The Shack

So I finished (finally) The Shack last night. I have mixed thoughts. It was good, but not great. It took me a while to see where the author was going. But I like where he went. It does make you think. What would it be like for me if I spent a weekend, with God, alone, in a cabin? What lessons would I learn? What would He show me? I only really ask these questions because I don't know if my experience would be anything like Mack's experience. I think he had a very warped view of God & religion. Not that anyone can really blame him, his life experience definetely shaped the view he had on God, the Father (Papa). But I guess part of the reason I didn't really like the book was because I don't think I took any new profound beliefs on God away from it. Not to say that I don't have more to learn or that my perception of God can't be 100% accurate. But I do know that God gives us a freedom and he loves us when we screw up, no matter what. He does not force His will on us because thats not what love is about. So I guess for me, based on my past, it wasn't hard for me to understand intimacy with God. But I think a lot of people struggle with seeing God as someone they can be up close and personal with. So i think in that way this was a good book. I think it reached a lot of people's hearts. I on the other hand was partly wanting to finish it up to move on to the next one. Judge me if you will, I'm okay with that...