The Shack

A sorority sister of mine was reading The Shack by WM. Paul Young and she raved about how good this book was. So out of curiosity I stopped by a book store and asked a clerk to help me find a copy. To my surprise, this book was a NY Times Bestseller and he said that he could barely keep it in stock in the store. Where have I been?!? Several of my friends and co-workers have already read through the book and all had different views on how the book made them feel. Some inspired, some saddened. All I knew is that there was one last copy so I had to purchase it and I started reading.

The Shack is categorized as a Christian Fiction (although it states in the Foreword that it is based upon a true story). And honestly, this book has moved me in a way that I really cannot express. It's a very simple depiction of a man who has lost a child and blames God for the undeserving death of his innocent daughter. After the child's kidnapping and her assumed murder, I stopped reading for a while (the past three months actually). I started reading this book in July back during my travels for work and I zoomed through 3 other books but once I reached the point of the child's death, this one was entirely too heavy on my heart and I had to put it down. I couldn't imagine losing a family member let alone my child and a young child at that.

In the past year, my previous supervisor's daughter passed in a fire and my Cousin's daughter passed after being hit by a car. My old supervisor has always turned away from anything religious and when her daughter passed she went into a deep depression similar to the main character's (Mack) Great Sadness.

. I spoke with her yesterday about the activities of my former work group and she indicated that she wouldn't know. After her daughter's passing, she hasn't been the same. I told her that she may be interested in this book but once I disclosed that is was a Christian Fiction, she immediately declined. I will continue to pray that she re-turns to the Lord and that He helps her through losing her only child.

My cousin's daughter was hit by a car not even 3 months ago and the entire Michigan branch of my family has been in mourning ever since. My mother told me that someone stated that there couldn't have been a God being that such an innocent child was taken away. The hurt and pain has temporarily turned them away from God also similar to the main character. I know that their words and hearts are overcome by their loss but I have faith that the Lord will heal my family's broken hearts.

Fortunately for Mack, his struggle, anger, and pain, is overcome during a trip to the Shack in which his daughter was murdered. God shows themselves (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) to Mack and allows him to re-TURN to God after he realizes the perfect will of God. This is a MUST read.

www.theshackbook.com

Kisses!