Book Review: Crossroads

November 19, 2024

Crossroads, A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction by Ed Welch, Reviewed by Jeff Jamison

Of all the books I’ve read on the subject of overcoming addiction, this one ranks high on the list.  Counselor Ed Welch describes addiction as voluntary slavery that produces its own misery for the enslaved.  But in a very accessible and refreshingly honest way, Welch brings the reader along a journey of introspection, honesty about God and who He is, and then practical steps to take toward freedom.  With that end in mind, he writes in the introduction -  “What if you were invited to the greatest feast ever?  What if you received a promise of great treasure? Would that be enough to lure you away from an addictive way of life?  It, at least, would get your attention.”

You would not be surprised that a “step-by-step” book would appeal to Proverbial wisdom.  Welch reminds the reader of the clear dichotomy between wisdom and folly and exhorts the reader to acknowledge which voice he or she is listening to most often.  He then moves toward the addict confessing that he or she is double-minded in their ways and that our personal stories convey a familiar pattern when it comes to fear and shame that lie closely behind addictive behaviors.  Welch peppers each chapter in the book with insightful questions and specific actions.

If you’re interested in learning more about this book or the topic of addiction, I would love to sit down with you and discuss.  God has invited His adopted children to a glorious banquet and to an unimaginable inheritance - He who began this work in you, will see to it that it happens!

Some key pull quotes from Crossroads:

“Even watch your imaginations - if you say you want to change but notice that you keep going back to your addiction, savoring it in your imagination or hiding and lying, your actions will show what you really love.” (p.17)

“Find change points in your life, and you will find people.” (p. 48)

“You will always live in a way that reveals your ultimate loyalties.” (p. 53)

“When you return to your addiction, you will eventually feel guilty - at least you should hope to feel guilty.  Your guilt is a sign that you are still alive.” (p. 101)

“Your crossroad is in the same desert.  You aren’t walking down a lovely country path when you notice that the paths diverge.  You are in the desert; you are parched and famished.  This is where the spiritual battle is waged.  The heat of life - the disappointments, pain, and loss - is searing.  You are being tested.  Will you turn to God, or will you turn to your own devices?” (p. 110)

“There is work ahead.  The promise - the hope - is not a promise of ease but a promise of power.  In Christ you have new power, a new story, and a new outcome.  But old ways die hard, and they don’t go without a fight.  That’s the way God has ordered human life.  He blesses the diligent, faithful work of his children, whether the work is farming a field, learning a new skill, or resisting temptation.  You had no reason to work before because all it did was postpone your relapse.  But now, perhaps for the first time, you have reasons to get aggressive against your addiction.  Life in God’s kingdom is filled with purpose, and a banquet is set for you.  It is just around the bend.” (p. 114)