craigdailypress.com

Craig — "The Shack" by William P.Young has wonderful, spiritual insight that is rarely seen in a work of fiction, and rarely on the best-seller list.

Mackenzie Philips lived daily with the guilt of his youngest daughter's disappearance. While Mack and his children were camping, Missy was abducted and later murdered. Her body was never recovered but her bloodstained dress was found at a shack in the mountains. Since then, Mack has dealt with the "Great Sadness" - depression - and his relationship with God.

After Mack received a letter that God would be waiting for him at the shack, he became curious and decided to spend the weekend there. When Mack got to the shack, he felt disgusted with himself and with God and decided he was done with God for good.

As Mack was leaving the shack, suddenly everything changed from winter to spring. He turned around and the shack was no longer rickety and old, but a warm log cabin with smoke coming from the chimney. After shaking his head and rubbing his eyes, Mack decided this is what he came for and headed inside.

In the cabin Mack finds God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus, all in human form, welcoming him.

Throughout what seems like three days, Mack reconciles his belief and faith in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit through events with each of them concerning Missy, her death and Mack's father.

First, Mack's relationship with God is restored through conversations concerning independence, judgment and love, and by breaking Mack's religious stereotype of God.

Next, the Holy Spirit taught Mack that his life is like a messy garden and helped in clarifying creation and how it went awry.

Last, Jesus has the most impact on Mack; they share special moments together; walking on water, finding Missy's body and learning to forgive her killer.

After Mack's faith is renewed and he has learned forgiveness, he leaves the shack and drives his friend Willie's truck toward home. Anxious to share his new beliefs and realizations with his wife, Mack ends up in a car accident.

It takes Mack four days to recover, and he remembers nothing of his time at the shack, until Willie reminds him of the letter. After that, Mack puts all the memories together and begins sharing them with his wife and friends.

Mack is forever a changed man. The Great Sadness has left him and he has found a new joy.

I was changed by this story. Now, I can see the criticism I have toward God's work and I understand that when I live independently from the Holy Spirit, I make life much harder for my self.

"The Shack" is a work of fiction but I want it to be true. I want to believe that God could come to me in the same way if I was not seeing things clearly.

"The Shack" is published by Windblown Media in 2007 and is available at Downtown Books for $14.99.