Apr 21, 2020
Children often ask the best questions. When only 9-years-old, our oldest son asked me, "How can I trust God to care about my hurts when I see what He allows Mom to go through?"
For a lifetime, Paul Young wrestled with that kind of question and more. That journey led him to write the hugely popular book, "THE SHACK." The question "is God Good?" serves as the centerpiece for nearly everything he does in his writing and speaking.
That's why I invited him to call the show and talk about this ...as the world tries to wrap it's collective mind around the concept of a good and loving God in the midst of the COVID-19 virus.
At the end of the interview, Paul quoted this poem and we felt the whole poem should be included in this podcast.
Healthy Caregivers Make Better Caregivers, and part of being healthy is trusting the goodness of God...even when faced with heartbreaking loss and challenges.
'Kind of Way'
April 2019
I know that you know.
So I should probably confess it.
Not because it's a bad thing.
But because it's normal
and necessary to admit
you've disappointed me
and continue to.
Although I don't mind as much
now.
Still, there were many times
I prayed.
Followed the rules.
Gave my two mites.
Did all the things I was told would work
and others certified
with charismatic conviction
to do more
give more
faith more
sacrifice more
lots more.
But still, nothing.
No breakthrough
like I believed
like I prayed for.
I underestimated you.
I wanted to believe
you were containable
constrainable
and reliable
in the 'my way' kind of way.
The magician
hitman
slot machine
deal maker
earth shaker
genie-in-a-bottle
kind of way.
Then I recalled
that on a dark but necessary day
you took yourself
and my kind of way
and the cosmos
to a cross.
Then you went missing for three days.
And my world fell apart.
All my hope exhaled a forsaken surrender,
and my heart broke
and my dreams broke.
My kind of way
kind of died
again.
And there you were
alive and the same
but not really.
A resurrected form of you
that even took familiar friends
by surprise.
And that's what you keep doing.
To this day
you keep failing and disappointing me
in the best kind of ways.
Every time I think I've got you
where I think I need you
you disappoint and disappear
and turn up incognito
on a familiar path
at a regular meal
in an average garden
with a spark in your eye
that demands my attention.
You invite me again
to put my hand in your side
embrace you and kiss you
and get to know you again
in a new kind of way.