Would I Lie to You?

This weekend, I got to travel back to my hometown area and share about the It Works wraps, supplements, and skin care products at a festival in Augusta, Kansas, and then a bridal expo in Wichita.  Both experiences helped me take a fresh look at something I face as an independent distributor for this crazy wrap business.

The festival was outside and HOT, but we still talked to quite a few people who braved the scorching heat.  I sold wraps to complete strangers.  I had never met these ladies before that Saturday, but when I gave them a coupon for $5 off a wrap, they were intrigued.  They wondered if the wrap really worked.  All 4 of the women who bought wraps had heard about It Works before but had questions and were certainly curious about the results pictures they had seen.  I showed them pictures of myself, my husband, and quite a few other people I have had the privilege of wrapping.  I showed them pictures of my team mates and people they have wrapped.  Within minutes, I had "convinced" these strangers I was indeed telling them the truth.  They wanted to try this "magic" wrap for themselves and paid me $25 to do so!  I was so excited to help them out!  One woman had lost a substantial amount of weight and wanted to use the wrap to help tighten up her loose skin.  Another woman wanted to wrap her arms.  Two other women wanted to use the wrap on their stomachs, kind of as a jump start to getting healthier.

Within in matter of minutes I had won these women's trust.  They gave me their money in exchange for a wrap I assured them would tighten, tone, and firm their skin wherever they wore it.  In just 45 minutes.  They believed me.  They took me at my word.

As they should.
Why would I lie to them?
Why would I lie to anyone?

That's right... I wouldn't!
Even a complete stranger saw that.

The bridal expo was a different story.  It was inside, in the cool air conditioning.  Hundreds of brides-to-be came to our table.  I was SHOCKED at how many of them had NEVER even heard of It Works before.  When we asked them if they wanted to try out a wrap to help tighten, tone, and firm as they get ready for their big day, they looked at us with confusion.  They had absolutely no idea what we were talking about.  Seriously, 80% of these women were hearing about the crazy wrap for the first time.  Of the remaining 20% who did know what It Works is, about 15% of them had never USED any of the products!  When we told them about the greens, supplements, and skin care products, they were quite impressed.  BUT, they also had questions - a lot of them - about how the wrap works.  They were skeptical.  Doubtful.  Curious.  Hopeful.  Who wouldn't want the wrap to work?  Who wouldn't want to be able to use something that is natural and organic to help them look and feel their best, inside and out?!  And yet, we don't have a brain cell for this crazy wrap...

We visited with so many women. Answered so many questions.  Shared about other products.  Explained how they could help with various health goals.  Showed pictures of ourselves and others we know who are benefiting from the wraps, greens, supplements, and skin care products in one way or another.

AND, we sold wraps.  Again, to complete strangers.  These women came to us not knowing a thing about our company or our products and left excited to tighten, tone, and firm.  In just 45 minutes.  They took us at our word. They believed us.

As they should.
Why would we lie to them?
Why would we lie to anyone?

That's right...we wouldn't!
Even these complete strangers saw that.

As I reflected on both events, I was struck pretty deep in my heart.  I think the response at both the festival and bridal expo hit a sensitive nerve for me.  Granted, I am a busy mom of 3 and running low on sleep so I might be a bit more emotional than usual, but I still wanted to address the feelings I was having.  I wanted to be completely honest about what was stirring inside me.  So here goes...

If a complete stranger will believe me and take me at my word when I share about the wrap and other amazing natural health products It Works has to offer, then how come so many of my friends (who know me pretty well, like not just know about me, but know my HEART and CHARACTER) still question me and doubt me?!

If a complete stranger will believe me and take me at my word when I show a before and after picture, then how come so many of my friends are skeptical and find something to keep them from thinking it's real?

If a complete stranger will listen to my stories of what the products are doing for me and people I know and believe me and take me at my word, then how come so many of my friends seem to think I'm not telling the truth or are hesitant to try the products for themselves and see how they could help them too?

If a complete stranger will give me their money for a wrap, then how come so many of my friends are reluctant to try a wrap or greens or HSN or anything else?

I don't get it.
Not at all.
If a complete stranger can see in 5 minutes that I am telling the truth, then why do my friends seem to think I am lying to them?  Don't they know me at all?  I thought they did...

I have been told many times in this business that family and friends are often the hardest to "convince" to try the products or join you in selling them.  That is so very sad to me.  How come the ones closest to us do that?  Shouldn't they be the first ones to jump at the opportunity to support us?  Don't they know our hearts and character and realize we would never lie to them or ask them to spend their money on something that didn't work?

I don't have answers.
Only questions.
And feelings.
Lots of those.

I guess I do have one more question, though.
One I would like an honest answer to (in addition to your thoughts on everything else in the post)....

Would I lie to you?

Dreaming TOGETHER

Yesterday, as we drove to Costco to get groceries, my husband had me grab a piece of paper to make a list of things he/we need to do.

*Schedule a camp out for our Bible study kids
*Get his classroom ready for next year (he has to move rooms, again)
*Call about our little girl taking gymnastics and/or ballet classes this summer
*Call a friend with some questions about soil for around the house

That quickly turned into a discussion about wanting to do some landscaping, which lead to a conversation about clearing out the brush behind the house and building a little bridge over the creek, and before I know it's he's talking about extending the deck...

While he was in this "get things done" mode, I mentioned the shelves by the fireplace (the ones that aren't there yet but would be really nice if they were).  He upped me and talked about putting in a little stoop and adding some decorative touches while we were at it.

Okay, why stop there?  Let's talk about the entry way and a better way to organize all the shoes and jackets and the like...

And so we were dreaming.  Some "little" things and some MUCH bigger things.  Whatever the case, I was blessed beyond words to hear my husband talk about HIS dreams and ideas.  He even joked, "If we're going to dream, let's dream BIG."  I guess my philosophy and outlook on life is rubbing off on him after all!!!

I told my husband, with all seriousness, "Let's do it.  Next summer, let's do this!!!"  My goal is to have him "retire" from teaching summer school (which he never wants to do but always does because of the nice stipend).  Then, we will have TWO FULL MONTHS of family time!  We can take a nice vacation, just enjoy each other, relax, AND get some major projects done!

What's so huge about that dream?  Well, I am already "retiring" this month as soon as school is out.  I will be done with in-home daycare after 4.5 years of watching teachers' kiddos.  I get to be a full-time mom, my dream job!!!  However, that income is also gone.  BUT, my It Works income more than replaces it!  So thankful to God for providing for us in this way - one we never would have imagined in a million years!

Not only is He taking care of our needs, He is bringing people into our lives who we can help.  We get to pass on the blessing and show them how the business works and how to "use" it to get out of debt and enjoy the same financial freedom we are!  These people are so much more than team mates, though!  They are friends.  They are FAMILY!!!

This morning I was weeping tears of joy as I talked with some team mates and messaged with others.  I am blown away at what God is doing in their businesses and in their lives.  I am honored and humbled to play a small role in what He's doing.  And this is just the beginning....literally, some of these team mates JUST started on this journey this month, this week!

If I wasn't excited yesterday as we drove to Costco and dreamed - not just about our house projects, but more importantly about supporting great ministries like Selah Freedom and Triumphant Ministries and Children's Cup and Samuel's Song - I am even more excited today!!!  In the car, I was sharing with my husband how my goal is to be Triple Diamond by July 31 and Presidential by December 31.  (If you're not in It Works, those ranks probably mean nothing to you, so check out the chart below.)

I am actually pretty close to promoting to Double Diamond.  I would LOVE to do that THIS month and earn a $15,000 bonus!!  Of course, for that to happen, it means my husband would promote to Diamond and earn himself a $10,000 bonus!!!  The possibility of earning $25,000 in bonus money alone THIS month boggles my mind.  I really, truly can NOT comprehend it.  And yet, with God, it's possible.  After all, He is the God who can do "infinitely more than I can ask, imagine, or even dare to dream...."  (Ephesians 3:20)

Today, though, I was literally trembling with joy and excitement and awe.  I had a new team mate join yesterday.  Today, she called me to let me know her mom is ready to join as a distributor too, and they have 2 women who are interested in it as well.  Plus, she's going to be wrapping her friend who is a make-up artist and could potentially be a distributor as well.  Did I mention she does hair and make-up for celebrities? :)  And that my new team mate and her mom work in the bridal industry.  Let's just say, the possibilities are HUGE! :)

I've had other team mates message and text me this weekend and today about people who are ready to get started as well.  They may not know any celebrities or brides, BUT they are excited and reaching out to everyone they do know to share with them about these amazing natural health and wellness products.  And that's all you need to be successful in this business -- excitement.  Passion.  A desire to help others.  A fire in your belly to change people's lives.

As I looked over my husband's chart, I realized he is only 10 people away from promoting to Diamond.  10.  I have more than 10 people who I think would ROCK this business.  And I know my team mates have more than 10 people who they think would do well too!!!  A sense of peace rushed over me, as if God was saying, "Just watch me..."

I don't say any of this to brag or boast, except about my GOD.  I can talk about Him all day long.  I share this with you to show how GOOD He is, how faithful He is, and how He blesses His children, like me.  I'm not anyone special, except  that I am a child of the King.  I'm just an "ordinary" wife and mom from a small town (like 500 people) in the middle of nowhere Kansas.  Except I'm not "ordinary!"  I am God's MASTERPIECE (Ephesians 2:10).  And YOU are too.  I am created a new in Christ Jesus and God has special and specific plans for ME to do.  As my faith prompts me to do these good things prepared in advance long ago (before the world even began), God will work within me with HIS POWER to accomplish these goals and desires that HE has laid on my heart (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

If God can do this in MY life, then He can do it in YOURS too.  Your story might look a little different.  As it should, really, since you are a unique person, designed by God with unique talents and abilities and interests and passions.  I don't know what those are, but I do know God made you the way He did for a reason (Psalm 139) and that He has amazing plans for you, plans for you to PROSPER and be a BLESSING to others (Jeremiah 29:11).

I know that as I am learning to take God at His Word and delight in Him above all else, He is giving me the desires of my heart (Psalm 37).  I know that He can and will do the same thing in your life too, as He promised in Malachi:

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. 

If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. 

I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! 

Try it! Put me to the test! 

Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease.

Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 

“Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” 

says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Recently, I heard a song on the radio for the first time.  The lyrics penetrated deep within my heart, as they resonated with everything else God was already whispering to my soul.  I invite you to listen to Casting Crown's new song "Thrive" and see what God to say to YOU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ71RWJhS_M

After you listen, I would LOVE to pray with you.  Whether you want to join me on this crazy It Works journey or not, I want to pray with you, that God would make Himself known to you, that He would give you the power and faith to carry out your dreams, to do the GOOD THINGS He has prepared for you to do, to THRIVE!!!

Feel free to send me a message or even give me a call!  660.281.8266

Here's to being more than ordinary...
Here's to KNOWING HIM AND MAKING HIM KNOWN....
Here's to letting His living water flow through us...
Here's to joy unspeakable...
Here's to faith unsinkable...
Here's to love unstoppable...
Here's to believing beyond a shadow of a doubt ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

 

Rally House

Direct sales is a tough business.   Multi-level marketing can be rough.  But oh, so rewarding at the same time!  I don't know any other way to double your income in a month, get unlimited weekly bonuses, make extra cash on the side AND help people feel great about themselves at the same time.

One thing I didn't expect when I joined It Works was the amazing BOND I have with my fellow distributors.  We are a TEAM for sure, but even better, we are truly a FAMILY!  We encourage each other and celebrate with each other.  We inspire and motivate and challenge each other.  We teach each other and learn from each other.  Best of all, we stick up for each other.

Our company motto is "Friendships, fun, freedom."  And it's so very true!   On days like today, our motto could also be, "I've got your back!"

On a team page, a distributor posted how a fellow team mate (a girl I have never met personally) got a nasty text from a close friend.  The friend told the distributor that It Works was a scam and too good to be true and not to get involved.  Sad day!!!  Unfortunately, this does happen.  Not sure why those closest to us are sometimes more hesitant than complete strangers to support us in this crazy wrap business.  Yes, it's different.  Yes, it's new.  BUT, it's NOT too good to be true.  It's absolutely amazing and can be a blessing and truly change your life.  If you let it...

The distributor asked us to rally around our team mate, to support her and encourage her and give her PROOF of how It Works does indeed work -- wraps and business.  It's blowing me away at our team's response.  Within 5 minutes, over 10 people have shared before and after pictures of their wrap results AND how being a distributor is such a blessing to them and their families.  I know the pictures and testimonies will keep coming in all day long.  Because that's the kind of team we have.  Like I said, we are like FAMILY!!!!

I'm an RN that births at home, doesn't vax, drinks raw milk, and prefers non-GMO over organic if I can't have both. These are my results

That's Melissa -- the person who got me into this biz in the first place.  She and her hubby Mitch just earned a $50,000 bonus (about 15 months into the biz)!

Here's her belly pic...

Cassandra shares:
I have no idea where I would be mentally, emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually ..man the list is endless! 

It Works has not only giving me the freedom I prayed for, but it has brought me a sense if ease in my health. My family is getting healthier, and best of all I get to change peoples lives! Too good to be true? Yes it is too good but not to be true because it is true! I'm sure corporate would have been a little more clever in the company name if this was a gimmick ! 

So here it is simply put! IT WORKS! 
This was from before my first wrap to a few months ago! I am mortified that my tummy used to look like that! But I never have to be at that point ever again! 

Ashley says:
Here are my before and after pics! Just 1 wrap 2.5 inches gone and stretch marks faded!!! Remember we get lots of no's and non believers. Run with your yeses.... I actually quit the biz because of non believers and family complaining about my facebook having stomach pics all over it. And ya know what I saw pictures of my uplines and sidelines having fun and changing lives and not caring what other people thought... I am just starting over imagine how far I could have gotten if I wouldn't have let other people judge me in the first place 

Jessica adds:
Business has changed my life. I was able to let go of one of my daycare kiddos leaving me with more time for my own kids. Income has literally quadrupled in the past month! As far as products I cannot even begin to explain how they have changed my life and my families life! I have lost friends b/c I started this business and it sucks it really does, but I promise you that the future will only bring new friends, new experiences and a life you would have never imagined!

Rachel (who I know personally and love and respect so very much) shared her story:
I joined It Works! because we didn't have enough money to put food on our table and gas in our cars (credit cards was the only way... It is not the answer!) I used 2 wraps lost 7 inches! My before/after pics are after 4 wraps . They work!! I passionately went after It Works! steps to Success business plan every month and now 1 year later from joining I am double diamond making close to triple diamond salary! No more credit cards. Cash for everything! It works changed our families life and I want it to change my friends lives too!! They really truly are the real deal! Implement their business plan and its SUCCESS! 

Then there's my story (a nugget of it at least):
This is me, this year after I had my 3rd baby girl in November. I wrapped for the first time in January. Funny, I went Diamond in August and had never wrapped personally!!! I did wrap my hubby, and I'll share his pic next. It Works is a HUGE blessing to us. I do in-home daycare. I lost 2 kiddos unexpectedly this fall. That would have sent us reeling, if not for It Works. We would have been hurting BIG time but It Works more than covered that lost income. And now come May when school is out, I am retiring from daycare because I don't need that income anymore. It Works has us covered. So I get to be a full time mom and get paid more to do "just" that!!! LOVE!!! I have made some of the best friends through It Works on top of the money and health benefits for everyone in our family!!! Can't beat that! 

And here are my husband's results too!

As I share these, I have tears running down my cheeks.  These are stories shared within 5 minutes of the post being up on our team page.  Like I said,  I know more will come in all day long.

I am so blessed to call these men and women FRIENDS, even though I have never met most of them. We are sooooo much more than a wrap.  This is about changing lives, in so many ways.

We would love to have you be part of the family!!!  No matter what, we will have your back.  We will rally around you -- not just when people question the wrap or the business, but when crap happens in your life and you need a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen to you scream OR when great stuff happens and we can rejoice and celebrate with you (like paying off debt or going on vacation and paying cash or sending your kiddos to the school you want or whatever).

I love our products.
But even more, I love our company.

It will only be BETTER if you are a part of it with me.
Think about it.
Pray about it.
Then, give me a call.

Don't wait.
Don't over analyze.

Take that step of faith.
We'll figure out the rest as we walk on this journey together.

660.281.8266

Imagine...

In the past 14 months I have grown more in my faith than ever before.  But, I have also struggled more too.

Why?

Because I am on a new path, doing something different, something I have never done before now.

I'm going against the flow.
I'm refusing to accept what I thought was normal, what many of us have grown up thinking is normal simply because it's what so many around us are doing.
I'm deciding to step out in faith and live a bit differently.

It hasn't been easy.
I get questions.
I get weird looks.
I'm sure people say things behind my back that I'm not even aware of, and that's okay.

I used to do the same thing to people like me, before I was one of them.

Now, I get it.
Now that I am on this journey with them, side by side and following in their footsteps.

I read this article this morning and smiled.  I can relate to every single thing mentioned.  Because I have started to pursue my dreams...

I see things differently now.
And I invite you to do the same...

But, first, let's talk about some of my struggles, because who knows maybe you have some of the same thoughts and concerns as I did.

They all kind of tie together.  They go something like this:
*wanting to make money (and lots of it) is wrong
*wanting to make money is selfish
*wanting to make money is greedy

Want to know what's strange?  Taking our Financial Peace University class, a class about MONEY, has actually helped me transform my thinking almost more than anything else.  That and reading the Bible...

In our very first FPU class, I listened to Dave Ramsey explain how money in and of itself is amoral.  It is neither good or evil.  In the same way that a brick is amoral.  It can be used to build a hospital for kids battling cancer.  It can be thrown through a window as a prank.  The brick doesn't care.  It's amoral.  Money is the same way.  It can be used in many ways, some good and some bad.  The money doesn't care.

What matters is a person's attitude about money, their behavior when using their money, and their perspective about how to make money and then how to use that money.

I know all that.  In my head.  And still, I struggled with my desire to do well in my It Works business and make money (a lot of it).  I thought I was being selfish.  I thought I was being greedy.  I fought against big, huge dreams God was placing on my heart.  For whatever reason, I thought I was being sinful to have such goals and desires.  Really, I was listening to Satan.  Sadly, I was believing his lies.

Lately, I have come to realize that far, far, far too many of us are.  I know I am not alone.  Far from it.

It's not really our fault.
It's how we grew up.
It's all we know.
It's what we see and hear and experience all around us, day after day after day after day.
So, naturally, we are going to fall prey to these lies.  Our enemy has done a marvelous job of normalizing this way of life so much so that we have accepted it as truth.  And when we start to look at things differently, when we dare to question how things are done, when we get up just enough courage to take that first step of faith, he bombards us with doubt, he cripples us with fear.  Then, we step back.  We stay put.  We get stuck in the rut.  Right where Satan wants us.

Remember, his goal, his mission is to "steal and kill and destroy."  More than anything, he wants to keep us from the "abundant life" Jesus came to give us.

And sadly, oh so sadly, waaaaaaaay too many of us do.  We miss out!!!

BUT, we don't have to!
We CAN change.

I am!!!
And I invite you to join me!!!

I've taken a good, hard look at my heart, at my attitude and behavior and perspective.  I'm evaluated my goals and my desires.  I've realized that there is absolutely nothing wrong or selfish or greedy about them.  Then, again, I may be biased.  So, I have listed them here and invite you to make your own decision.  What's your opinion?  Are my top 5 goals wrong, selfish, or greedy?

1. Be debt free, including our house
2. Save for a "new" car (eventually we will need a "new to us" car and we want to pay cash)
3. Save for vacations (big and little; we even want to take my parents with us on one, as a thank you for all they have done for us over the years; we want to pay cash for everything the trips includes)
4. Have at least 5 figures in savings (plus the girls' college funds and our retirement funds)
5. Give, give, give and bless others in various ways

I've heard that you are more likely to achieve your goals if they are in front of you, so I wrote a big one on my mirror, have my dream board there too, and posted my top 5 goals on the fridge where I will see them all every day.  And pray over them every day too.  Because unless God is in this, it's not happening.  BUT, I firmly believe these goals and dreams are DIRECTLY FROM GOD.  And I am extremely excited to see how He is going to work to accomplish His plans and purposes for me, for HIS honor and glory...

So, what about YOU?
Do have some of the same questions and concerns I did?
Is fear or doubt or guilt or anything else keeping you from taking a step of faith and pursuing your dreams, whatever they may be?

Like I said before, I invite you to think differently.
I invite you to join me on this life-changing journey.
Let's pursue our dreams together.

As I was writing this blog post, I couldn't help but remember to the amazing performance David Archuleta had on American Idol back in 2008.  Listen to him sing John Lenon's "Imagine."

Then, pray about it.  Could It Works be a way to help you pursue and reach your dreams, even your really big, huge, unrealistic, humanly impossible ones?

If you are at all interested in learning more or have any questions or want to jump in and start your own It Works story TODAY, please call me!!!  I would love to talk and pray with you!!!  660.281.8266

Let's be dreamers together.  I know we're not the only ones....

Dream Big...Pray BIGGER!

That's my motto for this year.

I'm pretty sure I've said all of what I am going to write today at least once before, but I feel as though it needs to be said again.  And again and again and again and again until my friends and family and strangers truly start BELIEVING and ACTING on what I am saying.  Or really, what GOD is teaching me, and I am SHARING with you...

My goal, today, is to not use any words of my own, but to simply repeat what Jesus Himself said or what one of His disciples wrote as a result of spending time with Jesus or what the apostle Paul wrote after his life was transformed when he accepted Jesus as his Savior and Lord.

Let's start with Jesus (always a good person to start with)

Yes, I am the gate.  Those who come in through Me will be saved.

They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

That establishes His character pretty well, letting us know what kind of God we serve.  To make sure we get it though, and better understand His goodness and desire to bless us, Jesus goes on to say:

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. 

Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 

For everyone who asks, receives. 

Everyone who seeks, finds. 

And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 

Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, 

how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Perhaps, you are like me.  Maybe you still doubt or think you're being greedy and asking for too much.  You don't want to get carried away and pray for something that's too difficult for God to handle (or more accurately, too much for YOU to handle or too big for you to accomplish on your own)...

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 

the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you 

with inner strength through his Spirit. 

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. 

Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, 

how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. 

Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, 

to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 

Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Maybe you face a different battle - one against FEAR.  You're scared of the unknown.  You worry about what might happen.  You dread the possibility of failure.  You turn from the smallest sign of uncertainty.  And so you stay where it's "safe."  You're not alone.  Unfortunately.  And even worse, you are missing out.  BIG TIME!!!

And it is impossible to please God without faith. 

Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists 

and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

From the Old Testament too...

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. 

If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. 

I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! 

Try it! Put me to the test! 

Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease.

Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 

“Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” 

says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

God DOES want the BEST for us.  We are His children.  He loves us.  DEARLY.  He gave His own Son to die on the cross in our place.  He was bruised and beaten and crucified ON OUR BEHALF.  His sacrificial death paid for our ETERNAL LIFE.  

If God will express His love so deeply and passionately for us on the cross, why then do we doubt His desire to bless us once we have accepted His free gift of salvation?

I am NOT saying your number one goal in life should be to accumulate wealth, to have the biggest house or the newest car or the latest fashion trends or whatever else.  

I am NOT saying you should desire fame and fortune.

I AM saying that it's okay, and even GOOD, to rest in God, to sit in His lap, to enjoy His presence, and to experience His abundant grace and mercy.  

I AM saying that it's pretty awesome when you take God at His Word, when you BELIEVE what He has said, and step out in FAITH to live the life He has called you to live.

Be still in the presence of the Lord,

    and wait patiently for him to act.

Trust in the Lord and do good.

    Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

 

Take delight in the Lord,

    and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Commit everything you do to the Lord.

    Trust him, and he will help you.

 

He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,

    and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

And my new prayer for myself and for YOU:

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. 

May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. 

Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, 

and you will be honored along with him. 

This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

I invite you to sit down and have a open, honest conversation with God.  You may not hear Him audibly, but I guarantee you He is listening to you and will answer you as you pour your heart out to Him.

I want you to list out the dreams He has placed on your heart.  Nothing is too small.  Nothing is too big.  Don't think about what you are writing.  JUST WRITE!  Use 10 pages of paper if you need to do so!

Once you have jotted down every single thing that came to mind, that you felt in your heart, I want you to go back over that list and pick out the top 5.  I want you to get out a new piece of paper and write down those 5 dreams and post them where you will see them every.single.day.  Not "just" see them, but PRAY over them.  EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

Now, one last thing, I want you to go to your bathroom mirror and take a dry erase marker and write out:

God is at work in me.

He can do INFINITELY MORE 

than I can ask, dream, or dare to imagine.

Okay, now we are a mission together.  A mission to dream big, and PRAY BIGGER!!!  I can hardly wait to see what God is going to do in and through us as we step out in faith to serve Him and live for Him with passion and purpose!!!  

If you took my challenge, I would LOVE to know so I can be praying for you and with you!!! 

Debunking the Myths and Asking Different Questions

This has been an amazing week. Talk about a great start to the month.

I've helped 3 people order products to help them invest in their health.  These products will help them feel better, and thus be able to go and do more and live life to the fullest.  That's my goal!

When these 3 people placed their orders, I helped them get $10 in FREE PRODUCT.  I also showed them how they can get as many FREE BOXES of wraps or as many $35 FREE product credits that their little hearts desire.  I love free stuff -- who doesn't? -- and am so excited to help these 3 people get a great deal!  Did I mention I helped them save 45% on their orders too?!  Well, I did.  Pretty much LOVE my "job!"

I've also helped 2 ladies join the It Works family.  I will be working with them now, training and mentoring them, teaching them everything they need to know to be successful with their businesses.  I will show them the "Steps to Success" and run with them towards a $10,000 bonus that is available to them.  They could have that bonus by June 31!  I am so delighted to have the honor and privilege of helping these mamas help their families. Together, we are going to change the world - one person, one wrap at a time!

This morning I earned a $100 bonus just for helping my new team mates get off to a great start.  Gotta love getting paid just for helping someone!  Have I mentioned how much I like my "job?"

Maybe you hear all this and think, "That's great for you.  I could never do that..."  Well, I am hear to tell you, "Yes YOU can!!"  If I can do this, anyone can!!!

So often I hear the same "reasons" from people as to why they can't join or don't think they can be successful.  I get asked the same questions over and over again.  I thought I would compile those and debunk these myths and help you ask different questions, better questions.

Myth #1: I don't have time.

We all have 24 hours in a day.  We all have 7 days in a week.  We all have 4 weeks a month.  We all have 12 months a year.  We all have the same amount of time.  And that time passes no matter what we are doing.  It passes pretty quickly, actually.  Time seems to fly by at lightning speed.  You blink and your kids are graduating from high school and unpacking in their college dorm room.  You blink again and they're walking down the aisle getting married to their best friend.  You blink once more and you're a grandparent.  And in all that time that has passed you haven't done a single thing to change your life.  Not really.  It's just how it happens.  Sad, but true.

If you want something to change, if you want your life to be different, you have to do something about it. You can't just do the same thing over and over and over again.  If you want to have more time with your kids before they're grown and gone, you're going to have to do something to make that happen.  If you want to be able to go on family vacations and create memories with your loved ones, you're going to have to do something to make that happen.  If you want to retire and travel the world, you're going to have to do something to make that happen.  If you want to start a charity of your own or contribute to one that you admire or support others in their endeavors to make the world a better place, you're going to have to do something to make that happen.

And here's the kicker -- you need to do that something NOW.  If you wait until you have time, you're going to be waiting your whole life.  Then, before you know it, your kids are going to be all grown up and you didn't get to spend the time with them that you wanted, you didn't get to take those vacations, you didn't get to make those memories, you didn't get to travel the world, you didn't get to start your own charity or contribute to one or support others as they set out to make a difference in the lives of those around them.  You flat out missed out.  The time passed, as it always does and always will.

So you see, you DO have the time.  You have to decide what to do with the time you have.  Take a good hard look at your life.  How much time do you spend on Facebook?  Play any Candy Crush or Pet Saga?  What about video games?  Watch TV?  Surf the Net?  Not saying we can't take time to veg or relax at the end of a busy day.  But what if you put that time towards building a business that will change your life?  What if you spent that time NOW so that you could stay home with your kiddos and take family vacations whenever you wanted (like many of my fellow It Works distributors are able to do)?  What if you invested that time NOW so you can build a legacy for your children and their children and their children?  I may be biased, but I am thinking that is a better use of your time...

And please keep in mind I am saying all of this as a mom of three young girls (ages 4, 2, and 3 months).  I run an in-home daycare and take care of three more precious kiddos (ages 2, 11 months, and 6 months).  So that's 6 kiddos under the age of 4.  I'm busy.  I also make supper, clean the house, do laundry, and all those other household chores we all have to do whether we want to or not.  My husband and I are part of a Small Group.  He plays volleyball once a week.  We have a Bible study at our house on Sunday evenings with 25+ middle school kids.  We have a life, a busy one.  And yet, here I am having the time - MAKING the time - to run a successful business so that someday soon, very soon, we can have MORE time together as a family and do MORE things together and make some pretty amazing memories in the process.

As I said, you DO have the time.  You need to decide how to use the time you have.  Like Gandolf asked Frodo in the Lord of the Rings, "What are you going to do with the time you've been given?"

That brings us to Myth #2: I don't have the money. 

This one is a bit harder.  You honestly might not have the money.  You might be living paycheck to paycheck.  You might not have a penny to spare.  BUT, most of us do have the money or a way to get the money.  $99 to start your own business is really a pretty good deal.  Go ask any "traditional" business owner how much they spent to start their restaurant or salon or store of any kind.  I am 99% sure they invested more than $99 to get started on fulfilling their life dream.

Even though $99 is a heck of a deal, that is grocery money or gas money or your child's gymnastic class tuition or your car payment or a medical bill or some other financial responsibility you can't avoid.  I get that.  Again, take a good hard look at your life.  Is there anywhere, anywhere at all, that you could cut out spending and save $99 over the next month?  Make your own coffee instead of paying Starbucks to do it for you.  Skip the afternoon can of pop.  Pack your lunch instead of eating out.  Stay home for supper rather than heading to a restaurant.  Paint your own nails.  Pass on the new pair of shoes since you have several pairs in your closet that fit just fine.  Learn how to cut your husband's hair so the barber doesn't have to.  Swap babysitting with your friends so you can go on a date with your spouse without paying for childcare.  I don't know what your situation is, so I don't know exactly what you could cut out and where you could save a buck or two.  Every penny counts.  What I do know, though, is this -- if you WANT something bad enough, you will find the money for it.

I also know this -- you WILL make your $99 back, in your first month.  If you follow the very simple Steps to Success that I will show you, you will not only make your money back in 30 days, but you could also make over $800 in cash!  I haven't taken a math class since my junior year of high school, which is more years ago than I care to admit, BUT I do know that making $800 in your first month MORE than covers that $99 you will spend to start your business.  And again, I invite you to go talk with any "traditional" business owner and ask them how long it took for them to start making money.  For most business owners, they are told to expect not to make an actual profit for the first 5 years.  FIVE YEARS.  And here I am telling you that you are going to at least make your money back, with the possibility of making over $800 in profit your FIRST MONTH!  Once again, I might be biased, but I am thinking that is a pretty good use of $99.

And if you are one of those people who truly does not have any way to scrounge up $99, you have still have some options.  First, you get 4 wraps in your Business Builder Kit.  Go ask 4 friends if they will pre-pay for a wrap and once your kit comes in you will wrap them up (they get a good deal too since they will tighten, tone, and firm in just 45 minutes).  They each pay you $30 for a wrap, so you will have $120 cash.  Use it to start your business.  Second option, in case you somehow don't have 4 friends who would be willing to help you out, ask your parents or someone who knows and trusts you to lend you the money.  When you sell your wraps for $30 and make $120, you pay them the $99 back and keep the remaining cash as profit.  Third option and to be used only in the most dire of circumstances, use a credit card (instead of debit) to pay for the kit.  Sell the wraps, make $120, and pay off that bill as soon as you get it in the mail.  Either way, you will MORE than make your money back.

Well, I hope I have debunked those two myths for ya.  Now, for those questions I get asked all the time.

Question #1: What if I fail?        

How about you ask this question instead: What if I succeed?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Much better outlook.

Question #2: What if I can't do this?    

How about this: What if you CAN?      

Again, keep your perspective positive.  Imagine the possibilities.  This could totally change your life.  If you let it.  If you take that chance...

Question #3: What if I'm not any good at selling stuff?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              What if you ARE better than you think?   

Don't sell yourself short.  AND you don't have to sell anything, not really.  We have products that everyone wants.  Seriously, we live in a world where people want to look their best and they want results immediately.  Okay, here's a wrap.  Tighten, tone, and firm in as little as 45 minutes.  Mix up these greens in juice or water or a smoothie and get 8+ servings of organic, non-GMO fruits and veggies PLUS probiotics to boost your immune system.  You'll have energy for the day AND you got excellent nutrition.  We have a host of supplements to help people feel good from the inside out.  We have an entire line of natural skin care products that will help people look younger and feel better about themselves.  We truly have something for everyone.  AND the products we offer are affordable and easy to use, not to mention kind of fun too.

I had a team mate tell me the other day she couldn't "sell water in a desert," but here she is a successful It Works distributor working on earning a $10,000 bonus!

So, good news -- you don't have to be good at selling stuff.  Our products sell themselves.

Well, there you have it.
2 myths debunked.  So no more excuses.  
3 questions that shouldn't even cross your mind turned into 3 great questions you SHOULD be asking yourself every day.

I can talk until I turn blue in the face.  That's not going to do any good unless YOU make the decision to do this, to give it a try, to see what could happen if you believe in yourself.  You won't be alone -- I'll be with you every step of the way, helping you get started, showing you how to be successful. And then, when you're ready to let go of my hand, I will still be there to cheer you on and celebrate with you as you continue your amazing journey!

YOU CAN DO THIS!!
I would love to help you get started....

Give me a call.
Let's chat.
660.281.8266

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

One After Another After Another After Another After Another...

I could go on, but I think you get the idea!

Well, maybe I should mention what exactly I'm talking about.  That might be a little helpful. :)

Every day I hear a new testimony from a real life person about how It Works is changing his/her life.  I hear how the products are helping them get and stay healthy.  I hear how the business is helping them pay off debt and own their time so they can go and do more and give more.  Seriously, every single day I hear from someone else who is benefiting from our products and our company.  It can't be a coincidence.  It can't be an accident.  It can't be a rare case or a once-in-awhile situation.  It's happening every.single.day.  Over and over and over and over and over again.

Don't take my word for it, though.  Listen to what these real life people have to say about how the It Works natural health products are changing their lives:

Jill Lewis-Kingery shares, "My family of 6 hasn't been sick for a year now.  We're on Greens and Vitals."

Lauren Lysell talks about what our skincare did for her, "Pregnancy and post baby hormones weren't too kind on my skin, and the It Works skincare cleared it right up!"

Tina Gregory Hernadez chimes in, "Hair Skin Nails undoes the affects of chemo...LOVE."

Sheena Berry exclaims, "I'm down 85 pounds thanks to Thermofit!"

Vicki Lam Arnold writes, "When I started on the Greens, I was using a cane to walk!  I was in horrible pain and couldn't breathe well.  My asthma was way out of control and my blood pressure was way into stroke stage!  Nothing seemed to be going right in my body!  9 months later, I'm no longer using a cane!  My asthma meds are history and my blood pressure is perfectly normal!  Thank you, It Works, for making all the different in my life!!!"

Amy Keenum has a great story too, "I have a bad knee...2 surgeries later I still had pain!  As I wait for the next choices to be made, I take Relief every day!  I am pain free 90% of the time!  With 4 kids to chase after, I have no time to be down!!  I love Relief...it saved me!"

Jennifer Griffen Worcester reports, "My husband will not touch veggies and would run the other way if I tried to push it on him.  He now uses Greens every day.  It is not supposed to be a replacement, but it is something.  I love veggies, but I am the only one in my family to eat them so they normally go bad.  Now, I get both my fresh veggies and my Greens.  Plus, my son loves his "Hulk juice." :)  It Works has brought a healthier lifestyle to my house."

Brandie Mayden tells about the Greens Chew, "I love to snack on them, and they fill me up so I'm not hungry all the time."

Holly Zeugin is excited because of the Regular, "No more IBS for this girl!"

Samantha Kimberly Francisco had to think about what her favorite product is, "Really can't pick just 1, but Greens is pretty high on my list.  Confianza too.  No more meds for fibromyalgia or ADD.  This is one happy mama!  Have to thank It Works for giving me the will to change my life."

Haley Olson reports, "Thanks to Confianza, I was able to get off Effexor, which made me feel like crud and gave me massive migraines!  My husband also take it to help with his ADD.  It has been a life saver for our family!"

Edith Cordero-Jorsch couldn't pick just one product to share about, "I love Vital Core Nutrition, Greens Chew, New You, Fat Fighters, Defining Gel, Confianza as needed...need I go on?  I sleep better; my hair was thinning due to stress between my son having 4 surgeries in one year and surgery for myself.  We haven't gotten sick - just a sniffel.  My husband's energy and strength increased at the gym.  I'm down 34 pounds and my husband is down 40 pounds.  Thank you, It Works!"

Theresa Marino raves about the Greens, "Pulled me out of postpartum depression after having my son in September. Started Greens in November and became happy again, energetic, and looked forward to each day instead of wanting to take my life.  I have never felt better!"

Donna Hillman-Hill adds this about the Greens, "We all use to be sick often.  Any bug came along, we had it.  And now...nothing. Everyone around us is sick, but not us!"

Amy Carslon Howard says, "Thermofit is my favorite.  I was getting chest pains from anxiety at work.  I'm calm now. And the eye cream and facials have done WONDERS for my mom!!!  Oh my, it almost makes me want to cry!  Awesome stuff!"

Felicia Hutcheson Warden talks about how It Works has helped her, "I am no longer taking any medications for MS thanks to Greens."

Sandra Aguilar Kilgas adds, "I have not had any allergies/sinus infections in months, except when I have missed taking the Greens for several days in a row."

Krsiten Greider  happily shares, "I would have to say Greens are my favorite.  Because of them I finally got pregnant after 7 years of trying.  I took the Greens for only one month and I was beyond surprised, elated, overjoyed beyond belief. Because of this company and the amazing products, I was able to be what I have always wanted to be - a mama!"

Kristina Weeks agrees, "Of course the Greens are awesome.  I have colitis and it is a life saver!  But I love my Thermofit!  Started taking it more for energy to get through my night shifts, but lost my extra weight!!  20 pounds in around 2 months!  With no real exercise or diet changes!"

Brenda Vancamp is delighted about what the Greens are doing for her daughter, "I would like to shout out a testimony of my daughter.  She began the Greens to get healthy.  Little did she know that she would need to buy some new clothes in as little as two months.  She has dropped 2 pant sizes and this past weekend for the first time since she was a teenager, she was able to shop in the "normal" size clothing stores rather than the "plus size" stores!  These are awesome results from taking the Greens only...nothing else and basically not changing a whole lot in her eating habits!!  I'm so proud of her...not because she is losing weight (which is great) but because she wants to be healthy!  I love It Works products!!!"

Rhonda Marie has this to say, "I love all the products!  I went from a size 12 to size 5 with wraps and Fat Fighters!  Also couldn't get pregnant for 2 years, but after I started the Greens everyday, I was pregnant in just a couple months!  Amazing!!"

Jenice Lewis-Elley confirms, "Greens are my favorite.  They have improved my eye sight and my dad's who has Parkinsons and diabetes. My last eye exam, my doctor was shocked that my eye sight was better and my dad's doctor was shocked that he no longer needs a shot in one of his eyes.  I also love Regular.  By taking Regular I was able to kick my synthetic prescription meds for my IBS to the curb.  AND Regular has balanced me where I never have any flare ups or attacks of my IBS!"

As I sit here, typing these testimonies, I am in tears!!!  So many people's lives are being changed, for the better.  And from so many different products, too.

Maybe you can relate to someone's story I shared.  Maybe It Works natural health products could help you too.  Maybe they could change your life.

If you have questions or want more information, please let me know.  I would love to talk with you.  Feel free to message me, call me, or text me.  660.281.8266