An Amish Marriage

Might her new husband be this reluctant bride’s perfect match? No one in their Amish community thought Rachel Mast would end up with Ben Raber—least of all Rachel! Everyone assumed she’d start a family with his brother, until he broke her heart by leaving the community. Now Rachel’s unexpectedly pregnant and married to a hardworking husband who feels like a stranger. It's not the marriage she hoped for…but can they turn this rocky beginning into a happy ending? From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

Three best-selling authors. Three possible brides. Three separate tales. They come together for an Amish wedding. Priscilla King has dreamed of being married to Chester Lapp since she was sixteen. With the help of her sister Naomi’s matchmaking skills, Chester proposes to Priscilla on her nineteenth birthday. As the wedding day approaches, problems emerge: an attendant with poison ivy, a failed celery crop, and a torn wedding dress. At the same time, Priscilla’s best friend Rose is convinced her fiancé is hiding something and she is intent on discovering the truth at any cost. Naomi remains hopeful that she, too, will soon find her perfect match. When Chester’s cousin shows up, there’s an immediate attraction between him and Naomi—as well as an obstacle that may just as immediately derail their blossoming love. Is God sending a message to stop the wedding? What is certain is that the hearts of these three women will be forever transformed by this touching Amish wedding.

In Rachel J. Good’s sweetly romantic inspirational series, a bustling Green Valley Farmer’s Market in Pennsylvania is the perfect place for residents of nearby Amish communities to find the partner of their dreams—when, and how, they least expect it! Will appeal to fans of Charlotte Hubbard, Amy Lillard, and Jennifer Beckstrand. When widower Stephen Lapp moves his five children from New York State to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, his only plan is to buy his family’s farm stand, Lapp’s Pastured Pork. That way, his brother can move closer to his fiancée and open his own stand. But on Stephen’s first trip to the market, his brave act of kindness nearly ends in catastrophe—until strong-willed Nettie Hartzler saves him—and makes an impression he can’t forget . . . A widow with private heartaches of her own, Nettie has no interest in getting involved with any man, though she doesn’t discourage their respective children’s new friendships—despite Stephen’s contentious oldest daughter. But when Nettie runs into serious money worries and Stephen proposes a marriage of convenience, she’s distressed and conflicted. She’s come to know Stephen’s gentle heart and generous soul, and she can’t believe he’ll want her if she reveals the sins of her past. God has His own plans for the faithful, however, and this time they may include a second chance at love . . .

Millie Fisher may be widowed, but she leads a full life in her Amish hometown of Harvest, Ohio. There’s her quilting circle, her Boer goats, her gift for matchmaking—and the occasional murder . . . Millie is happy that her childhood friend, Uriah Schrock, has returned to Harvest after decades away. He was sweet on Millie in their school days, but she only had eyes for her future husband. Now, there’s a new spark between them, so Millie is concerned when Uriah doesn’t show up at the Harvest concert series—or for his job as the Village square’s groundskeeper. Perhaps Millie has been involved in too many murder investigations, but she has a sinking feeling. And when she and her best friend, Lois, find Uriah with the police, it seems she’s right . . . A film crew is in Harvest to make a movie about a forty-year-old unsolved murder. A skeleton has been found at the bottom of a ravine—and Uriah is certain it’s his sister, Galilee. Right before Uriah left Ohio, she disappeared, and her harsh husband, Samuel, was found fatally stabbed with a knitting needle. The sheriff declared that Galilee killed him and ran away. Uriah never believed the theory, and he’s come back to Harvest hoping, Gott willing, Millie will help him stitch together the truth . . . Praise for Amanda Flower and her Amish cozies “As it turns out, Amanda Flower may have just written the first Amish rom com.” —USA Today “At turns playful and engaging . . . a satisfyingly complex cozy.” —Library Journal

Discusses the weddings and other special occasions of the Amish and Old Order Mennonite people, answering questions about baptisms, worship services, funeral practices, and holidays.

Hopkins Digital Shorts deliver high-quality scholarship and compelling narratives in an abbreviated, electronic format. Whether excerpted from forthcoming or classic backlist titles or developed with newly commissioned content, Hopkins Digital Shorts provide concise introductions to fundamental concepts, defining moments, and influential texts. Rumspringa, literally translated as “running around,” is a time when Amish youth socialize with their peers and are allowed some autonomy before officially joining the church as young adults. It has become one of the most recognized aspects of Amish life, both real and mythologized. During this time they face the two most crucial decisions of their lives: whether to join the church, and if and whom to marry. Rumspringa, an exciting adventure and at times a period of inner turmoil, commences at age sixteen—or seventeen in more traditional groups—and continues until marriage. With few exceptions, adolescents eagerly count the days until they are old enough to join the young folks. In this digital short, Kraybill considers the nuances of this important rite of passage into Amish adulthood.

A Wedding for Julia, the third book in a romantic series from popular author Vannetta Chapman, takes a last look at the Amish community of Pebble Creek and the kind, caring people there. As they face challenges from the English world, they come together to reach out to their non-Amish neighbors while still preserving their cherished Plain ways. Julia Beechy is so stunned, she can hardly breathe. Her mother’s announcement that she must either marry or move from the family home upon her mother’s imminent death catches Julia by surprise. How can she leave the only home she has ever known? What about her dream of opening her own Plain café? When Caleb Zook offers support, comfort, and a solution, Julia is afraid to accept it. Can she marry someone she barely knows? Is it the right thing to do? Is this God’s plan for her future? Caleb thought his time for marrying was long past, but he feels a stirring in his heart he cannot shake for this beautiful, forlorn woman. Amid the circumstances of this life-altering decision, the people of Pebble Creek weather the worst storm to hit Wisconsin in the last hundred years. Where will Julia and Caleb be on the other side of it?

Neither Margaret nor Owen has any interest in getting married. But in the small Amish town of Birch Creek, where marriage is on everyone’s mind, their plans don’t stand a chance. Margaret Yoder can’t seem to catch a break. Even though she’s dedicated to her Amish faith, her wild rumspringa won’t stay in the past, and her mother keeps pressuring her to get married. To placate her mother and get away from former “friends”, she decides to return to Birch Creek to visit family—and pretend to find a husband. Like Margaret, Owen Bontrager isn’t looking for a spouse, something that’s hard to avoid in Birch Creek, where an ad for brides in the local paper has brought a swarm of single women to the thriving town. When he meets Margaret in an unexpected way, they discover they have more in common than they ever expected. In some ways, they are a perfect match. Margaret struggles to keep her goal of avoiding romance in order to focus on being a faithful member of the Amish church, and it doesn’t help that she finds Owen intriguing. Knowing they don’t have a future together; she returns home and gives in to her mother’s insistence that she get married. Can Margaret betray her feelings for Owen and become a dutiful daughter and wife to the man of her mother’s choosing? Or will Owen find a way to free Margaret of her past by giving her the future they both are surprised to find they desire? Sweet Amish romance Second in the Amish Mail-Order Bride series, but can be read in any order Book 1: A Double Dose of Love Book 2: Matched and Married Book 3: Love in Plain Sight Book length: 77,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs