Archive for the ‘The Shack Reviews’ Category

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 by Paul

June 2008, Letter from Pastor Lawrence Rae

I get about 100 emails a day, plus regular mail, notes, cards etc.  I really do try and get to them all, and I am only a couple thousand behind – thank you for your grace and patience.  I received the following letter just a day or two ago and thought I would like to share it with you.  It is a devotional journal entry dated May 27, 2008, written by Pastor Lawrene Rae.  There is a simplicity and yet a depth that I appreciate very much, as well as insight into Papa’s heart.  This is posted with permission.

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Thursday, August 30th, 2007 by admin

More Stories

Venturing out to the edge … of the precipice Staring into the Grand Canyon of Papa’s love, Letting the wind blow in your face the freshness of a breeze whose scents you’ve only barely tasted before You take the risk …it’s time… You take the step …it’s time… You plunge…and suddenly… You are flying…

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Thursday, July 26th, 2007 by Paul

The Shack – Responses Part II

Hi everyone,

I have been laying a little low with regard to blogging lately…still trying to upgrade my site (getting there)…eagerly awaiting our first two grandbabies (within the next 1-4 weeks, most likely)…moving the business I work for to a new location (finally settled in and phones and Internet are working)…general fun and relationships…summer stuff.

Thought you might to look over my shoulder a bit again and watch grace unfold in small wonderful unveilings:

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Sunday, June 24th, 2007 by Paul

The Shack – some responses

Sometimes I get notes from people who would rather stay anonymous but still grant me permission to post their thoughts – I am very grateful, and want to be both sensitive with them and generous with you…

This is all about the grace that is pursuing us all, to the praise of his glory.

Here are a few recent ones:

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A friend recommended your book (alright, *recommended* is probably not the proper, descriptive term to describe her over-the-top jubilation) so I ordered a copy which promptly arrived Wednesday. By Wednesday night, I’d completed the final chapter and tonight, I ordered another copy to send to my daughters–
 
All I can say is, Brother…? You have been through the fire. It shows in your writing and you can be just as cryptic as you want on your website bio, but *nobody* gains that place without going through hell and back.
 
I almost quit before the end of the first chapter– not because it wasn’t good, but because it was– well written, literary, easy to read– and smacking me right up against my worst fears. Which, obviously, is why I had to finish, but didn’t make it any easier and about the time your character, Mack winds up at the shack lying on the floor next to his daughter’s blood stain, I was wanting to smack *you* around for putting me through the agony of my own pain, which I have also been avoiding for years :-)
 
I don’t read fiction anymore– there’s life in stories. Sneaky author-type folks sneak stuff in around the adverbs while you’re minding your own business trying to follow the plot line. You, my friend, are a very sneaky author…
 
And I want to thank you– really, really thank you for taking a hunk of your hard-won pain and putting it on paper.
 

It helped– a lot :-)

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I didn’t put this in my comment yesterday, but I want you to know that The Shack has been really instrumental in helping me forgive someone that I’ve been angry towards for years. I’ve prayed for so long that God would help me forgive that person, and I never felt like I could. While reading The Shack, I realized that that person is special and so loved by God, and I started feeling the anger in me drain away. I now think of that person with affection, which I never thought could be possible. How Sarayu works! This truly is a miracle.

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Ist off , I am still having a hard time with the book … so many places you confirmed what God has been speaking to me in the past year … weird … and not only that , but in the early 80’s the Lord gave me an unexpected and quite scary vision , that to this day seemed like an acid trip of some sort , but then , after reading the book , it makes more sense … the book had many similarities of that vision … 2 months ago , I had written some things to my son that you covered “exactly” almost to the word … which I told him I was hard pressed to Theologically prove , but was certain of … and again , I was overwhelmed to read the same experiences … I wished I could say that all this has had an overnite change in me … but I am still struggling to live life … as most days it would seem to be to my advantage to go home and give up the struggle …… Thank you very much for sharing your life with me …It leaves me with a lot more answered questions … which for some reason … raise even more questions , if you know what I mean … and , so , here we are … somewhere in the middle , wishing daily for a closer walk with Jesus … learning to trust Him in all things … feeling so alone most days … yet knowing that Christ is there always… thank you thank you thank you

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Hi, I just listened to the podcast on Waynes sight and heard your story. It touched me deeply and gave me hope! I am in the middle of a process much like yours. Being abused as a young child, I have lived behind my “lies” as a safety net also, but my Father is so loving, He is slowly revealing to me the lies, so I can let them go, and let Him and my family embrace me. It is a very “prickly” time now, especially when I can’t “let” my husband “in” because of the lies. He is very understanding, but it’s painful for him also. I can teach, preach, counsel others and give out, but not really recieve in.
Thank you for sharing your journey alittle, It helped me to know freedom is coming as I just keep facing it with Him! I loved the poem about the wind also, wow you put it into words what my heart is for all of them, My Father, His Son and His Spirit. It’s amazing through all the pain, He placed such a burning for Him in our hearts! I love HIm, and can’t wait to let Him in more and His family in too.

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I couldn’t put it down.  My heart soared at every turn of the page.  I wept with agreement, excitement, hope, joy, sorrow, and beauty in your description of Papa.  I know Him as you described and I love him so.  Your book is a overwhelming and very accurate (in my opinion and knowledge of what I know of our Daddy ). 
 
I am blessed and humbled buy the time I spent today in your heart, but truly, in the Lords heart.

Oh my goodness, what a story!- Wayne sent us "The Shack" – we got 4 copies. One has disappeared to my friend; my 18yr olddaughter is reading one;my 16yr old son another;& my husband the other one! Thankfully I got to read one first before they all disappeared.  I wanted to cry (and I did) so much as I read it; there are so many goodies in it, so I plan to reread it as soon as a book emerges again.  And of course, I will have to get some more to give away!
 The only thing my "religious" side of me struggled with was "Papa"!  I could see it, and yet, my religious hackles rose up! How could Papa look like a woman??? :-) Sigh………….it’s good to have stuff in me exposed to the light!  I’ve just never thought of that before.  So thank you.
I’m finding I’m chatting to Dad during the day, and in my heart of hearts, I’m calling him "Daddy", and that’s kind of cool.
To see people coming into more freedom from reading this book – wahoo!  I’m in!
thank you thank you!

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I appreciate your book  and some of the teaching in the conversations are  still sinking in . Over the last couple of days since I finished the book I feel a weight gone from me as I consider that I am not under responsibility or expectation. I am to "be" as Christ lives through me. I have over the last few years considered and tried to apply the New Covenant teaching that I am not under Law, but the way you put it has made a fresh, powerful impact on me.

Also, perhaps because of my church background,  I have not been able to believe God ( perhaps just in the case of God  the Father ) being close to suffering but ‘apathetic’. 
The story of the Shack has made me able to see that this is not so. I  intend to go over the conversations again more slowly, without having to try and move ahead with the storyline.

many thanks,

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I just finished the book today. I began the book one week ago. Thank you for this book. I have never known a time in my life when Jesus wasn’t a part of it. I grew up in a Christian home, went to Bible school, got a degree in ministry, and even spent 13 years as a professional minister in the church.  This book has offered me a level of insight into the nature of God that I have never even dreamed possible. I am so touched by the insight into the nature of God that this book offers, I plan to buy multiple copies and give them away. Everyone—no matter his or her relationship to Father—should read this book. Besides the Bible, this book has done more for my faith and understanding of God than anything I’ve ever consciously experienced.
 
Thank you, Willie.
 

Thank you, too, Papa.

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Dear sir,
  I read your book, The Shack, and I absolutly LOVED it! It was increadible. It changed me. Thank you, thank you for allowing God to work through you and Mack to write this book. It touched me in a way I have never allowed anyone to touch me before. Tell Mack thank you for being willing to tell you his story, I appreciate it. And thank YOU for writing it. God bless you,

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For more responses to The Shack, explore the comments section.