The Amish Christmas Gift Worth Waiting For: An Amish Christmas Christian Fiction Novella

By Tracy Fredrychowski

It will take an Amish Christmas miracle to mend the hearts of two lost and lonely souls this holiday season.

When tragedy strikes the young Amish woman Amanda Beiler, not once but twice, is left to raise her seven sisters by herself. As her faith is tested, her Amish community surrounds her with love and compassion,

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Tracer Group, LLC
• Release date: Nov 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781737117247

Tracy Fredrychowski

USA Today Bestselling Author and Faith, Hope & Love Reader's Choice Award WinnerTracy is a country girl at heart, an author, a homesteader, and a lover of all things simple living. Her passion lies in capturing the essence of the simpler side of life, much like the one she enjoyed growing up in rural Pennsylvania.Her life has always been intricately linked with Amish culture, and it's only fitting that she has a deep, genuine love for their simplicity, sense of community, and God-centered way of living.Growing up in Northwest Pennsylvania, Tracy spent her childhood immersed in the heart of Amish Country. The rhythmic clip-clop of horse and buggies was her morning soundtrack as Amish men journeyed past my home to work. Now residing in South Carolina, she frequently travels through the Amish regions of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Her journeys are not just visits but research expeditions. She takes pride in writing Amish fiction that authentically represents their culture, thanks to the invaluable insights from friends within these communities.

Book preview

By Tracy Fredrychowski

AMISH OF LAWRENCE COUNTY SERIES

Secrets of Willow Springs – Book 1

Secrets of Willow Springs – Book 2

Secrets of Willow Springs – Book 3

APPLE BLOSSOM INN SERIES

Love Blooms at the Apple Blossom Inn

An Amish Christmas at the Apple Blossom Inn

NOVELLA’S

The Amish Women of Lawrence County

An Amish Gift Worth Waiting For

The Orphans’ Amish Christmas

An Amish Christmas Table: Love Beneath the Pine

THE AMISH WOMEN OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

Emma’s Amish Faith Tested – Book 1

Rebecca’s Amish Heart Restored – Book 2

Anna’s Amish Fears Revealed – Book 3

Barbara’s Amish Truth Exposed – Book 4

Allie’s Amish Family Miracle – Book 5

Savannah’s Amish Ties That Bind – Book 6

Ruth’s Amish Words of Faith – Book 7

A WILLOW SPRINGS MYSTERY ROMANCE

The Amish Book Cellar – Book 1

The Amish Baker Caper – Book 2

www.tracyfredrychowski.com

CONTENTS

By Tracy Fredrychowski

Contents

A Note about Amish Vocabulary

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Emma’s Amish Faith Tested

Glossary

About the Author

A Note about Amish Vocabulary

The language the Amish speak is called Pennsylvania Dutch and is usually spoken rather than written. The spelling of commonly used words varies from community to community throughout the United States and Canada. Even as I researched this book, some words' spelling changed within the same Amish community that inspired this story. In one case, spellings were debated between family members. Some of the terms may have slightly different spellings. Still, all come from my interactions with the Amish settlement near where I was raised in northwestern Pennsylvania.

While this book was modeled upon a small community in Lawrence County, this is a work of fiction. The names and characters are products of my imagination. They do not resemble any person, living or dead, or actual events in that community.

Chapter 1

Ice pellets bounced off Amanda Beiler’s heavy brown bonnet as she pulled two of her younger schwesters in closer, burying their faces in her middle. Flanked on either side were her other seven schwesters , all staring aimlessly at the pine box being lowered into the cold November ground.

The slow and steady voices of her Amish community echoed off the leafless trees while they sang the last hymn. A heaviness filled Amanda’s chest as Bishop Weaver closed in prayer and her neighbors lined up one by one to shovel dirt into the hand-dug grave. The last three days had been a blur while she struggled to understand Gott’s will.

The doctors said her mamm’s lungs were weak, and they couldn’t withstand the upper respiratory infection. But Amanda knew it had more to do with a broken heart than weak lungs. Ever since her Datt died in a silo accident three years earlier, the smile that once covered her mamm’s face had long disappeared.

Without looking towards the woman who pulled her twin blonde-haired schwesters from her embrace, she stood frozen to the ground as Bishop Weaver moved closer.

In a soft but stern tone, he said, "Gott’s will is done. Letting a few seconds of silence fall between them, he continued. It’s not our place to question why but trust the purpose for all He does. Gott will never abandon us during our times of grief, and He will always provide if we open our hearts and eyes to see it."

A lump formed in the back of Amanda’s throat as she gasped for air, suddenly realizing they were orphans. She saw his mouth move, but the words he said barely registered.

Turning to leave, he added, The Bible tells us, blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Without lifting her eyes from the hole in the ground, she said in a hushed tone, "Gott can’t comfort my four-year-old schwester in the middle of the night."

Bishop Weaver towered beside her small frame, leaned in, and whispered, He can, and He will, through you.

Squeezing her gloved hands together, and without moving from her spot, she whispered back. "How can Gott think leaving eight girls all by themselves will fill any of us with hope?"

Raising his eyebrows, he said, Turn around.

Without questioning his instruction, she slowly turned to face the hundreds of eyes peering back at her. Each etched with pity that burned a hole in her heart. It took all she had not to run and find a place to grieve in private. Before she had a chance to flee, he said, What you’re failing to remember is this community is willing and able to surround you with what you need.

The bishop tucked the small leather-bound Bible under his arm, and said, "Gott has not left you, and neither will we."

Amanda scanned the crowd and relaxed when her eyes met Maggie and Bella Schrock, her two best friends. Their faces were etched with compassion as they walked her way.

Maggie reached for her hand. Henry is going to take us back to your house so we can set the food out.

Bella wrapped her arm around