Review of Grace Given by Beth Shriver
Never doubt in the darkness what God has shown you in the light.
Amish Proverb
Elsie Yoder can’t forgive her sister, Katie, for leaving the community. Unable to let go of her sadness, she withdraws from her friends and family, nursing her feelings of betrayal.
Gideon Lapp has held a special place in his heart for Elsie and longs to help her get through her troubles. Together they find comfort in their study of the Martyr’s Mirror, a centuries-old book that describes their ancestors’ sacrifices for their faith through years of persecution.
As Elsie opens up and begins to put her trust in Gideon, she tells him about the harassment she and her sister received at the hands of some local men. When the men return and threaten the community, Elsie and Gideon must stand together to do what is right. But can Elsie learn to give grace and to humble herself to accept grace as well?
MY REVIEW:
What a wonderful look at grace and forgiveness Beth Shriver presents in Grace Given. I am a Virginian so found it interesting that the story focuses on a group of Amish who have moved from Virginia to Texas. I also lived in Texas for several years and there are definitely many differences in climate and with planting for the Amish to deal with. They also must deal with prejudice and bullying from local young people as well as forgiving within their own families. I loved this book and highly recommend it. For a healthy dose of grace and mercy, read this book!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Beth followed her passion and writes full time after working as a social worker. She received a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska.She writes in a variety of genres in both fiction and non-fiction.
Visit her website at: http://WWW.BETHSHRIVERWRITER.COM
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I'm continuely amazed at how many authors write Amish fiction, and can't help but wonder how the Amish themselves feel about that. As much as I'm fascinated with the Amish, for some reason I just can't get really excited about the fiction books about them. I'll try one ever so often, and have even enjoyed some, but it's never like I have a big urge to get another one right away.
ReplyDeleteoh really, Linda? I love Amish fiction. I understand that some of the Amish ladies read the Amish fiction. What kinds of books do you enjoy most?
ReplyDeleteGreat review, Rhonda! In answer to Linda's comment regarding how the Amish feel about us reading Amish stories, I talked to a couple of older Amish ladies when I was in line at a local Amish grocery store. They laughed a bit about it, and said that they don't read the Amish stories themselves, and wondered why so many people read them. I love Amish fiction, and explained to them that I frequent the Shipshewana area, and respect and admire what they represent as a people. They both just shrugged their shoulders and smiled a bit. Sweet ladies!
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