module configuration

Hello, I am looking for some advise before taking the proverbial fork in the road and writing hundreds of redundant lines of code. I am writing a kernel module that requires read only access to a user configuration file. I have noted on googling that the accepted method is to create a user space program to read the configuration and then pass this information to kernel space. Here lies my questions:

1: Is this the correct method of accessing a user config file from kernel space?

2: Currently my user space program creates a single handle to a complex hierarchy of linked lists and structures based on the configuration file. Using 'get_user' can I pass this handle to kernel space and access the underlying structures without access errors?

3: Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks to all the mentors who read my question! Dave.