Living in the Kingdom of God

Reviewed by Phee Paradise
Amish Peace by Suzanne Woods Fisher

In the introduction to Amish Peace, Fisher says people seeking relief from a stressful lifestyle often inquire about becoming Amish. She quotes an Amish writer who advises them to practice the Amish qualities they admire within the lives they are currently living - qualities like faith, commitment and community. Before reading this book, I didn’t know much about those Amish qualities. Now I admire them for the way they exemplify Christian living. Fisher’s introduction to the ways of the Amish is loving and thorough.

The book is divided into five sections, each dedicated to an Amish value. Within each section there is a selection of two page stories about real Amish people. The stories show how they live out their values and each story is followed by a few questions to help the reader meditate on and apply them to their own lives. Each story is also followed by an interesting fact about the Amish.

I was particularly moved by the sections on community and forgiveness. As I read how the people in the book support and love each other, I asked how I can encourage the members of my church to serve each other in similar ways. I cried as I read the heart wrenching incidents that the Amish freely forgave. The book is an inspiring account of a community that strives to love God and obey and serve Him in all it does.

I usually end my reviews with pros and cons, but I don’t see any cons in this book. Amish principles naturally flow out of the well told stories and inspire readers to humbly ask the Lord to help them live more Godly lives. I think everyone should read this book. You will be blessed if you do.

About the book:
Take a look around you. Everyone is rushing around with endless to-do lists and back-to-back deadlines, barely able to catch a breath. Everyone, that is, except the Amish. Living on the outskirts of modernity, the Amish are icons for a simpler life and a slower pace. It’s this allure—something of a sanctuary, suspended in time—that draws millions of tourists to travel to Amish country every year.

Interviewing dozens of Amish for her book to gain a deeper understanding of their steadfast peace, Fisher got a closer look into the daily struggles and triumphs of the Amish. She shares these touching, real-life stories in the pages of Amish Peace. Through her conversations and interactions with the Amish, she looks at how their enduring peace is rooted in their appreciation for five key elements: simplicity, time, community, forgiveness and their faith. Whether it’s living with only necessities, spending time with family or learning that the world is larger than our feeble understanding, those attitudes provide the framework that allows them to find solace in spite of life’s unpredictable circumstances.

About the Author:
Suzanne Woods Fisher’s interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Benedict left the colony, amicably, and eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne’s work has appeared in many magazines, including Today’s Christian Woman, Worldwide Challenge, ParentLife, Christian Parenting Today, Marriage Partnership, and many others. She has contributed to several nonfiction books and is the author of three novels. Fisher lives in California.


Available October 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Buy a copy of Amish Peace, either online or at your local bookstore, TODAY, Monday October 5th, and enter to win a basket of books published by Revell.

Once you buy the book send Suzanne an email (suzanne@suzannewoodsfisher.com) or leave a comment on her blog.