Showing results by author "Amy Mast" in All Categories

Anna had lived in the community all of her life, not even leaving for Rumspringa when all of her friends had done so. She loved her family, her community, and everything about their culture and faith...apart from one little thing that had troubled her all her days. The culture dictated that she should not sing and dance too much in public, not be loud or attract attention upon herself, and should be quiet most of the time. The problem Anna had with this, was that she loved to sing, to dance, to be bright and outgoing, and to be a positive soul in the world.

Mark King was an elderly Amish man who lived alone. Partly out of choice, and partly because his seven (now adult) children could no longer cope with his ways. He did care about things and people, but felt unable to show it. Each year when Christmas comes around he feels himself becoming more stern and angry and resentful. He does not celebrate Christmas at all other than to attend prayer meetings etc., and distances himself from the community for weeks at a time. Could the sad, and bitter old man find happiness once again or will he be lonely for the rest of his life?

A young British prince John visits rural Pennsylvania as part of a royal visit with his family over the Christmas period. They visit an Amish community as a spontaneous part of their tour so the party were not surrounded by press and security. Prince John was getting bored, and was kicking a stone in the dust on the edge of a tour of the community, when he notices a young Amish boy of a similar age named Abe.

Samuel Hilty had a secret. He had lived in the community for over 10 years when, at just 18, as a young Amish youth, he had walked into the community one Christmas day where he now lived as a 28-year-old man and had lied about his past to stay in their community. Since that day, he had been a good and decent man, working to serve Gott and all who needed help both in and outside of their village. The truth that only he and Gott knew was eating away at him inside, though, and he knew things needs sorting.

Eli lost his wife after just four years of blissful marriage and just two years after being blessed with a daughter, Sarah. He struggled to cope with the land and raising his daughter. Even with the help from friends in the community, he knew that he had to get work outside the community to survive, if only in the short term. He had to sell the family buggy to make ends meet and so had to walk the eight miles to the nearest town to ask for work.

Abraham was a widely respected elder both in the wider Amish fold, and in the local town. His passing had a huge impact on the community as a whole. Events quickly turn for the worse when the deceased past turns out to not be all that it might have first seemed. The community have to rally round to prevent a meltdown of the whole structure of the community. Abrahams son (Samuel) is not convinced that things are as they are being told, and takes huge risks to establish what is the truth and try to clear his father's name. Did Abraham lead a double life?

Mary Troya was a motherly sort who sadly could not bear children of her own. Within her community both she and her husband, Eli, were of some standing and reputation for helping others with their problems. An Amish man, Joseph Augsburger , who had left the community a few years back to teach in the local town's high school had visited the community to visit his family and former friends. Mary bumped into him, and they talked of his work teaching, which Mary believed to be a noble, God-serving vocation.

Eli, a well respected member of the Amish community, had a dream which prompts him to want to help someone. He is not sure who the man in his dream was and so shares his dream with his wife, Mary, who in turn encourages him to speak to the whole community. Much to Eli’s surprise, the community as a whole believe his dream and some younger members of the community even think that they may have seen the man to who the dream is related. But who is this man? And why has he been drawn to Eli’s conscience in a dream?

Every weekend, 10-year-old Josie would walk the two miles out of town to the local Amish community, where she would spend all day until sunset getting to know everyone there and helping out as best she could. She was enthralled with their way of life, their customs, their language, and the devout ways they held. What she most loved about them was their fairness in everything and how all they did revolved around their faith in God.

Alicia had been good whilst on Rumspringa in London, England. Experiencing a job, a different culture, and making new friends had been good for her, but as Christmas approached her thoughts turned to her return home to the Amish community and her family. That is until a good young man started to pay her some attention.

Aaron and Betty used to take coffee in the town against the communities wishes, grabbing a brief moment of life outside the village and some quality time together. Neither expressed their deeply held affections for each other, but they each knew deep down that the other one was the only one for them. Aaron was working hard and strived to better himself in the eyes of his peers, however, one day he got caught up in some trouble with a group of boys in the town, resulting in him being prevented from seeing his sweetheart.

From early on, Mary held tightly onto her Amish doll, which at first seemed very cute until it became apparent that later, when learning to speak, that Mary would talk to the doll and rarely, if ever, let it go, even at night. Anna would have to sneak it away from her clutches at night when asleep to get it washed. As May grew, she learnt to make dolls herself and would sell them in their community and the local town to make much needed money for the family

Eli was a dreamer and through his teenage years, the elders often expressed concern that some of his ideas and dreams were more suitable for the outside world than for their traditional Amish ways and customs. He was young, excitable, and brimming with ideas and yet became concerned that he did not seem to fit in and was often talked about behind his back as being “not very Amish”.

Jacob and Anna married and are desperate to have children but are told that it is highly unlikely that they will. This makes things very difficult in their relationship...Anna dies of a heart attack one morning (they had parted following an argument) and Jacob misses her terribly. One day there is a knock on the door and Jacob opens it to his nephew (Noah) and Emma (his fiance) who ask if they can stay for a few weeks...eventually an announcement by Noah and Emma confess the truth of their visit. Will Jacob be able to help them and how will his life be transformed?

Amos and Mary miss their son, John. He had left the community for his Rumpsringa a year ago and had stayed in the outside world to explore and find his way. After a year, the son returned briefly, but despite the parents' pleas, John had decided to leave the community and join the outside world. He wanted to travel and experience the world. One day, a letter from John brings turmoil to the family.

Eli Jacobs was a local police officer of some standing. An Amish man who had left on rumspringa and never returned. After 10 years of service, and being a man for whom the community held a great deal of love and respect, he was always there when needed to go above and beyond the call of duty. The problem was that he was well thought of, but.... Overlooked. Overlooked for promotion, overlooked in life, and overlooked in love. To be honest he had never really even asked a woman out on a date. Emma Shrock was the apple of his eye.

Anna Fischer, a young widow from Bird-in-Hand, knew that she had to make a living one way or the other. Now, fending for herself, she needed to make ends meet, as she struggled to cope and finally decided that she was tired of depending on others. Caleb Troyer had his hands full. A year ago, his brother and sister-in-law had died in a tragic buggy accident, leaving behind their three-year-old twins, Bethany and Jonah.... Things get off to a rocky start when he asks Anna Fischer to be his helper. Will they ever allow themselves to love?

Aaron was an average Amish 20-year-old who had never achieved much, and never tried to stand out. He was frequently teased by others his age for being “grey” and invisible. Aaron knew there was a fire within him but he had no idea what to do with the energy and passion that he dare not show in his community. Everything just seemed so... well... Dull?

Emma used to watch Isaac working in the field outside the school and dream about what it would be like to get to know him better as he seemed a very kind person. Isaac used to watch Emma in the schoolhouse and wonder what she was like.... Were the rumors true about her? Isaac decided one day to see if he could get to know Emma better and decided to ask whether he could walk her home. What flourished from their first meeting not only changed their lives but had a positive impact on the whole province. Would...or could...love prevail?

Peter and Abigail were childhood sweethearts whose parents did not approve of their spending time together, yet allowed it to happen due to their childrens devout ways and promise of innocence until marriage. Many years pass, and their love for each other grows with every passing year. What started out as knowing glances and cute conversations grew into hand-holding and long conversations of commitment and love.