*Disclaimer: Of course, we can’t guarantee someone will love their gift. But seriously, what’s not to love, right? We hope you enjoy browsing this fun Christmas gift-giving guide. Who knows? You might even find a little treat for yourself, too! Just click the image or one of the links below it to find a site where you can purchase a copy of the book.

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1. For the foodie who wants some “yum” with their fiction, we recommend…Made with Love by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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2. For the Amish fiction lover who’s read it all and wants something new, we recommend…My Brother’s Crown by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould!

(Note: This story is about another Protestant group called the Huguenots. Learn more about the similarities and differences between the Amish and the Huguenots in this article by Leslie Gould!)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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3. For the friend who needs to believe in miracles this Christmas, we recommend…Anna’s Healing by Vannetta Chapman!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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4. For the ebook aficionado who loves sweet novellas, we recommend…Amish Christmas Memories by Jerry S. Eicher, Mary Ellis, and Murray Pura!

(Note: This is an ebook-only collection of three previously published Amish Christmas novellas titled Susanna’s Christmas Wish, Sarah’s Christmas Miracle, and An Amish Family Christmas.)

Kindle | Nook | Christianbook

P.S. Did you know you can gift ebooks via email? Read this article to see how to gift a Kindle book from Amazon.com.

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5. For the teacher or student who knows the value of a good education, we recommend…An Unexpected Match by Gayle Roper!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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6. For the incurable romantic who likes a lot of drama with the sweet, we recommend…Miriam and the Stranger by Jerry S. Eicher!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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7. For the loved one who has always dreamed of living the simple life, we recommend…My Life as an Amish Wife by Lena Yoder!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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8. For the curious soul with lots of questions about Amish culture, we recommend…Plain Answers about the Amish Life by Mindy Starns Clark!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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9. For the one who wants to be inspired in her faith, we recommend…The Amish Book of Prayers for Women by Esther Stoll!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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10. For the cook who knows the way to your heart, we recommend…99 Favorite Amish Recipes by Georgia Varozza!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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Bonus: For the child or grandchild who shares your love of the Amish, we recommend…Blossoms on the Roof by Rebecca Martin!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Harvest House

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Happy Christmas shopping!

The post The Fun and Fabulous Christmas Gift-Giving Guide for Amish Fans appeared first on AmishReader.com.

An Unexpected Match by Gayle Roper (September 2014)

About the Book:

Rachel Beiler loves her job as the teacher in her Amish community. She’s obedient, humble, and compliant and tries to keep the ordnung to the best of her ability. But Rachel has a secret—something that could get her shunned if she’s found out. She loves knowledge and yearns for a college education.

After serving a dozen years in the Army, Rob Lanier has returned from Afghanistan. But now that he’s home again, he’s constantly reminded of his family’s fall from grace. His father—once a highly respected and wealthy community leader—has disgraced the family, and Rob can’t find it in his heart to forgive him.

When Rachel and Rob meet, sparks fly. But when a series of frightening events surrounding Rachel’s brother Johnny brings Rachel’s world crashing down around her, this unlikely match between an Amish teacher and an Englischer ex-soldier seems to be God’s perfect answer.

Purchase the Book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook.com

Favorite Quote:

“What are you writing about for next Friday?” Rachel asked. She felt impatient that she had to wait a whole week for the next class because of Labor Day. “We can brainstorm with you.”

“I don’t know.” He grinned that adorable grin of his. “It’s not Thursday night yet.”

What I Enjoyed:

• The authentic and thought-provoking struggle Rachel has as she’s torn between two worlds—one she vowed to be a part of with the family she loves, and the other where she feels free to truly be who God made her to be.
• The unusual but charming friendship that forms between Rachel and two of her classmates. Such unique personalities!
• The intriguing secondary characters—everyone from Rachel’s parents and siblings, to her kind neighbor, admirable college professor, and some definitely not-so-admirable enemies that someone makes…
• The suspenseful elements, as built up by a secondary character who gets himself in over his head.
• The quirky animals (horse and dogs) that add another layer of emotion and fun.
• The sweet romance, including a secondary romance that’s also rather unexpected!
• The unique premise of a young Amish widow wanting to attend college, and the great questions and discussions that arise from the twists and turns of her story.

Question for You:

Rachel finds some unexpected blessings in the Englisch world—including new friends and new lessons about faith. What’s one unexpected blessing (big or small) that you’ve experienced recently?

Giveaway!

Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win a paperback copy of this book!

Fine print: Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only, and participants must be 18 years old or older to enter. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed on Friday, November 21st. This giveaway is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with Facebook, WordPress, or Twitter.

The post Featured Fiction & Giveaway: An Unexpected Match by Gayle Roper appeared first on AmishReader.com.

“I believe in salvation by grace,” she said, a concept I couldn’t argue with given Eph. 2:8,9.

I noticed that though Sally dressed in the traditional Amish style, the colors she wore were not traditional. She’d wear a brown dress with a beige apron or a navy dress with a light blue apron. I knew she’d never wear red, one of my favorite colors, because it would be seen as too bold, maybe even the color of a fallen woman–which I most definitely am not in spite of wearing red as I write this.

Still I asked, “Would you ever wear yellow or pink?” They are, after all, soft colors, gentle colors, not brassy or overwhelming.

“Oh, no,” she said. “They would draw too much attention to me, and I’d never want that.”

I had to smile to myself at her answer. Yellow and pink might draw attention to her, but if I followed her fashion lead and dressed Plain, in my circles I’d definitely be doing the very thing she felt she mustn’t be doing–drawing attention to myself. It’s all perspective.

The post It’s All Perspective appeared first on AmishReader.com.

Personal info: I live in southeast Pennsylvania, but I spend about a third of the year in Canada on a lake my husband’s family has been going to since he was a child.

Author of: A Stranger’s Wish (January 2010) with two sequels to follow

Favorite Scriptures or quotes: Phil. 4:11 “…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (a constant challenge!) and Ps. 66:12 “You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.”

Favorite books: Dick Francis mysteries and almost any romantic suspense

Hobbies/Activities I enjoy: reading, gardening, reading, teaching writing, reading, movies, listening to audio fiction

One funny or interesting thing about me: I cannot get my mind around time and I have discalculia, the numerical version of dyslexia.

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