Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Becki Reiser and Janet McHenry

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

This week on Amish Wisdom I'll be interviewing two guests. The first is Becki Reiser, we'll be talking about grief and tips for getting through the tough stuff. Becki Reiser is a survivor! When her seventeen-year-old daughter, Liz was abducted and murdered, in May of 2000, her family stood on the Word of God and offered forgiveness to the person that took her daughter’s life. Wow. Then the second half hour we'll hear from Janet Holm McHenry. Janet's book PrayerWalk started a prayer revolution 10 years ago. The 10th anniversary edition has just published and we'll get tips from Janet on how to live a life of prayer and hear what she has learned about prayer in the last ten years. Don't miss this week's show!

For a chance to win a copy of PrayerWalk leave a comment {HERE}. Winner will be notified next week via email.

More about Becki: Becki Reiser is a survivor! When her seventeen-year-old daughter, Liz was abducted and murdered, in May of 2000, her family stood on the Word of God and offered forgiveness to the person that took her daughter’s life. Life as she had known it, being a wife to Jeff and mother to four children was forever altered. From the moment they found out what happened, they asked God to use their story to bring glory to His name. A ministry began and Jeff and Becki have shared their story and message of forgiveness nationwide.

Jeff and Becki have been married almost 30 years (In November) and have three sons, Micah (27) an ordained worship minister at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, VA., Jordan, (24) an ER Nurse at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Evansville, IN., And Christopher, (22) a senior at University of Akron, studying Civil Engineering, and plans to be a Youth pastor as well.

For more information about Becki, visit her blog.

More About Janet: After Janet graduated from University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in journalism,she married her high school sweetheart Craig and worked as a newspaper reporter and editor.  They eventually settled down in the Sierra Valley in northern California, where Craig is a rancher and where there is not a single stoplight in the entire county. In their town of 700+ folks, she says they have raised four pretty good children – three done with college – and are now enjoying the grandkids, all of whom are perfect. As a high school English teacher, academic advisor, and teacher mentor, Janet says the only pastime she has time for is friends!  And she looks forward to knowing you better! For more info about Janet and her other books, please visit her website athttp://janetmchenry.com.

More about PrayerWalk:
Many years ago, depressed and overweight, McHenry found a simple plan for her life: she would pray while she walked. Little did she know, it would change her life personally and open her eyes to the needs of her community.

Photo Caption Contest grand prize winner is ...

Thanks so much to all of you who participated in the Bill Coleman photo caption contest. To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, my latest non-fiction book, (and showcase more of Bill’s incredible work) I brought back the caption contest for the month of August. Each Wednesday I posted a new Bill Coleman photo on my blog and you all left a comment with your best caption for that photo.

Each week's winner won a copy of Amish Values for Your Family - please email amy@litfusegroup.com with your mailing address so we can get your book out!

Week 4 winner is: Mocha Linda with her caption, "If I do your chores for a week, will you promise not to tell what happened at school today?"

And the Grand Prize Winner (chosen at random from all who participated in the caption contest) of a signed Bill Coleman original is...


Paulette

And the 5 runner's up winners of a copy of Amish Values for Your Family are:


sosandybeach2@aol.com
Sylvia
Virginia
mjmoore
Billy Jack

Congratulations to all the winners - don't forget to send an email to amy@litfusegroup.com with your mailing address.

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry!

Just a reminder that CBD's giveaway for an Amish basket loaded with wonderful gifts and all sorts of good things -- celebrating the release of A Lancaster County Christmas -- is only up for a few more days! 

Hurry, hurry, hurry! The contest ends on September 8th...so pop over and add your name!

Sheer "Awe!"

What memory stands out to you, in your childhood, about the beauty of nature?  When do you first remember that feeling of breath-gasping "awe?" To me, that feeling of awe is worship in its truest, most appropriate form. I think that's how we're going to feel when we get to Heaven, in the presence of God. Filled with awe! 

For me, that feeling hit when my family visited Yosemite for the first time--the valley, the waterfalls, the granite peaks.

I read a lovely entry about another "awe-filled" memory from Linda's Lunacy as I was rambling along on the blog tour for Amish Values. I thought you'd enjoy what Linda had to say, and how she encourages her children to have an appreciation for nature: 
 
One of my favorite chapters is titled 'Northern Lights'. It’s the story of a woman whose family was visiting relatives. It was late, and their host wanted to take them outside for a walk. She was reluctant to go, it was late, it was cold, and he wanted to take them out on the frozen lake. She really didn’t wanted to walk out on an unfamiliar frozen lake. After being assured it was safe, she walked a good ways out on the lake with everyone else. Then she saw it. The Northern Lights. “The beauty of God’s handiwork brought tears to my eyes. I will never forget it.”

While most of us are not in locations where we can witness the Northern Lights, there are many, many wondrous sights that God has made in our own areas. We recently laid on the front porch together watching for meteors during a meteor shower. We live in the country and like to ride around and see all the different animals our neighbors have, Llamas, peacocks, donkeys, and something we call “hairy cows.” We don’t know for sure what kind it is, but it’s some kind of cow with a hairy, furry head. The kids, along with their cousin, even made up a song about the hairy cows. Which has to be heard in person to be believed. rolfol That kind of family bonding can’t take place when everyone is running in different directions, doing their own thing.

We also like to take walks as a family, looking at all the wild flowers in our area. Taking a walk together is something that all ages can do together. If there are no wildflowers where you live, walk around looking at the neighbors flower gardens and trees. It’s also great family fun to just look at the cloud formations together.  Do you see the same things in the clouds that your kids see?

I'd love to hear your first memory of "awe." It's inspiring to hear how other families bring nature into their children's lives. Chime in! Either here or on Facebook. Thanks for stopping by! 

Family Vacations

Think back to your childhood. What was your favorite family vacation?

Mine was at Pine Island at Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, where my family would stay in a rickety old cottage for a week or two. It was back-to-the-basics kind of living, small and simple, but I have such fond memories of those vacations. I can still get a whiff of a certain tree and I am transported back to the lake as a ten-year-old with perpetually skinned knees. 

My very favorite memory was a rainy night when my entire family was in the living room at the cottage, reading or playing a game of checkers or stroking the dog. I'll never forget the buttery glow of the lights and the sound of the rain on the roof. It was that rare for my entire family to be together, relaxed. No place to go, no phone ringing, no pressures.

The blog tour for Amish Values is in full swing, and I read this post about another family's recent vacation:


My favorite Amish proverb in the book was “A happy memory never wears out.” I was particularly impacted by this chapter about family vacations in the book because it was so personally meaningful to our family. Since we are now a one income family, we didn’t have the money to spend on a fancy vacation so instead we spent two weeks in an amazing cabin in the mountains of Virginia. My husband and I drank our coffee together on the front porch overlooking the Shenandoah River every morning while the kids were still asleep, we hiked as a family through the mountains, swam in the river, fished (but didn’t catch anything big enough to eat) and roasted marshmallows together at night. Though we didn’t eat out at fancy restaurants, go to all of the pricey tourist spots or buy a lot of expensive souvenirs it was our most amazing vacation ever. My three little ones still talk about our fun adventures and commented on how wonderful it was that I wasn’t connected to the internet or my cell phone (am I really that bad?). It made me realize that it is the time we spend together as a family enjoying the beauty of nature created by God that creates memories that will last us forever.

Thanks, Simply Stacie, for letting me share your memory!

What about you? What was your favorite family vacation? I have a hunch it wasn't an expensive, once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip. I'd love to hear your memory!

Have you had a chance to listen?

Amish Wisdom round-up!


I've had the privilege of interviewing some fabulous people on Amish Wisdom - here are a few highlights. If you're new to my blog, you can hear the show live every Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! (To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.) You can also access all the past shows at this link or download them for free on iTunes here.

Thursday 25th of August 2011

Amish Wisdom with humorist Deb Coty

Deb Coty's latest release, "Too Blessed to be Stressed" (Barbour), is packed with inspiration, insights, and humor. You'll get a taste of Deb's quirky and heart-felt encouragement in this hour.

Thursday 18th of August 2011

Amish Wisdom with editor Valerie Weaver-Zercher

Valerie Weaver-Zercher is a Mennonite writer and editor who worked on the revised 30th anniversary edition of "Living More with Less" by Doris Janzen Longacre (Herald Press). Valerie discusses the motivations behind living a simpler life so that it transcends the "Green in In" trend.

Thursday 11th of August 2011

Amish Wisdom with Erik Wesner of Amish America

Erik Wesner catches us up on his book projects and shares some of the more controversial topics about the Amish that have been discussed on his blog.

Thursday 4th of August 2011

Amish Wisdom with founder of Auntie Anne's Pretzels-Jonas Beiler

Jonas Beiler, discusses the different roles in his life: family counselor, co-founder of Auntie Anne's Pretzels and author of "Think No Evil." Jonas was raised Old Order Amish. Although he is no longer Amish, he admires many aspects of them, including their quick intent to forgive. In the second half of the show, Jonas talks in-depth about the Nickel Mine shootings.

Thursday 28th of July 2011

Amish Wisdom with author MaryBeth Whalen

Guest host Judy Christie talks with MaryBeth Whalen about her new novel, "She Makes It Look Easy" (David Cook). They also chat about living within one's means, simplifying life, and being the person you're meant to be. MaryBeth is a mother of six, ages 6-19. Lots to talk about!

Thursday 21st of July 2011

Amish Wisdom with authors Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

The bestselling team of Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould discuss how they manage writing a manuscript when they live 2,000 miles apart. Their newest release, "The Amish Nanny," includes some fascinating historical information about the Anabaptists.

Thursday 14th of July 2011

Amish Wisdom with cookbook author Kevin Williams

Kevin Williams, co-author of "Amish Cook Baking Book"with Lovina Eicher, shares his story of starting a syndicated newspaper column. Guest hosting is Judy Christie, author of the wildly popular "Gone to Green" series (Abingdon Press).

Thursday 7th of July 2011

Amish Wisdom with author Kathleen Fuller

Kathleen Fuller writes bestselling Amish fiction for Thomas Nelson, and is currently battling thryoid cancer. She shares what she has learned as she journeys through this experience. Just a heads-up...the final segment is an excerpt from "Amish Values for Your Family," a new release from yours truly.

Thursday 30th of June 2011

Amish Wisdom with author Ira Wagler

Ira Wagler was raised Old Order Amish in Aylmer, Ontario. "Growing Up Amish" (Tyndale) is a memoir of Ira's childhood and young adulthood--and his back-and-forth struggle to figure out which world he belonged in.

Thursday 16th of June 2011

Amish Wisdom with author Shelley Shepard Gray

Shelley's had a big year! Nine books (9!), her youngest child just graduated from high school, she's been on NPR radio, featured in USA Today, and just returned from an Alaskan cruise. In this episode, Shelley shares her observations after attending an Old Order Amish wedding, and we discuss her soon-to-release book, "The Protector," book 2 in the Families of Honor series.

Thursday 9th of June 2011

Amish Wisdom with author Ann Gabhart

Ann Gabhart shares information about the Shakers, a religious community that thrived in the 1700s and 1800s. Ann writes historical fiction about the Shakers and is very knowledgeable about this unique group.

Thursday 26th of May 2011

Amish Wisdom The Friendship of Two Men

A few years ago, Dan Endy (non-Amish) and Amos Stoltzfus (Beachy Amish) met in Pennsylvania and forged a meaningful friendship. How have they influenced each other? What have they learned from each other? What kinds of activities do they share? You'll find answers to those questions and many more--while learning a lot about friendship.

Thursday 19th of May 2011

Amish Wisdom "Who are the Anabaptists?"

Fascinating show that explores the history of Anabaptists with four knowledgeable guests: Erik Wesner of Amish America, Mennonite cookbook author Sherry Gore, soon-to-be-author and former Old Order Amish Ira Wagler, and former Hutterite Mary Ann Kirkby. Each one shares some history and know-how about an aspect of their faith.

Thursday 5th of May 2011

Amish Wisdom with author P.L. Gaus

Paul Gaus, writer of Amish fiction mysteries, describes how he segued from a chemistry professor at a university to a writer of murder mysteries. Paul shares what it takes to write a mystery novel.

Thursday 28th of April 2011

Amish Wisdom with author Ruth Reid

Debut novelist Ruth Reid talks about her book, "The Promise of an Angel," about an Amish settlement in Michigan.

Thursday 21st of April 2011

Amish Wisdom with author Beverly Lewis

Beverly Lewis, New York Times bestselling author and the "gracious host" of the Amish fiction sub-genre, talks about the recent Hallmark film of "The Shunning," and about her recent release, "The Judgment." Beverly shares about how her childhood influenced her writing and imagination.

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Too Blessed to Be Stressed author Debora Coty!

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.


Don't miss this week's guest, my friend and author, Debora Coty. We'll be talking about her new book Too Blessed to Be Stressed and how we can simplify our lives by keeping our to-do list from taking over. I'm looking forward to catching up with Debora - you'll love her sense of humor too! Oh, and don't miss her Kindle Giveaway (details below) and she's having a Facebook Party tomorrow evening - hope to see you there!

Leave a comment {HERE} for a chance to win a copy of Debora's book for yourself! Winner will be notified next week via email.

About the book:
Do your to do lists have footnotes? Has your fam suggested a rabies shot because your bite has surpassed Rover’s?

Maybe it’s time for a healthy dose of truth gift-wrapped in humor. With her own offbeat brand of wit and near-wisdom, inspirational humorist Debora Coty addresses the heart-needs of desperate women drowning in the churning everyday stress-pool of busyness.

In Too Blessed to Be Stressed, you’ll find simple, practical steps for attaining the peace that you crave as you struggle with the stresses of finances, health, career, relationships, self-image and family. You’ll discover healing, refreshment, and revitalization for your own spirit, body and mind through heart-changing real life stories, biblically based insights, and short chapters for on-the-run convenience.

About Debora: 
Debora M. Coty is a humorist, columnist, speaker, writing workshop instructor and award-winning author ofover 100 internationally published articles and ten inspirational books. She has also contributed short stories and devotionals to numerous anthologies. Debora's passion is sharing her offbeat blend of humor and hope, wit and near-wisdom with women of all ages. As a piano teacher for twenty years, she acquired the skill of auditory long-suffering and has helped countless people as an occupational therapist specializing in orthopedics for over three decades. Mother of two grown children, Debora currently lives and loves in central Florida with her husband and desperately wicked pooch, Fenway. www.deboracoty.com
Be sure to check out Debora's KINDLE giveaway (going on right now) and Facebook party on the 25th.

Enter 8/8 - 8/25!

Photo Caption Contest week 4

The Bill Coleman photo caption contest. To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, my latest non-fiction book, (and showcase more of Bill’s incredible work) I’m bringing back the caption contest for the month of August. Each Wednesday I’ll post a new Bill Coleman photo on my blog. Then you’ll have all week to come up with the perfect caption for that photo. (You’ll be allowed one caption entry per photo.) Then on the following Wednesday I’ll announce the previous week’s winner and post a new photo. Each winner will win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family for you and a friend. But, wait – there’s more. On August 31st I’ll choose one person who entered the contest (by sharing a caption during the month of August) to win a fabulous Bill Coleman photo of their very own! I’ll also choose 5 runner’s ups to win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Week 3 winner is: Amber with her caption "A Walk To Remember".

Week 4 Photo: leave your best caption in the comment section below then come back next Wednesday to see if your entry was the winner!

Have you see "The Help" yet? I saw it last week with my daughters and would like to see it again. It is a wonderful movie--funny, poignant, challenging, inspiring. And it stayed true to the book, too. In fact, the book can drag at points and the movie actually tightened it up.

The casting for this movie was spot-on. I predict Abilene and Minnie (Viola Davis, Octavia Davis)will be Oscar nominees. The surprise character for me was Celia Foote. She nearly stole the show! The only character that didn't seem to make a lot of sense was Stuart. I think they just wanted to show that Skeeter lost something, too, but they didn't develop his character in any significant way. But I loved the relationship between Skeeter and her mother: fractious yet charming.

After I read the book, I was curious about the author and did a little digging. I mean, this is her debut novel and it is a WOW. My conclusion (aside from discovering that she was in the publishing industry, which always seems to help a debut novelist)...is I think she was Mae Mobley. I think this was her story. Probably the most memorable lines in the movie: "You is beautiful. You is smart. And you is important."

Powerful! Abilene was giving Mae Mobley a blessing.

Go see the movie and let me know your thoughts!

A New Beginning

One thing about raising a family...you can count on constant change.

My youngest son (child #4) left for his sophomore year of college on Saturday. Earlier in the week, as he was starting the packing process (slow, oh so slow!), I asked him if he was ready to go.

"Yes!" he said, a little too enthusiastically.

"Well, I'm NOT!" I answered.

Anticipating a goodbye is the worst part--the last hug, the empty room. After that initial shock, my husband and I start adjusting. Soon, it feels normal. And it helps when we hear the smile in our son's voice. He is LOVING college. What more could parents ask?!

Another new first today...my youngest daughter (child #3) begins her first day as a teacher for a private international school. Can't wait to hear her report tomorrow eve! She's been working toward this goal for a while. There's nothing more wonderful than a teacher who feels "called" to teach. At church on Sunday, our pastor had all of the teachers stand up for a special blessing. "There is no greater influence on a child outside of the home than a teacher," he told them. How true!

So that's the story in my household. Now it's your turn. What's new in your life?

The 'More with Less' Life

This weekend, I received quite a few e-mails and FB messages asking for that closing quote I read on the radio program last Thursday. The comment was written by Brian McLaren in the 30th anniversary edition of the book "Living More with Less" by the late Doris Janzen Longacre (Herald Press). So here it is:

Grace is the best motivation for a more-with-less lifestyle. Having received grace ourselves, we want our neighbor in poverty to receive it too. Even our enemies need grace, we realize. So do the rivers and streams, the soil and wind; we don't want to stress them to their limits, but rather to treat them gently, graciously, generously. 

And the same goes for the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, the flowers and creatures of the field. We want each to be given all the grace they need to thrive and prosper. It is our joy to live with less so that others may have enough.

This is the more-with-less life: it is full of conviction and also full of grace. It is committed to practical action and also to expansive generosity. It is eager to do what's good and beautiful and also to do it in a good and beautiful spirit. It is confident that an abundant life is a simple life, and that one enjoys more by grasping less.

Author Spotlight round up!

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We'll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week's Author Spotlight with  is Southern Gal! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week we are highlighting our recent Spotlight authors.  Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of my new book, Amish Values for Your Famly!

Also, have you been leaving a comment for a chance to win a book? Be sure to check the post links below to see if you won.


Janet Holm McHenry http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/08/author-spotlight-janet-holm-mchenry.html

Cindy Woodsmall http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/08/author-spotlight-cindy-woodsmall.html

Kelly Long http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/07/author-spotlight-with-kelly-long.html

Wanda Brunstetter http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/07/author-spotlight-wanda-brunstetter.html

Hilary Manton Lodge http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/07/author-spotlight-hillary-manton-lodge.html

Gayle Roper http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/07/author-spotlight-gayle-roper.html

Kathleen Fuller http://suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com/2011/07/author-spotlight-kathleen-fuller.html

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Valerie Weaver-Zercher

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

Don't miss this week's show. We'll be talking about living more simply with guest Valerie Weaver-Zercher.Valerie is a Mennonite writer and editor in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. She works as a contributing editor to Sojourners magazine, a book reviewer for Christian Century, and her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Christian Science Monitor, Orion, Christianity Today, and other venues. She is also the editor and compiler of Living More with Less.


Leave a comment {HERE} for a chance to win a copy of Living More with Less. Winner notified next week via eamil.

More about Valerie and the book:

"A Cookbook for Life" - Living More-with-Less: 30th Anniversary Edition That's how author and activist Shane Claiborne describes Living More with Less: 30th Anniversary Edition.

It's an apt description. If Doris Janzen Longacre's first book, the More-with-Less Cookbook, was just that—a cookbook to help people who wanted to cook more responsibly in light of world food needs—Living More with Less was a cookbook for simple, sustainable, sane, and healthy living in a world where too many people lacked basic necessities for life.

Written in 1980, before living simply and "green" became trendy and popular, Living More with Less was a practical guide for living in simple, sustainable, and healthy ways—ways that keep the future of the planet, and the plight of poor people, in mind.
Thirty years later, Living More with Less: 30th Anniversary Edition has been released as a way to celebrateand honor Longacre, who died of cancer in 1979 at the age of 39 before she could complete the original manuscript.

In addition to Doris' original reflections on themes such as doing justice, learning from the world community, cherishing the natural order, and experiments in nonconformity, Living More with Less: 30th Anniversary Edition contains new and updated essays, reflections, stories, and practical tips in areas such as money, homekeeping, gardening, cooking, clothing, transportation, and technology.

For Bill McKibben, author of Earth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet, Living More with Less: 30th Anniversary Edition provides "sound advice for living sensibly—and for freeing up the energy you need to join with your neighbors in the drive for a fair and durable earth."

The book is exceptionally wise, urgently necessary for the sake of saving our planet, pertinently and personally practical," adds Marva Dawn, author of Unfettered Hope; Being Well When We're Ill, and Keeping the Sabbath Wholly.

Living More with Less: 30th Anniversary Edition "collects the wisdom and experience of those who live with less than a consumer culture says we need," says editor Valerie Weaver-Zercher. "It's a vibrant collection of testimonies, old and new, of those who are discovering the joy of living with enough."

Or, to put it another way, it's a cookbook for life.

Photo Caption Contest week 3

The Bill Coleman photo caption contest. To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, my latest non-fiction book, (and showcase more of Bill’s incredible work) I’m bringing back the caption contest for the month of August. Each Wednesday I’ll post a new Bill Coleman photo on my blog. Then you’ll have all week to come up with the perfect caption for that photo. (You’ll be allowed one caption entry per photo.) Then on the following Wednesday I’ll announce the previous week’s winner and post a new photo. Each winner will win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family for you and a friend. But, wait – there’s more. On August 31st I’ll choose one person who entered the contest (by sharing a caption during the month of August) to win a fabulous Bill Coleman photo of their very own! I’ll also choose 5 runner’s ups to win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Week 2 winner is: Jackie with her caption "We must stay together and continue on...".

Week 3 Photo: leave your best caption in the comment section below then come back next Wednesday to see if your entry was the winner!

Amish Values FUN!

I'm thrilled with the response Amish Values for Your Family is receiving!

"It offers loving ways to bring your fractured home back to life-Amish style. Read it and apply generously! It’s a beautiful book-funny, charming, soulful, and beautiful." -Mary Ann Kirkby

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

To celebrate I've teamed up my publisher Revell Books to give away a Kindle, and with Bill Coleman (the amazing photographer used on several of my book covers) to give away a signed Bill Coleman original.

One Grand Prize winner will receive an Amish Values Prize Package (valued at over $200) and includes:

* A brand new KINDLE
* A Signed Bill Coleman original
* Amish Values for Your Family (for KINDLE)

Click on one of the icons to enter. Winner will be announced on 9/2 at my blog. Be sure to stop by the blogs on during blog tour – many have copies of Amish Values for Your Family to give away.

But, wait there's more! Don't forget about the Bill Coleman caption contest during the month of August. Title one of Bill’s gorgeous photos for a chance to win a print from Bill’s Amish Photo site and/or a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Baked Prosciutto and Egg Cups

A few days ago, on Facebook, I mentioned an amazing breakfast my daughter had made. Here's the recipe--courtesy of Rachael Ray's Everyday Foods. This is delicious! The salty prosciutto is a perfect complement to a baked egg. Try it and let me know if you liked it as much as we did.

World's Best Homemade Granola Recipe

World's Best homemade granola, courtesy of Ina Garten

I've been promising to post some recipes that I've raved about lately on Facebook.  It takes me a while...but I do whittle down my to-do list! This recipe is one of my family's favorites. Try it and let me know what you think, or how you've tweaked it to make it your own. Better still, what's your favorite homemade granola recipe? 

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup good honey
• 1 1/2 cups small diced dried apricots
• 1 cup small diced dried figs
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

Note from Suzanne: If you don't have those particular dried fruits or nuts, get creative and use what you have. Raisins, dried peaches, almonds, pecans, etc.  It's still a terrific basic recipe.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Note from Suzanne: The granola can burn easily, so I have set the oven a little cooler and watch it carefully. There's a fine line between toasty brown and burnt! Trust me, I know this!

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries, and cashews. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Note from Suzanne: Besides enjoying this granola with yogurt and fruit...try it over vanilla ice cream sometime! Dee-lish! (And most of you will remember that my husband is on a quest to create the perfect vanilla ice cream recipe. We have had a LOT of vanilla ice cream to enhance with granola and other wonderful add-ons!)

Source: Barefoot Contessa

Author Spotlight: Janet Holm McHenry

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We'll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week's Author Spotlight with Cindy Woodsmall is Nancy! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week Janet Holm McHenry is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of Janet's latest book, PrayerWalk, leave a comment on this post!

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

My high school sweetheart Craig and I have been married umpteen years and have four kids—the last one in college now. We don’t really think of ourselves as empty nesters yet, though, because our oldest, her husband, and their four kids, ages 5 and under live in our guest house, just 10 feet from our house. I work as a full-time high school English teacher and write and speak in the other snatches of life. I have a very FULL life!

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

I’ve written hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines, as well as 19 books—including children’s board books, juvenile fiction, and inspirational nonfiction for women. My writing passion is prayer, and my business name—which is Looking Up!—shows how I hope to get my reader turning more and more each day to the Lord.

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?

My first writings were part of a letter-writing contest to my paternal grandmother. I won the contest and now own her authentic Finnish contest. I was not “Finnished,” though, with writing. I was my high school’s newspaper editor and then majored in journalism in college. I worked as a technical writer, a proofreader for a publisher, and then a newspaper reporter and city editor for a daily newspaper. A few years after we moved to a tiny town in the Sierra, I began freelance writing—and here I am 25 years later.

After you started writing seriously--how long was it before you were published?

After I felt God’s call to write, I attended three major Christian writers’ conferences the first year. A couple months later I sold my first article. A couple years later I had my first children’s books published.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

Well, first, my “coffee” is a Diet Coke…smile…and I’m not one of those writers who can write a chapter in the local Starbuck’s. And actually, the closest one of those is about an hour away from my mountain valley. When I’m working on a contract, I clear my weekend or summer schedule and hole up either in my office upstairs or on a corner of the living room couch. I tell myself “No fun until the work is done!” Well, one exception might be the occasional bag of microwave popcorn; somehow the carbs seem to help the brain waves move in the right direction.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

Writers’ conferences have been the greatest help. Every year for the first 15 years or so I learned invaluable skills in the workshops and made invaluable contacts with editors. Attending a writers’ conference is the best investment a newbie can make in his or her career.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

Writing is very fulfilling. It’s also a lot of hard work that requires thick skin and patience. Success does not come overnight. I tell budding writers, “Don’t quit your day job.” I haven’t quit mine yet.

What are your biggest distractions?

That’s easy: my four kids—Rebekah, Justin, Joshua, and Bethany—and now my six grandkids. But they also provide a lot of fodder for writing.

What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?

I’ve received several awards, but the best moment was probably being named Writer of the Year at the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference in 1993. The worst moment…wow, which should I choose? Every rejection seems like the worst moment, and to have success, you have to plow through a lot of rejection. I had to write my book Prayerstreaming three times. That was probably the toughest time…but that struggle resulted in what is probably my best book.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

I love pushing myself to write better with every single stroke on the keyboard; it’s really a kick when a phrase comes out well. The hard part is that I get really excited when I prepare a book proposal with a sample chapter or so and then have to wait sometimes months to see if a publisher likes it. It’s hard to regain the momentum sometimes.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I value my agent’s guidance. She knows what I do best and where my passions lie. Mine also protects my interests and advocates for me. I don’t know what I’d do without her!

What advice would you give to new writers?

#1 Join a local writers’ critique group. Prepare something for each meeting, and accept and learn from others’ criticism. #2 Join Writers’ Digest Book Club; buy a zillion books and read them. #3 Invest in at least one professional writers’ conference yearly. Pay attention, be humble, and soak up every word. That’s a good start!

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

“Thirteen years ago Janet Holm McHenry began a prayerwalk routine that transformed her life and profoundly impacted the lives of those around her. Learn how you, too, can set out on a journey to increased energy, better health, and greater joy.”

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I’m working on proposals that have that same Up2Me flavor. Interested readers can tune into some of my ideas on my blog, http://janetmchenry.wordpress.com.

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

My website has some great info, www.janetmchenry.com, including a video about prayerwalking.

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)

It’s a pleasure and privilege! Thank YOU!

Photo Caption Contest week 2

The Bill Coleman photo caption contest. To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, my latest non-fiction book, (and showcase more of Bill’s incredible work) I’m bringing back the caption contest for the month of August. Each Wednesday I’ll post a new Bill Coleman photo on my blog. Then you’ll have all week to come up with the perfect caption for that photo. (You’ll be allowed one caption entry per photo.) Then on the following Wednesday I’ll announce the previous week’s winner and post a new photo. Each winner will win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family for you and a friend.

But, wait – there’s more. On August 31st I’ll choose one person who entered the contest (by sharing a caption during the month of August) to win a fabulous Bill Coleman photo of their very own! I’ll also choose 5 runner’s ups to win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Week 1 winner is: A Random Woman with her caption "Chorin's done for the day!".

Week 2 Photo: leave your best caption in the comment section below then come back next Wednesday to see if your entry was the winner!

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Erik Wesner

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.


I'm thrilled to have Amish America blogger, Erik Wesner, back on the show this week. We'll be catching up with Erik about his latest projects and some of the fascinating topics he's been talking about over at his blog. Topics like: Amish salvage stores and food safety, Amish homes, Amish settling in "atypical" places across the country--the South, West, etc., Could you live without technology?, favorite Amish businesses and much, much more.

Have a question for Erik? Leave it below, send it on twitter (@suzannewfisher) or call in to 1-877-864-4869.


More about Erik: Erik Wesner is an independent expert on the Amish and their business practices, andpreviously spent a decade as a sales manager and record-breaking salesperson at Nashville’s Southwestern Company. He divides his time between Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he has strong ties to the Amish community, and Poland, the country of his roots. He also writes the popular blog Amish America at amishamerica.com, covering Amish business, culture, and other topics.

For a chance to win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family, leave a comment. Winner will be notified next week via email.

Monday Ramblings...

I've been doing something new this summer...swimming laps! I'm loving it!

Granted, the weather is perfect, and I swim at the end of the day when the neighborhood pool is pretty quiet. I can't guarantee I will be quite as enthusiastic about this form of exercise in December, but for now, I really look forward to that hour of the day. The solitude, the exercise, the fitness results...everything but turning my hair green.

When I'm not swimming, I'm working like a fiend on my third in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series--the one that features the youngest sister, Mary Kate, who is a PISTOL. It's not due until January 1st, but I have an incredibly busy Autumn with a lot of travel, and I'm in the zone right now. Yesterday, I had a quiet day at the house and woke up early. I think I wrote 8,000 words! A record! I wasn't even trying to hit a word count...I just had a breakthrough moment in a critical plot logjam. 

Anyway...with all of the time I've been spending with my computer, I've collected some bloggy info that everyone should know, just in case you are in a clutch moment on JEOPARDY someday:

The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.

The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet.

TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).

There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous

There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."

Women blink nearly twice as much as men. (This, I believe, is because we spend too much time writing novels at the computer.)

Lots of good things coming up this week--some exciting news that I hope to share later on, as details firm up. And Thursday's guest on Amish Wisdom is Erik Wesner of AmishAmerica. Erik is a very interesting guy who lives part of the year in Poland, part of the year among Amish settlements in Pennsylvania and Ohio. His insights about the Amish are quite fascinating--he has an eye for detail and a sense of story. Excellent writer, too. I can't wait to see what Erik has been up to this year! 

Thanks for stopping by! Hope your week is off to a great start.

Author Spotlight: Cindy Woodsmall

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We'll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week's Author Spotlight with Kelly Long is AL! Please email my assistant Amy with your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

This week Cindy Woodsmall is in the Spotlight! To win a copy of Cindy's latest book, The Harvest of Grace, leave a comment on this post!


Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in? 

My husband and I will soon celebrate thirty-four years of marriage. We have three sons, two daughters-in-law, and our first grandchild is on the way!

I began writing as a hobby about twelve years ago. At the time I was still a homeschooling mom, but the only student I had left was our youngest child. Today, he no longer home schools, and I write full time.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

I write books with an Amish setting. I was drawn to writing about the Plain life because while growing up in Maryland, I had a best friend who was Beachy Amish. The moment I stepped inside her house at nine years old, I could sense that there were a lot of differences between her home and mine. Neither of our parents liked the relationship, and we spent years navigating around their disapproval until my family moved to a different region of the country when I was fifteen. Years later I connected with an Old Order Amish woman through a mutual acquaintance. We became friends, and for years I’ve stayed in her home as often as time allows us that gift. Our relationship has been a precious one; after years of discussing my fiction works while we sat outside sipping coffee near her lilac bushes, we embarked on becoming coauthors of a nonfiction book—Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into An Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women—and working on that project drew us even closer.

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?  

I spent most of my life being highly annoyed by the continual stories taking place inside my head. My earliest memories of them was when I was four or five, and I reworked (in my mind) all of the classic fairy tales.

Once an adult, I did everything I could to make the stories shut up. To me, the stories wanted to pull me away from my family and into a dream world. But they grew so loud that I could no longer ignore them. I prayed they’d go away. When they didn't, I began to realize that maybe I wasn’t meant to simply read fiction. Maybe instead of keeping a lid on the stories, I needed to remove the lid and stir the pot, so to speak.

I started writing, and soon one story stood out—an Amish one based on the journey between my childhood Amish friend and me. I went to my first writers’ conference in 2002, where I learned a ton and then returned home to apply all I’d learned. By my next conference the following year, I was ready to show some of my work to a few editors. I received wonderful feedback, even a potential offer from one publisher to put me under contract if I’d write anything except Amish fiction. At the time only Beverly Lewis was writing Amish stories in trade fiction, and editors weren’t sure the market would hold strong for a second Amish author.

I spent a few restless weeks deciding whether to follow the editor’s advice or stick to my Amish stories. It was a rough choice. It didn’t make sense for an unpublished writer to turn down the opportunity for a contract with a big publishing house. But after weeks of sleeplessness, I knew I had to continue with the story I’d written.

With that decision made, I made another—to pitch my story to every editor at every conference possible. Unfortunately, with one exception, the editors I spoke with were not interested in testing the market to see if it could support a second author writing Amish fiction.

But after a lot of disappointing feedback, I met with one editor who felt that my writing and story were strong enough to sell regardless of its Amish setting. She agreed to take it to committee, hoping her publishing house would feel as strongly about the story as she did. To my amazed delight, they offered me a contract for a three-book series—Sisters of the Quilt. The publisher was WaterBrook Press, an imprint of Random House. I’ve been with the same publisher and editor ever since.

After you started writing seriously--how long was it before you were published? 

If memory serves, I started writing seriously about a year before my first writers’ conference, which took place in 2002. I received my first contract in 2005.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

My husband has been my staunchest supporter from the start. One time, early on, we’d both heard about an excellent conference—the Mount Hermon Writers Conference—and he felt strongly I should go. I bemoaned that I was making no money as I learned how to get the story of my heart onto the page, and I couldn’t see paying for another conference. He looked thoughtful and said, “Well, it’s a long way from Georgia to California, but I suppose we could do it one of two ways: I purchase a plane ticket and you go or I purchase two tickets, and I’ll drag you.” I went…alone, and that one conference opened many doors for me. Here I am seven years later, and he is still supporting me every way possible—from helping me get books in the mail to winners of various contests to brainstorming with me to reading the manuscript as I work.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be? 

It takes as much time and energy as I’d always feared it would, but it has become a part of me and I can’t imagine it not being a part of my life.

What are your biggest distractions? 

Loved ones! Today is a good example. I’ve had four loved ones come into my office and want to chat for a minute, which took anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour each. One loved one needed a favor, so I had to leave my workspace for a couple of hours. As soon as I was back in my office, I received phone calls from my sons, whom I love very much, and one from a sibling. About that time I’m thinking I need to rent an office space at an unknown-to-others destination. But without loved ones to talk to and help, what’s the point of anything we do?

What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?

My husband and I became a single-income family many years ago, so the best part of my career was that day when I told him that I had a contract and that he was no longer the only breadwinner. He was jubilant! Then came the worst day, which was moments later, when I confessed that the amount of my pay didn’t quite cover the costs he’d spent on all those conferences he sent me to. ;-)

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like? 

I’m not sure I’d have known how to answer the question about my least favorite part before this past year. But my husband and I each lost our fathers this year, and my special-needs brother moved in with us. So I can safely say that the toughest part of being a writer is when life demands more of you than you can give, and there is no substitute teacher or temporary worker who can take your place. The deadline still looms, and if you want to be paid, you have to make that deadline. But during those times, it’s difficult to be creative.

My favorite time is when I hear from readers who are excited about one of my books! When I read how the story uplifted them and that they’ve passed the book on to a family member, friend, or coworker, I’m ready to dig in and write another novel.

What advice would you give to new writers?

If you want to succeed in this crazy world of book publishing, learn the craft of writing well. Work with people who can help you improve your skills. Network with folks in the publishing industry. Keep pursuing the passion God has placed in you, even in the face of rejection and discouragement.

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book. 

Cindy Woodsmall’s newest book, The Harvest of Grace, hits bookstore shelves August 9!

Reeling from an unexpected betrayal, Sylvia makes a painful mistake that forces her to seek work far from her family. Can she find relief from the echoes of her past…or will they shape her future forever?

What’s on the book horizon for you? 

I’m excited about the upcoming release of The Harvest of Grace. It is the conclusion of the Ada’s House series and was so much fun to write! Following that, The Christmas Singing comes out in October!

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

I love hearing from readers! They can connect with me by going to my website, www.cindywoodsmall.com. And I enjoy hopping over to Facebook during my writing day: https://www.facebook.com/authorcindywoodsmall

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)

Thank you so much for inviting me! This has been wonderful.

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Jonas Beiler

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.


I'm so excited to speak with Jonas on the show this week. We'll be discussing his book, "Think No Evil", his wife Anne and their business Auntie Ann's Pretzels and so much more. Don't miss it.

For a chance to win one of three copies of Think No Evil, leave a comment here. Winner will be notified next week via email. 

More about the book: THE TRUE STORY OF OCTOBER 2, 2006, WHEN CHARLES ROBERTS ENTERED AN AMISH SCHOOLHOUSE, bound and shot ten schoolgirls, and then committed suicide, stunned all who read the headlines or watched the drama unfold on television screens.

Somehow, the senseless violence seemed all the more horrific against the backdrop of horse-and-buggy funeral processions and scenes of wide-eyed innocent children clad in bonnets and suspenders.

But perhaps even more startling than the violence was the quiet yet powerful response of the Amish community offering unconditional forgiveness to the murderer and reaching out to his family with baskets of food and warm welcomes into their homes. Could such forgiveness be genuine, truly heartfelt? Surely there must be simmering rage behind those peaceful words.
Jonas Beiler wondered. He had grown up in that very Amish community. His own pain of losing his daughter in a tragic accident years before resurfaced, and the lingering shadows of other life tragedies loomed darker. As he met with the grieving families, he could see how devastated and broken they felt, and yet he was drawn to the strength he saw in them.

Outsiders, too, had difficulty understanding the rock-solid faith of the people in this Amish community. How could they forgive someone who killed their innocent daughters? How could they reach out and embrace his family, expressing unconditional love for them in these circumstances? Letters from around the world poured in, asking these universal questions in the face of suffering.
And so began Jonas Beiler's journey into this story -- the story behind the headlines, behind the farmhouse doors, around the lantern-lit kitchen tables, at the local market, and alongside the tiny coffins. His quest is now yours to read. His discoveries yours to consider.

Walk with those closest to the scene: an Amish grandfather, an ambulance driver, a surviving Amish schoolgirl, and volunteer firefighters. Even look on as the community demolishes the school where the murders took place and builds the New Hope School that holds no memories of bloodstained walls.
Think No Evil is the first insider account of the tragic events, the personal victories and the daily Amish life in Nickel Mines, written by a native of the Amish community who still lives and works where most of his relatives are Old Order Amish. Against the rich and fascinating backdrop of Amish culture, Beiler reveals the best of the human spirit in the midst of the worst, and leaves us all drawn heavenward, the richer for it.

More about Jonas: Born and raised in the Amish-Mennonite community of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Jonas and Anne Beiler grew up surrounded by faith and family. During these early years, important life lessons were permanently woven into the fabric of their lives.

Jonas and Anne both attended traditional Amish schools until the 8th grade. They met as teens and were married by the age of 21 and 19, respectively.

Jonas and Anne's peaceful life as newlyweds and young parents went into a tailspin after the death of their 19-month-old daughter, Angela Joy, who died tragically in a farming accident in 1975. Anne, in her mid-20s at the time, found herself depressed and eventually on the brink of suicide. Despite being a faithful churchgoer, she didn't feel she could share her pain with friends or family members.

Jonas and Anne drifted apart. They remained silent partners who simply lived together and went through the motions of family life. They stayed together for the sake of their other two surviving daughters. Anne sought counsel from her pastor, who used the vulnerability of her grief to manipulate and control her for more than six years.

After confessing the manipulation to her husband, the Beilers sought counseling. The Beilers reconciled as God restored their marriage. Through the repair of their own marriage, God revealed that many others were suffering from the same despair and hopelessness. After studying at Dr. Richard Dobbins' EMERGE Ministries in Akron, Ohio, Jonas began providing lay counseling as a way to give back and help others.

To support Jonas' vision to help others, Anne bought a concession stand at a local farmers' market in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. She sold everything from pizza to ice cream, but it was the hand-rolled soft pretzels that customers couldn't get enough of. Because of the demand, Anne dropped the rest of the products and concentrated on perfecting the pretzel. Auntie Anne's Soft Pretzels was born.

Under the leadership of Jonas and Anne, Auntie Anne's grew from a single outlet to more than 950 locations worldwide, with a workforce of more than 10,000. Auntie Anne's, with its international headquarters in Lancaster, PA., is the world's largest hand-rolled soft pretzel chain offering snack and meal options to shoppers and travelers. Today, Auntie Anne's has over 300 franchisees in 20 countries and continues to be recognized for its superior product and service standards. In order to pursue their passion to strengthen families and build community, Auntie Anne's was sold to a private owner in April of 2005. Visit the website for more information, www.thebeilers.com

From their modest beginnings to the notable success of Auntie Anne's, Inc., the Beiler's have become one of the nation's leading entrepreneurs. In 1992, the Beilers founded the Family Resource and Counseling Center, a Christian, non-profit counseling facility which currently employees 24 people. In 2008 the Beilers founded The Family Center of Gap, a 55,000 square foot building created to meet the ever growing needs of the community. Through their time and resources, the Beilers continue to give back to the community they love so much.

The Family Center of Gap also houses numerous partner organizations. Some of those partners include the Salisbury Township Branch Library, Angela's Café, Cornerstone Pregnancy Care Services, Tree of Life Health Ministries, Hildebrandt Learning Centers, Gap Community Church, House on the Rock Family Ministries and Family Resource and Counseling Centers.

The Beilers have always believed in leading by example, doing business with integrity, and giving back to the community. While at Auntie Anne's, they demonstrated their business principles with the acronym, LIGHT: Lead by example; Invest in employees; Give freely; Honor God; and Treat all business contacts with integrity. These principles continue to LIGHT their way as they follow their passion to serve people, strengthen families, and build community.

Photo Caption Contest week 1

Welcome to the Bill Coleman photo caption contest!

To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, my latest non-fiction book, (and showcase more of Bill’s incredible work) I’m bringing back the caption contest for the month of August. Each Wednesday I’ll post a new Bill Coleman photo on my blog. Then you’ll have all week to come up with the perfect caption for that photo. (You’ll be allowed one caption entry per photo.) Then on the following Wednesday I’ll announce the previous week’s winner and post a new photo. Each winner will win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family for you and a friend. But, wait – there’s more. On August 31st I’ll choose one person who entered the contest (by sharing a caption during the month of August) to win a fabulous Bill Coleman photo of their very own! I’ll also choose 5 runner’s ups to win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Week 1 Photo: leave your best caption in the comment section below then come back next Wednesday to see if your entry was the winner!