While Bethlehem Sleeps

by Penny J. Johnson

The collection of poetry, While Bethlehem Sleeps, awakens readers to reflect on the Christmas story through character sketches, Advent themes, and seasonal musings.

64 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2012

About the author

Penny J. Johnson is a writer and an editor. Her poetry works include The Last Time We Were Children and While Bethlehem Sleeps. Penny lives in Minnesota with her husband, their three sons, and their two Labrador Retrievers.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

While Bethlehem Sleeps by Penny Johnson is a book of deftly interwoven poems that
that take the reader into the world of Christ's birth. She compassionately shares insight into the hearts of those who were blind to Christ's birth and those who waited anxiously for the fulfillment of prophecy. She presents the reader with a variety of vignettes that reveal the many facets of the wonder that Christ's birth prompts. However, Penny's book is not just about looking back to the incarnation. It is also a gentle reminder to examine our present; Penny prompts the reader to renew their own anxious waiting and helps them recognize their own blindness and apathy.

I've read While Bethlehem Sleeps multiple times and continue to find more to savor. Take time, absorb these poems, and be rewarded.