Hang On, Let Go - by Frank Viola (Paperback)

About the Book

Written from the pit of numerous soul-piercing adversities in the author's own life. In this volume, he draws from the insights he gleaned from the Lord, friends, and writers during his darkest days. The wisdom contained in this volume became the bread and butter the author relied on, helping him to be developed by his trials rather than destroyed by them.

Book Synopsis

Bestselling author Frank Viola writes a time-tested field guide to weathering the storms of life.

Whether it's the loss of a job, a child who has gotten into serious trouble, a relationship that's in peril, or a loved one with a debilitating illness, at some point, something in our lives will strip us of all control. Life comes apart at the seams, and hope begins to evaporate.

Hang On, Let Go was written from the pit of numerous soul-piercing adversities in Frank's own life. In this volume, he draws from the insights he gleaned from the Lord, friends, and writers during his darkest days. The wisdom contained in this volume became the bread and butter Frank relied on, helping him to be developed by his trials rather than destroyed by them.

Each short chapter explores a different aspect of the storm: When You Need to Regrip, Walking in the Darkness, Abandoning Fix-It Mode, The Story in Our Head, Just Breathe, and much more. This book is about how to react to intense trials in your life with two seemingly contradictory impulses: hang on, let go.

How is that possible? . . . Read on. Frank explores the how and the why in this highly practical, incisive, no-nonsense guidebook on how to thrive during the inevitable pitfalls of life.

Review Quotes

Frank Viola's book Hang On, Let Go, is about infusing one's Christian spirituality with real guts.

Viola draws on the tough-minded perspective of the New Testament's James in his efforts to inspire people during hard times. When hope feels lost, the text stresses two quintessential religious practices: holding tight to God, and being willing to let go of everything else. The trick, Viola argues, is to look at "your pain from the vantage point of Christ's sufferings." Here, troubles are never just about the problem at hand--they're also about "your relationship with Jesus."

Written as a series of brief reflections, the book covers topics like the stages of a crisis and divine delays. Together, they form an inspiring body of spiritual truths that draw on biblical lines, as when Viola nods to the psalms to reference cleansing waters, and to Job to discuss the endurance of suffering. Viola's is a staccato, healing theological perspective: "Detach yourself from the outcome. Surrender it to God. But hold on to the Lord. Fiercely."

The book also involves dashes of lived experience as it moves beyond happy, clappy evangelism to be honest about how challenging following Jesus can actually be. Viola alludes to his own struggles and trials; he mentions feeling like he was holding on by a greased fingernail as he avoided the abyss of despair.

As hope-filled as it is challenging, Viola's work acknowledges that letting go includes being willing to abandon any dear expectations about the future. This helps to make Hang On, Let Go a fantastic self-help work for Christians who are facing desperate times.--Foreword Reviews