Book Review: "The Longing" (The Courtship of Nellie Fisher - Book 3) by Beverly Lewis

I have been a Beverly Lewis fan for a number of years and have read all of her books. I have been fascinated with the Amish culture for a good many years. Perhaps it is having been raised near a German Mennonite community and having worked in a Mennonite company during and after college. I am not sure, but nonetheless I find their culture very interesting.

This is the third book in the Courtship of Nellie Fisher series. Once again picking up the book was impossible to put down, which why it was saved until last on my last reading list. Mrs. Lewis went all the way with this book and showed a revival amongst the Old Order, New Order and Beachy Amish folks of Lancaster County. Staunch Old Order families come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in a very realistic way. Mrs. Lewis provides the stories of several different characters and finishes developing them in this third and last in the series. Yet, she continues to offer a few twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Mrs. Lewis is also not quite so shy to lay out the plan of salvation and repeatedly. She shows the characters not just claiming salvation, but digging in the Scriptures to find answers to their prickly situations and finding peace in the Word and prayer. The characters that turn to Christ do so boldly and unashamedly at the risk of losing family, homes and honor. But those that resist the brazen plan of salvation to cling to their old ideals, soon come to a place where they can choose Peace or a damning place of stubbornness.