A Lancaster County Christmas

  Jaime challenged Mattie by saying that her faith didn’t seem very effective in a crisis. “If you worry,” she told her, “why pray? And if you pray, why worry?” Have you ever felt that your faith isn’t effective? Why are circumstances and feelings the wrong focus of faith? What should be the focus of our faith?

  In the midst of a crisis, Mattie took some time alone and prayed—really prayed. She poured out her soul to God. After that, “she felt peace within her swell and grow, connecting her back to the world.” Even though the crisis was not resolved, Mattie was filled with the peace of God that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7). When have you had a similar experience?

  The theme of this story is “Emmanuel, God is with us.” What does that mean to you? How does the belief that God is in the midst of your life—every up, every down—change your perspective?

  Acknowledgments

  My first thank-you belongs to the Lord Almighty, who entered into creation at Christmas to bring redemption to a fallen world. That’s the message of this little story: Emmanuel—God is with us.

  Thank you to Celeste Butrym, of Guide Dogs for the Blind, for explaining the ins and outs of Search and Rescue. Those involved in SAR work are true heroes.

  Thank you to my agent, Joyce Hart, of The Hartline Literary Agency, who believed in my writing abilities before I did. To my editor, Andrea Doering, for her insight, intelligence, and patience. And to Barb Barnes, grammar-maestro, who made this a better book all the way around. To the excellent team at Revell (Twila Brothers Bennett, Michele Misiak, Janelle Mahlmann, Jennifer Nutter, Donna Hausler, Deonne Beron, Claudia Marsh, Mary Molegraaf), for their enthusiasm, professionalism, and hard work.

  Finally, I’d like to thank the people in my foxhole: Lindsey Ciraulo, Wendy How, Nyna Dolby, and Tad Fisher for the first, crucial read.

  And as for my family, what can I say? You supply me with love, support, and constant material.

  And my love and thanks to all of the readers who’ve come with me to Stoney Ridge this far.

  Suzanne Woods Fisher is the author of The Choice, The Waiting, and The Search—the bestselling Lancaster County Secrets series. Her grandfather was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Her interest in living a simple, faith-filled life began with her Dunkard cousins.

  Suzanne is also the author of Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World and Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life, both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year award. She is the host of “Amish Wisdom,” a weekly radio program on toginet.com. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne’s way of thinking . . . you just can’t take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone’s underwear in its mouth.

  You can find Suzanne online at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

  Other Books by Author

  Books by Suzanne Woods Fisher

  * * *

  Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World

  Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life

  Amish Values for Your Family: What We Can Learn from the Simple Life

  Lancaster County Secrets

  The Choice

  The Waiting

  The Search

  Website: www.revellbooks.com/signup

  Twitter: RevellBooks

  Facebook: Revell

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Two Days before Christmas

  Christmas Eve

  Christmas Morning

  Discussion Questions

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Other Books by Author

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