Lord, Help Me Break This Habit

By Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock, Chosen, softcover, 192 pages, $13.99.

It’s a relief when someone speaks plainly about a touchy subject. Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock do just that. Worry, fear, criticism, anger, pride–they’re so common we hardly recognize how these “household sins” are crippling us. They’re tough, too. Bad habits don’t just drop away the minute you become a Christian; and repenting doesn’t always break the pattern. As Sherrer writes, “First, we make our habits. Then our habits make or break us.” These authors take it all on: manipulation, sexual temptations, prejudices, even religious activities are exposed as coping mechanisms that remove people from their true feelings of sadness, rejection, inadequacy or pain. Sherrer and Garlock advocate the safeguard of discernment. They challenge you to be blatantly honest, even when it seems as if it’s a habit that’s deeply ingrained. You can have a richer life, they explain, by tapping into God’s power and bringing your daily activities into a better balance. They share memorable stories of how people broke bad habits, such as the disgruntled relocated family who had to put a dollar in their “Complaining Cup,” or the congregation that switched a wristband to the other wrist each time they gossiped or made a sarcastic comment. This book will leave you feeling encouraged to use strategy and persistence to get free from bad habits. Click here to purchase Lord, Help Me Break This Habit.