Abandon
There’s been so much talk about the book, which has now been turned into a movie; The Shack. I’m here to ask you to abandon any misconceived notions surrounding this movie. If you’ve been hesitant in seeing it, let me encourage you to push that aside also and GO see the movie!
I read the book years ago, and I also went to see the movie this past weekend with my family. Since it had been years, I had forgotten some of the book, but it quickly returned as the movie started playing. It was then I realized how closely the movie actually follows the book.
If you go into this knowing it is just a book and just a movie, you will not be disappointed or feel it is misrepresenting the bible. The movie isn’t based entirely on Truth found in the bible, as others have argued. However, they are missing the entire point of the movie if they choose to stop right there and dwell on that.
Now, I can almost hear you screaming at me through your computer screens. But, please hear me out. Years ago, it was the pastor’s wife that actually got me interested in the book! Now this pastor posted on Facebook that while he didn’t read the book, he did see the movie, and he would encourage everyone to go see it! If you’re questioning where I’m coming from, maybe it will help to know that a pastor and his wife aren’t up in arms about the book or movie. So, why should WE be?
I’ll admit that there were a few things in the book that I had a hard time grasping. The same is true of the movie. However, the overall message of the book and movie is that of LOVE and FORGIVENESS. Who among us could not benefit from both? There is a section that touches on how we judge, when we are not called nor qualified to do so. Yet, how many times have we been guilty of this? If we’re honest, we all have judged people and situations without knowing the whole story. We just see what’s in front of us or what we choose to see. God sees all. So let’s all leave the judging to Him and trust His devine power, knowledge, and wisdom in situations that are beyond our comprehension.
This book and movie brings huge questions we’ve all either thought or wanted to scream at God in different, heart shattering events we’ve faced in our lives. I’ll be honest and say I’ve been there. After losing my sister to suicide in 2001, I was there. While my story isn’t that of The Shack, I had tears streaming down my face in the movie theater as they touched on things I’ve questioned, things I’ve said, and things I’ve wondered. And … tears fell like rain during several sections where God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit spoke in the movie … and to my heart.
There’s my two cents.
I’d see the movie again.
I’m actually going to buy it when it comes out.
And, I’ve already purchased study guides to go along with it as it digs deeper into the theology behind The Shack.
Open Hands
Laura Story has a new CD out now called Open Hands. She has been one of my favorite Christian artists for a while, so as you can imagine, I was anxious to get my hands on this CD. I am here to tell you that it did not disappoint!
While all of the songs are good, one spoke to my heart more so than the others. The song Give You Faith speaks of a mother’s love to her children. In this song, Laura captures every new mother’s fear as they wonder how they’ll raise the precious gift God has given them. It seems like such a large task that we’re ill equipped for. We’re sure, in all of our humanness, we will mess up along the way. Then, she goes on to share how the things the children really need aren’t things that money can buy but, instead, are so much more important like faith, hope, and love! I’m sure the mother in all of us can relate to this as we wish this and so much more for our children. We’d give them the world if we could, but what we truly need to give to them is a firm foundation in life. What better foundation than having faith in God, clinging to the hope He offers, and being wrapped in His great love?!
She spoke to this mother’s heart through the words in this song. She sings of times that mothers disappoint their children. We will fall short as we are not perfect. And when the day comes that the children begin to question things of this world, after being shaken to their core, a mother’s prayer will be offered up to the One that has never ever left them … and never will.
Our greatest responsibility in life is to lead our children to God. We love them and treasure them, but there is One that loves them even more than we do. It’s hard to understand how there could be any greater love than ours, but that is how God loves each and every one of us as His children. I feel we have an obligation to teach our children about God and to help them come to know Him. But even greater than that, we need to help them form a relationship with Him. As a mother, I want to know without a shadow of a doubt that my children have asked Jesus to come into their hearts so they will have the gift of eternal life. It hurts my heart to ever think that there will come a day when my children will have to go on through life without me. Yet, if they have asked Jesus into their hearts and have accepted His gift of eternal life, as I have, we will be reunited again in Heaven. These thoughts are even more prominent now as my mother-in-law is fighting terminal cancer. I saw it in her eyes yesterday as she fought so hard to force a smile after having received bad news once again.
This brings me to You Came Running and Grace Abounds, also on Laura’s CD. There’s comfort in knowing that Jesus is running right to my mother-in-law in her time of need. Her future is unknown to man at this point, but my God is there to comfort her and provide her peace as she deals with the days to come.
I encourage you to pick up a copy of this CD. Or, leave your email address below in the comments to be considered for our randonly selected giveaway of this beautiful CD.
Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
One of the Greatest Gifts… Love
The world God has given us is filled some amazing things. I had a lot of time to think about this over the weekend during a stay in the hospital. I think the greatest gift we are given is the ability to love. Love is a mystery. Love is elusive for a lot of us. If only love was an easy thing to give and receive I think you could change the world in an instant.
God brings us into this world as a clean slate. We don’t know how to hate. We don’t know how hurt others. I believe it is love that is the connection that is fostered between a new born and their parents. Love is born in all of us as a gift from God.
But, if love is not continually reinforced in our lives as we grow and experience the world many of us seem to lose that feeling. We stray from God’s message of loving others and ourselves. I came from a family environment where love was lost in our daily lives. My parents never said us, my sister and I, “I love you.” We went to church each Sunday, but still the message of God’s love was never brought into our home. What little I know about love I learned from watching, observing and reading; but never from first-hand experience.
Like a lot of people in the world, I am what they call “unlucky” in love. I have had my heart crushed several times as almost everyone has at some point in their lives. I have been told things like “I really didn’t mean it when I said I loved you” or “they came back into my life so I don’t love you anymore.” So, through all these years I have lived, I have lived alone feeling that I have not really know what love is. But that has not stopped me from giving of myself to others to show them that love is all around them even in the most trying of times. For my definition of love is to give as I believe God intended us to do.
On this Valentine’s Day, think of those you love. Share with them the love that is in your heart. Share with them one of the greatest gifts God gives us… love.
