Handbook to Happiness

by Charles R. Solomon, Stephen F. Olford (Foreword)

"Handbook to Happiness" counsels hurting people by teaching them to exchange their life for Christ's. Instead of "trying to live the Christian life," which still centers on our own efforts, we need to allow Christ to live his life in us. This removes all reliance on human effort and frees us to become totally Christ centered. This revision includes personal testimonials, diagrams, and a poem by the author, illustrating his own spiritual and emotional journey.

Genres: Christian, Counselling, Christianity, Christian Living, Spirituality

176 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1980

About the author

Charles R. Solomon, EdD, was born in east Tennessee and received his BS at East Tennessee State University in 1951. Moving to Baltimore and then to Denver while working in the aerospace industry, he received his master's degree at the University of Colorado (1969) and was able to design his doctorate in a spiritual approach to counseling at the University of Northern Colorado in 1972.

Dr. Solomon and his wife, Sue - with whom he is writing a book on the history of GFI - live in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and have three children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandson. He founded Grace Fellowship International (GFI) in 1969, and there have been many spin-off ministries and publications by various authors since that time.

He developed and pioneered a Christ-centered approach to counseling in 1967, and he left industry to begin a full-time faith ministry in 1970. His first book, Handbook to Happiness (Tyndale), was written in 1971; it has been the flagship book in the exchanged-life movement. Handbook to Happiness has been translated into 7 languages and is scheduled to be translated into 12 or more this year; a condensation of chapter 2 has been translated into more than 30 languages.

Handbook to Happiness and Solomon's subsequent nine books and numerous articles are being used around the world in counseling and discipleship, with works established in India, South Africa, Kenya, Romania, Ukraine, Brazil, Canada, and Australia.

- abbreviated from http://www.tyndale.com/10_Authors/aut...

Reviews

[Julie Wadsworth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really disliked the way this author portrays mental illness and although I agree in his idea of a Christ centered life I feel he is too full of himself and "His" invention of a new way of thinking to appropriately get this across .

[Anthony Russo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a very good book. I take a star away from an otherwise 5-star review for two reasons: First, I realize Chapter 2 is the crux of the book, but it is a bit of a slow read to get through. Second, I'm not a fan of diagrams to express abstract ideas, particularly about people (emotions, the mind, etc.). Diagrams can be drawn and made to look credible whether they are or aren't, the ones in this book cheapen the principles Solomon is presenting because it looks like just another bunch of ideas that need diagrams to be plausible, which they don't.

[Christy Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abundant Life / The Exchanged Life

As a Christian experiencing burnout, I found this book to be helpful in my journey going beyond knowing Christ as Savior, to knowing and experiencing Christ as life. It explains the concepts well with lots of diagrams and is quite practical, with real life examples.

[Lauren Jahnke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gal 2:20 …..”it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”. This book is all about going to the Cross, putting down our life and putting it into Jesus’s hands. He died and was raised from the dead so we can LIVE! It was a pretty intellectual read, so I may have to go back and read it again, just to fully understand everything. I think the concept is of utmost importance!!

[Paul Byler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles focuses on the spiritual roots of many mental and emotional disorders. He emphasizes the importance of an exchanged life in order for Christians to truly experience freedom. I did like his approach, but it’s one side( albeit an important one) of a multifaceted issue.

[Willie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! A friend gave me a copy of this book many years ago. When I started reading it, I could not put it down. Learning my New Identity in Christ and learning how to live out of my New Identity help shape me in my walk and my studying of God's word.

[Sean Campos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happiness is about living the exchanged life. This book deals the spiritual psychology, and one of the books that may help you why our problems occur. Finally how all these struggles we are going through, is bringing us to an end.

[Mylon Pruett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book that takes about the dying of self in order to let Christ live through you.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Brianna Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical perspective, biblical perspective, appreciated it

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up.

[Kelly Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great content. Deep/heavy read.

[Shana D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, convicting truth.

[Kimberly Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Textbook for class. Full of incredibly important & life-changing information for everyone!

[Peggy Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to counsel people by empowering them to live through the power of the cross of Jesus Christ. After understanding the reign of flesh (living by your strength and wisdom) and how unreliable this way of life a believer can say good-by to old ways of coping with life and give Christ permission to reign in him instead. When one allows Christ to live through him, he experiences life from the power of the cross. Usually, this happens when one comes to the "end of himself." The "coming to the end of oneself" may be a gradual process, or a rapid, instant process brought about because of a crisis situation.

[Bob Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. Although the author may have had great success at this type of counseling, I find it to be something that one must be careful with when working with others. If one cannot achieve the Christ life, it could lead to shame and grief, so a proper understanding of what the author is talking about would need to be further explained and taught. For this reason I gave it only 4 stars. I will say there were a lot of great insights here.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't let the trite title fool you. This intelligent book examines how to overcome circumstances, emotional trouble --even nagging mental health struggles-- in a way that is effective, but not often pursued. From a Biblical narrative of how we're meant to receive life, a light bulb goes on. Even if you don't subscribe to the Biblical world view, I recommend you give this a try if other methods of finding peace and happiness have not worked for you.

[Shannon]

This is a inspirational book. I have found much to be thankful for with in it. I just ordered another book from Dr. Solomon The Ins and Outs of rejection. After reading the testimonies in the back of the book I believe I will find more relief in that book as well. I think this book makes us look at the work Christ did on the cross and want to deepen our commitment to Him.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

like the idea of the "exchanged life"

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life changing!

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needs updated mental health information.

[Margaret Irons · Rating 2 out of 5]

Difficult to rate because of such bad associations. If I were to look at it again I would probably have issues with some of the theology.

[K Steward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really great book that I read every so often. Every time it's well worth it. It gets to the heart of how to live the Christian life in the spirit by knowing our identity and resources in Christ as opposed to living under the law and/or walking after the flesh.

[Laura Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only read the first half of this book for a Biblical Anthropology class, but what I read was pretty great!