An Irish immigrant, a storyteller at heart, and a bit of a wanderer, I firmly believe that every place is a thin place – where the veil between heaven and earth is stretched taut, where two worlds meet, where spirit touches matter. A place where the invisible is not necessarily unseen.
I’ve experienced thin places in the hills of Ireland, the mountains of Switzerland, the ruins of Israel, the villages of Madagascar and Malawi, the monasteries and art museums of Italy – as well as the tiny rustic prayer cabin tucked in the woods behind our home. I have also experienced thin places in homeless shelters, prisons, ICU wards, mud hovels, refugee camps, and remote jungle forests so hot that each breath sears your lungs.
Clearly, it has nothing to do with place.
It’s more about recognizing and embracing that a loving God is everywhere in this beautiful but broken world. It’s a matter of seeing, and yes, it’s a mystery.
I am privileged to work with many gifted friends here and in Africa through our non-profit arts and compassion organization, Ancient Path. Some of my greatest fulfillment has come from seeing artists bring beauty to barren places, uncovering the God-given creative potential of the people who live there.
I am also 45 years married to my best friend, a mother to three wonderful grown humans, a friend to an equally wonderful daughter-in-law, Nana to five amazing grandkids, and a dog-mom to two mini-schnauzer pups. I enjoy nature, hanging out with the grands, good books, films, singing, art journaling, and playing Native American flutes.
Thank you for being here. I hope to hear from you!
Patt Cairns Wadenpfuhl
Paper Thin Places 