Rediscover the Wonder of Christ's Birth with 42 Days of Reflection

Prepare your heart and spirit for the Advent season with A Radiant Birth, an inspiring anthology written by the members of the Chrysostom Society. This collection offers six weeks of deeply reflective readings, guiding you through the seasons from the first Sunday of Advent through the twelfth day of Christmas.

Readings in this volume include:



- Star by Eugene Peterson

- Into the Darkest Hour by Madeleine L'Engle

- Sermon on the Nativity by St. John Chrysostom

- A Blessing for the New Baby by Luci Shaw

- A Welcome-Unwelcome Traveler in Narnia by Matthew Dickerson, and many more

This volume draws its heart from the words of St. John Chrysostom, who preached the earliest preserved Christmas sermon, "Behold a new and wonderful mystery!" Through these pages, the Christian literary voices of the Chrysostom Society prepare readers in Advent and Christmastide as seasons radiant with anticipation and divine glory.

In A Radiant Birth, you'll find



- Forty-Two Days of Readings – Immerse yourself in forty-two moving reflections, thoughtfully curated to guide you daily from Advent to Epiphany.

- Deeply Rooted Inspiration – Journey through history as contributors both ancient and modern explore the timeless essence of Christ's birth.

- A Call to Renewed Wonder – Enter this sacred season slowly and deliberately, allowing familiar stories to astonish you and become wondrous once again.

- Transformative Purpose – Discover how Christ's birth in Bethlehem mirrors his birth within us, empowering Christians to bear his presence into the world.

A Radiant Birth is beautifully crafted for Christians seeking to deepen their spiritual lives during Advent and Christmas. It is particularly meaningful for those wishing to connect with the rhythm of the church calendar, center their hearts on Christ, and reflect on the profound mystery of his incarnation.

Jesus is born in Bethlehem, but he is also born in us, that ⁠we might bear his presence and impart his goodness to the world. Through A Radiant Birth, experience Advent as a time of joy, waiting, and wonder, as you are drawn once more into the story of his light entering into your life and into the world.



Paul J. Willis is emeritus professor of English at Westmont College and a former poet laureate of Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of collections of poetry and essays, including Losing Streak and To Build a Trail. He is the coeditor of the Chrysostom Society's Advent anthology, A Radiant Birth.







Richard J. Foster is the founder of Renovaré. He is the author of several books, including Streams of Living Water, Prayer, Freedom of Simplicity, Sanctuary of the Soul, and Celebration of Discipline, which has sold over two million copies worldwide; he is coauthor (with Gayle Beebe) of Longing for God. He and his wife, Carolynn, make their home near Denver, Colorado.







Luci Shaw (1928-2025) was a poet, an editor, a retreat leader, a lecturer, and the author of forty books, including Thumbprint in the Clay, The Adventure of Ascent, and The Genesis of It All. Luci and her husband lived in Bellingham, Washington, where she enjoyed sailing, tent camping, knitting, gardening, and wilderness photography.







Taylor, Ph.D., is a professor of English at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has written several books.







Leslie Leyland Fields is the award-winning author of fourteen books, including Nearing a Far God and Your Story Matters. She is the coeditor of the Chrysostom Society's Advent anthology, A Radiant Birth, and teaches writing workshops around the world and online in her Memoir Masterclass.



Foreword by Richard Foster

Introduction by Leslie Leyland Fields



Part One: Jesus, Born in Bethlehem

First Week of Advent

Second Week of Advent



Part Two: Jesus, Born in Us

Third Week of Advent

Fourth Week of Advent



Part Three: Jesus in Us for the World

First Week of Christmas

Second Week of Christmas



Acknowledgments

Contributors

Permissions