I know not everyone can appreciate the journey we are on with this little book called The Shack. I can appreciate the concerns people have that we might sell out in the name of success or be changed by it in some horrible way. We honestly didn’t expect that everyone would understand and we are grateful for your prayers and your insights.
Today that book has climbed to #8 on the USA Today list and they are publishing a feature article in Thursday’s edition about this story and how it has found its way into the marketplace. I thought many of you would like to give it a read. The picture at left is one they’re using with the following caption: “Garage warehouse: William P. Young, left, author of The Shack, helps publishers Brad Cummings and Wayne Jacobsen pack books for shipping.”
I’ve never been involved in something that has grown the way this has. It is not my experience that Father often does things this way. Mostly he does his most amazing stuff in quiet, hidden ways that few people notice. But in this case, we feel as if there is something in his heart that he wants to share with the world. We look at this story as a gift and are mostly simply responding to the doors opening to it, rather than pushing it by our own strength. And we’re shocked at the results.
Yesterday, Paul, Brad and I were at Fuller Theological Seminary sharing with students, staff and community about the collaboration behind this adventure and the story behind the story. We had an awesome response with some great comments about what this book has meant to them and some great questions to help them understand it at a deeper level. We don’t often get the chance to hang out together like that. We also met with a major studio today who wants to help us bring this story to a feature length film. Their enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming.
We do appreciate your prayers. We feel as if we hold a gift in our hands and each day we are simply looking to do what we see the Father doing with it, and speak to a world what we hear him saying. It is beyond anything we could have asked or ever imagined!
Hey, it’s the three clowns that didn’t know what they were doing.
Thanks for the heads up on the feature article. Wayne, thinking about everything that has happened around this story makes me think of the harsh emails I got shortly after the book was released from people needing to express their opinions to me about the book not being any good. It seems like so long ago and it hasn’t even been a year yet. What a ride.
Hey, it’s the three clowns that didn’t know what they were doing.
Thanks for the heads up on the feature article. Wayne, thinking about everything that has happened around this story makes me think of the harsh emails I got shortly after the book was released from people needing to express their opinions to me about the book not being any good. It seems like so long ago and it hasn’t even been a year yet. What a ride.
I just love the fact that people are successfully communicating the Christian message outside of traditional means. Those that take time to hear the Lord will probably hear more and more instructions to do what they do outside the accepted system. That system does not like it when they do not have control. Of course the message is important. However to me it is more important to see examples like this where Christians are not bowing down to a religious system. May it continue to have great success.
It is obvious to me that a lot of prayer has gone into this. I also believe that through that communion with the Lord that the love of money will not entrap you with the success to come. I truly believe that many followers of Christ will experience similar things. The club I attend is really growing in the idea that the religious system is not what God wants. He wants fellowship and obedience to HIS VOICE.
I just love the fact that people are successfully communicating the Christian message outside of traditional means. Those that take time to hear the Lord will probably hear more and more instructions to do what they do outside the accepted system. That system does not like it when they do not have control. Of course the message is important. However to me it is more important to see examples like this where Christians are not bowing down to a religious system. May it continue to have great success.
It is obvious to me that a lot of prayer has gone into this. I also believe that through that communion with the Lord that the love of money will not entrap you with the success to come. I truly believe that many followers of Christ will experience similar things. The club I attend is really growing in the idea that the religious system is not what God wants. He wants fellowship and obedience to HIS VOICE.
It’s SO sweet to see how Father is working all this out for His purposes and it was SO MUCH FUN going to Barnes & Noble this afternoon and seeing the article in the USA Today newspaper. I love the picture, the smiles, the story! I see Papa smiling too.
I’m glad they managed to fit the hot water tank in in the background. Gives a nice down-home effect 🙂
It’s SO sweet to see how Father is working all this out for His purposes and it was SO MUCH FUN going to Barnes & Noble this afternoon and seeing the article in the USA Today newspaper. I love the picture, the smiles, the story! I see Papa smiling too.
I’m glad they managed to fit the hot water tank in in the background. Gives a nice down-home effect 🙂
AWESOME! very cool. i am encouraged.
AWESOME! very cool. i am encouraged.
We love this story. So healing, so full of truth about Dad’s heart. It’s been rather jarring, however, to have people come up to ME and ask me if I’ve read the book. Hey! I’m supposed to be the out of the box thinker, what’s up with that? Yeah, people who I would NEVER have pegged as Shack readers / fans are really excited about the story. That’s too cool. My friends are teasing me now that I’ll have to find something else to be different. hahah.
Tina
We love this story. So healing, so full of truth about Dad’s heart. It’s been rather jarring, however, to have people come up to ME and ask me if I’ve read the book. Hey! I’m supposed to be the out of the box thinker, what’s up with that? Yeah, people who I would NEVER have pegged as Shack readers / fans are really excited about the story. That’s too cool. My friends are teasing me now that I’ll have to find something else to be different. hahah.
Tina