Lindisfarne And A Cloud Of Witnesses
Lars Knutsen, a Norwegian who worked in USA has recently returned to Britain. He writes how his visits to Lindisfarne were a formative time for him:
‘So Lindisfarne has always been special to me as one of those “thin” places where I was aware of the claims of God on my life. I would always in my youth feel a sense of peace there, even though many years would go by before I came to understand why. In November 1983 my then girlfriend and I had a very meaningful long weekend; we drove to St. Albans to submit my Ph.D. thesis for binding, and then drove up to North Northumberland. We spent some hours on Lindisfarne and it became clear to us there that we were destined to spend our lives together as husband and wife, soul-mates and best friends. We have just celebrated 35 years of marriage, and I would not be the person I am if I had not met her; we are also gifted with three wonderful children. In terms of life and spiritual formation, feedback from a godly wife can be one of the best ways in which the Lord speaks to us.
Coming to an understanding of the ten elements of the Way and compiling a Way of Life has also provided a spiritual balance in my life, though I am a far from a perfect person, and am therefore an imperfect practitioner of this way of following God.
When I accepted a job offer with a Biotech company in USA in 2006 a new chapter of life started, and I became part of the US Community of Aidan and Hilda. This led to the opportunity of sharing my journey of faith with people … I became a US Citizen under Barack Obama in November 2015, and although very fond of North America, moved back to care for an elderly parent/ parents-in-law in 2016. I am now a Voyager in the UK, living in coastal Essex near Colchester.
I was asked what the 25th Anniversary Community of Aidan and Hilda Gathering in Yarnfield, Oxon felt like, and my response was “it was like being with a ‘Cloud of Witnesses’”. Hebrews 12.1 tells us: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Lars J.S. Knutsen