The Shack

A few years ago I joined a small group/bible study with a friend. I only went a handful of times and then joined karate, so I didn't have time to go anymore. During the few weeks I was going, I met this girl, Claire ( she makes amazing cakes and can be found on Facebook if you search Cakes by Claire). We were talking about books, a relatively new topic to me as I always hated reading and knew. Oohing about. Oops or authors. She suggested I read "The Shack". I never did. But I remember us talking about it and she made it sound like an amazing book for everyone to read and get something out it. This week, I decided to check it out.


I am linking up today with Heather from Blonde... Undercover Blonde for Friday's Book Club.

Where I have read and changed because of it:

 Mackenzie Phillips, known as Mac, takes his three youngest children on a weekend camping trip on their last summer weekend. His wife, Nan, had a class to attend so she could not go camping. Through new friendships for his family, and lots of adventures and laughter, tragedy strikes the Phillips' family. His youngest daughter, Missy disappears. The public's support for finding the little girl is overwhelming. 3 years later, the family is still dealing with Missy's disappearance and the possible thought of her being murdered, Mac receives a one-sentence letter in the mail, signed 'Papa'. His anger and curiosity builds as he tries to find the meaning of this note.

Mac truly grows in his relationship with God, getting answers to Sony of his questions over the past few years, as well as learning more about God's existence and his meaning for us.

This book is a great  read and I highly recommend it to everyone. I believe I had half the book highlighted with answers to questions I didn't know I even had about God.

Here are a few of my favorite lines from the book:
Relationships are never about power, and one way to avoid the will to hold power over another is to chose to limit oneself- to serve.

Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.

Humans have a great capacity for declaring something good or evil, without truly knowing.

The person who lives by his fears will not find freedom in my love.

On the subject of why God allows pain and evil:    [God] doesn't stop a lot of things that cause pain.  Your world is severely broken.  You demanded your independence, and now you are angry with the One who loved you enough to give it to you.  Nothing is as it should be, as God desires it to be, and as it will be one day.  Right now your world is lost in darkness and chaos, and horrible things happen to those God is especially fond of.  

Grace doesn't depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colors.