How To Live In Fear

How to Live in Fear: Mastering the Art of Freaking Out by Lance Hahn is a refreshing look at panic disorder, fear, and anxiety by a senior pastor of a thriving church. As soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. As a nearly lifelong sufferer of panic attacks and anxiety, it's rare to find a good Christian book about these types of issues - and even rarer for it to be by a pastor. I am so grateful that Lance Hahn was willing to be so open and transparent about his struggles in order to help fellow Christians and sufferers. The book description reads:

"Find freedom in an age of anxiety.

Let’s face it: we are afraid. Our world is riddled with fear-inducing headlines, financial meltdowns, family crises, and phobias of every stripe. No wonder the New York Times now reports one in ten Americans is now taking antidepressant or anxiety medication. So how do we cope or even succeed in a world spinning out of control? As someone who has battled panic attacks and anxiety most of his life, Lance Hahn can relate.

In How to Live in Fear, Lance tackles the pervasive problem of fear and panic head-on by inviting readers into his world. In this genuine and practical book, he invites readers into the life of a pastor living with anxiety disorder. Through humorous personal stories—like losing it on an airplane or collapsing onstage as he is about to preach—Lance will win over readers with his transparency. He will also share the remedies that have helped him recover and overcome throughout the years.

How to Live in Fear is a public intervention of sorts. We need to talk about this issue, especially the church-at-large. Millions of people suffer from anxiety disorders, and the church has done little to make them feel normal. Many Christians now take medication privately but keep it a secret under the shame of being viewed as a failure. Lance willingly bares his soul in order to get the conversation started. He firmly believes the church should not only recognize the issue, but also help believers reconcile the guilt of being a Christian while dealing with dread and anxiety

Filled with practical tips and advice, and full of relevant scriptures, How to Live in Fear gives readers the tools to relax in the face of fear—real or imagined. Lance will show readers that while he may still encounter bouts of panic, he has never let his disorder stop him from living a full life."

This book's divided into three sections: Part One (Living In Fear: My Story) in which he describes his lifelong path through panic disorder, Part Two (Living In Fear: Our Journey Together) where he gives a lot of background on anxiety disorders, explores causes, triggers, and more, and gives some helpful tips. Part Three (Living In Fear: The Journey With Our Father) where he explores relying on our faith in the Lord to help us through our fears and anxieties and spiritual warfare. I absolutely loved Pastor Hahn's open, honest, funny, and witty writing style. I flew through this book with highlighter in hand. I know this is a book that I will refer to over and over again. It's such a relief to find another Christian who's dealt with basically the exact same thing I've dealt with as well. I also appreciated that he doesn't decry medications, which I believe to be an essential and necessary part of treatment for many people. This is an absolute must-read for any Christian suffering with these issues. I highly recommend it to anyone suffering from panic and anxiety or the loved ones of those suffering, so they can understand what their loved one is going through.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.