Cross Roads

I like reading the book because for me it kind of sequel to the book “ The Shack “ . I am still reading it and almost half way there .

Reading The Shack was like finding an adult version of The Chronicles of Narnia and delving into a whole new and yet very familiar world. "Always winter and never Christmas" was a line that even as a child I understood was a description of the power of evil and the hopelessness it nourished. I also felt the hair on the back of my spiritual neck stand straight up when the Christlike Aslan was described to the young, Pevensie children, "Of course He's good. But He's not safe. He's not a tame lion!"It is amazing how the landscapes of fiction (and parables) can do a better job of detailing what is real and true than theological treatises. The Shack did this for many readers; people who wouldn't delve into a book of systematic theology would pick up this little paperback because it transported them into a real world of pain, forgiveness and identity. For some the journey to real was too hard to experience and they wrote the book off as a fairy tale or theologically defunct. And some of us rejoiced at this description knowing that God enthusiastically enjoys revealing some truths to children while at the same time keeping them from the religiously experienced fuddy-duddies.Speculating about Paul Young's next story the past few years excited me. Of course I hoped that it didn't fizzle, like many sophomore books do (Even Prince Caspian didn't capture the magic of Lewis' first chronicle for me, though it was certainly back again in Dawntreader). Young didn't slump, his writing has more elements of creativity, humor and humanity than even his first book. He is continuing to develop as a writer and storyteller.Cross Roads examines the last few hours of Anthony (Tony) Spencer's alert life. He suffers a major brain hemorrhage and his body is being kept alive in a Portland, Oregon hospital. What happens when he is in the coma though is his own Narnia. Tony finds himself in a world that is desolate and mysterious, yet strangely one that he is intimately familiar with. He meets with people in this world that help him understand his life as it has been. His Irish friend Jack explains the following to him:"There has to be a tearing down for the real and right and good and true to be built. There has to be a judgment and a dismantling. It is not only important, it is essential. However, the kindness of God will not do the tearing down without your participation. Much of the time, God has to do very little. We are masters at building up facades, only to tear them down ourselves. In our independence we are very destructive creatures, first creating houses of cards and then knocking them down with our own hands. Addiction of every imagined sort, the will to power, the security of lies, the need for notoriety, the grasping of reputation, the trading in human souls... all houses of cards that we try and keep together by holding our breath. But, thanks to the grace of God, we must someday breathe, and when we do, the breath of God joins ours and everything collapses."And as a book or Narnia would fail without Aslan, so would a Paul Young book without the presence of the Trinity in characters that you might not recognize at first. While Jesus is still in his incarnate form, both The Father and The Holy Spirit get a new, imaginative outfits that help Tony connect with them.But Tony isn't stuck in this other world; instead he is given the gift to see and experience life through other people's eyes. The fun starts when Tony realizes that he gets to interact with these real-world hosts as his spirit inhabits their own. Tony's cross roads takes place in both worlds as his heart-choices take him where his brokenness never could have. Will he wake up? Will you?Sharing anymore of the story would rob the reader of the experience of reading it through their adult eyes and interpreting it with child-like hearts.Cross Roads is one of those books that is worth reading over and over as the story and discussions are redemptive. Enjoy it several times!

I can't say that Cross Roads is equal to Young's first book, The Shack - that book changed my life; but I can say that Young was successful at expounding on some of the thoughts he shared in The Shack. What Young does so well is his ability to make God personable. Through Young's fiction we are able to sense the reality of God's love and grace towards mankind.As someone who's faith has evolved over time, I find "Cross Roads" and "The Shack", and books like "So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore" to be closer to the Good News than most of the non-fiction Christian literature on the market today. Here we are presented with God, in the form of Jesus, who has done everything necessary to redeem mankind and to restore our relationship with the Father. And, as if that wasn't already enough, God continues to work in our lives to help us understand the potential He created in us. His Spirit wants to lead us out of religion where we're taught how to substitute activities for an actual relationship with God, and lead us into communion and fellowship with God. One can only imagine the type of world this would be if people were focused more on their fellowship with God than clinging to the Law that couldn't save us to begin with.I used to live in fear of God's judgement on my life. I didn't experience the assurance of salvation and thought that I was one of those people who fell between the cracks when it comes to receiving God's grace and forgiveness. I didn't feel that my faith was enough to save me. It wasn't. It has never been about our faith or our ability to be obedient, it has always been about His faith in His identity. The apostle Paul wrote about salvation through the faith of Christ - not faith in Christ, but the faith OF Christ. His faith was enough for all of us. Judgement Day came as Christ hung on the Cross and received all of God's wrath for man's unbelief. All those Jesus plus requirements the Church put on us after we 'accepted' Christ have nothing to do with God's plans and purpose for our lives. The Law and Grace do not co-exist. We live either under grace, or we live under law; but if the Law can't save us why in the world don't we choose grace?OK - you're not going to get this theological discussion in Cross Roads or in The Shack. They are novels, not doctrine. My point was that once I understood that my salvation is not dependent upon my actions or my faith, it took all of that pressure off and allows me to simply learn how to live in my real identity as a child of God. When we know who we are, our behavior follows. We allow the Spirit to show us who we are so that we can leave the old man behind. That's what Jesus does for Anthony Spencer in Cross Roads - shows him who he was created to be. It's the real work of being a believer, it's the cross we must carry.

Once again a rivetting story takes us on a gentle leading to reconsder our understanding of our relationship to the Father and suggests reconciliation is available even for us bad asses.

Just love this book. So many beautiful gems to find, layers of truth to uncover. The wonderful, difficult, painful journey of the healing of the human heart. A real encouragement for us all. There is hope. There is a God who loves us.

similar "feeling" to "The Shack" but still a great feel good story. Good biblical insights.

Having read The Shack by this author some years ago (and having re-read it twice since then) I was interested to learn that another of his books had been published. I have read it in a matter of two days (in amongst other everyday commitments), and was moved and impressed by the storyline and the concept of the book. Although not agreeing with every idea, the story was interesting and thought-provoking - the inclusion of a favourite author of mine was a bonus, and I liked the clever nods towards his works! What comes across more than anything is the fact that God loves us, and will do His utmost to lead us gently to Himself, whatever state our lives are in. The character of Cabby was cleverly put across - based, as Mr. Young states in his acknowledgments, on the son of some friends - and shows that, in spite of his disability, Cabby is actually one of the most perceptive of the characters in the story. All-round good read, gripping and moving as well as spiritually stimulating.

To be honest, I was a little disappointed in 'Cross Roads'. In a way it was fascinating and gripping but I kept hoping we would meet God with some of the warmth of the insights we had been given in 'Papa' of The Shack, and I found Jesus also a slightly a enigmatic figure (though the Holy Spirit was certainly around a great deal with her wisdom, guidance and support). I should not, I think, have come to it with any preconceived expectations, but after 'The Shack' which was so deeply moving, I couldn't wait to get it and read it. I have now passed it on to a retired Bishop and will be interested to hear his comments, not having told him any of my impressions. Cross Roads gave a lot of food for thought, but the descriptions of the landscapes and being lost in unknown territory were rather too akin to the stuff of my nightmares. I think perhaps I was not meant to be comforted! It was after all describing the honing that we will all have to experience before we can glimpse a vision of God.Meg Evening