"I have never met a person whose goal was to ruin his or her life. We all want to be happy, and we want it all of the time."

So begins James Bryan Smith in this book. The problem is, he tells us, we have bought into false notions of happiness and success. These self-centered decisions lead us further into the vices that cause ruin: anger, lust, lying, worry, and judging. Eventually we find ourselves living a life that may be beautifully packaged but is self-destructive.

Following the Sermon on the Mount, this resource guides us to look behind these character flaws and to replace our false beliefs with Jesus' narratives about life in the kingdom of God.

Each chapter ends with "soul training" exercises. Best used in a group setting.