The Shack

With school over and life continuing forward I am beginning to desire more opportunities to discuss what I'm learning and specifically what I'm reading. I will begin with a noteworthy book that currently has a lot of buzz around it in Christian circles and beyond.

This is a fiction book that seeks to confront the reader with a picture of God that may be very contrary to the God they grew up with and to address the question so many have, "Where is God in the midst of tragedy and pain?"

For this very reason, I think it is a worthy read. We need our heads shaken up a bit, well a lot! We come to God with such specific ideas of what it means to be in relationship, what He desires of us and what He offers us. I appreciate a reminder that God exists outside of any box I might create.

This book does carry a pulse of what I think you could call a movement of God amongst this generation. It speaks to God's calling His people into relationship and redeeming all things in His time.

The author is bold in "speaking" for God through his God-characters in the book. I feel a little hesitant about that, knowing that Young's thoughts may not be God's, but in the end, I say, read it, wrestle with the possibilies that God might respond differently than you assume and may be calling us to some new ways of living and loving. I think it is powerful to entertain these dialogues that stand in opposition to many of the pictures painted for us throughout our life in regards to God and following Christ.

If you've read it, What do you think? Did you like this one? Did the relational interactions between the three God characters get you thinking like they did me?

*If you want to read it, y ou can buy it at Costco ($8), Target, bookstores, etc. I got a used copy off amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/Shack-William-P-Young/dp/0964729237/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218239698&sr=8-2