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The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness
The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness
The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness
Ebook189 pages2 hours

The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness

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Everyone has been hurt. Everyone experiences conflict, great and small. Everyone has someone to forgive. But sometimes we just can't bring ourselves to forgive someone who has wronged us or we don't take the need to forgive seriously--not like the Amish do. Forgiving others in order to live at peace is woven into the very fabric of their faith. To the Amish way of thinking, "You can't love the stream without knowing the source. " We must forgive others, they believe, because God forgave us.

The Heart of the Amish invites readers into the world of a people renowned for their ability to forgive. Through true stories gathered from a variety of Amish communities, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher illustrates how they are able to release their pain and desire for revenge, and live at peace with others. Her in-depth, personal research uncovers the astounding yet fundamental way the Amish can forgive anyone from the angry customer at the grocery store to the shooter at Nickel Mines. Readers will learn how to invite God into their stories, apply lessons from the Amish to their own circumstances, and find the freedom that comes with true forgiveness.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 28, 2015
ISBN9781441228048
The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness
Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than forty books, including The Sweet Life, The Secret to Happiness, and Love on a Whim, as well as many beloved contemporary romance and Amish romance series. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at SuzanneWoodsFisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and X @SuzanneWFisher.

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A book that can be read in one sitting, and very hard to put down, a nourishing and insightful read, and one that is based on Forgiveness, easy to say but most have a hard time doing.There are some heart wrenching stories here, and we see how the Amish/Mennonite religion plays into the way they act when adversity strikes. The forgiveness works both ways, in forgiving those who have trespassed against them, and maybe the hardest one of forgiving themselves.This book is non-fiction, and there are many examples here. Some horrific, and some we have seen in the news and were amazed at how these people love God, and live his word. Human nature does not make it easy to accept what God has commanded, but these examples help you understand, and maybe help to make your own spiritual life better.One of the stories about a young girl catching her Mom on a busy day and asking for a ride, she is told to take the bus. The girl never arrives home, and the mother in the end has to forgive the killer, and hardest of all, herself.This book will linger with me for a long time, and I will be rereading it, the chapters are short and can be read quickly, but the meaning will last.I loved this book and highly recommend it.I received this book through Revell Book Bloggers Tour, and was not required to give a positive review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    There have been a multitude of books written on the subject of forgiveness, but this one’s approach is very different. Forgiveness is a struggle for everyone at one time or another, and there are those that find it impossible. I found this book more powerful than those with all the “dos” and “don’ts” because the author used real life stories. The reader can relate to the people and circumstances in different accounts that will remind them of times they have not forgiven. Seeing God’s grace in action really touches your heart. You find yourself thinking, “If they can do that so can I.” In many cases the wrongs done to the person will make the personal offenses you experienced seem small and trite.The Amish have a special corner on forgiving in that they have made it a part of their foundational beliefs and worship of God. For them, it is not optional; it is a must to obey the Lord. In reading this book and in the past, I am awe struck at the magnitude of injustices they truly and completely forgive, in comparison to the small offenses most people hang on to.Each story begins with an Amish proverb. They were so profound I wanted to copy them! Some I plan to use in our church bulletin. All the testimonies were interesting and powerful. They are all followed by “Reflections of Peacemaking” and “Plain Truth”. “Reflections” asks thought provoking questions for the reader to look into their track record concerning forgiving others. Some even draw you back into people in the story comparing yourself to the one wronged and their response to being hurt. “Plain Truth” shares interesting facts about the Amish. This book touched my heart and inspired me. It is a great read for anyone, but especially if you struggle with holding grudges and not others. Everyone may not be Amish, but the Lord expects the same degree of forgiveness from us, His children. No one could ever do to us, what our sins did to Him. We owe it to Him to forgive others. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions I have shared are my own.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a very special and practical book about forgiveness. I am so glad to have chosen The Heart Of The Amish by Suzanne Woods Fisher as a tool to learn about forgiveness. Each anecdote makes the heart beat faster. Some of the personal experience stories of other people from different sects of the Amish church made me cry. Each story made me want to dig deeper into my life. I am now more aware of the importance of forgiving those I have hurt or those who have hurt me. Life is never worth holding a grudge. Suzanne Woods Fisher writes about the part of the brain which is stimulated by a vengeful spirit. It is good to know about that there are churches where forgiveness is so important to the congregation. When I read some of the stories, I had to sit back and wonder at the courage of the people to step forward and forgive. Teenagers and older adults can feel afraid or beaten down by the one commandment involving a promise, Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.— Exodus 20:12 Other people have to come forward and ask for an intervention in their parents' lives. Parents feeling shame or guilt find the Heart of God to forgive those who have stolen their children from them. The book made me feel warm inside just thinking of the outcome of a forgiving heart. At the end of the chapters, there are ways listed to meditate or reflect upon what was in the given chapter.I liked the boxed information at the end of the chapters. I was surprised to learn about the mental health experts now available to the Amish communities. I learned about the Amish transportation. Why the buggy is chosen and the hazards or dangerous situations that can develop riding a buggy. Again, I was most moved by the heartfelt stories chosen by Suzanne Woods Fisher. I didn't expect to read about such disturbing circumstances. It brought home the point that each person carries a burden. Sometimes the burden makes it impossible to forgive ourselves. I am left with the thought that it is God who gives us the power to give forgiveness and to accept forgiveness.suzannewoodsfisher.com/
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness by Suzanne Woods Fisher – A Book Review It’s not often that I review a non-fiction book, but this one caught my eye after experiencing a wonderful vacation in the Amish area of northern Ohio. Suzanne Woods Fisher has authored both fiction and non-fiction books about the Amish. I have read several books on the topic of forgiveness, but this book approaches the topic from a totally different point of view. Forgiveness is portrayed as being simple, but not easy. Simple in that from the Amish point of view it is basic, not optional, central to their faith, yet not easy because, like with all of us, emotions do have to be dealt with. While the book was not written as a devotional text, the structure does lend itself to being used in that manner. The twenty-nine sections are short, making a focused point. They could easily be read day by day with time to ponder the point being made. I must admit though that I found myself getting so involved that I would read several sections each day, underlining, adding asterisks, and making notes in the margins. Each section begins with an Amish proverb and ends with a tidbit, or as the author labeled it a “plain truth”, about Amish life. Sandwiched between are real life examples of Amish forgiveness, forgiveness of significant wrongs, among these: murder, sexual abuse, and theft of life savings. Forgiveness is deeply woven into the Amish culture. As Christians we all know that God calls us to forgive so that we, too, may be forgiven (Matthew 6:12). There are lessons to be learned from the Amish, and their teaching and modeling of forgiveness for their children, living it out before them. Fisher gives us a window into this, a glimpse into how we to might live out forgiveness before our own children, how we might practice forgiveness in light of the significance Christ gave it as he taught His disciples to pray. Whether you are aware of an unmet need to forgive, or feel like you are doing well in this area, I would highly recommend The Heart of the Amish. It is informative, persuasive, and engaging. It speaks to the heart. I thank Revell Publishers for providing The Heart of the Amish for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

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The Heart of the Amish - Suzanne Woods Fisher

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