Hey Y’all! Here’s to Week 1 of It’s No Secret! We’ve gotten off to a super start 
Just to make it clear, Rachel’s blog is http://www.rachelolsen.com/ , yes, dot com. In fact, if you haven’t already, head on over there right now for her Week 1 Link Up!
Have a great weekend!
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Your daughter is adorable! (so are you)
Okay, I’m not working this new study but I will follow along as much as I can because you are so encouraging.
I’m currently doing Crown Financial which is a lot of work because I’m working on all the little details of all we need to do to obey God in the area of our finances so that He may use us in a bigger way for Him.
I’m also continuing with MTC through FBCIT because I have a lot of weight to lose.
Thank you for allowing God to use you.
I hope your weekend is wonder-filled.
I feel so encouraged and empowered by the Lord today .Thank you Melissa for your encouraging words. I do indeed have God’s strength to rise above my circumstances. my hubby and I are heading out for a much needed getaway to Beaver Creek Colorado for a few days. However I’m packing away INS I’n my suitcase and taking along my iPad Ro stay I’n touch. Have a great day!
Great video! And your daughter is very cute! Thank you for the continuing encouraging message! This is the first time I’ve done an online bible study and love the way it works! The conference call was fabulous and I can’t wait for the next one! Have a great weekend and God Bless!
My favorite part was when your daughter busted out some moves for us!!!
This study has already challenged my thinking. I know God is probing my heart right now. I, like you, have so many different things going on that are disappointing and out of my control, so I need to learn to stay focused on my attitude toward life. This book is definitely helping me do so right now.
Thanks for your honesty and transparency!
Melissa, How lovely to meet your daughter!
This week has left me feeling a bit uncomfortable, and with lots to work through. My life right now is not easy either right now, so I need to keep looking to Jesus, because it is only as I trust Him that I will be able to keep going on, and not sink with the weight of all the other stuff happening around here.
Thank you for your encouraging message.
“The one thing that is in my control is my attitude.” Oh, man! That is so true. God has been dealing with me on that lately!
I’m not doing this study right now, but I’m gonna try and follow along with comments and how everyone else is going.
Praying for all your ladies!
my husband is a brilliant architect who has lived his life helping the average person manifest their dreams and/or individuality by creating and transforming their homes into warm, welcoming, exciting places to live and be. He is self- employed, a one-man operation, and I admire him so much because early on in his career, he chose the difficult road (rather than the big firm big paycheck) so he could follow his heart and help people. He has always kept his prices low, quite reasonable, compared to most architects. He knew what he was suppose to do and he did it. He’s a spiritual man and often gets up in the middle of the night to spend time with God. Now, with this sick economy and subsequent slowdown of work, he is struggling spiritually, emotionally, financially, etc and questioning everything, and quite frankly, so am I. We keep trying to focus on God and not on the events, but lately, our conversations with the Lord seem full of desperation, mostly questions of “why” and “what are we suppose to do?” This morning, as I was speaking to my husband about all this, I looked down at the table and found myself staring at my notes from the conference call I had listened to last night. WOW! I was able to tell him about taking charge of our attitudes, the humility & strength to accept changes graciously, and the courage to face the unknown, even such things as losing our worldly possessions; and being “real” about it all, perhaps sharing our struggle with others, rather than pretending all is okay. We also talked about Joshua, whose life was full of unknowns, following the Ark of the Covenant. So, thank you, Lord, for bringing Melissa and this Bible Study into my life at this particular time. The thought provoking questions and discussions have been so helpful to me. And all you ladies out there, I’m being ‘real’ when asking for your prayers.
Thanks so much Melissa! Your daughter is adorable! I really appreciate this book and your service to all of us! Can’t wait to get into week 2 and all it will bring!
I still do not have the book, but am going to get it soon. Looking forward to learning more along with everyone!
Very cute vlog. Thank you for the encouragement, I really need some this week.
: )
Great encouragement on your video. Daughter is as beautiful as her mother. I haven’t received my book yet either but I did download Kindle for PC and ordered it there until I receive my book next week. It is easy to do and when I get a kindle I can put it on there for future references. Enjoying this study!!
I so enjoyed the conference call even though I didn’t get to listen until today with my friend Vickie: This is just such an awsome Bible Study. Have never done an online before but it’s well worth the time and effort. Thanks so much for sharing all of this with us. Can’t wait to start the next chapter. God Bless You. Jean
I’m loving this study! It is the first time I have done an on-line study and love the format of being able to go at my own pace but yet having a community to share ideas. Rachel has certainly challenged me in several areas this week, especially regarding whether I am the pearl merchant or the rich, young ruler (P. 52). Finally listed to the conference call last night – very insightful too! Loved what you said about attitude being the one thing we are in control of and how today you also added “the time spent with God”. Several years ago, my boss gave everyone in the office a copy of “Hyman’s Seafood Motto” (I have no idea where the name came from) which appeared in Chuck Swindol’s book “Attitude”. It’s quite lengthy but I thought I would share it – hope you don’t mind.
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me, is more important than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitute we embrace for that day. We cannot change or past…we cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in charge of our ATTITUDES. ~Chuck Swindoll, autor of “Attitude”
Thank you for this study. Have a great weekend, keep a smile on your face, and keep showing up!
Love this study. It is helping me get back into a daily time with the Lord which I have gotten away from. Thanks so much. Cannnot wait for week two.
Yeah!!! My book arrived today!!! Now I can catch up….excited to start!
Thanks Melissa
Hey ya’ll how is everyone doin? Your daughter is just precious Melissa. She made me bust out laughing. Who else linked up? I am learning to open my eyes and really examine the possessions I have.
Hello Kristie, I am following along INS Bible Study and both Rachel’s and Melissa’s blogs. I read your comment and I’m wondering what this is: “MTC through FBCIT”?
I too am in the information gathering and planning stages of getting my temple together to honor God, a nd then I get the fringe benefits of being fit, leaner, healthier, energetic, and much much more, Praise God!
Here is some information I came across on my Internet reseach with not only convicted me but encouraged and inspired me to get it together and “Just Do It” like Nike says! What am I waiting for? I need to do my part and God promises to show up and do His part. So today is it…the beginning of renewing, and restoring my temple. God is wonderful and I thank Him for this blessing I ran across and your comment also. This is something I am certain you already know, as I did, but it blessed me just the same reading it again. I pray it does the same for you.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.” ~ 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20
This scripture is only the beginning, but what a clear beginning it is! Our body is the literal, physical temple of the Holy Spirit. By taking care of our bodies, we are taking care of our righteous Holy Spirit’s temple. Our bodies are a gift from the Lord, and we should all, in a simple act of gratitude and love, honor Him with our body and the temple of the Holy Spirit.Pray today for the Lord’s strength to help you build a temple worthy of His Holy Spirit. Ask for strength to choose the right foods, the desire {and time |}}}to plan your meals, and increased commitment to create time to exercise. Start with God’s clear scripture, and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you in more detail about His desire for you!
By: Alissa Nelms
Alissa,
Thank you for your encouragement and your wise counsel.
I will prayerfully follow it.
Blessings to you
Loretta
EMPOWERED! I’ve come to love that word! Thanks so much for the video clip. I am such a visual person and, to me, the clip has a way of making me feel “connected” to this study. And thank you for the gentle nudge about a much-needed attitude adjustment! Can’t wait for Week 2!
I agree with Danielle! Melissa, your comment, “The one thing that is in my control is my attitude,” is absolutely true! I am struggling to get my mom to see this. She is very negative. Please say a prayer for her and for me as well to lead by example for her. I am following the book study. I have not received my book yet but hopefully it will be here soon.
Your excitement is contagious! Love the book, love the study!
And what a cute young lady in the video with you……
Good morning ladies! Chap 3 was so weighty. I loved this, “Humility comes as we orient our attention on God and on helping others. To find it, we must lift our gaze from our own navels, or from our perceived competition, to the kingdom of God.”
That richly resonates with me. I’ve gone through a season where I thought I needed to pull back, give myself more time to “get things done”, take more time for myself. But that did not increase my peace or fill my need for rest! Instead, it turned my gaze upon ME, and what MY needs consistently were. Looking back, I can see that I am most fully at rest when I’m refreshingly tired from the fullness of a rich life of ministry and service to those around me. “To become great, we serve.” It’s so true. Jesus wants to fill us with His love, joy, and peace!