Rachel Olsen

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Testimony

I grew up in the power-hungry, materialistic, MTV-driven 80’s - not knowing Christ. I remember thinking I had to project a certain image to be liked or loved. I remember believing I wanted to succeed by the world’s standards because that would bring me happiness.

By the age of 17, my mom had died, my family had fallen apart and I was working in a bar. Happiness seemed far off. My image had crumbled and taken my confidence and hope down with it.

Then I encountered Christ in the classroom of a state university. I turned my heart over to Him and found The Life I was created to live. I still wrestle with doubt occasionally, and self-centeredness more than occasionally, but I’m on the path to true success.

This path is paved with stones of grace. It’s a narrow trail, blazed by Christ, walked with repeated leaps of faith. I’m here looking for women who want to walk it with me.

Family Life

Twenty days after graduating college, Rachel married her public speaking Professor (let’s keep that little fact on the down-low, shall we?). She and Rick have now been happily married for over 20 years.

They have a bubbly, extroverted and often intense high school daughter named Alaina. She teaches Rachel to grant grace.

They also have a laid-back and creative middle school son named Caleb. He teaches Rachel that patience is a virtue.

The Olsens enjoy lively discussions and lots of laughs over family dinners on the screened-in porch, watching Shark Tank and Wipeout, and making trips to their local beach or bookstore together.

Unspeakable Joy 2015 Speakers - 13

Speaking Topics

What really jazzes Rachel is helping people find their God-intended focus, connecting with the power of His Holy Spirit, and generating forward momentum in their personal and spiritual lives. This is the crux of what she does as a speaker, writer and biblical life coach.

Her newest speaking material springs from her new book My One Word: Change Your Life with Just One Word. She co-wrote this with her pastor Mike Ashcraft. This one-word concept, done for years at her church with a congregation of thousands, has been featured on K-LOVE and become a national movement.

My One Word: Change Your Life with Just One Word

At its core, it’s a process for enacting personal change in your life – a plan for spiritual growth. Do you have a long list of things you’d like to change about yourself? Multiple ways you know you need to become more like Christ? Do you find each day keeps blurring into the next with no real growth occurring? She can help. Let her help your group do something about one thing this year.

  • Learn the difference between self-improvement and gospel change.
  • Discover the key to change and put it into practice.
  • Learn how to use the tool of journaling to expand your experience of God.
  • Walk away with a clear focus for the year ahead and a renewed hope in your ability to grow.

For the last few years she’s been speaking on two featured topics from her book It’s No Secret: Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know:

Get By With a Little Help From Your Friends

Women need one another. But friendships can be hard to start and tricky to navigate. The solution is not isolation, but interdependence. With Bible in hand, and experience as a biblically trained life coach, Rachel can help your group develop and deepen healthy friendships.

  • Discover the one thing you need to remember about everyone.
  • Learn why you don’t and why you should ask for help.
  • Determine how to respond when a friend betrays.
  • Rekindle your desire to connect with others.
Adjust Your Scale

Perfectionistic much? Rachel too – she gets it. Some of us are only perfectionists in certain areas of our lives; others of us don’t even realize we harbor this tendency. But we all struggle with it to a degree. With Bible in hand, and experience as a biblically trained life coach, Rachel will help your group align their personal standards with God’s.

  • Learn the different ways perfectionism plagues us – some may surprise you.
  • Discover the secret to perfection in God’s eyes – it’s not what you think.
  • Find the path to better living.
  • Experience the great relief that is God’s matchless grace.

Discussion questions and PowerPoint presentations available with all three sessions.

Education / Experience

  • Undergraduate in Journalism and Master’s in Communication Studies from Regent University
  • Public Speaking Professor at the University of North Carolina in Wilmington
  • Featured on KLOVE, Encouragement for Today, Crosswalk
  • Speaker at She Speaks Conferences
  • Rachel's best qualification as a speaker comes from FOLLOWING Jesus. That, and from speaking for over a decade at upwards of 150 different churches around the country. It’s a joy to serve the women and churches who invite her to share from the Scriptures.

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