why do we do things that we know are harmful for us?

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How to overcome the habits that are stealing joy from your life

Our upside-down culture celebrates vice and undervalues virtue, leading us to feed the wrong habits while we allow life-giving practices to die. It's no wonder we feel empty, exhausted, and directionless.

There's a better, more fulfilling way to live, and it doesn't involve looking inside yourself for the answers--because that's not where you'll find them. With his signature wit and wisdom, Jonathan "JP" Pokluda explains, unpacks, and expands on the age-old virtues we're told to pursue in Scripture: humility, forgiveness, sobriety, generosity, diligence, self-control, authenticity, rest, optimism, and gratitude. Far from being restrictive, these God-given goals for living free us to love and live as we wish we would.

Practicing virtues is not just something you do – it's something done in you, slowly but surely transforming you into the person you were meant to be all along. Whether you're eighteen or eighty, it's never too late to redefine what's important to you and reclaim a life of virtue.

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"Every Christian I know gets stuck at some point in their journey doing something they don't want to do. In this book, JP not only shows you the way out but also presents a biblical and practical path to freedom that only Jesus can offer."

Jennie Allen, New York Times bestselling author of Find Your People; founder and visionary of IF: Gathering

“The question, Why do I do what I don’t want to do? is a point of tension right from the Scriptures. It is one we all ask, or should be asking. In this adventure of a book, JP illuminates common vices that are prone to find us. Better yet, he teaches us how to stop the drift toward depravities and turn to lifegiving virtues that heal our souls. His personal approach, along with the use of his own testimony, demonstrates that victory is possible and showcases God’s limitless grace.”

Kyle Idleman, senior pastor of Southeast Christian; bestselling author of Not a Fan and One at a Time

"For all of us who wonder why sin is so tempting and wish we had better tools to turn away from it, JP gives us those tools in this book. It's genuine, kind, and may sting a little, but it will also walk you toward who you want to be."

Annie F. Downs, New York Times bestselling author of That Sounds Fun

“For over twenty years now I have counseled with, prayed with, and cried with Christians who feel stuck in patterns of sin they can’t seem to break out of. They love Jesus, read the Bible, and many belong to a small group, yet they can’t seem to walk in the victory they know is theirs in Jesus. Jonathan Pokluda has served us well in this book. He masterfully shows how the church has historically defined and diagnosed this battle—and a way forward through its more modern iterations. If you feel stuck, this is the book for you.”

Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church

What People Are Saying…

About The Authors

Jonathan "JP" Pokluda is the lead pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, and former leader of The Porch, where he saw the ministry grow from 150 to more than 7,000 young adults. The author of the bestselling Welcome to Adulting and Outdated, as well as the Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide and Welcoming the Future Church, Pokluda came to understand the grace of the gospel in his early twenties, which ignited a desire in him to reach people in their twenties and thirties for Christ. He lives with his wife, Monica, and their three children.

Jon Green has been on staff at Harris Creek in Waco, Texas, since 2013. He is a graduate of Baylor University and is the managing editor of BibleReadingPlan.org, a daily devotional and Bible study. Jon and his wife, Amanda, have two children and another on the way.