The Shack

Sometimes you read a book, and you feel like you'll never be quite the same.  Do you know what I mean?  I feel just this way about the book I just finished, The Shack, by William Paul Young.  When I first heard about the book, I almost refused to read it, simply because it sounded like another one of those trendy feel-good Christian books, and I didn't want to get sucked into the mad hype.  I read The Prayer of Jabez and I read a few of the Left Behind books, and I read Captivating.  And some portions of these books were pretty good.

But ... wow ... The Shack was, in my opinion, awesome.   I'm not sure if I just read this book at the right time in my life or if it would be as impacting regardless of the time or place that I read it.  What I do know is that not since the sixth Harry Potter book (don't laugh, just stay with me here) has a book other than the Bible brought tears to my eyes so easily.  I cried tears of pain and identification, I cried tears of joy and reconciliation.

I felt as if God was speaking directly into my life through this book.  Although the entire subject matter of the book was dealing with emotions and issues much deeper and more difficult than my own, I saw myself asking the same questions as Mack, I had many of the same mindsets.  And when he would ask questions, I would be stunned by the simplicity and beauty of the answers.  I won't give anymore about this book away other than to say that the God portrayed in this book is 100% consistent with the God I have come to know, love, and trust.  I'm still not sure about all the assertions made in the book; I have some thinking to do.  But it doesn't detract at all from the truth set forth in it.  

This book would make an incredible movie, if done right (with good actors for once... geez, can't any Christians act other than Kirk Cameron?).  If you have not yet read The Shack, I encourage you to pick up a copy from a nearby Christian bookstore (they might even be in mainstream stores; I haven't looked) or borrow a copy from a friend - I have one waiting to be used if you don't mind a marked-up copy!  It's a light read - only about 250 pages - I finished it in less than a week at a pretty moderate pace.  If you have already read it, please let me know what you thought about it.  Have I been sucked into another trendy fad or did you also find substance in this book?  Let me know; I'd love to hear.