Book Suggestions
“The Bible”
No matter where you are at in overcoming your addiction the Bible is absolutely essential. From preparing for the three day fast, to the three day fast, to finding a councilor/accountability, to withdrawal symptoms, and everything else in between, the Bible will often offer essential insights to the problem you are facing when you face the problem, or as you prepare to face the problem.
I would caution that when you read the Bible that you avoid reading a commentary Bible. Too often commentary is simply someones sermon. If you do not understand something in the Bible pray and see if the Bible answers your question. If not talk to your councilor or accountability partner about it. James 1:5 tells us that if we ask for wisdom God will give it to us. Ask for wisdom on how to read your Bible and God will show you how you as an individual need to read your Bible.
esword is a great Bible tool I use everyday on my computer, if you dont have a Bible but need one right now go ahead and download the software.
No matter where you are at in overcoming your addiction the Bible is absolutely essential. From preparing for the three day fast, to the three day fast, to finding a councilor/accountability, to withdrawal symptoms, and everything else in between, the Bible will often offer essential insights to the problem you are facing when you face the problem, or as you prepare to face the problem.
I would caution that when you read the Bible that you avoid reading a commentary Bible. Too often commentary is simply someones sermon. If you do not understand something in the Bible pray and see if the Bible answers your question. If not talk to your councilor or accountability partner about it. James 1:5 tells us that if we ask for wisdom God will give it to us. Ask for wisdom on how to read your Bible and God will show you how you as an individual need to read your Bible.
esword is a great Bible tool I use everyday on my computer, if you dont have a Bible but need one right now go ahead and download the software.
“The Crooked Stick” by Marcie Aiken
A few years ago because of the ministry I was in I visited Tabernacle Baptist church in Greenville S.C. while I was there I met the pastors wife, Marcie Aiken. She wrote “The Crooked Stick” which is her biography, and gave me a copy. I owe her a great debt of gratitude for that gift.
In that book she has one paragraph where she explains that God made sex to bring two people closer together than anything else could. From the time I was small until then the only thing I have ever heard about sex was how good it felt, from church, to school, to porn. When she explained that God made sex to bring two people closer together than anything else could, it radically affected me. Really this began my journey to overcoming porn.
That said, it is very common for porn to make men view women other than people. The book is this ladies biography and you can not view it without viewing at least her as a person. For these two reasons I suggest this book.
“The Seven Levels of Intimacy” by Matthew Kelly
I was very fortunate to begin reading this book soon after I confessed my addiction to my pastor. At the time I knew I needed to understand how to get closer to people, and wasn’t sure how. I began looking for books on intimacy and this was the first book I saw that had the phrase “Intimacy is not sex” so I got it. This book really did an excellent job of explaining to me all the stuff that was going through my heart as I confessed my sin to my pastor and shared my struggle with the withdrawal symptoms. It also did an excellent job of explaining how to build a relationship to the point where you can confess your sin. I was very fortunate to have been building a relationship with my pastor to where I could confess my sin. If you are not there yet this book explains clearly how to build the relationship to that point. And it also explains clearly how to continue the emotional and spiritual intimacy you will share with your mentor.
I was very fortunate to begin reading this book soon after I confessed my addiction to my pastor. At the time I knew I needed to understand how to get closer to people, and wasn’t sure how. I began looking for books on intimacy and this was the first book I saw that had the phrase “Intimacy is not sex” so I got it. This book really did an excellent job of explaining to me all the stuff that was going through my heart as I confessed my sin to my pastor and shared my struggle with the withdrawal symptoms. It also did an excellent job of explaining how to build a relationship to the point where you can confess your sin. I was very fortunate to have been building a relationship with my pastor to where I could confess my sin. If you are not there yet this book explains clearly how to build the relationship to that point. And it also explains clearly how to continue the emotional and spiritual intimacy you will share with your mentor.
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The good
Yes. Over the last few years I have come to many of the same conclusions as stringer but I am not in a position to explain it as eloquently as he has. In fact if you are married or engaged this would likely be a fantastic book to go through as a couple. Out of the books I have read on the subject I think this is probably the most important one to go through as a couple, and if I should get engaged I think this would be one I would want to go through with my fiancee. |
“E.M. Bounds on Prayer”
If you struggle with your prayer life I recommend this book.
I have found that as I read this book I often don’t even finish a paragraph without my prayer life improving. This book will have you on your knees. I was first given this book when I went to the fine arts competition at Bob Jones university when I was in high school. At the time I didn’t appreciate the book, but as an adult I can not recommend it highly enough.
If you struggle with your prayer life I recommend this book.
I have found that as I read this book I often don’t even finish a paragraph without my prayer life improving. This book will have you on your knees. I was first given this book when I went to the fine arts competition at Bob Jones university when I was in high school. At the time I didn’t appreciate the book, but as an adult I can not recommend it highly enough.
Single Men are Like Waffles Single Women are like Spaghetti
if you are like me you often times struggle with intense curiosity. When those times come instead of being tempted to learn some new sizzling thing about sex, focus on how God made women to think and see the world differently. I make no bones about it, intimacy, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual intimacy are necessary to overcome porn addiction. This book has helped me get a better understanding of the mystery called woman, in how they think. Learning to focus on who they are instead of what they look like is a necessary component of intimacy which is a necessary component on overcoming your addiction.