What the heck DO I believe??

OK, so I'm on the hook for some public speaking at church, not really on my own, but as a part of something called Pentecost Voices. What this means is that I need to come up with a minute and a half worth of statement about, you know, my beliefs. Which is harder than it seems. I considered hymns, as I've felt as though some of them are revealing my truths. But I couldn't think of which ones they were at the time. I also considered Bible verses, but none seemed right.

Then I had my brainstorm. Back in the day (meaning 1951), legendary journalist (and fellow Washington State University alum) Edward R. Murrow did a series of essays featuring some famous people and some not-so-famous people. At first, I went with Murrow's intro, though it was more of a state-of-the-world thing -- dead-on, sadly, still .. but not quite right.

We hardly need to be reminded that we are living in an age of confusion—a lot of us have traded in our beliefs for bitterness and cynicism or for a heavy package of despair, or even a quivering portion of hysteria. Opinions can be picked up cheap in the market place while such commodities as courage and fortitude and faith are in alarmingly short supply.

So I went with Helen Keller instead. I wanted it to be a woman. And I wanted it to be someone who said what I wanted say, but better. Thanks, Helen.

Faith reinvigorates the will, enriches the affections, and awakens a sense of creativeness. Active faith knows no fear, and it is a safeguard to me against cynicism and despair.