An Amish Reward
Page 15
I’ve always thought of the Biblical story of Isaac and Rebekah as a sweet and intriguing love story. Could you imagine being in Rebekah’s shoes? Being single and sought out for marriage to a stranger? It would seem like a frightening thing to me, unless, like Becky in my story, I had complete peace that I was walking in God’s will.
Has there ever been a time in your own life when you blindly followed God’s will? Of course, if we are sure it is God’s will, we would not be blind but trusting where God’s hand leads.
When my family moved from California to Indiana, we left our home state not knowing how things would turn out. We just knew that it was God’s will and that He would make a way. And He did! We had no home to call our own, but God had provided us a rental through a former-Amish man we’d met online. Several months prior, we’d taken a survey trip to Indiana to look at properties to purchase. I fell in love with a wonderful home, formerly owned by Amish folks. Perfect for my occupation, aint so? Between the time we looked at it and the time we arrived in Indiana, the Amish home had been sold. Our rental lease lasted for six months and sometime during that period, the house we’d been looking at went up for sale again. It was truly God’s hand at work!
On top of all that, it turned out that the home was located next-door to the Amish bishop, who just so happened to be the father of our former-Amish friend. Talk about Providence! If you’ve followed my blog posts at Amish Fiction Authors.com, you’ve read the story of how we went on to host an Amish documentary in our home. We were able to meet many former-Amish friends. It was an awesome blessing and a definite confirmation that our adventure had been directed by the hand of God.
God is good!
I will leave you with a few inspirational verses that mean much to me. First, Psalm 37:4, Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Also, in Psalm 84:11, we read, For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Finally, Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
If we study these verses, there are many promises from God! He will give me the desires of my heart. He will give grace and glory and will withhold no good thing. He will direct my paths. Isn’t that wonderful? But if you take a closer look, you will see that I have an obligation as well. I’m expected to delight myself in the LORD. I’m expected to walk uprightly. And I’m expected to trust in the Lord with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding. I’m supposed to acknowledge Him in all my ways.
See friend, trusting in God is a two-way street. His blessings are contingent on my obedience. Am I doing my part so that God can bless me? Are you doing your part so God can bless you?
Please don’t confuse what I’ve written with salvation and God’s love. God’s love is free and available to all. All that’s required for us to be saved is trusting in what Christ did on the cross for us. His love is unconditional and He loves us no matter what! That, my friends, is amazing!
Let’s do all we can, not only to be blessable, but also to be an example of God’s grace and a conduit of His love.
Blessings,
J. Spredemann
P.S. If you have a friend who might enjoy this story, please share this book with them.
Thanks for reading!
To find out more about J.E.B. Spredemann, join our email list, or purchase other books, please visit us at www.jebspredemann.com. Our books are available in Paperback, eBook, and Audiobook formats. You may also follow J.E.B. Spredemann on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Bookbub, and Goodreads.
Questions and comments are always welcome. Feel free to email the author at jebspredemann@gmail.com.
Discussion Questions
1. Abraham felt Isaac wouldn’t marry if he didn’t step in. Have you ever done something drastic on behalf of someone else?
2. Although Becky desired to marry, she felt she’d be better off single than to marry someone God did not choose for her. This took great patience. Have you ever been through a time in your life when you’ve had to just sit still, be patient, and wait on the Lord?
3. Becky’s waiting led her to feel like she’d been looked over, when, in reality, she was being preserved for God’s perfect plan. Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt abandoned, only to discover that God had a plan all along?
4. Isaac had been content as a bachelor and didn’t think he wanted a wife, that is, until Becky stepped in and rocked his world. Have you ever been content and reticent to change, and then realized that God had something even better in mind for your life than you had envisioned for yourself?
5. Have you read the Old Testament Bible story of Isaac and Rebekah? What are your thoughts on it?
6. Ezekiel was, for the most part, a quiet character, but he was also a faithful friend. Have you been blessed with an ‘Ezekiel’ in your life?
7. Aunt Lucy came as a surprise character while I was writing, and quickly became a favorite. Do you have an ‘Aunt Lucy’ in your life, someone who makes you smile?
8. Have you, like Becky, ever lied on behalf of someone else? We know that the Bible states, “Thou shalt not bear false witness” and that lying is wrong. But there are a couple of instances in God’s Word where lying for the sake of protecting others is seemingly overlooked by God. Can you give any examples of this?
9. Isaac eventually realized that his behavior in Bishop Yoder’s district had caused others to sin and God smote his heart as a result. Have you ever considered how your actions might affect other people?
10. Laban saw God as some uncaring ‘judge in the sky’ who required him to live by strict rules. How do you view God? Do you see Him as an uncaring judge, or as a Heavenly Father who is concerned with every aspect of your life?
11. Have you, like Laban, trusted Christ as your Saviour? If so, when did you take that step?
12. What was your favorite part of An Amish Reward, and why? Did you have a favorite character?
13. What lessons can you take from Isaac and Rebekah’s story? How can you apply it to your own life?
A SPECIAL THANK YOU
I’d like to take this time to thank everyone that had any involvement in this book and its production, including my Mom and Dad, who have always been supportive of my writing, my longsuffering Family—especially my handsome, encouraging Hubby, my Amish and former-Amish friends who have helped immensely in my understanding of the Amish ways, my supportive Pastor and Church family, my Proofreaders, my Editor, my CIA Facebook author friends who have been a tremendous help, my wonderful Readers who buy, read, offer great input, and leave encouraging reviews and emails, my awesome Street Team who, I’m confident, will ‘Sprede the Word’ about my books! And last, but certainly not least, I’d like to thank my Precious LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, for without Him, none of this would have been possible!
Have you had a chance to read the other books in this series? Here’s a peek at An Amish Deception:
ONE
Jacob shoveled a forkful of supper into his mouth and glanced up at his father who sat at the head of the table. Was he humming? How Dat loved his venison. And the son who’d hunted for it. A pang of jealousy cinched Jacob’s heart.
One thing he’d always longed for was his father’s approval—something he’d never had.
“Ach, this must be some of the best venison I’ve ever tasted!” Dat boasted. Jacob had heard this speech so many times he predicted Dat’s next words. “Ephraim, you are one of the best hunters I’ve ever known.”
“Denki, Dat!” His brother beamed at their father’s praise. It seemed Ephraim could do no wrong. “I tried a new recipe this time.”
Of course he did. Jacob sighed, clenching his hand in a fist.
His mother squeezed his other hand under the table.
“Jacob grew the vegetables,” Mamm said.
Dat grunted. He could
n’t care less about vegetables. The only reason he forced vegetables down his throat is because Mamm insisted he eat them to stay healthy.
“He should learn to hunt like his bruder. Ain’t nothin’ like venison stew.”
Did Ephraim just sneer? He already knew what his brother thought of his gardening skills—it was women’s work. Anyone could do it, he’d claimed. A real man hunted for his food, he’d insisted.
Jacob had always had a heart for animals, which is why he preferred not to kill them if he could help it. He’d much rather help Dat care for the horses on their ranch and assist Mamm with the gardening.
Dat had always favored Ephraim, although he’d never been intentionally cruel to Jacob. He supposed Dat still loved him in his own way. But not as much as Ephraim. Never as much as Ephraim.
And Dat’s favoritism seemed to worsen the older he got.
“He also grew the lilacs. Don’t they smell wunderbaar?” Mamm pointed to the vase on the table.
Dat shrugged. “Jah, the flowers are nice. Lilacs were my mamm’s favorite.” He offered an obligatory smile.
Well, that was something. Probably as closed to a compliment as Jacob would get.
He lifted his eyes to see his brother shaking his head and holding in a chuckle. His brother had an uncanny way of making him feel two inches tall. Well, he was sick and tired of his brother’s condescending superiority complex. Pride was not their way. He wished Ephraim would be called out on it, but it was not Jacob’s place.
Ephraim was literally one minute older than him, but he acted as though he were a decade his senior.
They’d have it out for sure. Eventually. He’d best his brother yet. He just had to be patient and wait for the perfect time. And patient was something he’d learned to be while tending to his garden. He could be patient.
Just wait and see, Ephraim.
~
Jacob ran a brush through the mane of one of their horses and thought back to his school days. He’d tried everything to gain his folks’ approval. He knew that he’d always had Mamm’s. She supported him in everything. But when it came to Dat, he always wanted to hear about what Ephraim had done during recess. It was as though Jacob’s getting a high score on a test paled in comparison to Ephraim’s home run.
His parents must’ve decided from early on that Jacob was Mamm’s favorite and Ephraim was Dat’s. As far back as he could remember, it had always been that way. Didn’t they realize that children needed both a mother’s and a father’s attention?
He surveyed his folks as they walked hand-in-hand in the cool evening. Although they seemed to play favorites with their sons, it was clear to Jacob that his mamm and dat were deeply in love, even after being married all these years. Aside from Der Herr, no one on this earth was more important.
Jacob longed for that kind of relationship with a woman. What would it be like to find someone who looked at him the way Mamm looked at Dat—as though he were the most handsome, most important person in the whole world.
Ach, perhaps that was how he would gain his father’s approval. Jacob knew good and well that neither Mamm nor Dat approved of Ephraim’s choice of maed. Would he marry the Englisch maedel he’d been dating the last several months? She didn’t share their views on hardly anything. Jacob figured his brother likely dated her because she allowed him to drive her fancy car. She was worldly. Not a woman Jacob would ever consider dating.
Jacob thought of the maed in their district. There seemed to be more buwe than maed his age. That was one of the reasons Grossdawdi and Onkel Ezekiel brought Mamm and Aenti Lucy here some years ago. There hadn’t been enough maed to go around. Jah, he still had a chance. There were single maed available who would probably have him if he desired, but none of them had caught his eye. He wanted someone like Mamm.
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