Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All (Updated and Expanded, Including a Bonus 10-Day Devotional)

Keep It Shut offers practical guidance on breaking habits of gossip, flattery, verbal retaliation, and people-pleasing through a biblical approach to controlling speech. The average person speaks over 2.5 million words per year, not counting those typed online. Karen Ehman draws on her own experiences with words causing trouble to explore how to manage the tongue's power. This fully updated and expanded edition includes a bonus chapter on self-talk and a 10-day devotional featuring daily biblical Greek or Hebrew words related to watching our words. The book covers distinguishing gossip from productive conversations with trusted friends, using digital communication wisely on social media, pausing before responding defensively, avoiding permanently hurtful statements made in temporary anger, and applying biblical teachings about graceful, honey-sweet speech seasoned with salt. Using biblical examples alongside Ehman's personal stories, the book teaches readers what to say, how to say it, and when to remain silent.