Triggers is Not Just for Mothers of Young Ones

 

It’s not often that I read a non-fiction book that that has me turning pages as quickly as Triggers: Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses. In fact, it’s not often that I read books on parenting, since our two girls have entered adulthood.

But Triggers touches a place in my teacher heart and my wifely heart and my soon-to-be-grandmother heart (as well as my mother heart, of course). I have struggled with my temper throughout my life (my parents tell me that my grandmother once despaired of ever seeing me happy), and this book helps even an old codger like me see ways that I can grow and get more authentic in my relationship with God. And the more I immerse myself in his grace, the easier it becomes for me to deal with others.

The authors, Wendy Speake and Amber Lia, divide the book into two sections. The first section has all those triggers that a parent can immediately relate to: whining kids, roughhousing, sibling rivalry, disobedience, etc. As one reads, one starts to feel as if the paramedics have arrived.

As one reads, one starts to feel as if the paramedics have arrived. #Triggersbook Click To Tweet

Once the authors perform triage, the reader gets drawn deeper into the root reasons for way he or she may have a tendency to fall apart at the drop of a crumb or hearing “Why, Mommy?” for the eight-hundred-and-seventy-six-thousandth time. The real inner work begins in the second half of the book—it’s akin to visiting the doctor or the counselor or the secret places within our own hearts to examine, confess, and root out the things that make us lash out in frustration.

The authors format the book in a user-friendly way—each chapter has anecdotes, biblical advice and prayers. The reader can choose to read the book in one sitting or use it as a daily devotional book. Likewise, a stressed-out busy reader could jump around and read the chapters that shout out to them the loudest.

Don’t think that because you don’t have young kids around (especially boys), that Triggers isn’t for you. It is. It’s for anyone who longs to have better relationships with family and coworkers and especially for anyone who longs to grow closer to God. I’ll be gifting this book to any moms-to-be on my gift list—starting with my own daughter (but don’t tell her, I want it to be a surprise 😉 ).

You can find the physical book at your favorite bookstore on online, or, if you’d like to just read it as a PDF or send it to your eReader, you can order it here (this is an affiliate link).

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