Review: The Shack - William P Young
Although the New York Times Best Seller -“The Shack” - has been in print for a couple years, the buzz around it has yet to really slow down. William P. Young, a husband and father of six, wrote this story as a Christmas present to his children. Quite suddenly, more and more people wanted to read it, so Young teamed up with Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings, two former pastors with an audience. The trio could not convince any one of over twenty publishing houses to take a chance on them, and so Windblown Media was born. This self-publishing success story is not the only mind-blowing aspect of it all. “The Shack” has become a controversial piece of tapestry in the Christian dialogue.
This fictional story is built around the Philip family. Although our main character- Mack has had a rough childhood, he and wife Nan build a loving family and are parents to 5 beautiful children in Oregon. But personal tragedy strikes and Mack has a hard time recovering until God gets his attention. Mack is whisked away to the ground-zero of his pain. There, he discovers that God will not always say what you think and will not always be what you expect. The bulk of the story takes us alongside Mack on his unconventional journey.
Young writes, “Since most of our hurts come through relationships, so will our healing”. Through writing “The Shack”, William P. Young takes us into the recesses of his soul, a place that many people are not honest enough to bare. Whether you relate emotionally and spiritually to his out-of-the-box thinking, or you disagree with his tenets, this is an important work to encounter because it is so controversial. Some have compared “The Shack” to “The Pilgrim’s Progress”, written over 300 years ago. This is not a book for those expecting an easy, light-hearted read. Young documents a deep, personal journey; his writing style is very descriptive, full of dialogue and feeling. “The Shack” strongly effuses hope in a world of pain.
It seems like the last time we talked about what happens when culture goes head to head with theology was circa “The Davinci Code”. Some people would say both are heresy and others would say that “The Shack” does not discount Christianity. Maybe the debate will get our hearts pumping instead and then we will have these conversations. You can only get in on the conversation if you read it. It may challenge you, disturb you, encourage you, unsettle you or make you cry but if you can handle that, then give it a try.
Book Review: When Wallflowers Dance - Angela Thomas
Women Wallflowers. I see them all the time - in supermarkets mostly - begrudgingly going through the motions. Wallflowers can be women who are typically shy and often go about unseen. According to the author – Angela Thomas, when a woman allows the wallflower spirit to take root in her life that woman becomes an un-woman: “Empty. Numb. Barely Present.” She writes from experience. In 2005, Thomas wrote “When Wallflowers Dance: Becoming a Woman of Righteous Confidence” as a single, divorced mother of four, an author of 10 books, and a speaker to 25,000 women a year. Angela Thomas is also a pursuer of God. Through “When Wallflowers Dance”, she desires to teach us how to get off the wall and dance in the arms of God.
Thomas’ book fleshes out what an un-woman is and how this identity takes root in the lives of women. Then she shares why we should dance; the middle of the book highlights the steps that are necessary to be dance-ready. Thomas uses the concept of dancing to describe what happens when a woman is not just walking with God but she is fully living out her purpose, alongside Him, in a fearless, adventurous way. This dancing woman is vibrant and has a brilliant kind of spiritual maturity. Thomas sums the book up by outlining what she believes are indisputable priorities.
“When Wallflowers Dance” starts out gradually, but she does so to enable her audience to understand who a wallflower is and how one becomes a wallflower. I commend Ms. Thomas on her ability to bare her soul even though she doesn’t seem far removed from the circumstances she describes. The truth in her life resonates throughout the book. A strong ending left me pleasantly surprised and I became supportive of her “No Matter What” tenets. It is admirable to see someone take such a strong stance on things she believes in. Angela Thomas writes very clearly; her 203 page book is sprinkled with quotes and bullet points, making it a fairly easy read. It is very possible that, after reading this book, you too will become a more fervent pursuer of God as He teaches you how to dance in His arms.
Book reviews by Casey Elle. Casey Elle is a writer pursuing her master’s degree in media studies. She finds joy in brilliant writing and is electrified by smart television and film. Casey Elle falls more in love with her husband every day and is in awe of the magnificence of God.
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