Bistro in the Threshold

lim·i·nal from the Latin word līmen, meaning “a threshold”

Liminal space… is when you have left the tried and true, but have not yet been able to replace it with anything else. It is when you are finally out of the way. It is when you are between your old comfort zone and any possible new answer. If you are not trained in how to hold anxiety, how to live with ambiguity, how to entrust and wait, you will run… anything to flee this terrible cloud of unknowing – Fr Richard Rohr

Stepping into a liminal space, that threshold of today that stands in the gap between yesterday and tomorrow, is a fearful space; it is not for the faint of heart. In fact, that threshold of today is so fearful that most of us live either enslaved to what once was or constantly chasing after what could be. Liminal spaces expose our own limitations and reveal just how dependent we are on God and one another. This can either result in growth in humility and the grace we are willing to extend to others. Or it can cause us to run.

It sometimes feels like the Bistro is in a perpetual liminal space. Whether collectively or individually, it seems that we are always in transition, always on the move. On this road we are constantly confronted with our limitations and inadequacies. Sometimes this leads to growth and breakthrough. Other times it causes great frustration, anger, and discord. As you might guess, this is exhausting. But it is exhausting because we fight it. We struggle to embrace our limits and simply receive the gift of today. We refuse to admit that we are all inadequate and that we have a great need for God and one another.

So as we continue to stand in the threshold, our desire is that we would be trained in how to hold anxiety, how to live with ambiguity, how to trust and wait. We desire that our family would grow in our capacity to recognize and embrace our limits. Rather than flee, we desire that all of us would be humbled under this cloud of unknowing and realize that we can only survive these liminal spaces with the help of God and one another.

If you have any questions or comments about our blog please contact Nate at nate@bistro-togo.com