Thin Times.

The ancient Celts had a term they used to describe places where individuals found themselves inspired, eternally connected, and impossibly close to heaven, while here on earth. These places, called "thin places," are often sacred ones, but they need not be. In fact, a thin place for one person can be a remarkably lifeless place for another. The only criteria which makes a place thin is the peculiar emotional and spiritual freedom that it evokes in a person. It is a place which allows us to unclench our grip of control on our lives & breathe in the presence of God. In thin places, His presence is palpable. 

I first heard of thin places in a book I'm currently reading. If I sit down & think of where  I've felt closest to God- not spiritually close, but tangibly reach-out-and-touch-him-close- I can think of a handful of places where I've felt transformed. Eagle Lake Camp is one of them. It might have something to do with the physical exhaustion, sleep deprivation, & emotional depletion I experienced there, but with all of these things removed, I still think there's something magically thin about this property. In addition, I've experienced thin places in coffee shops, airports, and mountain tops. 

This idea of thin places got me thinking less about the places & more of the times, seasons of life & moments in time that felt thin. If there is such a thing as thin places, there must be such a thing as a "thin time." My current season of life is one filled with opportunity. Choosing to move for school is one of the most conscious decisions I've ever made. Up until now I've simply followed the next step that comes naturally. I have what feels like an infinite number of options for what's next in my life, & I am leaving & have left so much of my heart behind. But what's been most remarkable in this season of life is the closeness I feel with God. I know it's fairly common for people to find God in the broken seasons, the moments of despair & fear, but I've never felt it to this degree. There's something beautifully unmasking in "thin times." Just like those places that make you momentarily transcend the gap between heaven & earth, I am finding that times of unwanted growth & pain to reveal something within our design- our most genuine selves. It's a good thing.