Dreaming Beneath the Spires

Anita Mathias's Blog on Faith and Art

The Story of Dirk Willems: The Man who Died to Save His Enemy

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I am inspired and moved by the story of Dirk Willems, one of the heroes of the Reformation, each time I hear it, and have written a little book on him. I hope you like it.  Here is the opening section The Story of Dirk Willems: The Man who Died … [Continue reading]

On Checking In Before you Fly

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Thingvellir National Park, Iceland I am (slowly!) learning to slow down, and say, "So, what should I do, God?" or "What should I do, Spirit?" or "What should do I do, Jesus?" And often enough, clarity comes, out of the box. I do not send the … [Continue reading]

The Spiritual Practice of Bible-Walking

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A neglected corner of my garden I have loved the Bible for most of my life. When I skip time at play in the fields of the Lord, skip time with the Bible—that fresh, startling way of viewing reality—for even a week, I miss it. My life feels a bit … [Continue reading]

Every Prison has a Door… (and We Usually Have the Key!)  

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     From Practice to Mastery Image Credit: https://guitarsquid.com So, not being a super-disciplined person, I’ve struggled all my adult life with a few things, surprisingly common struggles for those for whom discipline is problematic. I carry … [Continue reading]

The Life-Changing Practice of Meditation

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So, a couple of years ago, almost on a whim, my husband Roy and I took an intensive eight week course in Mindfulness at the Oxford Department of Psychiatry! (and at the famous local psychiatric hospital, the Warneford!!) I didn’t really know what … [Continue reading]