God Smiles

A few months ago, my family and I planned a trip to Canada. We visited the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls this past weekend. Upon arriving at our hotel, we received an upgrade to our room, which was a significant surprise to us! The picture you see is of the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, taken from our hotel room. We spent hours watching, observing, and taking in the Falls both on the ground and from our hotel room. What you can't see in this picture is the reality that this surprise upgrade was a gift from God, a balm to my soul, because October holds difficult memories for me. This October has its own challenges, too.

When memories from past Octobers flood my heart, mind, and soul, I sometimes find myself in a space of wondering if it's possible to acknowledge what once was while considering what "is" now, with hope for what "could be." And to "be" with these feelings and emotions…to pause, to consider what I'm feeling on the inside and where I am feeling it in my body, acknowledging it, and "sitting with" it for a while.

In past Octobers, I have practiced deep breathing, lectio divina, and examen to help me stay grounded. While I'm still actively embracing these practices this October, I'm also choosing to be a bit more unhurried and intentional in exploring God's voice through verbal and nonverbal communication, whether that comes through reading the Bible or another piece of literature, conversations with people, walking in nature or engaging in the normality of everyday life.

Here is what I'm noticing this October: God is in the little things: the smile on someone's face, the grief in a person's eyes, the groundhogs that reside near our home, the unwanted variety of wild mushrooms in our yard, and the neighborhood kids who play together. God is in the midst of the bigger things, too, like the changing of the seasons from summer to fall, the ebb and flow of life shifts, and the roaring of Niagara Falls.

We have observed the Canadian Horseshoe Falls in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Regardless of what is happening in the surrounding environment, the water continues to cascade over those falls. Measures have been taken to leverage this water for power and to reduce the flow of the water during non-business hours to preserve the Falls for as long as possible. I am convinced God is in the midst of the water's movement, and God likes to smile on us in the midst of liminal spaces.

Liminal spaces are those moments and seasons where what once "was" is no longer and what is yet to "be" has not yet come to fruition, or when what was expected is not what "is." Sometimes, these liminal spaces are expected. Sometimes, they are unexpected. Some are desired. Some are dreaded. Some last shorter in time, and some seem to last quite a bit longer than anticipated. All have the potential to be life-changing in some form or fashion, and God is deeply embedded and at work in those spaces.

I am currently in a season of walking alongside others in an unwanted, yet necessary, season of change, a liminal space, even as I, too, am experiencing the same. It is a challenging space to be in, yet it has also enhanced a curiosity within me to explore God's invitation in the midst of the "hard."

In my work life, I serve as a mid-level administrator, and I also teach Biblical Studies at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Scripture (and other humanitarian literature) is filled with stories of people who find themselves in liminal spaces. Scripture also includes psalms and short wisdom sayings that address liminal spaces. As one who loves to study Scripture and who has also learned the importance of engaging and embracing my heart, body, and soul as I read, study, and listen to various types of literature, I ask the following questions when I want to explore the liminal spaces of other people in various types of literature:

I am convinced that God is deeply embedded and at work in the midst of everyday life. May you experience God smiling on you in the depths of your own liminal spaces, too.