Crash the Chatterbox by Steven Furtick

My pastor always says, "You are what you read." This always gives me a moment of pause, since if you read my book blog, I read a lot of books that aren't exactly rated "G." So, one of my New Year's resolutions was to read a least one book a month that would be good for my soul. A book that would make me think, push me to explore my life, and inspire me to make some positive changes.

A while back, I had the privilege of seeing Steven Furtick preach. He came to help my church, LifePoint, launch our first permanent site in Fredericksburg, VA. I liked his style enough to go home and order some of his books. This is the first book by Pastor Furtick that I have read, and it is very similar to his live preaching style.

Pastor Furtick defines a chatterbox as "the lies we believe that keep us from accurately and actively hearing God's voice." Furtick also likens a chatterbox as -

logorrhea (n) 1. pathologically incoherent, repetitious speech. 2. incessant or compulsive talkativeness; wearisome volubility.

In other words, it is the voice in our heads that creeps up on us and replays every negative thought or feeling we have ever had, often stopping us from taking a chance or moving forward. We all have it, and I can think of several occasions where that voice has beaten me down and probably caused me to miss some opportunities.

What I appreciated the most about this book is Pastor Furtick's real approach to this issue. He is upfront from the beginning in saying that there is no magical cure that will make the chatterbox disappear for good. In fact, he says that fighting the chatterbox will be a lifelong battle. Not exactly the message that one expects when you pick up a book like this, but then again, the truth isn't always what we expect or want either. So, instead of giving us a "sure fire way" to make the chatterbox disappear for good, Pastor Furtick lays out four simple truths that can be used to "crash," or shutdown, our chatterbox:

1. God says I am
2. God says He will
3. God says He has
4. God says I can

These four statements are the whole of Furtick's message. I found some of the chapters to be incredibly empowering and the discussion questions at the end of each section helpful reflection tools. In almost seems too good to be true that four simple statements are the key to winning a never ending battle. However, when you take these four statements to heart, it makes it impossible for the chatterbox to get a hold on you. It will always be there, but when you throw these four truths at it, it quickly crashes and you are free from its destruction.

Easier said than done, but Furtick does give some practical advise on how to apply these truths. They all require diligence and persistence, but they are not complicated or overbearing. In the end, I found the message of this book to be simple and well written, thought provoking, and applicable.