Everyone has a secret or two---areas of their life they would rather not share with the general public. But Jonathan Daugherty had a life-altering, relationship-ending secret that he wanted to keep hidden at all costs. And it did cost him.
His secret snatched away contentment, peace, and the possibility of being known and loved for who he really is. That's what any addiction can do---but in particular a sex addiction. When his wife finally realized who Jonathan really was and what he was really doing, their marriage seemed to be over. Jonathan shares honestly and courageously his story of pornography addiction to it and how he lost everything. But that's not the whole story.
Someone else was at work while Jonathan was struggling
---his heavenly Father. At the lowest possible moment of his life, God stepped in and brought hope and healing. This is a story of loss and redemption that will give hope to anyone who has ever experienced the power of addiction and its life-destroying effects. Addiction doesn't have the last word in Jonathan's life or in his marriage. The God who finds the lost, heals the sick, and brings life from death has the last, victorious word.
My review:
In this book, the author chronicles his life from his first exposure to pornography to deliverance from it, along with the effect it had on his life and marriage. He does not glorify sin in the book, nor is he graphic, but his story shows not only the harm of pornography addiction, but the effect a life of secrets has on a person, his relationships with his wife and others, and his relationship with God.
This would not be an easy book to write. To bare your soul and tell all of your secrets in a book many will read, takes courage and faith. The book is not long, coming in at only 126 pages, but the author packs a lot into the book, mostly hitting on the main highs and lows of his life. He pulls no punches nor makes any excuses, but lays it all out how he got addicted, how he felt and acted, and how it affected his wife and marriage.
The book is not a discouraging read though. Daughtery shows how he was brought to the end of himself and finally surrender himself and his addictions to God. The restoration of his marriage and the launch of his ministry were miraculous, and it is awesome he is now using the bad in his life to help others struggling in the same areas.
Secrets is an interesting and encouraging read. Not everyone looking at pornography will go on to actual adultery as Daughtery did, but pornography itself is adultery and increases the chances of an actual affair.
I definitely recommend this book, and not just to those struggling in these areas. It can be a warning to anyone to not go down this road.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
About the author:
Jonathan Daugherty is the founder of Be Broken Ministries, and founder of Gateway to Freedom workshop for men. He also hosts the weekly radio broadcast, Pure Sex Radio, and is in demand nationally as a speaker on sexual purity and men's issues. He has appeared on multiple radio and television media, both local and national. He has authored Grace-Based Recovery, The 4 Pillars of Purity, and other works. Jonathan lives with his wife and three children in San Antonio, Texas.
Check out his website here, and his blog here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment