We recently had relatives from Pennsylvania come to visit, and one of the first things my sister-in-law said to me when they arrived was, “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better while we are here.” I was surprised by that at first, as we have made many trips to Pennsylvania to visit my husband’s family over the years. However, after thinking about it awhile, I realized that during those trips, most of our visits have been in a group setting, and we never got the chance to say more than a few words to each person present.

In order to really get to know someone, you need to spend quality time together, asking questions about them, and sharing things about yourself. I learned a lot about my husband’s brother and his wife during their visit that I would never have known if we hadn’t spent a week together, and now I feel like I’ve made some new friends.

While pondering all of this, I thought about the time I spend in the presence of God. In order to get to know Him better, I need to spend time in His Word, and really talk to Him through prayer. Just a brief prayer here and there, or a quick glance at a passage in the Bible isn’t enough to help me really know the Lord. Is there someone in your life you need to get to know better? Are you spending enough time with God?

Everyone seems busy these days, and the Amish are no exception. Yet, despite their busyness, they still take the time to connect with family. Many Amish parents live close to their children and grandchildren, but some live quite a distance away. In my novel, “The Struggle,” Hannah’s mother had a difficult time accepting the fact that her daughter was moving to another state. I can relate to that a bit, because my own daughter lives in another state. However, when we’re unable to visit in person, we stay in touch through phone calls, emails and texting.

When I’m on the road during a book signing tour, I miss the family members who lives close to us, but it’s nice to know that when we return they’ll be there to welcome us home.

Does your family live close to you, or are they far away? What are some ways you deal with the separation, and how do you stay in touch?

In my novel, The Half-Stiched Amish Quilting Club, the people who came to take Emma Yoder’s quilting class were as different as night and day. At first, those differences bothered the characters, and in fact, some were even irritated by the way the other would-be quilters looked, acted, or spoke. But in the end, everyone in Emma’s class learned to accept the others, despite their differences, and some even became good friends.

My husband and I spend as much time as possible with our Amish friends. And even though we dress differently, speak a different language, and live a different lifestyle, we have found common ground and enjoy being with each other. A few days ago we visited the Rolling Ridge Animal Farm in Holmes County, OH, with two of our Amish friends. We had so much fun, laughing, visiting, and feeding the animals on our wagon ride.

We have learned that we don’t have to be the same in order to have a friendship with those who are different from us. We just have to accept them for the way they are and look for things that can bind us together in love and friendship.

Do you know someone who’s different from you, and yet you’ve become good friends? In what ways have you developed your friendship and made it stronger?