Are You Sexually Pure?

By Bo Sanchez


May I disturb you?

Last Sunday, I disturbed the 6000+ people attending the Kerygma Conference.

Because that morning, God disturbed me too.

He woke me up and told me to totally change my talk. Just like that. I had barely a few minutes to prepare, so I didn’t even know everything I was going to say.

On stage, I opened the Bible to Matthew 11:28:“Come to me all of you who are weary and tired and I will give you rest…” That passage is so well known, you even see it in Hallmark cards. But very few read the hard-to-understand verse after that. Verse 29 says, “Take my yoke upon you…”

Which is a rather strange way of giving someone rest!

Just in case you didn’t know, a yoke is the heavy wooden beam that you put on cattle or oxen, so they could pull a plow or pull a wagon. Not very restful, I assure you. What in the world was Jesus talking about?

I told the 6000+ people listening to me that there were two kinds of tired people: Those tired because of their trials and those tired because of their sins. And it was the second group of people I wanted to speak to.

Are you tired because of the yoke of sin?

I believe no one on this planet ever walks without a yoke. No one! There are only two yokes available: You either carry the yoke of God or the yoke of sin. (Anyone who defines “freedom” as freedom away from God is carrying the heaviest yoke or burden of all.)

I then told my audience, “God woke me up this morning to tell me that today, we need to make a commitment—on our knees—to the yoke of purity.”

That day, I just felt a burden in my heart to preach about purity.

I said, “You either carry the yoke of purity or the yoke of impurity. Both are yokes. But one is a million times heavier than the other. And the word ‘million’ is a gross understatement.”

The crowd was silent. More silent than usual. I knew I was hitting a sore spot—a topic no one wanted to talk about.

“Friends, I know the yoke of impurity,” I said, “I was addicted to pornography for decades. Let me tell you—I liken porn to swallowing vomit. It sucked my life. It consumed so much of my time and energy, it almost destroyed my life and dreams. Until God came into my life and He asked me to give it up, in exchange for the beautiful and very light yoke of purity.”

A Word To Boyfriends And Girlfriends

I also talked to singles in relationships. “Stop playing around with this beautiful gift of purity. Don’t open this gift, toss it around, or smudge it. Preserve it and give it to each other on the day of your wedding.”

I asked them to set the bar high. “When my wife and I became boyfriend and girlfriend, we decided not to kiss each other on the lips. It was crazy. And believe me, it was difficult! The struggle was great. But we set the bar very high so that if ever we failed, the slippage won’t be deep. That decision kept our relationship pure. We explored each other’s minds, not each other’s bodies. On our wedding day, we were able to give ourselves the beautiful gift of purity.”

“I know that others put the bar so low,” I said. “As long as they don’t have sex, they think they can do whatever they want. But singles who do this find out sooner or later that they destroy the gift of purity.”

I also spoke to those who already lost their virginity. “Physical virginity is important. But spiritual virginity is more important. Even if you’ve done ‘it’ before, make a decision with your boyfriend or girlfriend to keep your relationship pure from this day forth. And God will give you spiritual virginity. This is the gift that you’ll give each other on your wedding day.”

Renounce Emotional Adultery

I then spoke to husbands and wives.

“Physical adultery is obviously sinful. But how many of you reject Emotional Adultery? When God invented marriage, He designed you to give 100% of your thoughts, your affections, your emotions, your attractions to one person and one person alone. When you do that, your marriage is dynamite. Powerful. Magnificent. Your marriage blooms because you invest all that you have to one person. But when you slice up your thoughts and affections and give one sliver to this other person and another sliver to this other person, you scatter your power. Don’t wonder why your marriage lacks depth and joy and love.”

That day, I led all 6000+ to kneel down.

First, the singles. Second, the couples.
All of us repented of our sins.
All of us received His forgiveness.
All of us gave up the yoke of impurity.
All of us took on the yoke of purity.
All of us made a solemn commitment to live a life of purity.
It was so powerful, so moving, you could see people in tears.
Many were set free that day.
Friends, I invite you to make the same commitment today.
Take the yoke of purity.
Jesus wants to set you free.

May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez

Heaven Has Delicious Tinola (Chicken Soup) Today

By Bo Sanchez

This morning, Tita Neneng died.

My dearest friend was 83 years old.

Who was she? She was God’s love to me. Really.

Let me tell you her incredible story.

She was a short, plumpish, silver-haired, never-been-married woman with a contagious laugh and a heart as big as a boat.

For years, she was a very successful businesswoman who owned a gigantic canteen in a hospital.

All her life, she cooked and fed people. If she fed a human being and that human being said, “Sarap!” (Delicious!), she was in heaven.

I first met Tita Neneng in 1980, when she joined our tiny prayer group, Light of Jesus. After a few weeks, I noticed how people loved her. As their leader, people greeted me with respect. But when Tita Neneng walked into the prayer group, everyone stood up and adored her. Because each week, without fail, she brought a humongous pot of steaming Tinola (chicken soup) for everyone.

Here’s a secret I’d like to share with you…

She Was My Second Mother

One day, when I was only 18 years old, Tita Neneng pulled me aside and pressed a thick, white envelope in my hand. “Brother Bo,” she said, “I know you’ve been praying for a car. Instead of just praying for it, I’m giving you money to buy a second-hand car.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was fifty thousand pesos in cash. It was the biggest amount I’ve ever held in my hand. In 1984, P50,000 was huge money.

But I simply couldn’t buy the car for myself. So months later, I told her, “Tita Neneng, I’m donating your money to the community. We need a community van more than I need a personal car.” She understood. “That’s up to you, Bo.”

She was like a second mother to me. Whenever she saw me, she’d give me food, stories, and laughter.

And when community needed money, she’d be the first person I’d call. “Tita Neneng, I want to buy a small piece of property for our community office. Will you help me?” She didn’t even ask me to explain. She pulled out her checkbook and wrote a check for P100, 000. (Today, that would be worth P500, 000.) Our office building is now sitting on that same property.

And when I ran out of money for the salaries of our full-time staffers, I called her up. When I greeted her, “Hi Tita Neneng,” she didn’t even let me speak. She just said, “I have a check for you. Visit me.”

But something happened when she was 70 years old…

She Left Everything For Love

She suffered a massive heart attack.

So massive, she died—for one minute.

Thankfully, the doctors were able to revive her.

I visited her in the hospital and I was shocked by her request. Even as she was still lying down in bed, this 70-year old woman said, “Brother Bo, I want to serve the Lord.”

I said, “Tita Neneng, you’re already serving the Lord.”

“No,” she said, “I want to serve in Anawim,” she said. “This is now my second life. Please let me live with the poor and cook for them everyday.”

Anawim was a ministry for the poorest of the poor that I started the year before. We housed the abandoned elderly in a 5-hectare property in Montalban.

Tita Neneng left everything—her big house, her air-conditioned room, and her brand new van. And she also left her businesses.

She lived in Anawim and took over the kitchen.

Tita Neneng moved into one of the houses where the poor old women we’d pick up from the streets stayed. In that house, she would share the same toilet with these street people.

It wasn’t an easy life. During these early years of Anawim, we didn’t even have electricity or running water.

But everyday, with great love, she’d cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner for hundreds of our Anawim residents. Indeed, we called her the Mother of Anawim.

Many times, she’d pull out her own money and give it to the ministry. Until one day, she said with a laugh, “Brother Bo, I don’t have money anymore. It’s all gone.”

She gave everything. Her strength. Her time. Her money. Her life.

The Happiest Woman I’ve Ever Met

Many times, we’d talk over lunch. She loved telling me, “Brother Bo, I can die right now. I’m so happy. What else will I ask for?” Every time she’d say these lines, she’d cry tears of joy. Believe me. She was one of the happiest persons I’ve ever met in my life.

Today, after 13 years of service to the poorest of the poor, she suffered another heart attack.

This time, God didn’t let go of her.

Heaven is now celebrating.

No wonder.

God and his Angels must like Tinola too.

Do you want to be happy?

Serve the Lord like Tita Neneng.

It’s the greatest thing on planet earth.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

God Has Nothing To Do With Our Poverty!

By Bo Sanchez


“Bo, you’re wrong. Poverty is a matter of fate…”

He came up to me right after I gave a talk on financial literacy. The man spoke to me with the gravity of a Supreme Court Justice, it scared me.

“Why do you say that, sir?” I asked.

“Because there are people who are born poor,” the man said, “And there are people who are born rich. That’s destiny. That’s the will of God.”

I winced. How could I tell him that I’ve been working for years (no, decades) with the poor—and this was the exact kind of distorted thinking that has trapped a lot of people in poverty. “God made me poor,” is an invisible placard written on the foreheads of many poor people I’ve met.

I told him, “To be born rich or poor is not a choice, that’s true. But to become rich or poor—that’s a choice that God leaves up to us.”

He looked at me as though I spoke in Swahili.

I wanted to explain myself but he wanted to ask me a very disturbing question…


God Leaves The Choice To Us
Whether To Be Rich Or Poor

“Bo, why are you teaching us to become rich?”

His tone of voice was sharp. Like he was asking me, “Why are you teaching us to murder people, burn their bodies, and eat their liver?”

He continued, “If you’re really a Christian, you should teach us to be content with where we are. Bo, aren’t you content with where you are?”

I laughed. “Oh, I’m very content.”

I never told this to him, but I’d like to tell you: Right now, if I choose to, I can stop working, deposit my money in a bank—and live on the interest. Sure, I have to simplify my lifestyle even further, but we’ll still be very comfortable.

With the interest I’ll earn from the bank, I can maintain my small house and simple car.

And yes, I can still bring out my wife for our weekly romantic dates.

And I can still bring my kids for our twice-a-year vacations. No more Macau trips, that’s for sure. But Tagaytay would be just fine.

I can even pay for our homeowner’s association dues. (A whopping P120 a month! Yes, I live in a happy third class subdivision.)

But if I stop working and live on my interest, a few things will have to change…


Life Isn’t Just About You

Today, I send a number of poor children to school. That has to stop.

Today, I finance a few missionaries. That has to stop.

Today, I provide capital for livelihood projects for the poor. That has to stop.

Today, I finance my new ministry projects in its trial period. That has to stop.

This is the reason why I’ve chosen to grow, to expand, to increase, and to become richer because I want to bless the world more.

That’s why I work very hard today!

Here’s what I learned: (1) To be content and (2) to want to grow can co-exist in your heart.

That can only happen when love rules your heart.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

“Why So Much God And Poverty?”

By Bo Sanchez

This will be short.
I just want to ask you a question.

Last week, I had lunch with a wealthy foreigner.

How wealthy? He was earning two million dollars a month. (I’m not kidding.) He was in the Philippines visiting our smaller islands.

“So how did you like your visit?” I asked him.

“I loved it,” he said, “I have never met a more polite, more courteous, nicer people than the Filipinos.”

“Thank you,” I beamed.

But then he frowned. “Bo, I also noticed how religious Filipinos are. I saw the tricycles with signs, saying, “God loves you” and “John 3:16”. There is so much God in your country. And yet there is so much poverty.”

Ouch.

That hurt because it’s so true.

His question reminded me about my visit to Vietnam a month before—and how disturbed I felt.

There’s not much God in that country. It’s been a communist country for decades. But the economy is exploding. And according to statistics, poverty has gone down by a huge 60%! Can you believe that?

One reason: Foreign investments.

Last year, the Philippine’s foreign investments reached a measly $2.5B.

In Vietnam last year, their foreign investments reached $15B.

And do you know what happened this year? From January to July 2008, foreign investments in Vietnam already reached $33B!

Look at China. Another “godless” nation. But poverty has gone down as well. And they’re now poised to be the next Superpower of the world.

Look at Japan. Only 2% of its population is Christian. Many of them don’t even have any religion. Yet their economy has been thriving for decades.

But look at a few South American countries. Like the Philippines, there’s a lot of religion and poverty there too.

So here are my questions:

· Why so much God and poverty in our country?
· Does a certain brand of religion cause poverty?
· Or am I missing something here?

Share me your thoughts below.
Tell me what you think.

Next week, I’ll give you my thoughts.

May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez

What Is Your Joy List?

What Is Your Joy List?

My traveling companion was an 83-year-old woman.

I just preached in Jakarta and Singapore—and brought my Mom with me.
Sure, she had salt and pepper hair.
And a few more wrinkles on her face.
Sure, she had her metal cane.
And walked slower than I did.
But Mom followed my crazy schedule.
We arrived midnight in Jakarta. Slept a bit. By morning, I gave my seminar while my Jakarta friends toured Mom around the city—malls, the cathedral, etc. In the evening, she watched my Concert. We slept after midnight again like she was a teenager from a late night party.
The next day, we woke up early for my morning talk. After that, while I attended more meetings, my friends whisked Mom away to shop. This included a cable car ride at the amusement park!
That night, she slept by midnight. Again!
The next morning, we flew to Singapore. There, Mom attended my seminars. But in between, she went around Singapore. And would you believe? This 83-year old woman even rode a gigantic Ferris wheel!
Now tell me: How many of you know of women her age still riding Ferris wheels?
If You’re Alive, Why Not Be Really Alive?
Mom is teaching me how to be really alive.
Now don’t misunderstand me.
Mom has her moments of deep sorrow.
Mom lost Dad last year.
So every now and then, she cries a lot.
But she’s made a decision that while she’s alive, she’ll live it to the full.
While she’s alive, she’ll enjoy life the way she wants to.
I believe Mom has a “Joy List”—things that she really enjoys doing. I don’t know if she ever wrote it down on paper, but I’m absolutely sure she has it written down in her heart. Here is her “Joy List”:
· Go to Mass everyday.
· Pray daily before the Blessed Sacrament.
· Have happy meals with her children and grandchildren, especially with her favorite son. (Ahem.)
· Watch EWTN on TV everyday—after my TV shows of course.
· Chat with her friends on the phone. Most of her old friends are now in Heaven. So she had to make new friends—twenty and thirty years younger than her.
· Listen to my talks and laugh at my jokes—even if she has heard them a hundred times already.
· Ride Cable Cars in Indonesia and giant Ferris Wheels in Singapore!
Her philosophy: “If you’re alive, why not be really alive?”
My Joy List
Like Mom, I love life. I really do!
I’m not into Ferris Wheels though.
But I wrote down my own “Joy List”.
Here it is…
· I want to laugh more often.
· I want to date my wife more often than my minimum of once a week. I just love being with her.
· I want to spend at least 2 hours each day to read books! To drink knowledge and inspiration from the best of the best.
· I want to feel my sweat more. I grew up not very athletic, but that’s been changing these past years. I want to exercise more. I want to learn Tennis, Badminton, and Swimming.
· I want to take more “5-day writing breaks” in a beach or mountaintop at least once a month.
· I want to play with my kids more often! I’ve got the greatest boys in the world.
· I want to take long vacations with family and friends 3 times a year.
· I want to have more lunches with my mentors.
· I want to earn ten times what I’m earning now.
· I want to share more practical wisdom to others—so people will know how to live with more love, happiness, and abundance.
· I want to share my wealth through my businesses and ministries.
· I want to pray more under the warmth of the sun each morning, surrounded by a lovely garden.
Friend, it’s your turn.
Ask yourself this simple question: What gives you joy?
Write it down.
Big joys. Small joys. Write them all down.
Don’t live passively.
Don’t live your days on autopilot, forever stuck on your routine.
Fill your life with as much happiness as you can.
Live your life deliberately.
Here’s my belief: People cannot give what they don’t have. If you don’t respect yourself, love yourself, and meet your needs for joy, how can you do the same for others? The holy saint is a happy saint.
Make your own Joy List today.
What makes you happy?
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez

Do You Want Inner Peace?

By Bo Sanchez

Nope, It Doesn’t Just Come From Being Quiet, Spa Treatments, Meditation, and Breathing Exercises.
Let Me Tell You How You Can Have Inner Peace
No Matter How Busy You Are…

I have a crazy schedule.
But despite this, I do enjoy inner peace.

By the end of this article, I’ll share with you the secret to my inner peace, and how you too can enjoy it—no matter how busy you are.

But first, let me give you an idea of how insane my schedule is.
I’m writing this article in a train.
Crossing through Switzerland.
Yesterday, I was in Scotland.
The day before, England.
In the next four months, I’m flying to Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Macau, Israel, Jordan, US, and Canada.

Sometimes, I pinch myself.
This traveling stuff is what I see James Bond do in his movies.

But I’m no Secret Agent.
I’m a simple servant of God.

And unlike 007, I didn’t shoot anyone or stop a super villain from annihilating the world. All I did was care for people. I told them stories of God’s love. (Some call what I do preaching. I just call it “happy storytelling”.)

And here’s the secret of my inner peace….

My Secret To Inner Peace
Is Having “The Reason” For Everything I Do

James Bond has a license to kill.
I have a license to care.

Sorry for being corny, but that’s what I really do.
The stuff I do is as varied as the shoes of Imelda.
But they all come from one powerful source, which I call “The Reason”.

This is “The Reason” why I travel around the world.
This is “The Reason” why I got married and have kids.
This is “The Reason” why I write books and publish mags.
This is “The Reason” why I broadcast on TV and Radio.
This is “The Reason” why I start organizations.
This is “The Reason” why I serve the poorest of the poor.
This is “The Reason” why I run businesses and do investments.

What is The Reason? I care for people.
Caring for people is the reason for my daily life.
It’s the reason for every thing that I do.

Don’t Bow To Me Yet;
I Fail As Much As You Do!

Before you think of bowing to me, canonizing me a saint, and cutting my hair for holy relics, let me make one thing very clear: I don’t always think this way.

I get selfish.
I get grouchy.
I get lazy.
I get mean.

Oh man, God knows how much I fail.

And whenever I do something out of selfishness—I feel a disturbance within. Something isn’t right. Like a jigsaw puzzle with a missing piece. This disquiet, this un-peace, this chaos, pokes me within and tells me that I’ve lost my God-ordained path. That I’ve lost my destiny.

Believe me. Inner peace doesn’t come from being quiet, having spa treatments, meditations, and breathing exercises—as good as all these are. The peace we feel from these activities will all be short-lived.

Here’s where real inner peace comes from…

You Need Soul Alignment—
The Only Thing That Can Give You Inner Peace

Real Inner peace comes from what I call Soul Alignment.

That means your life—which consists of your actions, words, and thoughts—are aligned to the ultimate purpose of your soul. That ultimate purpose has been written by God in every fiber and DNA of your soul.

That ultimate purpose is to love.

Bottom-line, Soul Alignment means aligning yourself to God’s love.

No wonder Jesus said that the greatest commandment is this: Love one another as I have loved you.

And when you have Soul Alignment, you have inner peace.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

Do Not Complicate Your Life

By Bo Sanchez

“Excuse me, where is the Trinity?”

I was walking in the lobby of St. Luke’s hospital in Quezon City when this man came up and hit me with this very deep question.

He looked very confused. My guess was that he recognized me from my TV show or my books and decided to ask me a spiritual question. So I gave him my best shot. I dug deep into my theology and said, “The Trinity is all around us. The Trinity is within you. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one…”

His face looked even more puzzled, so I tried even harder. “I know this is difficult to understand, but there are three persons in one God…” I explained. “Think of fire. The flame, the light, and the heat are separate things yet they’re one. Just like the Trinity.” Believe me, I was mesmerized by my own intelligence.

That was when he interrupted my brilliant answer and said, “Uh, that’s great, but uh… I just want to know where the Holy Trinity School is?”

“Oh…,” I turned red as a tomato and said, “Go right at E. Rodriguez and you’ll see it in 5 minutes…” He thanked me and left in a huff. Probably to get away as fast as he can from the religious kook he was talking to.

Would you believe? I was explaining the Dogma of the Trinity to a man who simply needed simple directions.

I’ve learned my lesson never to complicate my life more than I should.

What People Really Need

This is the story of my preaching and writing ministry.
I’ve long learned that people are desperate for simple directions.
How to build a loving family.
How to earn money in a godly way.
How to raise a child well.
How to be healthy.
How to serve the poor.
How to be happy.

Sometimes, I tried complicating my messages for the vain purpose of impressing my audience.
Not anymore.

I just want to help people.

So I’ll continue to preach and write the way I do.
My messages will remain simple directions.
It won’t impress anyone.
But it will help lots of people.

I’ve Also Learned To Follow Simple Directions

In one sense, I live a very complicated life.
I lead 4 huge ministries and run 7 small businesses.

Believe me, saying that in one tiny line doesn’t give justice to the universe of work I do. That single line means I preach on Radio, TV, and the web. I also speak 300 times a year, write 80 articles and 3 books a year. I work for the poorest of the poor in fantastic ministries.

I also buy real estate, invest in stocks, and create new businesses every time I get the itch.
And I have to balance all that with raising two wonderful boys, romancing my lovely wife, exercising one hour a day, eating water-rich food, and tightening my relationship with God.

But in another sense, I live a very simple life.
Because I follow simple directions.

If you’ve been reading this Soulfood Ezine regularly, you would know some of them already: Forgive. Smile. Serve. Share. Love…

If you want to be successful, follow simple directions.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness; Money Buys Freedom

And I Urge You To Use That Freedom To Love God More!
By Bo Sanchez

Once upon a time, I was poor. And proud of it. I was a happy single missionary who didn’t think about money, didn’t touch money, didn’t save money, and didn’t want to have anything to do with money.

At that time, I really believed that saving money was a lack of trust in God. I also believed that insurance was for the spiritually weak. “Jesus is my only insurance,” I’d tell everyone.

And businessmen? Man, I pitied them. I figured their souls were loitering in the brink of Hell. Why? Imagine, all they think about the whole day was money—the very instruments of the devil.

I repeat: I was poor and proud of it. How poor? Before entering Jollibee, I had to first pull out my wallet and count how much money I had. Could I buy a burger today? I remember the days when I had to turn around because my cash (or coins!) wasn’t enough.

I was proud that I was poor, deprived, and suffering. It somehow made me feel holy.

Love The Lord With All Your Heart, Mind, Strength— And Money Too!

Today, my beliefs have totally changed. And that’s why I’m being criticized. By religious people no less. They say I teach too much about money.

“Bo, why have you changed?” they ask me, “You now keep talking about savings and investments and business. Where’s the sweet and simple guy who used to talk only about God and prayer and holiness and heaven? We want that guy back…”

Sorry, but you won’t get that guy back. Because God has changed me. Let me tell you why I changed: I decided to love more. Don’t get me wrong. I still preach about God and prayer and holiness and heaven. (After all, money is only one of my many topics.) But these past few years, I’ve been very burdened by the practical, down-to-earth, very REAL needs of God’s people.

Here are the facts:

· Many good Christian families are buried in debt. They can’t sleep at night. They’re terrified every time the phone rings.
· Many good Christian husbands and wives fight a lot because of money problems. (According to surveys, 50% of marital conflicts are money problems. One survey even says it’s 80%!)
· Many good Christians will be retiring without any savings or investments—and will grow older and poorer as the years go by.
· Many good Christians are living in poverty, and their children are suffering from poor health and poor education.

And that’s the reason why I changed: I want to help Christians get out of debt, solve their financial problems, and gain more financial blessings to help more people! This is my commitment. This is my mission. This is my passion. (I don’t care how many people criticize me for it.) I’ve devoted my entire life to help anyone who’s suffering by giving practical wisdom through my preaching and writing. Whether spiritually, emotionally, or financially.

For Many People,
Unless There’s Financial Freedom,
There Can Be No Real Freedom In Their Life

You know my story. Because my beliefs have changed, my financial life has changed as well. Can I brag? (Not to brag but to emphasize a point.)

I’m no longer poor. I now run small businesses, earn through real estate, mutual funds, and the stock market. I’m now able to help the poor in a way I couldn’t do before. And I’m able to give more to the ministry of the Lord because of the financial blessings He has given me.

I don’t just give 10% of my income. Because my lifestyle has remained simple (no fancy cars, no big house), I can give much, much more than 10% to God. (By the way, I’ve also learned that when I give, I receive so much more. I invite you to give regularly to the Lord’s work. Join me in my ministry. Log on at www.KerygmaFamily.com now.)

Today, I also believe that holiness doesn’t have anything to do with being poor or being rich. Holiness has everything to do with love—and one can do that whether one is poor or rich. Money doesn’t buy happiness; Money buys freedom.

Bad people will use that freedom in a bad way—and be miserable as hell. Good people will use that freedom in a good way—and be happy as heaven. To be more precise, good people will use that freedom to do good. It’s that simple.

Let me give you a small example of what I mean. Today, I no longer stop in front of Jollibee - the burger place - to count my money. And today, I can do something I could hardly do before: I can now invite the poor for a free lunch. Something I do constantly with joy.

In other words, my prayer has changed. Before, my prayer was, “Lord, I need something to eat. Please give me money.”

Today, my prayer is, “Lord, send me people who have nothing to eat today and let me be a blessing to them.”

Friends, I’m using my freedom to love. And after all these years of helping so many people in their spiritual lives, I’ve come to a striking realization: Especially for those children or parents depending on them, there can be no real Freedom in life without Financial Freedom.

I want to continue to teach you how to grow your money without robbing your soul.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

“Bite-Size It!” It’s The Secret of Champions

By Bo Sanchez

The average NBA player hits 8.3 points per game. Michael Jordan’s average score was a mind-blowing 32 points per game. That’s why Michael Jordan was Michael Jordan.

Jordan was so incredibly consistent he retired in 1999 from the NBA still keeping his 32 point career average. Here’s the remarkable thing: His 32 points happened whether he had injuries or not, or who his coach was, or who his teammates were, or who he was playing against. He just scored 32 points—more or less—per game.

When asked how he was able to do that, he revealed the powerful secret of champions.

Jordan said, “I simplified it a few years ago: 32 points per game is really just 8 points per quarter. I figure I can get that in some kind of way during the course of a game.”

Amazing? In other words, he “bite-sized” his goal. Which is what you should be doing if you want to win in life.

Bite-Size Your Unrealistic Dreams

Let’s say Jeff earns P25,000 a month today. But Jeff dreams of earning P100,000 a month one day. Many people will call him, “Unrealistic”. But in my book, that’s good

I wrote in a previous blog post that from my experience, Unrealistic Dreams attract more resources and commitment because they’re more exciting. But I agree, dreaming of earning P100,000 a month is daunting. Like flying to the moon. But like Jordan, Jeff should bite-size it.

Because Jeff surfs the net a lot, he wants to start an internet business. Specifically, he wants to build a website that will earn through Google ads. His goal: Earn P25,000 each month. His third business venture is his networking marketing business. His goal: Create a passive income of P25,000 each month. His fourth business venture is connected to his hobby—selling second-hand cars. His uncle has been doing it for years, earning hundreds of thousands each month, and promised to teach him.

So if Jeff sells one car a month, he already earns P25,000 each month. (Note: If you want to start your own business, I recommend that you join the Truly Rich Super Marketing Workshop. Click here for more information.) All of a sudden, P100,000 a month is now doable.

Warning: Jeff shouldn’t start 4 businesses at one go. He should start one at a time. And it’s also possible that one of these businesses will be his main business—and explodes to P100,00 a month by itself. But more on this later…

I Apply Bite-Sizing To My Ministry

Many years ago, I dreamt that I would have 10 special ministries for the poorest of the poor. Not one. Not two. Not three. But ten! I wanted to care for the abandoned elderly, visit the prisoners, house the orphans, and send street kids to school; I also wanted to build homes for the urban poor and establish a micro-lending program for poor women… I wanted to do so much!

My dream was nuts. It was absolutely insane. Well today, that dream is no longer a dream. Here’s an update: We now have 7 ministries for the poorest of the poor. (Yes, we have 3 more to go!)

Here’s a secret I’ll discuss with you later: I cheated. I didn’t even have to start the ministries. All I had to do was partner with fantastic friends who were already doing what I wanted to do. In other words, I bite-sized!

Focus On The One Thing

As Jeff shouldn’t start 4 businesses right away, I didn’t start 10 ministries right away. I just focused on One Thing.

For me, that was Anawim, our home for the abandoned elderly. For 3 years, I had to live on a piece of land that had nothing else but cogon grass—with no running water and electricity. Together with volunteers, we lived in nipa huts and cared for the poorest of the poor. We picked them up from the streets and cared for them as our own. We made so many mistakes, I can write a book about them. (Don’t worry, I won’t.)

Once Anawim was established, I was now able to move on to other things. (By the way, I’d like to invite you to be my Partner in my ministries. Join KerygmaFamily.com and together, we can share God’s Love to the world. Log on at www.KerygmaFamily.com now!) Friend, what is your One Thing?

If you have an Unrealistic Dream, focus on One Thing.

Let me give you another example. When I wanted to earn more money, I entered into a half-a-dozen businesses: I sold herbal juice, engine oil, memorial plans; I put up a fish ball cart, built an ice cream store, and put up a hotdog stand. Result? I lost money. Big time.

I learned my lesson. I was doing too many things, too soon. I’ve now learned that at the start of the journey, I should focus on One Thing. Once that One Thing was stable, I moved on to the next One Thing.

Result? I’m now enjoying multiple income streams: (1) Corporate Seminars; (2) Real Estate; (3) Internet Marketing Business; (4) Education; (5) Financial Services; (6) Stock Market; and (7) Mutual Funds. But it didn’t start with seven. It started with one. Let me ask you again: What is your One Thing?

Cheat! Find A Dream Team

Finding a Dream Team is so powerful, it’s almost like cheating. (Okay, it’s not really cheating. But I’m using this word to SHOCK you into action.) Believe me, when you have an Unrealistic Dream, you’ll be forced to look for a Dream Team.

After 10 years of building Anawim, I knew I was in trouble. Because I couldn’t take another 10 years to build my second ministry for the poor! I did the math: If my goal were 10 ministries, then it would take me 100 years to fulfill my dream. And then it hit me: Why create the ministries from scratch? Why not partner with other friends who were already doing what I wanted to do?

So I cheated. I looked for a Dream Team who had my passion for the poor. Anawim is now led by Tim Duran and an incredible team of servants. After that, I partnered with a street kids ministry, He Cares, led by my friend Jodean Sola. After that, I partnered with Gawad Kalinga to build a village in Montalban beside Anawim. After that, I partnered with Rey Ortega and his Alay Foundation, a scholarship program for poor children, and his Tahanan orphanage. And together, we’re expanding all these ministries.

Friend, cheat!

Who is your Dream Team?

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

"Learn To Say No…So You Can Say A Bigger Yes To Life!"

Difficult People Will Teach You How To Build Your Boundaries

By Bo Sanchez

If you’re an approval addict or people-pleaser like me, I’m writing this especially to you.

You see, I’m a person who didn’t like saying “No”. For the longest time, that word wasn’t even in my vocabulary. For years, I never showed my anger to anyone. After years of smiling even if I was offended, there came a point when I didn’t even feel anger anymore. I simply shut it out of my life. (Believe me, I thought I was very holy because of this. Not realizing I was emotionally a mess deep within.)

I had an approval addiction so powerful, it ruled every decision I made.

Why? Because I was desperate for people to like me. When someone didn’t like me, I died within. I didn’t love myself. I had an abysmal low-self worth. So I tried to please everyone in everyway. I abhorred any kind of conflict.

Oh yes, I was a mess. And one of the ways of making them love me was to always say “Yes.”

I never knew that saying “Yes” all the time was actually saying “No” to an abundant life. So I tolerated all the difficult people and emotional vampires on the planet: Control-Freaks. Drama-Queens. Nut-Cases. Rage-aholics. Irresponsible Jerks. Hyper-sensitive people. Possessive Parasites.

You name the difficult person, I pleased each one of them—just to keep the peace.

But the false peace came with a price: I was throwing away myinner peace. My self-respect. My self-worth.

Let me tell you one story…

Build Your Boundaries—
So You Could Welcome People As Guests Through The Gate,
Not Thieves That Run Amok Through Your Life

Billy (not his real name) was a friend who invited me to become a business partner in one of his ventures. But he had a weakness: He was a controller. He wanted to control me. He wanted to control everyone. The sun and moon and stars included.

For a while, I lived with it. I chalked it up as one of those inconveniences of life, lumped up with Manila traffic, the humidity of the Philippines, and my allergies to shrimp. But it was incredibly stressful working with Billy. I didn’t want to admit it.

“But he’s my friend,” I told myself every time I felt stressed out.

I was in denial. My approval addiction was blinding me to the fact that working with him was driving me nuts.

But one day, I had to say “No” and build my personal boundaries. I allowed him to stomp over my fences many times. I had to repair my boundaries and protect myself. It was painful, but I knew there was only one way out.

So one day, I told Billy that though I wanted to remain friends, I wanted to get out of our business partnership. That wasn’t acceptable to him. So ever since that day, he never spoke to me again.

It was painful because our friendship ended. But I immediately knew I did the right thing because of the inner peace I felt that day. My approval addiction was defanged. For the first time in a long while, I created a conflict. By respecting myself and my boundary lines, I was growing in self-power.

That day, I finally loved myself.

Today, my relationships are richer. Because my boundaries are whole, people who come into my life are welcomed guests who pass through the gate (I deliberately opened it for them), not thieves that run amok through my life.

When you say “No” at the right situations, you’re saying a bigger “Yes” to life.

Truth: People Will Do What You Tolerate

So let me ask you this question: Are there people in your life who you should be saying “No” to? Are there difficult people in your life who have been gate-crashing and running amok in your life?

Remember: You teach people how to treat you. If that person is abusing you, or breaking your boundaries, that means you taught that person that it was okay to do so. You tolerated it. And people will do what you tolerate.

The solution may not be to end the relationship (though sometimes, it is the solution), but to simply say “No” at the specific situations where the person is crossing your boundary lines.

Reclaim your self. Don’t allow people to trash you.

God loves you. God created you as His child. God wants you to be happy. So be happy.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

Do You Have a Difficult Person in Your Life?

By Bo Sanchez

“Lord, help me to bless people today.”

That’s my daily morning prayer… uh, when I’m happy. And usually, I am. But once in awhile,

I don’t wake up happy. And usually, it’s because of a difficult person in my life.

That’s when I pray, “Lord, how can I bless this… this… this… creature?”

I’m a very patient person, so this doesn’t happen too often. But it happens.

Friend, do you have a difficult person in your life? And do you sometimes want to pray, “Lord, if you will allow it, let a 50,000 megawatt bolt of lightning strike (Name of Difficult Person) right now. Not to kill him, Lord. Just enough to wake him up and give him second degree burns. Just kidding Lord, but with all due respect, what were you thinking when you created this pathological human being? I don’t want to sound offensive, but were you sleeping on the job when you created this creature? He’s a mess. He’s a composite of all the villains of Spiderman put together….”

Do you sometimes wonder if this difficult person heard God in the middle of the night say, “My child, your ultimate mission in life is to be difficult. That’s the entire purpose of your existence. You shall be the thorn in someone’s flesh. Do everything in your power to annoy him. Be irresponsible. Or be demanding. Or be totally negative. Or be selfish. Or be constantly angry. Or be possessive. Or be always depressed. It doesn’t matter. Your objective is to make his life hell on earth.”

Yes, I must admit that I don’t like a few unlovable characters here and there, but generally, I think the Almighty has done a fantastic job inventing human beings. I also believe that God allows difficult people to come into our lives to give us very special gifts. What could these gifts be?

I’m going to try something new today. Instead of writing down what these gifts are, I’m going to ask YOU to write them on the comments below. Write your thoughts and experiences and share them to the world. Thousands will be reading them.

And in my next email next week, I’ll tell you what I think they are…

Cool? Thank you!

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

Awaken The Giant Within You

Your True Size Is Measured By Your Courage, Wisdom, and Love.
By Bo Sanchez


Editor's note: Bo Sanchez kicks off his 2008 US/Canada preaching ministry tour on May 8, 2008 in Concord, CA. Catch him at one of his preaching events at a city near you. Click here to view his May 2008 tour schedule.

Even as a baby elephant, Bulig was big. As Bulig grew up, he was taller and bigger than all his playmates. It didn’t take long for the other elephant to be afraid of him. And Bulig knew this. So he used his size to terrify others to do what he wanted them to do.

He’d snort and growl as he’d say, “I’ll crush you!” It was his usual greeting to anyone he met on the road. Obviously, if the other elephants were scared of Bulig, the other smaller animals would be as well. Monkeys, deers, tigers, and even lions stood in awe at the huge animal.

The elephants gave him a special home on top of a small hill. And Bulig’s throne was a gigantic bed. There he lay down and lorded it over the jungle.

Each morning, the elephants would give him a basketful of bananas. And the monkeys would give him a basketful of apples. And the deer would give him a basketful of nuts. This happened everyday.

So Bulig grew even bigger. And the more he grew, the more terrified the animals became of him. He now became a god to all the animals there. A group of pelicans took turns fanning him. A group of parakeets sang to him in the morning. A group of monkey acrobats performed for his evening entertainment.

For the longest time, Bulig never much left his home. In fact, for years, he didn’t even stand up from his giant bed. All he really did was snort and growl once in awhile, “I will crush you!” And every time he said it, all the animals would be terrified.

Because he didn’t move much, he became as fat as ten elephants put together!

Now, even other animals from other jungles would visit to see for themselves if the Legend of the Giant Elephant was true. And all of them would stand in terror at the sight of the great beast.

One of those animals was a tiny turtle by the name Pokito. Pokito heard about this Elephant and wanted to see him. Being a young and playful turtle, he thought it would be great to be friends with the giant elephant.

So one day, he walked up to Bulig who was like a mountain compared to Pokito. But Pokito wasn’t afraid.

He said, “Hi great Bulig! Can I be your friend?”

All the animals around Bulig gasped in horror. Who dared speak to Bulig in that way? Does he know what he was saying? Poor turtle!

Bulig was insulted that a little creature was not worshipping him as a god. So he snorted and growled his usual growl and said, “I will crush you!”

But Pokito was a wise turtle. He saw that behind Bulig’s size was great weakness. He felt pity for him.

So he simply said, “Bulig, I just want to be your friend. If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I’ll just go on my merry way…”

As he turned around, Bulig got even angrier and snorted and growled again and said in a bigger voice, “I WILL CRUSH YOU!”

All the animals scampered behind bushes, rocks, and trees. It was the first time they heard Bulig this angry.

Pokito turned around to face the giant again and said calmly, “Bulig, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You might hurt yourself…”

Bulig’s face turned red as a fire truck. He stood up. Or at least tried to. Remember, it has been years since he even stood up!

“Ummph… Ummmph…. Ummmmmmmph!” Bulig struggled and struggled but couldn’t stand up!

“Bulig, please don’t do that…” Pokito said.

All the animals left their hiding places. They were totally shocked to see their god having difficulty standing up! Finally, Bulig’s legs folded and he came crashing to the ground. Whaaam! Bulig was now in pain, but his humiliation was even greater than any physical pain he was feeling at that moment.

First, a little monkey began to jeer. Soon, other monkeys joined him. And after awhile, all the animals began to ridicule Bulig. They taunted him and called him names.

“Weakling!”, “Fatso!”, and “Blubberhouse!”

That was when Pokito screamed, “Stooooooooop it!”

Everyone hushed at the brave turtle in front of them. “For years, you worshipped Bulig as a god,” Pokito said, “but now, you’re insulting him as the enemy. Why are you doing that? Bulig is just one of us, just like any other animal.”

Pokito marched to the embarrassed, whimpering Bulig and said, “Do you need help to stand up?” Sheepishly, Bulig nodded his head.

The turtle turned to the other elephants, “Help your friend stand up.” The other elephants were astounded by the wisdom of the little turtle. All of them went beside the giant, and together, pushed him up. With great effort, the huge elephant stood up.

With his knees still trembling, Bulig smiled at the turtle and quietly said, “Thank you. You are the real giant.”

Pokito smiled. “Thank you.”

Bulig asked, “Can you be my friend?”

The turtle said, “On one condition. You have to join me in jogging every morning.”

He winked. And all the animals broke out in laughter.


7 Lessons for Life

I wrote this little story for Mustard, our children’s magazine. (Why Mustard? From mustard seed! If you want to subscribe and get 10 fun-filled issues for your kids, log on at www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph ) But the powerful lessons in the story aren’t for children only. In fact, I believe adults need to hear them more than kids do!

Here are the 7 life-changing lessons from the story:

Lesson #1:

Don’t look for worshippers; Look for true friends instead.

Not all friends are created equal. Some friends are just fans. They admire you. They flatter you. They fear you. They benefit from you. But when you need them, they’re not there. Choose true friends over fans anytime. When you have a problem, they’ll stick there by your side.

Lesson #2:

The best way to look for a true friend is to be one.

Are you a true friend? Do you care for people? Do you go out of your way to express your love for them? The best investment you’ll ever make will be in your relationships. There lies your true gold.

Lesson #3:

Bullies are weak.

Avoid them or face up to them, but never be afraid of them. Do you have bullies in your life? You’ll always cross paths with bullies. Bullies intimidate people. Bullies want you to fear them. They manipulate you to follow them. Depending on the situation, you can avoid them or face up to them. But never be afraid of bullies. Because all bullies are fake. With their outward force, they cover up their weakness. But deep within, a bully is a fragile child with lots of fears.

Lesson #4:

When someone doesn’t like to be your friend, just walk off and go on your merry way.

Life is too beautiful to be sad at one person’s rejection. People-pleasers want to please everyone. And when one person rejects them, they die within. Because people-pleasers need to be needed. When a person rejects them, they get hurt deeply—and carry this hurt wherever they go and allow this hurt to affect their lives forever. What does a mature person do when they receive rejection? They get hurt like everyone else but they don’t carry the hurt. They shake the dust of their feet and move on. They love themselves. They love life.

Lesson #5:

When someone is angry with you in an unjust way, pity that person.

He will be hurting himself. Don’t pity yourself when you suffer unjust anger. Remember that unjust anger destroys the person who is angry, not you. Pity him.

Lesson #6:

Always be good and kind to everyone— whether he be a king or a beggar.

Every human being you meet in life is God’s child. Whether he sits on a throne or lies on the mud, it makes no difference. That person is your family.

Lesson #7:

Your true size is measured by your courage, wisdom, and love.

Are you a big person? Measure your courage and wisdom. By how you love, you shall know whether you have matured in life or not.

May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez


PS. Join now and be blessed! I created a borderless, international, non-physical community called http://www.kerygmafamily.com/ When you join, you receive daily Bible reflections, Kerygma magazine each month, and a mountain load of other great nourishment for your spiritual life. Plus a whole world of friends who believe in what you believe in! You can also (optional) support our ministry of sharing God’s love to as many people as possible through media evangelization and our work for the poorest of the poor. Log on at http://www.kerygmafamily.com/ now!

PS2. My Ebooks are ready for download for your inspiration. You can download my inspiring Ebooks at http://www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph/ Because there are no shipping costs, it’s much (much, much, much) cheaper than ordering my printed books. Try it out at http://www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph/

PS3. Are you running a parish website in the US? Convert your parish websites into dynamic tools for evangelization. My friend Wally Arida in www.parishworld.net will make your parish website preloaded with 3,000 articles PLUS automatically add fresh articles daily! He has already helped scores of parishes in the US move their websites from an administrative model to the missionary model. And they’ve been successful. He has helped parishes achieve 30,000 page views a month—numbers unheard of for a Catholic parish website. For more information, email Wally at wallyarida1@parishworld.net

PS4. Be healthier! Personally, I want to be healthy so I could serve the Lord more. I’m learning that our minds and bodies are one. Let Wellness Guru Amado Samia guide you to discover simple, effective, and life-changing ways of attaining wellness for your body, mind, and spirit. (Note: This program includes ETT or Energy Touch Therapy, or what is called “Applied Kinesiology”. You’ll actually feel better after the seminar!) That’s on May 17, 2008, from 9am to 4pm, in Pasig. Your investment to your health and wellbeing is P1975 only. For more details, email beaconlightevents@gmail.com and ask for a fuller description of the seminar now!

PS5. Do you want to earn money through your own business? And do you want to earn money through the internet? This May and June, two powerful seminars can change your financial life! If you want to earn money through the internet, then this is what you’ve been waiting for. On May 9 and 10, Jomar Hilario will give the Truly Rich Hands-On Internet Marketing Workshop. Why hands-on? By the end of the workshop, you will already have a working website that will start earning money for you. Jomar Hilario is the young man who sold P2M worth of tickets for a concert—all done in 30 days—just by using email. A Seminar like this without the “hands-on” part will cost you P85,000 per person in the US. You can now get that same seminar—plus hands-on coaching (value: priceless) for P9750 only. (Special Couples or Business Partners Price is P8750 only per person!)

If you’re an entrepreneur (or would like to be one), save yourself from costly mistakes! On June 27 and 28, Rudy Torres will give the Truly Rich Super Direct Marketing Program! (Why Marketing? It’s the lifeblood of all businesses. Most businesses fail because of poor marketing.) What can easily cost you P125,000 if you attended similar direct marketing seminars, you can now get for P9750 only! We have brought the price down to serve more people. (Special Couples or Business Partners Price is P8750 only per person.)

Attention: “2 Seminars” Special Price! Because both seminars will greatly increase your chances of business success! Instead of paying P19,500 for both seminars, you will only invest P15,500 per person! (Your BIG Savings: P4,000.00!)

“Crazy-Double-Your-Money” Guarantee: If within one year, you don’t earn at least double what you invested for these seminars, we’ll return your money, PLUS P2,000 extra for your lost time in trying out the seminar—no questions asked! That’s how much we believe these seminars will make you succeed!

For more details, call Beckie at (02) 7229562 or email her at beaconlightevents@gmail.com now. Note: For early birds, save an extra P500 per person! Call now before seats run out! (We have a maximum number of students registering per class.)

Do You Have An Unrealistic Dream?

If you don’t have one, get one–Quick!

By Bo Sanchez

I got interviewed again. A number of times, in fact.

This time, the questions were focused on dreaming big dreams. So I’m putting together a bunch of questions and answers from these interviews. I know they will inspire you. And make you laugh at the same time. Because of so many interviews, giving crazy answers keeps me sane. Enjoy!

Q: How many brothers and sisters do you have?

Bo: I have 5 older sisters. I’m the only boy.

Q: Your father must have been very happy when you were born.

Bo: When I was born, my father almost named me Atlas. Because when he learned that I was a boy, he shouted, “At last!” I mean, after five failed attempts, yes, he was happy. I’m also the youngest of the family. Can you imagine my suffering? I was their slave. They told me to do everything for them. From answering the door to buying Coke. As a little boy, I had pet spiders. My favorite daydream had the makings of a Hollywood movie. Because of a UFO invasion, my pet spiders mutated into giant monsters. My sisters got trapped in their spiders’ web and, well, you can guess how the story ended.

Q: Describe your family today.

Bo: Today, all my sisters serve in the ministry with me. We’re a great team. Three of them work full-time in the ministry, while two help out part-time. Now, they follow what I tell them to do. Haha.

Q: Your parents?

Bo: My Dad passed away last year. My mother, at 82, continues to serve the Lord with me.

Q: And you have your own family…

Bo: Ten years ago, I married the most gorgeous girl in the galaxy, a woman named Marowe. We have two fantastic, nuclear-powered, gravity-defying boys, Benedict, age 8, and Francis, 3. We homeschool our kids and have a great time doing that—because we spend more time with them. Instead of just opening textbooks, we make them experience the world. Instead of reading a book on business, Bene operates one. Instead of studying about music, Bene performs a small concert. (Bo’s Note: Homeschooling isn’t for everyone. But you owe it to yourself to find out more about it and consider if it is for you. If you want to know more about homeschooling, click at www.catholicfilipinoacademy.com now.)

Q: What are your dreams?

Bo: I wrote all my dreams in a Dreambook. It’s a 15-page document. Let me share with you my most important dreams. Before I got married, I wrote that I want to be the greatest husband my wife can ever have. I believe in making dreams graphic, so I wrote in details. I wrote that I’d kiss my wife 7 times a day. For the past ten years now, I’ve been doing that. Even when I don’t feel like it. Haha. Seriously, I have a great marriage. Because I work hard for it. I invest my energy and time to make it a great marriage. I also wrote on that Dreambook that I’d be the greatest father my kids can ever have. I wrote there that I’d play with them everyday no matter how busy I get. And that’s what I do today.

Q: Did you ever dream of becoming a preacher?

Bo: When I was 12, I had a “daydream”. I woke up and saw myself preaching in the Araneta Coliseum in front of 20 thousand people. I don’t know if it was a dream, a daydream, or a vision. Because I liked what I saw and I continued to imagine this. By age 16, I preached in the Araneta Coliseum for the first time.

Q: What were your other dreams?

Bo: My mission in life is to communicate God’s Love. And I do this primarily by being a preacher and writer. In my Dreambook, I wrote that I’d be a bestselling author and have my own TV and Radio show. I also wrote that I would have my own ministry for the poor built on a huge place, where I would welcome the poorest of the poor. All these have taken place. God is good.

Q: Was it always easy to fulfill your dreams?

Bo: Absolutely not. Many times, I felt so discouraged. Frustrated. A few times, I even wanted to throw in the towel and give up. But all these years, I’ve never doubted my Call. I’ve always believed that God has called me to communicate His love. Why? Because He gave me the gift. And the ministry has been blessing many.

Q: How do you fulfill your dreams?

Bo: First of all, I chose the right dreams. I write big, hairy, audacious, and unrealistic dreams. In my life, I’ve realized that I accomplish my unrealistic dreams much more than my realistic ones. Let me tell you why. Unrealistic dreams shock my system and pump my heart. Unrealistic dreams force me to think creatively, demanding me to do things I’ve never done before. On the other hand, realistic dreams make me complacent. They put me to sleep.

Q: What’s the second step?

Bo: I read and pray my list of dreams everyday. I do this for both my long term and short term dreams. Like each morning, I visualize how I want that day to play out. I imagine what I want to accomplish, and what results will take place. This is my prayer. And my dreams happen. I believe in this practice so much. We don’t know how powerful we are.

Q: What’s the third step?

Bo: Once I have a dream, I create a strategy to make it happen. 100% of the time, this includes creating a dream team around me that will make it happen. And then I pursue the dream, no matter how many failures happen.

Q: Fourth step?

Bo: I spend time with people who already have achieved these same dreams. I make them my mentors. This step is crucial. Do avoid spend too much time with people who have no dreams. Or with people who don’t believe in my dreams. These are dream-killers.

Q: Who is Bo Sanchez now?

Bo: I’m a child of God. I’m a servant of the poor. I’m a husband, father, son, brother, friend, preacher, writer, leader, businessman, philanthropist, and pioneer.

Q: How do you see yourself 10 more years from now?

Bo: One of my fondest dreams is to equip our growing community with the tools necessary to help more poor people around them. Not through a charity model—because that is limited—but through the entrepreneurial model. Here’s one of my big dreams: In my lifetime, I want to raise one million micro-entrepreneurs among the poor. To gain support, I want to have one million KerygmaFamily.com members. (Note: You’re my dream team! Without you, I can’t do it. Sign up now at www.kerygmafamily.com and lets work together!)

Q: Thank you very much.

Bo: My pleasure.

That’s the end of the interview.

May I make a suggestion?

Aside from writing your dreams in your own Dreambook, write one or two dreams in the comments section below. Remember to make it unrealistic. Announce your dream to the world. Doing so will give you added motivation to achieve them.

May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez

I Still Date My Ex-Girlfriend

By Bo Sanchez

Call Me Crazy, But She Still Makes My Heart Go Pumpity-Pump After ten years of marriage, I’m still crazy for this woman. Being with her is my little piece of heaven on earth.

Here’s my proof: So far, I’ve had 508 romantic dates with my wife. (Yes, my wife. What were you thinking? She’s my ex-girlfriend, right?) That’s once per week for almost 10 beautiful years. And I’ve loved every single one of them.

Our date night is sacred. Unless it’s an invitation from the President of the Republic, I say no to all invitations and meetings. Our marriage is what it is today because of those precious 508 dates.

Call me corny. Call me deluded. Call me in denial. But I really love being with her.

By the way, did you know my wife has magical powers? When I’m with her, she drains my stress away. When I’m going through a rough time, all I have to do is share my problems to her, and instantly, I feel so much better.

With her, I’m at home. And I rest.

I believe couples need to connect with each other in a deep way, or they will drift apart and look for attachments elsewhere. Aside from our weekly dates, I grab special times I call “spontaneous moments of connection”.

Spontaneous Moments Of Connection

Yesterday afternoon, I came home ready to dive into my work. The usual stuff I do: articles to write, talks to prepare, meetings to plan… But when I came home, I saw this lovely woman sitting on the couch all by herself.

I thought to myself, “Work can wait,” and I grabbed this opportunity to sit beside the greatest girl on the galaxy. It wasn’t planned. But we were able to talk and connect our hearts. Even just for a few minutes.

Life offers us these fantastic times of bonding. I’ve learned not to miss them: Being stuck in traffic with her. Or waiting for the dentist. Or lining up in the grocery. These times don’t have to be boring if you hold hands and talk.

How To Have A Great Marriage

One day, a young husband came up to me and said, “Bo, I wish my marriage will be as great as yours ten years from now…”

I only had one word for him: “Don’t wish. Decide.”

In that one line, I gave my secret to success. That’s what separates great marriages and not-so-great marriages. That’s what separates successful people from unsuccessful people. Unsuccessful people wish, want, hope, desire for their dreams. That’s not enough. Successful people decide to make their dreams happen. Period.

That means they’ll do whatever it takes. Nothing will stop them. Failure is not an option. Let me ask you: Will you do whatever it takes? For me as a husband, it means…

o practicing “mental” monogamy

o overlooking her faults

o going out of my way to express my love

o prioritizing our dates o leading my family to God

Note: Just in case you’re in the delusion that I’m a perfect husband, let me make this record straight. I’m far from it. Just ask my wife! But the important thing is that I’ve decided to become a great husband. And I make that decision everyday. (I struggle towards this dream everyday!)

I’ve realized that this power of decision works in every other area in life…

How To Be A Success In Anything

I’ve also decided to be a financial success. No ifs, no buts, no excuses. I’ll do everything it takes. For me, that means sticking to my core gifts, getting wise mentors, reinventing myself, creating a dream team around me, and focusing on loving my customers.

I’ve also decided to be a spiritual person. That means opening myself to God’s love, walking with integrity, and pursuing my ultimate mission of loving others.

I’ve also decided to be a healthy person. That means going to the gym daily, eating veggies and fruits, taking supplements, and living with balance.

Don’t Wish. Decide.

“But Bo, I’ve already decided to be a success! But I guess my decision wasn’t strong enough…”

Then that means you haven’t really decided yet. You’ve just wished. If you remain in the level of wish, nothing happens. You must go to the level of decision.

I’m reminded of this Chinese General who invaded an island. Upon landing on the shore, he asked his soldiers to burn their own boats. Obviously, they were shocked.

When asked why would they do this insane act of burning their own boats, he said, “We’ll leave this island either as Victors or as dead men. Escape is not an option.”

That’s a decision. And that’s the kind of decision that will make you succeed in anything.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

6 Strategies On How To Be Positive In A Negative World

Chiqui Lara attracts blessings—and you can too!
By Bo Sanchez

I didn’t know what to expect.

I read the message in my cellphone.

“Ms. Chiqui Lara, 7:30am, Hotel Intercon.”

I was about to have breakfast with the President and CEO of a company, part of a multinational based in London.

My imagination was playing on me.

I pictured this lady President to be a tall, imposing, sophisticated woman in a dark suit, high heels, and leather briefcase.

I was surprised when in walked a woman who was probably not more than 5’2 (I think), wearing a simple white blouse, black pants, and a gentle smile. No make-up. No jewelry. No briefcase.

She came up to me and extended her hand. (No nail polish either.)

Immediately, I sensed something special about this woman.

Was it inner peace?

I later learned why.

Two years ago, Chiqui was diagnosed to have cancer.

“Double primary cancer to be exact,” she said. That meant two cancerous tumors were growing on her ovaries and her uterus at the same time.

Everyone expected to see a devastated woman.

Instead, it was during those trying times that people saw how incredibly positive Chiqui was.

I had tears in my eyes (which I wiped whenever she wasn’t looking) listening to her recount how her family and friends loved her at her hour of need. “Bo, I was surrounded with so much love!”

Today, the cancer is gone.

I asked her, “Chiqui, what made you such a positive person?”

“My family,” she smiled. “I received so much love from them.”

She gave a powerful example of that love.

“Many Christmases ago, an orphanage had a program called Share-A-Home. Just for the Christmas holidays, my parents agreed to have two orphans, twin boys, ages one and a half. But after the week was over, my mother didn’t return them to the orphanage. The twins were supposed to stay with us for a week. They have stayed with us for the past 25 years.”

She also told me of another moving story.

“My father passed away at the age of 72. At the last day of the funeral, his other family appeared. A woman and three kids…”

“Oh no…” I said.

“Yes. We were so shocked.” “No one knew at all?” I asked.

“No one knew. My father always went home everyday. So when his other family appeared, I remember talking to my mother and asking her, ‘What are we going to do?’ My mother simply said, ‘I’ve forgiven him already.’”

My jaw dropped.

“Yes,” Chiqui said, “That’s the kind of mother I had. She had so much love to give. Now you know why I am who I am.”

“Amen.”

“I’m very blessed, Bo. I really am.”

At the age of 32, she was already made a President of a huge advertising company, and later, as Vice Chairman.

Today, she is the President and CEO of a fantastic company, Y&R Philippines, part of a humongous multinational company that’s 60 years old.

In my terminology, Chiqui is a “Blessing Magnet”.

Why? Because she attracts blessings by the way she thinks, feels, believes, and acts.

Here are 6 strategies on how you can be a blessing-magnet, and be positive in a negative world:

1. Feel the love. Receive the love from the people around you, no matter how small or imperfect. Celebrate every little gesture of love you receive. Make it a big thing! And you’ll discover that you’ll receive more and more love.

2. Be grateful. Give thanks for every small blessing you receive. Before going to sleep, count at least 5 blessings you received on that day. Be grateful even for the bad things, knowing there’s a blessing inside. Gratitude attracts more blessings to come your way. (Note: Attract more blessings by joining Bo’s weekly FEAST every Sunday at Valle Verde, 7:30am or 10am, and learn how to trust God more. Or attend any of our Local FEASTs happening all over the world—with Bo preaching to the crowd each week via video. Email chelle.crisanto@gmail.com for details.)

3. Trust. Yes, do all you possibly can! But at the end of the day, stop worrying. Surrender and trust God instead. Believe that the best is yet to come.

4. Have a vision. When you have a detailed, graphic, exciting vision burning in your heart, you can’t help but be positive. And here’s my true-to-life experience: That powerful vision in your imagination will attract all the blessings you need to fulfill that vision. You’ll be surprised. The blessings will just come, rolling down at your feet, begging that you receive them.

5. Love yourself. Be deliberate in loving yourself. Respect yourself. Don’t belittle yourself, don’t limit yourself, and don’t call yourself derogatory names. Meet your needs. Aggressively care for yourself. When you do, others will respect you, love you, and meet your needs as well. (Note: Join Bo Sanchez’ www.kerygmafamily.com and get a mountain load of spiritual nourishment for FREE! Have Kerygma magazine and his latest spiritual books mailed to your home for FREE when you become a partner of Bo’s ministry. Log on there now!)

6. Love others. Whatever love you give, you receive it back multiplied. So wake up each morning because you want to love. Make love the purpose of your life. When you make love the reason for every thing that you do, even if there are dark storm clouds around you, the sun will always shine in your heart. (Note: Do you want love others by starting a weekly Local FEAST and have Bo Sanchez preach via video to your parish, office, school, or neighborhood? We’ll support you. For more details, email chelle.crisanto@gmail.com now.)

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez