As a pastor, I’m always on the lookout for valuable resources to hand off to other people. One I love to give to people facing difficult times is Frank Viola’s Hang On, Let Go: What to Do When Your Dreams are Shattered and Life is Falling Apart. I was dismayed to learn that Tyndale informed Frank that due to slow sales, the book may not stay in print. (You can find Frank here on Substack, frankviola.substack.com)
This special post is to let you all know that a great resource is available. I’m not receiving any compensation for this—I just really love this book and want to see it continue its life as a valuable resource. (If you order it through Amazon, there’s a very small affiliate referral fee).
Here’s Frank’s email, with a link to order the book:
I was horrified when I heard this [that Tyndale may let the book go out of print] because the book has saved countless lives. Some from suicide, others from depression and immeasurable pain. I continue to receive such reports from readers.
I hope you will read this article that the publisher helped me write because it may help you, a friend, or a loved one this holiday season.
The holidays are when many Christians feel the most acute pain, hence, why we’re featuring this article today. Here it is.
The Silent Suffering of the Season
The twinkling lights feel harsh. The cheerful carols sound hollow. While the world celebrates around you, you’re drowning in a crisis that makes every “Merry Christmas” feel like salt in a wound.
If this is your reality this Christmas season, you’re not alone—and more importantly, you’re not forgotten.
Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but for millions, it’s the most painful. Behind the festive facades, people are grappling with:
Relational devastation that leaves hearts shattered: family rifts that tear apart Christmas traditions, the empty chair where a loved one used to sit, or the crushing loneliness of spending another Christmas alone.
Health crises that cast shadows over every celebration: cancer diagnoses that change everything, chronic pain that steals joy, mental health struggles that make getting through each day feel impossible, or watching someone you love battle an illness you cannot fix.
Financial collapse that strips away not just presents under the tree, but dignity, security, and hope: job losses right before the holidays, medical bills that pile up like unwanted gifts, homes lost, dreams deferred, and the shame of not being able to provide.
The cultural pressure to be merry makes the pain even more acute. When everyone else seems to be celebrating, your crisis feels magnified, your grief more isolating, your struggle more shameful.
Continue reading this free blog on Substack HERE.