Nick Vujicic and his attitude is another example of the celebration of life over limitations.  If we could all learn that God puts us in situations to build our character not destroy us.  If we could learn that tensions in our life are there to strengthen our convictions not bowl us over.  Nick shares that if he fails, he tries again and again.  If you fail, are you going to try again?  The human spirit can handle much more than we realize.  When we know why we are doing what we do, rejection is just fodder for future growth.  Do you know why you do what you do?  Nick does and that is why his life is such an inspiration to others.  Nick is thankful for what he has and not bitter for what he doesn’t have.  I have never met a bitter person who was thankful and I have never met a thankful person who was bitter.  In life you have a choice – Bitter or Better?  As for me and my family, we choose bettter – just like Nick Vujicic!  God Bless, Orrin Woodward

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4uG2kSdd-4&w=425&h=344]

The following discussions is designed to get people to think and examine their beliefs and values.  We may disagree, but we can disagree respectfully as human beings with different thoughts on the issues.  I feel our society loses when we lose the ability to dialogue and reason.  Today’s post is an issue that is heated on both sides.  We need cooler heads to discuss and not name call either side of the issue.

Our post modern culture is good at casting aspersions on our forefathers for their hypocrisy.  I will use just three examples to share my point.  Have you ever heard any of the following?

1. Founding Fathers were hypocrites to say that all men were equal, but some had slaves.

2. Manifest Destiny was just a nice way of saying we are going to steal the land away from the Indians who could not stand against American firepower.

3. America needs to bring its troops home and let the countries that are defenseless against our firepower make their own decisions in government.

I believe each of these points has some validity and that we should discuss the ideals and the realities in each case.  What concerns me is that our post-modern culture can clearly see the fault of past generations, but never seems to look inward at our own hearts.  Jesus said, “Before you remove the speck from your brother’s eye, remover the beam from your own eye.”  The Bible is clear that Christians should defend the defenseless, ensure justice to the weak against the strong, and stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

The slaves during the American Revolution could not stand up for themselves and even though individual founding fathers did make stands, it took a Civil War to finally settle the slavery issue.  The founding fathers had ideals, but could not implement without risking the entire American Experiment.  Were they right or wrong to do so?  Great questions and great topics of discussion that will be discusses for as long as people reason.

The Indians on our great plains could not stand up to the land hungry Americans moving west.  Did individual American’s attempt to enforce the Indian nations rights?  Yes, some did, but justice was trampled for expediency and Indians were herded off to plantations instead of being assimilated into the American experiment.  Should America not have headed west at all?  These are great questions for ongoing dialogue that will be discussed for as long as people reason together.

The sovereignty of other countries is intervened by our powerful military and political machines.  Does America have the right and responsibility to ensure justice for the oppressed around the world?  These are more intelligent discussions with well reasoned argument on all sides.  If America is threatened, do we have the right to intervene?  There must be limits and principles applied to each situation. 

The point is that we should always examine the past and the present to ensure our hearts are right on these matters.  The goal of studying history is to learn the past so we can apply the right principles at the right time in the future.  As Harry Truman said, “There is nothing new under the sun, only the history that you do not know.”

I have said all of this to bring you to our post-modern culture’s biggest hypocrisy and crime, in my opinion.  How can we deftly point out the hypocrisy in our past and not blush with shame with our culture’s stand on abortion?  Isn’t the American creed to stand up for those that are defenseless?  Isn’t it the blatant hypocrisy that gets our gander up when we see the double standards from our past of (free men & slavery), (right to own property & land grabbing migrations), and (national sovereignty & empire building government)?  How is it that we see their hypocrisy, but miss our own? 

Can we truly say we are concerned about the welfare and rights of our defenseless brothers and sisters when we allow partial birth abortions?  What more defenseless human being can there be than a baby in their mother’s womb?  I can see future generations looking back on this generation with disdain.  They will mock our hypocrisy that we were so concerned about the defenseless until it called for a personal sacrifice.  Yes the modern God is the God of convenience and we are for doing right until it hurts.

It has been said that integrity is not doing wrong, but character is doing right.  You may not support partial birth abortions nor have had one and so you have integrity.  But I would submit to you that character would go the next mile and defend in a constitutional way the rights and the justice our speechless defenseless brothers and sisters.  America’s ideals have always stood for coming to the aid of the defenseless against injustice.  Please consider your positions and examine your own heart.  Do you have a double standard when it comes to judging the past and the present?  Do you, like our forefathers, use misleading arguments to justify the hypocrisy?  Like attempting to show that babies in the womb are not really human babies yet?  Doesn’t this sound frighteningly similar to bogus argument about Blacks not being fully human in an attempt to justify slavery?  Does it sound like bogus arguments that Indians could not be fully civilized in an attempt to justify rapaciousness?  Does it sound like fallacious arguments that the weaker countries need us to force upon them our form of government even though we would fight to the death to not allow a foreign power to do the same to us? 

The Bible compels us to go beyond integrity and into character.  I have made stands in my life that have cost me plenty.  Money, friends, reputation must all be put on the line before you surrender your character and your principles.  Can it be tough at times to stand for truth?  Sure, but not as tough as looking in the mirror and knowing that you are a hypocrite.  John Wooden said, “The softest pillow is a good conscience.”  Is your pillow soft at night?  Please watch the videos and think on these things.  God Bless, Orrin Woodward

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf0XIRZSTt8&w=425&h=344]

The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would eliminate every restriction on abortion nationwide.

• FOCA will do away with state laws on parental involvement, on partial birth abortion, and on all other protections.
• FOCA will compel taxpayer funding of abortions.
• FOCA will force faith-based hospitals and healthcare facilities to perform abortions.

FOCA Would Wipe Away Every Restriction on Abortion Nationwide

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6vnOaq7nWU&w=425&h=344]

On this Lord’s Day, I woke up early in a search for a video teaching about our Creator. I stumbled upon this phenomenal discussion between Dr. R. C. Sproul and Professor Ben Stein.   This interview covers a lot of ground in less than 30 minutes.  America needs more people discussing issues and not name calling and expelling heretics.  The case for Intelligent Design increases daily as more is learned of the intricate details involved in life.  The micro-biology field itself has virtually ruled out an explanation outside of an Intelligent Design.  My point today is not to convince anyone that life was created by Intelligent Design, but it is to ask why a professor’s job is threatened or lost for broaching the subject of design.   Can we maintain a free society if society is not free to ask questions on how life was created?  I love the quote from Ben Stein in this video where he says, “There is no State Church in America, whether it is Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Moslem or Darwin.”   Ben’s point was a State Church would eliminate any discussion that would be against their dogma.  Darwin is now accepted as dogma in our higher learning centers.  Anyone questioning the dogma is laughed at, castigated and eventually expelled if the first two options do not work. 

I love the quote, “A mind is like a parachute, it only works when it is open.”  We have closed the American mind to open inquiry and are losing valuable discussions in the search for truth.  No matter which side is right, why is intelligent discussion on Intelligent Design practically forbidden in universities?  This is why I love the internet.  We are free to discuss and educate ourselves, without the constraints of the ruling dogma.  I may disagree with someone’s opinion, but we must rationally discuss it, if we are both to learn.  Name calling, rants, and attacks under anonymous postings are the sign of dogma police, not free discussions.  The reason I discuss these points under my own name is that I truly desire to learn.  Why is education and truth so threatening to so many people?  I have been wrong many times in my life, but the PDCA process is self correcting and I get better through the process.  Just as a toddler fails 999 times before their first successful step, exposing ignorance is part of the education process.  I don’t take that personally, but professionally.  I have learned so much from the discussions in this blog and from the videos people have shared.  I believe the term is autodidact, which means someone who self educates themselves.  We as a group must be autodidacts to continually learn and improve ourselves.   Enjoy this video and please share your thoughts to improve all of us. God Bless, Orrin Woodward

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBAL2jhdP8E]

I believe that all leaders have a responsibility to learn truth in their life.  They also have a responsibility to live truth in their life.  Lastly, they have a responsibility to share this truth with others.  I am so thankful that God has blessed our business and given us the opportunity to share truth with others.  Are you learning, living and sharing truth in your leadership journey?  Francis Schaeffer was an explosion of ideas for my leadership journey and I believe will help all of us understand the role we play in the future of our countries.  God will not be mocked and we must surrender our wills to His will if we desire our countries to be blessed.  No one describes the condition of our cultures better than Dr. Schaeffer and his book, How Shall We Then Live? is a classic that all leaders should read, in my opinion. 

Here are a couple of videos that share some of the concepts from the book.  Remember, no one can think for you.  I strongly disagree with any leader who tells someone that they must believe the same as them.  I learned a long time ago that a person convinced against their will is of the same opinion still.  True learning only occurs when someone is open to think through all the sides of the issues.  Not arguments and name calling, but only reasoned discussions guided by the Holy Spirit will help us unite around the Truth and make a difference. Have a blessed Sunday!  Orrin Woodward

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsy-4m2pcHg&w=425&h=344]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb4qgWigu64&w=425&h=344]

Lately, I have been thinking a lot on what beliefs make the difference between building a large community rather than just trying real hard in Network Marketing. No matter what company you are affiliated with, these core beliefs will make a huge difference. The key is to find a company with owners who truly believe the same principles. These core beliefs will anchor you during the many adversities that life will send your way. When Laurie and I mentor the leaders on our team, the goal is to instill these beliefs into their lives and share how these beliefs will empower you to further success. Feel free to share these articles with anyone in the MLM, Networking or Community building field as I believe in giving back to the incredible field that has blessed me. I will share the key beliefs over the next several posts to help people develop into a Master Networker.

First Key Belief

The first principle for all top Networkers that endure the test of time is an undying faith in people. Faith allows the leader to see people where they are at, but have faith that they can improve. Without faith, pessimism and cynicism will reign and no leadership is possible. Leaders must give people the hope for a better tomorrow and the appropriate tools to obtain that better tomorrow. Hope with no plan or a plan with no hope will not get the job done. The leader must have faith in themselves, faith in their team, and faith in the plan to accomplish the objective of building a large community.

How do you develop this faith you ask? Everyone has faith in something. The atheist has faith in their belief that God does not exist. You cannot rationally prove that God exist or does not exist – both sides run out of logic and take their beginning points as articles of faith. Faith goes beyond reason into principles of life that cannot be proven for or against with rationality. Why do you have a faith in people? I could point to many examples of people who have grown and changed into leaders, but that would not prove rationally why I have faith in people. Someone else could show people who did not grow and change becoming bitter and resentful. Any Master Networker must have an unapologetic faith in people or they will never be able to lead with conviction. My faith in God and belief that people are made in the image of an Almighty God leads me to treat them with the dignity and respect that they deserve. Networkers who truly want to make a difference are called to love people and use things, not love things and use people.

Where are you on this core belief? Do you have a faith in people to grow and change with the right information? Yes, it is up to the people to take the information and apply it to their lives, but are you willing to faith it until they make it? I have seen people take five years to get their thinking right before growing the business. Can you love and respect people for years with no results and maintain the faith that they will get it right in time? If you can, then you have the faith necessary to build large communities. People are your most valuable asset in any company. Watching people grow and get better is the one of the highest joys associated with building a community. Watching people shrink and get bitter is one of the lowest of lows associated with building a community.

A Master Networker on faith will swallow the bitter pill to have the right to enjoy the better pill. People have an infinite worth and must be treated with care and dignity until they see the worth in themselves through the handiwork of God. Never, never, ever give up on anyone! The world is filled with cynics, critics, backbiters, and fools – don’t join the ever growing club. The world is crying out for leaders of character who will follow their core beliefs even when it hurts. Who will believe in people, even when it hurts? Who will follow through on their dreams, even when others say it can’t be done. Leaders by definition divide. Leaders of faith state that it is possible to change yourself by persistent and consistent efforts. Those who believe in this core principle will unite around the leader. Those who don’t have faith in people will attack the Master Networker as a charlatan and a crank.

Only time will tell who was right and who were the charlatans. Abraham Lincoln said, “I would rather believe in people and be let down once in a while than to not believe in anyone and never truly live.” William James, the great American psychologist and philosopher stated, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind.” It takes faith to believe that and all Master Networkers have that faith. Pascal, the French philosopher and mathematician said, “The heart has it reasons that the mind knows nothing about.” Building a large network goes beyond the mind into the heart and reasons that are hard to quantify. Leaders just know in their hearts that they are responsible to serve and develop others. Examine your faith and ask do you have faith in the ability of people to change and become better? If you do, you have the first key belief necessary to build a large community and enter into the elite of Network Marketing. God Bless, Orrin Woodward