Living in the Liminal

A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble

Jun 03, 2025

“Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has closed in on them.’” — Exodus 14:3 (NRSV)

brown rocks and green trees — Photo by Brandon Hoogenboom on Unsplash

There is a strange courage required of those who live in liminal times.

It’s the courage to stay awake while the old systems unravel—the ones that told us who mattered, what counted, what success looked like, and who was worthy of care. These systems once offered a kind of false comfort, even as they quietly excluded, extracted, and exploited. Now they are collapsing under the weight of their own unsustainability. Still, many of us cling to them—not out of belief, but out of fear.

We know the story is ending, but we haven’t yet learned how to speak the language of what comes next.

This is where we live now—between what was and what is not yet. It’s disorienting. It’s tender. But it is not empty. This liminal space, painful as it may be, is also fertile ground for transformation.

The mystics tell us that this in-between is sacred.

John O’Donohue called it “a place of invitation,” where the soul is beckoned beyond what is known and into deeper belonging. Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön speaks of it as the very heart of the spiritual path—where groundlessness becomes the teacher. In Judeo-Christian tradition, the Exodus was not just a journey out of Egypt but a wandering in the wilderness long enough for a new identity to be formed.

In this season, our calling is not to rush through the wilderness or deny our disorientation. It is to become people of the threshold—those who can grieve with honesty, imagine with courage, and stay grounded in practices that nourish hope without illusion.

You don’t have to have it all figured out.

But you do have to keep listening—to the earth, to your neighbor, to your own inner knowing. It is from this liminal space that the next story will be written. We need people brave enough to hold the pen.

We are in this together,

Cameron

Reflection Questions

When have you experienced a threshold moment in your own life? What did it teach you?
What old beliefs or assumptions might you need to release in order to make space for something more whole?
What does it mean for you to become a person who can hold uncertainty without rushing to resolve it?

A Prayer for the Day

A Prayer for the Threshold

O Holy Presence,
You who wait with us in the shadowed in-between,
teach us to stay awake in this hour of uncertainty.
Not with panic, but with prayer.
Not with frenzy, but with faith.

Give us courage to stand where the world is unraveling,
to hold space where clarity has not yet come,
and to listen for the whispers of a deeper wisdom
still being born in the dark.

May we be people of the threshold—
softened, faithful, unhurried—
who do not turn away from the ache of transformation
but choose to meet it with open hands.

Amen.

Spiritual Practice

Anchoring in the Liminal

This week, try a practice of gentle anchoring. Set aside ten minutes each day—just ten—to sit in silence, not to fix, not to plan, not to produce. Simply to be.

As you sit, notice what rises. Is it discomfort? An impulse to check your phone? A sudden urgency to solve a problem? Gently set it aside. Breathe. Return.

Let this space be a threshold:
A pause between reaction and response.
A quiet between grief and hope.
A meeting place between your small self and your deep soul.

If it helps, light a candle each time you sit—a visible reminder that even a small light can guide us when the path is not yet clear. You don’t need answers. You only need presence. You are practicing the posture of those who midwife new worlds: attentive, grounded, available.

You are not wasting time. You are waiting faithfully.

Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…

TOMORROW!!! On June 4, 2025, from 7-8pm ET, join Brian McLaren, Matthew Fox, and me for an exploration of “In the Midst of Doom: Facing Our Moment and Finding Our Way” inspired by Brian’s latest book. In an age of climate crisis, political unraveling, and societal collapse, many are asking: What now? What’s worth doing when the systems around us are failing? How do we find meaning beyond hope as we’ve known it? Join us and we will explore together. Register here.

June 4, 2025, 12pm ET - Jeff Chu has written a new book on a topic close to my heart: Soil! The title is “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand.” I am so pleased to be interviewing him. Together, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate “good soil” in our lives, our communities, and our spiritual practices. I hope you will register. Your registration includes a copy of his new book.

July 14, 2025 - On June 14—Flag Day—No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like. Find a protest in your city HERE. I will be out there with you!

July 20-25, 2025 - The Art of Wilding: A 5-Day Expedition in Wyoming for Women Leaders. Click here to learn more.

August 11, 2025, 2pm ET - Dr. Andrew Root and I will be hosting a 6 part series on Spirituality in the Secular Age based on his research. The dates are August 11, 18, September 8, 15, and October 6, 13. Mark your calendars! More on this soon.

September 4, 4:30pm ET - I will be collaborating with the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology to host a conversation with Thomas Jay Oord on Open and Relational theology. It’s a FREE event. Register here.

October 15-18, 2025 - Converging 2025: Sing Truth Conference (all musicians invited!) at Northwest Christian Church in Columbus, OH. Register here!

I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.

If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.