The Heart of the Amish by Suzanne Woods Fisher

We have all been hurt and we all have someone we need to forgive. But sometimes it's hard to let go of our hurt and anger in order to truly forgive and move on. 

For the Amish, forgiving others in order to live at peace is woven into the very fabric of their faith. From daily annoyances to heartbreaking tragedy, they exhibit an incredible capacity for forgiveness that often baffles us. How do they do it? And how can we have the same attitude and ability to forgive?

Through true stories gathered from a variety of Amish communities, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shows you how the Amish 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. You'll learn how to invite God into your story, apply lessons from the Amish to your own circumstances, and find the freedom that comes with true forgiveness.

My review:
  This is out of the normal reading genre' for me, but it is a book that was a fast and interesting read. Each chapter is a story of an Amish person who either forgave someone or made peace with someone. The chapters end with a section to reflect on peacemaking, and a section giving a little more information about the sect of Amish that was discussed.

 This is a convicting book.  I found myself wondering if I'd have reacted the same way as the people did in the stories, and was in awe of how quickly and easily they seem to be able to forgive and make peace with others who have wronged them.  The chapters are short, and I found myself reading through the book fairly fast. It not only gives a look into the lives of the Amish, but is also full of lessons for the reader about forgiving and peacemaking.

About the author:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Letters, The Calling, the Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, includingAmish Peace. She is also the coauthor of an Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner for The Search, a Carol Award finalist for The Choice, and a Christy Award finalist for The Waiting. She is also a columnist for Christian Post andCooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

The Heart of the Amish is available from Revell, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.