I can only imagine your surprise last week when I mentioned embracing America’s diversity as being key to FAITH. Readers suggested this topic as an area needing information and resources on the path to creating a fulfilling life. Imagine my surprise when I found that often our nation’s “spiritual leaders” were too busy being guarded by handlers to provide inspiration for this column. But things aren’t always as we expect, suppose or want them to be, so my eyes were opened to many facets of faith.
We often think of faith in terms of spirituality, but, now that you’ve gone through the necessary steps to create the life of your dreams, it’s time to put faith to the test and really know you can make your dreams happen. In this final installment of Six Weeks to Your Best Year Ever, we bring it full circle. I mentioned Lisa Ling in the first of the series, and in a twist of irony, she helps bring it to a close.
After years as a field correspondent for “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Ling was asked to continue her hard-hitting, in-depth reporting on “The Oprah Winfrey Network,” (OWN), launched in January. The result is “Our America,” a decidedly deep look into serious topics facing our nation today. It showcases issues many of us never may have considered being part of our cultural psyche, and challenges viewers to understand perspectives different from our own, perhaps even questioning what we consider to be truth.
In an industry over-run with reality shows, sensational stunts and incessantly mindless drivel, Ling took a chance to create something of substance – and that viewers would tune into watch. But this veteran journalist is used to stepping out on faith. “Every sort-of step has been scary,” she said, pointing out that she worked as a journalist for almost a decade before landing the position as co-host of ABC’s daytime talk show “The View.” She left ABC to host “National Geographic Explorer,” and though she then worked for the daytime-ratings-Titan Oprah Winfrey Show, she’s back to risk-taking by producing this unique series for the network upstart (OWN).
“National Geographic, even though it was attached to a very real brand it was still brand new,” she emphasized, pointing out the need to stretch our boundaries of thinking. “There’s something to be said for that because these are challenging times, this is a time where people can seek out opportunities they may not have sought out before.”
Every two weeks, Ling and her crew filmed in a different part of the U.S., embracing the diversity of our vast country. “I wanted to do a show about what it is to be an American. We need to think about what we do with these issues if we continue to look at the periphery and look at it as us vs. them,” she emphasized.
As Ling herself took a leap of faith, the first episode of her show focused on faith healers, in which she follows a man in a wheelchair looking to walk again, a mother with aggressive cancer, and others for whom hope had been fostered by faith-healer Todd Bentley. “I’m a typical T.V. producer and thinking ‘if he does not walk we don’t have a show,'” she offered. But the people featured in the episode made her re-evaluate preconceived notions, in the end, squashing skeptical thoughts and providing a completely different point of view. “This is completely demonstrative of what faith means,” she said.
This season, “Our America” features lives of transgender individuals, mail-order brides, outcast sex-offenders, and a heroin addiction epidemic in America’s heartland. “There were so many moments working in this series that I felt I was in another country. It just speaks to the diversity that is America,” she announced.
Proudly calling the program her “best work” after more than two decades in journalism, Ling noted, ” I’ve been very lucky as a journalist to do fairly substantive work throughout my career. My hope is people will feel a sense of compassion after watching all of these shows. We provoke a lot of questions I really think we provoke people to think differently about these issues and people.”
Ling’s risk has paid off – it has been called “The Best” of what the OWN network has to offer, and is the first series renewed for a second season. According to the Nielson Company, the series topped substantial ratings from the faith healer opening episode with a 24 percent increase in viewership for its second episode.
So what is faith calling from you? To step out and do what you’ve always wanted? To use spirituality to bolster lofty goals? Or perhaps just the confidence to know the changes you’ve implemented these past few weeks will take hold and make a difference.? For me, researching this article has opened my eyes to the diversity of our thoughts, and how having faith always brings us where we were meant to be.
Doni Luckutt is a lifestyle expert who believes by enhancing interpersonal connection, we can stop simply living, and become Simply Alive! If you have a suggestion on what brings you to life, connect with her on Twitter @SimplyAlive, via email Doni@SimplyAliveWorld.com or on her blog: www.SimplyAliveWorld.com/Blog.
