Going on When You are "Living at the End of the Rope" ~ Book Review and GIVE-AWAY

{We are excited to announce a

~~~GIVE-AWAY~~~

at the end of the post.}

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Atticus explained to his young daughter, Scout, in the great classic, “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.

This is an invaluable lesson for all of us.

There are people we rub shoulders with in our communities, books clubs, cafeterias, classrooms, and on children’s sport teams that we have simply crossed paths with as casual acquaintances.

There are people we share benches with in our families, neighbourhoods, in our churches; people with which we enjoy fellowship and build relationships and hold accountable and clean up messes as life confidants and soul mates.

For many of us, we’ve never actually climbed into these people’s skin and walked around in it and so we don’t understand what they might be living through.

Some of these people are living at the end of their rope. They are hanging on and we may not even know it. If we do happen to know a little about what they are going through, we wonder how they are holding on with such a grip.







Some of the situations are so dire and the end so seemingly near. And some of these people are not just holding on by the final thread, but there--right at the end of the rope--they have a hope with a sure anchor and a peace that passes all understanding, despite their precarious situation in life.

They would confess they are weak in and of themselves, but their white-knuckled grip demonstrates a strength that has been granted to them.

The valleys they are walking through beat them down, fill them with doubts and leave them battered. So how does anyone count these various trials they encounter with all joy?





Ron Hughes, in his book, “Living at the End of the Rope”, introduces us to individuals that are living at the end of theirs. We weep with them. However, they are living out their lives with hope because they have a Lifeline: the joy of the Lord is their strength. We can rejoice with them.

They are living humbled by the goodness of God. Strengthened by His presence, empowered by His Spirit. He is their Rock, their Salvation, their Strength, their Fortress.

Some have accepted difficult consequences due to poor choices, some have walked through the valley of death--of precious children, or a dearly-loved spouse. Some have wandered down the hard road of disease and deteriorating health. Ron shares how parents embrace and care for children with severe disabilities, how a spouse deals with a wife’s debilitating anxiety, another faced divorce after four decades of married life, and still another lives in a miss-matched marriage. Finally, we get to walk in the shoes of one who has accumulated many birthdays, but still has to run hard and strive to the end despite the physical limitations of aging.

The stories are real. They are filled with devastating news, pain, and grief. All of the storylines contain a common thread of suffering. They are not at all tied up with a bow, yet not one is lost in despair.

Woven in these stories are God’s steadfast love, abounding grace and great faithfulness. God knows our suffering and He never abandons us, not even when we wake up and our worst nightmares have become our reality.

In His sovereignty, God permits the suffering. It is a sure thing, the Bible declares that, “man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward”. But in His faithfulness and mercy, God has given us Hope—Christ in us, by grace, through faith. He has granted us new and eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But, even in that, He desires we would “look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!” that His name would be glorified.



Ron, in his master storyteller style, has captured and eloquently penned these true-life, compelling, heart-wrenching stories. Through them he invites us to climb into the skin of others and walk around in it for a bit, to understand a little of what they are enduring to be able to compassionately care for those who are hanging on for life.

Maybe you are one hanging on and you are grieving the tragic loss of your child or left without your spouse with whom you had dreamed to grow old and desperately lonely or trapped in a loveless marriage or in a battle with mental illness or a disabled or diseased body and need to know you are not alone—then this book is for you.

Maybe you are one that can reach out with a strong arm to help those who are suffering—then this book is for you.

Maybe you have walked a hard road or found your footing and now you are able to help others navigate a similar hardship—then this book is for you.



This book is for you if you need to be reminded of the sovereignty and goodness of God. He knows all about our suffering and is compassionate toward us in our suffering. He will send along others to care.

We need to open up and be vulnerable to let someone in to be able to receive that care.

Other times, we need to stop being so self-absorbed and start caring more for others. To do this, one must begin with understanding a person from their point of view. Climb into their skin. Walk around in it a bit. Take the time to view life from their perspective.

We were never meant to walk this life alone. It may be easier to withdraw from others when faced with difficult trials, or leave others alone in their troubles, but it is more fortifying to keep holding on when lovingly encouraged by others to not lose heart despite the way life tosses you around and beats you up against the relentless rocks and hard knocks.

You may be at the end of your rope.

But there is a way to keep on living.

Ron poignantly writes of these frayed stories and sure Hope and how you “don’t get the resources for living at the end of the rope until we are hanging on for dear life.”

For, as Ron reminds, “ . . . there is hope, even as we dangle”.

Give-Away:

We are excited to be giving away one (1) signed copy of "Living at the End of the Rope" by Ron Hughes.

Leave a comment or tweet to enter for your chance to win.

The winner will be announced on February 1st.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Read a free sample chapter from or purchase "Living at the End of the Rope" by Ron Hughes

Ron Hughes writes to enlighten, encourage and entertain. He and his family have engaged in missionary work in Ecuador in the past and currently he works with FBH International in evangelistic media ministry. Ron is a writer, a teacher, an encourager and preacher of the good news of Jesus Christ. 

I was honoured when Ron asked if I might read and write this review on his latest book: "Living at the End of the Rope". I am quite familiar with living at this end of the rope and can relate to those who are hanging on by faith and with hope. This is a book you will be encouraged by as you read it. You will curl up and become acquainted, shed tears of sorrow and joy with fellow sufferers who run with endurance by looking unto Jesus and fix their gaze on unseen things that are eternal as the temporal things of this world are fading away.