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An Amish Christmas Star—three Amish Christmas stories
Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Ellie Coblentz is called back from vacation to help her Grandmommi. John Miller receives a phone call that his father, from whom he has been estranged for almost fifteen years, is on his deathbed. John needs to travel quickly if he wants to get to the nursing home before his father passes, something he is not sure he wants to do. It is a few days before Christmas when the two meet at a bulletin board searching for ways to get from Pinecraft, Florida, to Holmes County, Ohio, in bad weather. As strangers, they make for unusual travel partners, but God has a way of bringing them together under the difficult travel circumstances as they find themselves stranded several times along the journey. In addition to some crazy hired drivers, they also encounter some very kind and helpful people who think helping others is a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas. This is a sweet Christmas story that I think I would enjoy rereading.
Star of Wonder
by Charlotte Hubbard
Lizzie Zehr is a young Mennonite woman with a flamboyant, creative flair. Raised by her two sisters, first one who passed with MS, and then the other who was a talented, but perfectionist baker, Lizzie has felt stifled by them. She finds freedom in a job in a new bulk store in Promise Lodge. A lot of the Old Order Amish have moved there to be away from a mean-spirited Bishop.
Raymond Overholt is another creative who travels from Coldstream to Promise Lodge. His goal, however, is to sell art he has created from barnboard wood decorated with Christmas messages and stars. He just doesn’t enjoy or fit in well in his family’s dairy farm. So when offered a seasonal temporary job at the store in Promise Lodge, he accepts.
If Lizzie and Raymond have a future together, there will be a lot of opposition to overcome arising from the Amish leaders in Coldstream and Raymond’s family. It will take a change of heart by the leadership there and perhaps a change of circumstances. It will take a Christmas miracle!
Starlight Everlasting
by Rosalind Lauer
Rachel and Luke Coblentz began courting when they were quite young. They kept putting off their wedding in hopes that Rachel’s mother would recover from cancer and be able to be a part of the ceremony. Unfortunately, she passed away, leaving the family with seven children and a mountain of medical bills. As young marrieds, they feel an obligation to pay off the debts, but Luke is unable to find a job in the town of Joyful River. He gets a low paying factory job in Maple Run, but that means he and Rachel must live apart 5 days out of the week. This becomes a crisis for the young couple when Luke is required to work on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Meanwhile, Rachel has restored an abandoned Christmas store in Joyful River. It is doing quite well, and she is able to help with the care of her younger siblings, but she misses Luke so much! They reach out to God and rely on him to give them the wisdom and faith required to help them through this difficult season.
Truman is one of Rachel’s young siblings, and I came to love him as much as Rachel does. As Rachel describes him, he is “odd.” He doesn’t understand social signals, but he “has a good heart.” Although bullied, he doesn’t retaliate. He is very smart and memorizes things quickly.
I enjoyed all of these novellas. They were able to tell a whole story in less space than a novel, and I didn’t feel that anything was missing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: These novellas offer the reader the Christmas spirit relying on the story of Christ’s birth as well as the cultural decorations and themes that are celebrated by non-Amish.
Publication: September 30, 2025—Kensington
Memorable Lines from Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles:
When she looked back for Kramer, he was gone, and the truck was too. “I didn’t hear Kramer’s truck leave. Did you?” John stopped and stared. “It was like he vanished. That sure was strange, ain’t so?” “Usually I would agree, but I’m starting to think that he was our own guardian angel,” Ellie said.
Memorable Lines from Star of Wonder:
Best of all, though, she had a new circle of friends who shone as brightly as one of Raymond’s gold stars when the morning sunlight hit it. And for that, Lizzie felt extremely blessed.
Memorable Lines from Starlight Everlasting:
Gott had guided the wise men with a star. It seemed simple and yet profound. Gott was guiding all of his believers each and every day. And that was what had led Luke here tonight. Faith.
Home to Harmony–gentle, inspirational humor
Home to Harmony
By Phillip Gulley
Some readers compare the Harmony series to Jan Karon’s Mitford books with their gentle humor, others to Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon with a dry-humored look at a small town, and still others see the folksy Mayberry in this collection. I glimpse some of all of those attitudes in Gulley’s novels along with a lot of emotion from passages that are laugh out loud funny to others that are so touching they will bring tears to your eyes.
Phillip Gulley is a Quaker pastor, thus giving some authenticity to his main character Sam Gardner who is a Quaker pastor in Harmony, the little town he grew up in. The author peoples Home to Harmony with some extreme characters living out their ordinary lives in unspectacular ways. Despite the ordinariness of the events in the book, Gulley manages to pull all the plugs of human emotions. There is Dale Hinshaw, the tight-fisted elder who has a firm opinion about everything. Miriam Hodges is a leader who manages to get church business accomplished despite elders who would rather discuss things than get them done. Topics range from plumbing to spelling bees and lots in between. The characters manage to get into some hilarious situations and certainly are not perfect. But they try, and Sam Gardner works at being his best and guiding his flock with the kindness and gentleness of Jesus while standing up for what is right in day to day decisions. As Jesus taught through stories, Gulley tries to instruct in the same way using characters we can relate to even if they are somewhat exaggerated. We get to know the characters through various anecdotes that compose the chapters and which generally end with an inspirational line or two that sum up the take aways that Gulley is aiming for.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Fiction, Humor, Inspiration
Notes: 1. #1 in the Harmony Series
2. Audiobook narrated by Norman Dietz. I listened to the book and also read some of it. Dietz is a good narrator for Home to Harmony.
Publication: March 16, 2004—Harper One
Memorable Lines:
There’s danger in thinking joy is a matter of location. If we can’t find joy where we are, we probably won’t find it anywhere.
When love takes you by the hand and leaves you better, that is home. That’s the place to stake your claim and build your life.
In the end, that is what we all must do. Stand where we feel led. Stand straight, stand tall, and try hard to remember that other folks might be led to stand elsewhere.
B is for Bonnet–reconciliation
B is for Bonnet
by Shelley Shepard Gray
After I finished reading A is for Amish, I listened to an audio version of B is for Bonnet. I had already decided which of the characters introduced in A is for Amish would be the protagonists in this second book in the series, and I was so wrong! Although all four of the siblings considering returning to their Amish roots show up in the next book (#2), the focus is on Jonny, the youngest boy, and their father Matt.
A lot of B is for Bonnet deals with reconciliation and forgiveness. Two new female characters are introduced for romantic interest. Treva (Amish) owns a coffee shop and Kennedy (English) is a house/pet sitter. Both English and Amish characters and ways of life are at the forefront as they deal with what it means to “live Amish” and face decisions about their future. The return of an ex-boyfriend, a health scare, and an accident are events in the book that move the plot along.
Callie Beaulieu is the narrator for the audio version. I’m sure it is hard transferring from male to female voices, but I was usually able to recognize which character was speaking.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: 1. #2 in the Amish ABCs series. It could be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading A is for Amish first to get a solid base for the characters.
Publication: January 21, 2025—Kensington
A is for Amish–converting to Amish
A is for Amish
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Four siblings raised together in a dysfunctional way. Four siblings searching for where they really belong. This quartet unites to discover if they could not just survive, but thrive, for a year in the Amish community of their grandparents with whom they spent a lot of time growing up. Their parents had given up the Amish way and gotten divorced. Then they funneled most of their attention into finding their own happiness with another spouse. The children went back and forth between Mom, Dad, and grandparents. Martin, the oldest at twenty-five, assumed the role of protector and guide for the others, Beth, Kelsey, and Jonny.
Each at their own crossroad, they travel together from Cleveland to discuss moving in with their grandparents to learn the Amish way. Because Mommi and Dawdi are overwhelmed with the idea of training four adults at the same time, the young adults decide that just two of them should stay. Martin and Kelsey are the volunteers who remain. Martin, with a very successful career in finance, finds the transition more difficult; he just wasn’t used to working with his hands. Kelsey immerses herself in helping her grandmother and learning Pennsylvania Dutch. Other than conflict with a bossy hen, she has less trouble adjusting.
While Martin and Kelsey are dealing with the restrictions of Amish life, new cultural norms, and issues of faith, they are generally accepted into the community. Martin is enchanted with Patti, his grandparents’ neighbor, who was bullied as a child because of a port-wine birthmark on her neck. Spunky Kelsey captures the heart of Preacher Richard who is trying to help her assimilate. Martin and Kelsey are keenly aware of the need to separate their romantic feelings from the decision to become Amish. Not an easy task.
I had a lot of fun with this Amish novel. The characters are likable—except the one who shouldn’t be. Even his actions and attitude are interesting, moving the story along as he reveals his true nature. In my reading of previous Amish novels, there was usually a Bishop as there is in A is for Amish. This book mentions the selection process for a preacher: “even putting one’s name into the lot was stressful. Discovering the marked Bible was sometimes seen as both a blessing and a curse. No man accepted this fate easily—especially if he was chosen by the Lord to be a preacher at such a young age.” There is a lot of character growth in this novel, but not resolution for everyone. With four young adults as the focus, you can expect a “hook” to draw you into other books in the series about the various siblings.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: 1.#1 in the Amish ABCs series
2. I did a brief Internet search on Amish bishop versus preacher/minister. It was interesting, and I unsurprisingly, as there are various Amish orders, found conflicting information on the role and selection process.
Publication: June 25, 2024—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“Now I understand. You’re not afraid of giving up your life…you’re afraid that even after doing all this, you still won’t be happy.”
“We do,” Kelsey said in what she hoped was a gracious tone. “We have more than enough. I, for one, would be delighted if you joined us.” Of course the moment she said those words, she wished she could take them back. She sounded like a spinster in the middle of a Jane Austen novel.
“We’re all scarred one way or another, child. We live on earth, not heaven. But you mustn’t forget that our Lord doesn’t make mistakes. You were meant to be special because He sees all of us that way.”
Tame Your Thoughts–substitute good thoughts for bad
Tame Your Thoughts
by Max Lucado
Our inner thought life—we all have one. Often our thoughts bubble out into actions. Max Lucado, in Tame Your Thoughts, shares how to control our thoughts, turning the negative ones into positive ones.
Lucado shares three tools to help you manage your thoughts. He reviews the neuroscience that confirms the Biblical truths that God can change your brain. One of the most important truths is that just because you have a thought doesn’t mean you have to dwell on it.
There are many thoughts we have that we wish we didn’t, but God gives us the helmet of salvation to protect us from the evil of the devil. In his typical anecdotal style, Lucado shares examples of the types of thoughts we should ask God to protect us from. The 70,000 thoughts we have each day include plenty of negative ones like anxiety, guilt, lust (craving for anything you can’t have), and anger. Where is the joy in your life? Do you fear rejection? Are you trying to understand the circumstances that are overwhelming you or your inability be satisfied with your life? Are you plagued with pain?
Thinking negative thoughts leads to untruths which we need to “uproot and replant” with positive truths. Tame Your Thoughts is a book that will focus your mind on Biblical truths that will help you reshape your thinking. God has a lot to say about what we think. Pertinent Scriptures are found throughout this book and many are gathered for reference at the end, compiled into a helpful Scripture Database that correlates with each chapter.
Max Lucado is a prolific writer. The “voice” in his writing is one of a pastor, counselor, and friend rolled into one. He is both wise and humorous. He has researched his subject well, but he is also a great storyteller and a creative and talented wordsmith who will always point the reader away from himself and towards God.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion and Spirituality, Self-Help
Notes: 1. Includes discussion questions and a Scripture Database.
2. Other items are available for purchase to accompany this book: Bible Study Guide including access to a streaming Bible Study led by Max Lucado and Audio version read by Lucado.
3. The same streaming 6 session Bible Study is available free online. It starts on September 22.
Publication: August 12, 2025—Thomas Nelson Books
Memorable Lines:
Practice Picky Thinking whenever you’re tempted to grumble. Choose gratitude. Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes he calms the child.
Remember, joy is more than a good mood. It is a deep-seated confidence in God’s presence, power, and promises.
Being a disciple comes down to letting God change the way we live by changing the way we think. Good actions follow good thoughts, Behavior takes its cue from beliefs. If our belief is wrong, our behavior will be wrong. But, if our belief is godly, our behavior will be godly.
The Proposal Plot–marriage material?
The Proposal Plot
by Kathleen Fuller
Books that focus on the Amish are generally clean and wholesome because they are a reflection of Amish faith and beliefs. The Proposal Plot is no exception, but that doesn’t mean that every character is a model of good behavior, kindness, and self-control. There is plenty of room for these characters to grow. Nelson Bontrager has been hurt in wooing two different women and has sworn off women altogether. Ella Yoder has been raised to believe she is not pretty and not “marriage material” because she is bossy and argumentative. The two clash from their first meeting. Ella’s spoiled sister Junia, however, falls head over heels in love with Nelson’s slightly younger nephew, Malachi. The girls’ dad, the widower Barnabas, owns E&J’s Grocery store and is caught in the middle between his two constantly warring daughters.
Wendy, a successful New York City lawyer, needs some distance from the career ladder she has been climbing so she moves temporarily to Marigold, Ohio, and opens an office in a nearby small town. She lives with and becomes a caregiver for her aging, diabetic mother. Wendy is talented at mediation and can afford to accept only cases she chooses and work the hours convenient to her.
This story is a roller coaster of emotions and conflict as there are love/hate relationships throughout the book. There is also a conundrum for one of the characters as she tries to sort out her attraction to Barnabas versus her attraction to the Amish faith. Learning about the backgrounds of all these characters and watching them sort through their feelings makes for an interesting and enjoyable read and a breath of fresh air from the daily news cycle.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: #2 in the Amish of Marigold series, but could easily be read as a standalone. It appears there will be three books in this series.
Publication: May 7, 2024—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
Regardless of what his future held, he had his family and his faith—and he was grateful.
But that would be a lie. Not that she’d been the most honest person all her life. She’d lied in court—what lawyer hadn’t? Over the years she’d lied to her parents more times than she could count, mostly so they wouldn’t worry about her or pry into her life. Most of all, she’d lied to herself.
I love having you with me. I just want you to know that I’ll be okay, whatever you decide.” She smiled. “God’s got my back. He always has.”
Even if He Doesn’t–suffering and trust
Even if He Doesn’t: What We Believe about God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense
By Kristen LaValley
Life is not easy and it certainly can be messy. Just ask Kristen LaValley who with her husband suffered a miscarriage, loss of position in their church, income, and home through what certainly felt like betrayal by friends who turned their backs on the couple. They were faced with the necessity of deciding who should live—twin 1, twin 2, and/or mom. Along with traumatic events over the years, add in the changes that accompany situations like this—finding new friends and trusting them, moving, knowing what to say to well-meaning friends and family, anxiety attacks, health issues, and reconciling their life complications with what they know about a good God.
LaValley does not compare her sufferings with anyone else’s—suffering is suffering. She shares what it meant in her life and describes God’s faithfulness as she made her way through her life journey. Her story is not a comfortable one, but it is valuable to see how she relied on God through the high and low points. It is important to see how God is with us even when He doesn’t answer prayers the way we think He should. He is good because that is His character.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction, Religion, Spiritual Growth
Notes: 1. For some reason, my digital copy of this book disappeared so I checked out an audio version from my library. I’m glad I did. The author did a great job of reading her own book. We all suffer in different ways, and we all know others who are suffering. We need to know how to react to those in pain. Even if you don’t agree with every detail in the book, you can benefit from it. Life is a journey, and we are all involved in discerning the best way to trust in God and move forward with Him as our guide. You are not necessarily at the same place in your trip as LaValley is, but we share a common struggle.
2. Even if He Doesn’t includes a lot of Scripture references that LaValley uses to support her thoughts on suffering.
Publication: February 20, 2024—Tyndale Momentum
Memorable Lines:
The comfort of “even if he doesn’t” isn’t just that one day he will, which I fully believe. It’s that he’s good anyway. He’s faithful anyway. He’s loving anyway. Even when he doesn’t.
When our image of God is dependent on things going the way we believe they should, our image of him is centered on us, not on him. But true faith isn’t believing God is good just because we have proof of it. Faith is believing that he’s good even when we don’t have proof.
The idea that God wants us to suffer (for any reason) stands in direct contradiction to the life, testimony, and work of Christ. Jesus came to take our suffering on himself, not to have us prove something by our own suffering.
Practicing the Way–becoming more like Jesus
Practicing the Way
By John Mark Comer
The founder of Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer, brings his skills as a pastor, writer, podcaster, and teacher to this nonprofit that “develops spiritual formation resources for churches and small groups learning how to become apprentices in the Way of Jesus.” These are free resources. I was not surprised to learn that this book is a teaching resource. Comer is a highly organized thinker who develops his materials around lists, lists, and more lists.
Learning about the teaching methods of the many rabbis during the time of Christ was eye opening to me. Disciples of a rabbi answered a call by the rabbi to follow him and learn by observation and doing. The emphasis of this book for followers of Jesus today is on being apprenticed to Jesus, learning to be like him, not following a bunch of rules.
In a section on finding peace in this digital age, I identified with the author’s response to the stress and frustration most people feel in our society. I think he nailed it with: “The most powerful companies in the history of the world are working around the clock with the most sophisticated algorithms ever devised to stoke your fear and feed your anger, by any means necessary.”
This book is not going to miraculously turn you into “Super Christian,” but will help you think through what being a follower of Jesus means. It is full of quotes by a variety of authors. The purpose of the quotes seems to be to show that others think the way Comer thinks or to expand on what he is saying.
The thesis of the book encourages the reader to:
Be with Jesus
Become like him
Do as he did
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Christianity, Religion and Spirituality
Notes: This book is appropriate for all—from individuals who are just beginning to think about possibly wanting to learn more about Jesus to those who have been following Him for years but realize that they need to continue a fellowship with God that will lead them to be more like Him.
Publication: January 16, 2024—Waterbrook
Memorable Lines:
Apprenticeship to Jesus—that is, following Jesus—is a whole-life process of being with Jesus for the purpose of becoming like him and carrying on his work in the world. It’s a lifelong journey in which we gradually learn to say and do the kinds of things Jesus said and did as we apprentice under him in every facet of our lives.
…the reward for following Jesus is, well, Jesus. It’s the sheer joy of friendship with him.
God has a part, and we have a part. Our part is to slow down, make space, and surrender to God; his part is to transform us—we simply do not have that power.
Easter: The Season of the Resurrection of Jesus
Easter: The Season of the Resurrection of Jesus
By Wesley Hill
Continuing the Fullness of Time series, my book club very appropriately read Easter this month. It is a short book. Not a devotional, not an academic tome, Easter begins with a very engaging introduction describing a Great Vigil of Easter service Wesley Hill attended at a beautiful cathedral in England twenty years ago. He then moves into the story of the first Easter when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. He documents what he describes with Scripture references from all four Gospels weaving in important information about the context of the accounts.
Next, Hill discusses the liturgy used in Anglican and other churches relating baptism symbolically to the resurrection and the new life believers receive when they decide to follow Jesus. Easter is a movable feast, not occurring on the same calendar day each year. It is a complicated calculation, but Hill does share how to figure it out and the factors on which it is dependent. (Or, like me, you can just look the date up on the Internet or a calendar.)
Hill does not just leave us with a risen Lord. He moves on to how the church liturgy highlights the book of Acts which focuses on Jesus’ disciples. Their world has been turned upside down, but Jesus does not abandon them. When He ascends to be with God the Father in heaven, He leaves instructions for His followers to share the Good News and promises to send a helper, the Holy Spirit, to empower them.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Spirituality, Theology
Notes: The Fullness of Time series is edited by Esau McCaulley. It is composed of six stand alone books that can be read in any order: “Each volume in the Fullness of Time series invites readers to engage with the riches of the church year, exploring the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of the seasons of the church calendar.” A seventh book is currently in process to complete the series.
Publication: 2025—InterVarsity Press
Memorable Lines:
Mercy for the undeserving is the overriding, hope-awakening theme of Easter.
Prayer, then, is our asking for what we need from the one who has triumphed over the world’s processes of decay and disorientation. We aren’t trapped by the limited options of life as we’ve always known it. Jesus is alive, and he exhales healing vitality, and wholeness into our world. His Spirit is with us.
The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
What Happens Next: A Traveler’s Guide through the End of this Age
What Happens Next
by Max Lucado
Are you one of the many people tired of the chaos in our times? Are you wondering if we are about to experience the end of this age on Earth? Max Lucado has some answers as he provides a timeline in What Happens Next. His timeline is taken from Biblical prophecies and teachings. He is not going to give you a date for when the world as we know it is going to end because Jesus says in the Bible that only God the Father knows when that will be. Nevertheless, there are many Scriptures that spell out the events of the end times and their sequence. Max shares these to give you a hope, something to look forward to if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior.
Max literally uses a timeline graphic, however, to take you through the steps, clearly and one at a time. Futuristic prophecies are not just found in the book of Revelation where much of the end times is described, but are also in books such as Daniel and Isaiah. About this time last year, I did a study of the book of Revelation using several sources, but I did not come away with as clear an understanding as I did from reading What Happens Next.
Max Lucado has been in the ministry since 1978, and is a prolific author with a very relatable style. His goal is not to scare anyone into Heaven, but he doesn’t shy away from talking about Hell either. There are some controversies among scholars related to end time prophecies. Max explains the various viewpoints on the timing of the rapture, for example. Then he states which he believes is accurate and why. As is typical of Lucado’s writing, he includes anecdotes to tie into the spiritual point he is making, sometimes lightening the lessons and always clarifying them.
If you are a believer in Jesus, this book will give you a fresh appreciation of how much God loves you and certainty about your future. If you are not, you will find answers to questions you have about the end times, God, and how you can have a personal relationship with Him. I strongly recommend What Happens Next.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Nonfiction, Religion and Spirituality, Christian, Theology
Notes: 1. The book ends with “Questions for Reflection” for each chapter including the Big Idea, Application, and a prayer.
2. There is also a six-session Bible study on the end times, with the same title, that can be bought to accompany this book. It is appropriate for group or individual study. It has a workbook and streaming access to professionally created videos with talks presented by Max Lucado who is an excellent speaker. He is not speaking from a pulpit so it feels like a heart to heart conversation.
3. If you want a taste of Max Lucado and this book, I recommend going to YouTube where Max is currently posting on his channel a series called “Fresh Hope.” He has just added the third video.
Publication: 2024—Thomas Nelson (Harper Christian)
Memorable Lines:
God is the God of divine interruptions. Holy surprises. Who could have imagined God living on earth? But he came. Who could’ve imagined God hanging on a cross? But he died. Who could have imagined the empty tomb? But he rose from the dead. He intervenes in mighty and miraculous ways.
He has before.
He will again.
In the meantime keep an eye toward the sky. Live in such a way that Christ will find you faithfully looking for him.
That day is coming. God will put a crown on your head and a hand on your shoulder and bless you…Each child you hugged, he will praise you for it. Every time you forgave, he will praise you for it. Every penny you offered, truth you taught, prayer you prayed, he will praise you for it. He’ll praise you for the day you refused to give in and the season you refused to give up. But most of all, he’ll praise you for saying yes to Jesus.
education pathways 