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Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All QUOTES

Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All QUOTES

1 " Psychiatrist Louann Brizendine states in The Female Brain, “Men use about seven thousand words per day. Women use about twenty thousand. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

2 " Don’t say something permanently painful just because you are temporarily ticked off. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

3 " Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning. PROVERBS 10:12 – 13 "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

4 " God created us with emotions, and anger is one of them. Feeling the emotion of anger is not the problem. The problem is when we let our anger trigger actions that result in wrongdoing. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

5 " When we read the Bible, we learn. However, when we write out biblical commands in a way that is personal to us, we allow the Word to take root deep within our hearts. This will help us the next time we are faced with a challenging situation and need to use words wisely. When we have trained our brain to recall and apply biblical nonnegotiables, we are equipped to speak, act, and react in ways that honor God. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

6 " Are you willing to try — really try? If you’ve struggled with words like I have, you may have some mixed feelings in response to this question. You really do want to try, but you also remember times you’ve “really tried” and failed. If that’s the case, allow me to whisper a little encouragement to that word-weary heart of yours. Believe me when I say that if it is possible for someone like me to run her words through the grid of God’s holiness, it is more than possible for you to do the same. One step at a time, prayer by prayer and word by word, we really can temper our talking so we have fewer words floating out there that we wish we could take back. It is possible — for me, and for you. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

7 " Just Because You Have a Reason to Retaliate Does Not Mean You’re Justified in Doing So "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

8 " God is patient. He doesn’t fly off the handle in anger. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

9 " Long before our words go wrong, our hearts are the place in which they fester and brew. We must take very careful care of our hearts and their condition so that the words that come forth will be pleasant and sweet instead of hurtful and bitter. But just how do we do this? "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

10 " Gracious words promote instruction” (16:21). "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

11 " What is the result of intentionally speaking graciously to our family, friends, and other necessary people? Of loving them without stopping? Of containing our anger when we speak and dealing with them in a patient and faithful way? When we choose to lace our words with grace, healing happens: “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). Yes, "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

12 " Father, I face another day in which I will be called upon to use my words wisely and well. May they encourage those who listen. May they speak truth but also be said in love. May I pause before I pounce. May I be bold enough to speak when I would rather run away. Lord, I give my mouth to you today. May what comes forth be sweet and not bitter. May the journey each word takes from my mind to my heart to my lips be guided by your hand. May what comes out be life-giving rather than causing death. May my words make you proud and bring you glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

13 " Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning” (Proverbs 10:12 – 13). "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

14 " With our tongues we curse men and women who are made in God’s likeness and then, at other times, we praise God. Out of our mouths flow both praising and cursing. But, says the New Testament writer, this should not be! James tells us that a spring cannot suddenly shoot out both sweet and bitter water. Neither can a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine decide to grow a whole mess of figs instead of grapes. You can’t get salt water from a freshwater spring (James 3:9 – 12). Lesson? We should not have both righteous and evil words coming from our tongues. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

15 " But wait. Have you prayed about it?” We are better poised to process life’s troubles after petitioning God first. I’m still learning this lesson, but the calm I feel when I get the order straight encourages me to keep on trying. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

16 " In fact, if you are in the middle of a heated discussion with someone and they ask, “Well, what do you think?” it is perfectly reasonable to tell them you don’t yet know what you think. Yes, this may frustrate some people. They may think you’re copping out. They may even accuse you of not knowing your own mind. But I have found that many times what I was going to say (but thankfully didn’t!) was not in the end what I wanted to express. Giving our thoughts time to settle and soak in Scripture is a wonderful habit that will keep us from answering too soon and looking foolish. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

17 " bound to experience frustration, anger, and at times, wounded feelings. People who are not wired as we are, who don’t think like we do, and who make decisions and carry out actions we would never dream of, are going to rub us the wrong way. That’s a fact. "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

18 " we read a little farther in James, we find that the tongue cannot be tamed (James 3:7 – 8). Every creature, reptile, bird, or animal can be tamed, but not the tongue. Imagine a colossal circus full of every kind of creature: dancing bears, prancing horses — even a ferocious looking feline or two performing tricks or jumping through hoops when their trainers give the signal. But way off in one corner stands a booth with a closed curtain and a sign that reads: “The Utterly Untamable.” Then, at a very strategic time during the spectacular show the ringmaster hushes the audience in order to display this beast that will not bend. When he throws open the concealing curtain, sitting behind it is a woman "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

19 " Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is esteemed a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:28). Yes, sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. We "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All

20 " Un-soft answers only worsen the mama drama in my house. And they don’t win many points with my coworkers or neighbors either. When we give an un-soft answer, we drizzle a little gasoline on the tiniest spark of a potential spat. It may combust and flare, setting off a big old blaze. However, "

― Karen Ehman , Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All