We live in an upside-down culture. We wink at our vices as coping strategies while restricting our virtues to our online personas, where they won’t interfere with our real lives. And we wonder why we feel empty, exhausted, and directionless. But why do we do things that we know are harmful for us?

Jonathan JP Pokluda wants you to know there’s a better, more fulfilling way to live, and it doesn’t involve looking inside yourself for the answers–because that’s not where you’ll find them. With his signature wit and wisdom, he explains, unpacks, and expands on the age-old virtues we’re told to pursue in Scripture: humility, forgiveness, generosity, diligence, self-control, authenticity, rest, and optimism. Far from being restrictive, these God-given goals for living free us to love and live as we wish we would.

Practicing virtues is not just something you do–it’s something done in you, slowly but surely transforming you into the person you were meant to be all along. Whether you’re 18 or 80, it’s never too late to redefine what’s important to you and reclaim a life of virtue.