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Creatures of Habit: Breaking the Habits Holding You Back from God's Best
Join pastor and bestselling author Steve Poe as he helps you break free from the destructive patterns that are keeping you from the joy-filled, flourishing life that Jesus promised each of us. We all have both good and bad habits in our life. Creatures of Habit reveals how to remove bad habits and replace them with godly ones. But it's not a matter of simply working hard to make changes--true transformation is God's work, and our job is to listen, obey, and put into practice what he's already directing us to do. While each chapter focuses on a different bad habit, Poe shares a self-assessment at the end of each chapter, encouraging you to ask Each chapter provides insights, biblical examples, and tangible tools that will help you break the bad habits that can become spiritual strongholds in your life. Praise for Creatures of Habit : "Any change, even an incremental one, can make a huge difference over the course of your life. It's never too late to let God help you change the trajectory of your life. Steve Poe will help you see just that." --Kyle Idleman, Senior Pastor and bestselling author of Gods at War
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2021
54 people are currently reading
2366 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 15, 2022
4⭐️
Other than the whole “forgive yourself” portion which I’m not 100% sure is biblical, this was a really good book!
Other than the whole “forgive yourself” portion which I’m not 100% sure is biblical, this was a really good book!
January 28, 2022
“So how do you know if you are self-centered? Ask yourself if these things are true in your life: Do you often become defensive? Do you blame everyone else for your problems? Do you have a hard time cooperating with others at work? Are your conversations usually about yourself?” ~ Steve Poe, Creatures of Habit.
In Creatures of Habit, Pastor Steve Poe helps Christians identify and break free from the destructive patterns that are keeping them from the joy-filled, flourishing life Jesus promised. True transformation is God’s work—our job is to listen, obey, and put into practice what he's already directing us to do.
Steve Poe has been a pastor for over thirty-four years, and during that time, he has counseled hundreds of people. He’s seen that poor choices often become bad habits that, in turn, cause people a lot of problems. Hundreds of things can become a bad habit in our lives, but Poe focuses on the most common, among them: anger, lust, worry, cynicism, pride, self-centeredness, and greed.
So, before I started writing this review, I took a deep breath. It’s hard for me to write a negative review, especially when it is a book about Jesus penned by a man of God. I hope my constructive comments are helpful, not hurtful. My intention was to read a chapter at night as my devotions. But I just couldn’t do it. It would be days between chapters.
First off, let me say that there were some real nuggets of wisdom in this book, and I often felt convicted. My copy is filled with yellow highlighting. The problem I had was with the writing. Some chapters would make wonderful sermons addressed to seekers, but I found the content too simplistic and longed for more meat. There were many grammatical errors, too many quotes from other people, too many lists separated by too many commas, too much hyperbole, and too many platitudes.
One of the author’s biggest faux pas was that most of his illustrations were about or for men, rather than for a broader audience. A few other things made me angry (I know, that’s a bad habit). In the chapter about anger, Poe wrote, “Some have said depression is actually anger turned inwards.” Who in the world said that? According to the American Psychiatric Association, one in fifteen adults suffer from depression in any given year, including me. I imagine most of them, including me, would reject your hypothesis. The scientific community agrees there are many causes of depression, most of which involve brain chemistry.
I have a recommendation for this, and other authors. It is disingenuous to use the phrase “my friends.” Since I don’t know you, I’m not your friend, nor is the bulk of your target audience. That phraseology is perfect during a sermon, but not in a book.
Whew, sorry for the negativity on this review, I'm just being honest. I make a living writing and editing other people's books, so I tend to be hypercritical. Ask any of my clients how brutal I can be. I suspect Steve Poe is a phenomenal preacher, or his churches wouldn’t be experiencing explosive growth, and there’s no doubt he has led many to Christ. The concepts in Creatures of Habit were well formed, but I’m just not sure writing is his gifting. 3 stars.
In Creatures of Habit, Pastor Steve Poe helps Christians identify and break free from the destructive patterns that are keeping them from the joy-filled, flourishing life Jesus promised. True transformation is God’s work—our job is to listen, obey, and put into practice what he's already directing us to do.
Steve Poe has been a pastor for over thirty-four years, and during that time, he has counseled hundreds of people. He’s seen that poor choices often become bad habits that, in turn, cause people a lot of problems. Hundreds of things can become a bad habit in our lives, but Poe focuses on the most common, among them: anger, lust, worry, cynicism, pride, self-centeredness, and greed.
So, before I started writing this review, I took a deep breath. It’s hard for me to write a negative review, especially when it is a book about Jesus penned by a man of God. I hope my constructive comments are helpful, not hurtful. My intention was to read a chapter at night as my devotions. But I just couldn’t do it. It would be days between chapters.
First off, let me say that there were some real nuggets of wisdom in this book, and I often felt convicted. My copy is filled with yellow highlighting. The problem I had was with the writing. Some chapters would make wonderful sermons addressed to seekers, but I found the content too simplistic and longed for more meat. There were many grammatical errors, too many quotes from other people, too many lists separated by too many commas, too much hyperbole, and too many platitudes.
One of the author’s biggest faux pas was that most of his illustrations were about or for men, rather than for a broader audience. A few other things made me angry (I know, that’s a bad habit). In the chapter about anger, Poe wrote, “Some have said depression is actually anger turned inwards.” Who in the world said that? According to the American Psychiatric Association, one in fifteen adults suffer from depression in any given year, including me. I imagine most of them, including me, would reject your hypothesis. The scientific community agrees there are many causes of depression, most of which involve brain chemistry.
I have a recommendation for this, and other authors. It is disingenuous to use the phrase “my friends.” Since I don’t know you, I’m not your friend, nor is the bulk of your target audience. That phraseology is perfect during a sermon, but not in a book.
Whew, sorry for the negativity on this review, I'm just being honest. I make a living writing and editing other people's books, so I tend to be hypercritical. Ask any of my clients how brutal I can be. I suspect Steve Poe is a phenomenal preacher, or his churches wouldn’t be experiencing explosive growth, and there’s no doubt he has led many to Christ. The concepts in Creatures of Habit were well formed, but I’m just not sure writing is his gifting. 3 stars.
April 22, 2021
*I received an ARC copy from the publishers & NetGalley in exchange for an honest & unbiased review.
Practical help on a spiritual matters, author Steve Poe, helps identify harmful habits and then explains how to create new, Godly habits.
Each chapter covers a different topic: Pride, Anger, Excuses, Lust, Cynicism, Worry, Complaining, Workaholism, Lying, Idolatry, Guilt and Prayerlessness.
At the end of each chapter Poe prompts you to "own" the poor behavior in order to implement change in your behavior and then follows up with simple practical steps on how to create a new behavior.
There were points in this book that I felt like I received a loving slap in the face (that I needed!). This book's straightforward, black and white approach calls things out for what they are and then reminds you that you were created for more. It is eye-opening and motivation exposing book packaged with the exhortation you never knew you needed. Highly recommend.
Practical help on a spiritual matters, author Steve Poe, helps identify harmful habits and then explains how to create new, Godly habits.
Each chapter covers a different topic: Pride, Anger, Excuses, Lust, Cynicism, Worry, Complaining, Workaholism, Lying, Idolatry, Guilt and Prayerlessness.
At the end of each chapter Poe prompts you to "own" the poor behavior in order to implement change in your behavior and then follows up with simple practical steps on how to create a new behavior.
There were points in this book that I felt like I received a loving slap in the face (that I needed!). This book's straightforward, black and white approach calls things out for what they are and then reminds you that you were created for more. It is eye-opening and motivation exposing book packaged with the exhortation you never knew you needed. Highly recommend.
August 8, 2023
Biblically sound but very surface level-with lots of anecdotes, stories, and quotes and not a lot of meat. It felt more like a collection of sermons which isn’t bad I just wanted some more depth. Overall though a solid read, especially for newer believers.
May 5, 2024
This book had a lot of potential and some areas of conviction that I probably needed to hear, but it definitely wasn’t a page turner. It felt as if the target audience was mainly men, although I had originally gotten the impression it was for anyone.
The author took a pretty straight forward and blunt, maybe even obvious, approach on giving advice on how to heal from or over come his listed sinful habits. Some of them may be a little over simplified and that could easily come off as insensitive to someone who has uncontrolled anger, anxiety, etc. I’m not sure that everyone’s sin in the forms that he mentioned is such a simple fix as he suggested.
I maybe would have liked to see a deeper dive into the heart issues and root behind some of the issues (more of a biblical approach) and a little less of his personal experience on some of them, only because it was very obvious which habits he could relate to and which ones he couldn’t based on his examples given.
The author took a pretty straight forward and blunt, maybe even obvious, approach on giving advice on how to heal from or over come his listed sinful habits. Some of them may be a little over simplified and that could easily come off as insensitive to someone who has uncontrolled anger, anxiety, etc. I’m not sure that everyone’s sin in the forms that he mentioned is such a simple fix as he suggested.
I maybe would have liked to see a deeper dive into the heart issues and root behind some of the issues (more of a biblical approach) and a little less of his personal experience on some of them, only because it was very obvious which habits he could relate to and which ones he couldn’t based on his examples given.
August 4, 2021
This is a wonderful book, it is perfect for a Bible Study group. My group cannot pay $19 though. Some of the topics in this book we have talked about in other studies. I like the bad habits are divided up into chapters on each one. With the pandemic back again i think people think praying is not helpful. I know when I have a particular problem and I pray God answers me with an answer in my head. It is a very good habit to celebrate when people around do good, we should focus on others. Be grateful for what you have. My husband and I were in a car accident and I was injured and our car was totalled out. I was so upset by this but the day we took pur things for the tow company we went up to the sales lot and we told the saleman we only had a certain amount of money and maybe we could not buy anything. He listened and said I have a very good SUV in your price range. When we bought this car in Calif gas was $5 per gallon so went with a small car. In Kansas we have huge trucks with deer cages and big rigs everywhere. Our car was crushed up. When we got the SUV I told my hubby God knew that the little car would not be good here and a larger frame vehicle would provide us more protection. So something bad turned into something better. God has a plan for our life we do not see at the time. I do not like be around negative cynics, they try to suck the life out of you. Be postitive even when life is hard. I worry myself and that is my habit I struggle with. So when worry hits me I try to put on my problem solving hat. This is a hard time with the pandemic still going because a lot of our choices are not allowed. At the end of the book is questions about each chapter which is good for a Bible Study.
August 9, 2022
My Wife Minerva and I got our picture taken from a kind sister before our Church service began with our copy of this book after I got it autographed, "Brad, You got this! Steve Poe". This author has been a pastor for decades, growing a small Indianapolis church into one of the largest in the U.S.A. When this author was a guest speaker at ours he detailed 12 sins that he went through and that most of us deal with as well. For example, prayerlessness, which I'm repenting of and now most often can be found "praying continually" (1st Thessaloninans 5:16). Praying for God's wisdom and to share His Gospel, using words whenever possible is very important before you get out of bed, at least silently in your mind throughout the day, before you drive or if you operate dangerous machinery, pray before that & before meals & before bedtime in Jesus Christ Holy Name, amen. This book details the entire Lord's Prayer as in the book of Matthew 6:9-13. If we live to "guard our heart" (Proverbs 4:23), believing that God is Love; He renews our mind & body as well in His perfect time! "God works together all things for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans8:28). Even spell check here put a red line under praylessness when the dictionary shows that it is a noun and means not using prayer; habitually neglecting prayer to God. This book made it clear that the disciples in the Holy Bible didn't ask Jesus how to perform miracles, instead "One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1)... https://amzn.to/3vUo9Oh
November 13, 2025
Creatures of Habit takes a look at the “bad habits” we struggle with and offers practical steps to overcome them. Each chapter focuses on a different “habit,” and outlines ways to break free from those patterns.
I found it interesting that the author consistently uses the word 'habit' rather than 'sin'. For something like biting my nails, sure—that’s a habit. But lust, lying, or idolatry? Those aren’t just habits; those are sins. Framing them all as habits hit me a little wrong because it seems to lessen the seriousness of what’s really going on.
As for the content, the suggested steps to conquer each habit aren’t necessarily new or groundbreaking. While they’re practical and easy to follow, the book doesn’t go very deep into the root causes of these struggles. For me, if I’m habitually sinning, there’s a deeper spiritual issue at work—and the ultimate answer isn’t a set of self-help steps, but true surrender to God.
That said, Creatures of Habit could be a helpful starting point for someone just beginning to recognize their destructive patterns and wanting some initial guidance toward change.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My rating system:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Absolutely loved it! I’d read it again… if my TBR pile weren’t already taller than me. Highly recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Really great read! Thoroughly enjoyed it and would happily recommend it to others.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Glad I read it! A solid read, and I might check out more from this author.
⭐️⭐️ – Just okay. Not terrible, but I kind of wish I’d picked something else.
⭐️ – Nope. Didn’t connect with it and wouldn’t recommend.
I found it interesting that the author consistently uses the word 'habit' rather than 'sin'. For something like biting my nails, sure—that’s a habit. But lust, lying, or idolatry? Those aren’t just habits; those are sins. Framing them all as habits hit me a little wrong because it seems to lessen the seriousness of what’s really going on.
As for the content, the suggested steps to conquer each habit aren’t necessarily new or groundbreaking. While they’re practical and easy to follow, the book doesn’t go very deep into the root causes of these struggles. For me, if I’m habitually sinning, there’s a deeper spiritual issue at work—and the ultimate answer isn’t a set of self-help steps, but true surrender to God.
That said, Creatures of Habit could be a helpful starting point for someone just beginning to recognize their destructive patterns and wanting some initial guidance toward change.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My rating system:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Absolutely loved it! I’d read it again… if my TBR pile weren’t already taller than me. Highly recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Really great read! Thoroughly enjoyed it and would happily recommend it to others.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Glad I read it! A solid read, and I might check out more from this author.
⭐️⭐️ – Just okay. Not terrible, but I kind of wish I’d picked something else.
⭐️ – Nope. Didn’t connect with it and wouldn’t recommend.
June 2, 2021
We'll all heard of the 7 vices, now we have the Dozen Habits. Yep, some expectedly overlap. I'm sure if we are honest, did I already say that Lying is one of the habits that a full chapter is devoted to, we are guilty of multiples of these habits if not at times all. But there is hope of course as a Christian through the forgiveness and changes possible through Christ. This very readable work helps us ask the right questions to discover where we are with each of these habits and after we take the initial step to "Own it" provides some steps to help reduce the power of each one in our lives and to ultimately and hopefully eliminate it. Still as Poe points out, most of these did not develop overnight and will most likely take some time. We will stumble, fall, and fail - but we get back up again and keep trying in this journey of life. We can be the people God desires for us to be as He made the way possible. I received my advance copy through Netgalley with no obligation for a positive review.
May 22, 2021
Thank you Netgalley & Steve Poe, for my copy of Creatures of Habit:Breaking the Habits Holding You Back from God’s Best. I had not heard of Steve Poe and was pleasantly surprised with this book. I found the way he set the chapters up by habits that keep you from living your best life & keeping you from leaning on God. This book defines a habit, helps you identify it, own it and work on it. There isn’t a time in your life where you can’t make a change. Actually Steve reminds us that it is ok to make the change at any time, as long as you start. I will probably re-read this one over and over again. I actually marked certain parts that I know I will rely on. This was a 5 star read for me and I have shared this on my Instagram page and shared my review on Barnes & Noble and other retail sites. As always I am always so glad to read Arc’s, especially, née to me authors.. Enjoy!!!
August 13, 2025
One lie and the rest is ruined...
Was really enjoying this book until the story (lie) about the actor portraying Jesus. NO WAY does someone punching someone just get left there. NO WAY does anyone come back 3 times to be punched and leave it there. NONSENSE. One lie from a supposed Christian ruins the whole thing. Reminds me of Adrian Rogers' story about being in a foreign country and asking a taxi driver what the Christian Church needed the most. The driver replied "surrender". Well, great idea, great point. HOWEVER, I read an Andrew Murray book written nearly a hundred years later with the same outcome, different setting, same outcome. I was done with Adrian Rogers right then and there, just as I'm done with Steve Poe and this book. If you lie once, who knows what is truth from that point on.
Was really enjoying this book until the story (lie) about the actor portraying Jesus. NO WAY does someone punching someone just get left there. NO WAY does anyone come back 3 times to be punched and leave it there. NONSENSE. One lie from a supposed Christian ruins the whole thing. Reminds me of Adrian Rogers' story about being in a foreign country and asking a taxi driver what the Christian Church needed the most. The driver replied "surrender". Well, great idea, great point. HOWEVER, I read an Andrew Murray book written nearly a hundred years later with the same outcome, different setting, same outcome. I was done with Adrian Rogers right then and there, just as I'm done with Steve Poe and this book. If you lie once, who knows what is truth from that point on.
July 8, 2021
"We are creatures of habit, and those habits can have a powerful hold on our lives."
"The turning point in many of our lives comes when we get past the delusion that we can fix our brokenness ourselves. The truth is, we need God's help!" - Creatures of Habit
This book tackles 12 bad habits that most people struggle with at one time or another, such as pride, anger, complaining, worry, making excuses. Each chapter begins by defining the habit and illustrating its pitfalls. It continues by providing practical action steps to make changes, while recognizing that we need the Holy Spirit's help to make true and lasting change in our life.
"The turning point in many of our lives comes when we get past the delusion that we can fix our brokenness ourselves. The truth is, we need God's help!" - Creatures of Habit
This book tackles 12 bad habits that most people struggle with at one time or another, such as pride, anger, complaining, worry, making excuses. Each chapter begins by defining the habit and illustrating its pitfalls. It continues by providing practical action steps to make changes, while recognizing that we need the Holy Spirit's help to make true and lasting change in our life.
July 8, 2021
"Creatures of Habit: Breaking the Habits Holding You Back From God's Best", by Steve Poe, is a book about different habits that we and fellow Christians must get rid of in order to live a life pleasing to the Lord. The most common habits that Poe suggests we get rid of are as follows: anger, lust, worry, cynicism, pride, greed, and self -centeredness. The author uses personal anecdotes and Bible verses to back up his thesis. I thought this book was very helpful and easy to read. I would read this book again.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
January 4, 2023
I really wanted to like this book, but it wasn't what I was hoping for and wasn't terribly useful. TL;DR: there are better books on habit formation, Christian character, and/or spiritual discipline; this book tries to offer some advice (ranging from vague to useful) on all three, but does none of them well.
The author picked twelve 'toxic habits' and expounds on the issues involved in each, then offers advice on how to fix those habits.
I took a few issues with the contents: first, the authors seems to take it as a given that these twelve toxic habits are ones that everyone struggles with and/or are the most important to fix.
Second, the advice given ranges from actual concrete actions to vague, abstract notions. Anyone who has done research on habits knows that old habits cannot be waved away but must conscientiously be replaced by new, positive habits. The author did not live up to the promise of helping you create Godlier habits.
Third, the author could have (should have) dug deeper into the word. Too often, it felt like biblical quotes were selected to support the author's viewpoint, rather than starting with the Word and building a message from there.
Fourth, the author imparts 'wisdom' that is debatable if not flat-out wrong. I could write a separate essay on this, but if nothing else, the author's assertions about the root and treatment of many addictions (for instance, pornography stemming from an anger problem?) is incredibly problematic.
The author picked twelve 'toxic habits' and expounds on the issues involved in each, then offers advice on how to fix those habits.
I took a few issues with the contents: first, the authors seems to take it as a given that these twelve toxic habits are ones that everyone struggles with and/or are the most important to fix.
Second, the advice given ranges from actual concrete actions to vague, abstract notions. Anyone who has done research on habits knows that old habits cannot be waved away but must conscientiously be replaced by new, positive habits. The author did not live up to the promise of helping you create Godlier habits.
Third, the author could have (should have) dug deeper into the word. Too often, it felt like biblical quotes were selected to support the author's viewpoint, rather than starting with the Word and building a message from there.
Fourth, the author imparts 'wisdom' that is debatable if not flat-out wrong. I could write a separate essay on this, but if nothing else, the author's assertions about the root and treatment of many addictions (for instance, pornography stemming from an anger problem?) is incredibly problematic.
February 20, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! The author identified many vices and how the reader could break these habits by owning them and working on steps to help improve. He utilizes many Biblical passages and stories as well as his own personal experiences. The book really resonated with me and I found myself highlighting large sections throughout.
January 3, 2023
This is a great book to read if you are struggling with habitual habits. It gives awesome ways to simply follow the steps to break a habit you want to break. But remember, a habit did not grow overnight, so you’re not going to break it overnight. It’s a process. This is also great for small groups and I plan on using this book for my small group.
March 20, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up. I love the concept of the book and I believe that many useful points were made. That said, the oversimplification of the habits and the solutions often did not sit well with me and I would have liked more explanations to be based on accurate theology instead of anecdotes and quotes from random people.
June 15, 2021
Without a doubt, we are creatures of habit. This is an important message especially at this time in my life. The timing could not have been better for such a story. Enjoyed the read! Thank you Net Galley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review!
August 17, 2021
My friends and I really enjoyed Creatures of Habit by Steve Poe. We met every other week over the summer to discuss the chapters we read. Educating, understandable and often convicting. This is a great book for those who want to take their Christian walk to a deeper level.
January 30, 2022
Fine book
I only give a 5 if the book is life changing, maybe a few in my lifetime. A 4 is a really good book. This book is fine. I learned a few things and was reminded of other things. I recommend it.
I only give a 5 if the book is life changing, maybe a few in my lifetime. A 4 is a really good book. This book is fine. I learned a few things and was reminded of other things. I recommend it.
August 1, 2022
Such an eye opening book. When reading each topic of the chapters in the beginning I told myself that a few of these I didn’t struggle with but Steve clearly shows and points out in a graceful loving way that we all struggle with them.
July 25, 2021
This was a great surprise. I wasn’t looking for this type of read right now but I needed this book and I learned from this book and it made me think and take notes!!
October 18, 2021
Excellent book! Very readable and unlike other self help books, it had concrete suggestions. Highly recommend.
December 27, 2021
great book
This book gives great ideas on breaking the bad habits in our life that so many of us have. I highly recommend this book,
This book gives great ideas on breaking the bad habits in our life that so many of us have. I highly recommend this book,
February 19, 2022
Loved this book! Really opens your eyes to some habits you might have that you didn’t see.
May 21, 2022
I love how practical this book is. Steve gives practical obtainable steps to combat our strongholds. I also know Steve personally and he is an amazing pastor and leader. Thanks Steve!
December 4, 2023
This book is very applicable and is full of great teaching and good advice.
June 21, 2024
Purchased this book from the author during church service. I read it and absolutely loved it!
November 17, 2025
very good
September 12, 2021
Steve Poe, helps identify harmful habits and then explains how to create new, Godly habits.
The book covers various topics - Pride, Anger, Excuses, Lust, Cynicism, Worry, Complaining, Workaholism, Lying, Idolatry, Guilt ...
The book covers various topics - Pride, Anger, Excuses, Lust, Cynicism, Worry, Complaining, Workaholism, Lying, Idolatry, Guilt ...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews