In the past few decades, people have begun truly understanding the negative life-long impact words can have on people. A casual comment by someone can change the entire trajectory of a person’s life. The world is full of people whose entire lives were changed by one sentence uttered by someone. Sometimes the changes are positive, but often they are negative.
As a parent, and particularly a Christian parent, your words are crucial. Sadly, the words you used may be greatly influenced by the brokenness caused by the words someone said to you. You may not even realize the impact those words are having on the words you in turn say to your children – potentially causing a cycle of brokenness.
So, I was interested when offered the chance to review the new book, Breaking the Power of Negative Words by Mary Busha. Busha attempts to help readers understand the impact negative words have had on their lives. She gives advice on how to free yourself from their negative impact and even forgive those who said them.
The book is actually broken into three sections – the words others say to us, those we say to ourselves, and those we say to others. Ultimately though, all roads seem to lead back to those words parents, teachers, siblings or peers said to us when we were younger. Throughout, she tries to help readers understand why it is so important to reject those negative messages and replace them with God’s truths about ourselves.
Each chapter carefully explains an aspect of the issue and the author quotes experts and scriptures, and gives suggestions for changing the harmful dynamic. While her advice is mainly solid, it won’t be anything particularly new to anyone familiar with the topic. There was one piece of advice that didn’t sound particularly helpful regarding keeping a written record of some things, but I’m sure she probably vetted it along the way.
Probably the most helpful part to many readers is that each chapter ends with several thought questions.The questions aren’t designed for the reader to re-state what they have just read. Rather they are structured in a way that should move one towards making important changes that may be needed.
This is a solid book for anyone who struggles because of words that have been said to them or for those concerned about the words they are using with their own kids. Answering the thought questions as well as reading the material, should help readers at least begin the process of correcting things set off track by unnecessary, hurtful words.
This book was given to me for free in exchange for my honest review. An affiliate link is included for your convenience.