The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry

Newberry, Tommy. The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2007.



Newberry takes the title of his book, and his theme, from Philippians 4:8. The verse is an admonition to think on good things. According to Newberry, our potential for joy in life is greatly influenced by our predominate thoughts.

The book has three major divisions dealing with the development of a joyful life: thinking and self-worth, emotion management, and developing good habits. The first section may be old ground for those who’ve read similar books. It asserts the connection between our typical thoughts and the results in our mind and actions. If we want more joy, we must think on those things that bring joy. To have a healthy expectation of joy, we must have an appropriate self-image. Newberry gears his book toward a Christian audience and defines self-worth as “authentic self-esteem rooted in your uniqueness as a child of God.”

Thoughts and emotions are not independent. They influence each other. Because of this, we can affect reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions by out thoughts and the way we look at situations. Newberry devotes a chapter to identifying thought habits that magnify negative emotions and strategies for developing new thinking for better emotional responses. He provides a list of Bible verses that one can dwell on to help combat negative reactions.

The final section deals with lifestyle changes that support joy. It is about taking control of your environment, associations and behavior to protect yourself from negativity and concentrate on joy. Not everything is in our control, but the idea is to respond productively to negativity rather than simply reacting by reproducing the negativity in ourselves.

As part of this, the final chapter is devoted to gratitude. Gratitude is a powerful supporter of joy. One of the best habits to develop to increase joy is to consider what you have to be thankful for and express that gratitude.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
-Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

Think 4:8 by Tommy Newberry & Lyn Smith

Think 4:8 is a daily devotional for teens written by Tommy Newberry and Lynn Smith. The central premise of the book is that we can control our thoughts, and by choosing to thinking about worthy things you can be closer to God, have better relationships, achieve more and be happier overall. The authors take this key thought from Philippians 4:8.

Each chapter in the book deals with patterns of thought, behavior and habits that can lead to joy or displeasure. Our emotions and actions are sparked by our outlook and thoughts. If we want to be generally happier and do more of what we really want, we need to develop good habits of thought.

This is a Christian book, so the principal thing, the source of joy, is to know God. Believe He has a good plan for you.

I like that the book reiterates the importance of gratitude. I think gratitude is one of the most significant contributors to happiness. Count your blessings.

Another theme that recurs in the book, not always explicitly, is the importance of discipline. The entire book is essentially about disciplining your thoughts. Proper discipline is not a burdensome thing, it is the foundation of good habits and achievement. When applied to your approach to others, it can lead to better relationships. Discipline isn’t something one suffers as a punishment, it is the effort one puts into overcoming obstacles because the results are worth it.

Each chapter in the book is short; it can be read in a few minutes. Each chapter also has exercise, which also can be completed in a few minutes. The authors encourage the reader to engage a trusted friend in many of the activities. I can imagine teens balking at that, but I suspect a teen using the devotional might have involved parents or friends in a church youth group who can smooth that over.

Though the book is written for teenagers, I think the lessons (if not always the details) are applicable to adult life as well. I never hurts to be reminded of the benefits of good mental hygiene, especially with the pressures, distractions and temptations presented by adult life.

Tommy Newberry also wrote The 4:8 Principle.

If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in

A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen

The Joy of Supernatural Thinking by Bill Bright

Just Say Thanks! by R. T. Kendall

Philippians

Newberry, Tommy, & Lyn Smith. Think 4:8: 40 Days to a Joy-filled Life for Teens. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2013.