Book Review: Welcome to Adulting
A review of Welcome To Adulting: Navigating Faith, Friendship, Finances, and the Future, by Jonathan “JP” Pokluda with Kevin McConaghy (Find out how to win a free copy below!)
From the back cover:
"You’re an adult…. Now what? Adulting is hard. But sometimes we make it harder than it has to be. Combining entertaining stories from his own experience, insights from the Bible, and compelling evidence from research, Jonathan “JP” Pokluda lays out a roadmap for how to navigate your life as an adult, addressing topics such as friendships and dating, career and money management, interpersonal conflict, controlling anxiety, recovering from addiction, and discovering your purpose on this earth."
Here’s how much I like this book: I've bought more copies of this book to give out to others than any other book I’ve ever read. I’m not saying it’s my favorite book ever, but I am saying I can’t think of a book I want to put in more people’s hands. I want every young adult to read this book. I believe it would be helpful for every parent of a young adult to read Welcome to Adulting so that they know more about the young adult they're raising/have raised.
For those of you unfamiliar with the word adulting (maybe you’re old like me!), here’s a definition for you:
adulting: the practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks.
JP gets the Young Adult population. For the last 12 years, he has worked directly with young adults, primarily through a young adult ministry called The Porch. He knows their struggles, fears, frustrations, and hopes. And he addresses them all in Welcoming to Adulting. He is the subject matter expert with young adults, and has worked with thousands of them. This book is the best of JP’s teaching, leadership, and ministry.
JP’s story, gifting, passion, and experience all work together to help make him the right guy to write this book. He is biblical, practical, and authentic in his writing, and is one of the best story tellers I’v ever seen, heard, or met. Side note, if you’re into audiobooks, I highly recommend listening to Welcome to Adulting on either Audible or Christian Audio. JP narrates the book himself, and you can hear and feel his passion come through in the audio book.
How do I adult?
The book is broken up into five main sections:
Adulting with Purpose: JP helps the reader understand why they’re on this earth.
Adulting Like A Boss: He addresses authority, work, and money. We all could use some perspective on work and JP covers it in this section. Hint: There’s a good chance you shouldn’t “Follow your passions."
Adulting with Friends: He addresses community, conflict, and dating. One of my favorite parts of the book is a comment he makes about community. He writes, “A community is a group of people who are committed to being a part of your life and seeking what’s best for you, no matter what.” This means they’ll celebrate with you and also won’t be afraid to wound you when you need to be sharpened. The chapter on dating was my second favorite chapter in the book.
Adulting Fearlessly: He takes a candid look at worry/anxiety and addictions/recovery and addresses some of the most common struggles young adults face.
Adulting Forever: JP provides a right perspective on eternity. This chapter was my favorite one in the book and it made me long for heaven.
I wish Welcome to Adulting was around when I was a young adult. The truths of this book (and the truths of The Book, the Bible) could have spared me from much pain, anxiety, sin, and heartache. I know this is JP’s hope for this book as well. His desire is that WTA would spur on every young adult to pursue Jesus and navigate life accordingly. I’m decades past my adulting years, but still highlighted and underlined this book like crazy! If it’s helpful for me, I know it will challenge and encourage any young adult.
Your Turn:
Who is a young adult in your life who should read this book? Pray for them right now, that they would first choose to read God's Word. And if they read anything else, encourage them to read Welcome to Adulting.
I have one copy to give away. Comment below and give me the name of a young adult I can pray for and I'll enter your name into a drawing for a free copy of the book.
A few additional resources to check out:
The Welcome To Adulting book page.
Views from the Porch - a weekly podcast from the Porch.