Parables of the Flesh: The Lover's Pursuit of His Bride

By Dr. Kimberly Schmidt

Of all of the beautiful things to do in this world, there is none more essential than to know yourself, and to know your God. Only then can you truly have union with him. Only then can your life become the glorious dance with your Creator that it was intended to be. Parables was written with this goal in mind. You'll be taken on a grand tour of your body that explores the rich symbolism and poetry that was woven into your flesh at your creation. You'll come to understand the sweetness of a God who enfleshes his words spoken to your heart. You'll come to see everything that ever happens to you as his love notes that are intended to soften your walls and win your love for all eternity.

Parables includes questions to help you to explore your ideas before and after the topic is presented. There are also a great many questions to assist you in probing your heart and your life as deeply as you care to go. Parables is the perfect choice for a group or couple study, marriage preparation, spiritual growth and healing, physical healing, even a high school biology or theology adjunct. It is for anyone who ever wondered why...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 25, 2009
• ISBN: 9781465316639

Dr. Kimberly Schmidt

Dr. Kimberly Schmidt is the developer of Incarnational Healing, a method of identifying and healing the wounds of the body, mind, heart and soul, through the tangible or “incarnate” symptoms of the body. Through her clinic, Incarnate, Dr. Schmidt has helped thousands of people from across the country to find true physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Through her many speaking engagements, CD’s and DVD’s Dr. Schmidt has taught innumerable people how to understand the beautiful and deeply poetic “language” that God speaks through our bodies to draw us closer to himself.

Book preview

Copyright © 2009 by Dr. Kimberly Schmidt.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without

permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Version of Bible: New American Bible

The information contained in this book is designed to be used for your personal

growth and development only. It is not intended to replace the role of the

doctor. It also is not intended to teach the method of Incarnational Healing. If

you have a serious health condition, please seek help from a healthcare provider.

If you have a serious mental condition, seek assistance from a qualified mental

health professional. If you have serious spiritual issues, please consult with your

priest, pastor or spiritual director.

The illustrations in this text were created by Danielle Vernelson, a professional

graphic designer and artist in Fort Collins, Colorado. To see more of her work,

visit daniellevernelson.com

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

incarnationalhealing.com

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

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Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

How to Use This Book

Section 1

Introduction and Eternal Marriage Preparation

Section 2

Incarnational Living

Section 3

Male and Female

Section 4

Brain, Spine, and Joints

Section 5

Heart, Circulation, and Lungs

Section 6

Digestive System

Section 7

Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas

Section 8

Kidneys and Bladder

Section 9

Immune System

Section 10

Final Thoughts

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This book is dedicated to Carl,

my amazing husband, who has pursued my heart

with wild abandon since the day God crossed our paths.

Thank you for being such a beautiful image of Christ to me.

I am eternally grateful to you.

To Crowd Heaven . . .

Acknowledgments

When one begins a journey, it is never begun alone. I would like to acknowledge and extend my most heartfelt gratitude to the many people who have surrounded me with love, inspiration, and support.

I thank my wonderful husband, Carl, who has risen to every challenge I’ve ever put before him. He’s loved and supported and changed and grown and counseled and collaborated and prayed and edited and endured more than any other person I know! I thank my amazing children: Clarissa, Hannah, Jesse, Jonathan, Josiah, Eliana, and Tobiah. Their selfless sacrifices of hugs and prayers and dinners and tidying and keeping the family going while Mom and Dad were working on this are deeply appreciated. I am so thrilled to be leaving a legacy on this earth of such beautiful and loving souls. You are my joy!

I also thank my parents who have always stood beside me, lifting me up, encouraging me, and giving me a push forward when I was stuck in the doorway. I love you dearly.

I thank our small group members: Tyson, Sharla, Rob, Sandy, John, Kathy, Brendan, Aleyna, and Melissa. You’ve always supported and encouraged me and blessed me with your friendship. Melissa, I thank you also for the walk that started this whole project and for your enthusiasm for Incarnational Healing.

I would also like to thank each and every one of my patients. I would love to mention you all as you are all dear to my heart, and you really have been the testing ground for the development of this work. I thank you for your stories, honesty, vulnerability, generosity, encouragement, love, prayers, support, and courage. You’ve each been such a gift in my life. Thank you.

Most of all, I’d like to thank my dear Jesus who encouraged me to commit to beauty and persevere.

Preface

Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.

—Malcolm Muggeridge

Years ago, a small stirring began. It was a deep nudging, a nagging thought, an intrigue. It began with the heart. I didn’t know what it meant. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the heart: why it was made the way it was, how it worked in the body, its beauty, its meaning, its centrality to everything. The seasons were next: the rhythm, the cyclicity, the symbolism they speak of. It was as if a shroud was being lifted, and I was being shown the extraordinary within the ordinary. Everything seemed to come alive and become beautiful.

It was in the midst of this unveiling that I was introduced to Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. His work spoke deeply to me. He chose one subject and plumbed the depths of it. He spoke about gender and what it meant to be made male and female in the image of God. He wrote a beautiful work of art that has since become the subject for many other authors and speakers. His work, in a sense, gave me permission to delve into mine. If he also saw deep meaning in the way we were crafted, I might not be crazy after all!

And so I ran with the idea. Many other organs and systems began telling their stories. God would send me clusters of patients with common complaints or organ issues so I would have the opportunity to understand the connections and the parables.

Eventually, a dear friend who was in the seminary at the time gave me a small book. It was called Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret of Peace and Happiness by Fr. Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure and St. Claude de la Colombiere. This little book changed everything for me. I argued and fought my way through it. I wrestled over the ideas with my husband. Together, we came to the same conclusion: the authors were right—God really was sovereign. He really was the cause of all things. Truly, nothing happened without God’s participation. Suddenly, everything looked different. Nothing was random anymore. Everything was meaningful. What a shock! Eventually, what delight!

Now, the stakes were higher. If God really was involved in everything, the purpose of life needed to shift—no longer something to survive, struggle through, and make the best of, instead, an amazing adventure to undertake. If nothing was random and God was in everything, there was nothing to fear anymore. Everything happened in love and was purposeful.

When my husband, Carl, was introduced to Ignatian spirituality and began a formation program to become a spiritual director, even more clarity came. Little did I know that St. Ignatius understood life in the same way! What had seemed so novel to me had been pondered decades and centuries and millennia before me by minds and hearts much grander than mine. Man has always searched for meaning, beauty, and intimacy with his Creator. We were made for this; it is part of our design.

Even in this modern age, the healing arts have become a haven for the search for meaning. We search for deficiencies and poisons and reasons why we are ill. We search the power of the mind and the power of the universe. We are scouring God’s playground, looking for clues about this life we live; but in general, we refuse to acknowledge the Creator of the playground. Regardless of what modes of healing or powers to influence we discover on this planet, we must still wrestle with how they exist or what or who is behind it all and, even more importantly, why. This is my primary motive in writing this book. The why is really, really important. The why is the purpose of our lives.

Christians are the only ones audacious enough to speak of God as Lover. No one else even comes close. Other faiths admit to a god as creator, guide, consultant, governor, judge, provider, a being of wisdom and power, a unifying force, etc. Only Christians dare speak of a god of romance and intimacy, a god that took on flesh so he could be one with his creation. This is the God this book is written about—the wild, untame, passionate Lover in pursuit of his Bride.

Blessings,

Dr. Kimberly Schmidt DC

How to Use This Book

My goal in presenting to you this workbook is that you come to know yourself and your God more intimately. This knowledge and understanding is the work of a lifetime. There is no more important journey on this earth than the one into the heart. It is in your heart that you come to know and love God.

I believe the best way to experience this information is in a group setting. This group can consist of you and your spouse or friend, or it can be an established small group or a new one designed specifically to delve into Incarnational Living. You are certainly free to meander on this path alone; however, there is much to be gleaned from the shared experiences and wisdom of other minds and hearts. It also requires a deep commitment to honesty and growth that others may be able to spur you on to.

This book has been designed so that you have the opportunity to answer a few introductory questions before you read the section. This will give you a chance to get an honest perspective of how you think and the state of your heart before the reading biases you by giving you my insights. The goal of this book is that you come to know your own heart, not that you recite all of the right answers. Read the main section either individually or in a group setting. Feel free to pause and allow important points to sink in. If you are reading in a group, perhaps stop and discuss some of these points before you proceed.

After the reading, allow some quiet time for reflection on those things that touched, enlightened, or convicted you. If you are going through this book in a group, feel free to use the questions for discussion at the end of the reading as a way to begin conversation about it. They are tools to help you to digest the material and remind you of some of the important points. Allow the conversation to take whatever course seems appropriate. After the reading or the meeting, take these ideas into prayer. This may take a few days. When you feel ready, begin the individual questions. This is the part where God speaks to you most intimately. Go over them prayerfully. Allow this to be a retreat-like experience for you.

Often, I present new material in the questions that is not in the main body of the section. This is intentional. Many of these concepts must build on each other, and there must be time for these ideas to solidify within you so they can be built upon. The Spirit must also have time to work with your heart.

There are many questions. This also is intentional. It is not to burden you but to give you the opportunity to probe as deeply as you desire. Read them all, but don’t feel you must write something in every blank. Dig into the questions that move you. If you desire, you may bring your answers back to the group and share in whatever way seems appropriate. If some questions seem too intimate to share, that is fine. This course is ultimately between you and your God.

Obviously, confidentiality is necessary to have honest answers shared. Be sure that the group provides a safe sanctuary where the soul can implant, be nourished, and grow (this will make more sense after the uterus section!). Be kind, gentle, and honest with each other. Share your gifts.

Also, I know that some of you will be tempted to skip ahead to sections of the body that you have issues in. I would urge you not to do this. There is a lot of information contained in each section. They were designed to be done sequentially so each section builds on and assumes an understanding of the information in the previous sections.

Lastly, please do not try to do all of the questions in a half-hour-before-the-meeting cram session. Your fruit will be minimal. The point of this course is to encounter your own heart and the heart of your Lover. This is unlikely to happen in a cram session. This is not material to get through. I know that lots of group studies end up that way.

Linger on the questions. Truly pray about them. In this way, as you turn the last page, you will not be ending a book but continuing a life journey. My prayers will be with you. Have fun!

Section 1

Introduction and Eternal Marriage Preparation

Questions to Reflect on before Reading this Section

1.   Who is God?

2.   Who are you to God?

3.   How does God interact in the world?

4.   What is the purpose of your life?

Introduction

I’m so excited to be able to offer you a program that will feed your heart and soul and lead you to the heart of Jesus. During this course, I’ll be introducing you to some beautiful ideas and stories. These are the concepts that have gradually taken form and been given birth to through my years as a doctor. They’ve brought clarity and meaning to the dramas unfolding in the lives and bodies of those I’ve journeyed with. These stories have been given to me to share with each of you. I don’t believe that they’re the only parables in the flesh or that what I’ve received is complete. God is always unveiling more to us, drawing us deeper and deeper into his heart.

I’ve found that these stories tend to resonate deeply with people. They see their lives in the parables of the organs and especially in the parables of the dysfunctions of the organs. My intent is to offer you a way to dive deeper, plumb the depths of your heart, and receive the fullness of the gift of healing that God so desires to give you.

I believe this information truly has the potential to transform your whole life. Don’t expect to be done with this course in the few weeks it’ll take to read it and answer the questions. I hope to entice you to begin a lifelong journey, one of discovery and passion. I hope to inspire you to spend the rest of your life dancing with and falling deeper and deeper in love with your Jesus. (Incidentally, I will often use the term your Jesus or your God not to imply that you are creating or defining him or that he is not the same person for all people, but to draw you into the truth that he is personal, intimate, and has a unique relationship with you as an individual.)

In this first section, we’ll focus on some of the concepts that are necessary to establish before proceeding. They’ll also help to put the parables we’ll discuss later into context. We’ll see the motivating force behind God’s poetry.

We need to discuss two foundations: who you are to God and God’s sovereignty through the vision of life as eternal marriage preparation. Feel free to review these concepts throughout your journey through The Parables of the Flesh. Let’s begin!

You Are the Delight of God’s Heart

The first of these foundations is that you are the delight of God’s heart. You are a unique creation in all of time and space. Never before and never again will a being just like you ever exist. You were not randomly created or evolved. Your world was prepared just for you. Your genetic code was prepared just for you. You have a place in the heart of your Creator that no one else can ever fill—no one, just you. He longs to be one with you. He has a fierce desire for you. Not us—you personally.

Jesus intends to marry you. He desires this with every fiber of his being. He’s ablaze with it. In fact, this is the purpose of your life here on earth. It’s eternal marriage prep. He’s created you for the sole purpose of being one with you for all eternity. What an amazing thought! (The Bible as a whole speaks of God and his relationship with us in nuptial terms. Refer to Hosea, Ezekiel 16, Song of Solomon, Jesus’s references to being attentive to the arrival of the Bridegroom, Paul’s references to Christ and the church in marital terms, and Revelation speaking of the wedding feast of the Lamb. The church is that Bride. You, as a member of that church are that Bride.)

Most people, however, spend their lives thinking that at best, they’re useful to God. They believe that God needs them primarily to do something, to fill some role, to accomplish some deed. I would challenge that idea. According to the Baltimore Catechism, we’re here to know, love, and serve God in this life and to be eternally happy with him in the next. Check out the order: know, love, serve. It’s not simply about serving.

I have a very good grocery clerk that does a fabulous job for me every week. Regardless of how good a job he does week after week, I wouldn’t consider marrying him. We speak pleasant small talk, and he bags my groceries well, but that’s as far as it goes. If this is what our relationships with God are all about, service and small talk, we’re missing the point. The service comes last. The knowing and the loving—the relationship—comes first. By the time we get to the serving, it’s done from a heart that’s overflowing with love. It’s pure and utter joy no matter what the task before us.

If we’re to be in intimate union with our God, we have to change the focus of our lives. We can no longer be consumed with daily activities. We need to spend time building relationship with him, getting to know him. The question is how. To answer this question, let’s explore the next foundation, God’s sovereignty.

The Sovereignty of God

So how does one come to know God? We need to know someone who we can’t see, hear, or touch. Interesting proposition. For we fleshies, this is a problem. We’re challenged to invest our whole lives in the pursuit of a world that’s unseen, to be with a person we’ve only heard of.

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If this was a mere human desire, it’d seem like a preposterous fairy tale. However, there really is someone on the other end. He really is guiding this whole crazy, romantic, glorious journey. And guess what? He really is sovereign! Every knee bends at the name of Jesus (Phil. 2:10). Every word he speaks comes to be (Isa. 55:11, John 1:3, Gen. 1:3). My dog does God’s will. My liver does God’s will. My car does God’s will. In fact, even the enemy himself, despite his best efforts to the contrary, ends up doing God’s will. The only thing that hangs in the balance, the only thing that can choose to not be aligned with God’s desire, is the human heart. The human heart is the only thing that can resist God’s call. And the pursuit of that individual heart is the consuming passion that governs all of his work on this planet.

Let me tell you a story. It’s the story of Balaam and his donkey. In the book of Numbers, chapter 22, the Jews were traveling through Moab, Balak’s kingdom. The king had heard of these Jews and the power of their God. He feared