God Loves You Too Much to Leave You As You Are.

Every Christian knows the gap — the distance between who they are and who they want to be. The impatience that flares up too quickly. The joy that fades too easily. The love that feels more like an effort than an overflow. How does change actually happen? And is it really possible to become more like Jesus?

In Character: How Do I Change?, Sharon Dickens tackles one of the most important questions any new Christian can ask — and answers it with warmth, wisdom, and a refreshing dose of humour. Built around one key verse of Scripture and rich with practical application, this short book shows that genuine Christian character change is not about trying harder or cleaning yourself up. It begins with understanding God's love — and discovering that when that love truly takes hold of you, it transforms you from the inside out.

As Adrian Reynolds of The Proclamation Trust puts it, this is a book that feels real and relevant — not the kind of thing written by someone who lives in a bubble. And as pastor Mike McKinley notes, it packs a ton of wisdom, help, and humour into a small space. Most importantly, it helps readers grow as Christians and become more like the Saviour they love.

What This Book Covers

Sharon Dickens builds her book around a single important verse of Scripture, unpacking it with care and applying it to the realities of everyday Christian life:

What Christian character actually is — A clear, biblical picture of what it means to grow in Christlikeness and why it matters
How God changes us — The transforming power of understanding and receiving God's love as the foundation of all genuine character change
Fruit of the Spirit in practice — What love, joy, patience, gentleness, and the other marks of a Spirit-filled life actually look like day to day
Scripture memorisation — Why hiding God's Word in your heart is one of the most powerful tools for lasting character change, and how to do it
Real and relevant application — Honest, grounded, practical guidance that connects theological truth to the actual situations and struggles of everyday life
Encouragement for the journey — A tone that is warm, honest, and genuinely encouraging for anyone who feels the gap between who they are and who they want to be

What Readers Will Learn

Why genuine character change begins with grasping the love of God rather than with trying harder
How the Holy Spirit works to produce lasting transformation in the lives of believers
What the fruit of the Spirit looks like in practice — and how to grow in love, joy, peace, patience, and gentleness
Why Scripture memorisation is such a powerful tool for Christian growth and how to make it a habit
How to apply the truth of one key Bible verse to the real situations and struggles of everyday life
Why becoming more like Jesus is not an impossible standard but a genuine and joyful possibility for every Christian
How to keep growing in character even when change feels slow or difficult

How to Use This Book

Character is short, warm, and immediately engaging:

Personal reading — Ideal for any new Christian wanting to understand how God works to change them and make them more like Jesus
One-to-one discipleship — A natural resource for a more mature Christian to work through with a new believer they are mentoring — Mike McKinley notes he planned to use it with a new Christian the very week he read it
New believers class — A warm, accessible guide for churches walking new members through the basics of Christian growth
Small group use — Short enough to read together quickly, with application that naturally invites honest personal reflection and discussion
Evangelistic follow-up — A gentle, encouraging gift for someone who has recently come to faith and is beginning to ask what it means to grow

What Others Are Saying

"I really like Sharon's book. I like that it comprehensively teaches and applies one important verse. I like that it encourages Scripture memorisation. I like that it feels real and relevant, rather than the kind of thing written by someone who lives in a bubble. Most of all, I liked it because it helped me grow as a Christian and be more like the Saviour that both Sharon and I love." — Adrian Reynolds, Director of Ministry, The Proclamation Trust

"This book packs a ton of wisdom, help, and humor into a small space. Sharon does a great job showing that when we understand God's love, it transforms us so that we look more like Jesus. As I read, I found myself challenged and helped to be more loving, joyful, patient, and gentle. I plan to use this book with a new Christian this week!" — Mike McKinley, Senior Pastor, Sterling Park Baptist Church, Virginia

Who Should Read This Book

This book is for you if you are:

A new Christian who wants to understand how God changes his people and what growing in Christlikeness actually looks like
A discipleship mentor looking for a warm, practical, and biblically grounded resource to work through with a new believer
A church leader wanting a reliable, engaging guide to give to new members as they begin their Christian journey
A growing Christian who feels the gap between who they are and who they want to be — and needs fresh encouragement that genuine change is possible
Anyone who has ever wondered: Can I really change — and if so, how does it actually happen?

About the Author

Sharon Dickens is a Christian author and Bible teacher known for her warm, real, and accessible writing style. She writes with the kind of honesty and humour that makes complex theological truth feel immediately relevant to ordinary life — not abstract or distant, but grounded in the everyday experiences of real people following Jesus. Character: How Do I Change? reflects both her love for Scripture and her genuine care for new and growing Christians who are trying to understand what it means to become more like Christ.

About the First Steps Series

Character is part of the First Steps series — a collection of short, accessible books designed specifically to help new Christians take their first steps in the faith with confidence and clarity. Each volume addresses a foundational question about the Christian life in a way that is warm, practical, and easy to engage with for someone brand new to following Jesus.

Other titles in the series include: