The Shack

Last week, I felt as if God was speaking eternity into my life.  I know God was trying to get my attention because the theme kept popping up everywhere...campus devotions, a sermon I listened to, my mom's Bible study notes, etc.  Even the book I finished reading emphasized the end times and eternity (The Last Battle in the Narnia series).

That same week, my mom and I spent a night at what I like to call the 'shack'.  It’s a quaint cabin in the mountains some 30 minutes away from CMA campus.  The ride in itself is breathtaking and I was looking to get some time of refreshment and retreat.

"You are a survivor. No shame in that."

Going there reminds me of one of my FAVORITE books- The Shack by Wm Paul Young.  In this book, Mack is invited to face the pain of losing his youngest daughter while spending a weekend rediscovering God.  This all takes place in the shack where his daughter was murdered.  It's a very raw and real book that brought tears and healing to my soul.

Grief is messy.  It's not pretty.  There are days where you can't function normally.  Suddenly nothing is the same.  You view everything through the lens of your loved one's death.  You can't fight the pain. You are faced with the intense reality of the horror of what happened.

But God invites us in our mess to rediscover Him and to cry in His arms.  It's a relationship where it's ok to be raw and hurting and vulnerable.  To receive true healing we have to face our pain and brokenness.  It's so important to seek healing when you are hurting and grieving.  That's why taking that time away in my own little 'shack' was so refreshing and needed.  There I was surrounded by the beauty and stillness of the mountains reflecting on eternity.  I believe that God wanted me to reflect on that and give me peace.