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Unless You Change Your Self-Portrait, Your Life Will Never Change!
by Bo Sanchez

            I was only a kid then.
 
But to this day, I can never forget our old electric fan.

          If you’re my age, you’ve probably seen those monsters: An electric fan made of pure 100% steel and heavy as a boat.  And with blades that could chop your head off.

One day, we switched it on, and the blades made so much noise, you’d think there was an army helicopter right inside our home. 

That was when my cousin Chuck dropped by and volunteered to fix it.  He was known in the family as a “jack-of-all-trades-but-master-of-none” kind of guy.  We should have focused on the “master-of-none” part.  Because after he “fixed” it, the noise was totally gone—but so was all signs of life.  Our fan was now dead.  “Chuck, you killed it!” we told him.  “Well at least, it’s quiet now,” he said, “and we can sell this junk!”

That was when my Uncle Tom came ambling through the door.  “He’s good with his hands,” my father said.  So we asked him to check what was left of our fan.

Uncle Tom took it apart, and after almost two hours, put it together again. He plugged it—and with bated breath—we saw the blades moving again!  And without the noise too.

But no wonder, because the blades made one complete spin every…60 seconds!  It was so slow, we wondered if it was now a clock.

That was when one of my sisters asked, “Who made it anyway?”  
Someone said, “Hitachi.”

Another sister of mine said, “Then let’s bring it to Hitachi.  If they made it, I’m sure they can fix it.”  Once in awhile, my sisters can say sensible things too.  (Just kidding.  I’m the only boy in the family, and the youngest too.  So I have the license to tease them.)

True enough, we brought it to Hitachi, and in a few days, the fan was running perfectly.
You Have A Self-Portrait In Your Heart;
Many Times, It’s A Lie.

            In your mind, you already have an image of who you are.

It’s a Self-Portrait. 

And it’s so incredibly powerful; it actually determines your entire life.

This Self-Portrait—how you define yourself—comes from your collective experience of your failures and successes.  It also comes from how other people treat you.  

And it comes from how you’ve treated yourself all these years.

That’s why your Self-Portrait could be a lie.

It’s like asking my cousin Chuck and my Uncle Tom to fix you up.  They don’t have your blueprint.  They really don’t know who you are.

Because they didn’t make you.

Go to your Manufacturer instead.

Delve deep within you and you’ll see your label stitched to your soul: “God’s Own, Made in Heaven.” 

He’s got your blueprint.  He knows all your working parts.  He knows you more than you know yourself.

          Because He made you, He possesses your most accurate Self-Portrait.

Friend, in your heart right now, you carry a Self-Portrait—a way of looking at yourself.  Question: Where does it come from?

My Self-Portrait Was A Lie

Years ago, I had a raging pornographic addiction.

At 3am, I would wake up and roam the streets, looking for my “fix”—pornographic material.  (There was no internet porn at that time, so I had to scrounge for cheap porn magazines.)  That was who I was many years ago.

In my mind, I had only one Self-Portrait: I was lustful.  I was uncontrollable.  I was sick and ugly and shameful.

And stronger than my sexual addiction was my approval addiction.

Desperate to fill in my hunger for love—and desperate to escape my inner shame—I was desperate that people like me. 

I’d bend over to get people to love me, no matter what the cost.  I was a pathological People-Pleaser.  And I was miserable as hell.

Yes, I failed in the past.  Too many to times to count!

Oh, I shouldn’t be here writing to you now.

Yet here I am, authoring books and preaching to thousands.  I’m leading four organizations and a worldwide ministry. 

I’m a successful entrepreneur running my little businesses.  I’m a happy family man with a lovely wife and two great boys.

I shouldn’t be enjoying all these.

I should be in the dumps.  Destroyed.  Hopeless.  Lost.

So what happened?

In a phrase, I changed my Self-Portrait.

Because every time I came to God in prayer, He wouldn’t agree with my rotten Self-Portrait.  He would insist on changing it. 

Each time, He would tell me I was wonderful, beautiful, loved, and powerful beyond my wildest imagination.

He also told me that it didn’t matter how much I failed. 

Surprisingly, He didn’t even look at my failures at all…
          Let me share with you my three giant Lessons on Self-Portraits:

•        Get your Self-Portrait from God, Not From Anyone Else
•        Keep Focused on your Divine Self-Portrait
•        No matter what happens, never give up your Divine Self-Portrait

To All Those Who Want To Experience God’s Power In Their Lives…

Lesson #1:
Get Your Self-Portrait from God, Not From Anyone Else

Change the Self-Portrait you carry in your heart.

Because you will act according to your Self-Portrait, whether it is true or not.  It could be a total lie (“You’re evil, you’re selfish, you’re ugly, you’re poor…”), but because you believe in it, you’ll be faithful to it and manifest its reality.

That’s why when you change your Self-Portrait, you actually change your life.

Remember: God’s Portrait of you is very different from the Self-Portrait you carry about yourself. 

While yours is usually based on your past, His portrait of you is always based on your future.

So He paints a Portrait of you that is always beautiful and amazing and lovely.

          How do you get your Self-Portrait from God?

          Listen to His quiet voice within you.  What does He say in your heart?  And what does He say through His Word?  And what does He say through the Church?

          He says many things about you, but let me re-visit these 3 simple but powerful Portraits. 
•        I’m a Child of God
•        I’m a Friend of God
•        I’m a Champion of God
This is who you really are. 

Remind yourself of these 3 Self-Portraits, and your life will change!

Your First Self-Portrait:
You’re More Important Than The Universe Because You’re A Child Of God

            I’ve shared this story before, but let me share it again.

          Every Saturday night is sacred for me. 

Because that’s when I go up to my “cave”, my tiny home office at the back of my house, to prepare for my weekly talk for the next day.

One Saturday night, I arrived from Pampangga. 

As I drove home, I had my plans all set up. 

After kissing my wife and hugging my kids, I’d make a beeline towards my cave, shut the door, and prepare for my talk.

But my plan was not to be.  Because as I entered my home and hugged my kids, my 7-year old said, “Daddy, can you play with me?”

“Sure!” I found myself saying automatically, hiding any sign of reluctance from my voice. 

You see, through the years, I’ve had a lot of practice saying “Yes!” even if all I wanted to say was, “No!  Can’t you see I’m busy?”

As a father, I’ve made it my policy to always say “Yes!” when my son asks, “Daddy, can you play with me?” 

Because I know that a day is coming when my son will no longer ask that question, “Daddy, can you play with me?”  He’ll grow up fast and will have other things to do. 

So while he asks that question, my answer should always be “Yes!”

God Always Says “Yes” To What Is Best For You

So I sat on the floor and played Pokemon with him.
 
As I held the tiny Pikachu figure in my hand, I began to think of the thousands of people who would be listening to me at the FEAST the next day. 

I also thought of the thousands more around the world who would be listening through TV, Radio, and the internet. 

So what was I doing there sitting on the floor with this yellow plastic mouse-like creature in my hand?

Answer: Doing my most important ministry, which is, loving my son.

At the end of the day, my son is more important than the thousands of people who listen to me.  Simply because I’m his Daddy and he’s my son.

Why did I share this story to you?

Never forget that you’re God’s Child. 

In His heart, you’re more important than the entire universe. 

When you call on Him, He’s there. 

When you pray, He’s listening. 

When you ask, He gives you the best version of what you’re asking for.  (Not necessarily what you ask for, because you sometimes ask what is second best.)

You’re His Child.  Bask in His love for you!

Each morning, wake up and shout to the universe: “I’m a Child of God!”

 Your Second Self-Portrait:
God Talks To You Each Day Because You’re A Friend Of God
           
            One day, a man came up to me and asked, “Did you come up with Kerygma?” 

“Yep,” I said, “Started it way back in 1990.”

“And after that, you published 6 more magazines, Didache, Gabay, Companion, Sabbath… what are the others?” he asked.

“Fish, our teen magazine, and Mustard, our kids’ magazine.”

He grabbed my arm and asked, “Bo, can I ask you a question?”
“Shoot,” I said.

“Where do you get all your ideas?  Aside from the magazines, you launched last Preacherinbluejeans.com and Kerygmafamily.com…  Man, I’m serious.  Where do you get all your ideas?”

To tell you honestly, I couldn’t answer him. 

Because I felt my answer would have sounded cocky.

          I wanted to tell him, “I’m a friend of God and He talks to me.”

Not with bolts of lightning and peals of thunder.  But through ordinary, beautiful inspiration. 

Why?  Because He’s my friend and friends talk to each other each day.

          Wait a minute.  In case you’re thinking that I’m putting myself on a pedestal here, read my next sentence: If you look back at your life, you’ll realize that God has spoken to you too.  He has been guiding you throughout your life.  Because He’s your friend too.

          There’s nothing special about me.  I fart.  I snore.  I sleep with my mouth open.  I leave my dirty socks on the floor (Sorry, Sweetheart).

          We’re all Friends of God.

          You’re God’s Friend.  And God likes talking to you.

          Jesus says, No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
 
          Each morning, shout to the universe, “I’m a Friend of God!”

Your Third Self-Portrait:
You Can Do All Things Because You’re A Champion of God

            Whenever I face a problem, I speak these mighty words out loud: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

          Let me tell you a story that happened just three months ago.

          Three months ago, I was worried.

          Because we bought an Audio System for the FEAST worth a staggering, mind-blowing P2.4 Million.  (It has the power to fill huge stadiums.)  And I also promised the guy who sold it to us that we would pay him in three months time.

          Frankly, I didn’t know how in the world we could pay him in three months.

Let me tell you why: Last year, our group, Light of Jesus, built more than a hundred houses for the poor in our Gawad Kalinga village in Montalban, plus more than fifty houses for the poor in He Cares, a street kids ministry. 

At the same time, we also built a P9M building for our Light of Jesus Center. 

Because of these wonderful projects happening all at the same time, our pockets had now holes in them.

So three months ago, when I signed on a promissory note that we’ll be paying P2.4M for the Audio System, it was utter insanity…

My Friends Are Getting Used To My Insanity

But after all these years, I’ve gotten used to my insanity, and so have my friends.
I figured I didn’t have a choice either, as our weekly FEAST was growing in number and we really needed the beefed-up Audio System.

So after I signed that piece of paper, I went on stage and spoke to our FEAST audience.  “Friends, we need to raise P2.4M in three months for our Audio System.” 

The crowd in front of me looked at me with a huge question mark on their faces, waiting for a punch line.  They probably thought I was joking.

When they finally realized I was serious, I heard someone in the front row whisper, “Is it the full moon?  Bo isn’t thinking straight again.”

After my announcement, we passed the offering basket for the Audio System.  True enough. 

On that day, we collected the humongous, astronomical, gigantic sum of… (drum roll please)… P12,000! 

Wow, if this pace kept up, I calculated that we’d reach P2.4 Million in, oh, four years.  Man, we needed a miracle.

During those three months, I don’t know how many times I said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  I’m a Champion of God!

And as the weeks went by, the miracles came.

First, the wonderful man who sold the Audio System slashed his price to P2.0M.  He said he no longer wanted to make a profit from us.  (Bless his soul and business, Lord!)

 Second, a lot of people began giving sacrificially.  Even friends from abroad sent their donations faithfully.

And today, the Audio System has been fully paid.

In 27 long years of my ministry, God has never failed me yet.
 
Each morning, shout to the universe, “I’m a Champion of God!”

Lesson #2:
Focus Your Eyes On Your Divine Self-Portrait

Ronni is a good friend and a very successful businessman.

          When I asked him why he’s so successful, he told me a very peculiar reason: He said that when he was growing up as a kid, his father prohibited them from talking about gossip around the dinner table. 

They couldn’t talk about showbiz actors, their neighbors, or the usual trivia that people talk about. 

Instead, they always talked about business. 

Imagine being a 5-year-old boy.  And all around you, people are talking about how to increase sales, how to satisfy customers, and how to market your product!

As a child, these daily family conversations around the dinner table painted a powerful picture in Ronni’s mind about who he would become one day.

 Subconsciously, he already knew he was going to be a successful businessman. 

Today, Ronni owns two companies worth millions.  (By the way, if you want to meet Ronni, he’s one of my financial mentors. 

For years, Ronni’s father made him focus on a powerful Self-Portrait. 

And it has become a reality.

Friend, you have to learn how to focus.

Don’t focus on the negative things happening in your life.

Accept it, yes.  Acknowledge it, yes.  Don’t deny it.

But don’t dwell on it, meditate on it, and analyze it to death.

Instead, focus on what God is telling you.

Because as you eat around the Banquet of Life, your Heavenly Father likes talking about how great you are—and how great you will be.  Listen to Him. 

Focus on His Words.  And be blown away by how beautiful you are in His eyes.

Lesson #3:
No Matter What Happens, Never Give Up Your Divine Self-Portrait

When I think of Self-Portraits from God, I think of Joseph in the Old Testament. 

Because Joseph had a dream about who he was in God’s eyes. In that dream, he saw the sun, moon, and stars bowing down to him. 

This became his fantastic Self-Portrait.  He saw himself as a Child of God, Friend of God, and Champion of God. 

And through all the trials of his life, he held on to this Divine Self-Portrait. 

Joseph kept on rising after each fall, even if others kept putting him down.

          Consider this list of failures:
•        Joseph was thrown into a pit.
•        Joseph was sold as a slave.
•        Joseph was falsely accused of rape.
•        Joseph was thrown into prison.
•        Joseph was forgotten in prison!

          Through all these, Joseph must have asked, “Lord, what about that vision, the dream, that Self-Portrait that you gave me?  Was it fake?”

          But Joseph never gave up.

          Each time failure struck him like a lead pipe hitting his head, he held onto the Self-Portrait God gave him in his heart.  He believed that he was going to be a winner.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.
          And in the end, Joseph’s Self-Portrait came true.
 
He became Governor of all of Egypt.

Let me tell you one last story of another electric fan…

Use The Power Of Pictures In Your Heart

            When he got married, Rudy was so poor, he couldn’t even buy an electric fan.  He and his wife were renting a tiny room for P90 a month.  And this tiny room got warm during summer, and without a fan, it got really hot.

          But even in his poverty, Rudy believed in his dreams. 

He was also a great believer in having pictures to remind him of his dreams.

So he did the ridiculous.  He got a newspaper, cut out a photo of an electric fan, and pinned it on their wall. 

And each time he saw the photo, it reminded him of his great goal in life (at that time): That he’d be able to buy an electric fan for his beloved wife. 

Whenever he saw beads of perspiration on her forehead, he’d go to the photo, and “press” the switch of the fan.  He focused on his dream.

          Four days later, Rudy heard a knock on the door. 

When he opened it, he saw his neighbor holding an old electric fan.  The neighbor said he was moving out and wondered if Rudy wanted to buy his old fan for P50.

          Rudy was overjoyed.  “Yes!” he said.

          In four days, the real fan now the replaced the photo.

          The next photo he pinned on the wall was a beautiful white van.  Foolish, right?  How in the world can a poor man who couldn’t even buy an electric fan now dream of buying a van? 

          But he kept on dreaming for that van and worked hard.  The white van came.  And so did the larger homes.  Both here and America.

          Today, Rudy is a multi-millionaire.  Because he had pictures that guided him through his journey. 

          Having photos work!

Hang In Your Heart Your Divine Self-Portrait

            But I’m asking you not just to hang a photo of an electric fan on your wall.

          Use the power of pictures for a more important task: Hang a photo of yourself in your heart—the kind of person God wants you to be in the future. 

Like Rudy, I want to you focus on that photo—your Self-Portrait—and dream big dreams. 

          See yourself as a holy person. 

See yourself as a loving person. 

See yourself as a successful person. 

And see yourself as a “truly rich” person.

Redefine yourself.  Now.

          I remain your friend,
          Bo Sanchez
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