originally written 11/7/18 and the inspiration for You Are Not Alone

The most profound book I have ever read is The Shack by William Young. It tells the story of Mack, a father who experiences traumatic personal loss after his young daughter is murdered by a serial killer. Bereft and alone, he receives a mysterious note from “Papa”, his wife’s name for God. He reluctantly responds to the note and has a transformative religious experience. My mother gave me this book when Bill and I were going through the pain of infertility and the most important thing it taught me is that it’s ok to question God and it’s ok to be angry at Him. I had no clue why we couldn’t have children, and as many times as I prayed for a child, I was doubting my faith more with each failed IVF cycle. The Shack opened my heart and helped me see the positives I had received in my struggles and it helped me come to terms with my grief because it helped me realize God doesn’t abandon us when we suffer; in fact, that is when He is with us the most.