Illuminate lights up USANA and puts T.I. “on the map”!

Team Illuminate Celebrating Emerald’s Brian & Jaclyn Bohlke!

Where did it start? Well, it’s been in the making for years. But in August, it came to fruition. You could feel an underlying rumble of greatness. Our team was in SLC, Utah at USANA’s International Convention when we could feel it was coming (you’ll find out the “it” later). Now, never mind the fact that we were hearing from the greats like John C. Maxwell, Dr. Oz, Dr. Libby Weaver, Darren Hardy, Dr. Dennis Waitley, Dr. Myron Wentz, ok, you get the picture! We were all getting fired up, electrified, our oil refilled!!! So when we would return, we could and would SHINE brighter than ever before. Now to tell this story, it’s critical to share the large picture; however, I need for you to understand that the big picture was made up of 100’s of small pictures that are the fabric that created this big picture. Kinda like one of those pictures that when you get a microscope is made of tiny pictures, aka a photo mosaic. So picture all of the members of Illuminate in itsy-bitsy, tiny action photos making up this take-your-breath-away picture.

 Picture a glorious light radiating from above. A young man with his arms out-stretched upward receiving this light. An angel high, in the sky, looking down with a comforting smile on his face and his hands opened up extending to the young man’s below. Coming out of his hands are love, comfort, peace, goodness, blessings, and so much more. They are intermingled with the rays of the light and fill the young man’s heart with all the angel is bestowing on him.



Brian Bohlke



     So what is this “big picture”? What does this picture really represent? Brian Bohlke is a young leader who has come of age. He’s grown. He's thought. He's served. He's planned. He’s struggled. He’s hurt. He's envisioned. He’s blessed. He’s taught. He’s stood in belief. He’s cared. He’s cried. He’s loved. He’s shared. He is our leader, ordained by God, to lead Illuminate on our path to rid this world of pain and suffering and to provide solutions and truths for people to stand on. He stands with his Illuminate family. Our leaders are woven together. We support our mission to walk this walk together in the strength of our passion for sharing and growing in truth. For years Brian has taught us what time-leveraged income is and how to create it for ourselves and those we support. What none of us knew, that it was in Brian’s darkest moment, His light would shine and it would be PROVEN to be a truth to stand on.

     In our businesses, in order to advance in rank, one must accomplish certain levels of success for established periods of time. Ok, so what’s this mean? Remember when I said earlier that there was a rumbling happening in SLC? Well, that week Brian spoke that he would advance to Emerald Director. Week 1 was DONE at Convention! The momentum was pumping hard, Week 2 DONE! We were all excited for him and working to help him accomplish this goal! He needed 2 more weeks of maxing 4 business centers to advance to Emerald Director!  It was August 27^th , Brian was in his 3^rd week and day 3 of his rank advancement “run”. He received a call that his dad, a leader of Team Illuminate, hadn’t returned home. Later, the devastating news came that his father, Bill Bohlke, had been taken home to be with our Lord.

   

Hollywood Park Fire Department honors Mayor Bill Bohlke



Although Brian knew is his heart that his dad was where he would sing with angels, it was still his dad and he was heart-broken. Our family, Team Illuminate, was heart-broken too. To have such an amazing man and guiding leader with his wisdom and integrity leave us, what a loss. We couldn’t have a hug anymore. We couldn’t see his HUGE, illuminating smile. When he was in a room, he permeated warmth. He taught us in order to be right, we have to do right. Bill was not only a valued leader of Illuminate, but also a passionate family man, veteran, and Mayor of Hollywood Park, Texas. He flew countless missions as part of our Air Force risking his life for our country and freedom. There’s absolutely no way for me to do him justice, in who he was and for what he stood. So, please close your eyes, envision the most amazing man to you, that’s him! He’s our Illuminated Angel still protecting, guiding, and always a part of us.



Chris Harl and Brain Bohlke



     What happened later that night created the template for that larger picture and was defined by a decision and commitment made by Brian’s best friend and Illuminate co-founder, Chris Harl. Chris decided that he would take over Brian’s Emerald run and make it happen. He coordinated all of our leadership. He planned it every step of the way! He claimed the victory! Week 3 was DONE! Week 4 was DONE! Brian and his wife Jaclyn advance to Emerald! 

     Now to the tiny little pictures, when all put together, created that larger picture of the young man basking in the warmth of the light and the angel. There are 100’s of stories and acts of greatness that constructed this magnificent picture. It was during those last 2 weeks of the run where it happened, God took what could have been a bitter taste and He added another ingredient that turned the bitter into sweet. Those last two weeks, Brian’s priorities were right and where they should have been, his family. This was the instance where “time-leverage” came into a visible truth through actions. A pure testimony of what it really, really looks like. Our Team Illuminate worked away. Story after story, picture after picture of people committed to make this happen! We all claimed it and OWNED it! But it was a meek, servant leader named Chris Harl, and because of his love and commitment to his brother, it happened. So many stories. So many names. I won’t even attempt to share those now, but will later. All of these stories make up that mosaic picture of that young man, arms out-stretched toward the light, receiving all of the love, the greatness, the goodness, the blessings, and the warmth that not only his Heavenly Father, but also his earthly father, now his Angel, was bestowing on him. Congratulations to Brian and Jaclyn Bohlke and ALL of Team Illuminate for working together in ILLUMINATING fashion.  

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Brian and Bill Bohlke

 Written to honor the lives of Brian and Bill Bohlke, The Bohlke Family, and all of The Team Illuminate Family across the globe.
by Gina Hunter