Amish Christmas at North Star

On the November night of a record setting blizzard, Amish midwife Rebekah Schlabach delivered four babies in one night-three girls and one boy. When a young writer finds a 25 year newspaper article in his mom's attic retelling the story of "Rebekah Babies," he decides to track down Rebekah and all the adult children born on that night. It was a delightful turn of events when Chase and bumps into 25 year old Elle McAllister searching for her birth mother among the Amish Community of North Star.  Guiding Star, Mourning Star, In the Stars, and Star of Grace-Four stories by four extraordinary writers connect the lives of the children born on that night. I love Amish stories and especially Cindy Woodsmall because there is no foul language and sexual content. Woodsmall takes special care to be authentic and accurate in her writing of the Amish. This heartwarming collection was so interesting because they were tied together by the Prologue and Epilogue written by Katie Ganshert.

What the Bible Says about Fasting

As a teaching director of Community Bible Study we are studying the book of Matthew for 30 weeks. As an in-depth bible study our leaders’ council and our Servant Team are challenge to deepen our intimacy with the Lord through fasting. I was thrilled to see the writer of this pamphlet on Fasting using references from the gospel of Matthew. “He is not interested in empty, public displays of piety (Matthew 6:16–18). When we fast, we worship God, and he wants that worship to spring from a joyful, loving heart.” The author reminds us fasting is not only from food and drink, but also from a self-centered lifestyle driven by social media. I like the idea of fasting from the computer, TV, or phone. It is rare to shop or dine without an intrusion of texting or calling. My ladies have pledged to turn on phones during out time of study. Jesus is the Bread of Life and the Living Water. Our dependence on nourishment from Him draws us closer and allows us to hear when He speaks in a still small whisper. Our writer gives many key verses from the Bible about fasting and list well-known characters including Esther, Daniel, and of course, Jesus. Many years ago I entered a Daniel fast for healing. Prayer is vital to the preparation and endurance of the fast. It should be a private endeavor between you and God. Jesse Lipes shares valuable advice on how to fast. Included is a neat chart of fasts from Bible History telling the type of fast, the who, the why, and the outcome of the fast. Thank you Rose Publishing for giving me this PDF file for an honest review.