...and unseen kindness

This week, a dream came true!

I hosted the first meeting of a book club that I've been dreaming about for a long time.

We shared thoughts about "The Shack" ~ a book I just finished again.

For the third time.

The first time I read this book, I was severing ties with a church group where 

I had worshiped for twenty-five years.

I was in pain.

I had contributed to the pains of others.

This book helped open my heart and allowed me to hope again.

For healing. 

And for renewed faith.

When I read it for the second time, shortly after, I mostly re-read the 

highlighted and underlined parts. 

(there were a lot of highlighted parts)

There is so much in these pages that challenges and encourages 

a new perspective on basic principles of the Christian story.

Doesn't "change" the story.

But calls me to a new perspective.

Two years passed.

And I read the book for the third time - another copy.

None of the old highlights or underlines.

And this time, the book touched me 

in places that had nothing to do with religion.

Childhood hurts, personal struggles, fears and tired places inside

were opened up and woken up.

As it turns out, I'm no longer as afraid of some of these 

darker corners of my soul as I once was.

My 'great sadnesses' are lifting.

The book leaves me hoping for a revolution ~

".....not a revolution that will overthrow anything, or if it does, it will do so in ways we could never contrive in advance. Instead it will be the quiet daily powers of dying and serving and loving and laughing, of simple tenderness and unseen kindness, because 

if anything matters, 

then everything matters."

William Paul Young