I read all your beautiful stories.

          Thank you so much!

As of this time, you’ve written 200+ comments on my previous e-mail, sharing on “What do you do when your best plans don’t happen.” (By the way, I know that some of you are already members of my www.KerygmaFamily.com If you’re not yet one, sign up and receive a mountain load of spiritual blessings for your life.)

Actually, reading your stories made me feel terribly small. My tiny problems are no match to some of the problems you shared. Dear friends, I admire your strong faith!

Okay, so here’s my little story…

Last July 11, I celebrated my birthday in a rather unexpected way.

I had fever. 

Complete with aching muscles.

My legs felt like I had just jogged 400 miles.

Even if did no such thing.  

I was in fact lying down in the middle of my sala, feeling I was Coyote in those old Road Runner cartoons, run over by an ACME truck.

“Lord, why did you allow me to get sick on my birthday?”

I looked like a zombie too.

My hair was a knotty mess.

My shirt drenched with smelly sweat.

My Genghis Khan moustache unshaved.

Why was God doing this to me?

When My Best Plans Don’t Happen

            Before the nasty virus hit me, I had grand plans for my birthday. 

Together with our kids, we were going to visit our friends among the poor.

First, the orphans under the care of my friend Rey Ortega. Second, the slums where I first did ministry work when I was 14 years old. Third, a quick visit to Anawim, our ministry for the abandoned elderly. Finally, the streetkids with my friend Jodean Sola.

          But three days before my birthday, I started feeling weak.

“Just an allergy,” I told myself. “This will pass…”

It didn’t. The bug had just begun its villainous work to destroy my plans.

On my birthday, I wanted to visit the poor. Instead, I became the poor. I felt so helpless, so weak.

Would you believe? I felt so Low Bat, I didn’t even have the energy to write or read or even watch TV.

All I did was mope. 

And sigh. 

And mope some more.

The One Thing I Could Do

I wish I could tell you that at the middle of my misery, this Charismatic Preacher stood up, jumped up and down, and sang Don Moen’s, “God Will Make a Way Where There Seems To Be No Way!” Or that I lifted my arms and declared, “Praise the Lord I’m sick!” all the time smiling my toothy grin.

I didn’t do such a thing. 

I couldn’t!

I could only do one thing.

I sighed.

Oh yes, I was able talk to God.

I think.

Nah…

On second thought, I couldn’t even do that.

I didn’t even have the energy to talk to God.

So I sighed with God. 

And moped with Him the whole day.

          But through it all, I felt that God was sighing with me.

          And in a weird kind of way, it was absolutely phenomenal.

My Best Birthday Blessing Ever

            On hindsight, I believe that on my birthday, God wanted to commune with me in a very deep way. I didn’t know it, but my spirit was crying out for this quiet. So my body temporarily surrendered so that my spiritual birthday blessing can be received.

          By nightfall, I was feeling much better.

My in-laws visited me and brought dinner. (I’m one of those strange guys who adore his in-laws.) I was able to sit at table, munch on fish, and even smile. 

When everyone left, my wife sat beside the smelly monster. She said, “Birthday Boy, even if your smell reminds me of a rat that has died three days ago, can I spend the night watching a romantic movie with you?”

          Without waiting for a response, she stood up, dimmed the lights, plugged in a DVD, and cuddled beside me. She held my hand for the rest of the evening–all the while covering her nose with her other hand.   My birthday was complete.

          The next day, I woke up healed. 

It was as though my spirit’s thirst for quiet was quenched and therefore told my body, “Get well now. I’ve had my fill.”

So how was my birthday?

The best thing that ever happened to me.

Two Choices In Life

            Here’s my question to you: What do you do when your best plans don’t happen? You have two choices:

1. You can curse God in anger.

2. Or you can sigh with God in surrender.

And wonder what hidden blessing He is giving you through your problems.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

PS. If you have friends in Singapore, tell them to join me! I’m giving two life-changing seminars in Singapore: “How To Be Truly Rich” Seminar on July 28 and “How To Find Your One True Love” Seminar on July 29.For more information, email Jimmy Cruz at brotherjimmycruz@gmail.com now.

PS2. Do you want to grow in financial freedom? Learn the spiritual and financial principles that changed my financial life! On August 2, I’m giving my powerful How To Be Truly Rich Seminar. To know more about it, click here.

PS3. Mentors may be your missing link to your success. (It definitely was mine.) I needed multi-millionaire mentors to teach me how money works. To learn more about my Truly Rich Financial Coaching Program on August 8 and 9, click here.

PS4. When you’re sick, you realize that health is wealth. Learn more about health and healing for yourself and your loved ones!  This October, wellness Guru Amado Samia is giving a breakthrough seminar to guide you to discover simple, effective, and life-changing ways of attaining wellness for your body, mind, and spirit.   Click here for details.