From Advent Poems to Winter Reflections

In this season of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, Ruth invites listeners to embark on a unique journey during Advent 2025. Departing from traditional liturgical approaches, we will focus on the overlap between the seasons of Advent and winter, inspired by Marilyn McIntyre's book 'Midwinter Light: Meditations for the Long Season.' Ruth will be joined all through Advent by Marilyn McIntyre, herself. Together they will explore themes such as inner reflection, the significance of silence, and the profound connections between spirituality and the physical season of winter. 

This week, Ruth and Marilyn discuss the importance of recognizing and responding to the invitation for inward focus during this time and the subsequent freedom it can bring. We conclude with practical suggestions for embracing the quiet and contemplative aspects of the season and posing the following questions for reflection: How are you perceiving or sensing the invitation inward?  As you sense or perceive that invitation, do you feel yourself resisting, or are you willing? And finally, do you have any sense at all of what you might be invited to freedom from and freedom to?

Marilyn McEntyre is an author of over 20 books, including Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies (2021) and Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict (2020). Her book, What’s in a Phrase? Pausing Where Scripture Gives You Pause won the Christianity Today book award in spirituality. Midwinter Light, reflections on poems for the “long season,” has just been released. A former professor, now writer, writing coach, speaker, and retreat leader, her deepest interests lie in connections between spirituality, language, healing earth, and each other. She teaches regularly for programs at Western Seminary, New College Berkeley, and the Oblate School of Theology.

Mentioned in the Episode:

Music Credit:
Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus from Advent Music in Solitude

Join us for our next Online Oasis—a sacred pause in a busy season. Together we’ll remember Christ’s coming, anticipate his coming again, and open ourselves to the tender ways he is coming to us even now—with light for darkness, peace for turmoil, and hope for despair. Join us this Wednesday, December 3, from 12 to 1pm CST for this Online Oasis, MakingRoom for Advent. The cost is flexible, as it is our hope that everyone who wishes to participate will be able to do so. Register today!

We’re starting a Substack! This will be “a new home for reflection, conversation, and connection with our transforming community.” Our new Substack is called “On the Journey with the Transforming Center,” and it will include thoughtful reflections from Ruth Haley Barton and the Transforming Center team, as well as alumni and friends of the Transforming Center, occasional special video teachings and guided practices, and space to interact with our content and respond with how God is working in your life through the posts. This will also be the new home of all of our podcast patron content! There will be free and paid tiers. We’d love for you to join us over on Substack. (Existing patrons, check Patreon for a special link to provide you with a discounted rate!)

Support the podcast! This season patrons will receive spiritual practices tethered to the lectionary readings to accompany them through Advent. Become a paid member of Substack today to receive these practices and so much more!

The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders.  Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self! Learn more and apply HERE.

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