Valley of My Heart

Title: Valley of My Heart
Author: Judy Yoder
Major Themes: Mennonites, Virginia, US Civil War
Synopsis: As they experience the horrors of the US Civil War, David and Ellen begin searching for God’s truth—but what should they do when they believe they have found His will for them?

When Valley of My Heart was first published, some 20 or 25 years ago, I operated a small bookstore. I remember someone who was advertising this book at a convention, at which I was a vendor, who was talking about the new books available that year, saying, “Do not start reading this book at bedtime, because you won’t go to bed!” The book is so long, you might find yourself reading it all night to find out what happens!

When the American Civil War broke out, David and Ellen were living in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Soon, David went off to war, leaving Ellen and her four young sons to care for the farm by themselves. Though neither of them liked the idea of him leaving them, and all of them feared what could happen to him, they believed he was doing what he needed to do. As tensions mounted, however, Ellen found herself reading her Bible more and more and seeing Jesus’ way of love. Life became harder and harder as armies moved back and forth through the Shenandoah Valley and they experienced the full horrors of a war that divided the nation and families, pitting men against their brothers. 

When David and Ellen decided to follow God’s way of peace, and they found themselves without a home as a result, and still divided from each other, life became even harder than it had been before. Could the peace which God gave Ellen assist her through these trials, when she wondered if her family could even survive?

Valley of My Heart may be a very long book (over 500 pages), but it is a relatively quick read—although it would be good to slow down and ponder some of the truths discussed in these pages. The story itself is exciting and makes you want to race through to find out whether the family survived the war intact, but the truths David and Ellen discovered and discussed are well worth slowing down for. This book is out of print, but if you can find a copy, it is well worth reading.

WARNING: A couple of battles are described, with a few of the horrors that went along with Civil War battles. Not too graphic, but definitely not for children.

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