I have always liked to read about the Amish. And shop at Amish stores when possible. And eat Amish food. I don’t think I’m alone in this. Many people are curious about the Amish lifestyle. That’s why I was looking forward to reading Called To Be Amish by Marlene C. Miller.
Fewer than one hundred outsiders have joined the Old–Order Amish—and stayed—since 1950. Marlene C. Miller is one of them.
Called To Be Amish – Book Review
Marlene C. Miller joined the Amish as an adult and has been a member of the Old Order Amish for almost 50 years. She and her husband of 48 years live on a farm in Ohio surrounded by their nine children, more than 40 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
In this rare memoir, Marlene recounts her unhappy and abusive childhood, how she throws herself into cheerleading and marching band, and how she falls in love with Johnny, the gentle young Amish man who helps her lace her ice skates.
Against the wishes of both sets of parents, Marlene and Johnny get married and begin a family. Follow the author on this unusual journey to find out how God’s love called her out of bitterness and depression and into the warm embrace of her new Amish community.
Accompany her as she dons an Amish dress and prayer covering and gets baptized. Learn how she endures the strain of ten children, a hundred-acre farm, and accidents and tragedy, and find out how she comes close to walking away from it all. Turning Amish has proven to be anything but plain and simple for this former majorette. But nearly fifty years later, Marlene is still living out God’s call as an Old Order Amish woman.
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Find out more about Marlene at http://www.mennomedia.org.
Like I said, I was looking forward to reading Called To Be Amish. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed. This book lived up to my expectations, and then some. The author starts the book with telling her life story. Not always good, or happy. She does have some happy childhood and teenage stories to tell, too. She talks about meeting Amish boys, and how she met her future husband. He, Johnny, leaves the Amish church with no intention, really, of going back. However over time, Marlene sees how unhappy he is, and how much he would like to return to his Amish faith.
That’s when Marlene joins the Amish church, and discovers she has so much to learn. About being an Amish wife and mother, as well as all the chores an Amish farm wife has to do. I like how the author describes some of the chores she has to do. Sometimes, it can be comical, and sometimes it’s sad. She really conveys to the reader how hard the work is. And on the opposite end of the scale, the author lets us know what a rich, and rewarding life she has as an Amish woman. Although the Amish lifestyle looks very picturesque to the outsider, they do indeed have their own share of trials and tribulations. Marlene doesn’t sugarcoat her lifestyle, but shares the good, and the bad with us.
Called To Be Amish is a great read. If you like to read about the Amish, or love biographies, I highly recommend this book.
