11: The Reality and Humanity of The Shack with Paul Young
Paul Young is the bestselling author of The Shack, a self-published book that has sold over 20 million copies. He has written several other books including Cross Roads, and his newest release Eve. Paul lives in Oregon City, Oregon with His wife, and has 6 children and 9 grandchildren.
Download the audio version of “The Shack” FREE with Audible.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
- Paul’s early life: missionary kid/preacher’s kid, from Canada to New Guinea
- From tribal life to boarding school at age 6
- From Bible school and seminary to meeting his future wife, Kim
- The Shack: written in 2005 as a gift for his children, at the request of his wife
- Financial crises, losing everything, and healing
- Deconstruction and reconstruction
- The heart-wrenching reality and humanity of The Shack
- The healing process
- Each person: intricately made and uniquely broken
- The Shack: centered on the goodness of God in the midst of human tragedy
- Looking back with extreme clarity
- Living in the grace of a day
- Cross Roads: written around the issue of belonging
- Get help or get caught—too exhausted to keep running
- Hitting the bottom, seeking therapy and help
- God’s love: redeeming our messes
- Worthlessness vs. wholeness
- Why no one prays for patience
- Addiction, control, and self-discipline
- Why isolation feeds addiction
- Jesus in ME—John 14:20
- Why Paul gets called a “universalist”
- Why we are always in God’s presence
- Religion’s LIE
- Paul’s biggest strength? “My relationships. I’m surrounded by people who love me but aren’t impressed. I’ve learned to stay inside the grace of today, and not be a future-tripper.”
- Paul’s biggest weakness within his strength? “I’m very much a mental processor and not a verbal one. That makes it hard sometimes to stay present and engaged with someone.”
- What is God currently stirring in your life? “I’m excited about the young generations coming up without the religious allegiances and affiliations that we were in bondage to. I think we’re on the cusp of some pretty fantastic movements and times.”
- Paul’s advice to his younger self? “I would go to myself at 6 years old, put an arm around him and say, ‘You’re never alone and you will never be alone. Learn to tell all your secrets’.”
Resources:
www.wmpaulyoung.com (Find Paul on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube!)
Look for The Shack movie, to be released on March 3, 2017!
I am excited each time I see evidence of an awakening of the younger generation. Legalism and religion stinks. Yesterday in conversation with an older gentleman, in his late seventies, made the statement “new fangled worship” I reminded him of the fact that the old used to be the new fangled. In fact, it was considered blasphemy to use words out side of the proper English language, straying the “thee and thous”. In my opinion, we nail Christ back to the cross when we follow religion in place of Christ. Churches will die off if God is not in them, I see it all the time. GREAT INTERVIEW, Eric
I was deeply moved by this interview and bought, “The Shack,” from Amazon. I’ve always felt like a “piece of crap” and it was lovely to hear I am not.
Belle,
Thank you for posting here. God says you are wonderfully made. If a car is produced and there is a limited quantity it is considered rare and has a high worth. For instance, a Bugatti car is worth millions and some people put high value in that vehicle because there is limited quantity. Now it’s easy to say “well I’m not a car, and there’s billions of people on the planet”, but if there was a car and it was 1 and 7 billion it would be priceless. Stop looking at yourself less than you are. God says you are created in His image. The world needs you and the gifts God has placed in you. There will always be people that don’t appreciate beautiful things, you just need to move on and let SHINE!