I’m working on a NEW book!

Rare Faith: The Kind of Faith that Causes Things to Happen

Its purpose is to fill in some things that aren’t addressed in my previous three books. However, I’ve admittedly been avoiding the project out of sheer overwhelm. After prayerfully seeking a solution, the thought came to share it in segments, to keep myself moving forward. I really didn’t want to wait until it was done before sharing some of its nuggets anyway, so here we are. (I did this while writing Portal to Genius, and found the approach to be really helpful.) So…

Enjoy the first installment below, and join my newsletter to be notified when the next segment is released.

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Introduction

My Motivation and Fears

It is with great trepidation that I begin this book. I’ve been thinking about it for nearly two years and am sitting down today to make myself start.

There are several reasons why I’ve been hesitant to make the attempt. One is because of how important I feel it is, and how much it matters that I get it right. Another is because of how urgent I feel it is, and how easy it is to get something wrong when tackled in haste. There are other reasons, but I’m choosing not to bring attention to them.

Despite my fears, though, I have to do it. Last year I was given a cancer diagnosis, and it was interesting to face my mortality. I had to wonder, “What if I die younger than expected?” I pondered all the things I would need to accomplish before I could rest in peace, and found that one of the things on that list was writing this book. I feel I would be leaving something very important undone if I died before completing it.

During my treatments, there were days I wished I could just go Home to God. But then I would be reminded that I hadn’t written the book yet. I chided, “You mean, if I write it, then could I die?”

I don’t mean to be overdramatic or trivialize the desire to die. We’re not supposed to want to. So, even though I did entertain such thoughts, my desire to return to God was never an actual death wish. I do, however, enjoy imagining that future reunion, whenever it will be.

When I get there, I hope to feel His embrace and hear the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant… enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21) It is my hope that when I meet Him, I will have left behind a work that will continue to lift, inspire, and serve His children for generations to come.

So, with that intention, I pray for His power, love, guidance, and direction as I make the attempt, and I pray that you will feel His spirit teaching you directly, whatever He may want you to gain from it.

While the interpretation and application of scriptures and ideas here are my own and do not necessarily represent the beliefs or doctrine of any particular denomination, I believe you will find the ideas contained in this book to be in harmony with a Biblical world-view.

Why a book about Rare Faith?

The seeds for this book were planted over thirty years ago, when my husband and I (as newlyweds) found ourselves in dire straits. I have told and retold the account hundreds of times in books, seminars, podcast episodes, and blog articles, so if you already know the story, you can skip this section. But if you are not familiar with it, pull up a chair.

When we married and started our family, we believed that if we were just righteous enough, God would prosper us, not just spiritually, but financially as well. We went to church each week. We prayed daily. We donated our time to serving in the church. We paid an honest tithing, and then some, for the poor.

But no matter how much we tried to be obedient to God’s word, our financial burdens continued to weigh on us nearly every day. We worked multiple jobs and lived as cheaply as we could. We ventured into a few business ideas, and sacrificed anything we could to invest in our growth and future. I sold my wedding dress and flute at a yard sale. My husband sold his commuter car (an old dune buggy) and his rifle. We were serious.

We jumped at opportunities to learn from well-to-do mentors, because we wanted to understand how they had succeeded. We discovered their mindset was somehow a key factor in their success, but struggled to adopt new thinking, and our finances only got worse. We battled medical bills, broken down cars, the growing expenses of raising a young family, and near-empty cupboards. After about seven years, I was too jaded to keep attending seminars. My husband remained committed in hopes it might translate somehow into tangible results, but I couldn’t do it. Reluctantly, I consented to ONE more training, which would be my last if our results didn’t improve significantly.

Mercifully, this one WAS different. As we wrapped our heads around what was being shared that day, I remember the moment when we looked at each other wide-eyed, and my jaw went slack with awe at how simple but profound the answer was.

The message was an elegant but powerful explanation of how our thinking has a very real and direct impact on our outcomes, and I could see clearly why we had been stuck for so long. It didn’t really present a new idea, but it hit me differently than before, and helped us finally understand what we had been trying to learn from all the other training and books we had invested in to that point.

We went home and put our newfound understanding to the test. Even though we had been struggling for seven years previously, this new understanding of how to think with more faith helped us triple our income in just a few months. So even though this isn’t necessarily a book on how to make more money, the principles it contains can help with that, if needed.

The change was so profound, I could not shake the feeling that I needed to help others experience the same shift. So I started teaching classes. I wrote two books (The Jackrabbit Factor: Why You Can, and Hidden Treasures: Heavens Astonishing Help with Your Money Matters, both now available as free downloads). The more I studied, experimented, wrote, and taught, the more expansive and fascinating the subject became to me.

Life didn’t magically become easy and stay that way, but each new hardship gave us an opportunity to test and prove the principles again and again. Life became our laboratory to repeatedly verify the theory that our thinking has more of an impact on our results than most of us realize.

As we continued, our financial struggles faded away. We began to build the future we had always dreamed of. Our students began to experience success, too, and started telling their friends and family about the books. Ben Southall from England landed the “World’s Best Job” to be the island caretaker of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef tourism department for a six-figure income, and credited one of my books on Canadian National News for helping him beat out 34,000 other applicants. This exposure led to requests from people and publishers from other countries around the world to translate and make the writings available to a wider audience.

We tested the principles through the Great Recession of 2008, which led to my third book, Portal to Genius: From Vision to Reality (also now available as a free download). We’ve tested them in our relationships, and on our health. My husband tested them after a devastating job loss, and used them to begin adventure cycling to places like France, Czechia, Austria, Morocco, and India (coast to coast). I tested the principles in my battle with cancer.

Along the way, we have failed a lot. We can tell you countless ways the principles don’t work. But we have also, through trial and error, honed in on some of the variables that seem to matter most.

Over the years, our students worldwide have put the principles to the test, and since 2002 we have received thousands of messages and stories confirming their validity. Miracles seem to abound for those who learn how to live them.

The “System”

I find it fascinating that one secular training could leave such a profound impression on my soul, increase my faith, and change so many lives. According to Mirriam-Webster, “secular” means “not overtly or specifically religious,” so it seems appropriate that, even though we’re talking about principles of faith, I learned them in a secular training. The fact is, the kind of faith I will be talking about is so universal and inclusionary, ALL of God’s children can be blessed and supported by their use of it, whether or not they believe in Him. And then, if they also choose to believe in Him and covenant to follow Him, there are even more glorious blessings that can be realized.

This arrangement affirms my view that God is a loving, merciful Father, to realize there is a system in place to take care of His children’s basic needs, even if they don’t know Him, and even if they don’t receive and live by all of His laws.

So let’s talk about the system.

The System is like a universal computer program, where the governing code determines the output, depending on the input. You can also think of it like a collection of cosmic cogs and gears, hinges and pulleys, switches and levers all moving like clockwork, each piece doing its part triggered by certain factors. When the necessary criteria is met, the system responds automatically, moving everything into its proper position and delivering the lawful outcome. It seems to me that the System was designed and created by God to handle the billions of tasks required to meet His children’s needs with celestial efficiency.

Then for us, the challenge is to figure out what we can do to activate the process when we need help. The System is already in place and ready to supply, as soon as we meet the requirements that start the ball rolling. The problem is, most of us don’t know what’s required, and even if we do, it’s not always easy or natural to do it. In fact, our natural response to setbacks and hardships is often the exact opposite of what the System is looking for. The good news is that the more you understand the System, the easier it is to do your part. It can be comforting to know that the outcomes are dependable when you understand your role in the equation.

Knowledge is Power

The System can be better understood by comparing it to the natural laws of physics. For example, think of the law of gravity. Understanding the law keeps us from walking off of a cliff. Because we understand gravity, we know that taking that step would result in pain, and may even be fatal. It’s foolish to challenge the law, or try to negotiate with it, because it just is: immutable, and deserving of our respect.

Another natural law is the law of aerodynamics. Understanding this law allows us to use lift and thrust to overcome the effects of gravity. When we utilize the laws of aerodynamics to fly, we’re not defying gravity as much as we are simply using it to do more. Lift requires atmosphere, and we only have atmosphere because of gravity. Every time we discover and understand another natural law, we gain the power to do more. Although it may be beyond our capacity to discover everything there is to know, the more we learn, the better life can be.

Perhaps God is all-powerful because He is all-knowing, presiding perfectly in harmony with all of the governing laws of the Universe.

If there truly is a System in place to provide for our needs and deliver on His promises, then the System is certainly governed by universal law, and those promises will be dependably fulfilled when we abide by those laws.

“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21)

One thing we were doing wrong during those seven years was to live a few spiritual laws expecting to reap the rewards connected to other laws. We learned that we can’t expect to obey one law and reap the benefits of other laws. This isn’t rocket science; nobody is going to tip well at a restaurant to build their calf muscles, or obey the speed limit to avoid penalties for tax evasion.

We need to look no further than the solar system to see that all of God’s creation is governed by law. The universe is vast, but predictable, beautifully abundant, programmed to multiply itself, and well-equipped to supply His crowning creation: MANKIND. As members of the human race, the more we understand, accept, and follow His governing laws, the more abundantly we can receive. Members of the plant and animal kingdoms instinctively abide by the laws, but humans are a little more unruly, because we have free will to participate in the Master plan or not. But as we do, and as we come to understand the governing laws and strive to live in harmony with them, we can ultimately achieve our highest potential. If we do not, we run the risk of self-destruction.

Our Birthright Faith

There are different levels of faith. We’re born with the first level: a God-given birthright for all His children, which ensures His promises CAN and will be fulfilled. This Level 1 faith we were all equipped with from birth is a barely perceptible, low-voltage power that gives us an unconscious expectation that something else will happen next. It is the tiniest seed of hope. Even as a baby, we experience discomfort and hope it will go away. None of us would hope for anything different if we didn’t have a concept of the future. If you believe there exists a future at all, even if all you can believe in is five seconds ahead, then this birthright faith is alive and well in you.

As babies become adults, their birthright faith becomes more of a conscious concept. It gives them confidence to make plans, because they expect there is a future to live into. Even if they don’t love the looks of their future, they at least believe there is one.

It is that birthright faith that helps us believe, for example, that a meteor probably won’t flatten us today. The more we grow, the more we apply it intentionally to things we’re a little less certain about. We flex that faith-muscle with every new challenge. The less predictable the outcome, the more faith is required, and the more that faith-muscle can grow when we step forward, anyway.

Rarity Determines the Requirement

It takes barely any faith to believe the world is going to keep turning another day, but if you think about it, it does take some. You’ve witnessed a perfect track record throughout your lifetime, so that helps.

Perhaps it takes a little more faith than that to believe your car or airplane will make it safely to its destination. Odds are good, but in the back of your mind you know that some don’t make it. Maybe it takes even more faith to believe you’ll get that raise you want, if raises at your work seldom occur. Biblical miracles are particularly astounding, because the events described are historically rare, if not entirely one-of-a-kind. If a hoped-for event is common, then only a small amount of faith is needed. If a hoped-for event occasionally happens, then perhaps a moderate amount of faith will be needed. But if a hoped-for event has never happened before, the ultimate level of faith is likely required.

So, the rarity of an event determines the amount of faith required, first to believe it will happen, and then to see it through. What may require a lot of faith for you might take very little for someone else, and vice-versa, depending on your life’s experiences and perception of how rare the desired outcome seems.

Regardless of our various religions (or lack thereof), we all live by faith, every single day. And the more we flex our faith-muscle, the more we can grow and the more fulfilling our life can be. Imagine growing your faith to a point that your confidence is unshakable. What if you could know without a doubt that anything you ask for, will be given?

What if you could develop your faith to be so strong that any hoped-for event changes from being impossible to inevitable? I can think of no better example than Jesus Christ for having faith so perfectly developed. He prayed with confidence. He knew that anything He asked the Father would be granted, and he taught the same was possible for us. With this kind of faith, he performed miracles.

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If you enjoyed Part 1, please let me know below. Your feedback always helps motivate me to keep going!

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Leslie Householder

Leslie Householder is the award-winning, international best selling author of The Jackrabbit Factor, Portal to Genius, and Hidden Treasures: Heaven's Astonishing Help With Your Money Matters. Since 2002, she has helped people all over the world discover and apply the Rare Kind of Faith that causes things to happen for powerful life changes. Through story and shifts of perspective, Leslie aims to help her readers crush every challenge, achieve every goal, and vanquish every monster under their beds. Above all, Leslie is a dedicated wife and mother of seven children.

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