What Have We Done?

When asked, “What religion and/or denomination are you?” I would usually reply “Christian and/or Independent Protestant.” Over the years we have attended a slew of churches: Independent, Baptist, Alliance, Pentecostal, Methodist… you get the picture. Where we felt God lead, we followed. Almost four years ago, for the fun of it, my family and I visited a Messianic Synagogue a couple times and had a blast. Our weekends were pretty jam-packed and we were members of a Baptist church at the time, so we didn’t go back.

About a year and a half ago we left that Baptist church and have been on the lookout for another place to worship. Twice we thought we found what we were looking for but after six months or so we went our separate ways. In our town, churches are slim pickin’s. There are the mega churches, the wanna-be mega churches and maybe five teeny-tiny ones.

Where to go, we asked ourselves. Then we remembered the Messianic Synagogue that we visited a while ago. We had to rearrange our schedules but decided to try it again. It was a little bit different from the previous time; they met in the basement instead of the sanctuary (a Methodist church lends their building to them) and they have a different Rabstor (Rabbi/Pastor) but we liked it. The Shofar is blown. Men and woman both wear the Tallit (Jewish prayer shawl). Blessings are given to the children. Messianic songs are sung and prayers are said first in Hebrew, then in English.

My family and I- we’re not Jewish. We speculate we may have Jewish heritage, but none of that has been proven. We are very much Gentile, if you catch my drift. Yet, I have always been drawn to Judaism and Jewish history. At first I only read about the religion for a novel I was writing, but now it fascinates me. I always thought that if I didn’t believe in Jesus, I would convert to Judaism.

So, I guess this Messianic Synagogue gives me the best of both worlds. Jesus is the center of it all and it is Jewish. I hope to post more about our adventures in regards to this new way of worshiping.

“Iscariot,” by Tosca Lee

Author:

Tosca Lee is the NY Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed DEMON: A MEMOIR, HAVAH: THE STORY OF EVE, and the Books of Mortals series with NY Times bestseller Ted Dekker: FORBIDDEN, MORTAL and SOVEREIGN (Spring, 2013). ISCARIOT, her highly-anticipated novel of Judas, the infamous betrayer of Christ, releases February 2013.

Tosca received her B.A. in English and International Relations from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She also studied at Oxford University. In her spare time, Tosca enjoys adventure travel and makes her home in the Midwest. Check out her website.

Book Description:

Based on extensive research into the life and times of Judas Iscariot, this triumph of fiction storytelling by the author of Havah: The Story of Eve revisits one of biblical history’s most maligned figures and brings the world he inhabited vividly to life.

In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One—the promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, he joins the Nazarene’s followers, ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life. But soon Judas’s vision of a nation free from Rome is crushed by the inexplicable actions of the Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention—who seems, in the end, to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas must confront the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Iscariot is the story of Judas, from his tumultuous childhood to his emergence as the man known to the world as the betrayer of Jesus. But even more, it is a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus that forces us to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous—and infamous—religious icons in history.

My Thoughts:

My Rating: 5 stars.

After reading Lee’s “Havah” and “Demon” I was ecstatic to hear that she was doing the story of Judas Iscariot. Unlike most historical authors, she actually does research and her characters are three dimensional. While we are all familiar with the Biblical account of Judas, this novel puts a humanistic face on him rather than writing him off as the incarnation of the devil. As the story unfolds, you begin to sympathize with him and understand that at that point in Jewish history, they were expecting a conquering king to free them from Roman oppression. Though Jesus stirred up some trouble, He didn’t fit the mold (at times He still doesn’t fit the mold people expect of Him). One point the author makes throughout the book, is what we would have done if we were in Judas’ position? I guarantee that you’ll walk away from “Iscariot” with a different perspective on the most maligned figure in the Bible.

Dare Questions

Fun Spiritual Questions to Answer!

What do you consider your first spiritual experience to be?

I remember being three or four years old and standing in the kitchen thinking about the Holy Trinity and I understood the three-in-one concept.

I was raised in church and automatically thought I was a Christian/saved. Then I went to a religious ceremony for my Dad's cousin. He was entering into the Capuchin Brotherhood. The Holy Spirit was very present there and I felt like I had to get out of there ASAP. That was the first time I ever felt God's Presence and it scared me to death.

What is the most religious thing you’ve ever worn in public?

Probably a cross or a witness T-shirt.

What is the kindest act you’ve ever done for someone?

Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything right now.

What is your favorite story from the Gospel or a religious movie?

I've always liked the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. That one where He was resurrected is pretty good too. :~)

Favorite religious movie:

I consider the movie "Bella" a religious movie. It isn't blatant but rather more subtle. It always cheers me up.

Have you ever prayed with someone from a different religion?

I don't think so.

Have you ever prayed in a public place?

I have prayed over people and in a women's group, but never in front of a crowd.

Have you ever participated in a religious service other than your own?

Yes. I have attended a Messianic church a couple of times and loved it. It’s one of the few places that I felt God's Presence.

Have you ever gone outside your spiritual comfort zone in order to move closer to God?

Yes, but it’s been awhile.

Are you in a good relationship with God right now?

Not sure. The last year has been really hard and in some ways I feel closer to Him. But I also feel bitter towards Him and am trying to work through that.

What do think God’s wish is for you?

I think He wishes for me to trust in Him completely, no matter what the circumstance is.

Whose desires come first in your life: yours or God's?

Probably my own. I know God's desires should be first, but I get wrapped up in my own petty concerns that I forget about Him and what He wants.

Do you struggle with selfishness? What helps you overcome this?

See prior answer. What helps me to overcome this? Having to dedicate myself to someone else.

Do you struggle with false or empty relationships that distract you from your relationship with God? What relationships help you stay close to God?

I don't see myself having empty relationships. All of them are important and none of them really distract me from God. The people in my life encourage me to stay in tune with Christ.

When you pray, what is your image of God? What do you think of?

My Grandpa was an artist and he did a chalk drawing of Christ and it is that image that comes to mind most of all when I pray.

What is on your “spiritual bucket list?”

Lead someone to Christ.

Go on a mission’s trip.

Do something extraordinary that changes the world for the better.

This Should Offend Everyone

There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black.
1. He called everyone brother
2. He liked Gospel
3.He didn't get a fair trial

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish.
1. He went into His Father's business
2. He lived at home until he was 33
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian.
1. He talked with His hands
2. He had wine with His meals
3. He used olive oil

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian.
1. He never cut His hair
2. He walked around barefoot all the time
3. He started a new religion

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian.
1. He was at peace with nature
2. He ate a lot of fish
3. He talked about the Great Spirit

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish.
1. He never got married..
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures..

But the most compelling evidence of all ~3 proofs that Jesus was a Woman.
1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was virtually no food
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it
3. And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was still work to do

Can I get an AMEN!?!

Random Chanukah Thoughts

I wish that I could celebrate Chanukah, and other Jewish holidays too. I suppose that there is nothing really preventing me from doing it except my own ignorance of the holiday and laziness. Despite my belief that we have Jewish heritage, we’re Protestant and have never observed the holiday. I know some about it but not nearly enough to celebrate it properly. There is a Messianic Synagogue in town and we have attended it and could probably celebrate it with them, but the last few Saturdays have been too hectic to visit.

Thanks to my Mom, I first learned about Chanukah when I was a teenager. She had heard about it from my Grandma. Actually, the word “Chanukah” wasn’t mentioned at all; we called it the story of the Maccabees. Where Grandma picked up the story of the Maccabees, I don’t know, but early on in my parents’ marriage, she shared the story with my Mom. Then later on Mom passed it on down to me. When I started doing research about Judaism I learned that Chanukah was the result of the Maccabees. Not only that, I discovered that Chanukah was not the Jewish version of Christmas, as I had thought. It was a holiday that proceeded Christmas by several hundred years.

I wish my church, and all Christian denominations, observed Chanukah and the other Jewish holidays. I mean there is more of a Scriptural basis for the Jewish holidays than there are for the Christian ones. Jesus really wasn’t born on December 25; the 25th was originally a pagan holiday and the early church replaced that holiday with “Jesus’ birthday.” Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas and I do my best to remember Christ at this time of year. But I think adding Chanukah and the other Jewish holidays to our “Christian” calendar would increase our understanding of the Bible and the Jewish roots of our religion.

Whenever I study about Judaism, I feel closer to Christ. He was a Jew; He celebrated Chanukah, Purim, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, etc. I think Chanukah ought to be as respected and as valued as Christmas. Whenever I spot a menorah in someone’s window, I think “right on.” It’s something to be proud of and I wish that I could share in that pride.

Oh well, maybe we can celebrate it next year. Have a Happy Chanukah!

A Christian Writer’s Woes

I’m not like most Christian writers. From what I have observed they write strictly to glorify God and while I admire that, I don’t do as they do. I love God and intend to serve Him for all of my days on earth and in heaven, but when I put pen to paper (or finger tips to keyboard) my mind is full of dialog, characters, description and plots. I think of Him off and on, but when I am scribbling or typing away, my thoughts are more focused on how attractive I can make this particular scene.

While I intend to craft a novel in such a way that points to Jesus as the Answer for all mankind, when I write it is to satisfy myself. It is the workings of an imaginative mind, the musings of a lonely heart, and the outpourings of an uncommunicative soul. You know, I can’t even recall ever asking God if it was His will for me to be a novelist. I just always assumed that since I have that kind of gift that I was destined to write. I fanaticize about the day when I can walk into any bookstore and find my works on the shelves next to other literary greats.

I rarely pray before I create a new story, character or anything of the sort. Usually I just put it all down and at some later date I talk to the Almighty about it. Sometimes the ideas come so fast that I want to flesh them out before I forget them. Sometimes I feel that words alone can’t describe how I feel about still being unpublished and I ask the Holy Spirit to relate my pain to the Lord.

Writing is really the only thing I know how to do. And do well. I have a few other gifts but the passion for them isn’t there. Whether I ever see my works in print, I have to write. It is an obsession; it is like breathing to me.

A Letter From Jesus

Found this in my mail box.
___________________________



It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.


How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up... It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :


I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

“Trapped in Hitler’s Hell,” by Anita Dittman and Jan Markell

A young Jewish girl discovers the Messiah’s faithfulness in the midst of the Holocaust.
Anita Dittman was just a little girl when the winds of Hitler and Nazism began to blow through Germany. By the time she was twelve, the war had begun.
Shocking and disturbing, yet hopeful and inspiring- An incredible story you’ll never forget!












Author Bios:
Anita Dittman, a Jewish believer since the age of seven, speaks to many churches and groups about her experiences during World War II in Germany. She resides in Minnesota. Jan Markell has authored nine other books. She is the director of Olive Tree Ministries, an informative, cutting edge news ministry that includes her relevant radio talk show, Understanding the Times, on KKMS (AM 980) out of Minneapolis, Minnesota and heard in multiple cities.







Book Description:
Abandoned by her father when he realized the price of being associated with a Jewish wife and family, Anita and her mother were ultimately left to fend for themselves. Anita’s teenage years spent desperately fighting for survival yet learning to trust in the One she discovered who would not leave her…

My Thoughts:
“Trapped in Hitler’s Hell” (originally titled as, “Camp Angels,” and revamped for children as “Shadow of His Hand” by Wendy Lawton) is a little known story about Anita Dittman’s survival and spiritual journey during the holocaust. Upon coming to Jesus personally, she trusts her life and fate to the only One who can truly save her. It is one of the few accounts of a Jewish person who became a Christian in that dark point of history. With the POV being from young Anita, it is somewhat reminiscent of Anne Frank’s tale, with the spiritual fulfillment of Corrie ten Boom’s “The Hiding Place.” It leaves its impression on your heart. I can easily envision this book being transformed successfully into a TV movie for Hallmark. In this new 2005 edition, actual photographs of Anita and her family are included.

Veronica Goes to Confession

1. I never wear shoes when I’m at home. In fact, I go around barefoot whenever possible.
2. I can make a strange purring sound at the back of my throat like a cat does.
3. The first time I ever kissed a boy I was seven and in the first grade. Hopefully I won’t get sued for sexual harassment. After all it was only on the cheek.
4. I can still put one of my ankles behind my head.
5. The more I study Judaism and Jewish history, the closer I feel to Jesus.
6. I’ve borrowed so many books and movies about Nazism and the Third Reich from the library, that the librarians think I’m a Nazi.
7. I love to eat peanut butter sandwiches with kosher dill pickles on the side.
8. Swing/Big Band is my favorite genre of music now.
9. My life is a cross between “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Little Women” with a side of “Secondhand Lions.”
10. Growing up I read too much “Sweet Valley Twins, ” “Goosebumps” and ridiculous romances that I neglected the classics. So I have to go back and read the great authors of the past.
11. Give me a good war movie or holocaust film rather than a romance any day.
12. My favorite movie is either “Little Women” with Winona Ryder or “Sophie Scholl: The Last Days” with Julia Jentsche.
13. I hope someday to write a coming of age series based in Indiana.
14. Though I love to write, I often speak with bad grammar. It’s just part of who I am.
15. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in the world than in the Wabash Valley, Indiana.

No one ever made it to Heaven by...

watching a sunset and acknowledging that God created it.

praying or reading the Bible.

attending church or being baptised.

being good or doing good works.

or admitting that there is a Higher Power.



"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with you heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."- Romans 10:9-10

Christ Beside Me

By St. Patrick


Christ beside me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, King of my Heart,
Christ within me, Christ below me,
Christ above me, never to part.

Christ on my right hand, Christ on my left hand,
Christ all around me, sheild of my life,
Christ in my sleeping, Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising, light of my life.

Christ beside me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, King of my Heart,
Christ within me, Christ below me,
Christ above me, never to part.

A Lil’ Bit of Everything

Recently I finished a series that I have been working on for the past six years. Well, I’ll have to go back and do dozens of drafts, but my heroine’s tale has finally come to an end. It’s an odd feeling. Usually when I finish a book I’m in tears, but this wasn’t the case. I was relieved, as if a heavy burden was lifted from my shoulders. Like I said, there will be many drafts to come, changes, omissions, additions, etc. But someday (God willing) I’ll be published and then I’ll say good-bye to this heroine (for a little while anyway ;~)). I already have another series in mind and am in the midst of preparing for it. It’ll be refreshing to write from a new perspective, a different setting and a unique personality. Not only that, the thought of working on something new is exciting to me.

Yesterday we had our picture taken for the church directory. The photographer was asking what my sister and I did for a living and we replied that we were unpublished authors. Sis said that she wrote about the 101st Airborne and that I wrote about the holocaust. He was impressed and we had a passionate discussion on how important history is to our future. He commented on how young we were to be interested in that sort of thing and was also curious as to how we ended up writing about these topics. My sister and I explained how our grandparents were part of the Great Generation, that they were born at the end of WWI, and lived through the Roaring 20’s, the Great Depression and into WW2. That we grew up hearing about the past and enjoyed listening to their stories. My interest in the holocaust stems back to Anne Frank. I received her diary for my 12th birthday and had absolutely no idea why she was in hiding. I don’t recall the schoolbooks mentioning the holocaust and the concentration camps until high school. So I did research on the Frank family and the whole situation in Europe during the 30’s and 40’s. Later on in middle school I was required to read “The Hiding Place,” which is about Corrie ten Boom and her family hiding Jews, but the curriculum itself never went very in-depth. For awhile there reading about Anne Frank and the holocaust was just an interest… until 2003.

That’s when I began to write about a teenage rescuer in Poland. From then on I read everything about the holocaust that I could get my hands on. My story has went through like hundreds, maybe even thousands of revisions and I pray to God that it gets published. But I’m living on His timing. In the past when I’ve tried to submit it to agents I took God off of His throne and made an idol out of my work. My story is important to me, but God forbid it ever becomes more important than Jesus, my family or my friends.

The U In JesUs

Before U were thought of or time had begun,
God stuck U in the name of His Son.

And each time U pray, you'll see it's true,
You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.

You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,
For U, He was born; that's why He came.

And His great love for U is the reason He died.
It even takes U to spell crUcified.

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand
He rose from the dead, with U in His plan?

The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,
and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.

When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension,
He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.

'Go into the world and tell them it's true
That I love them all - Just like I love U.'

So many great people are spelled with a U,
Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?

It all depends now on what U will do,
He'd like them to know,
But it all starts with U.

A Survey on Christianity

1. Are you a Christian?
Yes.

2. What is your perception of Christianity? Can you give some specific incidents that have lead to or confirmed your perception?
Well, my perception of Christianity is basically love. God's love for us that He sent His only Son to this earth; Jesus' love for us to die for our sins and come back to life; and the Holy Spirit's love for us to guide and direct us on a daily basis. This is what I get from prayer and when I read the Bible, and from church too. I suppose I view God is a father who is reaching out to this world, but most of this world isn't reaching back and turns a blind eye to Him and what He wants.

3. How do you feel others (Christians and nonbelievers) view Christianity? What makes you think this is the view they hold?
I think that most people see Christians or those who attend church as droll, boring and ridged people who use God/religion as a crutch. And unfortunately they believe this way because of a personal expirience. Perhaps they have encountered a fellow believer or someone who considers themself religious who acted that way. Or they have been to a church that preached damnation and judgement.

4. Name a well known individual whose character, lifestyle, and beliefs serve as an example of what you think a Christian is.
As of late, I've been reading about Sophie Scholl and her personal life. She was a Christian, but she wasn't perfect, nor did she claim to be. Then there was Corrie ten Boom who hid Jews, was arrested and sent to a concentration camp for it. I've also read some about the priest named Maximillian Kolbe, who was referred to as the Saint of Auschwitz. Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemoller were two others, along with Stefania Podgorska.

5. What is the greatest difference between your understanding of the teachings of Jesus and the way Christians today live out their faith?
As mentioned in question three, the damnation and judgment part... I believe it's coming but only for those who refuse to have anything to do with God or Jesus Christ. I hear how people complain that God is narrow minded and they wonder why He doesn't accept everyone. Unlike us humans, God doesn't discriminate, He loves us all, created us all, died for us all and accepts everyone who submits to Him. What more does the world want from Him? He's done the hard part, all that's left is for them to commit to Him. Consider this, God is the creator of the world and desires His own creation to believe and act in a manner that He desires. That's why He gets to call the shots, because He's God.

Top Ten Predictions For 2009

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-annointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost.

God whispers in your soul and speaks to your mind. Sometimes when you don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at you. It's your choice:

Listen to the whisper, or wait for the brick.

The Shack: A Novel by William P. Young

Where tragedy confronts eternity.
What would you do if God sent you a note, asking you to meet Him at the shack where your daughter was murdered? That’s exactly what happened to Mackenzie Allan Phillips. But let’s backtrack a bit. The Phillips’ were the average family; a loving and devoted couple, three beautiful children. They believed in God, knew Him personally, went to church on Sundays and read the Bible regularly. The idyllic life is turned upside down when Mack and Nan’s daughter Missy is kidnapped and murdered. Actually, she is one of the victims of serial killer known as the Little Lady Killer. He targets little girls, kidnaps them and kills them. The FBI stumbles upon a shack, where there is blood on the floor. It is determined that the blood belonged to Missy and that she is dead. Three and a half years pass and the Phillips family is still struggling to come to terms with little Missy’s death. Nan is devout in her faith as ever; in fact, she constantly refers to God as "Papa." The oldest daughter is having difficulties though. And whatever faith Mack had before the murder is now lost.
That’s when Mack receives an unmarked envelope, with a note inside. The Author of the note asks Mack to meet Him in the very shack where Missy was murdered. At the bottom of the paper it’s signed, "Papa." Mack comes to the conclusion that "Papa" is actually God. He speaks to his friend Willie (who in fact is the author of this book) and the two discuss the possibility of God actually contacting him personally. While he is skeptical of God, on some level Mack’s curiosity piqued and he believes that God might be there. He waits until his wife and children are spending the weekend elsewhere when he takes off and travels to the remote shack. The bloodstain on the floor is still there, but God is nowhere to be found. Enraged, Mack destroys any object he can get a hold of. He steps outside briefly and the entire area is suddenly transformed into a little piece of heaven. When he goes back to the shack, a black woman answers the door, introducing herself as Elousia…a.k.a.- God. But it’s not just God the father who’s there, the whole Trinity is inside. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not what you imagine… as mentioned before God appears as a black woman, Jesus is an average looking guy clad in blue jeans and the Holy Spirit is a free spirit Asian woman.
Not to give away any of the great parts, I’ll leave it at that. "The Shack" is not your average Christian novel, actually it is the exact opposite of what I expected. I can’t recall any Scriptures in the novel, in fact at one point Jesus declares that He wasn’t a Christian, but that He is the answer. Mack is still devastated over his daughter’s death, and the Trinity encourages him to be open and honest about what he feels. Each of Them comforts him in Their own way. Neither of Them are taken back when Mack curses or explodes in anger. Each Member of the Trinity is endearing and left this reader feeling as though she has a deeper understanding of God. I smiled and cried as I read through Mark’s experiences. Many of my own questions that I didn’t even know that I had were answered. I find myself thinking back and snickering over certain incidents in the story, especially when Jesus is a butterfingers.
The author writes an introduction and then a little epilogue, insisting that he is merely ghostwriting the story of his friend. That his friend Mack’s daughter was kidnapped and murdered, his friend received a letter from "Papa" and that he did go to the shack and had a life changing experience there. Mack delved into a deeper relationship with Christ, discovered the location of Missy’s remains, and intended to witness to the Little Lady Killer. Whether this novel is true or not, doesn’t matter to me. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, as long as they keep in mind that this book is not for the faint at heart. I dare anyone to read this without walking away and feeling different. The story is heart wrenching, yet inspirational, even for those who don’t believe.