All thoughts, even God’s, arise in relationship. This book has my name on it, but it is the fruit of a lot of conversations. I am grateful to many people around the world. To Paul Young, thank you for your courage and freedom to write The Shack, for your priceless friendship, and for your encouragement at every step in the incremental process of writing this book. My brother from another mother, it is a great joy to walk with you.
To the Perichoresis family at home and abroad: You have saved me again and again with your questions, your longing, your relentless desire. To my Australian family: I come to you each year to be born again, and you always deliver. Thank you for your hunger for truth, and for your zero-tolerance for blarney in things that matter. There is more going on here than we would dare to dream.
I am deeply grateful to David Jennings, Christy Jones, Ken Courtney, Julian Fagan, Louis d’Alpuget, and John and Lorraine Baker. Without you this book would not have been. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have inspired me. And thanks to my mom and dad, who years ago taught me to walk, and gave me the freedom to run. You have always stood behind me, the most blessed gift of all.
To Steve Horn, Larry Bain, Ken Blue, Bruce Wauchope, David Kowalick, David Upshaw, and David Peck: Thank you for the years of real friendship and serious conversation, and for your care for me and my family. You are my brothers. I am eternally indebted to you. If I am remotely sane, it is your fault. Hang with me, I will teach you how to fish.
To John MacMurray, Wayne and Wendy Marchant, Bill Winn, Timothy Brassell, Tony Murphy, Betty and Doug (Tom Bodett) Johannson, Chris and Sarah Failia, Ernie and Carol Tolive, Jim and Jon Sawyer, Lance Muir of Ontario Christian Books, Jeff and Janice McFall, Dirk Vanderleest, my brother Stuart, Harry and Robbie Phillips, and Paul Fitzgerald: Your friendship makes me grateful to be alive. Thank you for your hearts and prayers, for taking the time to read this book, and for your suggestions. May the Lord grant the day when Carol will cook her famous meatballs for thousands, and Lance will be honored as the captain of all things trinitarian, and Fitzgerald will lead countless souls through one breakthrough after another. Meanwhile, Doug will “leave the light on for us.”
To Beth, my wife of thirty years: You deserve the best. Thank you for enduring. We are not alone. Life is ours. To my “boy,” J. E. Baxter Kruger: No dad could be prouder of his son. You are the crown of your old man’s name. You belong to the glory of the blessed Trinity.
I am blessed with a great son and three wonderful daughters, Laura, Kathryn, and Caroline. Not a day goes by that we don’t grieve Caroline’s passing to glory. Caroline, we did not get to know you, but the Lord will restore the years that the locusts have eaten. That will be a large time! Thank you for the courage that you somehow share with me. Kathryn, our child of joy and color, you are a blessing beyond words. Your smile and wit light every room. Your heart is beautiful. The next is yours, I promise. And finally, to Laura, O beautiful daughter of mine, you have made me smile every day of your life. What a privilege it is to be your dad. To you this book is dedicated, with all joy and gratitude.