Finding Freedom Through The Atonement of Jesus Christ
THE RUBBER
BAND BALL
No one sets out to build it.
It does not begin with rebellion. It begins with something much quieter. A single word spoken in anger. A single moment of shame.
Whether we sinned or were sinned against, the next step is often the same: we try to manage it alone. And that is where the rubber band forms. The Rubber Band Ball names what most of us have been carrying without a word for it.
- One becomes two.
- Two become ten.
- Ten become a ball.
You Are Not The Ball
Acknowledge
If it still stings, write it. If it still brings emotion, write it. If it still shapes how you react, write it. It cannot heal in the dark. If it lives inside you, it is still yours.
Declare
Make the five surrenders literally: "I give this to the Savior. I forgive myself. I forgive the person." Speak the release out loud. These are not symbolic. They are transfers of ownership.
Release
Take a red pen. Cover the page with the five surrenders. Let it be messy. Let it be sacred. Say, "I will not pick this up again." The weight is gone. Walk through the full five-step process or download a free worksheet at the resources page.
Write It In Red.
"I give this to the Savior."
"I forgive myself."
"I will not pick this up again."
"Let it be messy. Let it be sacred."
The message is free. Always.
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Meet Ron
Howard.
Storyteller · Witness
If you had known me as a boy, you would not have predicted I would write a book. I am not a professional writer. I am a storyteller.
I have spent years watching what happens when people stop carrying what they were never meant to carry. I have watched shame lift. I have watched anger dissolve. I have watched faces that were once heavy become light again.
This book exists because I have seen what the Atonement of Jesus Christ actually does — not in theory, but in living rooms and bishop's offices and quiet moments of surrender. Ron writes about these themes in depth on the blog — covering guilt, shame, burnout, and performance-based faith.
"You are not the ball."
Ronald Howard
Author's Note — A Reading
Ronald Howard · 0:00 / 1:00
"I thought I would just
have to live with it.
You do not have to live
with it forever."
A Young Single Adult, Chapter 9
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Rubber Band Ball? +
The Rubber Band Ball is a faith-based book by Ronald Howard about finding freedom from shame, guilt, and performance-based identity through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every burden, mistake, and unresolved shame forms a band that wraps around you over time. The book teaches readers how to identify, name, and surrender those bands.
Who is this book for? +
This book is written for followers of Christ who feel stuck despite trying hard — people who carry guilt they can't shake, struggle with comparison or perfectionism, or feel like the Atonement works for everyone except them. It is also used by bishops, parents, and youth leaders as a resource for those they counsel.
Is the book available for free? +
Yes. The complete digital and audio editions are free at therubberbandball.com/resources. Ron believes this message should reach everyone who needs it, regardless of ability to pay. A print edition is available for $13.95.
What is the Five Surrenders process? +
The Five Surrenders is a structured five-step process for releasing shame and surrendering burdens through the Atonement. The steps are: Acknowledge what you carry, Work through it one item at a time, Make the Five Surrenders out loud, Write it in red ink, and Walk forward clean. See the full process at therubberbandball.com/process.
Does this book have resources for leaders? +
Yes. Chapter 13, "Leading Without Carrying Everyone," is dedicated to bishops, Relief Society presidents, parents, and youth leaders. It addresses the specific burden leaders face when they absorb the pain of those they serve. A free Leader's Guide is available at therubberbandball.com/resources.
Who is Ronald Howard? +
Ronald Howard is a storyteller, father, and served as a Bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of followers of Christ. He wrote this book after being prompted to share the process that changed his own life. Meet Ron here.