Power Made Perfect: Finding True Strength in Christ

Leigh Ann Roman reviews John Edwards' new book chronicling recovery from addiction through living out the sacraments of the Catholic faith.

Power Made Perfect: Finding True Strength in Christ 

By John Edwards

Published by Heart of the Holy Family Publishing, LLC 

Power Made Perfect: Finding True Strength in Christ by John Edwards is a book about how the love and mercy of Christ, expressed through many people in the author’s life, turned him away from a life of addiction toward a life of gratitude and self-giving.

Published in 2026 by Heart of the Holy Family Publishing, LLC, the book chronicles the author’s recovery from addiction to cocaine and pornography by living out the sacraments of the Catholic faith with guidance from a truly devoted parish priest, support from a parish men’s group, and the love and forgiveness of his wife. I attend the same parish as John in Memphis, so I know him and his family. But, until I read this book, I didn’t know the full story of his restoration in Christ. Today, John leads men’s retreats around the country, helps to establish men’s groups in parishes, and leads pilgrimages with local priests through his ministry, Just a Guy in the Pew.

A Story of Hope 

This is a story that offers hope on a grand scale. It’s a story to which many can relate because addiction can be found at some level in any family. What makes John’s book so compelling is the sense that this fall could happen to anyone if it happened to him: a nice kid from Memphis, an athlete, and a popular salesman. He was a person who seemed to have a perfect life: a beautiful wife and children. But beneath it all, he was hiding feelings of powerlessness and inadequacy that many people carry.

When he turned to substances for relief, his life went way off track, and he ended up in jail on Good Friday with a felony cocaine charge. In that jail cell, he had an experience of God that proved to be a turning point. But it was God’s love and mercy expressed through John’s wife and parish priest that restored his life and his faith.

The Structure of the Sacraments

The impact of a good parish priest is evident in John’s story. When John was obviously upset at a daily Mass, Father Martell cared enough to reach out and suggest he come to Confession. Afterward, he set up a plan of action for John during his 30 days off work for outpatient rehab. He instructed John to attend daily Mass, lector at daily Mass, and go to confession every Friday. This gave him a framework for repentance and amendment of his life.

That day in the church, I began to understand what it meant to truly repent and go before the Lord asking for his mercy. The sacrament of reconciliation is a such a gift to us all. (Power Made Perfect, p. 123)

He adds that the power he had been seeking for a lifetime began to be visible. “It was waiting for me in the confessional. It was a gift of powerful grace from a loving Father.”

Although this is one man’s story of recovery, some universal themes are clear. Recovery requires surrender, repentance, and amendment of life. It also requires community and accountability, and John has made that his life’s work as he visits parishes to hold men’s retreats and establish men’s groups so that Catholic men can walk side by side as Christians in the world.

The book is separated into three sections, each with reflection and discussion questions at the end. The sections include: The Search for Power; Facing Your Powerlessness; A Power Made Perfect.

Pathways to Recovery

I do recommend this book and believe it can be a help to many. My only caveat is that John’s one mention of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) describes how he ultimately chose not to continue that path because “some people there seemed to be without joy” (p. 127). Because of my own family history, I know several people who have found lasting recovery in the AA program, so I firmly believe that it offers a valid pathway to recovery, as well.

A strength of the book is the raw honesty with which John shares his story. He shares his failures, his struggles, and the sometime rocky path to repairing relationships. This kind of vulnerability can offer hope to people who believe they are alone in their difficulties and show a pathway to peace for those who have gone down a similar road. Another strength of the book is its demonstration of the power of the sacraments in leading a life of grace with God.

This is a book that could be meaningful to an individual or used with a group. It can be used to open conversations that many men just would not initiate on their own. In chronicling one man’s path to repentance and redemption, the book shows other men there is a pathway out of the prison of addiction. It is a journey that starts with surrender to Christ and ultimately leads to joy. 

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Copyright 2026 Leigh Ann Roman
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