I almost titled this post “Unstumbled and touching the Son at Calvary” but that seemed too long.?? You’ll understand why after you read this post.??
I have a tradition of picking up two to three books before going on a trip.?? I am a voracious reader and vacationing without new books is completely foreign to me.?? I didn’t have much time to shop for my “top picks” before going camping so I perused the book section at Sam’s Club as a last ditch effort before going out of town.?? The cover of this book caught my eye.????Loving photography, the balance of light and dark in the picture drew me in.?? I turned to the back cover and noticed that none other than Michael W. Smith and Eugene Peterson (author of the Message Bible which I love) were endorsing it.?? When I read the description I was instantly captivated.?? Here is the back cover description:
Mackenzie Allen Phillips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness.?? Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for the weekend.
Against his better judgement,??he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare.?? What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever.??
In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant, The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world filled with unspeakable pain?”?? The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him.?? You’ll want everyone you know to read this book.
I write this post today as one of the “transformed”.
This is a book that you will either love or hate…or perhaps love and hate.?? I think that is where I would side…definitely a love/hate relationship.?? I was deeply and profoundly moved by this book though and the effects of it have been far reaching for me.?? As I read this book on our camping trip I was so grateful for the children quiet at play and Jim taking a long nap because I sobbed my heart out.?? Not at the story itself (which is a FABULOUS and creative fictional story all by itself) but at the deeply moving conversations between God and Mack that I felt within the depths of me.?? I had to take many long pauses to hash some things out with God.?? If nothing else, what an incredible catalyst for intimacy between my Jesus and me.
Without “spoiling this” (I hope), I want to tell you a bit more about the book so you will better understand the premise of this post.?? In this book, God chooses to reveal himself to Mack in the form of the trinity.?? Each member of the trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit take on different human forms in order to minister best to Mack in the depths and deep pit of his suffering.?? This was a risky move for the author because the book became more than fiction – it presented theology in the form of fiction.?? The question was, would it be accepted??? By some yes, others are crying heretical.?? I am not one of those who found it heresy.?? To quote my dad: “I didn’t find one thing that gave me the slightest amount of heart burn”?? LOL.?? Instead, I find myself??crying “God move me” because I only have the smallest fraction of understanding of your all encompassing magnificent grace.
I will let you know up front that if you read reviews on this (and I wouldn’t recommend that until after you have read it to be fair), you will find that some people are claiming that Paul Young is a heretic, anti-orthodoxy and a universalist.?? None of these things are true.?? Quite far from the truth actually.?? I have spent several hours pouring over Paul’s blog and the ministries he is associated with and I am absolutely confident that this man CLEARLY understands salvation through FAITH ALONE in Jesus.?? Why then, is this book offending people??? Because deeply rooted in the hearts of many of the “religious” is a staunch legalism that dictates much of what we do and say and believe.?? For those that are held in bondage by this legalism, this book can be painful because we are afraid of all it does not say (example: not clearly outlining a salvation plan) and all that it does (BIG grace that stretches us huge).
I can relate very well to those naysayers.?? As most of my regular readers know, my father has been a minister for almost 35 years.?? We came to Phoenix when I was 4 years old and my father took the position as pastor for a small Conservative Baptist Church.?? My father comes from a long line of fantastically legalistic people.?? He loved them dearly and they him.?? Thankfully, my great-grandfather and grandfather both were changed dramatically by the mercy of God over the years and in their older age, both of them embraced grace with everything in them…but getting there was a long road.?? My father, by nature, resisted legalism.?? It made him a bit of a maverick and he has been “on the outs” with several “religious” organizations because of this.?? He even makes ME nervous.?? My goodness you should have seen how the congregation reacted about 10 years ago when he started preaching that “sin is NOT the issue”.?? Wow!?? It didn’t go over well with many.?? It freed me.?? I didn’t get it though.?? Still struggle with it.?? But I am coming around.?? Slowly but surely I am starting to see more and more truth…more of who HE really is…how much HE loves me…and it shakes me to the core of my being.??
Dad understands grace far better than I.?? As I said, a struggle with legalism has never been the challenge for him that it is for me because he is not a performer but even he went through a major metamorphoses about 15 years ago.?? That is what started all the change in our church though few knew that at the time.?? This post is going to branch out in a couple of directions but we’ll end up back on my book review – I promise.
In 1992 I was sexually abused by a boyfriend.?? I have shared my story in great detail with my Grace Gals but I don’t know that I have ever mentioned it here.?? It serves a purpose today though so I “pen” it.?? I was beyond desperate during this time.?? I was 19 years old and begging God to kill me because I didn’t have the nerve to commit suicide.?? I had lived those 19 years by a very strict code of all the things I wouldn’t and never did.?? To have this situation happen was beyond what I could endure AND I WAS TO BLAME for portions of the abuse.?? I made some poor choices that perpetuated some of my consequences though not all.?? When my parents finally find out what had happened, my father wanted to know why I didn’t tell him.?? My answer broke his heart and he didn’t know how to live with my answer.
“Because I was afraid that if the people in your congregation found out, they would blame you.?? They would say that you had not parented me well.”?? I owned the entire deal at that time of my life and the shame was overwhelming.?? There was no way I would risk drawing my parents into it and forcing them into owning my “great” shame.?? I have??had several??”great sadnesses”. This was one of them.
While I couldn’t understand it at that time, this was the worst thing to have said to my father because here is what he heard in his own heart and mind “Because I have chosen to follow God’s leading and become a Pastor, I sacrificed my child.”??
The truth of the matter is that (a) our congregation would have been much more gracious than I was capable of giving them credit for – they had their own stories and hurts too and (b) God did??NOT allow me to be a sideline sacrifice for my Dad’s ministry.?? That was a lie straight from the pit.?? But when we are??in deep??grief there are a lot of lies we will believed.?? The ones we tell ourselves.?? These were??just two.
This part of the story isn’t mine to tell…it’s Dad’s but I will go a bit further anyhow.
For the next couple of years my??raging started to subside but my father’s grew FIERCE.????I don’t know if he himself knows how he survived his own rage and grief.?? Ultimately it nearly broke him – can you imagine how that would feel as a minister??? Too hold something so great in your spirit and have to press on?????He began to purchase every book on grace he could think of.?? He knew he had to be freed from his anger but had no idea how to remove his grip from the neck of my pain.?? I will never forget the day he sat me down in his room and asked my??permission to forgive my??abuser.????He stated up front that he knew that what he had just stated was poor theology but as a daddy, he couldn’t get past the??emotion of??forgiving someone if I couldn’t.????God had already prepared my heart for this.?? I needed my daddy to forgive so we could both move on.?? God’s timing was perfect.?? We cried together and moved forward in grace.????This may seem a simple straightforward tale but it??isn’t.?? It has changed so much about us, our lives, our ministry.?? Even the name of our church.????For those in our inner circle, now you know the heart behind “Grace Family Fellowship”.?? It was during this time that Dad felt the??Spirit??lead??Him to step forward??and embrace and proclaim Grace.???? I wish this would have been well received…it wasn’t.?? You have no idea how difficult it is to change the name of??a Conservative Baptist Church (unless you are a??Conservative Baptist and then you might have a clue LOL).?? I do not say this with a heart of disrespect towards my former denomination.????While I am not in agreeance with all things “Baptist”,??I hold dearly to their basic statement of faith.?? For me, it is an issue of application versus belief??that results in me feeling like I am better suited to not claiming a “denomination”.?? Don’t want the title??- just want Jesus.???? But I don’t want to derail this conversation??down this side line – not important right now.?? When you read The Shack though, you will find a lot of relevance in the story I have shared with you (and you ARE going to read it right?).?? My Dad and I both have been where Mack is.?? So have you.?? Our stories different – our hearts and our grief and suffering….quite similar.
So we are now over 15 years past my “great sadness” and I still struggle with grace.?? Why is that??? I think the answer is because I am such a performer.?? I am a “do right be right” kind of girl.?? I have a strong belief in “you will sow what you reap”.?? I also am a controller.?? That means that often I am motivated to “do right” so that I can control my outcomes.?? True, I don’t often suffer the consequences of “big” sin because I try hard not to do those things but I do suffer the consequences of self righteousness and of living in the flesh instead of living in the Spirit.?? What in the heck does that mean anyhow??? I have been trying my darnedest to get to the bottom of that for quite some time.?? I feel like I am standing on the precipice of knowledge on this point and it is just out of my grasp.????I feel myself moving closer to the truth though.?? The Shack helped with that.?? It’s a painful journey but one I am glad I am taking.??
I read a quiz recently on how to detect if you are a legalist.?? I failed miserably and sent it to dad with a big smiley face.?? He had no doubt I would fail miserably.?? He knows my weakness.?? Here it is:
Could you be a legalist????Take the quiz!
Answer yes or no to the following questions:
1) God’s love for me depends on what I do. HEAD KNOWLEDGE NO – APPLICATION OFTEN YES.
2) Meeting the expectations of others, especially those in my congregation or in positions of authority, are paramount.?? SAME ANSWER AS ABOVE.
3) Moral and ethical questions are usually black and white and only made into fuzzy shades of gray by hand-wringing, bleeding-heart types.?? DEFINITELY YES THOUGH I AM WORKING ON THAT.?? I WANT THINGS TO BE BLACK AND WHITE ALL THE TIME.
4) I try hard to obey God and it irritates me that others think they can get away with avoiding the same level of dedication.?? YES.?? 🙂
5) I fall short because I don’t have enough faith, or because I haven’t prayed enough, or because I just need to be a better person.?? YES:)
6) God is predisposed to be angry with me because I am a sinner. My main goal in life is to try to gain God’s favor by doing things that will impress him.?? AGAIN…APPLICATION OFTEN YES THOUGH I KNOW BETTER.
7) My sense of spiritual well-being is linked to a Christian leader or membership in my church rather than a personal relationship with God.?? NO.?? WHEWW ONE I COULD SAY NO ON.
8) I tell my children not to do something in church or around other Christian families that I allow in my home.?? DON’T THINK I DO THAT – I THINK WE ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT.
9) I believe my church is God’s true church and that most other Christians may be sincere, but are sincerely wrong.?? SOMETIMES YES LOL.?? AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE…BUT THEN SOMETIMES MY BELIEF IS. THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO HEAVEN – JESUS ALONE AND MANY DENOMINATIONS TEACH THIS – WE NEED TO BE BETTER AT KEEPING THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING.?? THE “CHURCH” IS NOT A BUILDING – IT IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE EMBRACED A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS AND WE COME FROM MANY DENOMINATIONS.?? I MEAN AFTER ALL…MY VERY BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD IS ASSEMBLIES OF GOD AND I EXPECT TO BE SEATED QUITE NEAR HER AT THE MARRIAGE SUPPER HEE HEE.
10) The exterior choices a person makes in what they wear, hairstyle, piercings, tattoos, etc. is a clear indication of that person’s character.?? I DO SOMETIMES THINK THAT BECAUSE FRANKLY SOMETIMES IT IS – THE OUTSIDE DOES PRESENT A PICTURE OF THE INSIDE IN SOME CASES (BUT I SUBMIT…NOT ALL)
11) I sometimes worry that people might take advantage of grace if it’s preached too much ???people might think they can do anything they want.?? YES YES YES LOL
12) After being around Christians for a while I feel drained ???weary of putting up a false front.???? SOMETIMES CHRISTIANS DO DRAIN ME LOL
13) When I happen to miss a service or activity of my church I feel guilty.?? SOMETIMES YES
14) I will likely get into heaven, even though I’m far from perfect, because I have tried to be a basically good person and God will take that into account.?? THANKFULLY I CAN SAFELY ANSWER NO.
How did you do????? UH…..NOT VERY WELL LOL.
Curious…how did you do??? Feel like self exposing??? Apparently I am just going crazy with vulnerability today. 🙂
Now let’s come back full circle to The Shack and why I want you to read it.?? The reason it moved me so much is because it drew to light my legalism…my performances, my desperate attempts to please God with my independance – doing it by myself having no idea what it really means to be “in” the spirit.?? Some people are responding very negatively to the concept in the book that the question isn’t “What Would Jesus Do” because God did not intend for us to “emulate” Christ.?? WOW BIG STATEMENT.?? Instead, He wants to LIVE IN us.?? He wants our relationship to be so loving and secure that our outward movement is an extension of our inward relationship.?? Oh if only I could get there.?? If I made a choice to not gossip today (for example 🙂 ), not because I was performing and checking another “right action” off on my list but because Jesus and I were talking about it and that didn’t make sense as my next move.?? Moment by moment conversations with Jesus where He is empowering me to live by HIS spirit and not my flesh.?? What a concept huh??? He doesn’t want us to try to “prioritize” our time with Him because what could ever possibly be enough??? Instead He wants to be our center.?? Remember the whole “pray without ceasing” thing.?? :)?? He wants to live in us, and interact and be part of every moment.?? That isn’t nearly so overwhelming to me as “scheduling him in” to be frank.?? I DO talk to Him on and off all through my day.?? That is when I am letting Him live in me.?? When I check “30 min bible study” off that never ending list – that is me point scoring!?? The last two weeks I did my bible study without nearly the flesh pressure.?? I wanted it to be a natural part of my day – an extension of my conversation – the listening part.?? Not the top of the “to do”.
Understand in reading this book that the intent is not to form a systematic theological outline of the trinity or to explain the full nature of God’s character – NOT BY ANY MEANS.?? However, so much of what was written about the trinity is absolutely true to the spirit of the scriptures.?? Obviously, no man in the flesh can write a fictional story and encompass all of God but on the topic of suffering…I think this book does an excellent job of detailing how our “Papa” relates to us.?? Oh what love.?? Incredible love. Overpowering love.?? Overwhelming love.?? The Shack reminded me over and over how much I simply don’t “get it”.?? Usually God doesn’t look much like “Papa” (you’ll understand later) to us but when you understand that God IS love – the very definition of the word – you seem Him a bit clearer.?? Michael W. Smith wrote a song that says “underneath the rebel lies a heart the Father holds and when you see your life through His eyes your alright”.?? I have always loved that.??
For those that are claiming that this book hints at universalism (ie. all road lead to God) – NO NO NO.?? All roads do most assuredly NOT lead to salvation.?? Scripture is absolutely clear that FAITH (not WORKS) in Jesus is the ONLY path.?? The author does not abandon that however, he chose to focus on relationship over religion and I A P P L A U D him for that.?? We don’t need more religious dogma!!!!!?? We need more Jesus!?? BIG HUGE ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE!!!!
I can’t believe how much He loves me.?? For the last two weeks God has looked like a large and loving African American woman named Papa to me – because I have needed him too.?? He is meeting me where I am at.?? I have pleaded with Him to show Himself to me and while camping He threw His arms around me and loved me big.?? I am anxious for all my loved ones to read this book.?? Dad called today after having finished it and echoed my praises for it.?? It has the DAZ stamp of approval (for all those I just made nervous with my gender swap label on God – again…read the book…you’ll understand).
If you read the book, please please please email me or comment on this post (just search for it).?? I would love to know your thoughts and this book serves as a great catalyst for discussion worth having – even if you disagree with parts.?? I have read it twice now, discussed it with both Dad and Aunt Beck, and have highlighted most every page from 100 on.?? It isn’t real long and won’t take you much time to read.?? In fact, I can almost guarantee you won’t be able to put it down once you have picked it up.
A Pastor on Paul Young’s blog made a comment that spoke to me today.?? This is written from the “perspective” of God (bare with me on that until you read the book):??
It won???t be liked.?? It won???t be tolerated.?? It will be loved or despised.?? As each reader first steps across the threshold of the Shack, they will have an opportunity, granted by Me, to be deeply offended.?? As their hearts reel at the possibility of God stepping down as far as a big black hug, they will either be un-stumbled and touch the Son at Calvary, knowing the wounds also engraved in My wrists, or they will sentence themselves to a bounded vertical relationship; a ???thus far and no farther??? tension that never squeals with glee as I tickle them unmercifully or never groans deep within as I press my fingers into the open wounds of their own broken souls. – Pastor Lawrence Rae
I am both of those??people – especially the latter but willing with so much in me to be the former.
So I end this…choosing to be unstumbled and touching the Son at Calvary.?? Jesus is my reason.
30 responses to “The Shack”
Wow, I am sooo glad I have had a few minutes to myself to read all of this. Let me be the first to say, over the last couple of years Doni has never had a problem handing me over a book, if she thought it would grab my attention.
Looks like I might be heading to read yet another one. I just hope my wee little mind can understand it, I have heard others say that it can make you step away and really think about things.
What to say?! Coming from my legalistic (or possibly self-induced people pleaser – hence God pleaser) background, it was both hard to read The Shack while at the same time a tiny spark kept trying to break through my “you can’t think that” barrier to give me a hope and a glimpse of what our Father God really does think of us. To put “flesh” on God, to truly “see” Him in a tangible reach out and love on you way…no matter what you have done, thought or wish you could have done! I was somewhat prepared to be sceptical, but couldn’t help myself – I downright enjoyed that book but my favorite parts are the diaglog with God. My Pastor (which also happens to be my brother-in-love) has said on many occassions how “I know that I know that I know that God loves me” and I quite frankly have been jealous of his security in that thought. I always think I am not quite sure God really, totally loves me because I haven’t…. or because I … can you see what legalism and keeping the rules causes? Insecurity of God’s love because I just haven’t yet attained where I think He wants me to be. WELL OF COURSE NOT! He made me from dust and doesn’t have expectations from me but EXPECTANCY!!!! (Read the book and you will really understand that last thought!!!!) Oh how I wish we would all learn how to live in the Papa kind of love. A love that is freeing, encompassing, encouraging, comfy, cozy, wrap a blanket around you and sip a cup of coffee in His presense kind of love. You went out on a limb my niece…but I will dangle out there with you. Let’s spread the love – no condemnation – just see where the love will lead us.
Papa’s daughter
Aunt Beck
I am astonished that you just picked this book up at Sam’s and weren’t handed it by someone else. We have been passing it around (okay, passing the name of the book around as none of us wants to give up our own copies – how selfish is that?) over here for the last couple of months. I reluctantly parted with my copy when my parents were in town over Mother’s Day and don’t expect to get it back until the end of the month – after reading your post I am very sad that I don’t have it here to reread. I almost didn’t tell her about it because I didn’t want to have to lend it to her LOL!
I love this post, Doni. This is an amazing book. The most incredibly thought provoking thing I have read in many years.
I need my book back:)
My in-laws read this book and absolutely raved about it. Michael and I definitely plan on reading it–soon. I enjoyed reading this post!
i assume i know who you are talking about in #9 🙂 (quite forward of me, i know) 🙂 but i have to interject to make a correction. i was ‘born into’ and attended A/G churches through my teen years. I most definitely considered myself a non-denominational Christian from mid-late teens and on through my adult years – to include now. Yes, the last church we were at in Texas was an Assemblies of God church, but oddly enough, we’d spent months and months looking for one that was NOT! Not that I am OPPOSED to A/G but because like you, I did not find myself wanting to tie into all of their doctrines nor do I want to be defined by any denomination. Now, if you want to call me non-denominational with leanings towards charismatic expressions of praise – that might be fitting. 🙂
oh… now i can go back to finish reading your post. 🙂
Sorry my dear sister. I was trying to make a point and it went over better in the present tense LOL. Maybe more to the point…because you were FORMERLY AG and I was FORMERLY Baptist, I think that the Lord used that in big ways for both of us to teach us about grace and unity. Who could love you more than me? 🙂
BOY – DID HE EVER! He stretched us both out of our comfort zones and taught us to embrace our differences – to even talk about and consider one another and the thoughts we’d be raised with… it freed me to not feel guilty over things I’d learned at church but didn’t settle right with me… and it taught me that even in our differences there is such beauty and room for growth! I DO get the “body of Christ” and how our brothers and sisters are anywhere in the world through friendship with you. 🙂
(You could always say that when we met we were “x” & “x”… but I get it… just didn’t want to be defined so publicly! Hee hee…) 🙂
I can’t wait to read this book. It explores the very idea (based on your review) that God began to teach me in my teen years. HE is Daddy. He is Omnicient, Omnipresent, All-Encompassing, Holy, Great, Mighty, to be Revered, Creator of ALL life, Master… AND He is my Father, my DADDY… I am so thankful for those early years when he began to show Himself in such a tender way to me. Can’t wait ’til my book gets here in the mail! It is already on order! 🙂
I think this will be our next book club book! I’m adding your blog posting to the Book club list on this one as well!
Love your writing on this! I don’t struggle with legalism usually, but I love learning more about myself when I understand Christ more and more. I love what you side about emulating Chrsit and having him in us!!! How vain are we to think we could actually emulate Christ?? We must put Him on each day to cover our imperfections.
i am nearing the end of the book now… i think it has so many precious undertones and currents. it is doing partly what i predicted or hoped it would in my last comment here – giving another visual to what God did for me in my teen years, becoming my DADDY God – Abba – Papa. 🙂 there have been some tear-filled moments while reading (my struggle with fear) but some simple ponderings at what He already began in my heart too – so, it has been reassuring to see an author so creatively describe what He’s been working on in me all along – even some “i knew that” moments. 🙂 lest i sound like i think i have achieved or grasped, i know that the tip of the surface was already touched and i am encouraged that He only wants relationship to go deeper. i don’t have a final conclusion yet. i don’t even, so far, have the same DEEP COMPELLING feeling from the book that you have… not because i don’t value the lessons and story – OH HOW I DO! i hope MANY will read it and grab the currents and go for a swim… it’s almost like He started this lesson in other areas already (currently, presently) and this is just one more piece of the puzzle… it is especially precious to see how He has been teaching me so much about – wait, maybe mentioning or enlightening little by little is even a better description than teaching… but how he has been enlightening to my love for my son, despite the trials we’ve gone through in the last 2 years – how He loves me even GREATER than that… as nothing says DOES can change what I AM to him – his mother, who will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS love him… and so God loves me NO MATTER WHAT, more than i can even fathom loving seth (which is more than i can describe in words as it is!) – the reassurance that his is ‘especially fond of ME’ and always ALWAYS always will be. i can never hear that message too much… and i’m thankful to have had that message reinforced through this precious story. what a beautiful way to give me that affirmation again and again. relationship doesn’t just say i love you and expect you to always know… nope, God, in His grace and Fatherly, Daddy, nature – knows that kids need to hear it repeated over and over again – but not just because we NEED it – because he loooves to do it! and how i love to give seth all the kisses i can all day long… i hope i can see his kisses through out my day today – in fact, i’ll be watching for them. 🙂
ok.. i realize i have rambled a lot in this note (several interruptions)… hope regardless of typos and not making great sense, the essence of myheart comes through. 🙂 i’ll try again later. 🙂
I think this is the type of book that will affect no two people alike. In my life, it wasn’t “the book” so much as it was the conversation starter on SEVERAL different topics between the Lord and I and therefore the book was the springboard to a spiritual renewal for me because of all the Papa talks it led to. It bled in to many many areas of my life that needed a second look and I have been changed by daring to dive in to the waters of Grace on a new level. Not one I didn’t know existed, just one I am experiencing differently at 35. As I am on my third reading now, I recognize that the book is like an onion for conversation starting because the layers go so deep. I can’t even tell you how many theological conversations on all different topics I have had with people lately that were initiated by the book. On grace, on legalism, on universalism, on the trinity, on holiness, on love, on discrimination, on what “judging” is, on what compells us to be “doers”…my list would be so long. I don’t think it would have been quite so compelling had I read it during a different season of life but God directed me to it as I was asking Him to teach me deeper truths about some subjects and I believe He used this book as His ice breaker LOL.
One more thing…I learned that God was my Abba in childhood and that was never a difficult concept because I had a wonderful earth daddy so that just made sense to me. He has always been that for me and that hasn’t really been a struggle BUT I have realized that there are many levels of understanding to the intimate relationship we have with Him and there is always MORE. I wasn’t overwhelmed with the “Papa-ness” of God on the level that it had always applied but I was blown away by a deeper understanding in areas where even in that previous knowledge I was still missing the boat. Oh it’s nice to have these moments of feeling like you ran a little spiritual marathon and are in yet again a different place on the high mountain. However, knowledge begets more questions…I find myself in that place too. 🙂
your last two replies to my comment make PERFECT sense (unlike my comment) 🙂 and i can completely relate to that kind of stirring from the book. DEFINITELY, like you – it raises many questions for me. i think many are questions i can’t began to answer or even begin to understand the question 🙂 let alone the answer… and so i just am soaking in the first read through (finished in the middle of the night) 🙂 and plan to reread again, but highlighting areas where questions have arisen in my heart from it.
the onion layers is a perfect description. i too fell the onions of my heart being peeled back as the layers of ideas in the book are opened. like you – the Daddy aspect of God is close to the heart and GOOD for me… funny how different our family stories were and yet God, for our good, used BOTH to bring us to a close relationship with Him as Daddy! Perfect example of how he can USE the hard stuff in life (my story) to reveal Himself to us. Reminds me of Papa in the book.
*SPOILER ALERT*
I did come to this conclusion about myself while reading the book. The latter image of Papa is much closer to the one I’ve always wanted/needed/viewed. I NEEDED Him to be a strong but gentle “male” Father figure and it’s hard for me to imagine him as anything else – except where the Great and Mighty and Strong and Just part is concerned… I can see Him as the powerfully shining light to0 great to look at, putting me in awe, spinning stars in orbit, dividing the heavens, etc….. but when I feel closest to Him in gentler moments, he’s male and Daddy in my visual. 🙂
I’d love to be a fly on the wall in some of your conversations. perhaps you can start a discussion on this with those who have read the book. i’d really really like PapaZ’s study guide on this one too. i want to dig deeper.
that’s the other thing i wanted to say when i thought more about what i posted here but went off somewhere else and thought about this more…i DO want to dig deeper with this book.. but i feel like there is SO much going on inside of me and i’m reading several things at the moment – things that are all causing me some introspection, some digging deep – in myself, my belief systems, my ideals, my image of future of life etc… so many transitional moments in our personal life as a family… i’m floating ‘out there’ above the the solid ground… a good time to dig deeper, but fewer answers than questions for sure… i’m in a place of many questions and this book served to add to the questions. but i suppose questioning is a great place to start… questioning helps us to find answers. 🙂 i’m looking forward to how this season of searching on several fronts will lead me to growth in the future.
Hi, Im new to your blog, I was directed here by a friend at facebook, who was reading the book for the second time in a row and was recommending it to me, and told me to read this post of yours. I stuck you on fav’s and went to bed, to read it this morning…. I read it this morn and decided that I shouldnt delay, and piled my kids in the car and went to the local christian bookstore…. I walked in the door and said to my friend …(expecting a ‘No sorry we dont have that but we can order it in for you’ )…. “Do you have the Shack?” and she said Yes! Cool… the only copy on the shelf which had been there since april….. and as I stood there having a gas-bag with my storelady friend after I had paid for the book…. another lady came in and asked for the book! LOL she had had a friend visit two days ago and lent her their book to read… and this lady had already read it and was looking to buy lots to hand them around…. I think it was funny, that no one had asked about the book for months and suddenly twice in the same day it was asked for…. God is funny… Its like I knew I had to get it today… as I possibly wouldnt read the book if I didnt get it soon…. and now…. unfortunately I have no time today or tomorrow to read it…. but its staring at me…. taunting me to pick it up. …but anyway… there is always MONDAY! :O)
I loved reading your post… and you have inspired me…. and I will read the book I promise!…
Hope many others are inspired too.
May God Bless you and all of yours too….
My daughter (in-law) Gina Winegar sent me your blogdress – I’m very favorably impressed.
To give you my impression of The Shack in a quick nutshell…I’ve purchased 50 copies (soo far) and am down to 5 – ’bout time to order again already. We’ve started a “Shack” discussion group meeting each Sunday afternoon open to anyone who’s read it. Moving ahead by leaps and and bounds (;->) Started the discussion on p.96, – this coming 3rd week, we’ll be on p.97 (Lord willing). A lady joined us last week who read it back in it’s infancy – contacted Paul, who in turn asked if he could come to her home to talk it over w/ her little group (that was a few hundred thousand copies ago). She’s stayed in contact w/ him and gave us a lot of inside information and background.
I was raised A/G but have always been an outside the box searcher – seeking the REAL God. As for impacting my life, I think The Shack ranks right up there w/ Classic Christianity (Bob George) – and I’m sure the resulting changes have just begun.
Gina said your dad is working on a Study Guide for it….?????? How do I get more info about that???
Pappa’s Skee
Howdy – I’m the “lady” who joined Skee’s group last Sunday, to discuss “The Shack”…! He found me through my raving review on Amazon.com (written a year ago).
Funny, but I got a call from Paul today– asking for a phone number of a mutual friend. He’s home but for one day, and then OFF again, into the waiting, hungry world … the folks who are tired of religion, and starved for Relationship.
JFTR, the conversations between Mack and God are the REAL conversations that were between Paul (author) and God. That’s why the story seems so true — because the conversations are authentic … the story was developed to give the conversations context. He chose a story-format, because, really — how many of us remember sermons we’ve heard…? (don’t get me started on sermons … which, in the Bible, were only preached to the lost, not to the Body — the Body had discussions/diologue) Jesus knew this — which is why He spoke in parables — stories stick with us. Stories bypass the “yeah-buts” in our brain, and engage the heart … allowing the message in.
For those who are wanting a free copy of “The Shack”, or to “Shack” someone, go here: http://www.papaslove.com
It’s a family so captivated by the transforming story, that they buy ’em by the case, and give ’em out (we’ve done the same — currently on our 5th case — more fun than tithing!). They accept donations, too.
Ok, off to read “The Shack” to my 8 kids … this is the only book I’ve read straight through 4 times (’bout to start the 5th, with the kids). It’s THAT good. As I said on Amazon, cut to the chase and buy a case — that’s what you’ll end up doing anyway!
Shalom, Dena
“The unanswered questions aren’t nearly as dangerous as the unquestioned answers.”
“Pappa’s Skee” (who is someone I’m particularly fond of, being my “little” blood brother) sent me to your comments on THE SHACK and the dialog they provoked. And which of course I enjoyed.
One thing that really moves me is not only how transformed, but how EXCITED so many people are by it. It’s as if we suddenly discovered the GOOD NEWS! The really GOOD, really NEW, news. Yesterday I heard it discussed by (mostly) staff at an Adventist hospital, and one man there pointed out that word of THE SHACK and its message is being spread as speedily and in the same manner that the Good News was in the early church. So & So tells So & So, who tells a some other people, etc.
Raised Pentecostal, and being the serious type, I have spent most of my life trying to convert people. Mostly for their own good. This book is a tool for me to share the Good News because it’s SO GOOD, and I’m so excited by it.
Well, hi Dolores! This is feeling like a small town gathering!
You’re absolutely right about the GOOD news…! For years, the “gospel” sounded like this, “You are bad, but if you clean up your act, God will accept you.” Instead of “God was IN Christ, reconciling the WORLD to Himself — He loves you, He’s crazy about you … let yourself be reconciled to Him, don’t hold back from getting loved-on!”
A year ago, Paul was in my house, discussing his “not yet officially published” book, that had, by word of mouth alone, sold 50,000 copies (unheard of). Someone jokingly said, “May this book be second in sales, only to the Bible!” We all laughed… especially Paul (as his original agenda was to get the original copied and bound by Kinko’s in time for his kids’ Christmas gift!. Then his kids gave it to friends, who gave it to friends, and the next thing he knew, he got a call from a guy in Arizona, who wanted to fly to Oregon to meet Mack…)!
Well, now that it’s hit #1 on the NY Times list … no one’s laughing, except in delight at what only Papa can do! And Paul is still enjoying the ride, agenda-free…
Shalom, Dena
“The unanswered questions aren’t nearly as dangerous as the unquestioned answers.”
Skee, Dena, and Delores – I can only hope that our book study turns out to be as profitable as yours because clearly “the gift keeps giving”. 🙂
Dena – I have no doubt that those conversations with God were real because haven’t you had so many of the same questions and ponderings lived out and fleshed out with God? That is what moved me so much. I was right there on the scene with Mack echoing his words because they had been mine as well.
Delores – my husband finished reading The Shack on Tuesday and he has done nothing but rave ever since. We stayed up talking until 1:00 AM this morning and he echoed your “good news” statement. Not in the sense of cannonizing The Shack of course (lest anyone think we are elevating it to inspired scripture) but in the sense of it’s profound impact on God’s kids to reclaim their heritage of love. To take back what “religion” has stolen and to live free in God’s love. I realize that to some reading this, my words could sound heretical but understand that my intent is not to sacrifice “holiness” but to live so loved that Jesus pours out of me in every waking moment – how sincerely holy would that be? HIS righteousness in me. THAT is HIS story but that is not how we live. We have not been able to seperate self and we have not gotten any help in this area from “religion”. This isn’t a statement attacking our churches so much as it is a calling out of a thorn and a plea for change. The love of Christ will turn the world on its head so His people have to learn live in it and I will take all the help I can get in this area. Have you three read “He Loves Me” yet? Read it and study after The Shack study. YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!!!
Hi Doni!
Thanks for the email (is there a way to get notified about additions to this blog?).
Yes, I read Wayne’s book, “He Loves Me” — WONDERMOUS book, considered the “perfect followup” to “The Shack” (as no one wants the experience to end…). That’s the next one I’m reading to my kids…
It’s available as a free download to read online (or to print out), though the hard copy has some updates throughout: http://www.lifestream.org/helovesme/index.html (the download link is right under the image of the man holding the baby).
Also excellent, is Wayne’s “So You Don’t Want to go to Church Anymore.” Also available as a free download: http://www.jakecolsen.com/contents.html (scroll down and click on each chapter title). Be prepared to have your paradigm challenged…! You’ll never look at what calls itself “church” the same way again! But, from the sounds of your latest comment, God has been leading you this-a-way …
He really, really, wants His Church back… and He’s rescuing it away from the “machine” we’ve created.
I’ve come to believe that He’s calling everyone out of all religions, including Christianity … and into relationship with Himself.
It’s a wild ride! 😉
Shalom, Dena
“The unanswered questions aren’t nearly as dangerous as the unquestioned answers.”
Don’t forget– there ARE churches which ENABLE people to live out God’s love. Mine does, and I love Sunday because I can gather with other stimulating Christians and “let er rip!” in our adult class discussions, and be fed further then by our worship service. Like government, there are things that structured churches offer that are valuable (e.g. accountability beyond the local group, and the opportunity to discover more ways to pool (and therby expand) one’s resources for the sake of the Kingdom). It was common in Pentecostal churches in my time (and since) to “split” instead of going to the work of sharing the same “umbrella,” which can require crowding, with the resultant loss of personal space (MY way?).
I’m about to leave for our annual week at Seabeck Christian Family Camp, which always seems a foreshadowing of Heaven to me. We’re a WIDE range of ages and beliefs, united by our commitment to Christ and to one another, which overwhelms our very real disagreements. Somewhat like the Shack, there’s raucous laughter and hilarious play, coupled with insights and very real healing. Seabeck has been a major factor in my spiritual growth, and is one thing that prepared me to welcome Young’s insights. Lots of great discussions take place there, and I can hardly wait to see how many of the campers will have read THE SHACK. Wish you could be there! (There’s still room – see http://www.seabeckfamilycamp.com)
Dena -loved it loved loved it. I didn’t know you could download it free but I need my own copy for highlighting purposes anyhow. I already marked up Dad’s copy. 🙂 I am very interested in So You Don’t Want to Go To Church Anymore even though that is not where I am at personally because I participate in a WONDERFUL Grace filled church where my father has pastored for over 30 years and he is the most gracious teacher I know so I am not about to throw the baby out with the bathwater – but I do agree with you that we need JESUS not religion. I am pretty certain that I will agree with most of what Wayne’s conclusions are having already experienced his “heart”. Hoping that this book will help even our church better represent what the bride of Christ is supposed to look like. And yes, I do have a feed reader so if you just copy my url to a your RSS Feed OR hit the subscription button in the top right column of this blog, you’ll see my blog posts BUT a good percentage of what I write is just about my family and kids. (Though I am starting to talk about He Loves Me in a regular fashion).
Dolores – sounds wonderful! Enjoy.
HI Doni,
Thanks for your reply.
I must say, unfortunately, that I could not read the book! I tried really hard, but the in your face misrepresentations of the trinity, I couldnt get past.
I have posted on my own blog saying that I do not recommend it.
It seems people either ‘worship’ it or ‘hate’ it!
my blog is http://www.kazshidingplace.blogspot.com
God’s timing is perfect always, and I am glad that I picked it up, if only to see why I shouldnt recommend it like so many are.
God Bless you with wisdom
Karen
Karen thank you for your honesty. Jim and I went to your blog this evening and watched all three videos in their entirety (though I will admit that I was not ever naive to these expressed opinions – I had already done my homework). 🙂
I have typed and retyped my response several times and I think God is asking me to “stand down” on this one. I will simply say both my husband and I disagreed completely with the thoughts shared in these youtube videos. We thought the individuals made their points without considering or representing the context of this FICTIONAL story and we also disagreed with the accusations made against the author. If you read Paul Young’s blog or Wayne Jacobsen’s book “He Loves Me”, I believe you will find them to be brothers in Christ. Brothers who share the belief that Jesus IS THE ONLY way to the Father and through faith alone.
While I will defend scripture as being God inspired and absolute truth, I would not defend a fictional book in such fashion for obvious reasons. Speaking for Jim and I though, The Shack presented beautiful images of the love and grace of God, and in reading it in context with its fictional base, we find no conflict.
God go with you – may He grant us all wisdom as we continue to pursue Him.
Thanks Doni,
I came to my decision about the book before I did research into other’s opinions online. I appreciate that we are all made unique by our God Jehovah, I know that each one of us sees through varied lenses, and God has granted us each our own minds. For some I agree this book may be a blessing, but for myself, it treaded on dangerous ground and didnt sit well with my spirit. We are on different journeys, and I just hope that we all take the book for what it is, fiction, and dont take too much spiritual guidance from it without much prayer and study of the Bible, the real Words of God.
Bless you both on your journey. Thankyou for granting me your time, and patience :O)
Karen
Sorry I never got back here to post. I read the Shack in a day and a half about 2-3 weeks ago . I thought it was very interesting and really made you think. I didn’t have a life changing experience. It did give me a lot to ponder. I can’t say I would go out of my way to tell people about it, but my MIL is reading my copy right now while she is visiting from PA and Eric said he would read it. I have He Loves Me but I haven’t read it yet.
I knew when I picked up the Shack sparks would fly. I have not been disappointed about that. I certainly understand why anyone might have a problem with another persons personification of the trinity. After 40 years in the ministry I am learning to take the Gamaliel approach, Acts 5:35 Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Like cream, truth eventually comes to the top….after a lot of churning. What I have seen personally was best expressed by my son after reading The Shack. He told an entire group of people he had been a Christian all his life and now he was in Love with the Lord.
I am teaching a Foundations of Faith class at a state prison, and I am thinking of spending several class periods talking about The Shack (as the notion of a loving/trusting Father is as foreign to many of these guys as it was to Mack). Looked around on the Net for a Study Guide, and could not find one. Ran across this blog. Decided to ask for help, as I am working on a list of Discussion Questions. Would appreciate input from folks on this List. Here is what I have drafted thus far.
Thanks for your help/comments/additions. Connie
Chapter 1: The Note
– What was your reaction to the idea of God leaving a note for Mack?
– How would you react if you got a note like Mack did?
– If you got a note in Mack’s situation, would you share it with your spouse or best friend?
Why or why not?
Chapters 2 – 4: The Great Sadness
– Do you think that God gave Mack the sweet times with Missy right before her abduction to try to ease his pain? Would you want God to give this gift to you, or would the memories make things worse?
– Did the rescue of the two older children make any difference in how Mack felt about the loss of Missy? What does this tell us about the individual importance to God of each of His children?
– Have you ever been angry at God because of bad experience in your life? Did this anger change your desire to spend time with God?
– Have you felt that God loved others more because they did not go through similar hard times?
– Have you made harsh judgments against yourself because of harm/pain suffered by you or a loved one? What do you think that you gain by beating yourself up? How does the guilt/shame affect your ability to get close to God?
– Read 2 Corin 7:10. Look at your own sorrow. What kind of sorrow is it?
Chapter 5: Returning to the Shack
– Would you have even considered whether the Note actually might have come from God?
– How desperate do you think that Mack had to be to consider this possibility?
– Would you have kept the trip secret? Would you have taken the gun? What about bringing a buddy (or dog) along?
– Why do you think that Mack decided to go?
– Why do you think that Mack’s friend (Willie) did not insist on coming – or follow after him? If you were Willie, what would you have done?
– Were you surprised when Mack yelled out his pain at God? Do you think that God was offended? Explain.
– Why do you think that God waited until Mack had totally given up on Him before deciding to show Himself? Has God ever done this to you?
– Do you think that you would have felt as awkward as Mack at meeting God?
– Did you ever think that God has a sense of humor? How would you react if God appeared to you as a black woman? Were you surprised that Mack did not recognize any of the members of the Trinity (even Jesus)? Do you think that you would recognize them? Why?
Chapter 6: Getting to Know God the Father
– Do you see how Mack’s problems with his earthly father created barriers to trusting Father God? Have you feared being abandoned by God? Do you feel that God abandoned others that you love? Did it surprise you to hear that God was there, and shared their pain?
– Were you surprised to learn that Jesus set aside His abilities as God while on earth, and performed miracles only by the power obtained through His connection to Father God?
– How do you define yourself as a human? How does God define you? What did you think of the statement that:
“Humans are not defined by their limitations, but by the intentions that I have for them; not by what they seem to be, but by everything it means to be created in my image.”
– What was your reaction to the statement:
“If I were simply One God and only One Person, then you would find yourself in this Creation without something wonderful…All love and relationship is possible for you only because it already exists within Me, within God myself.”
Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting.