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Discover how the barrier built by porn addiction can become a bridge to abundant life. Using personal examples, scriptural illustrations, and 20 years of counseling experience, Cusick will help you understand how to break free from the prison of sexual addiction.What if lust for porn is really a search for true passion?In a world where there are 68 million searches for pornography every day and where over 70 percent of Christian men report viewing porn in the last year, it's no surprise that more and more men struggle with an addiction to this false fantasy. Common wisdom says if they just had more willpower or more faith, their fight would be over. But is the answer really that simple?According to counselor and ministry leader Michael John Cusick, the answer is no—but the big truth may be much more freeing. Backed by scripture, Cusick uses examples from his own life and from his twenty years of counseling experience to show us how the pursuit of empty pleasure is really a search for our heart's deepest desire—and the real key to resistance is discovering and embracing the joy we truly want.Cusick discusses the origins of sexual addiction, the need for affirmation, and the heart that aches for God while falling into relapse. Handling a difficult topic with grace, mercy and honesty, Cusick's insights will help you understand:How porn struggles beginWhat to do to prevent those strugglesHow to overcome compulsions once they beginAn essential resource centered on the sustaining love of Christ, this book will help guide anyone battling sex addiction or those in ministry seeking to provide encouragement to those struggling. Read more
Publisher : Thomas Nelson
Publication date : June 4, 2012
Edition : Illustrated
Language : English
Print length : 224 pages
ISBN-10 : 0849947235
ISBN-13 : 30
Item Weight : 7.2 ounces
Dimensions : 5.45 x 0.75 x 8.35 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #50,740 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #21 in Sexual Health Recovery #72 in Abuse Self-Help #85 in Ethics & Moral Teaching in Christian Theology
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Kindle
"The pursuit of purity is not about the suppression of lust, but about the reorientation of one's life to a larger goal." Dietrich Bonhoeffer These well chosen words appearing at the beginning of the book summarize both the content and the flow of this hope inspiring book meant to give freedom to those struggling with lust. Through the use of personal story, biblical story and stories of well-known writers, Michael Cusick presents a clear and compelling Gospel pathway to real freedom from bondage to pornography. The author adds very useful information about ancient spiritual disciplines and recent information on the neuroplasticity of the brain to assist the reader in his journey to freedom. Many readers will identify with Michael's description of the difficulty we have in connecting truths such as "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me" or "the truth will set you free" and the experience of these truths. Our hearts long to say, as David says in Psalm 119:32 "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free". In five parts spread over 14 chapters and a helpful conclusion Michael Cusick leads the reader into discovering the divine desire beneath sexual struggle and shows the gospel pathway to freedom. I. Why breaking free from porn is so difficult II. The spiritual roots of addition a. The ways we avoid and control pain and how this relates to using pornography. b. The nature of shame and how you overcome it. c. The familiar cycle of how men become ensnared with porn. III. Unearthing the lost treasure of the Gospel a. Our deepest desire b. Being a spiritual warrior - the need to fight against darkness c. The way porn subverts your brain and capacity for intimacy IV. The specific path to freedom and wholeness. V. God's pattern for bringing about change. Each chapter begins with a marvelous pithy quote. These quotes are like sparkling jewels waiting to be delighted in. They serve to draw the reader in and provide great summary statements for later recollection of the contents of the chapter they represent. This book is one on of the best books I have read on this subject. I think it provides help not just for addiction to pornography, but also for any addiction one might have, including alcohol. For me, this is one of the most helpful reads of 2012. (I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com [ ... ] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [ ... ] : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")
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Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2013 by William D. Perkins
Format: Paperback
Michael John Cusick has written a book that everyone needs to read. Most will read it covered in a plain brown wrapper, though. Cusick, a counselor, spiritual director, and director of Restoring the Soul, a ministry providing soul care to ministry leaders, has hit the mark with Surfing for God. It is not surprising that there are 68 million Internet searches for pornography every day, it is not even a shock to learn that there are 70 million men who profess Christ also viewing porn in the last year. What is surprising, and the thesis of this book, is that a lust for porn is really a search for true passion. That a longing fulfilled is a tree of life, and that life consists of digging deep into ourselves, and drilling down into the life of God. This book comes highly recommended by some of the greats in soul care. I am going to obtain a copy for each of my men in our ministry, and for their wives as well. But know that Surfing for God is not necessarily a book for men; Cusick uses his former struggle for pornography to outline a pathway to understand the slippery slope of addiction, and the way home. Cusick quotes many on this subject, but this quote from Bonhoeffer tells it plain: "The pursuit of purity is not about the suppression of lust, but about the reorientation of one's life to a larger goal." Cusick's transparency depicts the cycle so many go through in the battle of lusts of many kinds, and how the battle with porn is not about sex, but about being fulfilled in the deep realms of soul. He then outlines the seven longings of the human heart are below the surface, and how hunger to be fulfilled leads us to porn. Then Cusick teaches about the spiritual roots of addiction, and how we avoid and control pain explaining the nature of shame. Then we learn about the common cycle of how men get ensnared by porn. It's this section that helps one to look deep, without shame and guilt. Next comes what Cusick calls "the fun stuff." The power of the gospel, freedom from the besetting sins, reveals desires that are even deeper than any desire for porn. It is amazing to learn that the visual nature of porn subverts our brain chemistry, and whittles away our capacity for true intimacy. Surfing for God lays out a pathway to heal the compulsive behaviors of porn addiction, and to give care to the soul, so that God can heal the brokenness that is at the heart of the addiction, and provide a way out through transparency, accountablility, prayer and the power of the Word. There is also a cool app to get to Restoring the Soul resources, purchase the book, get connected to live events, get Twitter feeds on the book, and some other stuff. FYI, I just bought the Kindle edition, so I can give this print copy away. My recommendation: Read Surfing for God, give it away, but keep a copy for yourself, and read it with a close friend. This was written as a requirement for BookSneeze.com. I was not required to submit a positive review.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2012 by Charles
Format: Paperback
Review-Surfing for God: Discovering the Divine Desire Beneath Sexual Struggle; Michael John Cusick by Chuck Roberts, MA, LPC "If you are losing the battle, please read closely: following Jesus consists of so much more than trying harder and white-knuckling your way through it. You can be free. God has charted a path to freedom that men before you have walked. You can discover this path leading to authentic transformation in your soul, a path that consists of so much more than sin management. You also need to know that your masculine soul is deeper and truer than your desire for porn." -Michael J. Cusick Back in January I found out that one of my former professors was about to publish a book about sexual addiction. As a counselor who is always looking for resources to recommend to my clients, as well as reading for my own continuing education, I immediately contacted Michael Cusick to inquire about the book. He graciously sent me a PDF of the book for me to read in advance, with the caveat that it was for "my eyes only." Since then his book has caused me no small amount of trouble. I work with sex addicts in my counseling practice. Most of them show up at my office carrying a mountain of shame, wanting desperately to be free and wondering if that's possible any longer. Within the first few pages of Michael's book I knew I was holding a gem, a resource that would be lifegiving to my clients. The "trouble" I jokingly refer to is that I've had to tell clients the past couple of months, "there's a really helpful book on its way if you can just wait a little longer." Good news, it's almost here! (It's now available for pre-order on Amazon). So Michael Cusick is a favorite former professor of mine, and perhaps I was predisposed to like his book, just as I've loved books by other favorite former profs. But I can honestly say I had no idea what I was getting when Michael sent it to me. I had no idea it would be this good, this compelling. Surfing for God is an all-encompassing book about sexual addiction, including a look at "Your Brain on Porn," with helpful explanations that make brain science understandable and interesting to one who's struggling. Michael does a thorough job showing the things going on in a man's soul that makes porn attractive and addicting. Those tempted to believe there's a surface reason with a quick and easy fix are invited to consider deeper, soulish reasons we get addicted. Michael doesn't sugarcoat anything, he tells it straight about the damage porn does to relationships and the the soul. And he does it in such a hopeful way. There's an unhurried sense about his writing, such that I came away feeling a deep rest about how much God loves us, how committed he is to our freedom, and that we don't have to hurry to "get ourselves fixed" so he can stand to be around us. Intimacy with God is available now and it's the pathway to freedom. I like the focus on centering prayer. I've been guiding men in the direction of lectio divina and centering prayer, and it was reassuring to see that direction confirmed by someone with far more experience working with men who are sexually addicted. If you've ever been addicted to something--and I believe that's everyone currently breathing (e.g. some are addicted to power, some to approval, some to helping; it's more than porn or chemical substances)--this book will help you. If you struggle with sexual addiction you will definitely be drawn to the book. Drawn, because it's full of good information and clearly organized, but especially because you're getting it from one who struggled and suffered with a sexual addiction and found freedom and can offer the rich hope dripping from the pages of this book. Some books start strong but lose momentum halfway through; the author said some compelling things early in the book and the rest seems like filler to make the book a certain length. Surfing for God starts strong, with an intriguing story in the introduction about a skylark losing its feathers, gets you fully in its grip with Chapter One, "Getting Your Feathers Back," and finishes even stronger, with a Conclusion titled, "Becoming the Hero That You Are." All the while you feel like you're taking a leisurely walk or getting coffee with a friend. If you've struggled for very long with a sexual addiction you want to be free of you have likely tried many approaches and read several books to help you figure things out. Reading one more book may be the last thing you want to do, but please read this book. I promise you, you won't be sorry. [...]
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Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2012 by Charles E. Roberts
Format: Kindle
This is one of the best books on the battle of purity in today’s overly sexualized culture. This book breaks down the true ways to live free and stay free.
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2026 by Austen Toye
Format: Kindle
I read this book out of curiosity and what I loved most was the authors care and consistency he makes you view pornography in a different light and bring you into full awareness of what is really going on from the start of pornography to the end of its hold upon someone's life. The book is written for men however anyone looking be free, stay away from pornography or knows someone deal with pornography this book is also for you. The author doesn't make excuses he shows the bad and the horrible the guilt and shame and he directs the read to God it may seem as though the book is out of order or perhaps jumps around the more the more you read the more the lightbulb will go off. The book does include scriptures as well and pages at the end to see his references. I think this book even as a general read is essential it unlocks many truths and will open eyes.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2016 by Crystal Lewis
Format: Paperback
I have read many books on this subject ... some are technical, some are spiritual, some have a little of both, but this book is one of the best I've read ... Michael John Cusick is writing from personal experience with the struggles as well as helping others address them ... Surfing for God emphasizes getting to the heart of the matter ... willpower and sin management will not prove effective long-term and may even lead to worse conditions than before. Behavior is only the "tip of the iceberg". The massive ice of the real issues reside under the surface. Cleaning only the outside of the cup ignores the filth on the inside. But Jesus said if you clean the inside the outside will be clean. We must address the heart issues at the root ... the "why" of the "what" ... the wellspring of our behaviour. We cannot just suppress or ignore our heart longings and legitimate needs. We need to face those and discover what will really meet those needs instead of the self-destructive counterfeits that we so easily fall for. Could it be that we are Surfing for God? This book is helpful and practical but has a feel of a devotional ... it is brutally honest but exudes compassion, sympathy and empathy ... Cusick shares his own struggles and path to freedom and comes along side the reader to encourage an honest look into the heart of the matter. Highly recommended.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2013 by Rick Langdon
Format: Kindle
This is a book that reads you. I didn’t know what to expect and I’ve never read a book on this topic, but I’m surprised the author doesn’t have a plethora of books. This book was just amazing, please ignore any bad reviews and give it a chance. It goes into so much detail and keeps you entranced. It really feels like he knows you, so many mind blowing revelations. Especially recommend for believers.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2025 by Peter
Format: Paperback
Surfing for God is destined to become a best-seller on the topic of sexual addiction and struggle. Why ? Because Cusick goes beyond the classic advice - "turn your head when the hottie walks by", and addresses the real issues of the heart that can fuel sexual addiction. This book offers real hope not only for those who struggle but for those who love those who struggle. While it is written to men, women will have no problem relating to the issues addressed and will be greatly helped as well. Although they manifest differently, issues of the heart are universal for men and women alike. Personally, I belive that every church in America would benefit from a sermon series on the content of this book. The problem is epidemic and it's time that the church step up to the proberbial plate and offer real hope instead of condemnation and platitudes. While Michael's book addresses sexual struggle and addiction it can truthfully be applied to any of life's struggles that hold ones captive - gambling, over-eating, shopping, you-tube surfing, etc. The timeless truths he shares have been carefully crafted in a way that are easily understood and that draw a person out of denial and into the light of truth. They are liberating. I just can't say enough good about this book !
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Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2012 by Barbara Gardner