The Shack

My small group through church is currently reading "The Shack". We started with a Beth Moore series, "Mercy Reigns" about the book of James -- I would highly recommend, but after the extensive homework and upkeep we were ready for something a little more relaxing. Reading the book has given us more time to just catch up on life and spend time together which has been great! 

For those of you who have read the Shack I'm preaching to the choir, but if you haven't it is amazing!! I actually still have a few more chapters to the end, but it has already made a huge impact on me. The author does a great job of making you question and redefine the stereotypes we have for God and religion in general. The book is about a father who's daughter is kidnapped and murdered at "The Shack". He receives an anonymous letter inviting him to come back to the Shack. When he gets there he is greeted by God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I won't spoil anything else from there, but it is a must read if you have struggled with something recently or if you are just looking for something new to get your hands on. Written By WM. Paul Young it is a #1 New York Times Bestseller and has gotten rave reviews. What I liked most about the book is that it made me question and think about so many things that we do, act, and say in our daily lives. We often minimize God or get caught in the legalistic side of religion, rather than "being in Christ." Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book thus far:

"You were created to be loved. So for you to live as if you were unloved is a limitation, not the other way around." 

"So many believe that it is love that grows, but it is the knowing that grows and love simply expands to contain it. Love is just the skin of knowing."

"It is quite simple really. Being always transcends appearance -- that which only seems to be. Once you begin to know the being behind the very pretty or very ugly face, as determined by your bias, the surface appearances fade away until they simply no longer matter."

Do we really see people for who they are and look beyond appearances?

"I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it."

Give it up to Him.

"You cannot produce trust, just as you cannot 'do' humility. It either is or is not. Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved."

"The darkness hides the true size of fears and lies and regrets," Jesus explained. "The truth is they are more shadow than reality, so they seem bigger in the dark. When the light shines into the places where they live inside you, you start to see them for what they are."

Light always overcomes darkness.

"These institutions, these structures and ideologies, are all a vain effort to create some sense of certainty and security where there isn't any. It's all false. Systems cannot provide you with security, only I can."

What do we look to for security?

"If you try to live this without me, without the ongoing dialogue of us sharing this journey together, it will be like trying to walk on the water by yourself. You can't! And when you try, however well intentioned, you're going to sink."

We need Him.

XoXo,

Southern Saving Grace