7 Lies That Will Ruin Your Life: What My Journey from Porn Star to Preacher Taught Me About the Truth That Sets Us Free

by Joshua Broome, Jonathan "JP" Pokluda (Foreword)

Modern culture often sells us lies, a series of counterfeits that masquerade as truth. They promise to bring success, affirmation, fame, and even riches—all of the things that we think will make us happy. Yet none of these things will ultimately fulfill us, and believing these lies can lead us down the path of destruction.

Joshua Broome knows this firsthand. He had a successful career in the adult film industry, making lots of money and achieving notoriety and all the markers of success. And yet he felt empty inside. After hitting rock bottom, he cried out to Jesus ... and it was only then that he was fully redeemed.

In 7 Lies That Will Ruin Your Life, Joshua examines seven things we are told will make us happy and shows how each of them points us back to our need for God. 
 
Using his own journey as a point of reference, 7 Lies That Will Ruin Your Life  pairs his personal experiences with Biblical truths, demonstrating both  how we can be deceived and the healing truth that comes when we realize that Jesus really is enough.

Genres: Faith, Christian, Religion, Christianity, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2024

Reviews

[Utah Kershner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had heard of Joshua Broome before and knew a little of his story but reading this book was so good. His story is powerful and such a testament to God’s pursuit of us. He doesn’t just tell his story but he breaks down the lies we often believe that drive a wedge between us and God. This story is sobering and emotional at times but also so beautiful. Give it a read if you have a chance.

[Aimee Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUCH an incredible story. Very inspiring and pure evidence of the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 7 Lies that Will Ruin Your Life, Joshua Broome explored the lies that we are believing and how they can destroy us, if we let them. He shared how he was once a famous porn star who went by a different stage name, Rocco Reed. When he was out in public, he would often get recognized. He made over a million dollars. He was nominated for 18 awards and won Best Male Star three years in a row. He went into detail about when he felt his lowest and hit rock bottom. He experienced a wake up call that changed his entire life. He had just finished filming a scene in Atlanta. He was dealing with the effects of erectile function medication. He contemplate how many pain pills he could take to end his life. He recalls separating them into four groups on three. He still had his paycheck in his pocket from the film. He glanced at the check and felt shame and he didn’t want his mother or brother having to see the website’s name when they found it uncashed. He had planned to avoid the bank teller like he normally does. Today, he chose to interact. The teller asked him he was okay. She called him by his real name, Joshua. This made him feel seen. He realized that he ran from everyone and was numb from sex and fame. He explained how when he was a kid he loved attention and he chased after momentary success. He was changed by Jesus and now he is a speaker who shares his testimony. He has even tried to get the government to enact the Protect act and this would require government ID to be required to access porn. Also, he has tried to get a bill to allow performers to retract their consent at a later date and the videos would have to be removed.




One of my favorite chapters discussed imitation intimacy and how suicide rates are increasing and it’s top leading cause of death. Gen z is now also being referred to as the loneliness generation despite us being more connected with social media and phones. He clarified how scriptures even state how man isn’t supposed to be alone. This has lead to porn to becoming more socially acceptable. He had difficulty in getting close to others because of fear of his past being brought back up. He explained the difference between lust and love and how his wife helped him to discover what love is. He shared how he grew in intimacy with God and reveals how we can to.




I would recommend this life changing book to anyone who is dealing with the effects of watching porn and they are seeking to change their lives around. I liked how each chapter enclosed a prayer, a personal declarations, scriptures reflection. All of these helped in connecting the lessons together and providing us with the courage to battle the lies. I immensely liked reading about Joshua’s story and it was telling in revealing the negative impacts of the porn industry. It was inspiring to read about how Jesus forever changed his life and he found true freedom.



I received this book free from Faith Words for my honest review.”

[Sarena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean this all as constructive criticism -
JB has a story to tell, but I feel he would’ve benefited from having someone else tell it. The organization of this book was poor. It honestly felt like a first draft. It didn’t follow a good timeline, or have any good flow. JB kept flipping back and forth from impacting moments. It was very wordy - JB took a page to say what he could’ve accomplished in a paragraph. He also added in stories from others, which felt more disconnected. I feel enough could need and relate to JB’s story, not need extra examples. There was also zero humor, might be something I care about personally, but I think left it feeling stale.

So, basically, re-organize the entire book, cut out half of it, add some humor, and it’s a great read.

[Douglas Biggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The biographies in this book, including the author's, were riveting and full of the power of redemption that comes from faith in Jesus. I wanted more of that. Broome's own story seemed both in depth and also in some spots really short.

I think I wanted more of that biography explicitly linked to the 7 lies in the book but it felt a little disconnected. At the same time, I was hooked from the introduction. Excellent work and an encouraging book for anyone that struggles seeing Jesus through the lies the world tries to tell us about fulfillment.

[Nathan L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joshua, does an excellent job weaving his story and the stories of others through his analysis of 7 common lies found in our culture. He is consistent with including Scripture and focusing on the truth of God’s Word and the redemption we can have in Jesus.

[Mackenzie Wehunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story and some good stuff but lacked organization and had a lot of repetition. Less personalization than I was expecting

[Natalee Grover · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I could have gotten the same thing from a 20 minutes TED talk. However, it was a fine book. I wouldn’t read it again.

[Danielle Kennelley, · Rating 5 out of 5]

life changing

Well written. Direct and to the point with compassion. Practical and detailed. Stories help with comprehension. Easy to read and follow.

[Steffanie Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Compelling story, such a fantastic testament to just what God can do if you’re willing to let Him lead!

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book in alignment with Christianity

This book is a great read, it’s got many wisdom and insight from the Bible and from Joshua’s life that can be useful. I recommend it