Sharla, Author at Sharla Fritz

Sharla September 8, 2015

You Are God’s Chosen Instrument: 3 Ways to Make Music in His Hands

Piano is my chosen instrument.

I started playing the piano when I was five years old and loved it from the beginning. The ability to make music with my own fingers seemed like magic to me.

After a year of piano, my parents bought a spinet organ and for about seven years I took lessons on that instrument, but it never had the same magic for me. When I switched back to the piano I was much happier. While a powerful organ can blow your socks off, an organist never has the same control of the touch and sound that a pianist does.

This week I was reading the well-known story of the conversion of Saul in Acts 9:1-19. I have read this story many times so I asked God to show me something new this time around.

And what I noticed was in the exchange between God and Ananais–the man God sent to Saul after Saul’s encounter with God on the road to Damascus. Ananais was pretty skeptical about going to see the man responsible for executing Christians all around the Roman kingdom. But God reassured Ananais that this was the plan:

“The Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” Acts 1:15

Saul (or Paul–as he was later known) was God’s chosen instrument.

And I thought: What significance is in the phrase “chosen instrument”? If I am also an instrument of God, what does that mean?

First of all, when an instrumentalist performs, the audience rarely praises the instrument. They applaud the performer. As an instrument of God, I do not receive the admiration and acclaim. God does.

Second, the instrument cannot make music on its own. It relies on the hands of the performer. Yes, now there are marvelous machines that can be attached to pianos to make music automatically, but even there the machine is made and programmed by human hands. Music is dreamed up by talented composers. On its own, the piano can only sit on a stage and take up space. I sometimes think that I am like the machine that can produce something wonderful on my own, but in truth it is all in the hands of the Creator who made me, the Programmer who guides me, and the Performer who works through me.

Finally, I thought of how a piano doesn’t rebel in the hands of a musician. My piano doesn’t stop making sound if it doesn’t like the song I’m playing. It doesn’t run out of the room if it doesn’t agree with my musical interpretation. It doesn’t pout and complain if the song is too difficult. Here is where I am much different from my piano!

Paul was God’s chosen instrument to the Gentiles of his day. And he acted as an instrument should. He worked for the glory of the Performer. He relied on the power of the Creator. He didn’t complain if the song was too hard.

I believe we are each God’s chosen instrument. The Father lovingly chooses each of us to play for His glory. He works through each of us in various concert venues around the world. He produces beautiful music in those who yield to His gentle touch.

Next step: Reflect on your role as God’s chosen instrument. How have you made beautiful music in the hands of God? How have you performed for your own glory or tried to make music on your own?

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With: Acts 9: 1-19, God's glory, piano, surrender

Sharla September 3, 2015

Free Resource: 59 Ways to Care For Your Soul

Our lives are hectic. We often neglect the most important part of us–our soul. Read about my Soul Spa Kit that outlines 59 ways to care for your soul. Find out how to get this FREE Kit at the bottom of this post.

Have you seen the Baby Blues comic where the Baby Blues mom is driving and gets pulled over by a female cop? The policewoman says, “Ma’am, I noticed you have three small children in the car. Please step out of the vehicle.”

Mom gets out of the car and asks, “Is there a problem?”

Cop replies, “No, I just thought you could use a moment of peace and quiet.”

Once in a while, we all need to pull off the road of carpools, meetings, and errands for a bit of peace and quiet. Taking the exit off the busy highway of life for a short time enables us to experience silence and stillness. Solitary times help us connect with God and hear His voice.

Take a Spiritual Retreat

Who needs a spiritual retreat? You do. Although soul care may seem like a luxury, it is actually a necessity for your well-being. When your spirit is tired and worn, your physical self suffers too. You are less able to be the generous and kind person you want to be. Your heart cries out for more of Jesus.

And that’s why I created the Soul Spa Kit: 59 Ideas For Creating Your Own Spiritual Retreat. Inside this resource you will discover the who, what, when, why, where, and how of soul care. This kit is a little like a three-day spa weekend for your soul.

Most of us seldom think about soul care. I know I didn’t. As a type-A person I was much better at making and completing to-do lists even if it meant ignoring my soul’s cries for rest. I said yes to many worthwhile activities and pursuits, but didn’t stop long enough to hear my soul cry out, “Stop!”

Finally, I listened to my soul and took the time to get off the busy highway of life long enough for Jesus to care for my soul. I discovered spiritual practices that helped me connect with my Savior in a deeper way.

Is Your Soul Crying Out for Rest?

What about you? Is your soul crying out for rest? Some of the symptoms of soul fatigue are a feeling of emptiness even though life is full, an almost constant sense of being overwhelmed, and, well, being more than a little snippy with the people you actually love.

We can keep on pushing through life, ignoring our souls and becoming more empty and overwhelmed or we can get off the roller-coaster of life long enough to hear the cries of our spirits and care for them. We can go to Jesus–the Healer of souls. Take time for a spiritual retreat.

Here are a few ideas from my Soul Spa Kit:

Meditate on the Bible story in John 8:1–11. Imagine yourself in the story. Hear the sounds, smell the smells. Look at Jesus. What does your heart experience in meeting Jesus in this story?
Dream. Write down your most extravagant dreams for your life. Ask God to show you if they are in line with His will.
Create a photo journal. Take a walk in nature and snap photos of things that remind you of God. Later, create a slide show or photo book of the photos with captions of prayers of thanksgiving.

To get my free Soul Spa Kit and find more ideas like this, simply enter your name and email address in the form below. You will then receive a link to the Soul Spa Kit in your inbox.

Give yourself permission to take a little time off from your responsibilities and obligations. Nurture your soul.

Next step: Pick a day in the next week for a personal spiritual retreat. Pick one or two of the activities in the Soul Spa Kit. Enjoy a day of spiritual rest.

Fill out the form below to receive my e-newsletter and the free Soul Spa Kit!

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: personal retreat, rest, soul care

Sharla September 1, 2015

Finding Faith When Life Hurts

Today I’m over at my friend Meadow Rue’s blog. Meadow Rue Merrill is an award-winning writer, contributing magazine editor and mom of six including Ruth, who was adopted from Uganda. Meadow doesn’t wear a clerical collar. She didn’t graduate from seminary, but she believes that God is intimately involved in her everyday life, an experience she shares in her weekly newspaper column, “Faith Notes.”

The year started with ominous news. A few days into 2015 our family doctor called with the results of my husband’s recent CT scan. “Sorry to say—” His voice broke. “It looks like lymphoma.”

So began a journey we never wanted. After the initial phone call there were biopsies and PET scans. My husband, John, had appointments with cancer specialists and oncology nurses. We learned the jargon of sickness that no one really wants to know.

The first day of chemotherapy, John sat in the infusion chair for seven hours having two powerful medicines pumped into the port near his right shoulder. The first medicine had to be administered slowly – for five hours it slowly dripped into his veins. When the oncology nurse came with the second bag, she wore a Hazmat-style suit of goggles, gown, and gloves. And this is what they are putting inside my husband? I thought…

Continue reading at Meadow Rue’s site

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth

Sharla July 28, 2015

A Quick Guide to Scripture Meditation

Sit still. Breathe in. Breathe out. Focus.

Sounds impossible right?

Meditation can seem difficult and impractical–even intolerable.

Meditation can appear nebulous and mysterious–even an invitation to trouble.

In fact, some types of meditation are dangerous. Eastern meditation emphasizes the emptying of the mind. Jesus warned against this in Luke 11:24-26 where He said an empty mind could be an invitation for evil to take up residence.

But Scripture meditation is different. Instead of emptying the mind, this type of meditation focuses on filling the mind with God’s Word. This type of meditation turns your heart to God’s infinite supply of grace and hope.

Still sitting still and simply thinking can seem difficult–even boring–especially to the person who craves action or thrives on crossing off items on her to-do list.

So here’s some advice for those of you who want to try Scripture meditation, but are a little fuzzy on the process.

1. Don’t expect perfection. You are human. We are living in a world with an average of eight seconds. Your mind will wander. It’s OK. Simply bring your mind back to the Scripture your are meditating on. (Hint: You might want to keep a pad of paper nearby to plunk down distracting, but important things that come to mind.)

2. Know the world will conspire against you. Just as you sit down to concentrate on God’s Word, the neighbor will start up his lawnmower, your phone will announce a tempting text message, your body will ache in a spot that never hurt before. So begin with prayer. Ask God to help you focus. Listen to the Holy Spirit whispering to your heart. (Hint: Determine a time of day that is most likely to be free of interruptions.)

3. Choose a favorite Bible verse and meditate by emphasizing different words. Repeat the verse over and over–each time emphasizing a different word. How does stressing that word change the meaning? For instance, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Be still–be is a verb, an action word. Stillness doesn’t happen automatically. We must take action to make it happen. Be still–take that word literally and, for now, ignore the laundry in the hamper and the dishes in the sink. Don’t jump up to answer the phone. Be still. (Hint: Other verses to try: Philippians 4:6, Ephesians 3:20, Isaiah 40:31)

4. OR Choose a Gospel story and picture yourself in the story. What do you see? smell? hear? touch? taste? Turn your attention to Jesus. How does your heart respond as you meet Him in this story? (Hint: Some stories to try: Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 8:23-27, Luke 17:11-19.)

5. Remember meditation isn’t magical. Meditation is simply a fancy way of saying focused attention. There isn’t anything supernatural about it. (Hint: The miracle isn’t in your mind–it’s in the Word.)

6. But meditation can be transformative. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” As we let powerful God’s Word roll around in our hearts and minds it changes us. It makes us more Christ-like. It reminds us of God’s love. It fills our souls with peace. (Hint: Expect God to speak to you through His Word and change you from the inside out.)

Meditation? Sounds hard. Sounds mysterious.

But it is really just focusing on God’s Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts.

Next step: Choose a favorite Bible verse or story and meditate on it for 5 minutes. Journal about what you learned from that time.

Filed Under: Bible Study, Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: holy habits, meditation

Sharla July 21, 2015

When Your Spiritual Growth Seems Stalled: Think About Going To The Spa Instead Of The Gym

After church one Sunday, a member of our congregation jokingly announced that our services would be much shorter if he gave the sermon. He would edit the message down to a few key words:

“Listen up people—do good stuff.”

If he wasn’t joking, I think he may have missed the point. Yet, at the same time I think many of us view the Christian life as a life of doing. I know I did. Even though I received the gift of God’s grace, I still had the feeling that I had to do more in order to please God. To grow spiritually, I needed to put in the time. Ramp up the effot.

I think this was because I viewed Christian life as a gym. Subconsciously I felt a certain repetition of prayers or a prescribed number of memorized Bible verses would automatically make me a stronger Christian. After all, daily doing a few dozen reps of bicep curls inevitably results in stronger arms.

Find out why Christian spirituality is more like a spa than a gym.

But lately, I’ve been thinking that Christian spirituality isn’t actually like going to a gym. It’s much more like going to a spa. At the gym you work. You run. You lift weights. You sweat.

But at a spa everything is done for you. Experts rub the kinks out of your aching back. They soften your rough skin and make your calloused feet look pretty again. All you need to is show up. You don’t have to drag out your determination and willpower to perform your workout routine. Instead, you need to loosen your resistance and ambition for a time and simply receive.

Of course, Bible memorization and prayer and service are all good things—things God instructs us to do. But as I’ve gone a little further in the journey of faith I realize that it isn’t my effort that makes me a stronger Christian—because all of Christian life is a life of reception. No matter how many minutes I spend in prayer or how many chapters of the Bible I read, I cannot make myself more spiritual. It’s God’s Spirit who works out the kinks in my faith. He softens my heart and makes my spirit beautiful again. All I have to do is show up.

It’s the difference between pulling on my resolve to catch up in my read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan and sitting down with God’s Word, simply asking Him to give me what I need to make it through the day. It’s the difference between checking off “Daily Devotions” on my to-do list and actually connecting with the God of the universe.

Our Christian growth doesn’t depend on us, but we do need to show up. We need to carve out time in our busy, noisy lives to receive the comfort and love God is continually holding out to us. We need to excavate space in our crowded hearts to receive the grace we so desperately need.

Christian spirituality is a not a life of doing. It is a life a receiving. Receiving from the persistent, compassionate, and tender God who calls Himself my Father.

Next step: Write a prayer of thanksgiving to God that your spiritual growth does not depend on you. Ask Him to show you what you need to receive today.

If you would like more ideas about connecting with God, check out my free Soul Spa Kit: 59 Ideas for Creating Your Own Spiritual Retreat. Simply fill out the form below to sign up for my e-newsletter and receive this free gift.

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: quiet time, soul care

Sharla July 9, 2015

6 Ways to Worship When Your Worship Has Grown Stale

I remember a day when worship happened instinctively.

The sky was bright with the setting sun.

As the sun bounced it’s rays on the clouds the sky turned gold, then pink, then purple.

I stopped watering my begonias for a minute and worshiped.

I have to admit that too often the only worshiping I do is at church on Sunday morning. And sometimes what I am doing in the sanctuary can’t even be called worship. Even though my mouth may be mumbling words of praise, my mind wanders to my grocery list, my upcoming appointments, and just where the lady in front of me got that cute dress.

But I want to learn to praise my awesome God who deserves adoration. So this week I am asking God to teach me to worship.

Scripture tells us:

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. Psalm 29:2

Here are some ways of worship I have already tried:

Praying the psalms. I knelt down at my chair and prayed through psalms of praise like Psalms 8, 19, 29, and 33. I spoke them out loud.
Listening to praise music. I pulled up a praise station on Pandora and worshiped along with the music for 15 minutes.
Spontaneous worship. I looked for glimpses of God in my ordinary day like the spectacular sunset or a butterfly flitting around my garden. I praised God for His beauty evident in creation.

Here are some ways I am going to try in the future:

A new setting. I am planning to go to a church that I do not regularly attend that has a beautiful sanctuary. I want to go when the place is quiet so I can worship in solitude.
Create a worship board. I want to make a visual tool for adoration. Using pictures of things that remind me of God, I will create a photo collage.
Using hymns. Great hymns like “How Great Thou Art” and “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” inspire praise when we really study the words. I am planning to memorize the words to some classic hymns.

As I expand my worship experience, I hope to become a more proficient praiser of my awesome God!

Next step: Which of the worship experiences above sound interesting to you? Choose one and implement it this week. Whatever you decide to do, do it for the Almighty God.

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With: praise, worship

Sharla July 2, 2015

Freedom From The Tyranny Of People-Pleasing

God has given me freedom, but I don’t always live as if I am free. I get tangled up in the chains of ambition and people-pleasing. Although I am free in Christ, I sometimes willingly step into shackles that prevent from living in that freedom.

It seems like this is nothing new. When the apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, he said,

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. (Galatians 5:1)

The Galatians had experienced the freedom of salvation in Christ–the joyous freedom that comes when we realize that there is nothing we can do to earn salvation. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. Christ has already done everything necessary.

But they had been convinced by other people that they needed to follow some of the old laws, such as circumcision. They were willingly stepping into the shackles of trying to please other people by doing things God had told them they didn’t need to do.

And when I read this passage again, I realized that, in a way, I had done the same thing. Lofty ambitions, avid goals, and the desire to do what the “experts” tell me I need to do have chained me to an unrealistic work pattern. I have probably been trying to do more than God has asked me to do–more than I was meant to do.

Sisters in Christ, I hope that you have not been shackled to people-pleasing and working beyond what Christ has asked of you. But if you have, here a few steps you can take to break free of the chains.

Write down everything that you do during a normal week and everything you feel you “should” be doing. Include everything from cooking meals and laundry to driving kids to school and organizing play dates.
Take your long list into God’s presence and mentally lay it at His feet. Pray over each item. Ask yourself questions like: Is this activity necessary? Is there a simpler way to do this chore? Why am I choosing this activity–is it because God asked me to do it or I am doing this simply to impress the neighbors or please other people?
Eliminate the activities that God asks you to purge from your calendar. Find simpler, less stressful ways to accomplish some of your chores. Do what God is calling you to do–but not more.

Experience the freedom of doing what God has asked you to do. Live free.

Next Step: Follow the three steps above to break free of the chains of people pleasing. Write Galatians 5:1 on a sticky note and display it where you will see it often.

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With: people-pleasing, success

Sharla June 25, 2015

The Number One Thing to Learn in a Period of Waiting

Waiting is not my best thing. But the story of Elizabeth in the Bible helped me learn something important during a period of waiting.

Elizabeth had a long wait.

The Bible tells us that the mother of John the Baptist was “advanced in years” when she gave birth to him. (Read her story in Luke 1.)

Elizabeth waited a long time to be a mother. She probably questioned her purpose in life from time to time. But when she received the mission of bringing the forerunner of the Savior into the world, she was also given the task to mentor and encourage the mother of the Messiah.

The angel Gabriel told Mary that Elizabeth was six months pregnant. Don’t you love it? God knew that Mary would need someone to encourage her and help her on this new journey. So He provided Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Was the Perfect Person to Encourage Mary

And if you think about it–Elizabeth was the perfect person to encourage Mary.

Elizabeth lived away from Nazareth. Commentators speculate that Elizabeth lived in Hebron—which was about 80 miles from Nazareth—a four-day journey for Mary. It was a bit of a trek, but far enough away from the prying eyes of neighbors.
Elizabeth was pregnant. Elizabeth and Mary could commiserate over morning sickness and swollen ankles. Mary didn’t have “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” It was helpful to have someone share what was ahead in this exciting new experience.
Elizabeth was experiencing her own miracle. She wouldn’t laugh in disbelief at Mary’s preposterous story about an angel and a miracle birth because her husband had also had a visit with an angel. Elizabeth was pregnant even though humanly speaking it was impossible.
Elizabeth knew the sting of reproach even though she had done nothing wrong. She was upright in the sight of God, but the first thing she does when she finds out she is with child is thank God for taking away her disgrace among the people. She would be able to give Mary advice on how to deal with the gossip and criticism that were sure to come.

Think about it. If God had answered Zechariah and Elizabeth’s prayer for a baby sooner, she would not have fulfilled the role of Mary’s mentor so perfectly. Sure, she could have given birth to John the Baptist when she was twenty—but that would not have been as miraculous as having a baby at fifty or sixty. Perhaps she would have doubted Mary’s tale of an angel and a virgin pregnancy. She would not have had experience with the neighborhood gossip mill.

Our own experiences of waiting can connect us to other people going through similar situations. Just like Elizabeth and Mary, we can become connected in the waiting. We can use what we learned in our waiting times to encourage those who are traveling a similar path.

The Number One Thing to Do When Your Are Waiting

So what’s the number one thing to do when you are in a period of waiting?

Remember: wherever you are in life, everything you are going through right now matters.

All the waiting that Elizabeth went through prepared her for her most important role. All the years of waiting for an answered prayer drew her closer to God.

While we may never grow to like it—waiting serves a purpose. We can grow closer to Him when we expect God to accomplish something bigger than we can imagine. And we can connect to others by using the wait as a course in encouragement.

Next step: What are you waiting for right now? A husband? A baby? A job? Reconciliation with a loved one? Take the bold step of thanking God for what you can learn in a period of waiting. Then reach out to someone who has experienced a similar wait. Give them the opportunity to encourage you with what they learned in their waiting period.

For more information on waiting on God, check out a free resource.

Filed Under: Waiting on God

Sharla June 23, 2015

Great Expectations: What to Do When Life Disappoints

We expect great things out of life. But often life disappoints us.

A while back, my husband and I were scrolling through Netflix, trying to find something to watch. I spied a movie with a plotline described as, “An accomplished pianist’s life takes a terrible turn. An aimless college student becomes her caregiver and the two form a bond that enriches both their lives.”

The movie had me at “accomplished pianist.” As a pianist myself, I’m drawn to stories about musicians. This movie sounded perfect.

The only problem was the movie wasn’t really about a musician. The main character only played the piano once. Music never had a major role in the plot. I was disappointed.

The movie did not live up to my expectations.

Life is Full of Disappointment

Life is like that too, right? I mean, most of us have experienced disappointments, setbacks, even tragedies that we did not expect. All our hopes and dreams become like deflated balloons that sink from the ceiling and lay around on the floor.

And if we’re not careful, our joy and trust can burst and disappear.

I think the problem is when we put our hopes and expectations in the wrong things. We expect life to treat us well. If you live in America, the land based on the “pursuit of happiness,” you expect your life to improve, to get better every day.

However, Jesus told us if that is our view of life, it will not live up to our expectations. He said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). Living in this sin-sickened world, we really can’t assume we’ll have a perfect life. Instead we can expect pain, sickness, and stinking problems.

Someone Worthy of My Expectations

This sounds pretty grim until I realize that there is Someone worthy of my expectations. God has promised to never leave me, never forsake me. He is faithful. He is loving. He is good. While my life here won’t be perfect, I can expect God to always come through when I need Him. I can trust that He has a fantastic plan for my life.

John 3:14-15 (MSG) says:

In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

Look to Jesus–trusting and expectant–and your life will be real. Maybe it won’t be the life you had planned. Perhaps it won’t be the life you had carefully arranged. Maybe it won’t be the life you had shaped in your mind. But trusting in the God who loves you more than you know will give the life you were meant for.

Life won’t live up to our expectations. But God will never let us down.

Next step: What do you do when life disappoints? Is there a part of your life that is not living up to your expectations right now? Write it on a piece of paper and offer it to God in prayer. Ask Him to help you let it go. Pray that He will help you trust Him for the most awesome life possible.

Filed Under: Spiritual Growth Tagged With: expectations, trust

Sharla June 18, 2015

When You Need God’s Embrace

A little girl, not even two, was sitting with her mother in church. It was a new church for them, they had only attended there a couple of times.

The little girl sat patiently through the hymns. She quietly listened to the Bible readings.

But when the congregation stood for the reading of the Gospel and the mother lifted in her arms while they listened, the girl suddenly spotted the carving of Jesus at the front of the church. The resurrected Christ was on the cross holding out His arms to all in blessing.

The little girl couldn’t be quiet any longer. “Hug!” she shouted. “Jesus–hug!”

That little girl was my daughter Anna. And this story happened when we first moved to Illinois.

We all love to tell cute stories about our kids and grandkids, but I think this one has a lesson for us.

Just like that carving of Jesus at the front of our church, Jesus is always holding out His arms to us, ready to embrace us.

He wants to hold us close when we’re afraid to take a scary step of faith. He wants to embrace us when we’re wounded by hurtful words. He wants to enfold us in His arms when circumstances have crumbled our hope.

Psalm 73:3

Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.

Next Step: Today, take time to simply sit in God’s presence. Picture Him holding your hand. Imagine His caring arms holding you.

Filed Under: God's Relentless Love Tagged With: God's love, God's presence

You Are God’s Chosen Instrument: 3 Ways to Make Music in His Hands