Braving the Thin Places: Celtic Wisdom to Create a Space for Grace

Stanz does a fantastic job drawing the reader in and connecting with the every day, basic facets of our lives, and then pointing in the direction of spirituality and our relationship with God.Well written, easy read. And the prompts at the end of the chapter bring it home for each reader, if you dare dive into the material. It is a beautiful and emotional experience to engage in this piece of work.

There’s some lovely thinking gone into this book. Not just thinking but living. You can’t arrive at these concepts intellectually. Thoroughly recommend

Author Julianne Stanz covers a number of subjects and all of them wisely. I'm reading the end of the book now, a section about her mother's death, and Irish customs surrounding death, and I'm seeing death through a different lens, a re-assuring lens. At the end of April, my long standing book circle will discuss this book. I'm sure there will be tears and smiles and sharing. Thank you, Julianne, you've enriched my life.

I am on my third time reading this book. The first time I read it so fast that I wanted to read it again. The second time I absorbed more of what the author-Julianne-wrote, and this third time now I am slowly reading, absorbing and savoring her words. Julianne is a personal friend of mine, and this is a book she was MEANT to write. As she has shared so much of her Celtic wisdom with me in life, in this book she shares her personal stories, wisdom, and thin places with all of us. We all have thin places, it can be a place, an event, a joyful occasion, or a sorrowful occasion. Julianne through her book has helped me to look at thin places I didn’t want to look at, to see that there was actually something in my life that was holding me back from allowing God’s full grace to happen, and that there were fears I was afraid to face because I didn’t feel like I was enough. It made me reflect on those things, and face them head on. This book let me see that I AM enough. Who you are is enough. This is a line from the book that resonates with me in so many ways. Julianne allows you to see how you can allow grace into your life. This is a deeply spiritual book full of Julianne’s personality. She lives the spirituality she talks about in her stories and reflections. How blessed we are that she shares them with us.

Some friends of mine went to Iona last summer and some truly felt the trip places. I have been curious so I bought this book. It’s well written and very interesting.

I was familiar with the Celtic tradition of a thin place/space from a witty Irish Benedictine nun who was my mentor on the formation team of my Spiritual Director formation program. It is from her that I also learned of an ‘anam cara’. And I have experienced several thin place moments of feeling the deep loving personal presence of God which left an indescribable memory of joy deep in my heart and soul and body. But I was not familiar with the thin place in connection with thin times - of brokenness, pain, grief, inner work, shadow discovery, change and growth, our soul story! Julianne has given me a broadened understanding of thin spaces and an expanded love of Celtic spirituality. I would so love to go on a pilgrimage to Ireland with her!!

Julianne has given words to the inner deep beauty of love of faith and the presence and encounter of Jesus Christ deep within us! She has validated what I have been experiencing for years now as I have embraced His presence on my walks. This read will bring a new awareness of how close God is to all of us in our lives, if we choose to seek Him with all our heart.My hope is that this book becomes a journey of discovery to the sweet, healing, enduring, beautiful Love that Jesus has for each and every one of us - all so close and within reach if we allow ourselves to "Brave the Thin Places". Julianne has an astonishing wisdom and ability to capture this with words in a very beautiful - intriguing way. Only someone deeply close to Jesus Christ and love of faith could put this to paper as she has. Read this book and you will acquire an exciting new perspective in connecting your faith so very personally with Him!

I had to read this book slowly - a chapter at a time. It takes time to absorb the messages and recognize them in our daily lives. Julianne puts a name and definition to something we have probably all felt in our souls - a thin place. This can be a time, a place, a situation, or even a prayer. It is recognizing the presence of God. This would be a great read for anyone who is searching. Too often we are not opening ourselves up to these opportunities. Yes, she includes traditions/beliefs that may be a bit out of our comfort zone, but she is clear that these were a part of the culture and history in Ireland where she grew up. You are free to accept or reject these traditions. I particularly loved how she wove personal stories into the messages. She is a deeply spiritual person and lives what she preaches. I felt the book helped me to recognize and be open to the thin places I encounter in my own life.