Amish Religion

It was the early 1900s when Obadiah (Oba) and Merriweather's (May's) parents died tragically, leaving them orphans at ten and eleven years old. When none of their nearby relations volunteer to take them in, they are set on a train to Arkansas to go live on their Amish aunt and uncle's cotton farm. Once there, it didn't take long to discover they would be treated cruelly, no matter what they did. May, always anxious to be a godly young lady, took on more and more responsibility, trying desperately to keep the peace and convince her older brother not to run away.

The Amish, one of America's most intriguingly private, unique, and often misunderstood religious communities, have survived for 300 years! How has that happened? While much has been written on the Amish, little has been revealed about their history. This book brings together in one volume a thorough history of the Amish people. From their beginnings in Europe through their settlement in North America, the Amish have struggled to maintain their beliefs and traditions in often hostile settings.

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?

In Broken Roads, Ira Wagler uses his singular voice to unapologetically, but compassionately, illuminate the inner world of the Amish community through his story of life after leaving, what feels like his inevitable return to his Amish father, and how they might mend the relationship between them before it's too late.

Anna is heartbroken and confused. Married to a man she barely knows, she struggles to make sense of what Eli, her previous fiancé, has done. Why did he leave her? Where did he go? Where is he now? Attempting to put that part of her life behind her, Anna tries to move forward with her life, although she can't push Eli out of her heart no matter how kind Isaac is to her.

Back in the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation took Europe by storm. The havoc wreaked saw the split of churches and the emergence of the Amish, led by Jakob Ammann. By the 18th century, a group of Amish had crossed the seas to the United States, where they made their home, and today the Amish are now one of the fastest-growing populations in the world.

Take one thoroughly modern gal with a recessionary income problem, mix with the practices of a culture that has proved to be recession-proof, and what have you got? A financial planner in a straw hat. When writer Lorilee Craker learned that the Amish are not just surviving but thriving in the economic downturn, she decided to find out why.

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.

When advertising executive Jane Walker, finds herself widowed and expecting her first child, she sinks into a severe depression. Her boss and co-workers surprise her with a vacation, forcing her from the safety of her office. She's too embarrassed to tell anyone her late husband was leaving her for another woman when he was killed in the accident. When Jane arrives at the vacation destination, she's most upset to find that the bed and breakfast is run by an Amish family.

After a son does the unthinkable, how can a mother go on? On October 2, 2006, a gunman entered an Amish one-room schoolhouse, shooting 10 girls, killing five, then finally taking his own life. This is his mother's story. Not only did she lose her precious son through suicide, but she also lost her understanding of him as an honorable man. It was a trauma that no one should ever have to face.

Rachel Fisher's Life-Changing Decision, is the story of a young woman with a powerful decision to make. Should she leave her family, her community and her church for a young man she loves and who also must leave his community because he wants to get away from his father and get a job with the English as a horse trainer? As always, Rachel relies on God's guidance and love to make the best choice possible for herself and Samuel, the man she has fallen deeply in love with.

Ezekial "Zeke" Shetler spent longer on Rumspringa than most of the people he grew up with. Now that he was finally home and had joined the church, most of the women his age were married - at least the ones he may have been interested in. However, Miriam Graber was still single, probably because she has a six year old child. Was it worth trying to rekindle a relationship with her, or will past sins be too much of an obstacle to overcome?

Ava Troyer never really considered the possibility of life outside of the warm, protective Amish community. Even during her state-mandated schooling through the eighth grade, she would dreamily fantasize about whether any of the other Amish boys in the history class right after lunch was going to be the father of her children, or if she would meet the man of her dreams from another state, an exciting possibility.

Jebediah Brenneman lost his wife during childbirth, along with his new baby daughter - the third daughter they had together. He relied on Eliza Yoder to help care for his wife during her last trimester, along with their two young daughters. Eliza continued to help manage his household and his children after the death of his wife so that he could continue to work in his construction company.

Can a heart once torn by love's rejection find a new beginning? Titus Fisher has often made poor choices. When he lived in Pennsylvania he chose the wrong girl, who broke his heart. When he moves to Kentucky, he finally discovers that he possesses woodworking skills. Will he stick with it or return to the old comforts—and love—from his life in Lancaster?

Lizzie Engel is used to running away. At 18, she left her Mennonite hometown, Kingdom, Kansas, with plans never to return. But five years later, the new life she built is falling apart. Lizzie knows she's being followed, and she's certain the same mysterious stranger is behind the threatening letters she's received. Realizing she'll have to run again, the only escape Lizzie can manage is a return to the last place she wants to go. Once she arrives in Kingdom, Lizzie is confident she’ll be safe until she comes up with a new plan.

When Rose Kurtz first arrived in Joel Dienner's home four years ago, the Amish widower had been completely grief-stricken by the shocking loss of his wife during childbirth. At the recommendation of the bishop, Joel's father, Rose is asked to become his bride and take care of his two small children and newborn baby, nestled in the tiny Amish community of Forest Hill in the eastern Appalachian Mountains, far from Rose's home.

A husband and son abandoned to forge a path alone. A young woman who sacrificed her dreams. How will the God of grace and hope help them find their way? At 19 years old, Old Order Amish Jolene Keim was on the brink of happily-ever-after when everything changed, stealing the future she expected and burdening her with an unbearable decision. For the next 10 years, Jolene throws herself into family life - and then she meets Andy Fisher.

In Idols, a companion volume to the best-selling Dharma, your favourite fictional characters are back, along with some new ones, to explore the essence and true meaning of idolatry. In this insightful and thought-provoking book, Amish and Bhavna tackle burning questions about idol worship through simple, varied and astute interpretations of myths and religious texts.

Of all the gifts that Jesus left us, his peace is most elusive. We long for it in our homes, in our relationships, in our life situations. One place we can look and see "living peace" is in the lives of the Amish. But you don't have to become Amish to bring these simple, practical ways of living into your own life--and make personal peace a reality. Organized around five central themes in Amish life, each section will include real-life stories, callouts of Amish proverbs, and interesting facts about Amish communities.