The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity

by William Paul Young

“Mackenzie, the truth shall set you free and the truth has a name; he’s over in the woodshop right now covered in sawdust. Everything is about him. And freedom is a process that happens inside a relationship with him. Then all that stuff you feel churnin’ around inside will start to work its way out.”

when all you can see is your pain, perhaps then you lose sight of me?”

“You, on the other hand, were created to be loved. So for you to live as if you were unloved is a limitation, not the other way around.”

“Mack, pain has a way of clipping our wings and keeping us from being able to fly.” She waited a moment, allowing her words to settle. “And if it’s left unresolved for very long, you can almost forget that you were ever created to fly in the first place.”

He is just the first to do it to the uttermost—the first to absolutely trust my life within him, the first to believe in my love and my goodness without regard for appearance or consequence.”

I am love and there is no darkness in me. Light and Good actually exist. So, removing yourself from me will plunge you into darkness.

“Seriously, my life was not meant to be an example to copy.

“Remember, the people who know me are the ones who are free to live and love without any agenda.”

“Who said anything about being a Christian? I’m not a Christian.”

“Mack, just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies.

You demand your independence but then complain that I actually love you enough to give it to you.”