soul care Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Sharla Fritz
April 5, 2016

7 Habits That Promote Soul Rest

soulrest

I started a new habit this week: brushing my teeth while standing on one leg.

It looks silly, but the idea is to improve my balance. I heard about this practice from the book Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives, by Gretchen Rubin. Rubin is one of my favorite secular authors and I found this book fascinating. Her premise is that habits make our lives better, because once they are in place we don’t have to think about them. For instance, my overall health is better because I exercise every weekday. I don’t struggle with the decision if I should exercise or not. I just do it. (Huh. That would make a good slogan.)

While I was reading the book, I got to wondering if habits could improve my spiritual life as well. Are there things that I could do every day that would improve my relationship with God? 

7 HABITS THAT PROMOTE SOUL RESTThis idea is not new. God, in fact, instituted a few habits for His people in the Old Testament.

Every year, they were to practice the ritual of Passover–remembering God’s mighty act of bringing them out of Egypt.

Every week the Israelites were to celebrate the Sabbath–ceasing their work and instead spending time worshipping God.

Every day they were to call upon God–“Every day I call upon you, O Lord, I spread out my hands to you” (Psalm 88:9).

These habits were all designed to draw the Israelites out of their normal routine and into God’s presence.

God told Moses:

My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14)

Ah rest, that is what I need. Soul rest. The kind of rest that would calm my heart. The kind of respite that would obliterate the restlessness in my spirit.The kind of stillness that would cancel out the craziness of this world like noise-cancelling headphones wipe out the pandemonium around me.

So what habits and routines promote soul rest? It seems from Exodus 33:14 that the answer is: any routine that draws us into the presence of the Lord.

Over the next few weeks, I will explore a few spiritual habits that will help find that rest. Some will be routines you probably already have in place, like a daily quiet time. But some may be new to you, like prayer journaling. Each habit will have one purpose in mind–to connect with Jesus.

And I promise I won’t urge you to brush your teeth while standing on one leg.

Check out all seven habits! Click the links below.

#1 Daily Meeting With God

#2 Gratitude

#3 Perpetual Prayer

#4 One Thing

#5 Sabbath

#6 Prayer Journaling

#7 Personal Spiritual Retreat

Next step: Choose one of the 7 Habits that sounds intriguing. Practice it for 21 days to make it a habit. Accept God’s invitation to rest. 

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: ,
October 6, 2015

Three Ways to Make Space in Your Life for God

Not long ago I was working in my garden–ruing the fact that in the past I had not left space between my bed of pink yarrow and the green lawn. I got a little lazy and didn’t bother to keep up the edge of the flower bed. Because of that, the lovely pink flowers were intertwined with grass. Plus, the awful weeds from my lawn had crept into the flower foliage choking it to death.

I learned my lesson: I need to keep space between the lawn and the flower bed.

Lately, God has been teaching me that I also need to keep space in my life.

I have been filling it too full with piano teaching, writing projects, speaking engagements. I have overcrowded my calendar. Work has crept into the space for relationships. Commitments have crept into the place for rest. And all of these things are beginning to choke out my joy.

If we're not careful, work and commitments creep into the space for relationships and rest. Share on X

Have you experienced this as well? Our culture has so many wonderful opportunities it is very easy to become over-committed. We say yes to too many things and end up without any space for joy.

I guess this is not a new problem. God told the people of Israel through the prophet Isaiah:

“Here is a place of rest;
let the weary rest here.
This is a place of quiet rest.”
But they would not listen.
Isaiah 28:12

God is telling us that we need rest. We need margin. We need boundaries. If we aren’t diligent to keep space in our lives for God, for relationships, for quiet, all the other jangled pieces of our lives will crowd out our joy.

Here are a few simple ways you can add a little space in your life:

Remember to keep the Sabbath. God created a day for rest because He knew we needed it. In the past year this is one practice that I have tried to be consistent with. On Sunday after church, I relax, read a good book, talk with family members on the phone. It’s my day to recharge.
Find small moments of quiet in your day. Set a timer to go off at different times during the day. When the timer beeps, take a moment to stop what you are doing and reconnect with God. Close your eyes and remember His awesome love for you.
For everything you say yes to, say no to another. This is the one I have to work on. I have said yes to too many things and God has shown me that I have to make some difficult choices to prune back my activities. But I need the space.
God is reminding all of us to make the time to rest–to make space in our lives for Him.

Discover three simple ways to make space in your life--for God. Share on X

Next step: Choose one of the three simple ways to create space in your life. Make a plan to implement it this week.

For more ideas about making space in your life for God, check out my free Soul Spa Kit: 59 Ideas for Creating Your Own Spiritual Retreat. Just fill out the form below to sign up for my newsletter to receive this free gift.


Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: ,
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: , ,
July 21, 2015

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

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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.

Soul Spa Kit003

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: ,
June 16, 2015

Soul Spa

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Do you need a place to rest your heart?

We all live busy, stressful lives. Our souls feel like they are being pulled in a hundred different directions. We are desperately soul-tired, but not sure how to find the rest our spirits need.

When our muscles ache or our skin needs a moisturizing treatment, we know where to go. A spa can provide a relaxing massage or a soothing facial. But where do we go when the most important part of us needs care?

Believe me, I can relate. As a Bible study teacher, Christian speaker, author, blogger, church musician, and piano teacher I feel pulled apart every week. My spirit grows tired and worn. I know I need to take time to rest. I know my soul needs the care only the Savior can provide, yet I continue sprinting through my days, not paying any attention to my soul’s cry for help.

Finally, after years of ignoring my spirit’s need for rest and restoration, I decided to change. I began to learn how to bring my exhausted, fatigued, and shattered soul to the God who alone can restore it. I studied holy habits that Christians have used for centuries to draw close to the Savior. As I explored these practices, I found that they opened my heart to God’s working in my life. They gave Him the time and space for Him to restore my soul. All of these experiences led me to write Soul Spa–a book that is like a spa for the spirit.

I invite you to come to the Soul Spa where God is eager to meet you and care for your heart. Using spa analogies, this resource will guide you to engage in spiritual practices such as Scripture meditation, Sacred reading, discernment, fasting, and prayer. In the book you will learn how to develop your own personal plan for soul care.

Features of Soul Spa: 40 Days of Spiritual Renewal:

  • daily devotional readings
  • in-depth Bible study questions
  • exploration of Spiritual disciplines
  • reflection/discussion questions
  • perfect for personal or group study
  • memory verses
  • creative ways to spend time with God
  • instructions to form your personal soul care plan
  • fun spa activities to enhance the group experience.

Come to the Soul Spa where the Holy Spirit will nurture your soul with grace, mercy, and peace.

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  Check out my new at CPH or on Amazon!

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: ,
June 10, 2014

Do You Want to Be Alone? Using Silence to Hear God’s Voice

Solitude and silence are elusive commodities. But sometimes we need silence to hear God’s voice.

When I was a young mom, the thing I craved more than anything was to be alone. An introvert at heart, I draw energy from time by myself with a good book.

But in the days of babies and toddlers time alone was a rarity. Kids were always hanging onto me, sitting on my lap, even insisting on following me into the bathroom.

Lately I’ve been reading about solitude and silence. Richard Foster, the author of The Celebration of Discipline, writes:

Solitude is more a state of mind than it is a place…There is a freedom to be alone, not in order to be away from people but in order to hear the divine Whisperer better.

This world has so much noise. Music blaring. Car horns honking. Phones ringing. It is hard to find a place where it is quiet enough to  hear the Divine Whisperer.

The world demands our attention. Work responsibilities summon us. Family members need our time. Even church activities call for a place in our schedule. It is hard to concentrate on the Divine Whisperer.

So sometimes we need to get alone to hear God speaking. We need silence to hear God’s voice. Remember the story of Elijah on the mountain? The Lord told Elijah:

“’Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” (1 Kings 19:11-12).

God told Elijah to go and be alone in the presence of the Lord–alone so He could hear the gentle whisper.

God is, of course, always with us. We are always in His presence. But sometimes we need to find a quiet place in order to sense His nearness.

I encourage you to find sometime today to be alone in God’s presence.

Sit in a quiet place, still your thoughts, and tell God, “I’m here.”

Speak to Him about all that it is in your heart.

Listen for His gentle whispers of love.

Next step: Make an appointment with God. Find a way to get alone–ask your husband to watch the kids, get a babysitter, go outside in your backyard and sit in the shade for an hour. Open your Bible and hear God whisper to your heart.

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: , , ,
January 28, 2014

New Beginnings: For When You’re Not Sure You Want New

When my husband and I moved to Illinois, we lived in a fifty-year-old home that was full of problems. The basement leaked. The windows were painted shut and the well-water turned my laundry orange. I couldn’t wait to get out of that old house. I wanted something new.

After several years of waiting, God gave us the opportunity to build a brand new home. We bought a piece of land and hired a builder. To keep costs down, we did a lot of the work ourselves.

At the time our children were ages five and two. During the five months of construction they spent a lot of time at the babysitter’s house, but we tried to get them involved with the building process by giving them tours of the house at various stages of construction, getting them involved in small clean-up projects, and letting them pick out the paint for their new rooms.

As the house neared completion, we were all excited about moving in—or at least most of us were. One day I took the kids to the house for one last clean-up before the carpet installers arrived. We were sweeping the plain brown sub-floor of my son’s room when he piped up in his two-year-old voice, “Let’s not pretend that this is my room anymore.”

My son didn’t want to move. The new room was an empty space with a rough wooden floor. To him it didn’t look as appealing as his old room with soft carpeting and a comfortable bed. He didn’t want the new because he couldn’t envision the finished project.

Sometimes I act the same way with God. He’s continually transforming me into a new person. But sometimes I resist because I can’t see what that will look like.

God asks me,

Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:19a

Honestly, I can’t always see God’s new thing. When troubles seem to block my view of my Savior, I can’t see God working.

That’s when I need to remember what comes next in Isaiah 43:19:

I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.

When God is starting something new in my life it’s to show me a way out of the desert I’m in and provide springs of water in the wilderness. His new thing is always good–even though I might not see it right away.

Once my son saw the finished room in the new house he was as excited about moving as the rest of us. The original problem was, at first, the new didn’t look as good as the old.

When we’re facing something new we need to remember that God is always working to make our lives better–even if that new thing still looks like an empty room with a plywood floor.

Next step: Are you resisting the new beginnings God has for you? At times we all struggle against the new because we’re comfortable with the old. But let’s remember that God always desires the best for us.

Filed Under: Bible Study Tagged With: , , ,
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