I've just finished reading Paul Young's latest book, 'Cross Roads'.I read his first book, 'The Shack', before it was published in the UK (I had to order copies direct from North America). Donna and I thought it was such a wonderful book that we wanted to give copies away and bought considerable numbers for exactly that purpose.
I must say that 'Cross Roads' did not disappoint, in some ways I think it's even better than 'The Shack'. Words like awesome don't even come close. Paul Young's latest book is almost literally a gentle and profound stroll arm in arm with the Most High, yet at the same time an emotion-yanking roller coaster ride with the characters it portrays.
How he writes like this is an utter mystery, but like all such mysteries the roots go deep into relationship and love. This book is another gift, from Papa to Paul, from Paul to Papa, and from them both to every reader with a heart to feel truth and see life and love in action.
I hope many, many people will read the book, I shall give some copies away for sure - as Papa leads. Meanwhile, here's a taster from the beginning of the book. At least you can decide if you like the writing style.
Some extracts
Some years in Portland, Oregon, winter is a bully, spitting sleet and spewing snow in fits and starts as it violently wrestles days from spring, claiming some archaic right to remain king of the seasons - ultimately the vain attempt of another pretender. This year was not like that. Winter simply bowed out like a broken woman, leaving head down in tattered garments of dirty whites and browns with barely a whimper or promise of return. The difference between her presence and absence was scarcely discernible.
Anthony Spencer didn't care either way. Winter was a nuisance and spring not much better. Given the power he would remove both from the calendar along with the wet and rainy part of autumn. A five-month year would be just about right, certainly preferable to lingering periods of uncertainty. Every cusp of spring he wondered why he stayed in the Northwest, but each year found him again asking the same question.
And here are some brief quotes from other parts of the book; these little nuggets impressed me.
- Pain, loss, and finally abandonment are each a hard taskmaster, but combined they become a desolation almost unbearable.
- ...hell is believing and living in the real when it is not the truth.
- Let me see if I can answer the question you meant and not just the one you asked.
- You are asking me something where the knowing is in the experiencing.
- Ah, there's the real miracle ... Somehow the pain, the losses, the hurt, the bad, God is able to transform these into something they could have never been, icons and monuments of grace and love.
- There has to be a tearing down for the real and right and good and true to be built. There has to be a judgement and a dismantling. It is not only important, it is essential.
- ...boundaries mark the most beautiful of places, between the ocean and the shore, between the mountains and the plains, where the canyon meets the river.
Questions:
- Did you read 'The Shack'? It's not too late!
- Which of the quotes above do you like most? Consider leaving a comment to explain why.
- The book portrays the Mighty One as loving and understanding yet insisting on truth. Do you see him in that way?
- If you have read 'Cross Roads' maybe you could tell us how you feel about it.
See also:
- Cross Roads - Wikipedia
- William P Young interview - The Drew Marshall Show
- 'The Shack' - Wikipedia
- 'The Shack', blasphemous? - Journeys of heart and mind
- William P Young - Wikipedia
- Wm. Paul Young
