Free The Amish Millers Get Married BOXED SET Books 1-3 (Amish Romance Book Bundle: The Way Home, The Way Forward, The Narrow Way) (Boxed Set: Amish Millers Get Married) by Ruth Hartzler Page A
Authors: Ruth Hartzler
doing, Hannah?"
"It's getting better, denki ."
"And your schweschders ? How are they doing?"
"Much better, denki ."
Hannah twisted the mug of meadow tea round in her hands nervously. She didn’t know how to broach the subject with the bishop.
"Now, Hannah, tell me why you have come to see me today. Take your time," he added kindly.
Hannah shifted in her seat. "I have the sin of unforgiveness in my heart," she blurted. Hannah looked at the bishop, expecting him to look shocked or at least surprised, but the expression on his face did not change. It suddenly dawned on her that the bishop would hear all sorts of sins and problems.
The bishop leaned forward. "Tell me all about it, Hannah." His tone was encouraging and warm. "We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of Gott . We must strive not to sin on a daily basis," he added.
Hannah nodded. "I have unforgiveness in my heart for Noah Hostetler for causing the accident that injured not only me, but my three sisters as well. I've tried to forgive him but I feel resentment toward him too."
The bishop nodded. "You know, of course, that it was an accident. He hadn’t been speeding; he lost control of the car in heavy mist and on an icy road. He was on rumspringa , too."
Hannah sighed. " Jah , I know all that. I know he didn’t run into our buggy deliberately. It’s just that he was the cause of so much hardship for me and my familye ."
The bishop nodded again. "Have you asked Gott to help you forgive him?"
Hannah nodded. " Jah ." She looked down, shamefaced.
"Did you know that the middle letter of the Englisch word pride is I?"
Hannah looked at the bishop in surprise. She had no idea what he meant.
"You know what Gelassenheit means, Hannah?" the bishop continued.
"It means submission?" Hannah asked, not sure if it had some particular meaning that the bishop was referring to.
" Jah , but it means to submit to Gott's will. It means to resign yourself to Gott's will, to have a quiet spirit of self-denial and contentment."
The bishop sipped his tea, while Hannah tried to process his words. "Do you mean that I'm to accept the accident as Gott's will, and not blame Noah for it?"
The bishop did not answer directly but nodded to a large, thick book on the table nearby. "See that book."
" Jah , The Martyrs' Mirror ." Hannah knew the book well. Just about every Amish home she had been in had that book and she heard about the martyrs just about every time she was in church.
The bishop stood up, and walked over to the table to fetch the book, before he sat down with it on his knee. "And do you know the full title?"
Hannah did know the full title, but she was nervous talking to the bishop, so had to collect her thoughts for a moment before she answered. " The Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their Savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660 ."
The bishop patted the book. "And do you know why they were called Defenseless ?"
Hannah shook her head. "No, not really."
"They were called Defenseless because they did not fight against authority when it was unjust."
Hannah did not see what that had to do with unforgiveness, so waited for the bishop to explain further.
"Not resisting is the same as forgiveness," the bishop continued. " Gott forgave us, so we must forgive others. It is not an option."
Hannah knew that in theory, but she was finding it hard to put into practice.
"Hannah," the bishop said softly, "you do not have the right not to forgive; that is the right of Gott , and Gott only."
Hannah nodded. Its very sense stuck at her soul.
"And you know how important forgiveness is in The Lord's Prayer ."
Hannah silently recited The Lord's Prayer to herself.
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
"It's getting better, denki ."
"And your schweschders ? How are they doing?"
"Much better, denki ."
Hannah twisted the mug of meadow tea round in her hands nervously. She didn’t know how to broach the subject with the bishop.
"Now, Hannah, tell me why you have come to see me today. Take your time," he added kindly.
Hannah shifted in her seat. "I have the sin of unforgiveness in my heart," she blurted. Hannah looked at the bishop, expecting him to look shocked or at least surprised, but the expression on his face did not change. It suddenly dawned on her that the bishop would hear all sorts of sins and problems.
The bishop leaned forward. "Tell me all about it, Hannah." His tone was encouraging and warm. "We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of Gott . We must strive not to sin on a daily basis," he added.
Hannah nodded. "I have unforgiveness in my heart for Noah Hostetler for causing the accident that injured not only me, but my three sisters as well. I've tried to forgive him but I feel resentment toward him too."
The bishop nodded. "You know, of course, that it was an accident. He hadn’t been speeding; he lost control of the car in heavy mist and on an icy road. He was on rumspringa , too."
Hannah sighed. " Jah , I know all that. I know he didn’t run into our buggy deliberately. It’s just that he was the cause of so much hardship for me and my familye ."
The bishop nodded again. "Have you asked Gott to help you forgive him?"
Hannah nodded. " Jah ." She looked down, shamefaced.
"Did you know that the middle letter of the Englisch word pride is I?"
Hannah looked at the bishop in surprise. She had no idea what he meant.
"You know what Gelassenheit means, Hannah?" the bishop continued.
"It means submission?" Hannah asked, not sure if it had some particular meaning that the bishop was referring to.
" Jah , but it means to submit to Gott's will. It means to resign yourself to Gott's will, to have a quiet spirit of self-denial and contentment."
The bishop sipped his tea, while Hannah tried to process his words. "Do you mean that I'm to accept the accident as Gott's will, and not blame Noah for it?"
The bishop did not answer directly but nodded to a large, thick book on the table nearby. "See that book."
" Jah , The Martyrs' Mirror ." Hannah knew the book well. Just about every Amish home she had been in had that book and she heard about the martyrs just about every time she was in church.
The bishop stood up, and walked over to the table to fetch the book, before he sat down with it on his knee. "And do you know the full title?"
Hannah did know the full title, but she was nervous talking to the bishop, so had to collect her thoughts for a moment before she answered. " The Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their Savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660 ."
The bishop patted the book. "And do you know why they were called Defenseless ?"
Hannah shook her head. "No, not really."
"They were called Defenseless because they did not fight against authority when it was unjust."
Hannah did not see what that had to do with unforgiveness, so waited for the bishop to explain further.
"Not resisting is the same as forgiveness," the bishop continued. " Gott forgave us, so we must forgive others. It is not an option."
Hannah knew that in theory, but she was finding it hard to put into practice.
"Hannah," the bishop said softly, "you do not have the right not to forgive; that is the right of Gott , and Gott only."
Hannah nodded. Its very sense stuck at her soul.
"And you know how important forgiveness is in The Lord's Prayer ."
Hannah silently recited The Lord's Prayer to herself.
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
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