One of the most obvious things about the Amish life is their desire to yield to God and please Him by the things they say and do. They teach their children to pray before and after each meal. They attend church together as a family and sing songs about God. They give themselves to others.

While all these things are pleasing to God, what pleases Him more than anything is when we worship Him with our whole heart. Sometimes we feel the need to please others, but the One we should want to always please is the Lord.

Pleasing God should be our goal;
He sent His Son to save man’s soul.
Like a father cares for his young,
God provides for Christians, everyone.
He takes care of those who trust;
The desire to please Him is really a must.

— WEB

Earlier this month one of my first novels, The Storekeeper’s Daughter, was re-released. This book deals with the kidnapping of an Amish child, and the oldest daughter in the family, Naomi, was the one who left her little brother, Zach on the picnic table with a stranger. What did Naomi’s behavior after her brother was kidnapped reveal about her character and feelings of guilt? Was Naomi’s guilt justified?

Have you ever felt responsible for something and became consumed with guilt? Did your guilty feelings cause you to do things you might not have otherwise done?

What are some ways that people deal with their guilt? How do you think God wants us to deal with our feelings of guilt?

A friend loveth at all times.
Proverbs 17:17

During one of our visits to Ohio, our Amish friend, Daniel, told us about a surprise anniversary party he and his wife had planned for some of their friends. As they gave us the details about the great lengths they’d gone to in order to keep the anniversary couple from finding out about the party, I was struck with the realization that a true friend goes the extra mile to do something special for someone they care about.

Another instance of friendship came to mind during the time we spent with some of our Amish friends in Pennsylvania. They actually gave up their bed and moved to the basement so we could have a room on the main floor.

One other time, some of our Amish friends in Indiana invited me to do a book signing in their home, and they invited their friends and relatives to come and meet us. We had an enjoyable evening as I signed books, visited, and ate refreshments.

The depth of friendship isn’t merely about spending time together or doing the right thing toward our friends. It’s about sacrifice and doing for others as we would have done to us. It’s about showing friends that we love them just as Christ loves us. Is there something special you can do for one of your friends today?