"The Shack", by William P. Young

Once of my friends from the ministry in which I am involved recently recommended to me a book called "The Shack", by William P. Young. Once I read all the great feedback about it online, I went and bought the book and once I started reading it, I was unable to put it down.

I can't really put into words what an experience this book was for me, and, as I am told, for quite a few of my friends. One of the things many people, Christians and non-believers alike, often ask about God is this: Why does He let bad things happen to good people, and where is God in the midst of our worst, pain, trials, and suffering? Although this book is work of fiction, it posits as good an answer to those questions as any scholar, theologian, or secular journalist as I have ever seen. Even though the "shack" is a fictional place, everyone has such a place in his or her life, whether it is someplace tangible or a place in their mind due to things they experienced which, at the time and possibly since then, were undesirable and painful. Just like the main character in this book, people generally have two choices in life: 1.) they can spend countless amounts of wasted time and spirit-sucking energy trying to "hide" or "protect" these things from the light of day and from God, OR 2.) they can go directly to the source of their pain, confront it head on, and with God's help, push through the walls they have erected (walls that, in times past, may have been necessary for coping and survival, but which now block the way to healing and keep them in bondage) and move forward in life with a lightness and freedom they never thought possible.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can go to his blog here and/or his Myspace page here. All I can say is read the book...I can't recommend it strongly enough. Much love to you all and God Bless!

--Chris :)