Book Reviews

“Handbook to Happiness: A Biblical Guide to Victorious Living” by Dr. Charles R. Solomon is a fifty-year classic, with more than a quarter of a million copies sold. For generations, believers have been enriched by deeper life devotional writers such as Watchman Nee, Andrew Murray, and Oswald Chambers. Yet most who struggle with life-controlling problems assume that “devotional truth” does not directly pertain to their need for personal freedom. In “Handbook to Happiness,” the author writes from personal experience as he bridges this gap, providing a clarified, practical handbook for strategic discipling and effective counseling.

It counsels hurting people to exchange their life for Christ’s. Instead of trying to live the Christian life by our own efforts and in our own strength, we allow Christ to live His life in us, enabling us to become totally Christ centered. How do you fix a broken person? Where do you take twisted emotions to get them repaired? The answer is the Cross. We must die to self and find life in Christ, by appropriating His work on the Cross, as taught in Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” 

Dr. Solomon calls this “Exchanged-Life Counseling.” Don’t “Get A Life” – Exchange It! For five decades, thousands have found help and healing through Spirituotherapy – a completely Christ-centered strategy pioneered by Dr. Solomon. The practical principles of this time-tested, proven treatment are presented in “Handbook to Happiness – A Biblical Guide to Victorious Living.” Those dealing with emotional struggles are helped by returning to the cross of Christ and seeing themselves buried with Christ in His crucifixion and raised to new life in His resurrection. “Handbook to Happiness” relies heavily on the truth of Scripture to give people hope and encouragement. 

Countless lives have been transformed by the Holy Spirit on all six continents since 1970. There have been many spin-off ministries such that an exchanged life movement has been launched and several books written. Each life that is transformed has experienced revival. Many people have been set free where psychotherapy had failed, including addictions. The wheel and line diagrams are effective from 8-80 and may be used in evangelism, discipleship and counseling. Prison inmates are very receptive to the book’s message. The Handbook to Happiness is published in 10 languages with chapter 2 (the Wheel and Line) in 49 languages.

Dr. Charles R. Solomon, the author of “Handbook to Happiness” and founder of Grace Fellowship International, has an extensive counseling ministry in the United States and worldwide. He has written twenty books, including four books of New Covenant Poetry.