by Linda Burleson

Created on: April 28, 2009

Inspiration - the best word I can think of to describe a book that was written for a specific audience and published by the author and a friend. Mr. Young wrote this book for his offspring. It was never intended as a theological tretise but was meant to be a graphic description for his children to verbally demonstrate through a fictional tale how God desires intimacy with His children and how He can work through all circumstances. This book caused me to recall Romans 8:28 many times as I read: "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and work according to His purpose". In the process, Young gave a beautiful picture of the Trinity.

The story tells of a man called Mack or Mackenzie. He is a man who overcame difficult circumstances of childhood to become a good citizen, husband, father and friend. He attends church occasionally and was a believer, but does not have the kind of relationship with God that his wife does. Her "pet" name for God is Papa.

They parent five children. The two oldest are grown and gone from home; the three youngest are still at home - two girls and a boy. Mack decided that with winter officially over and spring in full throes, it would be a good time to take the young ones camping. The met other families had a good time, relatively uneventful until the last day when the older boy and girl asked to take the neighboring camper's canoe out one more time. Mackenzie and his youngest daughter, Missy, sat at the picnic table coloring. The canoers rowed in close enough for them to wave. When the girl stood up to wave the canoe tipped over. Without a second thought, Mackenzie ran to the water's edge and dove in. The daughter was an easy rescue but the son was caught on the canoe. It took some time and effort to get him loose and get him breathing. In that breadth of time, someone abducted Missy and eventually killed her.

Mack could not completely recover. The family went on with life, but they all struggled with letting go of the tragedy, especially Kate, the older daughter. who had become very withdrawn, and Mack who would have bouts with what he called "the great sadness".

One day in the dead of winter, Mack was home alone and ventured out to the mail box to get the mail. Struggling on the ice all the way there, he opened the mailbox to find a note - no postage, no return address, and few words: Mackenzie, It's been a while. I've missed you. I'll be at the shack next weekend if you want to get together. - Papa. On the trip back into the house, Mack found it a little more treacherous, and fell and hit his head. When he finally got back in the house and pondered the note his main emotionn was anger, wondering who would perform such a cruel joke.

Once curiosity got the best of him, he found a way to get the family occupied weekend and loaded the car to go to the shack and get to the bottom of the note. Having no clue what to expect, and telling only his best friend what he was doing, he set out for the shack, the place where Missy was murdered.

From this point on, the book becomes a spiritual experience that one must read for oneself to determine its personal effect. I found it profoundly thought provoking and graphic. There are many who find it blasphemous, but it is a book that must be read with an open mind and an eye for a new perspective. Certainly everyone will not see this book in the same way and many may not like it, but it has drawn over one million readers, each with his own opinion of its profundity.

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