An Amish Singing: Four Stories

Written by Amy Clipston

Narrated by Lauren Berst

Romance is bound to strike a chord when the young people of Bird-in-Hand join together to bring their community the gift of song.

Hymn of Praise

Sharon Lambert and Jay Smoker have been friends for a long time, but lately Jay has seen Sharon in a new light. They begin spending time together, and Sharon invites Jay to her family’s home to serve dinner and sing traditional hymns for their English guests. When Jay decides that this tramples upon his doctrinal beliefs, can these two dear friends compromise and find love? Or will Jay’s strict views keep them apart?

Amazing Grace

Dave Esh is broken with guilt after a recent tragedy. When Alice Blank, an acquaintance from school and youth group, invites him to join an informal singing group that performs for community members in need, Dave doubts he will enjoy himself—let alone find peace. Will Alice’s friendship help Dave learn how to forgive himself the way God already has?

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Darlene Bender’s mother has been battling cancer, and Darlene can’t understand why God would allow someone so wonderful to go through such a terrible time. She finds strength in her singing group and friends, and when Andrew Detweiler senses that Darlene needs a confidant, he approaches and befriends her. As love blossoms between them, Darlene might soon realize that God was with her all along.

O Holy Night

Elaine Lantz and her parents have just moved to town from New Wilmington. After leaving behind some painful events and a group of deceitful friends, Elaine worries she’ll never be able to trust again. But the young people of Bird-in-Hand don’t give up, and Calvin King takes it upon himself to make Elaine feel welcome. Perhaps friendship and love await Elaine in her new hometown.

• Sweet, inspirational Amish novellas
• Collection includes four stories (23K words each) that can be read together or as standalones

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Sep 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9780310360155

Amy Clipston

Amy Clipston is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery, Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel, Amish Heirloom, Amish Homestead, and Amish Marketplace series. Her novels have hit multiple bestseller lists including Christianbook, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan University and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and five spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at AmyClipston.com; Facebook: @AmyClipstonBooks; Twitter: @AmyClipston; Instagram: @amy_clipston; BookBub: @AmyClipston.

Reviews for An Amish Singing

[kevin shumway · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really did enjoy the entire reading of these books!

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An Amish Singing by Amy Clipston has a group of young people who are close friends and enjoy singing. There are good messages in these four novellas with the most important being that God has a plan and He knows what is best. We must trust Him. I thought these stories were well-written and engaging. I started reading Hymn of Praise and became engrossed. I quickly read all four of these charming Amish stories. Amy Clipston is a special storyteller. Her love of writing shines in each of her creations along with her love of God. I like how these characters sang for people who were ill and grieving. Their singing uplifted their audience. The sharing of the Amish hymns allowed this group to pass along their love of God and their faith with Englishers. My favorite message from these four novellas was how we need to lean on God in time of great need (illness, hardship, grief). He is there for us and He has a plan. We just need to be faithful. These stories will leave your heart feeling full and soul satisfied. An Amish Singing contains four uplifting novellas about family, friendship, forgiveness, and faith.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"An Amish Singing" contains four short stories, which are tied together by the presence of common characters and events. Although the genre is romance, the story themes play a large role and deal with quite serious concerns: grief, illness, resistance to change, shyness, personal tragedy, aging, faith crisis. I liked the connections among the stories and how one story led right into the next. The idea of singing for guests and for others in the community was quite unique among the many novels that I have read about Amish people and their culture. The characters are realistically portrayed as people of faith, flawed yet willing to keep trying to do better and to serve others. This is a clean novel without strong language or descriptions of intimacy or violence. The Christian message is overt and runs through all four stories as a key element of the plot. Readers of novels about Amish people should appreciate the new plot structure in addition to the emphasis on service to others and emerging from struggles with a stronger faith.I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An Amish Singing is a collection of four stories that all have the same theme: young Amish friends gathering together regularly to enjoy each other's company and sharing their love of music with others. Each story highlights one of Amy Clipston's favorite hymns as its basis and the emotions found in these stories resonate with all of us: pain, grief, fear, and guilt; feeling unworthy and unloved; learning to trust, and finally, the overwhelming joy that comes from forgiveness. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said that music is the universal language and I believe this is especially true with religious hymns and gospel music. An Amish Singing is a beautiful acknowledgement of the power of sacred music in our lives and Clipston once again showcases her wonderful writing talent! I recommend this book to all who enjoy Amish fiction and Christian romance.I received a copy of this book from the author. There was no obligation to write a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hymns are the threads that tie these four tales together. An Amish family is hosting a meal for English guests, and when one man asks some disrespectful questions, one young Amish woman helping out redirects the conversation by offering to sing a hymn. Her friends join in, and a new tradition is born. This small group of friends sing not only at the English meals, but also for Amish friends and neighbors. All benefit from this ministry: the English who are moved spiritually, the Amish who call it a blessing, and the singers themselves, who grow closer in and to their faith and culture. But some misconceptions and disagreements occur, and solutions and compromises must be attained. Well thought out plots and well developed characters combine for an interesting novel.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a set of four stories that are all linked together through a group of Amish friends. In each story there is a bit of romance and a lot of inspiration. I love the characters and each story. I love the idea of the friends getting together to sing to some of their friends or relatives that are feeling down. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Friends, yes this is a story of the love and companionship of Amish friends, they are there for one another in good and bad times.New and old friends are welcome, and they do a giving type of singing. The giving that warms the souls of those in need, and this group is all about sharing.We are given a gift of some sweet romance, and some paring up, and we journey with them as they find what is right before their eyes. The caring for their fellow community members is so beautiful, they sure knew how to brighten their day.You can sit down and read one, but you probably won't stop with that, and before I knew it the last page was turned.I received this book through NetGalley and the Publisher Zondervan. and was not required to give a positive review.