I’ll admit it’s a little odd to see an Amishman plant a kiss on his neighbor. But it’s a common-enough sight, one you’ll see before Amish church service. What is the Holy Kiss? The holy kiss is a practice with Scriptural basis (more on that below). As with other Amish practices, the way it is done varies. In some groups just the ministers exchange the…
Today, another of the Rules of a Godly Life. Â I think it’s fitting this is the first listed in the devotional: Awake in the morning with your thoughts turned to God. Think, this might be your last day of life. And when you go to bed at night, pause a moment to realize that it is unknown to you whether you will awake again on…
Number 5, from section 2 (WORDS), in Rules of a Godly Life: Confide to no one your personal secrets unless you have beforehand found him to be worthy of your trust. Here is one way to prove him and learn to know him well: confide to him some secret of small importance; if he keeps it to himself it is an indication of his trustworthiness….
The devotional Rules of a Godly Life is split into three sections, focused on Thoughts, Words, and Works.  We’ve looked at two Rules already–one from the Words section, on speaking evil, and another from Works, concerning  appearance. Number 15 from the Thoughts section is one of the shortest in the entire devotional, at just two lines: If you have an important decision to make, or you…
Rules of a Godly Life is a concise devotional read by Amish. Â Last week we looked at what it has to say on speaking evil. Â I thought I’d share another today. Â This is rule #11, from Section 3 (“Works”): Practice modesty in the wearing of clothes, and have nothing to do with pomp and luxury in raiment. It is great vanity to spend as much…
Rules of a Godly Life is a devotional found among Amish. It’s a small booklet consisting of three parts. You can access it in its entirety here, where it was included to accompany the PBS Amish film. You can also get it at places like Gordonville Book Store or Raber’s in Ohio for a dollar or two. Â The PBS site describes it as such: “Rules…
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 any family of an Amish convert would encounter…but as you’ll…
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. Â Anne and her husband have had an experience unlike most, in watching a college-educated son with a modern upbringing join one of the more closed religious societies…
In today’s interview, Mose Gingerich answers questions about the National Geographic Amish: Out of Order program.  Mose shares his thoughts below on a range of topics including faith, hell, and his hopes for the series. Amish: Out of Order is in the middle of a ten-episode run on the National Geographic Channel.  The series looks at the lives of former Amish as they deal with life…
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. Â One day while ice-skating, Marlene meets Johnny Miller, an Amish boy five years her senior. Â She would later marry Johnny, join the Amish church at age 23, and have ten children. Â She remains Amish to this day….