Walking out of the used bookstore with a 1980’s self-help book, I was confident that Getting the Best of your Anger by Dr. Les Carter would be a trustworthy, Christian resource for counseling others who are seeking good anger-management skills. I got home and began a quick skim just so I’d have an idea what the book had to offer for the day I might need to counsel with it. Then I was hit between the eyes with my own conviction! I saw the ways I allow myself to hold onto anger to meet what I believe are my needs, that being in performance mode or feeling insecure can lead me to anger, and that I need to view anger the way I regard any other compulsions. That is, I don’t “have to” be angry about a matter just because I’m tempted to be. Thankfully, before I could feel shame for the times I fail to be a even-tempered, godly woman, the author cited the instances of Jesus’s anger to cast the perfect vision for detecting and managing even the smallest traces of anger in ourselves. This book may seem like an offensive Christmas gift to give or receive this year, but not only does Dr. Carter provide practical help for those with chronic anger, but he has something to say for all believers pursuing emotional maturity.  I’m certainly thankful the Holy Spirit gifted it to me this year.