William Cowper ndash the English poet found a friend in his pastor John Newton ndash the former slave trader Cowper suffered from depression and anxiety attempting to die by suicide more than once When Newton visited him they rsquo d go on long walks together and talk about God Thinking that Cowper would benefit from engaging creatively and having a reason to write his poetry the minister had the idea to compile a hymnal Cowper contributed many songs including ldquo God Moves in a Mysterious Way rdquo When Newton moved to another church he and Cowper remained strong friends and [... more]

In when Julian of Norwich was thirty years old she became ill and nearly died When her minister prayed with her she experienced a number of visions in which she considered Jesus rsquo crucifixion After miraculously recovering her health she spent the next twenty years living in solitude in a side room of the church praying over and thinking through the experience She concluded that ldquo love was his meaning rdquo that is that Christ rsquo s sacrifice is the supreme manifestation of God rsquo s love Julian rsquo s revelations are famous but what people often overlook is the [... more]