A Way With Words, by Christin Ditchfield (giveaway)

First of all, I like the cover art on this book. The latest book by Christin Ditchfield, published by Crossway Books, is A Way with Words: What Women Should Know about the Power They Possess.

I read The Power of a Woman's Words by Sharon Jaynes last year (click on the title to read my review if you like) and found it to be convicting. I was very curious to find out how Ditchfield's book compared. (And, honestly, I could use a refresher course on this topic from time to time!)

Like Jaynes' book, Ditchfield speaks honestly and in a forthright manner to her audience. I think perhaps Ditchfield is a bit more gracious in speech and personality than Jaynes is. I'm not saying that to be negative. But I didn't feel like I was Ditchfield, whereas I felt an instant connection with Jaynes personality last year. At the same time, I felt Ditchfield drawing me up on a higher level and stretching my comfort zones once again.

The message of both books is essentially the same - women possess a lot of power in their tongues. You can use your words to build up and encourage other people or to destroy them. As I've mentioned before, I'm not really a "words of affirmation" person but I have come to see the value of sprinkled praise. Not fluff praise, mind you. But when I can sincerely compliment another, I do make a point out of doing so where as before I might have left my compliments unspoken, figuring the potential receiver already knew her what her own strengths were. (If you aren't a words of affirmation person either, you'll understand that last paragraph and my attitude completely.)

One thing I particularly liked about Ditchfield's A Way with Words is that she goes beyond verbal speech and also continuously reminds her readers that what they write (i.e., blogs anyone?) is just important as what they say outloud. She really challenges her readers to think about the effect of the words that they are typing up to be disseminated online as well as to think about what they are saying to someone's face (or behind their back!)

Another "pro" to Ditchfield's book is that she spends the later half of her book talking about speech in general - how to speak so that your words can reach the lost and win spiritual battles by speaking against injustice.

"Scriptures says, "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?" (Prov. 24:11-12).
God says ignorance is not an excuse. Apathy is unacceptable. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. We cannot look the other way. We are called to be a voice for the voiceless, a help to the helpless. We are to stand up to evil wherever we find it, rescue those held captive or oppressed, and fight to our last breath to defend the cause of the innocent. We cannot excuse ourselves by saying we didn't see or we didn't know. God sees." (page 146)

I love how Ditchfield goes well beyond just reminding women that the words that they speak have an effect. She goes into scripture to remind us that words are a gift, a weapon, craftsmen, and we are to learn to use them well in a myriad of different circumstances.

Ditchfield shares a good message here and it's one that women could really stand to hear. Just women? Or men too? Well, women statistically talk a great deal more and so they are her target audience. (That's not to say that men couldn't learn a thing or two from this read or consideration of the subject matter!) She urges women to put aside gossip, back biting, cruel speech and, yes, sarcasm when it's inappropriate and hurtful. We need to learn to put away lies and deceitful speech and to think on things which are true, right and beautiful. If we are thinking on what is true and right, then that is what will spill forth from our lips.

There is so much more that I could say about this book but I'll stop there. I definitely recommend A Way with Words to you and would hope you'd take the time to read it! Thanks, Crossway, for allowing me a chance to dive on in!

In the meantime, I am delighted to say that Crossway Books has offered one copy of this book to one Reading to Know reader. To win? Simply leave a comment below. This contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will be open through Thursday, September 9th.

"Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them. ~ Nathanial Hawthorne

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED