You gotta read this book!
I just want to recommend some good reading- especially for those of you who like action and drama filled fiction that also addresses the spiritual aspect of our lives. It's called "The Shack" by William P. Young. I'm almost finished with it, but am even making the recommendation before finishing it- it's been gripping and hard to put down!
BETH- I was really thinking of you when I decided to make this new post w/ my book recommendation- I really, really think you'll find it gripping and it addresses so many of your questions about God in a real, interesting way.
Personally, I've never really been into the self help books- I've bought and read quite a few, but honestly have found many of them to be boring (don't know what that says about me, but it's the truth). This book is definitely not boring!
Beth, if you're reading this, I urge you to forget any preconceived ideas you might have about a book I might be recommending and just try it!
Happy reading everyone (it's not all happy, but very, very real).
Take care and God bless,
Lisa
Comments
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I agree with Lisa
It's a great, over the top book and I couldn't put it down either. I didn't necessarily agree with all the author's ideas about God (I'm a Methodist who grew up Southern Baptist), but I realize it was fiction. The author had a whole new way of looking at God. It opened to my eyes to possibilities I had never considered and it really touched my heart.
Joy0 -
The Shack
Hi Lisa,
My whole life I sought "religion." I went to numerous churches and temples of many different faiths and sects. Nothing. I read and read (including the Bible, the Koran, the Egyptian and Tibetan Books of the Dead, Lobsang Rampa etc etc), and ended up feeling that I essentially had mostly Christian values, but I didn't believe Christ was the Son of God, but a prophet. So that meant I wasn't a Christian, because the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus are core to Christianity. (Hence the name Christ, heh heh...)
I have been fortunate in having some Christian friends who have never preached at me, but have patiently answered all my questions and prayed for me. They explained that it wasn't about religion, it was about faith and reconciliation with God; a relationship with Jesus. I still could not reconcile belief with my brain--a control issue, I'm sure.
Then I read "The Shack", and everything just gelled. It all made sense to me "in my gut", so to speak, instead of just in my brain. Less than a week after reading it, my friends and I prayed together, and I turned my life over to Jesus.
If anyone is having that same struggle, I highly recommend this book. My friends had pointed out all the odd things that have happened to me, the number of times I should have died in my lifetime, but didn't. I took them as sheer funny coincidences or luck, but in hindsight I have to agree. They were all incidences of God trying to get my attention, saying "Wake up! You can be reconciled with me! Trust me!"
Because of the numerous times I should have died but didn't throughout my life, I always felt that there was a reason I wasn't dead. I wasn't afraid of death, but I couldn't accept that this was God showing grace. Now I thank God every day for allowing me to live long enough to trust in Him. I thank Him every day for my friends who never gave up on me, but prayed and trusted God to get through to me one way or another. I trust God to have mercy and to welcome everyone through His Son, Jesus.
Well, I guess I sound like a typical "convert." But I'm not "converted;" I'm saved by God's Grace.
Oookaaayyyy. Didn't mean for this to turn into a sermon; I was just excited. Love you all!
Kirsten0 -
dancin' with God!kmygil said:The Shack
Hi Lisa,
My whole life I sought "religion." I went to numerous churches and temples of many different faiths and sects. Nothing. I read and read (including the Bible, the Koran, the Egyptian and Tibetan Books of the Dead, Lobsang Rampa etc etc), and ended up feeling that I essentially had mostly Christian values, but I didn't believe Christ was the Son of God, but a prophet. So that meant I wasn't a Christian, because the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus are core to Christianity. (Hence the name Christ, heh heh...)
I have been fortunate in having some Christian friends who have never preached at me, but have patiently answered all my questions and prayed for me. They explained that it wasn't about religion, it was about faith and reconciliation with God; a relationship with Jesus. I still could not reconcile belief with my brain--a control issue, I'm sure.
Then I read "The Shack", and everything just gelled. It all made sense to me "in my gut", so to speak, instead of just in my brain. Less than a week after reading it, my friends and I prayed together, and I turned my life over to Jesus.
If anyone is having that same struggle, I highly recommend this book. My friends had pointed out all the odd things that have happened to me, the number of times I should have died in my lifetime, but didn't. I took them as sheer funny coincidences or luck, but in hindsight I have to agree. They were all incidences of God trying to get my attention, saying "Wake up! You can be reconciled with me! Trust me!"
Because of the numerous times I should have died but didn't throughout my life, I always felt that there was a reason I wasn't dead. I wasn't afraid of death, but I couldn't accept that this was God showing grace. Now I thank God every day for allowing me to live long enough to trust in Him. I thank Him every day for my friends who never gave up on me, but prayed and trusted God to get through to me one way or another. I trust God to have mercy and to welcome everyone through His Son, Jesus.
Well, I guess I sound like a typical "convert." But I'm not "converted;" I'm saved by God's Grace.
Oookaaayyyy. Didn't mean for this to turn into a sermon; I was just excited. Love you all!
Kirsten
I loved this book!! My daughter got it for me for Christmas and it just blew me away! I have always been religious (pray all the time) but, didn't always agree with my church. This take on the essence of God is what is missing from some organized religions, I believe. We need to see God as all-loving, not just all-knowing and judgmental.I don't agree 100% with the theology but, I do agree that the love of God, shown as complete and over-flowing and joyful is what we will really encounter when we finally go home.Great book, great outlook!!
Hollyberry
P.S., Kirsten, thanks for your support; the idea of decorating the ribbon is fabulous!0 -
excited again
Joy, Kirsten, and Holly-
It was fun to hear you enjoyed the book, too. Kirsten, everything you said got me all excited again- that's an amazing testimony how God used the reading of that book for you to help you understand having a relationship with him as being so important! I also don't agree with everything on how they portrayed God as being realistic or neccessarily true either, but again, it is fiction and I think the author did a wonderful job of making us think of the relationship, not just all of all our institutions, formalities, laws, and rules about God.
Have a great weekend, everyone! (& if any of you have any great books to recommend, I'm open for suggestions!)
Lisa0 -
Amen, sister!kmygil said:The Shack
Hi Lisa,
My whole life I sought "religion." I went to numerous churches and temples of many different faiths and sects. Nothing. I read and read (including the Bible, the Koran, the Egyptian and Tibetan Books of the Dead, Lobsang Rampa etc etc), and ended up feeling that I essentially had mostly Christian values, but I didn't believe Christ was the Son of God, but a prophet. So that meant I wasn't a Christian, because the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus are core to Christianity. (Hence the name Christ, heh heh...)
I have been fortunate in having some Christian friends who have never preached at me, but have patiently answered all my questions and prayed for me. They explained that it wasn't about religion, it was about faith and reconciliation with God; a relationship with Jesus. I still could not reconcile belief with my brain--a control issue, I'm sure.
Then I read "The Shack", and everything just gelled. It all made sense to me "in my gut", so to speak, instead of just in my brain. Less than a week after reading it, my friends and I prayed together, and I turned my life over to Jesus.
If anyone is having that same struggle, I highly recommend this book. My friends had pointed out all the odd things that have happened to me, the number of times I should have died in my lifetime, but didn't. I took them as sheer funny coincidences or luck, but in hindsight I have to agree. They were all incidences of God trying to get my attention, saying "Wake up! You can be reconciled with me! Trust me!"
Because of the numerous times I should have died but didn't throughout my life, I always felt that there was a reason I wasn't dead. I wasn't afraid of death, but I couldn't accept that this was God showing grace. Now I thank God every day for allowing me to live long enough to trust in Him. I thank Him every day for my friends who never gave up on me, but prayed and trusted God to get through to me one way or another. I trust God to have mercy and to welcome everyone through His Son, Jesus.
Well, I guess I sound like a typical "convert." But I'm not "converted;" I'm saved by God's Grace.
Oookaaayyyy. Didn't mean for this to turn into a sermon; I was just excited. Love you all!
Kirsten
I love your testimony! Thank God He has the patience He has or none of us would be here! Another amazed and forgiven!
mary0
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