Freedom Starts Today: Overcoming Struggles and Addictions One Day at a Time

You Can Find Freedom!!<br /><br />The focus of John Elmore's book is exactly where it needs to be - daily, one-day-at-a-time, dependence on the Lord. Freedom Starts Today is an honest, biblical, practical guide to overcoming addictions and struggles. As someone who's struggled with overeating his own life, I'm so encouraged by the daily dependence and wisdom John provides. <br /><br />Who's this book for? In some ways - everyone! We all have some struggle, addiction, or bad habit we're walking through. I'm going through this book with one of my sons. Find someone to read Freedom Starts Today with, and follow John's wisdom and counsel in this book, knowing his wisdom and counsel come from the Lord.

This book changed the way I think about fighting sin, and it’s nothing special about Elmore’s words that do so, it’s the biblical truths that are practically applied to practice daily surrender to the Lord and to fight sin using the Lord’s strength alongside community to hold you accountable in the fight against sin. Gal 5:16!!

People pleasing. Approval of others. Alcoholism. Fear. Pornography. A daily stop at Sonic. Pride. Anxiety. Social media. Substance abuse. Little white lies. Self hate. Codependency. Food addiction. Chances are one of those words or a hundred others I could have listed made you catch your breath or feel shame. Almost all of us have a bad habit or struggle we could easily name. You can find freedom from whatever that thing is in your life, but it will require being brave enough to admit it and depend on something other than your own strength. What could a life of freedom look like for you? The author will lead you one day at a time to a life of freedom.

Great book for anyone walking through the biggest and smallest sins, addictions, or struggles. This isn’t a quick fix book, but what it does fix is the way you surrender those things to God. If you feel like you’re too far gone or that you’ll just deal with your struggle forever, this book is a great place to start in reminding yourself that God loves you and can help you walk towards “replacing an addiction of sin with your affection for Him.”

A daily battle waged by Gods strength. A principle that will literally change the way I live the rest of my life. Freedom is not a possibility but a promise if we walk by the Spirit! Gal. 5:16

Freedom Starts Today was both easier and harder than I wanted it to be. It was easier to tackle 1 day at a time to conquer a struggle of mine. It was easier to digest the content and make it part of a regular discipline in my life. It was easier to continue the journey to complete the book and tackle the overcoming process. On the other hand, it was harder. It was hard because it helped me uncover some roots that were causing me some stumbling. It was hard because it caused me to really sort through my junk and admit that it exists. It's hard being real with myself (I'm an enneagram 7...so hard things are not my forte). It was hard because it was necessary.<br /><br />I'm a BIG FAN of John's story not being a story of someone who has "arrived" but rather a person who works one day at a time to continue overcoming. This is going to be an annual read for me.

Next level book about overcoming addictions and pursuing king Jesus

Ask any addict: recovery is difficult. It requires vigilance. It requires retraining your mind, your body, your habits. It’s not just an acute problem, resolved by one decision to quit or go to rehab or turn over a new leaf or whatever decision it is. It’s a chronic problem, one that has to be addressed day by day. Freedom Starts Today is a ninety-day devotional that understands that mentality. General enough to work with addictions and recoveries of all kinds, yet specific enough to be relevant and transformative, Freedom Starts Today is the perfect beginning of the day devotional for those in recovery at whatever level to learn to live in freedom. <br /><br />The architect of Freedom Starts Today is John Elmore, the director of re:generation, the world’s largest weekly recovery program. John speaks openly about his own past, making the devotional conversational and informal. Devotionals have this aura as stiff and formal, but Elmore’s vulnerability and willingness to use his current academic and vocational expertise to talk about his past life in addiction creates a relaxed atmosphere and makes the book seem like a conversation rather than a ritual.<br /><br />Each entry is about 750-1000 words and is in typical devotional style: a relevant quote starts you off, followed by the body of the devotion, then an opportunity to write a prayer based on the devotion’s theme. The last section of every devotion is the same, encouraging readers to text or call a friend to let them know if you’ve managed to make the last 24 hours free from bondage and that you are committing the next 24 hours to the same.<br /><br />Freedom Starts Today acknowledges that God doesn’t necessarily set people supernaturally free from addiction. While the book is saturated in Scripture, it also follows tried-and-true therapy techniques. Elmore writes as a pastor, but also as a counselor and that academic expertise in mental health adds depth and power to this book. Churches have often treated mental health, like addictions, as sins that one should easily get over. Elmore treats it like the disease it is, never shaming, never being angry, never suggesting that struggling with addiction makes someone less a Christian or less than holy. It’s the proper, appropriate tone and position to take and Elmore makes it loud and clear.<br /><br />While the devotionals themselves are rather generic—they have to be to appeal to a wide audience and also not include scenarios or stories that might trigger addictive behaviors—to anyone actively working to overcome an addiction, they are helpful and affirming, offering solidarity and encouraging companionship. It tells the reader that they are not alone. This would be my go-to book for recovering addicts wanting to get their lives back on track. It’s not a substitute for therapy, but it’s a daily way of reaffirming the path that one has chosen toward freedom.<br />

"It is for FREEDOM you have been set free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1<br /><br />It is for FREEDOM we have been set free however, we tend to go right back to the very thing that has held us in bondage, knowing full well it offers nothing more than slavery. Why do we go back? In and of ourselves we do not possess the power needed to break those bindings - it is only through our dependence upon God that we have the hope of the joy and peace that comes from true freedom. <br /><br />In Freedom Starts Today, author John Elmore walks the reader through how a day by day dependence on God happens. Through real life relatability and transparency John shares his own personal struggle for freedom encouraging the reader that they too can find and keep freedom.<br /><br />Having personally struggled to break free from anger I can testify that the steps laid out in this book are what helped me. Once convicted of my sin and convinced of the need for change it was all I could do to cry out to God for help each and every day. My journey was similar - claiming the truth of God's Word over my situation and seeking His help, guidance and comfort. It was a white knuckled ride for over a year.<br /><br />If you or someone you know is in need of freedom - and lets face it we all need freedom from something, Freedom Starts Today is a great resource to encourage you on your journey - white knuckles and all.

"A lifetime of freedom is made up of single days." John Elmore's premise for this 90 day devotional for overcoming addiction reminds me of Jesus' words in Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." Today has enough trouble of its own. Addiction can be an overwhelming mountain when overcoming it is seen as a one and done hurdle. John Elmore shares his story and offers daily encouragement and simple ideas to walk through a 24 hour period, to do today. We can eat healthy for a day, not buy something for a day, not drink or smoke for a day with the help of the Holy Spirit. God promises to be with us and walk with us. John gives simple thoughts to remind the reader throughout the day of deeper truths to empower and change the heart, mind, and soul. His scripture based daily truths and habits help to develop the habit of walking in freedom one day at a time. <br /><br />I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with freedom in any area. His approach and focus help take pressure off figuring it all out ahead and strengthen the reader to walk in God's Truth through His strength, one day at a time to experience true freedom. <br /><br />