by: Leslie D. Register
In the Middle-God restores my soul. He picks me up and makes me new.
As an advocate for change and wellness, I am well-acquainted with embracing change and willingly navigating through difficult situations in search of healing. My focus is typically on solutions, tools, and steps that have assisted me in transitioning from one phase to another. However, recently I found myself in unfamiliar territory—a season of heartbreak—where my hopes and desires abruptly came crashing down. The narrative I had crafted, and all the daydreams now resemble a fuzzy television screen struggling for a signal.
I recall a similar experience in my early twenties. I had aspired to be a teacher my entire life, passionately engaged in sharing knowledge and helping others. I was committed to fulfilling this ambition by serving as a Sunday school teacher, leading children’s ministry, working as a teaching assistant at my local elementary school, and taking pre-elementary education college classes. However, my aspirations were shattered when my ACT score was insufficient to gain admission to my chosen university. Reading the letter denying my application halted time itself, leaving me feeling hurt, disappointed, inadequate, and hopeless.
What I did not realize then, but understand now, is that such moments place us in a state of liminality—the transitional space between what was and what will be. While I have experienced numerous transitions, some are more profound, involving matters of the heart. The impact of receiving that college rejection letter and the decision placing me in liminal space today differs significantly from changing jobs, becoming a parent, losing my mother to cancer, or recovering from addiction. This moment is spiritual, reshaping my future.
God’s plans are revealed in His time, not ours. Ecclesiastes 3:1, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” We are moved to new beginnings when the timing is right and our hearts are prepared. Sometimes, our hearts must come to a complete stop to be recharged. Like a defibrillator, which clearly states “do not use unless the person has no pulse and is unresponsive,” we must be completely stopped to reset. For me, this is how I perceive liminality, aka in betweenness or as I like to call The Middle. God requires complete surrender to make us willing to trust Him fully, allowing Him to guide us toward a new beginning.
While at times my head and heart are sad, I am grateful to be exactly where my feet are today, in The Middle. When I found myself here in my twenties, God met me and led me out to remarkable work experiences that fulfilled my desire to serve, manage challenges, remain curious, and achieve much more than I would have otherwise missed. What I know above all things is my God who did that then will do it again. He tells me so in Psalms 77, “God parted the waters before, He’ll do it again.”