The Amish Seamstress (56 page)

All of my family attended too. Sure, a few of the families in our district and distant relatives didn't, but I understood. Perhaps
Daed
felt a twinge of sadness, but he didn't show it. I knew, at least, that he could see the love between me and Zed. It was the same deep, abiding love he'd had for my mother since long before I was born.

Susie came, bringing a beautiful antique tablecloth as a gift. It had been made by our
Aenti
Verna when she was just about the age I was now. For some reason, I thought of Verna a lot that day—and of my grandmother, and of Frannie too—but not in a sad way. Zed and I got to see James and Lexie's new little one, at the reception, and when they told us they had named him Francis, my eyes welled with tears.

But they were happy tears.

Later, I slipped away and found a quiet corner behind a trellis, where I could see but not be seen. Looking out at the mingling crowd, I realized we weren't the only ones present that day. Even those who had passed on were still with us, in a sense. They lived still, in the faces and memories and dreams of their descendants. Even Konenquas and Abigail.

As I watched Zed with the women in his life—his mother, his aunts, his sister, and his cousins—I couldn't help but feel a bond with all of these women of Lancaster County.

Each walked with God in her own simple way. Each pieced her life together, as best she could, covered by His grace. Each survived pain and joy, in varying measures, by drawing strength from the One who created her.

Following their example, I would strive, always, to do the same.

D
ISCUSSION
Q
UESTIONS

1. Izzy is a sought-after caregiver, even when she is personally struggling with the notion of death. What is it about her personality that makes her so gifted at caring for others? How is this shown in the story?

2. Izzy describes herself as a square peg in the round hole that is her family. Why do you think this is? Will this ever change for her, and, if so, how?

3. Why does Izzy have so much trouble accepting death? In her conversation with Ella, she describes her problem with the randomness of tragic events as a spiritual issue. Do you agree? How would you advise her to overcome this fear?

4. One thing Izzy loves about working with the elderly is hearing their stories. Why do you think this appeals to her? Have you ever had any family lore passed down to you that was unique and compelling?

5. Izzy finds herself drawn to the Lantz women and feels more at home with them than with her own family. Why do you think
this is? How is it that a family that has had so many issues and areas of dysfunction can also be a symbol to her of emotional health and acceptance?

6. When Alice visits with Frannie and Izzy observes their close relationship, she wonders why she has no close female friends of her own. Do you believe such a thing is important? What could Izzy do to expand her circle of friends? What impact does her mother's pattern of friendship with others have on Izzy's own choices?

7. Zed aspires to be a filmmaker, and he sees Izzy as an important part of that. How does this work, given that she has been raised Amish and doesn't even go to the movies? Do you see her as a useful helpmeet to him in this way?

8. When Izzy finds the chapbook written by Abigail, she feels compelled to track down the rest of her story. How did you imagine Abigail's story had played out? Were you surprised by the facts once they came to light?

9. Giselle is a complex character with an interesting back story woven throughout this series. Now that she finally returns to Lancaster County, how do you think she will find healing and growth? Does her story play out the way you expected it to?

10. When Abigail and Gorg are faced with a difficult situation, they make some radical choices. Did you agree with their actions? How would you have handled things in their position?

A
BOUT THE
A
UTHORS

The Amish Seamstress
is Mindy Starns Clark's nineteenth book with Harvest House Publishers. Previous novels include the bestselling, Christy Award–winning
The Amish Midwife
(co-written with Leslie Gould),
Whispers of the Bayou, Shadows of Lancaster County, Under the Cajun Moon
, and
Secrets of Lancaster County
, as well as the well-loved Million Dollar Mysteries.

Mindy lives with her husband, John, and two adult daughters near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Leslie Gould, a former magazine editor, is the author of numerous novels, including
The Amish Midwife
and
Courting Cate. The Amish Seamstress
is her fourth book with Harvest House.

Leslie received her master of fine arts degree from Portland State University and lives in Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four children.

For detailed family trees to the characters in the Women of Lancaster County series, visit Mindy's and Leslie's websites at
www.mindystarnsclark.com
and
www.lesliegould.com
.

The Amish Midwife

A deathbed confession…

a dusty carved box containing

two locks of hair…

a century-old letter about

property in Switzerland…

Nurse-midwife Lexie Jaeger's encounter with all three rekindles a burning desire to meet her biological family. Propelled on a personal journey of discovery, Lexie's search for the truth takes her from her home in Oregon to the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country.

There she finds Marta Bayer, a mysterious lay-midwife who may hold the key to Lexie's past. But Marta isn't talking, especially now that she has troubles of her own following the death of an Amish patient during childbirth. As Lexie steps in to assume Marta's patient load and continues the search for her birth family, a handsome local doctor proves to be a welcome distraction. But will he also distract her from James, the man back home who lovingly awaits her return?

From her Amish patients, Lexie learns the true meaning of the Pennsylvania Dutch word
demut
, which means “to let be.” Will this woman who wants to control everything ever learn to let be herself and depend totally on God? Or will her stubborn determination to unearth the secrets of the past at all costs only serve to tear her newfound family apart?

A compelling story about a search for identity and the ability to trust that God securely holds our whole life—past, present, and future.

The Amish Nanny

A cave behind a waterfall…

a dying confession…

a secret agreement hidden

for a century…

Amish-raised Ada Rupp knows nothing of these elements of her family's past. Instead, her eyes are fixed firmly on the future—for the first time in her life. Now that a serious medical issue is behind her, Ada is eager to pursue her God-given gifts of teaching at the local Amish school and her dream of marrying Will Gundy, a handsome widower she's loved since she was a child. But when both desires meet with unexpected obstacles, Ada's fragile heart grows heavy with sorrow.

Then she meets Daniel, an attractive Mennonite scholar with a surprising request. He needs her help—along with the help of Will's family—to save an important historic site from being destroyed. Now Ada, a family friend, and a young child must head to Switzerland to mend an old family rift and help preserve her religious heritage.

In order to succeed in saving the site, Ada and Daniel must unlock secrets from the past. But do they also have a future together—or will Ada's heart forever belong to Will, the only man she's ever really wanted?