What demons must you silence?

(The Possessed, 1973, see: www.jesusmafa.com and www.SocialTheology.com)


Lectionary Scripture - Mark 1:21-28 (NRSV)

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.  They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.  They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching--with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."  At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Reflection on the Scripture:

Did you know that Jesus’ first public act of ministry involved demon exorcism?  Yep, that’s right.  Jesus was in someone’s home one day where synagogue (i.e. house church) was being held that day and some guy comes in off the street and clearly he’s beside himself.  In fact, he’s not himself at all.  The voice or thing possessing the man is so disruptive and disturbing that Jesus heals him with a few simple words of, “Be silent, and come out of him!”  And with some convulsing and crying out, the man is freed and he returns to himself.  Do you ever wish you had such power over your own demons?  I wish I did and would want nothing less for everyone else.

In a Zen Buddhism daily calendar that my wife got me for Christmas this year, one of the readings this past week is from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  It reads, “The man who masters himself is delivered from the force that binds all creatures.”  Or to express the statement more inclusively, I would re-phrase to say, “The person who masters herself or himself is delivered from the force that binds all creatures.”  One of those areas of mastery for most any person is finding one’s voice.  In that regard, there are so many people and things tamping down our voices and taking them over and telling us how we ought to be or not be that it’s simply crazy-making.  For most of us, if we stop and are truly honest, can any of us say that we truly know ourselves, or know our voice, apart from an institution or person(s) we’ve been attached to for years or perhaps our whole lifetime?

Take for example what happened today.  My wife and I met up with my elderly mother to celebrate her 80^th birthday over lunch at her retirement center.  At one point during lunch, my mother mentioned that a friend of hers had asked with concern about how I was doing since leaving membership, ordained ministry, and employment with the Community of Christ.  To my mother’s credit, she said, “Well, I really think you ought to ask Brad.  I know he’d love to talk with you.  All I can tell you is what I’ve observed.  And what I see is that he’s happier, far more relaxed, and much freer in his thinking and voice.  You really ought to give him a call.”  Not long after that, my mother asked, “Now you’re going to bring me communion next Sunday, right?”

My mother’s request took me back for a moment as I found myself “possessed” by old institutional thinking in which I thought, “Man, I better not do that or I could find myself damned to hell.”  But then I realized that rather than submitting to this form of possession and dismissing my voice, I had to exorcise that crazy demon and step up to the plate and new way of being human and new way of believing as God envisioned and communicated to me last May (see posting titled “My Recent Journey, My God Encounter”).  It’s then that I found myself rather amused and thinking how interesting it is that a human religious institution tells others that I no longer have authority to minister and I’m about to go along with it.  That is, until I hear my own mother saying in so many words that my walk with God carries more than sufficient authority to administer Christian communion to her.  So I ask you, who am I to believe?  Do I believe the institution or do I believe the woman who brought me into this world, nurtured me into the soul I am, and encouraged me to always follow God’s Spirit no matter where it leads?  I bet you can answer the question for me.

The Community of Christ worship resource for this week says that Jesus spoke from and with personal authority.  It also says that Jesus used the resources and context of his day to teach a new way of being human.   Additionally, it notes that reconciliation and healing are at the core of good health and then asks what demons possess you and what is Jesus saying to you today.  Well, after today, I think Jesus is telling me to own my personal authority and speak with a voice that reflects that authority and isn’t controlled by an institution of anyone else’s voice.  Reconciling myself to that is very healing and if my mother (a retired psychiatric nurse) is any judge of things, than I am in better health than I have been in a very long time.

Furthermore, it’s amazing how useful blogging is in terms of the resources and context of the day for getting out the message God wants me to share – a message that calls for you and me to establish a church universally free of the encumbrances of the world so that apostles like you (i.e. “messengers”) can prepare that beloved world for the Divine One’s coming – a coming that will be nothing less than the just and peaceable reign of God.  Only an unencumbered people living an unencumbered faith will be able to make it happen.  What demons must you silence and exorcise for that to happen?

Brad Shumate, M.S., M.A., LMHC

Free of Encumbrance

Vancouver, Washington   

Respond to God’s Call

(Artwork titled "Calling Disciples" (2001) by Dr. He Qi, professor at the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary in China.)

Lectionary Scripture Focus – Mark, Chapter 1, verses 14-20 (NRSV)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."  As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people."  And immediately they left their nets and followed him.  As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.  Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Reflection on the Scripture:

What if someone told you that most of what’s happening in churches today isn’t very compelling?  Are those words that gird you for battle?  Or are they words that cause you to nod in agreement out of the frustration you live with day in and day out?

I think most of the people who would do battle over such comments have largely written me and others off as nutcases.  Believe me, I more than understand.  And for me, I’m glad you’re comfortable and at ease in your faith as you presently experience it.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  But if you ever grow weary of it, grab me hard by the ear and drag me off for whatever kind of conversation you need or want to have -- even a heated debate will be fine.

And why is that?  It’s because I care about you very much and would rather you have far more compelling “follow me” moments like Simon and Andrew had with Jesus than settling for what you put up with week in and week out at your non-compelling church.  I’d rather have you angry with me and arguing with me than having you settle for an encumbered life dominated by oppressive encumbered faith.  And if I need to be the fall guy so you can ultimately explore a broader more liberating way of being and believing in God, then I’m the guy to blame or the minister to blame or whatever you need me to be.

On that note, I have to give a big hand up to a very dear friend of mine for over 23 years.  She called me recently and said that I was getting too bold and edgy with the blog.  She then said, “I don’t know whether to kiss you or hit you upside the head.”  She then commented that it seemed I was grandiose lately and asked if I was psychotic.  I responded by saying that I didn’t think so.  She then asked, “How do you know?”  Well, since both of us are mental health professionals, I suggested that we do a mental status exam together.  We proceeded and by the end of it I said that even my employer thinks I’m doing a great job and loves my work and “the only voice I hear in my head right now is yours!  So what you do you think?  Am I crazy?”  We agreed that I wasn’t off my proverbial rocker.  Figuratively however, she asked that I quit setting people’s houses of beliefs on fire.  I replied by saying I didn’t think I had done any such thing, but there were a few bonfires going in some people’s backyards.  All I was trying to do was to get people thinking again about the “belief-nets” they have been tending so faithfully for so very long with so very little satisfaction in terms of what’s truly compelling enough to foment change and sacrifice for the just and peaceable reign of God.

Yesterday, I think I did get a bit of additional vision on that while conducting extended orientation for new staff at the mental health and addictions treatment center where I presently work.  Most of my time and purpose in that session was to speak to the importance of fundraising and how every single one of the young clinicians in attendance was critical and essential to the task of bringing in additional dollars for serving and helping those who suffer emotionally and psychologically and who have no means for alleviating their suffering in a culture and society hostile to their needs and hostile to universal healthcare for each and every living soul.

I subsequently told them how they are the face to the community of gifted and devoted professionals willing to live with less so those less fortunate can heal and become whole.  Thereafter, I then told them of two judges I toured recently through one of our residential drug recovery centers for moms and their kids.  I told them how one of the judges saw two women at the center who had been before his bench.  I then spoke of how deeply the judge had been moved by seeing the women safe and getting treatment and reunited their children.  He way even more joyful and elated when they saw him and yelled out to everyone, “That’s my judge!!”  Such joy and elation on the part of the judge and the residents had been possible only because of the hard work done by dedicated staff like the young clinicians sitting before me in orientation.

And lest anyone was still skeptical, I took them through my credentials of being a licensed mental health professional who had put many years into publically funded mental health.  And on top of that, I had been a pastor in three urban based congregations trying to shepherd those faith communities toward sacrificial living and the kind of generosity desperately needed by struggling persons in the larger community.  Ultimately however, I had to come back to public mental health in order to make a genuine and compelling difference.

At the end of my presentation, I looked around the room of mostly young adults.  The gratitude and validation in their faces was palpable.  One young clinician approached me after orientation and said, “Did you say you were a pastor and lived in Missouri?”  I confirmed those things to her.  She then said, “I really appreciated hearing that.  I just moved here from Missouri.  My father was a pastor.  I’m a preacher’s kid.  The adjustment has been hard because of all the rain here in the Pacific Northwest.”  We talked a bit longer and I assured her that I knew exactly what she was talking about in terms of the adjustment.  I assured her that it would pass and she would get used to it and might even like it.  I did confide that it took me two years to make the adjustment but I wouldn’t live anywhere else.  Hopefully in time, she’ll make the adjustment too as I sense that her compassion for others runs very deep and will undoubtedly be a blessing to our larger community.  In one very limited sense however, she heard the words “follow me” and hopefully that means she’ll be with our community of sacrificial professionals for a long time as she seeks in her own prophetic way to bring the just and peaceable reign of God nearer to the lives of those who so desperately need the gifts, skills, abilities she has to offer.

At the beginning of this blog post, I asked how you would react if someone told you that what’s happening in churches today isn’t very compelling.  It wasn’t me who originally made that comment but rather a Luther Seminary professor in a podcast done jointly each week with three other colleagues.  The professor then went on to say that Jesus never told anyone what they should believe – wonderful words to my ears.  Instead, Jesus only urged people to “follow me”.

The professor then asked, “What would it take to make you change, to make you leave, to make you follow and go to something truly compelling?”  My young clinician friend decided that for her it was the Pacific Northwest and the employer for whom we presently work.  Her meeting a fellow disciple in me makes that easier.  It surprised me when she then asked if I had left ministry completely.  The best and most honest response I could give in the moment was that “I’m working on a little something.”


God's Peace be with you,

Brad Shumate, M.S.,M.A., LMHC

Free of Encumbrance 

Vancouver, WA

Email: brshumate@freeofencumbrance.net

Has God called you lately?

Has God called you lately?

Icon of Samuel from the Orthodox Church in America

First Samuel, Chapter 3, verses 1-11 and 19-20 (NRSV):

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.  At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.  Then the LORD called, "Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!" and ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and lay down.

The LORD called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."  Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.  The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy.  Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."  Then the LORD said to Samuel, "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.”  [So] as Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.  And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the LORD.

Reflection on the Lectionary

Has God tried to call you lately?  Perhaps it sounds strange to put God’s name in such a question.  More often we use the name of a loved one or friend, school mate or co-worker instead.  For instance, “Has your brother tried to call you lately?”

In terms of God however, it’s not likely that most of us wait around, wonder about, or anticipate a call from the Divine One.  We’re in a time like Samuel’s where words from God are rare and visions not widespread.  With that said, would you like a call from God?  Could you use one?  How about a wake-up call?  If so, I imagine your next question is, “How do I go about getting God to call?

Well first off, you will need to open yourself to seeing how things you’ve taken for granted for a very long time are actually in conflict.  For instance, I love the main points or observations about this week’s scripture’s focus as stated in my former denomination’s worship resource.  The reality in church life however is that people are pretty closed off or hostile about the points below:

   

·         It was not God’s refusal to speak [in Samuel’s time]; it was the people’s refusal to listen.

·         If we are listening [as Samuel was], God speaks new things in the midst of struggle and uncertainty.

·         Sometimes those whom God calls are not ones who are on the “expected” list.

·         We live in hope that God will continue to speak a new thing.

·         It takes courage to speak that which we have heard from God.

Given my experience from last May, all I can say is, “How true, how true, how true!”  For me, and for a number of other people today, God is speaking a radically new and different thing that will make “both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.”  And what I believe that to be is that God has let loose into the world a whole hell of a lot of prophets; far more than we might have ever thought possible.

On that note, I remember a former denominational president saying several years ago that he no longer wanted his followers to be regarded as a people with a prophet.  Instead, he wanted those persons to see themselves as prophetic people.  The purpose of this was so the prophetic task could be shared far more broadly than it ever had been before.  For me, I think it was also an acknowledgement that the prophetic work of God has always been shared far more widely and broadly than people have ever wanted to acknowledge.  It has to be if the earth and humanity are to ever heal and become whole again – not only within themselves but together as well.  We have to once and for all get beyond any belief systems or theological notions that any faith is “the one true religion.”

I loved it yesterday at an “all staff” training provided my current employer, LifeWorks NW.  The presenter was Dr. Donna Beegle of Communication Across Barriers.  The title of her presentation was “Understanding Poverty: The Impact of Poverty for Individuals, Families and Communities.”  Specifically, Donna spoke to the debilitating isolating nature of generational poverty and the societal/cultural changes that must take place to break the cycle of such marginalization.  Her message was a refreshing counterpoint to the all too familiar bigotry of “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality.

One thing that I greatly admired at the very beginning of Donna’s presentation was when she said that people tell her that she’s a prophet.  People even call her a prophet.  But whether or not she is one, Donna says, her task has been clear.  Not only was it to lift herself and her family out of grinding hopeless poverty, but to help others do that as well.  And through a phenomenal compassion uniquely her own which Donna summons every moment of every day, she calls us to do the same for one another and for the world that God wants to be healed and made whole.

So Donna, as far as I’m concerned, it’s time for you to own the prophet label and simply say that you are one.  Like Samuel, God has called you -- and in my mind, you meet the bar to a far greater degree than a number of others who have assumed or taken that mantle to themselves.

It’s here then that I must confess something of my own.  After my May 26^th experience last year (see My Recent Journey, My God Encounter), I met with a friend who possesses a brilliant mind and is an evangelist in my former church.  I met with her to share the encounter I had been through -- but let me share as well that several years ago after an act of civil disobedience for which I was arrested -- she told me she found my life and calling to be in the tradition of the prophets.  So after hearing my experience of calling this past year, my evangelist friend said, “You really need to begin work with a spiritual director as soon as possible.”  Taking that advice seriously, I learned of a local university professor who had been doing spiritual direction for over eleven years.  To my joy, she knows and values the interfaith world and teaches spirituality across the Islamic and Jewish and Christian traditions.  Even greater was my joy when my May 26^th experience didn’t surprise her at all and she would be very glad to help me work through its discernment -- something that would not have been possible with my former denomination.

Within weeks of beginning discernment, my spiritual director pronounced my path as that of the mystic.  And then a few weeks later, in a matter of fact way, she said, “Sorry, but you’re a prophet as well.  God has chosen to work with you directly.  God does not require a human institution to connect with you, call you, or work through you.  Your message is huge and unlike any other.  And don't worry, what has happened to you is happening to people all over the planet.  Take comfort knowing you are not alone.  Prepare yourself however for being criticized, denigrated, and maligned.  You will be called heretic.  This is why it became necessary for you to move on from your church.”  At that point, I’m sure I looked like a deer in the headlights.  When something finally came to my mind, it did so quite forcefully and I said, “Well, if that’s true of me, it is also true of a great many other people I know, love, and admire.  So we’re going to keep that prophet thing to prophet beginning with a lowercase p rather than a capital p.”  I felt relief when my spiritual director nodded her agreement.

So back to my original questions, “Has God tried to call you lately?  Would you like a wake-up call from God?  Could you use one?  Are you ready to start seeing and doing something about things that stand in conflict with each other?”  For instance, by sharing the following story in this public blog, I’m doing something about the conflict I see between who is prophetic and who isn’t.  The story is rather amusing to me anymore.  It involves an incident a few years ago when a general officer in my former denomination made a strongly assertive public proclamation that, “There’s only one prophet!”  The person of course was her boss the prophet-president of her denomination.  In my sense of things these days, the general officer’s statement is nonsense because God has decided to have prophets everywhere throughout the world and in many cases, like me, they’re not on the “expected" list.  Now lest it seem that I’m being critical of the general officer, the only thing I am critical of is her statement and her mindset in that particular moment on that particular day.  I have no way of knowing if she stills believes what she said then.  What I do know of the person is that she has a great love for people, particularly people struggling with gay-lesbian concerns/needs in their lives.  On that score, I do admire her.

As a young child, Samuel heard his name called several times.  A number of those times, he was confused about who was actually calling him and from where and for what reason.  Man, do I ever appreciate Samuel’s dilemma.  The great thing is that as Samuel grew and matured in his calling, everyone from from Dan to Beer-sheba came to accept Samuel was a trustworthy prophet.  I can only hope the same will be said of me in time as I continue to call people to live unencumbered lives with unencumbered faith.  The thing is this, you’ll have to come to some wrenching honesty with yourself about how encumbered your life is -- along with casting off the encumbered faith you’ve chosen to settle for.  And please hear me, if that gets too heavy for you to bear, or you simply need a listening ear, just drop me an email or give me a call.  I’ll be glad to help out in any way I can.  Why so?  Because there’s a planet and world that needs healing, justice, peace, well-being and happiness for every living soul – and you, prophet, are integral to making that happen.

God's Peace be with you,

Brad

Brad Shumate, M.A.,M.S., LMHC

Free of Encumbrance Ministries

Vancouver, WA

Email: brshumate@freeofencumbrance.net

God Out of the Box

Dear Readers:  I have determined that a little more lead time is necessary for completing preparations for the first blog talk radio webcast of "Free of Encumbrance".  Originally, the webcast was scheduled for Sunday, January 22.  The delay is so I can be certain of providing as much interaction opportunity as possible between hosts, guests, callers, and listeners during the webcast.  I also want to be sure of maintaining momentum once the webcasts have started.  So, the new date is the first Sunday in Spring which will be March 25.  Something about that feels very good and wonderfully symbolic.  Thank you for your patience, support, and understanding.  I look forward to us sharing together on March 25th.  -- Brad


*********************


"God Out of the Box"

Scripture Focus - Mark 1:4-11 (NRSV)

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.  And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Message for this coming Sunday:

Do you get frustrated with faith communities putting God in a box?  Ever wish you could get God out of the box?  You probably can if you’re willing to make the sacrifice.

Listening this week to a podcast done by a group of professors from Luther Seminary, they bravely stated that religions exist for the purpose of putting God in a box.  Their sentiments are echoed by the Muslim-Atheist-Jewish-Christian author named, Samir Selmanovic, who critiques organized religion as little more than God-management systems.  I couldn’t agree more, particularly in terms of my own recent journey and the sacrifices made so God could be out of the box for me and my life.  With God out of the box, there have been blessings and insights beyond what I would have thought possible.

Both John and Jesus let God out of the box.  From there God came alive for them in ways that organized religion and the governmental powers of their time would not allow.  Ultimately those sources of authority couldn’t tolerate it and killed them.  So let’s not be mistaken about the sacrifice entailed.

Another effect of “God out of the box” is that a person may be led to eccentricities.  John decided that the only thing he wanted to wear was camel’s hair and eats locusts with a bit of honey.  I wonder if that eccentricity symbolized something for him.  John also railed continuously against the tyranny of religious and governmental authorities.  He didn't worry about losing his nonprofit tax-exempt status or worry about offending some old fart in the church pew, but his rantings did cost him his head.

By contrast, Jesus had a bad habit of routinely breaking the law and doing so in God’s name.  He did this to stand over and against injustice, absurdity, and things he found to be utterly contrary to an unconditionally loving God.  Possessed of a phenomenal intellect and reasoning skills beyond most any of us, Jesus showed up absurdity for what it was at nearly every turn and he did so with breathtaking compassion for those on the receiving end of such foolishness -- those who suffered most because of the autocratic malignantly narcissistic persons who ruled over them.  Repeatedly Jesus’ intellect and compassion served as foils in his fight against the tyranny dominating people’s lives.  In the end, as with John, the religious and political authorities decided to snuff out the “Jesus effect” through one of the most humiliating and tortuous forms of execution, i.e. crucifixion.

Today, in this country and many others, one’s beliefs and the right to speak out about those beliefs will not land a person in jail for the most part.  However, there’s still a price to be paid and sacrifices made.  For some of us that involves the need to move on from "official" ties with faith traditions we were raised in, ordained by, and in some instances were our employers.  Sacrificing “formal” ties is painful but I am deeply grateful for those persons who chose to remain in friendship and contact with me.  They are truly life's priceless blessings for they allow me to speak freely and fully about the God who calls me to establish a church free of the world's encumbrances rather than belong to an institution that wants me yoked to its particular God-management system.

On that note, a quick story comes to mind.  I remember a baptism incident several years ago as a jurisdictional officer in the Pacific Northwest for my former denomination.  Brian, the minister for a baptism, felt led to baptize Edith with these words, “I baptize you into the community of Christ.”  He then put Edith beneath the lake's water and brought her back up.  To the delight of everyone, Edith gleefully shouted out her joy in the radiant sunshine bathing that moment.

The incident horrified the religious legalists.  Why?  Well, Brian hadn’t used the proper spiritual incantation of “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”  So in their minds the baptism hadn't taken and therefore it angered God and upset Jesus.  As the area officer, I heard more complaints about that event than I had of any other in quite a while.  Finally a higher level church official pressed me to counsel, and if necessary, discipline Brian about his error.  I refused to do so and made clear that the official had not been present, and that the official had not witnessed the beauty of the event nor the power of God’s Spirit that attended it.  Therefore I made clear that I would not detract from Edith’s baptism by counseling or disciplining Brian.  In short, I said that God was big enough to cope with the situation and everyone else needed to do the same.  Naturally, as you might imagine, my higher-ups were displeased and the incident caused me significant career capital.  The memory of what happened however for Brian and Edith and the entirety of their real church family -- not the institutional one -- will be a blessing I treasure forever.  And if those words frustrate religious legalists, then so be it.  Feel free to chalk it up as one of my eccentricities due to God being out of the box for me.       

“God out of the box” allows the mortal and spiritual worlds to come much closer together that we might ever imagine.  When that happens for you, God and the world are going to name you and identify you.  The scripture above is clear on that, e.g. John was the Baptizer and Jesus was the Beloved.  For me, given my experience last May, I might be Brad the pure of heart.  For Brian, he might be Brian the baptismal rebel and for Edith it could be Edith the joyful.  But then again, I'd want to get Edith's input on that as she's an iconoclast of epic proportions!

So if you’re willing to make the needed sacrifices and let God out of the box for you and your life, what will the identifier be for you?  What will be the eccentricity that takes hold in you and makes you a little wild?  Believe me, you can trust whatever happens and it won’t take away your goodness.  And if you need a little help on that end, just remember the following portion of an old children’s story.  In the story, a child is curious about the nature of a new animal that’s arrived to the forest.  The little girl feels anxious and unsettled, even upset over the animal's behavior.  Finally, out of her concern, she goes to Mr. Beaver and asks, “Is he good, Mr. Beaver?”  Mr. Beaver responds by saying, “Oh, of course he’s good -- but he isn’t tame.”


Pastor Brad Shumate, M.A., M.S., LMHC
Free of Encumbrance Ministries
Vancouver, WA
Email:  brshumate@freeofencumbrance.net