Hello, sister-friends.
Whew! Our hearts and heads are spinning from all the words and ideas exchanged over the last few days, and the first thing we want to say is a giant THANK YOU. Your support encourages us like crazy, your constructive criticism is invaluable to us, and having you by our side at this crossroads means more than you could possibly know. The fact that so many of you (tens of thousands!) care enough about this community to show up daily and weekly sincerely blows our minds. God has been gracious here. God is here.
Now. A LOT of information has been thrown at you girls over the last few days. We thought it might be helpful to do a little exercise to bring it all together in a way that makes sense. Sound good? Here goes.
Pretend it’s July.
Fast-forward your beautiful mind to four months from now. Imagine the SheReadsTruth Kickstarter campaign is over (and it was successful! Yay!) and the SRT app is now in the App Store (and it is awesome! Yay again!)
What does mean for you? What will your She Reads Truth experience look like come July?
We’ll answer this question in 3 parts.
1. Your experience at shereadstruth.com will not change.
If you prefer to read the devotionals on our web site – whether on a computer, a phone or a mobile device – you can still join in the daily devotionals just like you always have. Each time we start a new plan, you’ll have it there on your screen, totally free. Huzzah! (Amanda’s new favorite word. Sorry.)
Not only will your daily SheReadsTruth experience not be diminished, it will get even better! Success of the app will benefit the whole of the SheReadsTruth community. Think new features (pretty downloads, maybe some on-site community space?), a wider breadth of writing voices (half of our readers are single or have no children, and we want to reflect your life stage, too!), and just all around better content. Oh, and there’s this next thing, too…
2. You’ll have the lovely, FREE SheReadsTruth app!
You guys. I’ve seen the preliminary designs, and let me tell you – it makes me want to curl up on a virtual sofa and sit in the Word while. I love it. We can’t wait to share some sneak peeks with you soon!
This Bible+devotional app is being designed specifically with you in mind. It will be lovely and unique – resembling the bigger Bible apps in its function, but with a smaller, more intimate feel. If SheReadsTruth.com is our community living room, think of the SRT app as an extension of it, with big barn doors swung open wide to the outside world.
Inside, you’ll be able to:
Read the full text of the Bible in multiple translations. (Access specific verses, chapters and books, any time.)
Bookmark your spot, highlight and share passages, even make notes in the virtual margins of your mobile copy of God’s Word.
Access your camera anytime inspiration strikes you. (Pretty doodles, life-changing quotes, gorgeous sunrise? Photograph it from inside the app!)
Filter and share your photos to instagram, facebook and twitter, or save them to your camera roll.
And yes, read select SRT plans that will come pre-loaded on the app!
You can do ALL these things ANYTIME, simply by downloading the app for FREE in the App Store. It’s a beautiful, mobile, share-friendly Bible in your pocket.
But here’s the thing: It won’t just be in your pocket.
What if together we can put God’s Word in the pocket of thousands and thousands of women around the world? Fellow truth seekers, fellow daughters and mothers and sisters and friends? Many of you have told us how the SheReadsTruth community reintroduced you to God’s Word, made you feel more comfortable or even more welcome entering into the pages of Scripture. What if together we can extend this invitation even further, and invite countless more women through those big barn doors and into a safe place to encounter Jesus? What if lives can be changed through a simple piece of technology? This is the kind of thing only God can do, and this is our prayer for the SRT app.
3. Yes, Yes and Yes.
Ok. Perhaps you want to take it a step further – You want to participate in the daily SRT devotionals, you want to download and use the free app, AND you want to experience the current, daily SRT devotionals within the context of the new, feature-rich app environment. This is where your option to pay comes in. If having all this together in one place is worth it to you, you can pay a small fee – something like $.99-$3.99, depending on the plan length – to enjoy participating in the current plan right there in the app with all those same features of reading, highlighting, sharing, photographing, etc. You’ll have the option to purchase every time, so if your schedule gets crazy and you’re not sure you want to spend the money – no worries. Just join us on the SheReadsTruth.com site instead – we don’t want finances to keep you from being a part of the community!
There’s other fun stuff, too, like push notifications to remind you read the plan at your preferred time of day. And that “grace” button Raechel mentioned for when you need a little more time, a devotional “snooze” of sorts. J The comments will be synced with the SRT site so we can all participate in daily conversation together.
We need you.
Countless numbers of you have thanked us profusely for the free content you’ve enjoyed here at SRT for nearly two years. Hundreds of you have asked how you can help. This is that moment. The Kickstarter campaign – and these 2 weeks ramping up to it – is an opportunity for us to join forces and watch God do what only He can do.
If you want to cheer us on, this is the time to cheer loudest.
If you want to give, this is the time to give generously.
If you want to move with us into the next phase of the adventure, this is it.
Let’s link arms and follow the Lord into a next chapter that only he can write.
This is His Story. May He get all the glory.
We love you like WHOA.
Amanda, Raechel, Hayley & Diana
PS – the survey is still here! PLEASE take it if you haven’t already! We want to know as much as we can about who’s reading!
Leave a Reply
31 thoughts on "pretend it’s july"
Thank you for this…. it explains a lot.
Your site has gotten me to start a plan to the whole bible in one year and I am proud to say I have made it 2 months and I am still going. The devotionals have also gotten me to think about joining a church family, once again.
What exciting news! I love that the site will remain the same, yet we'll have an app to complement it. Great news!
That's so exciting! I've been waiting for an app. I'll be praying for the campaign. <3
Woops I didn't know I wasn't logged in there. ;)
I am a 58 year old thrilled woman that you all are here and progressing. I think you have gone above and beyond to make sure everyone has access. Think of the people that will scan apps and find you! What a win for our Father. Keep it up. You have changed my Devo and prayer time immeasurably.
I thank God for you girls! My devotional habits stabled when I'm reading your plans. You have my prayers and support! :)
So excited for this new step, both for you amazing women and for the amazing community that you have led . I have been so very blessed by y'all and I'm excited for this growth! Praying for the campaign and for more women to be blessed in this community. Xoxo
Girls I love love love you… Like WHOA! I'm excited for this new era for SRT!!! I can't tell you enough how much this community has changed my life. Changed.My.Life
And I just need to know one thing…. where do I send money for the kickstart?
How I can send money?!?
You'll be able to send money once the Kickstarter campaign is up and running. :)
Thank you so much SRT team for considering the needs every woman in this community as you take SRT to the next level! Your hard work is blessing so many women from across the globe to draw near to Christ! Praying with you! :)
Don't forget google+ for social media. It's smaller than Facebook now, but won't be for long. And being apart of google+ will give you big SEO exposure.
Good idea! Thanks, jessica!
I can't wait either. I am recently new to your site as we'll ( since mid January) and have fallen in love with the Word and Jesus all over again through your web site……. Thank you so much for all that you all do through Jesus I will be praying for you all to get what ever you need to get the app up and running…….
Thanks so much, Jenny. And welcome! So glad you're here.
Thank-you sooo glad to be apart of an awesome community of woman on fire for God!!
Being the Droid that I am, this "The comments will be synced with the SRT site so we can all participate in daily conversation together." is gOOD nEWS. Not quite as import as THE GOOD NEWS. But you know what I mean, right :)
Hey Valanne! Goodness, we want to build an app for the Android users, too!!! We're hoping hoping hoping that our community's giving will exceed the Kickstarter goal and we can do just that! Love that you are encouraged!! xoxo
I'm excited for this app and I'm excited for the growth that is happening. Praying with you as you make faithful decisions!
Our dear Nadine!!! Thank you – we appreciate you so so much! xoxo
Well, I WOULD SAY that I appreciate you too!
Hi! I’m new to SRT and absolutly love it! I’m excited to hear about the new App! I just tried to take the survey and when I click on the link here? All I get is a picture of a phone with an arrow over it? I’d like to take it but don’t know what is going on there ;) Thanks! Colleen
Oh no! Thanks for letting us know, Colleen. Try again here? https://shereadstruth.typeform.com/to/renkyo
So I have to be completely honest here…I miss having the plans on YouVersion!! I joined the SRT community a little over a year ago and absolutely LOVE it! So much so, that I have shared it with many of my friends and family. I love everything about what you guys are doing here and am so thankful for each and every plan! Thank you :) But, I really miss viewing the plans on YouVersion! It was very convenient to pull the plan up on my phone and have everything there to easily read the devo for the day. I loved checking off the readings and getting that congratulations message at the end…I know it was a little corny, but I miss the little motivation it gave me! Don't get me wrong, the new app sounds wonderful! But for an Android user like me, I wonder why can't the plans go back to YouVersion?
Emily
Thanks for the good questions, Emily! One thing to know: Developing an Android app will be our first “extended goal” in the kickstarter campaign. That is, if we surpass our Kickstarter goal by a certain amount, an Android app will be our very next big step! We really, really want this for the SRT community, and we’re hopeful it wil happen sooner rather than laterl. As for YouVersion, we have a great relationship with them and we are grateful for our partnership. However, using a 3rd party app just wasn’t working for us anymore, mostly for logistical reasons. Creating our own app space will allow us to better serve the SRT community and meet the needs of our growing readership. Thanks for the good conversation! These details are important. xoxo
Thank you!
Just wanted to say Emily I totally agree! I also feel a little put out that it went from- this study won't be on you version but don't worry we will be back. To only a few weeks ago- You version readers we haven't forgotten you… and now no signs at all of going back. It sounds like You Version does a lot of the functionality that the app will bring- all the bible passages, the ability to highlight, make notes etc and the reading. I loved that the you version app used to display the passage on a widget so I could remind myself throughout the day just by glancing at my phone what I had read that morning. (am also Android so probably part of my frustration!)
Sounds great! I'm especially happy to read that the website will be enhanced along with the introduction of the app, and we will see a "wider breadth of writing voices." There is so much diversity in our Christian faith and I can't wait to see it reflected on the site. Thanks!
We can’t wait either! So exited for what the future holds.
And also excited. :)