“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”
~ Matthew 6:13-36
Reflections:
On Thanksgiving Day for as long as I remember, we spend time around the table sharing what each of us is most thankful for. Perhaps you do that, too, with your family.
Years ago, close to a Thanksgiving when I was a young girl, my pastor-father and two other men from our church set out on horseback in the middle of a serious blizzard after learning that one of the church families was snowed in. Dad promptly gathered up basic food items and made the rather daunting trek down into a deep hollow in Rawlinsville, Pennsylvania, to get to the family of five, asking God for divine protection all the way through the bitter wind and heavy snow.
I remember my mother praying for the safe arrival and return home of Dad and his fellow brethren. “God knows all of their needs,” she assured my little sister, Barbara, and me as we stood at the window peering out at the brutal storm.
Hours passed. More than half that day inched by until nightfall was at hand. I shivered just thinking of the cold, cumbersome horseback journey in all that snow.
But our prayers continued.
And God answered! How happy and thankful we were when Dad returned home safely, telling all about the rigorous trip and the visit that had greatly blessed the snowbound family. It was something the family talked about for years to come.
Just as He has promised us in the verses above, our heavenly Father saw, knew, and provided for that precious family while also taking care of Dad and the other men.
This Thanksgiving, what if we went out of our way to bless others with food and otherwise, perhaps even in a sacrificial way? Indeed, we would please the Lord in doing so and spread His love, as well.
Blessings for this month and always, dear friends,
~ Beverly Lewis
Updates:
1) If you haven't purchased your copy or copies of The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook, 20th Anniversary Edition, for birthday or Christmas gift-giving, here are the retailer links for your convenience. Many of the Amish recipes in this cookbook had never been written down, let alone published, so it is a true gem of a collection. Great for passing down through the generations in your own family. And all royalties go to Christian Aid Ministries in Berlin, OH.
Baker Book House (30% Off + Free Shipping)
2) I'm getting so excited about my next fiction work, coming early Fall 2025: The Christmas House, set in Amish Hickory Hollow in the heart of Lancaster County Amish country. I am waiting for the proofreaders' comments presently, while looking forward to showing you the book cover as soon as it's ready!
3) Please watch my Facebook posts for my brand new Amish Cheer Thanksgiving card for 2024. You're going to love it!
4) Thanks very much for your wonderful enthusiasm for my writing, dear friends. Your interest means so much to me!
“If we tell Him our sins, He is faithful and we can depend on Him to forgive us of our sins. He will make our lives clean from all sin.”
~ 1 John 1:9, NLV
If you live near a Plain community, you may know that the process begins at the tip-top of each room, moving down, much as the preparation for hosting house church takes place. Even ceilings and walls are cleaned, then windows—inside and out—as well as window shades (and curtains if they are permitted), which are taken down and washed, then hung out to dry. All the furniture is cleaned, and so are the interiors of kitchen cupboards and cabinets, and pantry shelves. Imagine removing 1,000 canning jars for thistask!
People often remark that the windows in Amish homes are always sparkling clean. Well, just mix equal parts white vinegar and water, and voila!—you, too, can have the best window cleaner, with a little added elbow grease, of course. Being thrifty, as the Amish are, doesn’t this make perfect sense?
But without workers, there can be no harvesting. Amish families and communities gather willingly, even eagerly, to help. In the same way, those who know and walk with our Savior, Jesus, gladly offer time and energy for the spiritual harvest by sharing about His grace and unfailing love, daily living in a way that demonstrates that truth and love to our corner of the world. A well-kept house, neat and tidy, isn’t the only important thing in this life, however. Nothing compares to the importance of having a clean heart.
When I was a little girl, my father often reminded my sister, Barbara, and me that it was important to ask the Lord to forgive the things we did wrong at the end of each day. So, when we were ready for bedtime prayers, Barbara and I always first forgave each other for whatever we may have said or done. (We weren't always the perfect little preacher’s daughters, however!) And once that was done, sometimes with tears, we bowed our heads and asked our heavenly Father to wash our hearts white and clean.
During this shining month of October, as we revel in watching nature’s pallet change from green to gold, red, and orange, may we open our hearts for divine cleaning by the simple act of confession and asking for God’s merciful grace and forgiveness.
Blessings for autumn and always,
—Beverly Lewis
1) My beautiful, updated cookbook releases today! And the Facebook Launch Party takes place this evening at 7:00 CT on my Facebook page. I hope you'll join in all the celebration and fun. And if you don't have a copy yet, you can find it anywhere books are sold, including these locations:
Baker Book House (30% Off + Free Shipping)
2) My review/edit of The Christmas House pre-galleys is complete and soon the copy editor will take a look. It won't be too long before I see Final Pages. So, I cannot wait for you to hear more about this sweet and enlightening Christmas tale set in Hickory Hollow Amish country, with Ella Mae Zook making several appearances, as well.
3) My brand new Pastor's Appreciation card is now available. "Path of Light" is truly ideal for this special month to honor our church leaders and can be ordered at: www.amishcheer.com
4) Thanks very much for your continued interest in my writing life and Amish tidbits, as well as my exciting Amish cookbook and next year's Christmas book...and the handcrafted Amish-themed cards my sister, Barbara, and I enjoy making to bless others and spread cheer.
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
~ Genesis 8:22
While most of us are busy making plans for Labor Day fun and fellowship with family and friends, with some getting our children and/or grandchildren ready for a new school year or settled into college dorms, Amish farmers are busy with the fall harvest. It’s also that wondrous time to visit the local orchard for fruit to make applesauce and apple butter, and to bake delicious Dutch apple pies and apple strudel. Grapes are ripe for the picking, soon to be crushed into sweet grape juice to be canned and stored in the cold cellar for the winter. My jovial Amish lady friends say, “Yous can never have enough grape juice on hand.”
Meanwhile, the corn harvest is in full swing, clearing the fields and creating a sense of vast openness beneath the sapphire September skies. And over near Ella Mae Zook’s Dawdi Haus, marigolds and zinnias bloom brightly, oblivious to any potential frost. This time of year in Amish country, a few farm auctions are also taking place, and silos are being filled with grain. And die Youngie (the youth) gather for potato-picking contests in the evenings, making the work of the spud harvest oodles of fun.
The annual harvest is a wonderful-good reminder of the predictability of the changing seasons and the God-given blessing of abundance, both physical and spiritual. “The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest,” Psalm 85:12 assures us.
But without workers, there can be no harvesting. Amish families and communities gather willingly, even eagerly, to help. In the same way, those who know and walk with our Savior, Jesus, gladly offer time and energy for the spiritual harvest by sharing about His grace and unfailing love, daily living in a way that demonstrates that truth and love to our corner of the world.
Blessings for autumn and always,
—Beverly Lewis
1) In just ONE month, The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook, 20th Anniversary edition will release on October 1. You can still preorder for a 40% discount and FREE shipping prior to the release date (US orders only) from my friends at Baker Book House. (What a great time to cash in on this terrific price for birthday and Christmas gift giving!)
2) I'm happily reviewing the edit for my next fiction project, coming fall 2025. The Christmas Houseis set in Hickory Hollow, the heart of Amish farmland, with Ella Mae Zook giving wise advice to twenty-two-year old Liz Lantz—who owns a bustling buggy tour business—as Christmas nears. Old Order Amish Christmas traditions abound, and to Liz’s surprise, a sweet love story begins to unfold. And a bit of chaos, too, when an Englisher family decorates their farmhouse to the hilt for the holidays right in the middle of the small Amish village. More about all of that soon!
3) "Teacup of Cheer" is our brand new Amish Cheer encouragement card, friends. Place your order at my secure website here: www.amishcheer.com.
The kind remarks I receive from you via my website (www.beverlylewis.com) and on Facebook are true blessings to me. Thank you, thank you for reading the books of my heart for all these 30+ years, dear friends!
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
~ Isaiah 40:29
It was a beastly hot afternoon, and I was busy answering cyber fan mail from my readers when Boom! With a sick feeling, I recognized the sound of a bird hitting our living room window.
Sadly, this has happened before, and we’ve lost two large robins over the years.
Promptly, I stood up to look, and lying there on the deck was a beautiful male hummingbird, stunned from the blow, its limp right wing splayed out from its trembling body. My heart fell at the sight, and I began to whisper a prayer for its recovery.
Ten or more minutes passed, and while I was beseeching God to let this helpless bird survive, I noticed what looked like white tears coming from its tiny eyes. Quickly, I headed outdoors and stood between the wounded hummingbird and the scorching sun, creating some shade with my own shadow.
After a time, I tiptoed over to the little creature and whispered a bit of encouragement—“You’re all right, little guy,” I said softly. “God sees you.” Faith-filled words like a mother might say to her little child.
Then, reaching out my pointer finger, I ever so delicately stroked the iridescent blue and green back feathers, still praying softly, surprised I could get so close. And as I did, I remembered the year my dear dad came to live with us, and how fond he was of the hummingbirds at our feeder . . . even giving them names. Dad liked to wear his bright-colored shirts to attract them, and they did, coming right up to his outstretched hand at times.
What would Dad do? I wondered as I peered closer at the suffering bird.
After a moment, I returned inside the house to find my husband, Dave, searching online to see how to care for a hummingbird’s broken wing. “Do we have a small box where it can recover?” he asked.
“We’ll find something,” I replied.
Turning back to the window, I checked again on the little bird and noticed his tiny, thin beak was moving rapidly. “I think he needs sugar water,” I told Dave. And quickly, we created a little feeder, which Dave carried outside and held near the quivering beak. I hovered near, holding my breath and watching.
Would the poor thing accept it? Would it help?
The first sip was miniscule. I wasn’t sure I’d seen a swallow just maybe.
Then came another sip, slowly, almost painstakingly so. And a second wee swallow.
“Please help this bird,” I whispered, believing with all my heart that God cared as much as we did. “He has a growing family nearby over in that bush,” I told the Lord, as if He didn’t know all things.
The bird’s third swallow was more obvious, and Dave and I waited, eyes locked on the tiny bird’s body, our hearts filled with hope.
“Flutter,” I whispered. “Just a little.”
More waiting.
Then it happened. What I’d thought was a broken wing moved slightly, and next, a single flutter. Then . . . miraculously, the once vulnerable, stunned hummingbird flew away . . . straight toward the feeder on the other side of the deck.
Thinking back on the incident now, a kind of sweetness lingers in my mind. My faith had certainly swelled with the end result—God’s answer to prayer for one of His tiniest creatures.
I do realize, of course, that the verse in Isaiah above was meant for people, not necessarily for hummingbirds. But I know that our heavenly Father also cares about His entire creation, fragile and delicate though it may be.
I pray this glimpse from one very special afternoon this summer will also give you hope, friend, and even an eagerness to cling to faith in any given situation.
August blessings,
—Beverly Lewis
1) Only two months until my beautiful, updated Amish cookbook The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook, 20th Anniversary edition is released. You can preorder from the following retailers.
2) I'm delighted to share that my handcrafted "Butterfly Blessings" cards (6-pack) are available to order at www.amishcheer.com. These are so pretty, I keep them at the ready to send out as encouragements to friends and family all year long. Your recipients will love them, too!
3) Thanks for your many sweet comments to me on social media and for posting reviews at www.amazon.com, friends. You are truly appreciated!