What I love most about any of Max Lucado's books, is that they follow you wherever you go. The message you are bound to find will undoubtedly find its way into your heart and soul. What I have discovered is the perfect gift for those that love a great book just in time for Christmas. One that you can incorporate into your family devotions as well as a late night reading for your family next to a warm fire on a snowy night. The best part is that this is finding its way into being made into a movie so that it can enjoyed in a multitude of ways for Christmas. In The Christmas Candle set in the late 1600's in Cotswald, England, we meet when the story originated with a candle maker and his wife. They are awakened in the middle of the night by a heavenly angel that appears and touches just one candle before disappearing, ensuring that the candle maker knows just which one was touched. The candle is then given to a woman who is desperate for food. She has no means to find money to help her children out and the candle maker instructs her to light the candle and pray to God for help. The next day at church service in St. Mark's the widow informs the church of the Christmas miracle that happened when she did just what the candle maker told her to do. She was given a farm by a wealthy uncle she didn't know so she can live in it and provide for her children without payment. Now the legend continues in the small town that whenever the church service begins each 25 years, a Christmas miracle occurs by whomever the candle is given by the candle maker's family. This year however much has changed. Will the miracle of the Christmas candle still work in the hearts of the people living in the town of Gladstone? You'll have to pick this one up and find out. I received The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This is such a wonderful and heartwarming story that I can see it becoming a Christmas tradition much like the reading of The Christmas Story or the Night Before Christmas. It definitely opens up the conversation around what happens in the book and compels us to look deep inside our hearts to see how wonderful the birth of Jesus Christ was so many years ago and how even today, that miracle still works the lives and hearts of those that believe in Him. Hands down a perfect 5 out of 5 stars! What a life-changing book this would make as a gift for someone this Christmas!
About the Book: Journey back to a simpler time, to a small English village where nothing out of the ordinary ever happens. Except at Christmastime.When a mysterious angel suddenly appears in a lowly candlemaker's shop, the holy and the human collide in a way that only God could imagine.Glowing bright with a timeless message, "The Christmas Candle" will warm your heart with a surprising reminder of God's bountiful love.My Review: With Christmas in the far off distance, its nice to settle down with a nice, big mug of hot chocolate by a roaring fire with a book full of inspiration that just gives you a good feeling all over. It makes you just wish it was Christmas was here already. The Christmas Candle does just that. It is a heart warming story of a multi-generational family chosen to good to their neighbors through a visit by an angel that touched a candle that when given away preformed miracles in the lives of the towns people. Edward Haddington owns the towns local candle shop and he always makes the Christmas candles for the church. One night after a late night of working he is visited by a angel that has a light so bright that it illuminates the room. He watches dumbfounded and amazed as this angel touches one of the candles he has made. When he gives that particular candle to someone at his church, he as well as the entire town is captivated by the life that was transformed as a result of this gift.**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Booksneeze.
The story begins in 1664, with a candle maker and his wife. An angel comes and blesses a candle made by the chandler of Gladstone, one every twenty-five years. Light the candle and pray, then miracles happen. Enter a reverend who doesn't believe in miracles, a family grown old with no heirs, and a town full of people in need of God's grace. First, I love Max Lucado and his books. I also love Christmas stories with a message of hope, faith, miracles, and God’s power to help us when we call on Him. The Christmas Candle does not disappoint. The Christmas Candle is an enjoyable tale of an angel visitation in a small town. This was an excellent book to get you in the spirit of Christmas. This has a great story about faith, hope, and love. I would recommend it to anyone and look forward to pulling it out every holiday season. A quick, inspirational read. Grab several copies as you will want to give as gifts anytime of the year. Max Lucado is a great writer and gives us a beautiful story. Be sure to see the movie coming out November 22, 2013 with a special cameo of Max and Denalyn Lucado. I received copy of the Book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in their Booksneeze Blogger program for my review.Like, Comment, Share
—Sylvia
Set in the 1800's in England, a candle maker and his wife carry on the centuries old tradition of the Christmas Candle. Supposedly every 25 years an angel comes and touches one of the Haddington family candles and when someone prays over it they get a Christmas miracle.When a new pastor comes to the small village he runs headlong into some members of his parish when he insists God does not really do miracles anymore and that the Christmas Candle is a mere superstition. When the Christmas Candle get mixed up with about 30 other candles the Haddingtons don't know what to do. With so many people needing miracles this year they have a hard choice to make.I really enjoyed this little Christmas story. It was a short story more than a book really at only 190 pages but I rather enjoy a short, heartwarming Christmas story.So turn on your Christmas CD, heat some hot cider and curl up by the fire with The Christmas Candle.I received this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
—Bethany
Age Appropriate For: All AgesBest for Ages: All AgesI have been hearing and seeing a lot about the movie that just came out based off this book. I am very eager to see it and reading this little story made me want to see it even more.Max Lucado has been one of my favorite authors for a long time. I have read a lot of his non-fiction and a couple of his books for children. This was the first Christmas story by him that I have read.This story was short and sweet. I know there are a lot of people that hate short books but I am not one of them. I often need a break from the books that are 500+ pages. This was perfect. There was plenty of time to tell the story, without getting bogged down. Yes, there wasn’t enough time to go super deep into characters but it didn’t matter. This story wasn’t about amazing people, it was about the message of an amazing God.There wasn’t really any romance in the story, unless you count the time when one of the ladies of the town tries to push her daughter on the preacher. Romance isn’t a factor in the book which was a nice change.Some may find the supernatural visit form an angel who touches a candle farfetched and irritating but I do not. I loved this story and highly recommend this book to anyone who likes sweet Christmas stories, books you can read in a couple of hours, and those who are not afraid to believe I received this book from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
—Sarah
