Joining the Amish

Anne is back with a new piece on her recent visit to her Amish convert son Ed‘s community in Minnesota. When last we heard from Anne, she was describing why she felt like a wimp living Amish for a few days. One thing the Amish have in abundance is children. It’s no surprise when they say their […]

Continue Reading When a son joins the Amish: The only treasure you can take to Heaven

After sharing some of the hard times in her son’s Minnesota Amish community, including health and financial concerns, Anne writes that she has received another letter from Ed and Ruth. When I read the account below I thought about how different this picture is compared to what 90% of America imagines Amish life to be. […]

Continue Reading When a son joins the Amish: Dollars, Degrees, Dentists

Last summer we first heard from Anne, whose son Ed a few years ago joined an Amish community in Minnesota.  Anne shared her experience as an English mother to an Amish son in posts on language challenges at Ed’s wedding, friends’ reactions, and expectations regarding photos. Becoming Amish is not easy to do, which is probably as […]

Continue Reading When a son joins the Amish: Hard times

You may remember hearing a while back from Anne, whose son Ed joined the Amish.  Anne has just returned from a visit to see Ed and her new grandson in Minnesota.  She also spent some time recently in Pennsylvania.  I think you’ll enjoy this update in which she sheds light on how others, both Amish […]

Continue Reading When a son joins the Amish: How do others react?

Marlene Miller is a convert to the Amish and author of Grace Leads Me Home, a memoir of becoming Amish and her life in the 45 years since.  I read Marlene’s book a couple of months ago and quite enjoyed it.  Here is how I described my overall impression: I liked the book.  We’ve seen […]

Continue Reading Marlene Miller on Grace Leads Me Home: Giveaway & Interview

Last week Anne shared her experience as a parent of a son who joined the Amish. Anne shared some of the wonderful things, as well as the difficulties of her son Ed becoming a member and marrying in an Amish church. Today we hear about another challenge her family has faced. This is an issue […]

Continue Reading When a son joins the Amish: What about photos?

One of our readers, Anne, has a son, Ed*, who was fairly recently baptized in the Amish church. I’ve been corresponding with Anne for some time on the subject, and hope to share more with you in future.  Anne and her husband have had an experience unlike most, in watching a college-educated son with a […]

Continue Reading When a son joins the Amish

Grace Leads Me Home by Marlene Miller Marlene C. Miller grew up Marlene Bailey in a little town on the edge of the Holmes County, Ohio Amish settlement.  One day while ice-skating, Marlene meets Johnny Miller, an Amish boy five years her senior.  She would later marry Johnny, join the Amish church at age 23, […]

Continue Reading Joining the Amish: 45 Years Later

Alice Mary writes: About 6 years ago, my husband & “kids” (then ages 23 & 29 at the time, daughter & son, respectively) were coming back from some concert in Millennium Park (or Grant Park?) and a young Mennonite woman (late teens, I’d guess) greeted me (I guess it was obvious I was the “Mom”) […]

Continue Reading Do Amish evangelize?

If you’re thinking you’d like to join the Amish, odds are it’s the wrong decision. As we’ve discussed many times (see “If you left the English, what would you gain?“), there are too many challenges for most people to adopt an Amish life. Still, some kindle a desire to become Plain.  Many are younger individuals. […]

Continue Reading Joining the Amish after 50?