My daughter Estie sent me the following quote from The Shack. My own opinion, incidentally, of those who have a theological problem with that book's basic conceit is that they need to get out more.Really, folks, can we just allow the right-brained writers among us a poetic moment or two? Life is complicated - we need the soft light of allegories to illuminate its more opaque spots. William Young, in writing The Shack, took on some of life's toughest issues - grief, justice, and forgiveness among others. And he did a creditable job.

Listen to the testimonies that people are sharing. That book has arguably done more to promote healing than any other book in recent memory other than the Bible and some of you oppose it? Honestly. Pilgrim's Progress plowed similar allegorical territory as a life-changing bestseller over 300 years ago. So here's my word to the oh-so literal critics (it's late as I write this and maybe the cheesy music videos from yesterday are making me a bit too direct): Hey, get over yourselves.

So here's the excerpt:

Jesus chuckled. "Relax Mack; this is not a test, this is a conversation. You are exactly correct, by the way (humans were designed to live in the present). But now tell me, where do you spend most of your time in your mind, in your imagination - in the present, in the past or in the future." Mack thought for a moment before answering. "I suppose I would have to say that I spend very little time in the present. For me, I spend a big piece in the past, but most of the rest of the time, I am trying to figure out the future."

"Not unlike most people. When I dwell with you, I do so in the present - I live in the present. Not the past, although much can be remembered and learned by looking back, but only for a visit, not an extended stay. And for sure, I do not dwell in the future you visualize or imagine. Mack, do you realize that your imagination of the future, which is almost always dictated by fear of some kind, rarely, if ever, pictures me there with you?"

Again Mack stopped and thought. it was true. he spent a lot of time worrying and fretting about the future, and in his imaginations it was usually pretty gloomy and depressing, if not outright horrible. And Jesus was also correct in saying that in Mack's imaginations about the future, God was always absent.

"Why do I do that?" asked Mack.

"It is your desperate attempt to get some control over something you can't. It is impossible for you to take power over the future because it isn't even real, nor will it ever be real. You try and play God, imagining the evil that you fear becoming reality, and then you try and make plans and contingencies to avoid what you fear," (pg. 177).

Estie spoke for many when she said: "It rocked my world and is helping to shape the way I think about my past, present and future. I am learning to surrender with ruthless trust to Christ's hope for me. Thank you Lord!"