‘A Lancaster County Christmas’ by Suzanne Woods Fisher – Book Review

What a joy it is to read another book by Suzanne Woods Fisher! The latest to add to my list is ‘A Lancaster County Christmas.’

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband, Sol, the Christmas gift they had both longed for – news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big Amish family isn’t likely to become a reality. Will those empty chairs at the table ever be filled?

Then a winter storm raging outside blows an impatient young woman and her husband into the Riehl home on Christmas Eve – and into a much slower pace of life.

Both couples are about to find out if they can weather the storm – and if miracles still happen at Christmastime.

Here is the biography of this author:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, and The Search - the bestselling Lancaster County Secrets series. Her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Her interest in living a simple, faith-filled life began with her Dunkard cousins.

Suzanne is also the author of Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, and Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life, both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year award. She is the host of Amish Wisdom, a weekly radio program on www.toginet.com. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay area. When Suzanne isn’t writing or bragging to her friends about her new first grandbaby, she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne’s way of thinking…you just can’t take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone’s underwear in its mouth.

I love the fact that this book featured a character from one of Suzanne’s previous novels from the ‘Lancaster County Secrets’ series, ‘The Choice,’ Solomon Riehl! I often am felt wanting to know ‘the rest of the story’ – and this time, I was able to visit Solomon again. It was wonderful!

Another thing that I love about this book is the fact that I was so envious of the English woman, Jaime Fitzpatrick, being able to spend time with an Amish family. I have had a fascination with the Plain People since I was a child. I always have admired their faith and their dedication to family and friends. It would be a dream to spend time with them! So it was amazing to get an inside glimpse into their lives through the eyes of an outsider.

As usual, Suzanne’s story is full of interesting side plots. One of the most interesting to me was that involving Mattie’s cousin, Zach, who was contemplating leaving the Amish church in search of the intrigue of the outside world. It was fascinating to get inside his mind to see the reasoning behind his thought process on that major life change.

Suzanne shares the Gospel in all of her work, and this book is no exception. Here she glorifies God through an exchange between Mattie and Jaime. Here is Mattie’s perspective:

“I believe God reveals his loving nature in all kinds of wondrous ways. Every single day. From sunrises and sunsets, to the families he’s given to us to share this life, to---”…. “to birds and animals. To the greatest miracle of all – the birth of the Christ child, a holy God entering into his creation to redeem it. God’s perfect love is all around us, Jaime. But if you shut your eyes to all the light he has given to you, you can’t see the evidence of his love.” (p. 155)

Ultimately, both couples were enriched by meeting the other. They learned important truths from each other. Their meeting was definitely a divine appointment. Those are always wonderful when they happen!

I have had the joy and pleasure of reading several books by Suzanne - Book One in the Lancaster County Secrets’ series, ‘The Choice’ (you can read my review here), Book Two, ‘The Waiting’ (you can read my review here), Book Three, ‘The Search’ (you can read my review here), ‘Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life’ (you can read that review here) and ‘Amish Values for Your Family: What We Can Learn From the Simple Life' (you can read my blog post here). Not surprising, I loved this book! Suzanne is such a talented writer, and so creative! I believe Suzanne’s writing is a gift from God, and it is awesome that she uses that gift for His glory.

As has been the case in the past, I look forward to her next book, ‘The Keeper,' the first book in her Stoney Ridge Seasons series; it will be released in January, 2012. Thank you, Revell, for bringing more SWF books to us!

You can order this book here.

This book was published by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. I am happy to be participating in the blog tour for this book through the LitFuse Group along with these other bloggers.

‘Amish Values for Your Family: What We Can Learn from the Simple Life’ by Suzanne Woods Fisher – Book Review

One of my favorite authors that I’ve discovered since I’ve been reviewing and blogging is Suzanne Woods Fisher, who focuses on the Amish community, both in the fiction and non-fiction genres. Her latest title is ‘Amish Values for Your Family: What We Can Learn from the Simple Life.’

Here is the synopsis of this book:

When it comes to strong families that know how to truly enjoy life together, there is much we can learn from the Amish. Just how do they establish such strong family bonds, such deeply held values, and such wonderful family traditions? In Amish Values for Your Family, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shares the secrets of Amish family life. In this inspiring and practical book, you will meet real Amish families that are a lot like yours. Through their stories, you’ll discover how to:

·         slow down

·         safeguard family time

·         raise children who stand strong in their faith

·         prioritize what’s truly important

Amish values like community, forgiveness, simple living, obedience, and more can be your family legacy – without selling your car or changing your wardrobe.

Here is the biography of this author:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs, as well as the Lancaster County Secrets novels. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is the host of a radio show called Amish Wisdom. Her other titles include For the Love of Dogs, Copper Star, Copper Fire, The Choice, The Waiting, and The Search. She lives in California.

Here is an excerpt from the Oasis Audiobook version of this book:

In the Introduction, Suzanne shares this information regarding the Amish community:

Few people are aware that the Amish are the fastest-growing population in the United States. In 1900, there were five thousand Old Order Amish in America. Yet by 2008, according to Donald B. Kraybill, Senior Fellow at the Young Center for Anabaptist & Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College, there were 233,000 Old Order Amish. And half the population is under eighteen. The growth is coming from large families, with an 85 to 90 percent retention rate as children become baptized into the church as young people.

The Amish seem to be doing something right.

So should we all “go Amish”? Of course not! However there is much we can learn from these gentle people about raising our families well; to help prioritize what’s truly important, to simplify decision making, to slow down as a family, to safeguard time together, and when age-appropriate, to let go. Amish Values for Your Family invites you into Amish farmhouses for a hearty meal, to explore the topic of rearing children who are “in the world but not of it.”

So grab a cup of hot coffee, put up your feet, and come inside the Amish world with me. (pp. 12-13)

I will focus on one aspect of this book – and that is forgiveness. The Amish are wonderful exemplars for how we are to forgive those who have wronged us. Suzanne focuses on this topic in the chapter entitled ‘Seventy Times Seven.’ Here she shows us that the Amish forgive, although it is just as difficult for them as it is for us ‘English:’

True forgiveness is never easy, and the Amish struggle with the same emotions of anger and retribution that we all do. But they choose to forgive – with no strings attached – in spite of those feelings. Forgiving is woven deep into their culture. It is not a choice; it is an expectation. The Amish forgive because they believe God’s way is the best way to live. They believe forgiveness is intended for our own good. How does that concept help you?

Is there someone you are struggling to forgive today? Having an intention of forgiveness can help to change your feelings about forgiving someone who has wronged you. Try to pray, each day, for that individual. If you have trouble with that, ask someone who understand the situation to pray for you. Don’t give up if you don’t feel anything. It might take time – but the intention to forgive remains steadfast. (pp. 133-134)

This reminder is coming at the perfect time for me. My husband, Fred, and I will be visiting a family member next week, and I still harbor some bitterness over something this person did over four years ago. I am quite sure it is doing more harm to me than it is to the other person. So I need to put this expectation of forgiveness into practice – and soon! I pray that the Lord will precede me and be there as I interact with this person. And I thank the Amish – and Mrs. Fisher – for reminding me of this – “for such a time as this.”

You can order this book here.

This book was published by Revell Books and provided by the LitFuse Group for review purposes.

Guest Blog Post from Suzanne Woods Fisher - Part Two!

Today is Part Two of a guest blog post from the lovely Suzanne Woods Fisher, whose latest release is 'Amish Values for Your Family: What You Can Learn from the Simple Life.'

Five More Things I’ve Learned from the Amish that Have Nothing to Do with being Amish and Have Everything to Do with being a Christian.

Live humbly. This is the basis of the Amish life. They don’t waste, they reuse and recycle, they live simply and without luxury, they provide for each other’s needs. Daily life is embroidered with gratitude for all God has given them. Two prayers bookend every meal—a meal begins with thanks to God for the nourishing food, and ends with gratitude for what was received. 

Amish proverb: “The blessing of sharing outweighs the blessing of having.”

The Lesson: Choose simplicity over clutter. Economy over luxury. And give thanks!

A task takes as long as it takes. It seems like such a paradox—the Amish are busy, yet unhurried. They have a deliberateness in their actions—one job isn’t more important than the other. And they don’t have televisions or computers or radios or telephones—which gives them more time to cook, fish at the lake, enjoy a good book, and spend with their children and grandchildren. They have time to slow down a bit—to smell the roses along their path.

Amish proverb: “Every day that dawns brings something to do that can never be done as well again.”

The Lesson: Reduce the time where attention is focused on electronics (computer! Cell phone! Television!) and strive to be more emotionally present when with others.

Success and Size are not related. The Amish have rapidly adopted to the demands of the modern business world. Their self-owned businesses are remarkably successful, but not at the cost of everything else. They view money as a tool, not the goal.

Amish proverb: “Love, peace, and happiness in the home is of infinitely more value than honor, fame and wealth.”

The Lesson: Never let ambition destroy life’s better goals.

They teach us not to seek vengeance but to forgive. The Amish take the Lord’s Prayer seriously—if they are asking God to forgive them their sins, they must be willing to forgive others who have sinned against them. Being a forgiving person is an everyday intention.

Amish proverb: “It is far better to forgive and forget than to resent and remember.”

The Lesson: No doubt you’re familiar with the Nickel Mines tragedy. If the Amish can forgive the killer of their children, can’t we forgive a friend for not inviting us to a party? Or a driver who cuts us off? Make forgiveness your default button. A habit. An everyday intention.

God has a plan. To the Amish, everything passes through the hands of God. Everything. Joys and sorrows, both. God is sovereign over all—from weather to illness to births to who’s in the White House. They yield to God’s perfect will, trust Him for what they don’t understand, and thank Him for what they do.

Amish proverb: “God’s hand that holds the ocean’s depth can hold my small affairs. His hand, which guides the universe, can carry all my cares.”

The Lesson: Trusting God isn’t passive—it takes a lot of work! But what peace and joy are available to us when we put our faith in the Almighty God. Everything, ultimately, works out for good. 

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction and the host of a weekly radio program called Amish Wisdom. Her most recent book, Amish Values for Your Family released in August. The Waiting is a finalist for a 2011 Christy Award. Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World and Amish Proverbs:Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life were both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year (2010, 2011). Her other titles include The Search, The Choice, and For the Love of Dogs. Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world.  When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth. Keep up on Suzanne's latest news on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog!

‘The Search’ by Suzanne Woods Fisher – Book Review

In my excursion into the world of book reviews, one of my favorite discoveries is the books by the lovely Suzanne Woods Fisher, whose writings give us a glimpse into the culture of the Amish. I just had the good fortune to read the third book in her ‘Lancaster County Secrets’ series, ‘The Search.’

Here is the synopsis of this book:

When worlds collide, can the truth set two women free? As a child caught up in a crisis, Lainey O’Toole made a split-second decision with far-reaching effects. Fifteen years later, when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge – the very town in which that decision was made – she is forced to face the past and discover how her decision has impacted so many.

Bess Riehl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm helping her intimidating grandmother Bertha recover from surgery. It doesn’t take long for Bess to realize that her grandmother coaxed her to Stoney Ridge for an entirely different reason. But once Bess meets hired hand Billy Lapp, the summer starts to hold some promise.

Lainey’s and Bess’s worlds are about to collide, and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.

Beautifully written, The Search is a skillfully woven story that takes you through unexpected twists and turns on the long country road toward truth. Immerse yourself in this heartwarming – and surprising – tale of young love, forgiveness, and healing.

Here is the biography of this author:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice and The Waiting, the first two books in the Lancaster County Secrets series. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

Suzanne is also the author of Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, a finalist for the ECPA Book of the Year award, and Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life. She is the host of Amish Wisdom, a weekly radio program on toginet.com. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay area and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Here is the very well done book trailer for this amazing book:

And here is an excerpt from the Oasis Audiobook:

There are several storylines happening at the same time – the evolution of Lainey O’Toole moving from one lifestyle to another, the maturation of Bess Riehl, and many other relationships that are developing. In addition, all of the characters are fully formed. Here is an exchange between Bess’s grandmother, Bertha, and Billy Lapp, who is employed by her to help out at Rose Hill Farm; it is a fine example of Suzanne’s comedic touch and attention to detail:

Bertha was always threatening Otto [a fourteen-year-old leghorn rooster] was going to end up as Sunday’s stew, but Billy knew better. Bertha Riehl was all bluff and bluster. Well, mostly bluff and bluster. He couldn’t deny she had a way of intimidating folks that was a wonder to behold. It had happened to Billy only once, when he made the mistake of asking her if she was six feet tall. Bertha planted her fists on her deluxe-sized hips and narrowed her eyes at him. “I am five feet twelve inches.” Then she stared him down until he was sure he had shrunk an inch or two, right in front of her. (p. 11)

Bess’s first encounter with Bertha – whom she called Mammi – also gave us a great picture of both ladies:

Mammi didn’t offer up another word. She ate with the fork in one hand, the knife in the other, polished off her two cherry tarts and then eyed Bess’s. Bess quickly stuffed it into her mouth. It was the finest cherry tart she had ever tasted, with a crumbly crust and cherries that were sugared just right and still tart. Soon, Mammi was ready to go, and she looked at Bess pointedly. Bess guessed that when Mammi was ready, she’d better be.

That was another odd thing about Mammi – as big as she was, she could move like greased lightning. In a twinkling, she was at the door, pointing at Lainey. “Sunday noon, then.” It was a statement, not a question.

The bakery lady looked a little pale but gave a nod. (p. 19)

Bess’s first impression of Billy is also sweet:

Billy Lapp looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old. Man-sized. When he stood and his eyes met hers, Bess felt her heart give a simple thump. Clearly Amish by his clothes and haircut, he was tall, broad-shouldered, with curly brown hair and roguish eyes rimmed with dark eyebrows. Hands down, he was the best-looking boy Bess had ever laid eyes on. Her heart was beating so strangely now, she thought she might fall down and faint.

Things were looking up. (p. 25)

Bess was well aware that her father, Jonah, was a highly sought-after bachelor:

          Mammi raised an eyebrow. “Our Jonah is a catch.”

Bess knew that. Her dad was a fine-looking man. Even her friends said so. And he was young, only thirty-five. He was well thought of in their community, by men and women alike, and nearly every single female in their district – plus two neighboring districts – had set their cap for him. Cookies and pies, invitations to dinner and picnics, one father even boldly hinted to Jonah that his dairy farm would be passed down to his only daughter if Jonah married her. But Jonah never took the bait.

Until now. (p. 29)

I loved this paragraph further on in the book; I am hoping to remember its sentiment daily. The person in the scene is Billy:

He took a bite of Lainey’s blueberry peach pie, then another. It was delicious, that pie. It struck him that Bertha had done the same thing with her roses: took something old and made it new. Maybe that’s what life was all about – taking the lot you were given and making it better, he thought, finishing off the rest of that pie slab in two bites as he hurried down the street. (p. 234)

One of the characters who seemed closest to God is Lainey. Here she is explaining to Jonah how she could forgive Simon, who’d hurt her deeply as a child:

Lainey lifted her head to the sky. “For a long time, I felt abandoned. And so lonely. I still do, at times. I think it will always be my Achilles heel. But a few years ago, I went to a church service and the pastor happened to be preaching on the difference between divine forgiveness and human forgiveness. I knew I couldn’t forgive others without God’s help. He said that we fail in the work of grace and love when there is too much of us and not enough of God. That thought stayed with me. Too much of me and not enough of God. Once I understood that and asked for God’s help, I was able to forgive Simon and stop condemning him.” (p. 237)

 Bess also had a godly worldview; here is an observation she shared with Billy:

She turned her face to the sky, like a flower, and smiled softly. “Billy, isn’t it a wonder? That the crow is here? God made nature so things can get fixed again.” She turned to him. “Blue Lake Pond will have birds and fish again.”

He’d been so relieved that Bess was where he thought she’d be, he hadn’t even given the appearance of the crow a second thought. “Why, you’re right.” He scanned the lake and heard a woodpecker somewhere, hard at work, hammering a tree. He smiled.

“God does it with people too. Makes it so that they can find their way back to him.” She rested her chin on her knees. “You know what I love about looking up at the sky? It helps me to remember that I am so incredibly small and God is so immense.” She lifted her face to the sky. “Behind those clouds is an ocean of stars, limitless in its infinity, so large, so large, that any of our problems, even the greatest of them, is a small thing.” (p. 265)

This book has lots of wonderful surprises; I will not be revealing any here! You absolutely have to read this book!

I have had the joy and privilege of reading three books by Suzanne - Book One in the Lancaster County Secrets’ series, ‘The Choice’ (you can read my review here), Book Two, ‘The Waiting’ (you can read my review here) and ‘Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life’ (you can read that review here). As has been the case with every one of Suzanne’s books, I absolutely loved ‘The Search’! Suzanne is a masterful storyteller; she weaves stories in an incredible way. She writes with a sweet, gentle, and loving style. I am not one to watch a DVD over and over, or read a book more than once, but I want to return to Suzanne’s writing in the future.  It is a genuine pleasure to read her work, and I can’t wait to read whatever is next in her catalog!

You can order this book here.

This book was published by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. I am happy to be participating in the blog tour for this book through the LitFuse Group along with these other bloggers.

A Great Giveaway from a Great Author - Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest installment of the Lancaster County Secrets, The Search,  is just out and to celebrate, Suzanne is hosting The Search iPad Giveaway!

One Grand Prize winner will receive an iPad Prize Package worth over $500; the package includes:

• A brand new iPad (16KB with Wi-Fi)
• Signed copies of all three Lancaster Country Secrets books (The Choice, The Waiting, and The Search)

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form(s), then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on February 3rd at Suzanne's Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party. (Did you know The Search takes place on a rose farm?)

 

Facebook Party:

Join Suzanne for the Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party on February 3rd! She’ll be announcing the winner of the The Search iPad Giveaway, hosting a book club discussion of The Search, giving away copies of all three books and HEAPS of other readerly prizes! Including roses delivered to your door for three months for you AND a friend! Be sure to join us on Thursday, February 3rd at 5:00 PM PST (6:00 MST, 7:00 CST & 8:00 EST) at Suzanne’s Author Page.