Book Review: Amish Grace

Amish Grace
Currently, I am reading "Amish Grace". This book was written after the Amish school shootings at Nickle Mines in October 2006. I have only read three chapters so far, but it is a very moving account of how non-Amish people and Amish people came together during this time of grief. It is also the story of Amish forgiveness extended to the killer's family. In this book you will learn much about Amish culture that you never knew. You will be challenged in your own life as you think about how you live out your Christianity in day to day life. You will be touched by the compassion with which the authors address the issues surrounding that dreadful day in Nickle Mines and the sensitivity with which they share with us Amish culture. I highly recommend it and will probably add to this post when I finish reading the entire book.

March 14

I finished reading Amish Grace. It takes a deep look at Amish doctrine and practice. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to really understand the Amish and why they do things the way they do. It was reviewed by several Amish people before it went to print, so you can be assured this is not just some "outsiders" spouting their opinion of why the Amish do things the way they do. It is accurate. It is very sensitively written and I came away with a new understanding and respect of the Amish even though I don't completely agree with all their views.

There were two things that stood out to me as I read this book. One Amish man said that when he went to a counseling session following the shootings he learned that he would need to adjust to a "new normal" now. I liked that because it is helpful to look at things in this way when life throws things at you that can't be changed or don't seem to change...it's a "new normal" to learn to adjust too.

The other thing that one Amish was quoted as saying in regard to drought is this, "We don't pray for rain. We wait for rain and when it comes we thank God for it." I found this statement interesting. I'll need to do some Bible study, but I wonder if this is Biblical or not. In some ways I am thinking not, but the attitude behind it intrigues me. They wait humbly for God to bring rain instead of begging Him for it. That's interesting to me.