Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
Week 18: "Thin Places" — When the Veil Thins
Read the chapter "Thin Places" in Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
Previewing Week 18 of Present Over Perfect
Read 3 of 6 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 22-week guide when you’re ready.
Niequist draws on the Celtic Christian idea of "thin places" — moments and locations where the distance between heaven and earth seems to collapse — as a framework for understanding where and how she encounters God.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.The Celtic concept of a "thin place" describes a location or moment where the boundary between the human and the divine feels permeable. Have you experienced a moment like that — a place, a season, a conversation where God felt unusually close? Describe it.
2.Niequist suggests that the frantic pace of modern life makes us spiritually thick — it insulates us from those moments of divine nearness. Do you agree? Has there been a season in your life when you were more available to those kinds of encounters? What made the difference?
3.Where are your thin places — the settings, relationships, or practices where you most reliably encounter God? Are you being intentional about returning to them?