In September 2017, I read Kelly Irvin’s contemporary Amish novel, A Plain Love Song. I am a huge Kelly Irvin fan, having been hooked by her Amish of Bee County Series. I love her writing style, descriptions, and the fact that she can keep me interested in a love story when I am not usually a reader of simple romance. I tend to like romance subgenres, such as romantic suspense. But, I love Kelly Irvin! In the course of A Plain Love Song, her heroine Adah wants more than anything to sing music and be accompanied by instruments. She loves the sound of modern music, but her community of conservative Amish folk believe singing for any purpose other than to glorify God is wrong. She learns an important and life-changing lesson. God’s will for her life is more important than her desires. Not only does she learn to let go of worldly things, she learns the value of placing self aside in order to serve His higher plan. And finds the joy in doing so. What a testimony Ms. Irvin was able to share...

This Day in Christian History: March 17 March 17, 461: Death of Maewyn (more commonly known as Saint Patrick)  Did you know that Saint Patrick was not Irish? His was born in Roman Britain, however, at the age of 16, his town was attacked by Irish raiders. Maewyn was kidnapped and brought to Ireland where he was enslaved. It was during his six years of captivity, as he served as a shepherd, that Maewyn found a relationship with the Lord.  According to the Confessio of Patrick, the Lord told him to flee to the coast, where there would be a ship waiting to take him home. The port was two hundred miles away, but Maewyn did flee, and was able to convince the captain to let him on board. By the time he returned to his family, Maewyn was in his twenties. After some time, Maewyn had a vision of a man begging him to return to Ireland and minister to the very people that had enslaved him. He did return to Ireland and became known as Patrick. He faced great opposition from ...

This Day in Christian History: November 24 November 24, 1838 - Franois Blanchet arrives in Oregon.  Franois Blanchet was a Canadian Sulpician missionary. He spend over 45 years planting churches in the American Northwest. He is known as the "Apostle of Oregon" for the work he accomplished in the territory, and there is a Catholic school in Salem, OR named after him.