BOOK REVIEW: The Christmas Singing

The Christmas Singing

By: Cindy Woodsmall

Published by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group 

Copyright 2011

What would you say if the one you loved, the one you intended to marry, suddenly became distant, cold and broke off the relationship with you?  Hurt, betrayed, angry even?  That's what happened to Mattie in the new book called The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall.  When Mattie learns from Gideon that he no longer loves her, and in fact has betrayed her with other women, her life is shattered and she moves as far away from her Amish community as she can.  She builds a new life for herself in the same town as her brother and his family, setting up a prosperous bakery where her creativity is appreciated and earns a good living.  She even develops a new relationship with Sol, an Amish man who loves to hunt.  Mattie and Sol have the kind of relationship where they do not get into each others' business.  It's a comfortable relationship, a relationship where boundaries and distance is understood, but no deep, passionate love is found.  However, that's exactly the way Mattie wants the relationship to be.  It is understood that she and Sol will one day marry, but neither is in any hurry.

Through an accident possibly brought about by Mattie's absentmindedness, Mattie returns home to live with  her family for a few months.  There she cannot help but run into Gideon, to whom she gives a cold shoulder and does her best to ignore.  Mattie has to learn to let go of hurt and to truly forgive.  And what happens when she does, and when she learns the truth about what happened between herself and Gideon, changes her life forever.

This is a story of forgiveness; of learning to look beyond our own personal ideas and understanding the hearts of others.  Once we look beyond ourselves we often see things much differently, and in the truest light.  By the end of The Christmas Singing my tears were flowing so freely I could hardly read!  I will definitely encourage anyone to read this book and take to heart the lessons taught by Cindy Woodsmall.

In order to comply with new Federal Trade Commission regulations, please note that this book was provided compliments of  WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Company.