Thin Places: When Heaven Feels Close

“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” — Genesis 28:16 (NIV)

A Thin Place

Some places carry something.

You cannot always explain it, but you can feel it the moment you arrive.

Our adventure park is one of those places.

Time and time again, people — saved and unsaved alike — have said the same thing. They walk onto the land and suddenly pause. Something shifts. Some begin quietly weeping. Others describe a weight, a stillness, a presence they cannot quite put words to. We have heard it so often now that it almost feels normal:

“The Holy Spirit is here.”

It is what some would call a thin place — a place where the distance between heaven and earth somehow feels thinner.

And when you begin tracing the history, it starts to make sense.

Years ago, the land was owned by Christians — altar builders. Men and women who prayed, worshipped and gave themselves to God on this very ground. Go back even further and, only a couple of miles away, the monks of Meaux Abbey devoted themselves to lives of prayer, worship and daily surrender. From that spiritual heartland, the region itself was transformed — swamps drained, land reclaimed and foundations laid for what would eventually become Kingston upon Hull.

Altars had been built here for generations.

And now, something seems to be stirring again.

Where His Presence Flows

I think of one friend who came to a conference we were hosting on the park. He had once been incredibly fit — a marathon runner and scuba diver — but illness had reduced him to exhaustion. He struggled to stay awake during the day and could barely walk without fatigue.

During a simple moment of ministry, people gathered quietly around him. Hands rested gently on shoulders. Soft prayers were whispered. There was no hype, no striving — just worshippers standing together around an altar.

And something shifted.

That very week, he was running again.

Soon afterwards, he returned to scuba diving.

Because when a place has been marked by generations of worship, and a people once again choose to build an altar — however simple — the presence of God flows.

And where His presence flows…

Healing often follows.

Building Altars That Welcome Heaven

Throughout Scripture, certain places became marked by encounter. Bethel. Carmel. The upper room. Places where people repeatedly met with God until the atmosphere itself seemed saturated with remembrance, surrender and glory.

Not because the ground itself was magical, but because people continually welcomed heaven there.

Jacob awoke from his encounter declaring:

“Surely the Lord is in this place…” — Genesis 28:16 (NIV)

Perhaps the greatest miracle of all is that under the New Covenant, God no longer merely visits buildings or mountains.

He dwells within people.

And yet even now, when surrendered people gather around the altar in worship, prayer and hunger, atmospheres still change. Hearts still soften. Healing still flows. Heaven still touches earth.

Because God still loves to inhabit places where He is welcomed.

A extract from The ALTAR by Jarrod Cooper. Order Your Copy Below 👇

Believe & Confess Meditation & Declaration

The presence of God will fill my life, my home and every place where I build an altar of worship and prayer (Genesis 28:16). I will become increasingly aware of the nearness, peace and glory of God in my daily life (Psalm 16:11). As I welcome the Holy Spirit through worship and surrender, atmospheres around me will begin to change (Psalm 22:3). God will use ordinary places and ordinary people as meeting places between heaven and earth (Acts 2:1-4). Healing, restoration and fresh life will flow wherever His presence is honoured and welcomed (Jeremiah 30:17). I will help build environments marked by prayer, peace, worship and the manifest presence of God (Isaiah 56:7). The altar of my heart will remain open, surrendered and expectant for fresh encounters with the living God (Romans 12:1).

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THE ALTAR

Creating lives & cultures ready to host the glory of God.

Something is stirring.

Across the world, hunger for God’s presence is rising—and many are asking: how do we truly host His glory?

In The Altar, Jarrod Cooper calls us back to the place where heaven meets earth—the altar. A place of encounter, devotion, and transformation.

This book will help you:
• Deepen your personal encounter with God
• Build a lifestyle of worship
• Hear His voice clearly
• Create cultures that carry His presence

This isn’t just a book—it’s a call.
When the altar is restored, the fire falls again.

 Order Your Copy Here