The Day After Paul Young spoke at Living Hope

I've only asked for four autographs at this point in my long, long, life. I once asked a cat. 1 female bike racer to sign my boy's riding jerseys when they were kids. I also had the Ray Brown Trio sign their album in Seattle. And then Joe Montana on his comeback Sunday after recovering from back surgery. (He was standing in front of the hotel we had both stayed in - a fun story.) Saturday afternoon, Paul Young (author of The Shack) who spoke at Living Hope, signed a book for my sister and brother-in-law. I've never been big into signatures. But after hearing Paul speak this weekend I must say his book has shot up MY best-book list to become one of my top 25

(Good to Great, The Jesus I Never Knew, A Testament of Devotion, The Ragamuffin Gospel, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, Abba's Child, My Utmost for His Highest, The Normal Christian, Grace Walk, Seizing Your Divine Moment, The Cost of Discipleship, Dare to Desire, The Amazing Body Human, The Kosakovsky Brothers, Night, The Signature of Jesus, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Princes of Ireland, Epic, The Kitchen God's Wife, Team of Rivals, The Bible (Have you read this one?), and . . . (The one book I forgot).

Anyway . . . What struck me about Paul's story was what birthed this book - a desire to leave, out of the pile of crap, a legacy for his family and friends. The book is a monument to all those who are willing to let God rescue the "through the fire" instead of insisting God take them around, over, or under it! It's a walk up to the door of everything "hidden" and the joy of opening all this ugly stuff (memories, scars of self-mutilation, guilt, shame, broken relationships, shattered dreams, and betrayal) only to find that God is behind that door (literally in the shack of "shoot" you've been hiding from others (and yourself). God is in your pain, so very close to you in your agnostic moments (or years), and loves you so much that waiting (and being misunderstood) will never make our Creator-Friend force love on us - simply wait and overwhelm us when we want with the realization that "love is always both gift-based and relational." There is no God outside of relationship (that's why God appears as a Trinity (3) in Genesis one and John one.

I will now be recommending that people first watch the Living Hope video of Paul Young (William P. Young is his book name), then reading (or re-reading) the book. Our life group has been going through The Shack this summer and I must say that it may very well become a classic in history (like Pilgrim's Progress).

Paul's Big Ideas: (as my mind gathered them)

1) We all have a shack (our past failures, expectations, and hidden stuff). We ARE as sick as the stuff we keep hidden. (Learning to let it out in a healthy, healing way IS a process, never an event!)

2) Religion is very often a tool that keeps "hidden" what needs healing. Religion can be used as a drug. (Performance is a very big drug; Jesus spoke of the religious types who kept the outside of the cup very pretty, but never washed the Giardia from the inside). The way out is almost always from within (Guard your heart for out of it comes everything.)

3) Jesus came to save you, AND this means to heal your broken Shack. It's through the fires of pain, sorrow, and great loss that you gain that simply best gift, a forever friendship with Jesus.

Paul speaks of being free of measuring up, needing the measurement and approval of others, needing success, and "doing", to be at peace, and having a renewed love with his wife and kids.

Several hundred years ago I said to a professor I couldn't stand; "I can't respect you at all!" To which he calmly replied (to that very mature, brilliant, soon to be great scholar, Bruce Avery) "If you move close enough to an enemy they will very likely become a friend." I must honestly say I never tried out his advice in our relationship, but I learned, and am so thankful for what he said to me that day (I should thank him in person, and ask forgiveness - you think?)! I really believe those who have so strongly expressed, before thousands, their belief that William P. Young's book, The Shack, is heresy should, First - read the entire book first! And then Second, try to meet the author, or at least listen to his motives and purpose for writing before ripping on him.

Most of the criticism has been for what he didn't write (as if he was obligated to write a dull, often worthless, apologetic). Paul Young's journey is similar to many who have found healing at Living Hope. His freedom from legalism and his story of finding God as a friend (the greatest compliment God ever gave to a human) is powerful. We need hundreds of books like these. Last night I met with two inmates at the Clark County Jail. Both have been passing around The Shack to the other inmates. One said to me, "Several of the guys who won't read anything religious have been willing to read The Shack. It's changing their lives." He went on to tell me about an inmate who is very hard, and far from a relationship with God, who after reading the book has said, "Please tell me about God. I want to know Him." How many of our "Christian books" are reaching and touching the lives of those who don't yet have their hope in Jesus? I rest my case. (Cheering sounds in the background!)

I've long walked with a permanent limp in my heart, and loved Paul Young's retelling of Jacob's fight with God. Jacob, the one named "thief and liar," gets a new name after wrestling all night with God (disguised, not as a large black woman but rather a UFC fighter who dislocates Jacob's hip. Ouch! I had my shoulder dislocated on a black diamond ski hill once, and also, upside down under a kayak . . . not fun!), THEN God says, "What in the world do you want Kid?" To which, after 6.5 hrs of wrestling, Jacob replies, "I need real peace. Please bless me!" God then whispers, "Already done dear friend. You now have a new name, it's "Israel". (The guy who fought God and finished last!)

You really can go to your own personal, private, unique shack and discover that God is there already. You can wrestle, throw punches and do a round-house kick or two. God can take it (and give it back), but God's motive for winning (beating you up) is always the same: (I want to be your best friend ever) so that you will say yes to my healing (freedom).

Buy the DVD! Read The Shack, then read John one; chapters thirteen through 15, and the entire book of 1 John (especially I John 4).

"Perfect love," (that's God!) "throws out fear. Because fear has to do with punishment . . . we are able to love BECAUSE God first loved us! If you have (a friendship) the Son you have life. If you don't have the Son (you can heal, raise people from the grave, write and preach very religious stuff, be a "good person" and still not have a friendship with Jesus) you don't have life. Today, right now, you can KNOW that you are forever connected with God! Will you say yes to love? God IS love! We get to reflect, shadow, live it out to others!

Thank You Paul Young for not hiding! Thank you for sharing what was given as a gift to you. Thank you God for not having any big "Christian" publishers publish this book (God has an amazing sense of humor!)

A side note (grinding my ax): If you call a book "Christian" or a "Song" Christian you often take away the neutral choice of those who read or listen to it. I got this idea from my son Gordon. As he shared with me this morning, "If you have a "Christian" coffee shop then people who drink your coffee and don't like it are very much influenced to associate your "bad coffee" with the name "Christian." I believe we often fail to see how dangerous labels can be - that's why I don't like bumper stickers (I don't drive that safe and I hate making others read my opinions from my most unattractive side).

Don't miss tomorrow's blog: Two amazing Oswald Chambers quotes (so like Paul Young's story) and the ONE bumper sticker Living Hope I would consider putting on my car (I'll tell you why . . . maybe we can get this bumper sticker brought back?) - I'll share it ALL tomorrow!