About the Book: (from the publisher)Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she's ever known.
When Marianna's family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about.
As Marianna struggles to find "home", she also encounters God in intimate ways. Click here to watch the book trailers. http://triciagoyer.com/contemporaryfiction.ht
My Thoughts:
“There are people from your community who love Him in a quiet reverent way. Their are others who are more bold and vocal about their faith… It’s that personal connection, I bet, that brightens His day.” (p. 209)
Marianna Sommer has lived a life shadowed by a tragedy that happened the day she was born. Some twenty years later, she is still dealing with the aftermath of that tragic time in her family, and when her parents decide to move from Indiana to Montana….well, her world tilts on its axis one more time. All Mari wants is a family and home of her own – settled and predictable and as staid as the beliefs that have anchored her life so securely in the Amish community. She could never begin to imagine the changes God had planned for her future when she agreed to accompany her folks to Montana for six months.
Tricia Goyer takes an Amish story and makes a bold statement about the personal relationship every believer has with the Father through relationship with Jesus Christ. While not unlike many Amish stories – these folks are forever trying to decide whether or not to commit to their way of life or become “English” – Goyer adds something different when she introduces the character of Ben to the Sommer family. Transformation is slow, but God’s hand is sure from the beginning, and their lives are set free from things they never knew bound them. I loved that about this story!
So, if you enjoy an Amish story, but are looking for something with a little different angle to it – check out Tricia Goyer’s Beside Still Waters! It’s a novel I am happy to recommend!
About the Author:
Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book LifeInterrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005.In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. Visit www.triciagoyer.com for more info.
A GIVE AWAY!!!
To celebrate the release of the first book in the Big Sky Amish series Tricia is giving away 10 copies of Beside Still Waters and a pair of super cute antique Amish salt & pepper shakers.
Details at Tricia’s blog, It’s Real Life: http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2011/04/beside-still-waters-giveaway.html
BONUS! Each person who enters the giveaway will receive a FABULOUS Montana Amish Calendar. Hurry, it’s only available while supplies last!
Thank you for a lovely giveaway! I am very intrigued by the story of Marianna and her family. "Transformation is slow, but God’s hand is sure from the beginning, and their lives are set free from things they never knew bound them." I have since this in my own life, and I would love to see how this comes to play in the story line of "Beside Still Waters". It often takes a fresh set of eyes to open our own!
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