Review of Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide

I don’t usually love devotionals.

I’m reading one on the Proverbs by Tim Keller that I like, and I know many people think Paul Tripp’s devotional New Morning Mercies is incredible. Outside of that, I'm typically not a devo kind of guy. I’ve tried them but I most often put them down after a few days.

Typically I struggle with the tension between a devotional not having enough thoughtful content or being more like a book than a short devo.

That being said, I'm so glad I read Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide: 42 Days to Navigate Life by my good friend, Jonathan “JP” Pokluda. JP and I worked at Watermark together for over 12 years. We shared an office (aka “The Cloffice”) when we started, and I miss working alongside my friend. He’s now the lead pastor of Harris Creek Church in Waco, TX.

Here's my review of JP's first bookWelcome to Adulting.

A few reasons why I highly recommend Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide

1. JP is an engaging writer.

In the same way he preaches, JP brings in relevant, engaging illustrations. Even though I’ve heard many of them in the past through his sermons, JP is as good as anyone I know at using real life illustrations to help teach biblical principles.

2. He doesn’t shy away from the tough/personal topics.

For example, he takes on topics like God’s will, social media, and the purpose of the church. In Day 4 he poses 7 questions to ask when navigating a gray area. Again, JP doesn’t just provide a short, fluffy devo in this book. Rather, he gives the reader some really solid content to chew on.

3. No one knows young adults like JP.

He knows his target audience as well as any writer. He knows what they need to hear and he communicates in a way that engages the reader. JP provides an effective way to help introduce young adults to God’s Word and its relevance and centrality to their lives.

4. The format of the book makes it an easy read.

Each day’s devo starts with a relevant scripture to meditate on, followed by a story or question. He illustrates the main topic with a helpful example and ends each entry with three actions that help make the content stick. He challenges the reader to ponder what they read, apply it to their life, and pray it into their lives.

In addition, every seventh day JP gives the reader the day off. He gives the reader something to apply or think about but doesn’t have a reading on the seventh day.

Who is the book for?

While the book is primarily geared towards young adults, anyone looking for a good devotional would benefit from the Survival Guide. The scripture used applies to everyone and the illustrations preach! JP’s first book Welcome to Adulting is most relevant for young adults but can be read by anyone. The same can be said for the Survival Guide.