There are probably as many thoughts on the “rapture, so called”, as there are folk professing to be Christians.
While many people will argue that the Bible does not mention the rapture (and they are right), the Bible speaks of a “catching away”. Webster defines rapture as “the carrying of a person to another place or sphere of existence or the act of carrying off”.
Immediately associated with the rapture are the believers in the “tribulation” or the seven years of difficulty for the people left behind when the rapture occurs. There are three trains of thought on this topic. One, there is the pre-tribulation, two, the mid-tribulation, three, the post tribulation. My Bible (the King James Version) plainly speaks to the pre-tribulation. I must confess, I have not studied other translations; so, I cannot speak to the teachings of them.
Preparation for the rapture is simple, one need only commit to God and follow the Word. Failing this, one will be subjected to the most horrendous way of life for the next seven years that has ever been seen on planet earth.
I would advise everyone to surrender to Christ and make Him the Lord of their life, and then you will be ready to go in the rapture, thereby shunning the pitfalls of the “great tribulation” and all of its trials.