TODAY begins the 5 day countdown to the release of my new book, Cinched: Living with Unwavering Trust in an Unfailing God.

In honor of this 5-day countdown to the book’s release, I’m sharing DAY ONE of my popular email study, the Walking with Rahab: 5-Day Challenge to Better Decision-Making.

How to Become a Better Decision-Maker

Learning to let go of control and becoming a better decision-maker go hand-in-hand. Below you’ll find the first day of this mini study, which looks at the life of Rahab and what we can learn from her story.

(I will only be sharing DAY ONE here on our weekly devotions page. But at the end of today's post, you'll find information on how to access the rest of the 5-day mini study.)

DAY ONE: CALMING THE DECISION-MAKING CHAOS

This morning I took a break in the back yard to enjoy a rare cool breeze on an otherwise humid summer day.

Pretty soon, my 13-year-old dog Teddy trotted toward me with a turtle in his mouth. Teddy loves chasing turtles. It was perfectly safe in that hard shell, but Teddy sure seemed proud of his find. He dropped it at my feet, where I rescued it and released it in a nearby lake.

You know, sometimes Teddy lets go of the turtle immediately, while other times he holds on to it, even with coaxing from me. At those times, I have to find a treat to offer him so he'll give up the prized turtle.

I can be a lot like Teddy when it comes to decisions.

Sometimes I hold onto a decision far too long. I stress and agonize over it, only to end up even more frustrated and no closer to making that decision. Other times, I don't wait on God. My impatience drives me to make a choice too quickly.

Either way, I rarely feel at peace over the decision once it’s made.

When I allow those feelings of worry and uncertainty to end up in frustration, I drift away from God’s will. I put a barrier between me and the Spirit who longs to guide me through those tough choices.

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:12-13 NKJV

Allowing ourselves to be led by the Spirit gives us peace in knowing He is with us when we face difficult decisions.

Allow me to introduce you to a bold woman in Scripture who made a life-changing decision God's way. As we follow her story over the next 5 days, we will learn 5 truths to remember that will help us be better decision-makers too.

“And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho.’ And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, ‘Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.’” Joshua 2:1-2 ESV

Rahab is described as a prostitute, or harlot (NKJV). However, many theologians believe at this point in Rahab’s life, she had “repented and reformed.” (Matthew Henry Commentary)

Right after the spies came to Rahab’s home, someone went and told the king about it. Talk about nosy neighbors! I’m certain this didn’t surprise Rahab at all. In fact, whoever shared Rahab’s secret probably thought they were doing the right thing by informing the king. But I want us to notice an important detail here.

Verse 4 says, “But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them.”

Rahab didn’t wait before hiding the men in a safe place. She didn't take time to weigh out her options. She didn’t pause to see what would happen, then hurry around in response to the king’s request. No, the minute they arrived, she planned their escape.

She acted immediately.

So how did she know what to do? Wasn’t she confused? Frantic? It seems like I try and try to be steadfast in the middle of uncertainty, but I just can’t find that boldness like Rahab.

What was it that drove her ability to make decisions with confidence?

"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken." Psalm 55:22 NIV

When we release control to God and allow His Spirit to guide us through the decision-making process, we allow God's peace to calm the frustration and confusion.

But when I worry and agonize over a decision, I unknowingly take control away from the Holy Spirit and give it back to myself.

By daily releasing control to God, we are allowing His peace to calm the decision-making chaos in our minds.

And just like Rahab, we can learn to walk in immediate obedience.

Sometimes we will sense the Holy Spirit guiding us to make a decision right away, like Rahab did at that moment. Other times there will be waiting involved. As we go through this 5-day study, we will learn more about how to walk through the process of those decisions with steadfast assurance. But for now, lets begin by holding onto this truth:

Today’s Truth Declaration is this:

By daily releasing control to God, we allow His peace to calm the decision-making chaos.

DAY TWO of the mini study ventures into even more of Rahab's story. Would you like to receive the rest of this free 5-day study?

Visit the challenge page here.

At the end of the 5 days, you will also receive the free Scripture-based prayer for better decision-making. (Did I mention it's all free?)

Have you already read the study? Does the message of Rahab’s steadfast faith in God resonate with you? Then watch for Friday’s release of my new book all about the life of Rahab. I also share how her life inspired my own, sending me on a journey to a deeper trust in God. Read more about the book here.

Radio/TV/Film.

Yes, it was settled. I declared my major. Decision made.

That all seemed fine and dandy, until the first day of class when the professor gave us a list of every type of camera ever made and told us we had to memorize them all. (Lots of numbers involved.) Not only that, but we also had to learn every part, what it was called, how to spell it, and its purpose.

Not exactly what I was expecting.

So, I changed my major again. It reminds me of a sitcom episode I saw recently, where the frustrated parents tried and tried to help their indecisive daughter declare a major in college. She went through dozens of unlikely choices before settling on something suited to her personality.

By the end of the episode she’d made a wise decision, but the process was exhausting.

It’s been quite a few years since those college days for me, but these tough decisions pop into our lives often. What is it that makes them so difficult?

Endless options.

Maybe it’s looking for a new career path.

Maybe it’s trying to decide on homeschooling, private school, or public school for your child.

Maybe you’re in the market for a new home, and you’re afraid if you hesitate, the right house will be taken by someone else.

Whatever decision you may be facing, can I offer some encouragement today from someone who understands?

Our world is filled with opportunities. We have more options than we can possibly consider.

Yet God calls us to keep things simple.

Rejoice. Pray. Give thanks. This is God's will for us. (Tweet this.)

I used to love making pro and con lists, until I realized when I listed out the pros and cons, the lines became more and more blurred. That’s when I discovered pro/con lists just didn’t work for me. The more I mull over my options, the more confusion I create in my mind. So when I see myself heading in that direction, I go to these 3 simple steps straight from God’s Word.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

God offers us these steps to help us refocus when the endless options of life overwhelm us.

When we pause to rejoice, pray, and give thanks, God draws near to us. He clears our minds of everything causing confusion and replaces them with His loving peace.

And from that place of peace we can hear Him more clearly and choose with confidence.