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