In the Bible, there is no lack of sinfulness, shortcomings, rejections, and broken people. Yet, God choses to work through such failures. God gives people faith and transforms their lives for good. In Sharla Fritz’s new book, Measured By Grace: Discover How God Defines Success, study eight biblical figures (Joseph, Rahab, David, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, the Samaritan Woman, Peter, and Paul) to see that God does the same for everyone. God does not judge based on earthly standards. His goodness goes beyond sinfulness.
“Why would God include these stories of mess-ups and mistakes?” writes Fritz. “Because they show us the power of His transformative grace. No blunder is too big for His benevolence. No gaffe too huge for His goodness. No slipup too large for His saving power. God can take all of our missteps and make them into miracles.”
This eight-week Bible study includes discussion questions with each lesson, a biblical timeline and maps, brief historical biographies, and creative project ideas.
For more information on Measured by Grace or to order the book, please visit http://books.cph.org/measured-by-grace. Contact Hannah Eatherton, Public Relations, at hannah.eatherton@cph.org for more information.
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About the Author
Sharla Fritz is a Lutheran author, musician, and speaker. She loves to speak with women’s groups and to share about her own struggles, victories, and failures, speaking about how God is miraculously present through all of them. She is the author of several books, including Enough for Now: Unpacking God’s Sufficiency, Bless These Lips, Waiting: A Bible Study on Patience, Hope, and Trust, and God’s Relentless Love: A Study of Hosea.
Praise for Grace under Pressure
Sharla Fritz has done it again! Her new Bible study, Measured by Grace, will challenge you to look at the way you view success and see if your vision is that of the world or of God.
Sharla has done all of the research for you! She is meticulous about details and gives you the background story, timelines, maps and Scripture verses you need. You will learn about eight people and places from the Bible that will let you know that though we all have weaknesses like they did, God loves us and can use us for His mission to save souls for His glory. You will enjoy your journey through this wonderful Bible study!
—Susan Bell, president of LWML Eastern District, 2018–2022
Sharla Fritz offers a gracious gift in her new study, Measured by Grace, to all those who feel moored down by their mistakes and mess-ups. We are reminded over and over again through this study of God’s Word that our failures do not have the final say over our lives. God steps into our brokenness and redeems our stories. What a comfort to know that our lives are transformed by God’s grace.
—Michelle Diercks, author of Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God’s Presence
Sharla’s writing in Measured by Grace is a prism. Through her thorough and varied perspectives, she highlights God’s love and grace in Scripture and through the stories of His people. I love the deep dive she does into our concept of success and her beautiful encouragement that we are measured by grace.
—Christina Hergenrader, author of Inspired by the Holy Spirit: Four Habits for Faithful Living
In Measured by Grace: How God Defines Success, Sharla Fritz thoughtfully examines the biblical stories of eight far-from-perfect men and women. Like us, their lives overflowed with blunders, failures, struggles, and sin. But, remarkably, God stuck with them, nurtured them, forgave them, and even helped them to do His good work. What an encouraging reminder for us! This book, full of humor and history and wisdom, stands alone as a good read about success in God’s eyes. But Sharla’s addition of clear and succinct study questions also makes this a fabulous book to read and discuss in a group setting.
—Afton Rorvik, author of Living Connected: An Introvert’s Guide to Friendship
Sharla has carefully done an amazing amount of research that will make the biblical characters we already know and love come alive even more as we dig deeper into their stories. Sharla walks the reader through understanding the not-so-pretty sides of these people while also pointing us to God’s grace, love, and forgiveness. God can use our faults in spite of ourselves and draw people closer to Him through the process. Though we fail God, He never fails us. In fact, He uses us in the midst of our failures. To Him be the glory!
—Molly Dixon, online Bible study leader
