Brenda and I met in the lounge of a transitional home for women where she and thirty other women were working to rebuild their shattered lives. Amidst mismatched sofas and coffee tables that had seen better days, I helped this sixty-two-year-old woman prepare for her GED exam.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I volunteered to tutor Brenda. Would we hit it off? Become friends? Or would the relationship remain that of tutor and student?
Truth be told, Brenda and I had very little in common. She is African-American. I am the palest of white you can imagine. She was raised in the South. I grew up in the tundra-country of Wisconsin. Brenda had many years of hard living on the streets. I live in relative comfort.
But none of that mattered when we got together.
For one thing, after a couple of sessions on those mismatched sofas, I realized I was probably learning more from Brenda than she was learning from me. Sure, I was helping her with exercises in reading comprehension and assignments on the U.S. constitution, but she taught me much more important lessons.
Brenda taught me about prayer. At the end of each tutoring session, we closed with prayer. Brenda’s passionate outpouring of gratitude made my safe little prayers pale in comparison. Her love for her Savior was evident in every word.
Brenda taught me about passion. Although she was older than me, Brenda still possessed the wonder and awe of a baby Christian. Her excitement for the God who had freed her from a forty-year drug addiction simply couldn’t be contained. Although our surroundings in the women’s shelter were not glittering and glitzy, Brenda’s face shone with the joy.
Brenda taught me about evangelism. As our relationship grew, Brenda and I occasionally went out to lunch or ran errands together. At the end of every encounter with a server or salesperson, she added, “Jesus bless you.” She definitely was not shy about sharing what Jesus had done for her. I was hoping some of her boldness would rub off on me.
Brenda taught by example and made me question my own life. Were my prayers a testimony of thanksgiving? Did my face, my life, show the joy of knowing Christ? Or had my faith grown complacent? Did I take the miracle of salvation for granted?
I got so much more than I expected when I said yes to tutoring Brenda. I received renewed appreciation for the Good News of Jesus that sets us all free. I got lessons in bold and passionate prayer. I received the gift of a new friend.
Brenda and I started out as tutor and tutee, but it wasn’t long before laughter and faith made us more than academic partners. We have become friends.
Leave a Comment
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Sharla,
Love your story!! God has been stretching my faith immensely through my relationships with our Director and teachers at our school in the Middle East. They are younger than I am, live with targets on their back each day, live among poverty, oppression, and persecution yet their lives radiate a joy in the Lord that can’t be contained. It amazes me that God’s children who have so little in life and live in such terrible conditions can have more gratitude, trust, courage, and perseverance than I will ever have. Their depth of faith is truly humbling to me. Saying “Yes” to these relationships takes us outside our tidy comfort zones, but oh what blessings can be reaped!! Joining with you in saying, “Yes”!!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Sharla Fritz says
Bev, thanks for your kind comments! It is amazing how God can stretch our faith and enrich our relationship with Him through unlikely friendships. I’m so glad that God places people in my life who may be different from me in certain ways, but we are still brothers and sisters in Christ!
Brenda Shannon says
Thank you Sharla God place us together for a reason HE know how I relationship was going to be I truly love you because I learn a lot from you out friendship mean a lot to me but you are are not just my friend you are my sister and my sister-n-christ God I truly thank you for Sharla. The words you wrote about our relationship is so true I truly ready to read your book LOVE YOU
Sharla Fritz says
Thanks Brenda! Our relationship means a lot to me too! Thank God for sisters-in-Christ like you!
Launik says
May God continue to richly bless you Brenda. It’s clear from Sharla’s description of your relationship that God is using you in a mighty way to point people to Him. Praying for your successful completion of the GED!
Michele Morin says
Sharla, I am so challenged by your story and by your humble ability to learn while teaching. Thank you for sharing the details of this uniquely wonderful friendship!
Sharla Fritz says
Michele, thanks for your sweet comment! God is so good and He continues to demonstrate that in surprising ways!
Sue Tell says
Wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.
When does Brenda take her GED? I’ll pray.
Sharla Fritz says
Thanks Sue for your comment! Brenda does not have her GED test scheduled yet. But I’m sure she would welcome your prayers!
Lisa Anne Tindal says
So good! I operate s shelter called Nurture Home and I tell the women “your story is my story”.
Thank you for becoming friends and changing a life through not being afraid.
I can tell you, volunteers like you are the “frosting on the cake” of all our efforts to help women end their homelessness. God bless you for caring sacrificially.
Sharla Fritz says
Lisa, you are doing such important work! I am so grateful for people like you who work tirelessly with people who have many hard years and may not know the power of God’s love in their lives. Thanks for living out that love!
Carolina Hinojosa-Cisneros says
Sharla,
This is such a beautiful story. I love this one! Thank you for sharing your heart and what you learned. I want to be a Brenda and a Sharla too. xxx
Sharla Fritz says
Thanks Carolina! God works in surprising ways!
Eva says
God is with you, Sharla. Only persons with open heart and mind to the movements of the Spirit can see God’s hands in what other’s can teach them while they extend help. Thanks for sharing your story. A beautiful reminder to us all.
Sharla Fritz says
Thanks for your beautiful words, Eva! Your comment is a reminder to me to keep an open heart and ask God to see Him in my ordinary moments! Blessings.
Stephanie says
Love this! Thank you for sharing Sharla! God bless you and Brenda always ❤️
Sharla Fritz says
Stephanie, thank you for your words of encouragement and blessing!
Rebecca L Jones says
I have been helping unlikely people as well. I can’t say I have found a Brenda. I have met a lot of resistant and hesitant people, so I am truly happy to hear she has been delivered.
Sharla Fritz says
Hi Rebecca. So sorry that the people you have met have been resistant. I pray that their hearts will be open to Jesus’ love through your kindness!
Danielle Bernock says
Sharla, thank you for sharing. God is so awesome like that – pouring into us when we think we are pouring out. By this, we never run empty but are a conduit of his grace. He is amazing.
Sharla Fritz says
Danielle, I so agree! God’s grace is so amazing. And often comes from unexpected sources! May God bless you!
Beth Williams says
Sharla,
What a story! It shows Luke 7:47 “those who have been forgiven much, love much. Those who have been forgiven little love little” in action. I see this quite often, even at church. Those who have gone through a lot & are still forgiven love much! It amazes me that God is so loving He would keep on forgiving my faults. May I keep on helping others & shining a light on the love of Christ!
Blessings 🙂
Sharla Fritz says
Beth, I so agree. And I convicted by that passage because I think, “Am I stingy with my love because I don’t THINK I’ve been forgiven much?” My sinful pride doesn’t want to admit that I need as much or more forgiveness than everyone else. I don’t want to dwell on my sin, but I certainly don’t want to sweep it under the rug either. I want to admit it and receive God’s mercy.