Amish Religion

Best-selling novelist Cindy Woodsmall might seem to have little in common with Miriam Flaud, a woman immersed in the culture of Old Order Amish. But with nine children and almost 60 years of marriage between them, Cindy and Miriam both have found the secrets to facing life with strength and grace. Whether enduring financial setbacks, celebrating new babies and times of prosperity, grieving the crushing losses in the deaths of family and friends, or facing disappointments with their respective communities—through it all they find guidance for each day by looking to God.

Widowed and pregnant Amish woman, Sarah Kurtz, is in dire financial circumstances. Relief comes unexpectedly when her late uncle leaves her his income-producing farm in Sugarcreek. After Sarah's baby is born, she leaves Lancaster County and moves to her new home, unaware there is a long-term tenant living in the adjoining grossdaddi haus. When she meets her disagreeable neighbor, Joshua Byler, her irritation with him is softened by his two children.

My Amish Story is the story of the last few years of Amish life for the Graber family in the 1990s. It’s about the hurdles of breaking the barriers of centuries, of family circles being broken with no good-byes, of heartbreak and estrangement, and of the transitions and adjustments to a new way of living.

Four sweet and funny Amish love stories, spanning four different generations. Love comes at all times and for all ages.

When Abigail's family fall on hard times and is set to lose their farm, her family makes a heart-wrenching decision which turns Abigail's world upside down. Her heart once belonged to Caleb, but when he left their community without saying good-bye, she vowed to forget him. But Caleb is back, now a cold-hearted man with a deep and painful secret. When an arrangement is made between Abigail and Caleb, she is secretly thrilled, as her heart still yearns for him. But when she confesses to Caleb that she knows his secret, a shocked Caleb pushes her away.

Annie Fisher has a curious and restless spirit and longs to experience life outside of her Amish community. When a handsome Englischer, Jake, comes into the candle shop Annie works at, her heart stills. She dreams of rumspringa in New York City with Jake and longs to make her dreams a reality, even if it means alienating her family. Daniel, the Amish boy that Annie likes, tries hard to persuade her to stay in Lancaster - until he sees her with Jake one day. As Annie begs him not to tell her parents, her heart tears in two.

Romance is in the air, old-fashioned courtship is alive and well, and love is an eternal promise in these three novellas from Beth Wiseman, Kelly Long, and Kathleen Fuller.

Dorothy Hartzler, a restless young Amish woman, dreams of something more than the traditional Amish life. With her mother ill and her fear of being alone increasing, Dorothy is forced to make decisions. When she is thrown into Saul Beachey’s company, she questions her reluctance to open her heart.

The apple harvest is drawing to a close as the Bruner/Baker family get ready for more babies to arrive. But they’re not too busy to work on the quilt for Hope’s wedding. As usual, nothing goes to plan. The chaos steps up when Levi reluctantly agrees to taking on yet another houseguest. Meanwhile, Ada’s nephew is trying to help out, but is he doing more harm than good?

Bridget is devastated when her boyfriend, Amos, breaks up with her, realizing that he had lied to her throughout their relationship. As her despair deepens, her worried parents arrange for her to spend time with her aunt in Ohio, hoping a change of scenery will lessen her heartbreak. As Bridget prays her heart will mend, she meets Isaac and feels her sadness melting away. As feelings grow, an unwanted visitor from her past reappears, begging forgiveness. As old feelings resurface for Bridget, she has a choice to make - go back to a life of lies or stay with a man who mended her heart.

In Fooling with the Amish, Dirk Eitzen examines the fakery in Amish Mafia and how actual viewers of the show responded to it to discover answers to two questions that have long puzzled media scholars: What is it about the so-called reality of reality shows that appeals to and gratifies viewers? How and why are people taken in by falsehoods in the media? Eitzen's ultimate answer to these questions is that, in taking liberties with facts, Amish Mafia works very much like gossip.

Joshua Bowman is ready to go home. After spending time in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, he’s putting everything behind him and reconciling with his fractured family. When a devastating tornado throws him unexpectedly into the path of Mary Kaufman and her daughter, Hannah, he feels the first spark of life after months. But Mary’s adoptive dad is the Englisch sheriff—and he’d never trust her care to a man with Joshua’s past. Plus the lovely single mom has a secret of her own, one that she’s spent years running from.

When Ashley Emma was a small child, she knew she wanted to become an author. When she was 20, she decided to stay with Amish families to do research for her writing. This journal captures her unique experience and the friendships she made with the Amish in Unity, Maine, who opened their homes and their hearts to this curious, young author. (PLEASE NOTE: The writing style of this research project will reflect the age of the author at that time and is very different from her USA Today Bestselling Amish novels.) Ever wondered what it would be like to stay inside an Amish home, make Amish ...

This is the true story of Ora-Jay and Irene Eash, Amish farmers from northwest Montana whose lives changed in an instant when a semi-truck struck the family buggy, killing their two young daughters. After the accident, the couple turned to their Amish community for comfort, but they remained haunted by the thought that they might not see their girls again in heaven. Would their deeds be good enough?

Like most Amish children, Eirene had a carefree childhood in a tight-knit family life in the Old Order Amish community where she grew up Indiana. Though she had no indoor plumbing, no electricity, and no modern conveniences, her young life was full of joy. When Eirene becomes pregnant and marries at the tender age of 17, the harsh reality of her new life sets in. Though she loves being a mother, and she loves her family, Eirene knows there has to be more to life than being a housewife confined to her home. Doesn’t God have a bigger purpose for her? Wasn’t she meant for more?

Hannah Bieler's wedding is more than just cause for celebration. It gets her sisters wondering when they will get married, who they'll fall in love with, or whether God has other plans for them entirely. But it becomes clear that although the Amish are simple people, their love lives are anything but.

Sarah loves socializing but isn't ready to court anyone, much to the disappointment of her parents. As the oldest, her parents expect her to set a good example for her younger siblings. But the free spirit in Sarah refuses to be reined in - until she meets handsome Noah. Sarah is intrigued but appears standoffish, causing Noah to mistake her shyness for disinterest. A heartbroken Sarah turns to her friend, Aaron, who has always had an interest in Sarah. As their feelings for each other grow, Sarah can't get Noah out of her heart.

This delightful collection includes Love Letter Courtship, S.W.A.K., and The Wrong Valentine.

As the oldest child in an impoverished Amish family, Lydia Lee knows little more of life beyond hard work, sacrifice, and extreme hunger. Yet, even as a young girl, she strives to be content with all that God has provided. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Lydia’s childhood unfolds as her family struggles to survive, finding strength from their Amish faith. But, when tragedy strikes, that very faith is tested beyond what any child should have to endure. When all hope seems lost, Lydia is reminded that all things have seasons.

Eleanor longs to escape her Amish life in Indiana - until she meets handsome Simon, a man she feels instantly attracted to. There is something very familiar about Simon that brings Eleanor great peace, and Simon feels the same way. But when Eleanor's boyfriend, Abe, sees her talking to Simon, his jealousy is unleashed, and he warns her to stay away from Simon. Eleanor refuses, planning to break up with Abe - until an emergency changes her plan.