The Call to Mount Shasta

Sometimes the Lord's unfolding plan only makes sense in hindsight, so if it seems like I'm bouncing around in terms of topic or chronology it's because I am a sinner and perceive things dimly for now. Anyway, as I alluded to in my previous post, the Lord communicated with me in a special way through books following my conversion. It was through this medium that He chose to initiate the call to Mount Shasta. The details follow.

In February of 2009 I was working as a personal care attendant and studying in my spare time. Because my schedule was quite predictable, unlike when I worked as a magazine editor and designer, I agreed to read a book my friend Gary wanted to lend me. (I am not trying to withhold details here, but I am hesitant to cite which one, seeing as Gary let me borrow three books at once and I don't at present remember which one it was that mentioned Mount Shasta.) In any case, I read a few chapters and then relegated it to my shelf where it sat untouched for six months.

In June 2009, after injuring my back (though I think it was quite deteriorated before I took on the care attendant job), I had to give notice that I would need to withdraw from my position and then decided to apply to Briercrest. A year prior, the Lord had told me He would bring me to Bible college some day, but, as was my custom, I decided to hang tight for a while instead of responding immediately. My plan was to work a few years and raise enough money to pay for school, but that wasn't to be. Anyway, I was accepted into the Biblical Studies program at Briercrest and began to plan for the move to Saskatchewan. Naturally, I fell into the habit of telling people about what the Lord was working out in my life.

One evening in August, less than a month before my departure, I stopped at Tim Horton's on my way home from visiting with someone, presumably the last time I'd see them before Christmas. My intention in stopping at Tim's was to grab a coffee then return home to study (I had downloaded a bunch of syllabi for my classes and had ordered a bunch of textbooks online). The Lord, being sovereign as He is, had directed me to walk into the store instead of simply using the drive thru, which was never busy at that hour. Instead of a quick turnaround, I ran into my friend Paul and we talked for a few hours on a wide range of subjects, such as how important it was that I not become too academic and lose my first love (how ironic!). Then he perked up and told me to wait a moment while he retrieved a book from his car, adding that I just "had to" read it (okay so I paraphrased this). I politely told him that I appreciated the gesture but I had a stack of books to get through, including some unfinished ones that had been lent to me in February, so I declined his offer. He was persistent, though, and said the chapters were short and the print was large and that someone like me could read it quickly. So I reluctantly accepted. For the detail-minded, I will add that it was Norman Vincent Peale's In God We Trust.

I would have preferred to use the time to gain ground in reading textbooks for school but recognized that I couldn't keep these loaners forever, so I submitted to rushing through them even though I felt, in a sense, that they had been thrust upon me. And so it was that I found myself alternating between the Peale book and one of the books Gary lent me, reading a chapter in one and then in the other. In light of the circumstance and the heightened sensitivity to how God had historically used books to communicate with me, I thought it really significant when, within the span of a half hour I saw the same place mentioned in two different books given me by two different people that were in no way related and which I had received six months apart. Had I been diligent in reading Gary's book, I would have long since returned it and never would have made this connection. But the Lord worked things out in such a manner that I would read about a place I'd never heard of before or since: Mount Shasta, California.

Now, some of you will think it rather weird to embark on a cross-continent journey just because of the above. My tendency is to agree, though I can't do so with an entirely clear conscience in light of how much the Lord has gone out of His way to emphasize certain things to me using books. Though I wasn't convinced to go, nor did I know when to go or how to get there, I couldn't simply dismiss this.

A few days later I phoned my friend Leslie and asked him if he'd like to accompany me to town so we could grab a coffee and chat before I left. We went through the drive thru and parked by the Yarmouth Harbour on the south side of Water Street. It was about 30C outside, so I lowered my window to try to cool off. We prayed to the Lord about many things, and I asked Him bluntly if I should pursue this "Mount Shasta thing" or if it had simply been an odd coincidence I shouldn't dwell upon. I didn't hear a response.

I asked Him a second time if He wanted me to go to Mount Shasta. I don't think He said anything, but I recognized that it was hard to concentrate on account of a crow that was cawing loudly in the trees, maybe 20 feet or so behind my car. I continued to listen to see if the Lord would respond yay or nay, but I didn't hear anything He might have said.

Finally the crow was silent, so I asked Him a third time, "Lord, do you want me to go to Mount Shasta? If you don't respond, I will let this go on the assumption that it's just a coincidence. I have all these plans to go to school that you confirmed before I ever heard about Mount Shasta, but I can't help but take seriously that I discovered it in a way you have often used to communicate with me. It's truly up to you, Lord, but I will disavow myself of this unless you make your will known to me."

I waited. And He didn't respond [that I could hear].

To be honest, I would have preferred not having any obligation to go to California. I knew nothing about this mountain, and I felt as if I lacked the means to do anything any alleged call to go there. I didn't have a passport, and what little I had in savings was now allocated for school. So I was quite pleased that He didn't respond. Yes, such an attitude reflects a lack of faith, but I was still quite young in my discipleship (less than two years at the time).

Finally, I told the Lord in no uncertain terms, "Okay God, if you want me to go to Mount Shasta, have the crow caw four times."

Within a few seconds I heard, "Caw, caw, caw, caw!"

And there was silence.

Stupefied, I paused for a moment and reflected on what had happened before saying, "God, if that was really you, have the crow caw three times."

A few seconds later, "Caw, caw, caw."

Again, silence.

I was too perplexed to say anything, but I wasn't dimwitted enough to ask for a third sign. Nevertheless, I got an additional confirmation, as the crow began to caw in a four-three pattern, pausing for about ten seconds between each set. I finally told the Lord that I would keep this in mind and go to Mount Shasta someday. Not that I understood how or why, just that He said so.

A brief note: Some people who read this may fancy themselves scientific thinkers. I certainly did and do. I studied sciences throughout high school and have what I would describe as a decent grasp on scientific theory. Now, many will suggest that science and faith are incompatible and/or mutually exclusive. As G. K. Chesterton so astutely wrote once, "Somehow or other an extraordinary idea has arisen that the disbelievers in miracles consider them coldly and fairly, while believers in miracles accept them only in connection with some dogma. The fact is quite the other way. The believers in miracles accept them (rightly or wrongly) because they have evidence for them. The disbelievers in miracles deny them (rightly or wrongly) because they have a doctrine against them." To this I would add that it is entirely scientific to assert that, if I address someone and He responds, He exists. It is, I think, beyond the realm of absurdity to assume that a crow should indulge me in such a manner unless God were not only real but sovereign. Science does not take such a big leap as to presume that this was a coincidence. That is not scientific in the least, given the data, and though I disdain the "Christian science" movement (which I regard as a sect), I affirm that faith is not only scientific but reflective of reality, which science seeks to understand and express.

Second, the Christians who read this may find that I am a bit bold in how I deal with the Lord. I've been told that I am downright irreverent. To this I would respond that I was not "raised in the church" and thus have not been indoctrinated with a bunch of prima facie Protestantisms that don't reflect the God of the Bible. As such, I thought nothing ill of treating God the way I learned about Him in reading my Bible as a new convert (I have read it twice in its entirety, taking five and two months to do so, respectively.) If I have been bold in putting out a fleece, I would like to add, therefore, a particular note on the context in which I did so. It must be pointed out that I put out fleeces to receive confirmation on things He initiated. I have received many such confirmations when that was the case. I have never, however, received confirmation when it was with regard to something I demanded to know about. I think this is consistent with Scripture, and I don't consider it the least bit bold. He asks that we pursue Him. There is no need to defend my approach.

Anyway, as mentioned, this all took place in 2009. My next post will describe the situation leading up to my decision to follow the call this past Friday.