During a rumschpringe visit to Niagara Falls, Phoebe Miller meets Eli Riehl, a young man who charms her—and everyone else—with his exceptional storytelling ability. When Phoebe sketches scenes to illustrate one of his tales, Eli encourages her incredible talent, and together they embark on a lofty and unlikely business venture for two young Amish people—writing and illustrating a children's book. Eli's kindness and appeal extend beyond his knack for words to reach inside Phoebe's heart. But he is an only son with five sisters, and when his father suffers a heart attack, Eli gives up his writing to assume responsibility on the farm. Though willing to abandon his dream of becoming an author, he won't give up his beloved Phoebe. Can their love for a good story develop into something that lasts forever, or will Phoebe's deep-seated fear of desertion stand in their way?
From the home of bestselling author Jerry Eicher (more than 350,000 books sold) and his wife, Tina, comes this warm and inviting peek into an Amish kitchen, complete with.... Amish recipes: Hannah Byler’s Pecan Pie Beat on low speed slightly or with hand beater: 3 eggs 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 cup light corn syrup 1⁄2 t. salt 2/3 cup sugar Stir in: 1 cup pecan halves. Pour into: 1 pie crust Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes. Amish proverbs: It takes seven to cook for to make a really happy wife. and Amish humor: The Englisha visitor suffered through a three-hour Amish wedding service, sitting on the hard backless church bench. “Why does it take so long to tie the knot?” he asked afterward. “Well,” the bishop said, stroking his long white beard. “So that it takes ‘em a lifetime to untie it.” Readers will laugh, pray, and eat robustly with The Amish Family Cookbook at their side.
In the picturesque Amish community of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, life’s detours may prove the path to true happiness . . . After a buggy accident when she was a teenager, Anna Flaud was told she would never walk again. Unwilling to be an object of pity, she put aside her dreams of marriage and found purpose as an assistant at a Community Care Center. Now she has a chance to fulfill her dearest wish—motherhood—and adopt three siblings with special needs. Yet the opportunity comes with a condition Anna isn’t sure she can meet: finding a husband. Levi King began working at the center as penance after a careless mistake led to tragedy. Though he’s dealing with his own heartbreak, he’s drawn to Anna, cheering her on as she strives to regain her mobility. Her quiet determination, her generous heart—these are qualities to cherish in a wife. Still, Anna’s plans give him pause. Given his past, Levi hardly trusts himself to care for one child, let alone three. Yet together, perhaps they could forge a family made sturdier by all they’ve overcome . . .
The Amish Nanny As temporary guardian of two sets of young and energetic twins, widowed minister Isaiah Stoltzfus needs a nanny immediately. Keeping the kids happy and safe while also trying to run his blacksmith shop is becoming impossible. So when Clara Ebersol arrives to help, Isaiah is relieved. Able to soothe, teach and delight the children, Clara feels like family. Love-shy Isaiah knows that recently jilted Clara isn’t looking for marriage, either. But with matchmakers—including four young kinder—on the job, Isaiah and Clara may soon find their hands clasped in matrimony.
In Shelley Shepard Gray’s fourth book in her Charmed Amish Life series, an unlikely Amish romance reveals that Christmas is a time for family, miracles—and love. Ever since his father died in a tragic fire, Levi Kinsinger has felt adrift. Newly returned to Charm, Ohio, Levi is trying to fit into his old life, only to discover he seems to have outgrown it. But when Julia, his young widowed neighbor, asks for his help with a Christmas project, Levi finds a sense of purpose for the first time in months. She and her daughter are new to Charm and could use a friend, a job Levi takes personally. Soon enough, friendship grows into attraction, but Levi can’t help having doubts. There’s something about Julia that doesn’t ring quite true… Like Levi, Julia Kemps has survived her fair share of hardships—but only by hiding the truth of her past. Being an unmarried mother in an Amish community was unthinkable. Feeling hopeless, Julia did the only thing she could do: she moved to a new town and pretended to be a widow. But meeting Levi, she’s hopeful for the first time. Little by little, she begins to imagine telling him her darkest secret, and eventually…perhaps even sharing her life with him. Christmas is a time for family, and as the holiday draws closer, Julia and Levi will have to face their pasts together…in order to find the healing, support and love they so desperately desire.
Drawing on more than twenty years of fieldwork and collaborative research, The Amish: A Concise Introduction is a compact but richly detailed portrait of Amish life. In fewer than 150 pages, readers will come away with a clear understanding of the complexities of these simple people.
This encyclopedia for Amish genealogists is certainly the most definitive, comprehensive, and scholarly work on Amish genealogy that has ever been attempted. It is easy to understand why it required years of meticulous record-keeping to cover so many families (144 different surnames up to 1850). Covers all known Amish in the first settlements in America and shows their lineage for several generations. (955pp. index. hardcover. Pequea Bruderschaft Library, revised edition 2007.)
Four sweet stories about reuniting with the ones you love. Their True Home by Amy Clipston When Marlene Bawell moved from Bird-in-Hand ten years ago, she was in the deepest of mourning for her mother. Now her family has moved back so her father can seek employment after being laid off. To help save money, Marlene works at the hardware store owned by Rudy Swarey’s father. She knew Rudy growing up and had a secret crush on him, though he never seemed to notice her. But just as a friendship between them begins to blossom, her life is once again turned upside down. Will Marlene ever have a chance to find her own true home? A Reunion of Hearts by Beth Wiseman Ruth and Gideon Beiler experienced one of life’s most tragic events. Unable to get past their grief, the couple abandoned their Amish faith and went in different directions, though neither could bear to formally dissolve the marriage. When their loved ones reach out to them to come home for a family reunion, Ruth has reason to believe that Gideon won’t be there. Gideon also thinks that Ruth has declined the invitation. Family and friends are rooting for them to reunite, but will it all be enough for Ruth and Gideon to get past their grief and recapture a time when they were in love and had a bright future ahead of them? A Chance to Remember by Kathleen Fuller Cevilla Schlabach, Birch Creek’s resident octogenarian matchmaker, is surprised when Richard, a man from her Englisch past, arrives in Birch Creek for a visit. While he and Cevilla take several walks down memory lane, they wonder what the future holds for them at this stage of life—friendship, or the possibility of something else? Mended Hearts by Kelly Irvin At eighteen Hannah Kauffman made a terrible mistake. Her parents and members of her Jamesport Amish community say they’ve forgiven her. But she feels their eyes following her everywhere she goes with eighteen-month-old Evie. Thaddeus, Evie’s father, escaped this fate by running away from Jamesport. Now that Thaddeus is gone, Hannah’s old friend Phillip is stepping up to be by her side. He has waited patiently for Hannah to realize just how much he cares for her. But when Thaddeus returns after two years, Hannah can’t deny the love she feels for him. Does the fact that Phillip has waited patiently for her all this time mean that she owes him something? Can she trust either one of them? Can she trust herself? She has repented and been forgiven by the One who is most important—her heavenly Father. But is she willing to risk making more mistakes by opening herself up to love? Each story in this sweet, contemporary collection can be read as a standalone, but the stories are best enjoyed together. Book length: approximately 100,000 words. Includes discussion questions for book clubs
For readers who long for strong families that know how to truly enjoy life together, there is much to learn from the Amish. Values like community, forgiveness, simple living, obedience, and more can be your family legacy--without selling your car, changing your wardrobe, or moving out to farm country. In Amish Values for Your Family, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shows how you can adopt the wisdom of the Amish when it comes to family matters. In this inspiring and practical book readers will find charming true stories interlaced with solid, biblical advice about parenting, marriage, and all aspects of family life. As readers get an intimate glimpse into the everyday lives of real Amish families, they will learn to prioritize what's truly important, simplify decision-making, slow down as a family, safeguard time together, and let go when the time comes.
