Author: William P. Young

Number of Pages: 246

Genre: Christianity and Religion

How I came across the book:

I saw the book in National bookstore and it was during a point in time when I am most confused about what to do with my life and quite frankly, I have tons of questions to God that remained unanswered then. While some may dial a friend during great times of distress and need, I spend hours in a bookstore during times when I feel lonesome and helpless. And so that’s when I came to find the book. Although I’ve seen the book a number of times during my many trips to the bookstore on the last quarter of 2011, it was only during the latter part of the year that I decided to buy the book, when I saw it on Book Sale, a book store selling second hand books.

Story:

The story is about a father whose daughter was abducted during their camping trip. Later on, investigations led them to a desolate and dilapidated shack in the woods miles away from the camp, as the crime scene. While the body had not been discovered, the little girl’s blood stained dress concludes that she was brutally murdered. Years later, Mack – the father, got a note in the mail requesting him to come back to the shack, a note signed by Papa, which is his wife’s term for God.

It was in the shack where he found the true meaning of forgiveness. He spent the entire weekend with God and found himself whole again.

Review:

The foreword on the book will make you think that it is actually a true story, as well as the parting words from the author at the back of the book, although on the cover somewhere on the side is a small print that says “fiction”. Upon finishing the book, it got me to wonder if the story was actually true to life and I found out that it is fiction from the blog of the author himself. I just hope he did mention that in the book.

I like the fact that the whole story revolves around (well at least I think) a piece of scripture that says – all things work together for good for those who love God and are fitting to his plans (sorry i forgot the actual verse). This may seem simple and the concept easy to understand. But what most people struggle with is the concept that their troubles and misfortunes are caused by God himself, which is absolutely wrong! Much of our own misfortunes are caused by the devil and even ourselves most of the time. But that doesn’t mean that God cannot use that to turn it to something that will redeem us and glorify Him. The ultimate turning point of course is, if we are going to let him. Alright I don’t want to be preachy, but that’s what I like about the book.

As for what I do not like, first would be the confusion between true to life and fiction, as there was even a parting word from the author stating that as he was finishing the book, Mack and his wife were attending trial for the killer of their daughter. Second, the idea that the main character supposedly spent an entire weekend with God and had a car accident on his way home.  The said incident is totally contradictory to the following scriptures:

• Zechariah 10:12 – My people will go where ever they wish and where ever they go, they will be under my personal care.
• John 10:10 – The thief came to steal, kill and destroy. I came to give life and have it abundantly.
• Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

To actually say that a misfortune was planned by God himself is to charge God with libel. Many people who attribute someone’s death or tragedy towards God is accusing God to be a liar. We have to remember that there is evil in this world and that satanic forces are always out to get us. Although the book has made mention of that, in passing, in the book, I feel that there should have been more emphasis on it. The accident after the weekend contradicts those promises.

As for the prose, it could be heady sometimes, especially if you are not big on scriptures. Too much information sometimes. Overall, it’s not so bad.