The Shack Review

The Shack by William P Young

Reading every page was warming and life making. It was inspiring, challenging and encouraging.

Judging a book by its cover is very easy with The Shack. The grabbing picture tells it all, yet leaves a bit of mystery for the reader. This transforming “fiction” book plants messages that cause the reader to stop and think, ask questions, challenge thoughts and ideas, laugh and sometimes cry. From start to finish this book never stops one moment, so be prepared to go on a journey, literally, with a Man who begins to see his life, his world in a new way.

"I can see now," confessed Mack, "that I spend most of my time and energy trying to acquire what I have determined to be good, whether it’s financial security or health or retirement or whatever. And I spend a huge amount of energy and worry fearing what I’ve determined to be evil" Mack sighed deeply.

"Such truth in that," said Sarayu gently. "Remember this. It allows you to play God in your independence. That’s why a part of you prefers not to see me. And you don’t need me at all to create your list of good and evil. But you do need me if you have any desire to stop such an insane lust for independence." (pg. 135-136)

William P. Young’s attempt at making a representation of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit through this book is a thrilling engagement between these individuals as they tackle issues that we confront everyday. The imagery factualizes the truths that we so earnestly seek after but are so afraid to recognize in our practical daily existence.

The Shack is the home to many searching individuals like myself who seek for the truth but at the same time are afraid of what we might find. The book invites us to be open, honest and truthful to ourselves and to God. There isn’t anything that He doesn’t know about, yet. Yet still He limits Himself in such a way that we can come to Him in total submission and tell Him we need Him as much as He wants us to recognize that He wants to become a part of us. The book goes beyond telling a story and takes us into a world where reality seems hidden all because our lives are a mess and God wants us to come to Him to clean it up. “Not of ourselves it is the gift of God – lest any man should boast”.

What standards define your judgment? What directs what is right and what is wrong? Willie throws in the thought that “forgiveness does not establish relationship”. While God extends forgiveness to us, it is our choice to come into a relationship with Him.

When you forgive someone you certainly release him or her from judgment, but without true change, no real relationship can be established. This was a stop point in the journey that forced me to further take a conscious look at my reality.

“If anything matters, everything matters.”

The Shack offers insight to a world filled with events that we often judge as unfair or wrong when we seek to look at it through our own eyes. However, while the story might not be “true”, when we look beyond what we see and allow the spirit of God to come in there is a new reality for us to see. That reality depicted by “the Shack” draws us to a realization that in love lies forgiveness and reconciliation.

Faith, forgiveness, love, God’s presence, judgment, and reconciliation imprints the pages of The Shack and seeks to challenge us to rethink the standards and principles we have been brought up to believe and hold onto.

Find a shack and read The Shack.

O. Stephen Peart is the author of Released Expressions – the journey begins, an inspirational journal of quotes and poetry creatively designed to draw from the personal inner thoughts. His contribution extends to writing reviews and prose.

Released Expressions – the journey begins, is an inspirational journal of quotes, imagery and poetry creatively designed to depict the author’s artistic mind. This book is more than a poetry book but rather and expression of the writer’s inner thoughts and an opening for the reader’s individual expression which is enabled towards the back where there is an open space for those who wish to release their own expressions. www.releasedexpressions.com

Joy After The Pain

“..weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.“

— Psalm 30:5b

I’ll Never Know
by O. Stephen Peart

Pains untold, pains I’ll never know,
As nature take its course
To bring forth such a beautiful force.
I’ll never know or understand its claim,
Even the Joy after the pain,
Pains untold, pains I’ll never know,
And then the name.

Intense the crescendo pain,
While helpless I stand and lame,
For little do we remember;
Of the burden from an unbearable tender.
Pains untold, pains I’ll never know
Are finally gone and now the joy.

Amazing it is to experience the transition of life from the core of the womb to the open space of the earth. Greater yet to see the form of a life that was decided, designed and developed, passing through the passage of life and to welcoming arms. This might not be true of all life, but one thing is sure that all life from before that moment yearns for that welcome invitation into the world.

Procreation has been a part of our civilization from the foundation of the earth. The forming of a family towards the sustained existence of mankind is imprinted in our being. It is the multiplication of families shaping a nation and giving life to a people. Our existence is dependent upon this union that seeks to keep us together as a race no matter how diverse we are.

King David in one of his writings stated, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that fully well” (Psalm 139:14). From the moment life has started with the union of the egg and the sperm, the fathomless creation process where all the details of the human form begins is simply amazing. The detailing in the forming of the eyes, ears, lips, nose, head, hands, feet and the total body is divinely designed. Even down to the imprint of the fingers where it is said no two individuals share the same prints. Then there is the central nervous system, the intricate communication network of the brain, the unique channels that transport cells, blood and oxygen throughout the body and how information is received and sent.

The time of the development of this being is so orchestrated that everything is in sync and in order. We never know when it really will happen, but when it does the final work is fearfully and wonderfully made. However, the process never ends, as even into this vast space, the development of life as we know it continues.

Reaching forth and holding her hands I could but feel the pain in the limits of my mind, for this is the path we experience in the birth of a new born child. It is heartbreaking and for some almost helpless. However, one thing that amazes me is in spite of the seemly torture of labour, many women are not afraid to bear the pain simply because of the connection with that little child within their womb. They will go to the ends to bring forth that child into the world. I will never know what that feels like but I can share in the joy after the pain.

We may never know or understand the pain it took to bear that child. However, the process of development does not end at birth but the next level begins. It is incumbent on us to ensure that the families we form in the shaping of a nation receives the basic desire of love and welcoming arms. As a father that’s my call and responsibility to do my part. However, there is yet a greater call to fathers and men to be the protectors of this precious gift to decide that we give our all to there intricate and amazing design and help in the development of their lives. The joy is in giving that child a chance to live, love and learn to be all they can be. Let’s also recognize that there are also many children that did not receive a welcoming arm into this world and reach out to them. For them there pain has been transfer but we can bring some of our joy to them. Therein lies true joy after the pain.

“Make a difference in one life and that life will be one more different.”

O. Stephen Peart is a writer and the founder of Released Expressions, focused on consistently producing inspiring content through a unique compilation of poetry, imagery, articles and music, to create an environment of inspired, self motivated individuals. To purchase his book Released Expressions – The Journey Begins, visit ReleasedExpressions.com.