An Amish Garden

Four Amish Novellas

By: Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Tricia Goyer, Vannetta Chapman

Narrated by: Lauren Berst

From best-selling authors in the Amish genre come four sweet stories of growing gardens and budding romance.

Where Healing Blooms by Vannetta Chapman

When Widow Emma Hochstetter discovers a run-away teenager in her barn, and the bishop asks her to provide a haven for a local woman and her two children she finds her quiet life has been interrupted. Then, her mother-in-law, Mary Ann, reveals one of her garden's hidden secrets, something very unexpected. Will she continue alone or will she accept the gifts God has given her?

Flowers for Rachael by Kathleen Fuller

Rachael Bontrager’s flower garden is beautiful, but at twenty-four, she’s lonely. Gideon Beiler fell in love with Rachael almost at first sight. After her grandfather has a stroke, her days are filled with caring for him, and one day Rachael finds her garden in shambles. However, she won’t accept Gideon’s offers of help. Will she realize she doesn’t have to do everything on her own and that God is in control?

Seeds of Love by Tricia Goyer

Sadie Chupp finds her greatest joy in the greenhouses in her Montana community. A company is interested in buying her heirloom seeds, but they are the only thing she has left from her deceased parents. Eli Plank is a traveling bachelor who believes he can help Sadie, but a misunderstanding leaves her heartbroken. Will she trust him again, and let the seeds of a new relationship take root?

Rooted in Love by Beth Wiseman

Rosemary Lantz is doing her best to run her family’s household. She excels at all her tasks except one: gardening. Saul Petersheim has pursued Rosemary for years, but Rosemary keeps turning him down. What Saul doesn’t know is that she has good reason - something no one can know - especially not him.

Sweet Amish novellas with happily-ever-afters

Book length: 80,000 words

Includes discussion questions for book clubs

©2014 Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Tricia Goyer, and Vannetta Chapman (P)2020 Thomas Nelson

INSPIRING, HOPEFUL…

I love these Amish books! They are uplifting and inspiring. Each story speaks of devotion to God and from that, the desire to serve others.

The stories don’t say that these people are perfect or don’t suffer the same doubts or worries as everyone else, but that when they suffer from these feelings, they consult their Bible and take their instructions from there — they are reminded of how the Lord wants them to act. They are better able look at their situation and ask themselves, “What is God’s purpose in bring this to me? What does He want me to do or to learn from this? Is there a way I can take what I know or have and share it with others whose needs are greater than mine?” The Amish take solace and find beauty in the simpler things in life — nature and family, and all the work they do is done in love; they don’t approach their daily work as just work they have to grind through. When the Amish work in their gardens, they are nurturing the plants that will feed their families (I attempt to grow things and see a lot of weeding to be done and nothing more).

I find these books to be so refreshing. We live in a world today in which so many are in need of spiritual guidance, but don’t seek it. I am not a religious person per se, but I am very much a Christian. These books may not be for everyone, but for me, they renew my faith.

These stories remind me that in life, it is never a case of “MY will be done, but THY will be done.” As a major Type A person, this is a lesson I’ve struggled with my entire life. My general approach to life has always been to push, push, push to move mountains in my way; that if I just throw myself hard enough at things, I can affect change. As I get older (I’m now in my mid-60’s — obviously I’m a SLOW learner!) I’m learning that a better approach is to P.U.S.H. — Pray Until Something Happens.

These stories are a gentle reminder that there is room to be a better version of myself everyday, to share whatever blessings I’ve been given with others and to stop taking those blessings for granted.

Thank you to the authors and narrators for a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I can’t wait to start my next “Amish” book.

I highly recommend these stories to anyone looking to take a break from the general craziness of life and step into a quiet, peaceful place within these stories.