MIRACLES, A MISSION, AND A METHOD
Lisa Ann Sanchez is an author, grandmother, and overcomer whose life is a testament to the power of prayer and a resilient faith.
FINDING AN ANCHOR IN THE STORMS OF LIFE
As a child, Lisa survived an abusive home life and navigated between a dozen foster and group homes by the time she graduated high school. At seventeen, she experienced an "unexplainable" miracle, escaping a near-abduction by a human trafficker while riding her bike to school. Even when she was asked to vacate her foster home just three days after graduation, Lisa discovered that God was a "very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Through a childhood of extreme instability, Lisa found a life-changing hope in Jesus Christ. That relationship began at age eight when—as a child struggling through abuse and trauma—she made the life-changing decision to reach out for the only Anchor that would never let go. God's grace and mercy met her exactly where she was. Even in the midst of the storms of her childhood, she discovered that God's promise to never leave or forsake her was real. Today, Lisa is a living testament to how God can take the broken pieces of a childhood and transform them into a "hope and a future." Standing on the promise of Romans 8:28, she has seen firsthand how God works all things together for the good of those who love Him—turning her own trials into a beautiful mission to help others.
THE BIRTH OF THE P.U.P. (POP-UP PRAYERS)™ METHOD (1 Thess. 5:17-18)
For the past three years, Lisa has served as a volunteer camp counselor for foster youth, where she created the P.U.P. (Pop-Up Prayers)™ Method. This simple, three-step prayer tool teaches children how to stay connected to God throughout their day by learning to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Seeing how God worked in just five days to transform the way these children viewed prayer—showing them they could call on Him anytime and anywhere—inspired Lisa to share this tool with the world. She wrote Leo's Big Test so that every child, regardless of their circumstances, could discover that same powerful, constant connection to God.
FINDING STRENGTH IN THE DAILY BATTLE (Ephesians 6:12)
Lisa understands that sometimes life feels like a battle. Navigating the daily physical hurdles of fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, she has learned that whether the day is good or hard, she can always "P.U.P. and Look-Up" to God instead of relying on her own strength and wisdom. By leaning on the truth of Scripture like Philippians 4:13, she finds the strength to do all things through Christ. Just like Leo tells Alex, Lisa believes it's about choosing to be content and secure in Christ, no matter what. She is on a mission to ensure every child knows they are deeply loved by God—no matter how bright or difficult the day may feel—and to encourage every parent, grandparent, teacher, and mentor to keep up the good fight for the next generation. Inspired by Jesus' teaching that we must receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, Lisa writes to help the next generation find stability and confidence in the same Anchor she found—Christ. Through the adventures of her lovable characters, Leo and Alex, she brings the power of prayer to life, helping readers find the same "Anchor" that has sustained her through every trial. One of Lisa's favorite lines in Leo's Big Test captures the hope she wants to share with every reader: "Alex, Heaven is going to be the most AWESOME surprise of all time! And we will finally get to see Jesus, our wonderful Savior: the BEST part about Heaven!"
A PERSONAL NOTE FROM LISA:
"I pray Leo's Big Test makes you smile, inspires you to Send-Up Prayers (lots of them!), and helps you to apply the truth of God's Word to everything!"
