Rick Marschall - The Secret Revealed: Exposing the Truth About the Law of Attraction

Copyright 2007 James L. Garlow and Rick Marschall.

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

FaithWords

Hachette Book Group USA

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First eBook Edition: August 2007

ISBN: 978-0-446-19936-0

Dedication

From Jim:

I have, over the years, dedicated books to my wife, my parents, my children, my son-in-law, my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren, my sisters, my brothers, and to some former teachers.

And now...

This book is lovingly dedicated to my parents-in-law, Richard and Vivian Luckert; my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Larry and Kathy Goad, and to their family; my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, John and Mary Luckert, and to their family.

Thank you for welcoming me into the family.

From Rick:

I dedicate this book to Nancy Wilson Marschall, my wife of thirty-two years, best mother to the best children Christian parents could pray for.

In the face of unbelievable health problems and so many other pressures, you have never doubted, never broken down, never shaken your fist at the universe or your Father in heaven.

Your example, your strength, your knowledge, and your faith are no secrets.

I thank God our Attraction came when it did.

Every book has enablers who, by direct assistance or silent encouragement, help authors in mighty and essential ways. We were blessed to have a circle of such people lift us up at the right moments, with the right things, in our work. With only a fear that we might leave someone out, we are grateful to acknowledge their assistance.

Jeff Dunn is a literary agent, writer, and editor, and dreamer of the first rank: The Secret Revealed was his conception. This amazing man convinced us to write it on the basis of his confidence and has handled the inevitable business end of matters with aplomb. He catches visions and shares his passion like nobody else in the field. He even can catch aplomb in his teeth in the fieldamazing. Seriously, this is his book, too, and it never would have happened without his inspiration and nurture. Thank you, Jeff. You drew us into The Secret Revealed, and you were the one who insisted I (Jim) coauthor Cracking Da Vincis Code. You have a wonderful and gentle way of throwing me to the wolves. (Keep doing it.)

Thank you to Craig Bubeck: we brought him on to the team early, and his role morphed from General Editor and Traffic Cop of the research crew, to Father Confessor, Sounding Board, and Facts Checker. His personality and his superb editing talents are between the lines of every page of this book.

From Jim:

Thank you, Skyline Church family, for being a superbly supportive church. You prayed for us, encouraging us to press forward. Thank you for your prayers for meboth as pastor-teacher and as cultural responder.

Thank you to: fellow pastors on staff, Church Board members, Pastors Prayer Partners, the Intercession & Healing Team, and the specially formed TSR Intercession Team. All of you were incredible. You were spectacular cheerleaders for this project.

Thank you, Winifred Garlow, not only for being Mom, but for transcribingeven as you approach your eighty-sixth birthdaytape after tape of my occasionally garbled comments into the late hours of the night. Thank you, Pam Dahl and Elaine Snelson, for keeping the writing team supplied so we could work day and (much of the) night.

And so many others! Bob Siegel, your intellect was so brilliant. John Debus, your research was exceptional. Christine Demery, your insights were helpful. April Williams, your discoveries were insightful. Melissa Hatt, your graphics were professional. Special thanks to other members of the rapid response Research Team: Rick Augustine, Ross Chenault, Samuel Ferrer, Silvia Flores, Sally Jadlow, Jennifer Kuyper, Barry Neely, Gerard Reed, Gail Romaine, Roxanne Swails, and Wendy Ware. And to so many not mentioned hereto the entire team of persons who were there, thank you for lifting, helping, and encouraging.

And especially, thank you to my family, for allowing me intently to focus on this project, and for gently asking How is the book coming? each time I thought I could not do more.

From Rick:

My wife, Nancy, and her family have been supportive during the hectic process of writing this booka traumatic time of health and household moving concerns. I was allowed to concentrate on the goal of this book, and for that I am grateful. My son Ted has been of assistance, with advice and research help. Jerry and Marit Vincent generously opened their Granite Hills home outside San Diego to, variously, one, two, and three of us as we wrote, researched, Googled, and (occasionally) slept. By making their home an unlikely literary factory for a time, they helped more than they can know. And Matthew kept things loose at the right moments. Marlene Bagnull of the Christian Writers Conferences in Estes Park, Colorado, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is one of Gods prayer warriors who interceded, and without her, this team might not even know each other. Greg Johnsonagent, friend, counseloris also due thanks. Jo Lauter is my prayer partner and accountability partner on books we each write: she is a friend who cannot possibly know how much she is appreciated.

Workers, friends, partners who went above and beyond: Larry Hoagland of PPS San Diego: I shutter to think what Id look like without your snap decisions; Skip Elmore, early encourager; Tim Ewing of Rare Jewel Magazine; James Grifiths; John and Roberta Province; Georgene and John Kruzel; Patrick Russo; Aubrey Grable; Beth Davies; Sally and Three-Chord Charlie Basbas; James Clarence Cusser for hours spent discussing Plato and Aristotle, setting me on the right course; Ed Norton; and Tom Heintjes.

The leadership and members of my home church, Deliverance Tabernacle, Pentecostal Church of God, Burton, Michigan, have been of splendid support. I have been prayed over, encouraged, and cared for. Particularly I want to thank Pastor Ernest and Sister Ellen Davis, Pastor Don and Sister Louise Werden, Brother Butch and Sister Peggy Martin, Brother Wade and Sister Julia Mainer, Brother Jack and Sister Linda Arrand, and Brother Autrey McIlroy.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

ZAPENATH-PANEAH

Christ... was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

1 PETER 1:20

IN THE BEGINNING, GOD

FOUNDATIONS

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

JOHN 8:32

BRAIN-DEAD

Belief: Keep Your Mind Engaged

S tan Lee of Marvel Comics has a wonderful phrase he uses about the art and craft of writing superhero comics, and of being a fan of them. He says we have to suspend disbelief. Actually, with many forms of fiction, the watchword is to suspend beliefits those times we are asked to go a step further, mentally, emotionally, rationally. True to form, The Secret requires that we suspend disbelief. Its ideas are abstract, its evidence is vague, its promises are grand, and it arouses suspicion in the most casual readers mind.

In its first months, The Secrets DVD and book versions sold millions of copiesof course, the word spread, even though its propositions sounded too good to be true. Once The Secret got out, many news programs, comedy shows, and pop commentatorsthe type of people in todays culture who normally fall over each other to endorse the latest feel-good or self-help fadinstead criticized or ridiculed the book. Yet it continued on its whirlwind course, with reports of bookstores unable to stock copies, of additional DVDs in production, even of a high-ticket marketing scheme based on