In the spirit of this Christmas season, we’re so excited to share a beautiful reflection with you, written and read by Lori Forsyth, Managing Editor of the Faith Matters magazine, Wayfare. This piece is part of Wayfare’s Advent series. If you’ve missed any parts of this series, you can still find them at  wayfaremagazine.org. You can also subscribe to the digital or print versions of Wayfare for access to the incredible essays, interviews, poetry, art and more.

Advent is a time of reflection and anticipation, and Lori’s words offer a powerful reminder that joy isn’t about avoiding the hard things—it’s about embracing the light that shines through them.

We hope this brings you a moment of peace and stillness during this busy season, and we’d love to invite you back here on Christmas Eve for the culmination of the Advent series—a short and powerful meditation with music to close this sacred time.

And now, here’s Lori Forsyth reading Shining in Darkness.