neighbor with the big black dog. He said, “Hey Bo, after your last round, lets have
coffee!”
So over a hot cup of brew, I got to know him more.
His name is Ammar. For several years, he ran a small business in Dubai until he shut it
down to try his luck here in Manila.
I asked him, “Why did you give up your business there?”
“It was so difficult to earn,” he said. “People became too greedy.” He talked about how
everyone kept jacking up their prices every year—from landlords, suppliers, and the
government itself… He couldn’t earn anymore and simply left.
He began to talk about a more peaceful time when it wasn’t like that.
“Twenty years ago, people put God and others first. Not money. When you need help,
they’ll be there to help you. They won’t try to squeeze the last dollar from you. They’ll earn,
yes, but they’ll make you earn too. So that everyone will be happy.”
I had to break our chat because of my work.
So I didn’t have time to tell my story. To boast, actually.
To tell him that in my own businesses today, it’s exactly how he described it: It’s about
God and people first before it’s about money. I sell stuff and my customers are my friends. My
suppliers are my friends. My partners are my friends. We all earn and are happy. We don’t try
to squeeze out the last Peso from each other.
But I earn very well. I have 16 sources of income. From small businesses to real
estate. It’s been amazing.
Can I earn double or triple if I was greedy and thought only for myself? Yes,
absolutely. But why do that? It wouldn’t be fun. I’ll always be looking behind my back,
wondering who will stab me. I’ll always be anxious. I’ll be tossing and turning on bed. And I
would be robbing my soul of inner peace.
For me, business is ministry. It’s about serving people.
Friend, I’d like to teach you how to make money without robbing your soul. I’d like to
teach you the way of true abundance. To actually grow in your financial and spiritual life. Yes,
there’s a way of becoming rich and being a wonderful human being!
How? I’m inviting you to join my TrulyRichClub. (I’ve reworked it and made it doubly
better. Find out how it can bless you two times more.)
Each month, I’ll “download” to you practical and inspirational wisdom to make you
become wealthy in every area of your life. Each month, you’ll receive a constant stream of
knowledge‐transference from my heart to your heart.
Because at the end of the day, the biggest block of getting rich is a poor man’s
mindset. Yes, I can help you gain an abundance mindset.
But I warn you that this isn’t just talk. Because I’ll actually help you earn passive income
from your TrulyRichClub membership. It’s a bit too long to explain it here on this page. If you
want to know more about it, click the link below.
Yes Bo, Tell Me How I Can Change My Financial Life
Don’t miss this chance. I believe the TrulyRichClub can change your financial and
spiritual life
Bo Sanchez

How To Turn Your Passion Into Profit
I simply love to write.
When I see a blank screen on my computer and poise my fingers on the keyboard—I feel
absolutely wonderful. Like I’m about to give birth to a child. And when words spill from my
imagination, forming sentences and paragraphs and worlds before me—I’m in ecstasy. Writing
is my natural drug. It lifts me up. It transports me to another galaxy.
Preaching is my other love, a close cousin of writing.
I love preparing for a talk. I love reading a ton of books and culling the best ideas. I love
crafting a message. I love choosing the best stories and weaving them together. When I create
my talks—and then give it to an audience—I’m in heaven.
I don’t get paid to preach every Sunday. Not a cent. But I’ll do it more than anything
else in the world. Each Sunday, I give three talks in the FEAST at Valle Verde Country Club in
Pasig—and this is televised nationally. Thousands of people come each week because they get
blessed and inspired. But I have a secret. They don’t know that I get even more
blessed. Why? Because I learn more. I’m able to serve, using the core gifts He has given me.
But I had a slight problem…

Find A Business Angle To Your Passion
For years, I thought my writing and speaking skills were only for ministry. I never thought I
could use them for business.
So years ago, I ventured into other types of businesses to earn money. I put up a hotdog
and ice cream stand in the mall, a squid ball stand on the street. I also sold memorial plans,
herbal juice, and engine oil.
All these businesses no longer exist because they weren’t my passions. When problems
came up, I didn’t have the perseverance to keep them going.
One day, I came to my senses. Why was I veering away from my core gifts?
Here’s one example: Because I know my passion is writing and speaking, I now give
corporate talks and seminars. (I also created a speakers bureau and corporate training center so
companies can get the best speakers for their employee training, but that’s another story.)
I had to learn how to speak in a non‐spiritual setting. My message didn’t change, but my
presentation did. So yes, I had to tweak my speaking skills.
Today, because I guard my time for ministry, I price myself very high so I don’t accept
too many corporate invitations. I only speak in corporate settings about once a month. I like it
that way, so I have more time for ministry. Companies have to pay an arm and a leg to pull me
away from my ministry. I’m probably one of the highest paid corporate speakers in the
country. I donate much of what I earn, so my ministry is blessed.

More Practical Strategies At The TrulyRichClub
Friend, I want you to prosper.
And I believe the only way for you do that is to stick to your core gift.
Knowing this one thing will revolutionize your financial life!
Now I have a confession to make: I wrote the above article last year. Yes, that long. I
wrote this in my WealthStrategies, a special newsletter I write exclusively for TrulyRichClub
members only. I write to them each week! So I’ve already written 50+ articles for them that you
haven’t even seen or read—unless you’re a TrulyRichClub member.
Each Friday to be exact, I “download” to my TrulyRichClub members very powerful,
practical strategies that they can use right away to prosper their financial life. That’s not all.
I “download” to them two (2) of my best Audio Talks each month—something I call
PowerTalks. I also give them for free an OnLine Seminar and great Ebooks. I basically guide my
TrulyRichClub Gold and SuperGold members to the right path of earning money. (Every once in
awhile, I mail them a surprise gift too.)
Let me personally invite you to join my brand new TrulyRichClub. Make it a Christmas
gift to yourself.
It’ll bless you. You’ll be blown away by what you’ll receive every month.
To know more about the TrulyRichClub, click the link below:
Yes Bo, help me achieve my financial dreams.

Bo Sanchez

My Christmas Wish: May Your Love Grow More Than Your Waistline!

Thank you for being part of my life.
You’re God’s great blessing to me!
Thank you for reading my blog.
I especially thank you for joining KerygmaFamily.com and my TrulyRichClub.com (If not
yet, please do so! Give yourself a great Christmas gift and join me now. Read my P.S. below.)
Here’s my prayer for you this Christmas…
Have a blessed Jesus‐filled Christmas.
May your waistline not increase too much, but may your capacity to love and forgive
grow by leaps and bounds.
May your family and friends laugh around the table, and eat not only delicious food but
also the joy of sumptuous relationships.
May your little children experience not just new toys and new clothes but new depths of
love.
Merry Christmas!
Bo Sanchez

Make 2010 Your Financial Breakthrough Year!
I’m a successful writer.
My mother says so, and I’ve learned (the hard way) that you can’t argue with my
mother. Or you experience grave consequences.
What are the most important skills of my success as a writer?
Two essential skills:
1. My Writing Skills
2. My Relationship Skills
If I only had Writing Skills but no Relationship Skills, my success would be isolated to
writing. Or it would be a short‐lived success.
I didn’t ask a publisher to publish my books, but even if I did—I still would have needed
relationship skills. Why? A big publisher receives thousands of manuscripts from would‐be
authors every year. How will they pick 50 books to publish from that mountain of
books? Answer: Relationship.
Unless of course you’ve got exceptional writing skills. Perhaps the publisher will notice
the needle in the haystack. But if all the manuscripts look the same, the publisher will do
business with someone he knows. That’s the rule of sales: The customer will buy from a friend
rather than from a stranger.
How do you move from “stranger status” to “friend status”?
Remember that as a writer, you’re not just a writer.
You’re also a salesman.
Everyone is. And salesmen don’t sell stuff. They sell themselves first.
As a writer, I took the more difficult route of building a publishing company.
And making that company publish my books.
That meant working with an enormous number of people. We had to hire staff (50+
now), set‐up distribution channels, buy vehicles, etc. Being a non‐profit organization, we don’t
have much profit to show. We do sell P75M worth of books and magazines each year, but with
almost zero net profits because we give it all away. Our real profit is the changed lives of our
readers. Again—it was relationship skills that made it all work. Great relationships with
staff. Great relationships with suppliers. And great relationships with customers.
But for writers today, the world has changed.
Through the internet, you don’t need a publisher anymore.
You can be a one‐man publisher. You can write a blog, make it popular, and build a
relationship with your audience. You can give away your first Ebook for free. If it’s any good, it
will spread virally. People will get to know you, email you, flag you, ping you, forward you,
etcetera. And when you feel that your relationship with your readers is strong, you can start
selling them an Ebook or a printed book. (How? Print it yourself or work with print‐on‐demand
publishers).
Did you notice? It’s relationship skills again—even if it’s all digital.

My Wealthiest Mentors Are Powerful Relationship Builders
My Mentor—who’s a Billionaire—has the most incredible relationships skills I’ve ever
seen. His days are filled with lunches with the key people in his businesses: (1) partners, (2)
employees, (3) suppliers, (4) regulators, and (5) customers.
Oh, he has lunches with me too. I don’t fall in any of those 5 categories, but that’s just
the kind of guy he is. Whenever I ask him if he’s free for lunch, his standard answer is, “I’m
always free. I’m not doing anything.” Haha.
He told me a fascinating story. Whenever he sees one of his customers in a restaurant,
he’ll secretly pay for their bill. (He sells office furniture, so these “customers” were the guys in
the purchasing department of various companies.) That was his way of thanking them for doing
business with him.
One day, he saw a guy who did business with him years ago. He paid for his bill. It was
P2T. The guy “caught” him in the act and they started talking. He also mentioned that he had
transferred to another company.
Two weeks later, this guy called up my Mentor. His new company needed office
furniture. My Mentor sold them P150M worth of stuff! Not bad for a P2T investment, right?
Of course, my Mentor has the reputation of being the best in his industry. His products
are top‐of‐the‐line but their after‐sales service is even better.
His character—plus the ability to connect—made him a billionaire.
It’s your turn.
Many of you aren’t increasing your wealth because you’re not increasing your relationship
skills. Increase your wealth by increasing your ability to build relationships.

I Speak Forth Abundance Into Your Life
I believe in the power of words. Words are very powerful.
Today, I declare a season of increase for your 2010.
I declare wisdom. I declare prosperity. I declare open doors. I declare divine
appointments. I declare supernatural opportunities. Receive financial abundance into your life
this coming year.
Say this with me, “This 2010, I shall receive an abundance of financial blessings into my
life!”

I Wrote This 6 Months Ago
To My TrulyRichClub Members
I have a confession to make: The main ideas of this article above is something I wrote 6
months ago. Each week, I write a WealthStrategies newsletter exclusively sent to my
TrulyRichClub members. That means I write 52 very important articles a year for them. The
piece above is only 1 of those 52 articles.
Imagine receiving each of those 52 articles this 2010.
To become wealthy, I believe you need to make these simple—but very crucial—changes
in your daily thinking. And in your daily actions.
I want to help you make become wealthy.
I want to help you make these simple changes in your life so that you can open yourself
to more financial blessings.
Make 2010 your breakthrough year. Grow your financial blessings this new year. Join me
and become an exclusive Gold or SuperGold member of my TrulyRichClub. For more
information, click on at the link below:

Yes Bo, Help Me Make 2010 My Breakthrough Year In My Finances!

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