Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words that Change Everything

Pastor Batterson (Win the Day) stresses the power of the three “magic words” in this optimistic outing. “Our words create the world,” the author writes, and here he invites readers to consider “the psychology of please, the science of sorry, and the theology of thanks.” Drawing on biblical examples, research, and personal anecdotes, Batterson explores each word as a life-informing principle. Please, for instance, “show[s] respect, even to those we disagree with,” and evokes the instinct to serve others (just as Jesus washed his disciples’ feet). And while “few things take more courage” than saying sorry, doing so is important, as it requires harnessing Godly empathy. Thanks can inspire a deeper gratitude for God’s miracles, whether a sunrise or the act of breathing (“You have 25 trillion red blood cells... which deliver oxygen atoms on time, every time”). Batterson intersperses questions throughout (“Are there any miracles you’re complaining about?”) to help readers find their faith within the everyday, and his conversational tone appeals alongside periodic gems that cut to the heart of things (“We confess our sin to God for forgiveness. We confess our sin to each other for healing”). This earnest entry offers believers abundant inspiration. (Apr.)