Thanksgiving is a time when Amish people celebrate with their family, and sometimes friends and neighbors.
While there are many different Amish communities, most celebrate Thanksgiving in a similar way.
After sharing a big meal with all the traditional trimmings, Amish families may play games and engage in conversation. There is no TV to sit and watch, like many English people do, and no one communicates with others via text or social media.

Some of my readers have asked if the Amish do devotions on Thanksgiving Day. I can’t say whether all Amish people do, but those I know personally do their devotions daily. They want to express their gratitude to God for all He has given them, and by reading their Bible and praying, they draw closer to Him.

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving at your house? What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving Day foods?

One of the things I most admire about the Amish way of life is the dedication they have for keeping true to their faith. While the Amish and other Plain groups would be the first to admit they aren’t perfect, their modest way of life and deep faith in God provides us with a model of how we might simplify our own lives in order to live better, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
The Amish way of life offers us ideas on how to live a slower-paced, satisfying life, with less dependence on modern things, and more emphasis on God, family, and friends.
I’ve had many personal experiences with the Amish since I began writing. Our time spent together has not only drawn me closer to the people I’ve come to know and love, but it’s given me a deeper understanding and appreciation of God’s amazing love. My Amish friends have inspired me to live my life a little more simple, while keeping true to the things that have eternal value.

A few weeks ago, four of our dear Amish friends came by train to visit our home. They stayed with us for five days, and we wished they could have stayed longer. In addition to their humor and pleasant attitudes, I couldn’t help but notice their humbly spirits. Instead of concentrating on themselves, they looked to the needs of others.

The Amish culture is embedded in the German word “Gellassenheit,” which means yielding to a higher authority and becoming a humble person. The Bible teaches us to be clothed with humility. That means we are to wear it all the time so that others may see Christ living in us. Humility isn’t just about not bragging; it’s about being willing to do the most menial tasks. It’s about serving others, and thereby serving the Lord, without needing any recognition. The humility and willingness to help I saw in my Amish friends encouraged me to wear the clothes of humility, too.

Do you have friends or family members who appear humble? How does it make you feel when you spend time with them? What are some ways we can practice “Gellassenheit?”