Messages from movie ‘The Shack’ guide Jerome, Marilyn Stoesz as they grieve, heal following death of their daughter, Hannah
Don’t ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak. – From The Shack
It is a question that has been asked since the beginning of time at a moment of loss: “God, where were you?”
That question is behind the Bible’s Book of Job. And, as in Job, the answer found in the book and movie of the same name, The Shack, is: “I am God; trust in me” – and not, “I am God; I owe you an explanation.”
Takeaways from the story of The Shack are that God cares. He loves deeply and unconditionally. He wants to heal our woundedness. And He can do so when we let Him.
In fact, it was in having watched and absorbed the messages from the movie that have consoled Jerome and Marilyn Stoesz this past week. Those lessons have guided them through their grieving, and are helping them as they head into their healing over the death of their 21-year-old daughter, Hannah Stoesz. Hannah, of Jackson, was killed in a vehicle accident on I-90 just west of Fairmont on Tuesday night, March 7. And they want to share that story.
As Marilyn reflects, following this past difficult and yet strengthening week, she had felt a great need to see the just-released movie. “On the morning of March 7,” Marilyn, the owner of The Matchless Gift in Mountain Lake shares, “I had that feeling of urgency – a do-it-now influence. I texted Jerome to ask if we could go see the movie at a theater in Spirit Lake, Iowa. His reponse was ‘Yes!'”
That trip almost didn’t happen, however, as it was a busy day at the store, with many flower orders coming in, along with new inventory arriving. Throughout the day, Marilyn kept churning over-and-over in her head the arguments of whether to go – or to stay at work that evening to catch up.
Eventuallly, her over-riding “have to go” intuitive inspiration made the decision, and the couple headed off to Spirit Lake.
‘The Shack’s’ storyline and search for answers
You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you. – From The Shack
The movie, based on a 2007 novel by Canadian author William P. Young, a former office manager and hotel night clerk, takes readers and movie-goers on a father’s uplifting spiritual journey. After suffering a family tragedy – the abduction and murder of his youngest daughter – Mackenzie “Mack” Phillips spirals into deep depression causing him to question his innermost beliefs. Facing a crisis of faith, he receives a mysterious letter urging him to go to an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness.
Despite his doubts, Mack – who travels through his life with lots of personal baggage – journeys to the shack and encounters an enigmatic trio of strangers, led by a woman named Papa.
Papa tells Mack, “It’s here you got stuck” – referring to his daughter’s death. And God is intent on getting Mack unstuck.
During the course of the movie, Mack’s dialogue with Papa revolves around these perennial questions of faith:
- How can a benevolent God allow evil?
- Does God abandon His people in times of need?
- Should evildoers be forgiven?
- Should a man be judge and jury of those who have wronged him?
- Does God orchestrate tragedy?
- Does forgiveness of a great wrong happen instantly, or does it often occur over time?
Through his meetings with the three, Mack finds important truths that transform his understanding of his tragedy and change his life forever.
Although it’s winter at the shack at first, eventually the season turns to summer. The snow is gone. Flowers bloom. Birds sing.
Just as Mack was led in the book and movie to discover more about God in his Gideon Bible, others who see the movie or read the book are given the opportunity to respond in that same way.
‘The Shack’ provided the messages
So many believe that it is love that grows, but it is the knowing that grows and love simply expands to contain it. – From The Shack
While watching The Shack that Tuesday night, little did Jerome and Marilyn realize the significance of seeing it that specific evening.
Coming out of the theater, Jerome shared with Marilyn, “It sure would be hard to watch that movie after having lost a child!”
On their return trip to Mountain Lake, the couple decided to stop in Jackson to visit their daughter, Hannah, at her apartment.
Since graduating with honors from Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Jackson in May 2016, Hannah had begun her career in cosmetology at Royal Treatment in Jackson.
Several cell phone calls were made with no answer, and with Hannah’s car still at her home, the couple began to have an uneasy feeling; something was strange.
It was then that Marilyn realized she had a voicemail on her cell, and began listening, expecting it be Hannah. Instead, it was the father of Hannah’s friend, Tyler Schoborg, calling to ask about Hannah. The couple learned that Tyler had been involved in an automobile accident that night near Fairmont, and, knowing that Hannah was planning to go out for dinner with Tyler, it quickly became evident to Jerome and Marilyn that she, too, had been a part of the accident.
Before leaving Jackson, they made a call to Mayo Clinic Health System-Fairmont, to see if they had any information. They received none. Not knowing how to contact their daughter, Jerome and Marilyn made the decision to head east down I-90 towards Fairmont.
As they neared Welcome, the eastbound lanes of the interstate were still closed, as they had been forewarned, bringing them to the conclusion that the accident may have been worse than originally thought. The closure of the two eastbound lanes forced vehicles to take a detour to get to Fairmont.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Jerome and Marilyn learned that Hannah had not been brought to the facility. Hospital employees had no additional information, so the couple decided to remain at the health care facility until they could get some answers.
Shortly after 11 p.m., members of the Minnesota State Patrol and Fairmont Police Department delivered the tragic news – Hannah had, in fact, been in an accident involving a driver under the influence of alcohol and driving the wrong way, causing a head-on collision with the vehicle in which she was a passenger and driven by Tyler. There was no easy way for the officers to tell the couple that their youngest child had succumbed to her injuries from the accident.
With the storyline of the movie running fresh in their minds, Jerome told the reporting officers to make sure to see the The Shack. In fact, he felt so strongly about the lessons Mack learned, that he made the suggestion several times.
After the winter comes the spring
Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colors. – From The Shack
Jerome and Marilyn returned to their farm home east of Mountain Lake very early on Wednesday morning, March 8 with the knowledge that they would soon be telling the sad news to their two older married children – Angela and Mike Hall and Jordan and Emily Stoesz, all of Butterfield – along with Hannah’s young nieces, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and other family members. As they made the seemingly interminable 46-mile trip from Fairmont to Mountain Lake, images of The Shack’s flower garden springing to life as the winter snows melted consoled their minds as they visited quietly with each other.
Jump ahead to Friday evening, March 10 at The Matchless Gift as Marilyn is arranging flower displays for Hannah’s funeral, and remembering through tears and laughter times shared with the couple’s daughter. Coming to mind once again was the idea that after the winter leaves, the spring blooms – as did The Shack’s wild flower garden.
Jerome and Marilyn have shared this story many times since the night of the accident, and do so because they firmly believe that embedded in it can be found glimpses of consolation and healing.
To honor the life of their daughter, Jerome and Marilyn make this request – please – do not drink and drive, wear your seatbelt – and most of all, see The Shack and ask yourself where your hope is.
(The Shack will be playing this weekend – Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19 – at the Windom State Theater in Windom. Show times are 7 p.m. Friday evening and 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.)
