Once a month I get together with my friend and sister writer Sharla Fritz. We talk about life and faith and writing. When we have chapters of a book-to-be, we read and comment.
A few months ago we also served together as the “snack queens” at the Redbud Writer’s Retreat. (Yes, that task did involve some quality control.)
Lately, our times together have focused on a book about public speaking. We read two chapters a month and discuss them. Sharla does a lot of public speaking, and I want to learn from her.
A funny thing happens when you meet regularly with someone for a couple of years—you become friends. 🙂 And so this month I want to introduce you to my friend Sharla Fritz and tell you about her latest book, a book I read chapter by chapter as she wrote it.
I gave away one copy of Enough for Now: Unpacking God’s Sufficiency last month to Jayne, but I have another copy to give away this month so just comment on the blog or send me an email at stormsistersconnection@gmailcom.
Q: What inspired you to write Enough for Now?
I personally struggled with this topic for a long time. In fact, twenty-five years ago I wrote a Bible study on contentment. The Bible study never got published, but it was the beginning of my wrestling with finding enough.
As a Christian, I know I should be satisfied. I want to be like David and say, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1 emphasis added). Or like Paul who declared, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12 NIV).
So I wrote the study for myself, to dive deep into the topic again
Q: What did you learn about finding enough while writing the study?
When I read Jesus words, I hear Him whispering: “Look, you don’t have to be like the rest of the world, chasing after things in the hope that possessions or positions will fill the emptiness inside. Live in trust that I know what you need.”
Q: You base the book on the parable of the rich fool. Why did you choose that story?
The rich fool had an abundant harvest—so much grain that it wouldn’t fit in his current barns. So he decided to tear down those barns and build bigger ones. Two thousand years later this story still rings true.
The rich man had money, but he wanted more. He had possessions, but he wanted more. He could have given away some of his abundance, but he decided to keep it for himself. The rich man stores up food—another area where many of us struggle with having enough (or having too much!). Jesus tells the story in response to a man wanting Jesus to settle a dispute he is having with his brother. We may wrestle with finding enough in our relationships—wanting to find Mr. or Mrs. Right, wanting children, wanting friends. In the story of the rich fool, God tells the man he is out of time—he will die that night. Most of us struggle with not having enough time! I think one reason the rich man in the story built the bigger barns was to look more impressive. I—and many other women—often feel that they are not enough. The world tells us that we are not pretty enough, important enough, good enough, smart enough.
In one little story Jesus addressed all our issues in finding enough!
Q: What are some of the special features of the book?
The book has two main sections: Eight chapters of readings followed by a study guide. The book can be read straight through without doing the study questions. The study guide takes the reader deeper into the topic and is organized so that women can choose the amount of time they want to invest in the study.
If a reader only has fifteen minutes? Do the” Reflect on the Reading” questions. A little more time? Try “Dig Into Scripture,” “Apply the Story to Your Life,” or maybe even complete a project in the “Cultivating Enough” section.
The book includes biblical historical information and prayer prompts. I also added “Exercising Enough” sections with practical ways readers can practice enough in their everyday lives.
Q: Can this book be used for group study?
This book can be used for individual study or with a group. I encourage women to go through this study with others because as we share our struggles with contentment, we can encourage one another and point to the God of sufficiency.
Q: Where can we find the book?
The book can be found at CPH.org and Amazon. You can also download a free 7-Day Decluttering Guide that will help you declutter your heart and home by clicking here. I will be leading a free online study of the book from June 25 – August 13. Visit this Facebook page to join the study!
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So now you’ve met my friend, also a pastor’s wife, mother, grandmother, musician, and confirmed chocoholic. Her words have encouraged and challenged me. Perhaps they can do the same for you.
I’ll be doing the Facebook study as often as I can while we’re in town this summer.
Linda W.
June 17, 2019 at 8:13 pmI enjoyed the interview with Sharla. What a great topic for a book. Isn’t it interesting how the things with which we struggle can be used to help others (like this book on contentment).
In our social media-conscious culture, contentment is a struggle, especially when we compare ourselves to others (after reading their posts).