Lorilee Craker - Homespun: Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words

Homespun reads like a leisurely visit with an old friend. It starts off with light, chatty topics before settling into the-deep-part-of-the-heart experiences, such as a young mom recovering from the stillborn birth of her little boy. At times charming and humorous, at other times profound and heavy, this collection of true stories will linger in your mind long after you close the book.

SUZANNE WOODS FISHER, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF AMISH PEACE

Real voices of Anabaptist womenfrom traditions as diverse as Old Order Amish to car-driving Mennonitesopen up about faith, family, hopes and dreams, and experiencing lifes trials and joys with God by their sides. As a man who is not Amish or Mennonite, I was not sure how this book would resonate with me. I have to say that it did. The womens testimonies here are frank, vulnerable, funny, powerful, and often profoundly moving.

ERIK WESNER, FOUNDER OF THE WEBSITE AMISH AMERICA

The short pieces in Homespun, as diverse as the women who wrote them, focus on issues central to the lives of Amish and conservative Mennonite women, including childbirth, cooking, in-laws, dating, mission work, home decoration, marriage, and above all, friendship. All the chapters evidence a profound Christian faith that makes Homespun a collection that will delight and challenge readers.

KAREN JOHNSON-WEINER, AUTHOR OF TRAIN UP A CHILD: OLD ORDER AMISH AND MENNONITE SCHOOLS

Filled with wisdom, humor, and hard-won faith, Homespun feels like a lovely visit with trusted friends. A must-read for those who wish to better understand the lives and hearts of Amish and Mennonite women.

SERENA B. MILLER, AUTHOR OF AN UNCOMMON GRACE

Talented Amish and Mennonite women bare their souls in words that evoke a whole range of human emotions. They were not all born with a wooden spoon in their hands, and they experience the same struggles as women everywhere. It was impossible to do anything else until I finished reading this book.

ROMAINE STAUFFER, AUTHOR OF LOYALTY TEST

Herald Press

PO Box 866, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22803

www.HeraldPress.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Craker, Lorilee, editor.

Title: Homespun: Amish and Mennonite women in their own words / Lorilee Craker, editor.

Description: Harrisonburg: Herald Press, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018007805| ISBN 9781513803166 (pbk.: alk. paper) | ISBN 9781513803289 (hardcover: alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Mennonite women--Religious life--United States. | Mennonite women--United States--Biography. | Amish women--Religious life--United States. | Amish women--United States--Biography.

Classification: LCC BX8128.W64 H66 2018 | DDC 289.7/73082--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018007805

Most chapters in Homespun first appeared in one of the following publications and appear here with permission of the editors and the writers:

Ladies Journal is a bimonthly magazine published by Ladies Journal, PO Box 138, Loysville, PA 17047. Subscription information available at 717-789-3288. Daughters of Promise is a quarterly magazine produced by Anabaptist women and distributed both digitally and in print. Subscription information available at daughters-of-promise.org or PO Box 189, South Boston, VA 24592.

Bone Opp-a-Deet! by Linda Byler first appeared in the October 2017 issue of The Connection and is used here with permission.

Overcoming Inferiority adapted from Overcoming Inferiority by Sara Nolt. 2016 Christian Light Publications, Inc. Harrisonburg, VA. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, EnglishStandard Version), 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version.

HOMESPUN

2018 by Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22803. 800-245-7894.

All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018007805

International Standard Book Number: 978-1-5138-0316-6 (paperback); 978-1-5138-0328-9 (hardcover); 978-1-5138-0317-3 (ebook)

Printed in United States of America

Cover and interior design by Merrill Miller

Cover and interior photos by Lana Whetzel, La Bella Luce Co.

All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the copyright owners.

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