Bless These Lips
Author Sharla Fritz has a weakness: makeover shows. She turned her fascination of What Not to Wear her first book, Divine Design: 40 Days of Spiritual Makeover, and now her Bless These Lips: 40 Days of Spiritual Renewal show women how to makeover their mouths. It’s fun, creative, and biblical.
About the Book
Oops. A mouth mishap. The words just slipped out, and there is no taking them back.
Words are powerful. They can build up or tear down. They can affirm and teach or criticize and condemn.
By God’s grace, a mouth makeover can improve our relationships and affect our attitude toward life. Our words can enrich our connection to God as we spend more time in prayer and praise. Most important, God desires that we use the gift of speech to give Him praise, encourage others, and verbalize our faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.
Bless These Lips: 40 Days of Spiritual Renewal examines things we say that get in the way of our relationships with God and with others. Each chapter draws on lip product analogies and uses humor, anecdotes, and observations to introduce Scripture passages that address common behaviors and attitudes.
Author Interview
Why did God prompt you to write this book?
I began writing Bless These Lips because I was the one who needed a Mouth Makeover! I always seemed to be putting my foot in my mouth and I was tired of the steady diet of sock lint and shoe leather. I wanted my words to be the kind that built other people up, but instead I often used ones that tore them down.
So I studied what the Bible had to say about our words and read other books about interpersonal communication. I learned so much and decided to share how each of us can make a difference in our worlds through what we say.
In your own words, what is a “mouth makeover?”
A mouth makeover could be a visit to the cosmetics counter where you walk away with multiple layers of lip liner, lipstick, and lip gloss. You’ll look fabulous for awhile, but that mouth makeover only lasts until your next cup of coffee.
A true mouth makeover is a transformation of your speech. This Mouth Makeover begins with God’s grace and forgiveness as He scrubs off the guilt of our harmful words. The makeover continues with the use of the Lip Balm of Encouragement, the Lip Liner of Truth, and the Lip Gloss of Thankfulness. This type of mouth makeover can last eternally as God enables us to use our words to share His grace.
I think everyone can relate to struggling with what come out of their mouths. How could doing this study help?
How true! As women we love to talk—and so our mouths often get us into trouble! Ann Landers has a great quote, “The trouble with talking too fast is that you may something you haven’t thought of yet.”
Recognizing our love of words, this study approaches the topic with a sense of humor and combines it with fun lip product analogies. First you’ll assess whether you’ve been wearing the shades of Motormouth Mocha or Foot-in-Mouth Fuchsia too often. As you go through the study you’ll learn to wear the Shade of Grace and the Lip Sealer of Discretion more consistently.
Who will take the most away from this book?
I think anyone who wants to have more control over her words and anyone who wants to make a difference in her world would benefit from this book.
Often we think we need to do something monumental to change our world. But while I was pursuing my own Mouth Makeover, God showed me that I can make a difference by simply noticing hurting people in my life and offering words of kindness and encouragement. We can all change the lives we touch every day by simply providing a caring word or a listening ear.
What one thing should potential readers know about this book?
The most important message I would like readers to take away from this book is: God has given each of us a unique mission to speak His words of love and grace to a lost and discouraged world.
We may sometimes question the purpose of our lives, but God has placed each one of us in a strategic place in time and space to be able to use our words to bring others closer to Him. When I keep that in mind, it changes my heart and what comes out of my mouth.
Tell everyone a little more about yourself.
I’m a Christian speaker and author who loves to communicate the truth of God’s transforming grace. My first book Divine Design leads women to a spiritual makeover.
I live in the Chicago suburbs with my amazing, amusing husband. Together we shared the adventure of homeschooling for 15 years with our two children. They are all grown up now and live an average of 3500 miles away. Our son lives nearby, but our daughter and her husband live in China (and they had the audacity to take our grandchildren with them!)
In my other life I am a church musician and piano teacher. I love traveling (especially to China!), going out to lunch with friends, and reading. If I’m not sitting at the piano or my computer you might find me at the thrift store stalking fabulous fashion finds.
Anything else you’d like to share about this book?
This book shares stories of my own struggles with my mouth, but it is also an in-depth Bible study. When I began my quest for a Mouth Makeover I was amazed at how much God had to say on the subject. In the book of Proverbs alone there are 108 verses on our lips, mouths, and tongues! God thinks our words are important.
Connect with Sharla
You can connect with Sharla at:
Website: www.sharlafritz.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sharlafritzauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SharlaFritz
Sounds like a great book, can’t wait to read it. Just to think that our words have the power of life and death is a great reason to stop and think before we speak, and far too often, I haven’t..
Wanda, we all struggle with speaking before thinking! That’s why just concentrating on the topic and learning what God has say about our mouths can make us more aware of what we say and the power available in our words.
Hi Lucy! Thanks so much for sharing about my book! I hope that it will bring joy like your blog does. Blessings!
Thanks, Sharla. My pleasure.
This sounds like a fantastic book, and one I need to read more than once. I struggle with all kinds of talk – to myself and to others. My words are too often critical. I know I need to be more positive and build up rather than tear down.
Sharla’s book helps you learn how to talk edifying words to others and yourself. You’ll love it.
Bless These Lips IS a great book. If women in your church are looking for a study for the winter/spring this is perfect.
Sounds like a terrific book and interesting study. I often cringe as the words even come out of my mouth and I frequently berate myself with self-talk. Yes — talking is an area I need to focus on. My words should be pleasing to everyone!
Rebecca, I know what you mean. . .and sometimes it’s not so much WHAT I say but HOW I say it. Sharla’s book addresses the HOW too. You’re going to love it.
It is so important to watch our words! Sounds like a great book!
Amy, right on! What we say is life-giving or life-maiming. Even the words we think and do not say harms us and the people around us. The bible says that out the heart flows what we say and think and do. Sharla’s book Bless These Lips provides practical ways to speak the truth in love, plus she makes it fun. Woot.
Goodness, Sharla, the perfect book title for me! Besides my hair, my mouth is my greatest weakness. Whether I win a copy or buy a copy, I will be reading it. And, BTW, sooo happy for this success! Very proud of you.
Thanks for your kind words for Sharla!
LOVE this giveaway! I think building others up is SO important. I try to be mindful of it always when talking with other. Thanks so much for the opportunity to win!
Be sure to join us for the #BlessTheseLipsParty on Twitter on Friday evening. More giveaways! 🙂
I have always been so encouraged by the words God speaks through Sharla. Learning to hold my tongue and speak uplifting words is sometimes hard when we’re surrounded by so many negative people. I try to remind myself words are for encouraging and building people up. sometimes just a smile helps too!
I love your “smile”! A smile goes a long way in showing love to our neighbor. 🙂
This looks like an amazing book. It would be great for the single parents (like me) at my church. I’ve learned that not only do we like to stick our feet in our mouth sometimes, but we also use our mouths to hurt those closest to us when we are in pain. Hurting people hurt others is something a very dear friend taught me. I’m trying to learn (as you did) how to use my words to build up others and encourage them, not tear them down. Thanks for publishing such a great book!
Yes, Bobbie, we sometimes use our words against the ones we loves. A perfect time to ask forgiveness. But this too can be difficult.
This does sound like a great book for anyone who speaks, even those who already try to speak kindly. I was just telling a friend how, because I want the “whole burrito” when I ask someone to tell me more, I automatically spill everything to others who want to know more and don’t realize I’ve said too much until I see their eyes glaze over. I’m hoping this book can help me recognize God’s nudge when I’ve said enough. It also sounds like a great book for our women’s Sunday School class.
Crystal, Bless These Lips is a great book for a women’s group. Lots of Scripture and fun ideas too.
Sounds like a great book for my upcoming winter reading! I think it is great to be mindful of how much we can create (or destroy) just with the choices we make with what we say and how we say it.
Serena,
Thanks for your comment. You are right about how we choose and say our words. Blessings to you, Lucy
This sounds like an excellent book and one that is truly needed. My problem is not so much in what I say, since I am not a talker and, therefore, say little. My problem is gaining confidence to speak out more with what will be helpful to others.
This sounds a great Christmas gift!
This sounds like a great Christmas gift. Thanks for the giveaway.