Drs Henry Cloud and John Townsend hit the nail on the head with this one. I have so many titles I’m reading and balls I’m juggling that after I finish a book I immediately archive it in the kindle app, relegating it to the cloud. Maybe I’ll revisit those, but let’s be honest – the chances are slim.
This is the one book I have left on my device – because I’m that certain I’ll be reading it again, maybe yearly.
In Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life, Cloud and Townsend cover all kinds of topics: eating, relationships, setting boundaries for others and for yourself. They’re all over the spectrum, but not in a way that seems incohesive. Instead, they work through the topics with sound advice from the Bible in a way that is encouraging but truthful. They warn against “compulsive scripture reading” while being withdrawn from community and “making an idol out of will” versus getting grace while on life’s journey.
One difficulty for many of us is that it often seems counterintuitive to work on relationships. “Boundaries” gives excellent, practical advice for those of us who fear letting our guard down. It also manages to walk a delicate balance between boundaries that are overly rigid and those that are useless. It addresses what to do when establishing boundaries is met with pushback, and how to measure the success of the boundaries you put into place.
I think this is a great read for anyone, but especially if you struggle with setting limits or feeling guilty when you do.
I’m anxious now to check out Boundaries with Kids and other related titles. Have you read any of them?
Marsha Westbrook
I want to read a lot more this year.