Witnessing

What does it mean to you to be a witness of your Christian faith? As I read the last chapter of Rachel Olsen’s It’s No Secret I remembered what I used to think of when I heard of someone witnessing.

Flash back to one morning in college… It wasn’t yet 8:00 in the morning, and I was on my way to stop for coffee before getting to class. I encountered a man standing in my path waving a miniature sized New Testament Bible, yelling something about my going to hell. (See, if I’d already had coffee I might remember what he said.) But it didn’t matter. His approach was so offensive, he could’ve told me my hair was on fire and I wouldn’t have listened.

So, whenever someone said I should be a witness, I immediately thought there was no way I could stand on a corner somewhere yelling about Jesus. However, I’ve since learned that’s not what witnessing means.

From my NLT Study Bible…

witness, – a person who gives testimony (NLT Study Bible Dictionary/Concordance)

testify – to make a statement based on personal knowledge or belief; to give evidence or proof (NLT Study Bible Dictionary/Concordance)

Witnessing is telling what I know to be true. I know that Jesus Christ was crucified, died on the cross and buried; He conquered death when he rose from the grave. I know what Jesus has done in my life and how He continues to be with me daily. And I know that His life-saving grace is for everyone.

That’s how I can witness. I know I don’t always have the perfect words to say, but God uses them anyway. God will give us the confidence to speak boldly about His Son, Jesus, and then He does the work in the other person, and in us.

If you’ve been studying It’s No Secret by Rachel Olsen with me, thank you for joining me in this journey. I pray it’s been a blessing in your life.

In Christ,

Laura

Wisdom and Faith

wisdom (n) – knowledge, insight, judgment (NLT Study Bible Dictionary/Concordance)

This week’s reading in our study of It’s No Secret by Rachel Olsen starts with Chapter 11 about wisdom. Tucked into one of the Bible study questions at the end of the chapter is to read James 1:5.

James 1:5 (NLT)

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”

I continued to read…

James 1:6-8 (NLT)

“But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

I also like how The Message reads…

James 1:5-8 (MSG)

“If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.”

Think about this for a moment. God wants us to come to Him and ask for wisdom. He promises to give it to us, and even says he won’t look down on us for asking. But when we ask, we are to have faith in Him alone. We are not to ask for His opinion among others and then choose the answer we like best.

How often have I asked God for wisdom…

-but then took matters into my own hands?

-or acted out of emotion instead of wisdom?

-or thought, “I still don’t know what to do?”

Has this ever happened to you? Someone asks you for help or advice. Maybe it’s a family member or a co-worker. You take time to listen to what that person needs and then give the help or advice asked for. But when you finish, you find out the person is not going to take your advice, but do it the way she’d planned to all along. I’ve had this happen to me and it’s more than a little annoying. It makes me not want to give my time if asked again.

I wonder if God ever feels that way. Do I give Him reason to think, “Why are you asking me when you choose to go your own way?”

I’m afraid the answer is too often yes.

In Christ,

Laura

It's No Secret Study - Week 6

It's hard to believe this is the last week in our study of It's No Secret by Rachel Olsen. What did you think? Did you like the book? What will stay with you after our study ends?

Please share your thoughts by posting a comment. I'd love to hear how God has blessed you through this study!

Have a blessed week!

In Christ,
Laura

Week 6 – Aug. 21- Aug. 27, 2011

As you read each chapter, underline, highlight, or take notes on any points you want to remember.

Monday & Tuesday

• Read Chapter 11 “Diversify Your Portfolio: Revealing the Secret of True Security.” Complete the Bible Study at the end of the chapter.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the beginning of the week post. Leave a comment with your thoughts from the reading. 

Wednesday & Thursday

• Read Chapter 12 “Become a Recording Artist: Revealing the Secret of Disclosure” and complete the Bible Study.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the mid-week post. Leave a comment to the post with your thoughts from the reading. 

Friday

• Read the Epilogue and catch up on the week’s reading, if you need to.
• Spend some personal time with God and reflect on this week’s reading. 

Confession and Forgiveness

I apologize for posting late this week! If you’re studying Rachel Olsen’s It’s No Secret with me, I’ve been reading Chapter 10 about confessing our sins.

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jeremiah 31:34b (NIV)

I love this verse! God promises us in His Word that when we confess our sins to Him, we are washed clean by the blood of His Son, Jesus. He doesn’t remind us what we’ve done; He doesn’t keep score, or hold it over our heads. No, God forgives…and He chooses to remember our sins no more.

I have no reason not to confess my sins to God. He already knows them. He knows how my sins eat away at me. He knows the baggage of guilt and remorse I carry with me. He knows how my sinful ways separate me from Him.

God wants us to come to Him and lay our sins at the foot of the cross so He can restore our relationship with Him. He knows our hearts and wants to hear our confession.

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Our loving God forgives, and He allows us to start fresh with Him…every day…every hour.

To God be the Glory!

Laura

Physical and Spiritual Rest

Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Anyone agree?

In chapter nine of It’s No Secret, author Rachel Olsen talks about rest. Our bodies need physical rest, whether it’s getting to bed on time, sleeping in, or taking an occasional nap. When sleep is in short supply, it affects everything from my personality, to my relationships, to what I do and don’t accomplish. My energy level is low, my concentration is lacking, and my patience is non-existent.

But have you ever felt like you’re caught up on sleep and something is still missing? Something you can’t quite put your finger on?

I’ve been learning the importance of spiritual rest—personal quiet time spent with God. Time when I set everything else aside and focus on talking to and hearing from God.

If you’re thinking you don’t have time to fit something else into your schedule, I hear you. There are plenty of days I tell myself I don’t have time, or I’ll get to it later. Sometimes I get to it, but sometimes I don’t. 

I work at a church where all staff members are encouraged to make time for personal devotions. At first it felt like something else I had to do. But isn’t that the way it is with any new discipline?

As I got used to making time for God, it went from something I knew I should do, to something I wanted to do. I see a difference in the days I spend one-on-one time with God. It might be that life doesn’t seem quite so difficult or that it’s easier to see the blessings in my life. Sometimes it’s an adjustment in my attitude or the ability to view a situation from a different perspective. Other times still, it’s a calm or peaceful feeling that on my own I don’t have; I know it’s from God.

Now that I’ve experienced the blessings of personal time with God, I know the difference in the days I don’t spend time with Him. On those days there is an emptiness to my day and an emptiness in me, one that can only be filled by God and my connection with Him.

Everything seems worse when we’re tired—physically and spiritually. God knows we need both physical rest and spiritual rest…and when we rely on Him, I believe He gives us both.

In Christ,

Laura

It's No Secret Study - Week 5

Welcome to week 5! How are you doing with our study of It's No Secret by Rachel Olsen? Below you will find this week's reading schedule.

God bless your week,
Laura

Week 5 – Aug. 14- Aug. 20, 2011

As you read each chapter, underline or highlight in your book any points you want to remember. You may also want to take notes in your book or a journal.

Monday & Tuesday

• Read Chapter 9 “Turn the Beat Around: Revealing the Secret of Rest.” Complete the Bible Study at the end of the chapter.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the beginning of the week post. Leave a comment with your thoughts from the reading.

Wednesday & Thursday

• Read Chapter 10 “Crave a Clear Conscience More than Clear Skin: Revealing the Secret Beauty of Confessing Sins” and complete the Bible Study.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the mid-week post. Leave a comment to the post with your thoughts from the reading.

Friday

• Spend some personal time with God and reflect on this week’s reading. This day can also be used to catch up on the reading if you got behind.

Asking for and Accepting Help

Can I see a show of hands…was anyone besides me convicted by chapter 8 “Get By With a Little Help from Your Friends?” No? I was afraid of that.

Author Rachel Olsen listed reasons she doesn’t ask for help—pride, fear, insecurity, self-reliance, perfectionism, busyness, and selfishness. I can relate to all of them.

There is one time in particular that stands out in my mind. When my daughter was an infant, she cried. A lot. I was a new mom, inexperienced, and extremely overtired. I desperately needed help. I see that now, but I didn’t see it then. Even if I had seen it, I wouldn’t have accepted it. In fact, I didn’t.

Shortly after she was born, I received a call from a woman at our church. I didn’t know her very well, but I knew who she was and liked her. We talked for a few minutes and she asked if she could come over to help me. She offered to vacuum.

I thought it was odd. I’d never had an offer like this before and it made me uncomfortable. I politely turned her down.

It was years later when I wondered why I didn’t let her come over. Why didn’t I say no thank you to the vacuuming, but ask her if she would care for the baby for an hour while I took a nap? Or why didn’t I just invite her over for someone to talk to? I don’t think she had an overwhelming desire to clean. I think she would have been happy to help in any way I needed.

As I kicked myself for not accepting her help, I wondered if I could have relaxed enough to appreciate or enjoy it. The answer is no, I don’t think I could have. I would have cleaned before she came over. I would have made sure my daughter was dressed appropriately and looked adorable. I might have even figured out a snack to offer. I would have tried to host instead of accept the help she was offering, and I would have been on edge the entire visit.

Would it be different today? I think so…I hope so…I don’t know. Here’s why…

In this same chapter, Rachel writes, “…how many times do we find ourselves hanging dangerously off the side of some problem or the edge of some sin…searching on our own for a way down? Meanwhile, there is a Sisterhood nearby equipped by God to help.”

My immediate thought was, “not that often”…and then I hung my head. Apparently I have an issue with denial as well as accepting help.

In Christ,

Laura

Chapter 7 - Adjust your Scale

I’m going to be honest with you…I’ve been trying to write something for today’s blog. I’ve read chapter 7 “Adjust your Scale” and had an idea of what to write about. I even got a few thoughts on paper, but they didn’t go anywhere.

This week I’m taking a few days off from work to relax before the school year starts (next week!) and schedules get busier, but instead I’ve been stuck with writer’s block for two days. So, instead of stressing myself out (more than I already have), I’m going to leave you with links to two posts on author Rachel Olsen’s blog from April 2011:

Are You Performance Based? - Rachel Olsen

Kick Perfectionism to the Curb - Rachel Olsen

Have a great week!

In Christ,

Laura

It's No Secret Study - Week 4

It's hard to believe we are already beginning week 4 of our study of Rachel Olsen's It's No Secret! I hope you are enjoying the book as much as I am.

Have a great week!

In Christ,
Laura

Week 4 – Aug. 7- Aug. 13, 2011
As you read each chapter, underline or highlight in your book any points you want to remember. You may also want to take notes in your book or a journal.

Monday & Tuesday

• Read Chapter 7 “Adjust Your Scale: Revealing the Secret of Perfection in God’s Eyes” and complete the Bible Study at the end of the chapter.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the beginning of the week post. Leave a comment with your thoughts from the reading.

Wednesday & Thursday

• Read Chapter 8 “Get By with a Little Help from Your Friends: Revealing the Secret of Interdependence” and complete the Bible Study.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the mid-week post. Leave a comment to the post with your thoughts from the reading.

Friday

• Spend some personal time with God and reflect on this week’s reading. This day can also be used to catch up on the reading if you got behind.

Growth through Trials

I have to tell you…“Don’t Be Afraid in the Dark” (chapter 6) is my favorite chapter in Rachel Olsen’s book, It’s No Secret. Each time I read it I think about the trials in my life that have brought me closer to God. Through each trial, the pain and struggle could have turned me away from God. Instead I clung to Him—for dear life. And each time He has brought me through with a stronger faith in Him.

Unfortunately, that is not true for everyone. Perhaps you know of someone who has been hardened by life. Someone who is sure their pain is worse than anyone else’s and that God can no longer help them.

I’ve seen a person that broken. I’ve heard the words, “Jesus can’t help me now.” It was heartbreaking. I wish I’d known what to say, but I was inexperienced in sharing the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ. I did my best, and prayed that God would plant and water the seed of faith in his heart. To this day, I don’t know if he turned back to Jesus, but I keep praying.

Trials can harden us. Maybe we blame God. Maybe we don’t see Him taking away the pain. Maybe we think He’s punishing us. And we turn away from God, plunging ourselves deeper into the darkness.

There have been times in my life when I felt so deep in the darkness I couldn’t see or hear God. I couldn’t feel Him, yet I knew He was there. And I knew He would let me see Him and lift me up when He was ready.

What I’ve discovered is through each trial my faith grows. My confidence that I will see the hand of God in my life is strengthened. I know now to wait and look for God’s whisper that comforts me and says, “I’m here.” Maybe it’s His peace that allows me to rest when I’ve been too upset to sleep. Maybe it’s a gentle feeling inside when I read a Scripture verse. Maybe it’s the call from a friend at the exact moment God knew I needed it the most.

He’s there with us through our trials when the pain seems more than we can bear. Will He take away the pain? I don’t know. I think sometimes He knows I need time to be sad, and He allows that. But I do know He promises He will never leave us. (Deuteronomy 31:8) He walks through the trials with us—step by step—if we let Him.

I pray you let Jesus walk with you through your trials. Let Him comfort you. See how He whispers to you. And let Him draw you closer to Him.

In Christ,

Laura

Living Generously

In Chapter 5 of Rachel Olsen’s book, It’s No Secret, she talks about living generously. I have to admit that I sometimes struggle with this. I don’t consider myself obsessed with money and things, but yes, I do fret about finances and making ends meet.

I think about things like long term giving. For instance, when trying to make a commitment to give, I wonder if I’m leaving enough to cover the bills and extra expenses. What if something happens like loss of a job, an illness, or an injury? I trust God to provide, but I’m finding again that I have room to grow in this area.

A different question comes to mind and I wonder if you would chime in with your thoughts…How do we teach our children and grandchildren to live generously, while at the same time to be cautious and careful of organizations and individuals who are less-than-trustworthy?

Click below to leave your comment…

In Christ,

Laura

It's No Secret Study - Week 3

If you are reading Rachel Olsen's It's No Secret with me...welcome to week 3 of our study.

Have a blessed week,
Laura

Week 3 – July 31- Aug. 6, 2011

As you read each chapter, take notes or mark any parts in your book you want to remember.

Monday & Tuesday

• Read Chapter 5 “Have Eyes Bigger Than Your Stomach: Revealing the Secret of Living Generously” and complete the Bible Study at the end of the chapter.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the beginning of the week post and leave a comment with your thoughts from the reading.

Wednesday & Thursday

• Read Chapter 6 “Don’t Be Afraid in the Dark: Revealing the Secret of Growth through Trials” and complete the Bible Study.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the mid-week post. Leave a comment to the post with your thoughts from the reading.

Friday

• Spend some personal time with God and reflect on this week's reading. This day can also be used to catch up on the reading if you got behind.

More Reading with Rachel Olsen

How are you doing with this week’s reading in It’s No Secret? Chapter 3 on humility and Chapter 4 on conflicts—two very good chapters.

I’ve been doing some extra reading on Rachel Olsen’s blog this week. If you would like to go a little further with these two topics, I encourage you to visit these links.

Chapter 3…

Your Secret to Greatness by Rachel Olsen

Chapter 4…

I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too! by Rachel Olsen

The Glory of Overlooking by Rachel Olsen

Biting My Tongue, devotion by Rachel Olsen at Proverbs 31 Ministries

What points are really capturing your attention and sticking with you this week? Click below to leave a comment.

In Christ,
Laura

Pride vs. Humility

“They say that pride comes before a fall. Looks like nobody told that to Haman.” (Veggie Tales: Esther, the Girl Who Became Queen © 2000 Big Idea Productions, Inc.)

As I read chapter 3 on pride and humility in Rachel Olsen’s It’s No Secret, I could hear the narrator’s voice in my head saying this line from the Veggie Tales movie, Esther. The movie and the line “pride comes before a fall” are forever linked in my memory. If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s a less violent version of the Old Testament book of Esther.

I have to confess that for years, I thought “pride comes before a fall” was in the book of Esther. It’s actually in the book of Proverbs. I never looked it up—until a few days ago when I read chapter 3 and thought about the movie. That led me down a road of interesting research, a few bits of which I’d like to share with you in today’s blog.

The book of Proverbs has quite a bit to say about pride. I find the different Bible translations interesting.

Proverbs 16:18

NIV - “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

The Message - “First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.”

Proverbs 11:2

NIV - “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

NLT - “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

The Message – “The stuck-up fall flat on their faces, but down-to-earth people stand firm.”

Proverbs 13:10

NLT – “Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.”

NIV – “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”

The Message – “Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other's counsel.”

Pride keeps my focus on myself, while humility takes my focus off of myself. Humility is thinking less about myself, not to be confused with thinking less of myself. Humility is thinking about God and others more than I think about myself.

I really like what my NLT Study Bible has to say on pride and humility…

“Humility is demonstrated when a person recognizes a mistake, listens to another’s correction, and learns life’s lessons. It is hard for the proud to accept this discipline. Pride puts self first and does not allow the cracks and flaws to show in public. However, truly humble people acknowledge that others have something to teach them about life.” (NLT Study Bible, © 2008 Tyndale House Publishers)

What are your thoughts on pride and humility? Was there something you learned in this chapter or through your own research that you’ll share with us?

In case you’re wondering what happened that day with me and the Esther movie…I dug out our old VHS tape. I wanted to watch it and my daughter asked if she could watch it with me. I like that she’s still young enough to think it was fun and not roll her eyes at me. J

Please post your comments by clicking below…

In Christ,

Laura

It's No Secret Study - Week 2

Welcome to week 2 of our study on It's No Secret by Rachel Olsen. I pray you are enjoying the book as much as I am. 

Below you will find this week's reading schedule.

Have a blessed week,

Laura

Week 2 – July 24- July 30, 2011

As you read each chapter, underline or highlight in your book any points you want to remember. You may also want to take notes in your book or a journal.

Monday & Tuesday

• Read Chapter 3 “Kill your Competition: Revealing the Secret Power of Humility” and complete the Bible Study at the end of the chapter.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the beginning of the week post. Leave a comment to the post with your thoughts from the reading.

Wednesday & Thursday

• Read Chapter 4 “Keep a Heavenly Lawyer on Retainer: Revealing the Secret to Handling Conflicts Biblically” and complete the Bible Study.
• Visit Laura’s blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the mid-week post. Leave a comment to the post with your thoughts from the reading.

Friday

• Spend some personal time with God and reflect on this week’s reading. This day can also be used to catch up on the reading if you got behind.

The Blessings are Greater Than the Cost

Earlier this week I wrote about responding to God—inviting Him into my daily life, meeting Him there, and spending time with Him. So, as I read about the cost of following Christ in chapter 2 of Rachel Olsen’s It’s No Secret, I thought about the blessings versus the cost of anything I give up to spend time with God.

5:00–6:00 a.m. This used to be my favorite time of day to spend with God. The house is quiet, I have time to myself, and usually my mind isn’t already cluttered with details of the day. The problem is two other things compete for that time slot in my day—exercise and sleep.

I decided it was time to discipline myself to find other quiet times of the day to be in God’s Word—times when I could go off by myself, even with others at home, and tune out anything and anyone trying to get my attention. Sometimes that involves scheduling time, or giving up a leisure activity such as reading fiction or watching a television program.

In time it got easier. I learned to put the stress and frustration of the day aside and focus on God. I learned to recognize when I need to take 10 minutes at that very moment to stop and pray or to read Scripture. Discipline became desire—on the days I don’t make time to spend with God, I miss it. I can tell a big difference in my attitude, my reactions, and how I’m feeling.

The blessings have outweighed the cost of anything I gave up to change my schedule. But there is one blessing I never imagined—the change in my daughter. While I used to spend more time studying God’s Word before she was awake in the morning, I was now spending more time when she was a witness to it. As she saw me reading and studying my Bible, I saw her doing the same. Sometimes she would read on her own and come to me with questions. Other times she would ask if she could get her Bible and join me wherever I happened to be studying. It was an unexpected result and a wonderful blessing to see her want to spend time with God!

What is God asking of us today? Will we follow though or will we resist His lead? Whatever we give up for our relationship with God, it is worth it. We get back so much more than we give!

In Christ,

Laura

How Do I Respond?

If you’re reading Rachel Olsen’s It’s No Secret with me, Welcome! We are in the first week of our online study.

As I read the Introduction and Chapter 1 of It’s No Secret, I thought about how I respond to God. Do I talk to Him only when I think I need to, or do I spend time with Him wanting to get to know Him better?

I would say the first of these two choices used to be true. I knew God was there and I turned to Him nightly for prayers, in times of trouble, and for the occasional thank you.

However, that’s not the case now, and I know when it changed. Almost 11 years ago my daughter was born, and she cried for the first five weeks of her life. No, not constantly, although it sure felt that way. I was overtired, rarely accepted help from others, and felt incredibly alone. Out of complete desperation, I turned to God and clung to Him. He used that low point in my life to draw me close and He didn’t let go.

Slowly, but steadily, I started out on my faith journey and I began to get to know Jesus in a way I had never experienced before—as a friend and a constant companion. Jesus knows what it’s like to walk this side of Heaven. He knows it’s not easy. He knows the temptations and the rejection from others. He knows the loneliness and the sadness. And He promises to walk with us.

As I started to understand this, I wanted to know more. I wanted to spend more time in God’s Word, and as I spent more time in the Bible, God showed me more of Him and of His Son, Jesus.

I never used to understand how if I read the same verse in the Bible over and over I could still learn something new. But as I’ve grown in my faith I believe God opens up His Word to us, and as we’re ready, He gives us more understanding. I believe it because I’ve experienced it. What used to be just words I was reading started to have meaning, and I was beginning to understand them. As I spend time with Jesus, He shows me more of Himself and draws me closer to Him. And the more I get to know Him, the more time I want to spend with Him.

I love how author Rachel Olsen says this in the Introduction of It’s No Secret…

“…befriending Jesus—drawing close to Him over time—develops our ability to recognize His still, small voice. Our heart grows familiar with and closer to His, enabling us to understand His meaning when that used to float right over our heads.”

How true this is! I’m constantly amazed at what I learn from God’s Word now, and I wonder how I’ve missed it for so long. I’m in awe of how God draws me to the Scripture verse I need when I need it, and through that verse I find the comfort and direction I’ve been craving.

My prayer is that wherever you are on your faith journey, you feel the Lord draw you closer into a relationship with Him.

What captured your attention in the Intro and Chapter 1? Will you share it with us by posting a comment?

If you’d like to read more from author Rachel Olsen about spending time in God’s Word, here’s the link to a blog she posted on March 29, 2011. Rachel Olsen – Step One: Show

In Christ,

Laura

It's No Secret - Week 1

Welcome! If you are reading and studying It's No Secret by Rachel Olsen with me, the reading schedule for the first week is listed below.

If you are not yet involved in the study but would like more information on the book or the online study, click here: It's No Secret.

Have a blessed week,
Laura

Week 1 – July 17- July 23, 2011

As you read each chapter, underline or highlight in your book any points you want to remember. You may also want to take notes in your book or purchase a journal to use for this study.

Monday & Tuesday

• Read the Introduction "Can I Tell You a Secret?" and Chapter 1 "Always RSVP: Revealing the Secret to Responding to God" and complete the Bible Study at the end of the chapter.
• Visit Laura's blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the beginning of the week post. Leave a comment with your thoughts on the reading.

Wednesday & Thursday

• Read Chapter 2 "Know When to Pay Retail: Revealing the Secret Cost of Following Christ" and complete the Bible Study.
• Visit Laura's blog at www.laurarath.blogspot.com for the mid-week post and leave a comment.

Friday

• Spend some personal time with God and reflect on this week's reading.

It's No Secret - Online Bible Study Starting Soon

Our 6-week online study of It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know by Rachel Olsen is set to begin on July 17. Each online study I host on my blog is an opportunity for women who want to grow in God's Word and communicate with other women in the study, but with the luxury of being on your own schedule.

If you have never participated in an online study before, here are just a few positives...

• No meeting commitments. 
• No dress code - PJs are perfectly acceptable!
• You set your schedule. As we work through the book, I will post a suggested reading schedule to keep us on track and going through the same chapters at the same time. However, it's up to you when you read or comment to a blog.
• Non-denominational. Open to all women, no matter where you live, or what your church background may be.

Our first online study was on Lysa TerKeurst's What Happens When Women Say Yes to God. Our group consisted of 25 women from 4 states. It was amazing to watch as God brought us together!

For more information or to sign up for the It's No Secret study beginning on July 17, click here: It's No Secret.

If you've had an experience in an online study you'd like to share, I encourage you to leave a comment to this post.

In Christ,
Laura