An Amish Miracle: Always Beautiful, Always His Providence, Always in My Heart by Beth Wiseman

An Amish Miracle: Always Beautiful, Always His Providence, Always in My Heart Reviews

• 
  Janet

  
  Three short Amish Miracle stories that intertwine.
  
  The first story is by Mary Ellis and is about Hope. Hope has been keeping a secret from everyone for almost 16 years, she decides it time to share that secret and this that story. I have a hard time believing that it could happen that way but but this was a fiction story.
  
  The second story by Ruth Reid is about a widow, who again has a secret but once she unloads her burden things change. (this was my least favorite of the three).
  
  The third story written by Beth Wiseman is about Becky Byler (we meet Becky in the first story), who is overweight but has a beautiful face. This is Becky's story - she asks God for a miracle (well...) and he provides but it doesn't turn out the way she wants it too - isn't that the truth for a lot of us when we decide we know what God is doing before he shows us what he is doing?
  LOVE THE GOATS!
  
  One of the things I liked it there wasn't too many extra characters brought in just for fluff purpose although I am still trying to understand the whole Lena thing, unless we will have a book about her in the future.
  
  
• 
  Susan

  ALWAYS IN MY HEART by Mary Ellis
  
  Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She’s hidden this secret from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends her isn’t a new baby but the fifteen-year-old boy she gave up years ago.
  
  Good story about facing your past. Hope has spent years wishing that she could have a son for her husband, but so far has had four daughters. She believes she is being punished because she gave up her firstborn for adoption. She had been sixteen when she was assaulted by a drunk Englischer, and her father believed the entire family was shamed by the event. He gave her no choice in the matter, and even forbid her to tell the man she eventually married. She has never gotten over the guilty feelings for not raising him herself.
  
  She finally decides that the only way to make things right is to confess to her husband and then try to find her son. She had no idea how he would react, but hoped for his understanding and forgiveness for keeping such a secret. The reaction was not what she expected at first, but I loved seeing how their love and faith helped get through it quickly. The timing turned out to be very good because it wasn't long after that her son showed up at their house, wanting to find out about his birth mother.
  
  I ached for Hope as she discovered that he wasn't adopted as she had been told, but has spent his entire life in a series of foster homes. This made her feel even more guilty. I also hurt for James, who had felt unwanted, and wanted to know why he had been "given away". It was very sweet to see how the Englischer boy was exposed to the Amish way of life, and the family's attempt to understand someone so very different. I loved the immediate acceptance they showed for him, and James's willingness to live by their rules while he was there.
  
  Of course, he was only able to stay for a visit and had to go back to his foster family. But seeing James only strengthened Hope's desire to keep him in her life. I loved seeing her determination to make it happen and the support she got from her husband. I also liked that it wasn't resolved quickly and neatly, but had realistic obstacles to overcome. Hope also had to deal with her feelings of resentment toward her father and his part in the situation. His attitude was very harsh and I wasn't sure how things would work out with him. I thought that James had a very mature attitude toward him, and handled himself very well.
  
  
  ALWAYS HIS PROVIDENCE by Ruth Reid
  
  Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She’s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn’t willing to request money from the community’s widow fund. She’s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.
  
  Good story about not letting pride keep you from getting the help you need. Rosa's husband died in a fire that destroyed a neighbor's barn. At the time, she didn't know that he hadn't paid the property taxes on their farm. She supports herself by raising chickens and selling eggs, but getting enough to pay the taxes just isn't happening. If she doesn't come up with it soon, the county will take her land and sell it. Her neighbor Adam, who had been her husband's best friend, has been trying to watch out for her, but he doesn't know the trouble she's in.
  
  Adam had also been in love with Rosa for years, but she had fallen for her husband first. Now Adam is also fighting guilty feelings, because his friend had died while saving Adam from the barn fire. Adam would really like to marry her, but is certain that she holds him responsible for her husband''s death. He senses that something has Rosa very worried, but he can't get her to tell him what it is. When a dog starts attacking and killing her chickens, it threatens what little income she has. Suddenly her chances of paying the taxes are severely diminished.
  
  I got very frustrated with Rosa's refusal to let anyone know that she was in trouble. The Amish community is very good at taking care of their own, but her pride wouldn't let her ask for help. She also had to deal with the neighbor on the other side, the Englischer whose dog is responsible for the deaths of her chickens. I understood her frustration at his uncooperative attitude. When she finally confessed her problem to Adam, he was determined to find a way to help her.
  
  I loved seeing how he was able to get her to allow him to help her, by getting her to participate in what he was doing. It also gave him the chance to spend more time with her and start giving her an idea of his feelings. There was a lot of tension as they raced to find the funds to save the farm. The resolution was not what I expected, and assistance came from an unexpected source.
  
  
  ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL by Beth Wiseman
  
  Becky Byler is eighteen and overweight. She is overwhelmed by the embarrassment she feels when comparing herself to other girls her age. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her own life. As she stands before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. In just several months, Becky sees her prayers answered as food and temptation lose their hold over her. She’s finally pleased with how she looks, but does she like the person she has become? And has the man she has dreamed of been right beside her all along, loving her exactly as she is?
  
  Good story about learning to like yourself. Becky has been a character in the previous stories. She is always spoken of as being sweet and helpful, but also heavy. There were times when she was obviously unhappy. In this story, we see that her weight has affected the way she feels about herself, to the point where she is thinking about ending it all. Fortunately she doesn't take that step, but she finds the motivation to take control of her eating habits and starts losing weight.
  
  She has always felt that her weight kept her from having any boyfriends. The only young man in her life is her friend Elam, with whom she spends quite a bit of time. But she looks at him just as a friend. As she begins to lose the weight, she gains the attention of a handsome young man that she has had a crush on.
  
  Matt has been interested in Becky for awhile, but she never seemed interested in him. He has dated other girls, but nothing really stuck with him. He liked the fact that Becky seemed to be different than the others, not always so concerned with her appearance. As they started going out together and she continued to lose weight, the changes in her attitude began to bother him.
  
  Becky's friend Elam is also interested in her as more than a friend, and is disappointed when she only wants to be friends. He had always liked her just as she was and tried to tell her that often. It hurts him to see her going out with Matt. He spends time with other girls, but really misses being with Becky.
  
  Becky had a lesson to learn. She lost the weight she thought she had to, which gave her the confidence to believe that someone like Matt would want to date her. As she continued to lose weight, and her relationship with Matt went on, she discovered that it didn't make her as happy as she thought it would. It was interesting to see the reactions of the people around her and the effects it had on the way she felt. I liked the way that she began to realize that being happy with herself is what made her most appealing to others. She had quite a wake up call at the end when she realized that her insecurity may have lost her the one she really loved.
• 
  Andrea Cox

  Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis
  
  Adorable reunion story. It was lovely to see the second chance unfold, even though it was heartrending at times too. I love a good reunion with a long-lost child!
  
  Content: breastfeeding, rape
  
  Always His Provision by Ruth Reid
  
  How fun that the Bowmans from the previous story made an appearance! I loved the heartache and the journey toward healing so beautifully highlighted in this novella. The conflict with the neighbor was fantastic.
  
  Content: miscarriages mentioned
  
  Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman
  
  The author handled well the theme of being self-conscious about one’s weight. I really enjoyed Becky’s journey and wanted so much to hug her! If only she could have seen the beauty of her size.
  
  Content: suicide considered
  
• 
  Sarita

  This was a sweet collection of Novella's. Thought I did enjoy all the stories, I did not connect so much with the last novella and it was not my favourite.
  
  I loved how novella one and two was about second chances and how in the first novella husband and wife communicated and worked through the challenges and remained an united front.
  
  *I listened to this on Scribd.*
• 
  Maureen Timerman

  I never wanted this book to end. I wanted to stay right here and keep absorbing their lives. There are three separate stories here, and each blends into the next author's story.
  We begin with Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis. A story of tragedy brought full circle. Book Blurb: Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She’s hidden this secret from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends her isn’t a new baby but the fifteen-year-old boy she gave up years ago.
  I can just imagine how Hope felt, the missing piece of her life. Will she ever be able to tell her husband?? Will she be able to forgive her Dad? Strong feelings of emotion on all of the people in this story.
  The next story is Always His Providence by Ruth Reid and the blurb about this book: Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She’s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn’t willing to request money from the community’s widow fund. She’s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.
  We find Rosa is such a proud woman, and she is still protecting the reputation of her late husband, and she is doing this to the point of possibly loosing her farm. There are so many surprises and lots of action in this read. There is even a bit of romance. Again we are with people who we met in the first book, and continue with their story.
  The third and last story is Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman: Becky Byler is eighteen and overweight. She is overwhelmed by the embarrassment she feels when comparing herself to other girls her age. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her own life. As she stands before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. In just several months, Becky sees her prayers answered as food and temptation lose their hold over her. She’s finally pleased with how she looks, but does she like the person she has become? And has the man she has dreamed of been right beside her all along, loving her exactly as she is?
  We met Becky in the first story, and now we are going to focus on her. A novelette of not seeing really what is in front of you. Having your prayers answered by God, but not really seeing his answer, because one is focused on what we want.
  These are really get reads all by them selves, but especially great as they are a continuation into the lives of these beloved people, that will feel like family, by the time you finish!
  
  I received this book through NetGalley, and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.
• 
  Faye

  Three women put their trust in God for a miracle.
  
  
  
  Hope and her husband hope for a son, each daughter is a reminder of the secret she has hidden from her husband.
  
  
  Rosa's husband died in a fire saving his best friend, Adam. Now Rosa is in danger of losing her farm. Will she be able to rely on her friends, and accept their help when they offer it?
  
  
  Becky Byler has always struggled with her weight, so when she prays to God for a miracle she believes that He has answered when the weight starts dropping off, but will she lose the friend that she holds dear in the process?
  
  
  Three novellas tell the tales of three Amish women. I enjoyed each of the stories, as they intertwined and separated, telling 3 very different stories. I felt a bit like some of the stories could have been longer, and that some of them were a bit of a tight fit into the novella format, especially the last story. The characters were strong of character and well written, I really liked how Stephen always stood by his wife, and Adam selflessly cared for Rosa. My also heart went out to Becky as she struggled to find acceptance not only from those around her, but from herself.
  
  
  Overall this was an enjoyable collection, great for fans of Amish fiction who are looking for a little more than just the typical boy-meets-girl story.
  
  
  
  Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."
  
• 
  Brittany

  An Amish Miracle was a sweet, easy, and enjoyable read. All three stories take place in the same community and it was nice to get glimpses of the characters in each novella. All three stories are well-written, with interesting characters and situations. All three of the stories had events that the characters viewed as miraculous.
  
  In Always in my Heart by Mary Ellis, I really liked the way Hope and Stephen related to each other and worked through their disagreements, showing forgiveness and grace. I also enjoyed seeing the way James fit into their family.
  
  In Always His Providence by Ruth Reid, I really felt for Rosa and her situation. And watching Adam and Rosa’s relationship grow was fun. Rosa’s stubborn independence was frustrating at times, but I thought Adam balanced her nicely.
  
  In Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman, I enjoyed the various exchanges and relationship growth between the characters. Becky has very low self-esteem and has trouble seeing her worth as a person. Matt and Elam both admire her and wish to court her, even before she loses a lot of weight. It was intriguing to see how Becky viewed herself as opposed to how others viewed her.
  
  Very enjoyable stories.
  
  You can read this review on my blog at:
  
  http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
  
• 
  Karla

  The BEST novella that I have ever read!!
• 
  Rochelle

  I really enjoyed every one of these novellas. Each one was really good, and each of them were connected, so they have to be read in order:
  
  1st. Always in my Heart.
  2nd. Always His Providence.
  3rd. Always Beautiful.
  
  I really wanted to know more about the characters in the first story when it ended, so once I realised the stories were connected and I would find out more about what happens to those characters, I was so excited.
  
  Each novella is well written and full of wonderful characters, sweet romances and miracles. I am sure that fans of Amish romance will not be disappointed in this one.
• 
  Inisha

  Not one of my favorite Amish novellas. While there were three separate authors and stories, I feel they all did not do a good job of portraying Englishers as they are called, nor the Amish. I know that Amish fiction is not real, hence the fiction, but I felt every Englisher in the story was evil, or had a hard life without faith or just was mean. Plus, the Amish characters hd many traits that seemed far fetched for the Amish community. Overall, I was disappointed with this novella and I do enjoy Amish fiction.
• 
  Nicole

  I love these kind of stories. They melt your heart a bit. Although my life was nothing like 1 character in the story I shared some similarities and how I wished things would have gone differently in life. I am not sure that these books are realistic of Amish culture but they are good clean entertainment:)
• 
  Michelle M

  These titles are not listed in proper order. First is Always In My Heart. Then it's Always His Providence. Last is Always Beautiful. Reading them in order makes a big difference if you don't want the endings spoiled.
  
  These three books are wonderful. They are upbeat and hopeful. I enjoyed Always In My Heart the most. The characters were interesting, and the writing was fine.
• 
  Gail

  Three authors
  
  There are three very good stories by different authors in this book. All three have some of the same characters though the main ones are different. It was interesting to see how the authors did this.
• 
  Karla

  This was fun. Three authors write on characters from the same story. Interesting to see how they did that. Good results! The first two stories were terrific. The third was fine... just felt a bit pushed.
• 
  Gaylina

  All of the three books in this collection were wonderful. I really enjoy Beth Wiseman’s books. I’m so thankful for the Amish history. I love their forgiveness and their live fir their community and for God.
• 
  Barbara Collins

  absolutely love the Amish Novellas
• 
  Aliciabang

  Good little Amish stories!
• 
  Gayla D

  Very good book.
• 
  Traceylee

  Why
  
  It seemed that each section of the book focused on certain people in this book. It is a good romance.
• 
  Cindy Hill

  Anythings is possible when you look in the right places.
• 
  Beth

  A
• 
  Sandra

  Three beautiful stories
• 
  Jalynn Patterson

  About the Book:
  
  Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman
  
  Becky Byler is eighteen and overweight. She is overwhelmed by the embarrassment she feels when comparing herself to other girls her age. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her own life. As she stands before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. In just several months, Becky sees her prayers answered as food and temptation lose their hold over her. She s finally pleased with how she looks, but does she like the person she has become? And has the man she has dreamed of been right beside her all along, loving her exactly as she is?
  
  Always His Providence by Ruth Reid
  
  Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn't willing to request money from the community s widow fund. She s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.
  
  Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis
  
  Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She has hidden this secret from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends her isn't a new baby but the fifteen-year-old boy she gave up years ago.
  
  Includes Reading Group Guide and Old-Order Amish Recipes
  
  Visit AmishLiving.com
  
  About the Authors:
  
  Award-winning, best-selling author Beth Wiseman is best known for her Amish novels, but her most recent novels, Need You Now and The House that Love Built, are contemporaries set in small Texas towns. Both have received glowing reviews. Beth's highly-anticipated novel, The Promise, is inspired by a true story. Twitter: @bethwiseman Facebook: Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman
  
  Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She's a full-time pharmacist who resides in Florida with her husband and three children.
  
  Mary Ellis grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish community, Geauga County. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught middle school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. Mary is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author as well as an ACFW Carol Award finalist and runner-up for the 2010 Holt Medallion Award.
  
  My Review:
  
  Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis
  
  Hope Bowman was asked as a young girl to do the unthinkable, to give up her newborn son for adoption. Not because he was an unwanted child but because her father didn't want to suffer any shame behind it. So for years she harbored this very sad secret so much so that she felt that God punished. She felt he punished her because she had given birth four times and every time the baby would turn out to be a girl. She and her husband wanted a little boy but every time proved to be in vain, because she would give birth to a girl instead. She had sent up dozens of prayers for a son, read along and see how God answered her prayers.
  
  Always His Providence by Ruth Reid
  
  Ruth somehow has always managed to keep her household running smoothly by selling her eggs. But now unless God steps in suddenly she will lose her home due to her taxes that have yet to be paid. She has refused her neighbor's help up to this point. Read along and see how God uses this in Ruth's life to glorify Him.
  
  
  
  Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman
  
  Poor Becky Byler is an older teenage girl with a weight problem. Many people say that they don't understand why because she eats rabbit food alot (aka vegetables). In this novella she has chosen to take her life because she doesn't feel worthy for the life God has given her. Love will come to her but in the most unexpected way. Will she realize it before its too late?
  
  
  
  Each of the stories in the book were very touching and heartfelt and even though these are stories about Amish women, I believe we can all relate to their circumstances. Many times the path God has chosen for us differs a great deal from the one we would of chosen for ourselves and this book is a perfect example of that. All three stories are intertwined, the main characters actually know each other. That is something I liked about the book, it makes it alot more interesting that way.
  
  
  
  **Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Booksneeze.
• 
  Shari

  I love working with Book Look Bloggers to get books from my favourite authors to review! YAY for being able to claim reading as "work". So my latest read from Book Look Bloggers is called An Amish Miracle. It is actually a collection of 3 shorter books in 1. Each book in the series has about 12 chapters, and is written by a different author. Since, I have read a few books from Mary Ellis, and a bunch by Beth Wiseman and enjoyed both authors thoroughly. So I was pretty sure that I would enjoy this, and I was correct!
  
  
  
  “Always in My Heart” by Mary Ellis
  
  Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She’s hidden this past from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends isn’t a new pregnancy. It's the fifteen-year-old boy she gave away years ago.
  
  
  Hope struggles with the guilt and shame of what happened 15-16 years ago, when she gave away her first child. She longs to give her husband a son, but only keeps having daughters. Hope has kept the secret of her first pregnancy from her husband for all these years. And we follow her journey as she struggles to figure out what she should do, and the consequences of each action she takes.
  
  Having had 3 boys of my own, I could relate to some of Hope's struggles with having only one gender. I went through a time in my life where I felt like I was missing out on a little girl, but I realize this is God's plan for me, and it's a good one.
  
  This is a well written story, and a fun journey to take a long with Hope and her family.
  
  
  “Always His Providence” by Ruth Reid
  
  Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She’s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn’t willing to request money from the community's widow fund. She’s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.
  
  We are first introduced to Rosa in Always in My Heart as Hope's friend. Rosa struggles with her life as a widow and the way her husband left her with lots of debt. The problem with Rosa is she doesn't like to ask for help when she needs it. I feel like Rosa sometimes. It's hard to bare your soul to others and let them know that things aren't going well.
  
  During the journey you start hoping with Rosa as things start to look up, and the twists and turns along the way draw you in, and you feel like you are struggling with her.
  
  “Always Beautiful” by Beth Wiseman
  
  Becky Byler is eighteen and obese. As she continues to grow, so does her despair. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her life, even though it goes against her beliefs. Standing before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. Two months pass and Becky has miraculously lost over a hundred pounds. But does Becky like the person she has become? Could it be this weight loss isn’t at all the miracle she thinks it is?
  
  
  We watch Becky from the sidelines throughout the other books. Becky struggles with her weight, and has self-confidence issues since this is a rare problem in their community. Becky feels like she is unlovable because of her weight. She prays and begs God for a miracle to get thin! She gets it, and then starts realizing that her problems don't disappear they are just slightly different.
  
  I think we all have been there, when we get what we think we wanted all along, and realize that it's not what we thought it would be. Not all that glitters is gold, and we are left feeling disillusioned, and slightly question what we should do now. We feel like we are lost without a real idea of what we want. That is the journey we follow Becky on. When Becky starts learning what she really wants, and what really matters to her all along.
  
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed all 3 of the mini books inside An Amish Miracle. If you like Christian Amish Romance books than I would recommend this to you.