People Can't Drive Crazy ~ Review

People Can't Drive You Crazy If  
You Don't Give Them the Keys
By Mike Bechtle

I just love the title of this book,which is the reason when I was given the opportunity to review it I jumped at the chance.  I mean after all who doesn't have at least one crazy person in their life trying to take you for a long out of the way drive?  Mike Bechtle gives you the means to put a break on this drive to crazy.

We all have other people in our life - family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and for some reason or another some of this people manage to make us feel a little crazy.  But is it the fault of these people or does the fault lie with us?

Often we allow our perceptions to be based on emotions and feelings and not the truth that is before us.  The only way we can have truly healthy relationships with those in our lives is to have truth be our foundation not emotion.  Emotions vary and fluctuate, but truth never changes and is a constant.  We need to have integrity in all of our contacts with others so that they can have trust in us and not question the motives behind our actions.  When we have integrity we don't need to remember the truth because it is part of us, lying takes more effort and we will need an excellent memory.

We cannot base our joy on what goes on around us, but it must come from within.  When we have joy we are able to see the truth in situations.  Yes, we will still have problems, but we are able to look at the situation objectively and not with our glasses of negativity firmly in place.

We are not responsible for the grown-up crazy people in our life.  We can try to be an influence of change, but they have to make the change themselves.  We can set boundaries about what we will do and speak about with them so that they don't bring us into emotional turmoil and make us feel like a victim.  We need to be prepared so that when we start to take the crazy drive we can stop it before we head-out.

Change takes time, but there are no guarantees.  We can only control ourselves, and we have the tool we need - the Bible. We can find the truth that will set us free of the crazy people in our life by going to the Word of God - His principles and truths are there for us to learn from.

The Bible is all about relationships.  Relationships between parents and children, husband and wife, neighbors, enemies, friends, family, and between us and God.  The Bible is not a list can't and don't do's.  God gave us the truth so that we might see it and use it in our everyday life.

Turn the crazy person in your life (even if it is you) over to God.  God never gives up on anyone, so how can we?  God loves you and He loves me and He is always at work to influence and to change us, but He doesn't force us.  He leaves the choice up to us.

Even if you don't feel that you have crazy people in your life, I believe everyone would benefit from reading People Can't Drive You Crazy If You don't Give Them the Keys.  There is a wealth of information on how to have a healthy relationship with everyone in your life.

I received a copy of this title for the purpose of this review from the publisher.  No requirements were made and all opinions expressed are my own.

Available October 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.