The 4:8 Principle

Book excerpt: Tommy Newberry's message is simple, relevant, powerful, and timeless. In this New York Times bestseller, Newberry takes a single biblical principle and teaches us how one simple truth can magnify the joy we experience in our marriage, with our parenting, and in our life as a whole. Unfortunately, we live in a society bent on nursing old wounds and highlighting what is wrong with just about everything. As a result, we have grown accustomed to viewing the world, our lives, and ourselves through a lens of negativity—and that negativity stands in direct contrast to the passionate, purpose-filled people God wants us to be. This is where The 4:8 Principle grabs our attention. First, the author skillfully persuades us to acknowledge the link between the thoughts we choose to think and the joy we experience. Next, he shows us how we can grow our potential for joy by refusing to dwell upon the problems and pressures that are enduring and inevitable. Finally, he challenges us to pay the price of joy by becoming “extraordinarily picky” about what we read, watch, and listen to on a consistent basis. The strength of the book, though, is in Newberry's ability to clearly explain how to put this principle into daily practice through a series of quick, easy and even fun adjustments. The 4:8 Principle is loaded with specific suggestions and helpful advice for going beyond the ordinary and experiencing life as it was meant to be.