When Sorry Isn't Enough: Making Things Right with Those You Love

Did you ever sincerely say ''sorry'' to someone but experience the shock of them not taking it as a true apology?

In ''When Sorry Isn't Enough'', skilled authors and phsyologists Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas approach the subject of apologies. As we all know, humans make mistakes and usually those mistakes hurt others. Taking responsibility for our failures and making amends graciously is one of the mature and loving actions to take and is definitely important to help relationships- which can be ever so fragile!- thrive.

What I love about all of Gary Chapman's relationship books is how practical they are. Although best for the Christian audience who have their relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit guiding them to help them heal friendships and such, Gary Chapman's books are also surprisingly useful for non-Christians as well. The fact is, humans need to apply a certain amount of decency (God's common grace) in life or else they would simply tear each other apart! This is why I recommend this book for all people.

Of course we know that only true Christians can be genuinely repentant and sorry....likewise only true believers can love with Jesus' kind of love!

I have heard some critics talk about Gary Chapman's books as shallow because they seem like they are just trying to make people feel better- shallowly healing relationships but not dealing with the heart. I wouldn't agree with this argument because Mr. Chapman does indeed address this argument within his books. Also, you have to admit that people are not just soul. They have personalities. And with millions of personalities running around on the globe, it's good to know how to avoid conflict with them. Also, we could argue that people shouldn't be coddled to and loved in the way that THEY want. Sorry people- humans are so selfish that it will scarcely ever happen that a human can forget himself and how he needs to feel loved. That's why books such as this are SO useful. Imagine all those hurt feelings because you thought you were making a genuine apology but the other person just couldn't understand your way of apologizing! Tell them to ''get over it'' but maybe they can't....Because we are each so different and unique! So, read this book and think twice before you say that you can live fine without the advice presented within the pages....

Chapters include:

Why we hunger for a real apology when we have been hurt; The components of a complete apology; Why forgiveness isn't the same thing as trust; What forgiveness really is and what it can and cannot do; Why some people will not apologize and what to do when they won't; The danger of forgiving too easily; What our forgiveness "language" is.

I was happy to receive this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.