Why Do I Do What I Don't Want to Do?: Replace Deadly Vices with Life-Giving Virtues (How 10 Biblical Virtues Can Help You Get Unstuck & Overcome the Cycle of Self-Destructive Bad Habits)

This book is incredible. In "Why Do I Do", JP has achieved what many have failed to do: write a genuinely transformational, relevant, and biblical guide to sanctification without being a pithy self-help book. Many people the think the Bible is a rulebook of "do nots" to avoid, but JP simply presents how each vice will rob the reader of a full and joy-filled life, then shows the reader that rather than avoiding each vice, we should actively pursue the opposite virtue. With ten chapters covering ten vice/virtue pairs, this book is an anthology of the pragmatic truth that the Holy Spirit used to turn my life around three years ago. I grew up in the church, but didn't walk closely with Christ until I was about to graduate from college. It was a difficult time in my life, one when I came face to face with the ugly reality of where my thoughts, decisions, and actions had brought me. It was into this pivotal time in my life that my sisters introduced the podcast Becoming Something and JP's "Friday Q&A" on Instagram. For a young man who had been surrounded by a comfortable Christianity his whole life, JP's "tell the hard truths" approach was exactly what my prodigal heart needed to hear. Since then I have listened to hundreds of sermons and podcasts from The Porch, Becoming Something, and Harris Creek which the Holy Spirit has used to completely change my life. I have read all four of JP's books, and "Why Do I Do" is by far the most widely accessible and helpful book he has written to date. Don't get me wrong, "Welcoming the Future Church", "Welcome to Adulting", and "Outdated" are incredibly instructive and helpful, but "Why Do I Do" is not just a book for church staffs and young adults. It is a book for anyone who seeks to walk faithfully with Jesus Christ and become more and more like him. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. And JP, if you read this, I want you to know that I thank God every day for the work he has done in my life through the words and teachings of you and your colleagues at The Porch, BeSo, and Harris Creek. I am so blessed by you, and I pray for you.

“Alcohol has never made anyone healthier. Smoking anything has never made anyone a better follower of Jesus.” Whew. Thankfully, drunkenness is not something I struggle with, but those sentences are *sobering*. It’s just a little taste of JP’s wisdom and quick quips that are sharp, yet memorable and digestible. He has penned a very easy-to-read guidebook (complete with very personal anecdotes) on how to avoid these 10 deadly vices that we all encounter in life. My favorite chapter was on entitlement and gratitude. “Whatever you complain about, that’s what you feel entitled to.” Such a clear and eye-opening one-liner!Get this book, read it through, find the vice(s) that resonate with you and REREAD those chapters and let JP’s practical wisdom and biblical perspectives soak in. If more people learned and practiced all of the “virtues” JP writes about (Humility, Forgiveness, Generosity, Diligence, Self-Control, Authenticity, Gratitude, Rest, Sobriety, Optimism), imagine how different the world could be – how differently we would relate to one another.

“Like a moth to a flame, a baboon to a termite mound, or a dog to his vomit….we find ourselves drawn to the modern pleasures of the world.” (Paraphrased) This book is about those deadly sins, or modern pitfalls, that keep us from living our best life and how you can replace those behaviors with life giving virtues. The focus is mostly on the positive behavior, and the value it can add to your life. “We cannot stop a bad habit. We can only replace it with a good one.” How many times in my own life have I seen this to be true? Countless! We are imperfect sinners. We are inherently drawn to sin. But if we can turn our eyes and focus on God given solutions, we can free ourselves from hamster wheel of returning to sin.I have heard many of the stories and messages in this book before, as I attend Harris Creek where JP is the pastor. But it is so nice to have them all together in this concise version. This is a book you will want to highlight, journal, & come back to many times because it’s such a valuable tool for living your best life. All of the chapters are great, but those I found most relevant and meaningful were:Anger & Forgiveness - the practical advice & steps to forgiveness was so helpful. Apathy & Diligence - so relevant in a world of cultural Christianity. This chapter really challenged me to think about what it really means to be a Christian! I think it will challenge many others. Even if you can’t find too many sin struggles you relate to in this book, you will likely find meaning in this chapter. (Or you are like me and find all of them relevant!) Busyness & Rest - “When we discipline ourselves and devote ourselves to the things of God, our soul finds rest in a way we never thought possible.” Perception Management & Authenticity - “Your faith may be personal, but it was never meant to be private.” Every time you share your story, you are giving the devil less of a hold on you. This chapter is so relevant in our world today where perception seems to be reality. Drunkenness & Sobriety- God has called us to a life of passion & purpose vs. escape and detachment.Those are just some of the big takeaways! It’s a great book and I hope you find it as valuable as I did!

I loved this book so much, I bought copies for each of our adult children and gave my copy to our pastor to read! The content is well thought out, well written and applicable for young adults as well as for us older ones. It's an easy, fast read...HOWEVER...you'll wanna go back through it slowly and sit with the content to let it sink in. I had a couple of "aha" moments that felt like puzzle pieces going together as well as some times of conviction that led to tears of confession.The vulnerability and courage that JP shows in speaking of his own struggles goes a long way towards making me less afraid to be the same way. All of this being said, I cannot recommend this book enough.Thanks be to God for speaking through JP to any soul who will pick up this book and take it to heart.

Seriously praise the Lord, this is such a resource. Everyone is busy these days and a busy schedule may convince you that you don’t have time to read this. Squash that lie. This book equips for a busy life, shines light on blind spots, encourages rest, and ultimately points you to our Saviour. People often think burnout happens when we do to much. JP says in this book that burnout can come when we are doing the wrong thing by our own strength. The goal isn’t to have empty calendars; it’s that we be focused on the tasks God has given us, with the right motivations (p.170). This book helped take my eyes off myself and strengthened my faith. I’ve been sharing it with all my friends here in Ontario, Canada. So worth the read!!

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A really amazing book, each chapter has challenged me and drawn me closer to God!

I loved reading through this book. I purchased during the pre-sale, so had an opportunity to listen to the audiobook as well. The book met me right where I was at in my faith, and I found there to be useful advice, paired with biblical teaching throughout the book. I really appreciated how JP shares his story throughout the book, and uses the work that God has done in his life to minister to readers. I know I came away feeling challenged, and encouraged in my faith at the same time. Thankful for this book and the work God is doing through JP, ministering to young adults especially.

Jps ability to share his own struggles and personal experience with sin, while showing us scripture based ways to counter attack and to guard our hearts from sin, in order to replace, daily self-made bad habits with life giving virtues. Any Christian looking to grow deeper in Jesus, understanding grace or just wanting to know, how to build healthy habits to fight sin, NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!! Solid 10/10 one of the best books if not the best I’ve ever written! Well done Jp & Jg