“Thin Places” - Finding a Sacred Sanctuary for the Soul
Celtic Christians have a term for a place where the atmosphere between heaven and earth is porous. “Thin places” are physical locations where the presence of God seems to be more real, where a certain location becomes a sacred sanctuary for the soul. (As is the case for so many different traditions, the origin of the term “thin places” may not have been purely Christian, but I see no need right now to become distracted by such analysis.)
I am currently reading a great book on prayer: How to Pray – A Simple Guide for Normal People by Pete Greig. Discussing “thin places,” Greig says, “Your thin place might simply be a particular chair in your house, a bench in the park, a hallowed half hour on your daily commute, … or even time in the sanctuary of your bathroom.”
Before I heard the Celtic Spirituality term, I experienced the reality of a “thin place.” Many years ago, one morning, while driving to work, I complained to God about my 38-mile commute. That ordinary workday, I heard an instruction so clearly on a deep spiritual level. I still recall the words:
I want you to live in Coeur d’Alene. I want you to work in Spokane.
And furthermore, I want you to turn this car into your prayer closet.
The message was so clear. I immediately turned off the radio and said, “Okay, God, I’ll do it!” A few days later, while still certain of my commitment, I had no idea how to make the pledge possible. Once again, I prayed, “Okay, God, I told you I would make this car my prayer closet, and I will, but I have no idea how to do that. Please show me how?”
During that commute, an idea, which I believe was divine, sprouted. I would pray according to the freeway exit signs. For approximately five years, I did just that. From one exit to the next, I prayed for my husband; then, for each daughter; followed by each grandchild. My “exit” prayers included my upcoming workday as well as personal hopes and dreams; our church; other family members; different friends; our nation; and the world. If I encountered road construction or traffic delays, rather than feeling annoyed, I simply figured the person or object assigned to those exit ramps needed an extra dose of prayer!
My dark green Toyota Camry transformed into a sacred sanctuary. I looked forward to rather than dreading the commute. My circumstances did not change, but my heart attitude did.
A couple years into my unusual prayer routine, I shared this experience with a group of women at a conference. I began receiving reports from women saying they had begun to pray in this way.
Some fifteen years later, a friend sent me an email, which began, “I thought you would enjoy hearing the fruit of your story again.” She explained that she had shared my story with a group of women. One of the women—a person my friend doesn’t even know has embraced the message of Christianity—told my friend how touched she was by the story, saying she started praying like that while on her daily run.
When my green Camry had racked up over 240,000 miles and was beginning to have problems, my husband told me he thought it was time to replace it. With so much sadness, we sold the Camry. None of the subsequent vehicles I’ve driven have become “thin places,” but that experience was life changing.
I am now retired and no longer commuting to work. Last summer, my husband tore down our sagging deck and replaced it with a stone patio. I asked Ron if we could create an outdoor room under the covered portion of patio. My talented and hardworking husband agreed. We now have what I call our “North Idaho Lanai,” and it has become a new “thin place.” Almost every morning, I take my coffee and an assortment of devotional materials to this chair, and I spend time reading Scripture and inspirational books and praying. Occasionally, I journal or listen to a portion of audio book or podcast. So quickly, it has become my summertime sacred sanctuary.
Here are a couple of additional tranquil backyard views I enjoy.
Even if you had never heard the term “thin place” before, can you identify one? If so, I would love to hear about it. I’m sure your comment will inspire not only me but others as well.
Blessings on your journey,
