Longing for simplicity? Overwhelmed by demands? Tune in to “Amish Wisdom” to explore ways to slow down, de-clutter, find peace, and live a simpler life. You don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate principles of the Plain People into your life. There's much to learn from them: simple living, everyday joys, and greater value on family, community and church.

Share an hour with Suzanne and give yourself over to a world that prizes old ways, where time slows down. Where people are more important than things, where nature is revered, where holding on is more important than letting go, where humility and peace of mind are treasured. Give yourself to an Amish moment.

Join Suzanne Woods Fisher, bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction, as she interviews fascinating guests who can teach us to simplify our busy lives. So pour a cup of coffee, settle into your favorite chair, and tune into "Amish Wisdom." Thursdays, 4-5pm CST.

About the host:

Suzanne's grandfather was raised Plain. W. D. Benedict was born into a family of eleven children, started his career as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and ended it as one of the first publishers of Christianity Today magazine. A wife and a mother--and now a grandmother!--Suzanne is the author of the bestselling Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World and the “Lancaster County Secrets” series. Suzanne is contracted for books--both fiction and non-fiction--into 2016.

Have a question for Suzanne or one of her guests? Call the show at 1-877-864-4869.

To learn more please visit Suzanne's web site and for the latest news, her blog!

Missed a show? Listen here or on iTunes here!

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This week on Amish Wisdom Sherry Gore has agreed to fill in for me in the midst of herbusy book launch (TV interviews (including the Today Show), radio interviews and much fun! Be sure to check out all the goings-on over at her blog.) This week on the show Sherry will be interviewing Joel Cliff from PADutchCountry.com about summer in Pennsylvania Amish country. Then during the second half hour, Sherry and Brad Igou will take a look at the sensationalism of Amish on TV. Should be fascinating.

Leave a comment here for a chance to win a copy of Sherry's new cookbook, Simply Delicious Amish Cooking (or email ckrumm@litfusegroup.com if the comment box isn't working. Winner will be notified next week via email.

More about Joel Cliff: Joel is the spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau, located in Lancaster County PA. Our organization is the official voice of Lancaster tourism, and our area welcomes about 10 million visitors each year.

Pennsylvania Amish Country is a picturesque landscape that must be witnessed in person to be fully appreciated. Rolling hills with lush grasses and crops, farms with windmills dotting the horizon and horse and buggies sharing the road remind you that things are simpler here in Lancaster County.

Plan your trip and learn more here: http://www.padutchcountry.com.

More about Brad Igou: Brad grew up in Lancaster City. As a sociology-anthropology major at Ithaca College, he lived and worked with an Amish family for three months in Lancaster as part of an independent study. His interest in other cultures took him to the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, where he worked in agricultural extension and taught English for three years. Following a one-year teaching stint in York, he went to Japan, where he taught English and wrote articles on Japan for numerous publications.

Returning to Lancaster in 1987, he secured a position with Amish Country Tours and is now president and a co-owner of the company. During Brad's tenure, he has overseen the renovation of the Amish Country Homestead, obtained "Heritage Site" status for the Homestead, as well as having written the script for and piecing together the complicated puzzle of the Amish Experience Theater's critically acclaimed special effects driven production of "Jacob's Choice". In addition to the daily tours of the Amish farmlands, Brad has developed popular theme tours for both individuals and groups, especially student groups.

As Editor-in-Chief, Brad is responsible for the editorial content and publishing of Amish Country News, with half a million copies printed annually. In his 25 years in this role, he has written 100's of articles about Lancaster County for the magazine. His Amish Series has long been one of the most eagerly anticipated in each new issue. He's been encouraged to publish a compilation of his Amish Country News musings and may yet consider doing so.

In 2005, working with the PA Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau, he was instrumental in planning and scripting the "Witness Movie Anniversary Tour," which brought visitors to Lancaster from all over the world to see the farm where this famous Hollywood movie was filmed. More recently, he created the Amish Visit-In-Person Tour, which gives visitors the opportunity to personally meet and talk with the Amish where they live and work. In 2010, the VIP Tour was the first, and to date the only, experience to be designated an official "Heritage Tour" by the County of Lancaster, granting prestigious authenticity status to the experience. The year 2013 marked the debut of the Amish Mafia Tour, designed to separate Amish culture fact from fiction as depicted in the Discovery Channel TV series.

In 1999, his compilation of Amish writings titled THE AMISH IN THEIR OWN WORDS was published by Herald Press, and he is currently working on a "Volume Two." He is a past Chairman of the Board of the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau. While Brad has spent over 12 years living and traveling abroad, he says that his heart always stayed in Lancaster, which he is now proud to call "home."

More about Sherry: Sherry Gore is a scribe for the national edition of The Budget newspaper, a cookbook author and editor in-chief of Cooking & Such magazine.

Learn more at Sherry's website, www.sherrygore.com.

More about Sherry's new cookbook, Simply Delicious Amish Cooking (Zondervan): Unbeknownst to many folks outside the Amish Mennonite population in America, Pinecraft, Florida---a village tucked away in the heart of Sarasota---is the vacation paradise of the Plain People. Unlike any other Plain community in the world, this village is a virtual melting pot of Amish and Mennonites from around the world, intermingled with people, like author Sherry Gore's family, who live there year-round. Gore has put together a cookbook that represents the people who make Pinecraft unique. With hundreds of easy-to-prepare recipes, 16 full-color photographs and black-and-white photographs throughout, this cookbook includes traditional favorites such as Sweet Potato Sweet Mash and Mrs. Byler's Glazed Donuts, as well as Florida favorites including Fried Alligator Nuggets, Grilled Lime Fish Fillets, and Strawberry Mango Smoothies. Interspersed with the recipes are true-life stories about births, engagements, weddings, deaths, funerals, celebrations, wildlife encounters, and accidents told through years of Sherry's Letters from Home column published in The Budget, the Amish newspaper. This delightful cookbook offers readers a faith-based, family-focused perspective of the simple way of life of the Plain People. It is truly a breath of fresh air from Sarasota, Florida!

Purchase a copy of Simply Delicious Amish Cooking today!

This week on Amish Wisdom I'm welcoming back Valerie Weaver-Zercher for part two of Thrill of the Chaste. This week we'll talk about the history of the Amish romance novel, chastisty as a counter-culter phenome, and more. If you didn't catch part one, listen here. Valerie's book studies the exploding subgenre of Amish fiction from every angle: Why is it so popular? What are readers seeking? Do these stories truly reflect the Amish? What motivates the authors? The publishers? Thrill of the chaste is sometimes hard-hitting but always fair, and this fascinating book is a must-read for anyone interested in the plain life. Join us Thursday at 4pm CST.

Leave a comment here for a chance to win a copy of Thrill of the Chaste (or email ckrumm@litfusegroup.com if the comment box isn't working.) Winner will be notified next week via email.

More about Valerie: Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Orion, the Christian Century, Mennonite Weekly Review, and Sojourners, among other venues, and her work has been nominated for and received special mention for a Pushcart Prize. She received a 2009 fellowship in creative nonfiction from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Weaver-Zercher and her husband and three sons live in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Visit her website for more information.

More about Thrill of the Chaste: The Allure of Amish Romance Novels:

Browse the inspirational fiction section of your local bookstore, and you will likely find cover after cover depicting virtuous young women cloaked in modest dresses and wearing a pensive or playful expression. They hover innocently above sun-drenched pastures or rustic country lanes, often with a horse-drawn buggy in the background—or the occasional brawny stranger. Romance novels with Amish protagonists, such as the best-selling trailblazer The Shunning by Beverly Lewis, are becoming increasingly popular with a largely evangelical female audience. Thrill of the Chaste is the first book to analyze this growing trend in romance fiction and to place it into the context of contemporary literature, religion, and popular culture.

Valerie Weaver-Zercher combines research and interviews with devoted readers, publishers, and authors to produce a lively and provocative examination of the Amish romance novel. She discusses strategies that literary agents and booksellers use to drive the genre's popularity. By asking questions about authenticity, cultural appropriation, and commodification, Thrill of the Chaste also considers Amish fiction's effects on Amish and non-Amish audiences alike.

This week on Amish Wisdom we'll be talking about the fascinating and often misunderstood practice of shunning. Authors Ira Wagler and Murray Pura will be joining me as we talk about some of the myths and facts about this Amish tradition.

Leave a comment here for a chance to win a copy of Amish Values for your Family (or email ckrumm@litfusegroup.com if you're having problems with the comment form). Winner will be notified next week via email.

More about Ira: Ira Wagler was born in the small Old Order Amish community of Aylmer, Ontario. At 17, frustrated by the rules and restrictions of Amish life, Ira got up at 2 am, left a note under his pillow, packed his duffel bag and left. Over the course of the next 5 years, Ira would leave and return home numerous times, torn between the ingrained message that abandoning one's Amish heritage results in eternal damnation, and the freedom and possibilities offered by the "English" world. Upon becoming a Christian at age 26, Ira left the Amish for good. He is currently general manager of Graber Supply, LLC and Pole Building Co. in Lancaster County, PA. Ira is the author of Growing Up Amish. Learn more about Ira at his website, www.irawagler.com.

More about Murray Pura: Murray was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His first novel was released in Toronto in 1988 and was a finalist for the Dartmouth Book Award. Since that time he has published a number of novels, two collections of short stories, and several nonfiction titles including the Zondervan books Rooted and Streams. He has been a finalist for several awards in the US and Canada and in 2012 won the Word Award of Toronto for Best Historical Novel. His book The Wings of Morning has been nominated for several literary awards in the United States including Best Inspirational Romance and Best Historical Romance. Murray lives and writes in southwestern Alberta and is currently published by Barbour, Baker, Harper One, Zondervan, and Harvest House as well as several other publishing houses. His releases for 2013 include: Ashton Park, The Rose of Lancaster County, A Road Called Love, Seven Oaks, The Painted Sky, Whispers of a New Dawn, Majestic and Wild, Beneath the Dover Sky, and An Amish Family Christmas. Learn more about Murray's books HERE.

More about Ira's and Murray's books:

In honor of Earth Day this week Nancy Sleeth will be guest hosting the show. She's invited a few of her friends to talk about creation care and easy ways to go green. So join Nancy and her guests, Tracey Bianchi and Craig Goodwin, as they share their tips and experiences about going green and staying local.

More about Nancy: Nancy Sleeth is the author of Almost Amish: One Woman’s Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life (Tyndale 2012) and Go Green, Save Green:  A Simple Guide to Saving Time, Money, and God's Green Earth (Tyndale 2010). Recognized by Newsweek and Christianity Today as one of the “50 Evangelical Women to Watch,” Nancy is the co-founder of Blessed Earth, a Christian environmental nonprofit. Nancy and her husband Matthew have been married for more than three decades and live near their grown children in Lexington, KY. Find out more here: http://www.blessedearth.org.

More about Tracey: (Reverend) Tracey Bianchi is an ordained, ministry leader and freelance writer who makes her home in the Chicago suburbs with her husband Joel, their three young children. Tracey serves as the Pastor for Women and Worship at Christ Church of Oak Brook, a congregation with a weekly worship attendance of 2500+ located in the suburbs of Chicago where she has worked for 15 years. She earned her Master of Divinity Degree from Denver Seminary and a BA in History and Political Science from the University of Iowa.

Her musings have appeared in places like MOPS International, Sojourners, Moody Radio, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Today’s Christian Woman, Proverbs 31 Ministries, Leadership Journal, Gifted for Leadership and more. She was named one of Christianity Today’s “50 Women to Watch: Those Most Shaping the Church and Culture” in 2012. Her first book Green Mama: The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet (Zondervan) was released in 2010. Her most recent project is the theme book for the 2012 MOPS International Year. Mom Connection: Creating Vibrant Relationships in the Midst of Motherhood (Baker/Revell). Tracey also serves as a board member with the Evangelical Environmental Network as well a member of the Synergy National Advisory Team. Find out more here: http://traceybianchi.com.

More about Craig: Craig is a Presbyterian Pastor in Spokane, WA, not too far from Seattle where he grew up and went to college. He and his wife Nancy have two daughters, ages 11 and 13 years old, eight chickens, and one rabbit. In 2008 their family spent a year buying only items that were local, used, homegrown, or homemade which led a blog and book titled "Year of Plenty," that explores the intersections of Christian faith, consumption, and sustainability. Along with pastoring Craig manages a farmers' market in his church's parking lot and serves on the boards of Second Harvest Inland Northwest and Plant With Purpose. He has a Dr. Ministry from Fuller Seminary. Find out more here: http://www.yearofplenty.org

Nancy, Tracey and Craig are giving away a copy of their books (Almost Amish, Mom Connection and Year of Plenty). Leave a comment HERE (or email ckrumm@litfusegroup.com if you experience trouble with the comment box). Winners will be notified next week via email.

Don't miss this week's edition of Amish Wisdom. Judy Christie is filling in as guest host extraordinaire and welcoming Amish fiction authors Barbara Cameron and Kathryn Cushman to the show. Barbara will be giving us a peek into the unique Faith and Fiction Bible study series Abingdon Press has launched. Then novelist, Kathryn Cushman will join the show during the second half hour to talk her novel, Almost Amish.

Both authors are giving away a copy of their books. Leave a comment here for a chance to win (or email ckrumm@litfusegroup.com if you're having a problem with the comment box). Winners will be notified next week via email.

More about Judy Christie: Judy Christie committed to write her first novel when she turned fifty – and her seventh novel, “Sweet Olive,” will be published this year. Like many writers, she started keeping a diary when she was nine – and still has all of them.  She loves to talk about reading and writing and how to slow down and enjoy each day more.

Judy is the author of the Green series of novels set in the fictional North Louisiana town of Green.  “Downtown Green,” the most recent, is No. 5 in the series.  Publishers Weekly has given Judy’s work a starred review, and Library Journal has compared the Green series to Jan Karon’s Mitford series and Philip Gulley’s Harmony series.

She also wrote the award-winning “Wreath,” a novel about a 16-year-old girl who is determined to finish high school after her mother dies – and lives in a Central Louisiana junkyard to do so.

Judy loves to help busy people slow down and enjoy life more and has written the popular Hurry Less Worry Less nonfiction books, including “Hurry Less Worry Less for Moms.” 

She loves to visit with readers from her green couch and blogs at www.judychristie.com. Follow her on Twitter @judypchristie.

More about Barbara: Barbara is the author of more than 35 books – fiction and non-fiction. This month Heart in Hand is in bookstores, the third book in the Amish series Stitches in Time, as well as Her Restless Heart: A Woman’s Longing for Love and Acceptance, a Faith and Fiction series Bible study. Stitches in Time is Barbara’s second series for Abingdon Press  – the first was the popular  Quilts of Lancaster County series. A fourth book in that series, Annie’s Christmas Wish, will be out in August this year. Scraps of Evidence, a Quilts of Love title, will be published by Abingdon Press in December, 2013. 

An Amish Christmas, Expanded Edition (Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron, and Kelly Long) and An Amish Gathering (Wiseman, Fuller, Cameron) were published by Thomas Nelson in 2009 and landed on the Christian bestseller lists. Both of Barbara’s novellas in those anthologies were finalists for the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Carol Award. 

She is the first winner of the Golden Heart Award of the Romance Writers of America and a member of the local Volusia County Romance Writers of America chapter. Some of her titles include the Everything Weddings on a Budget Book and the Everything Roberts Rules of Order. She’s a former newspaper reporter. Check out her website at www.BarbaraCameron.com

More about Her Restless Heart: Her Restless Heart is the second study in the Faith and Fiction Bible study series that uses Christian fiction as a backdrop for exploring biblical themes. Just as Jesus used stories (parables) to teach important principles, inspirational fiction can open readers to greater understanding of themselves and spiritual themes.

Based on a novel of the same name by acclaimed Christian fiction author Barbara Cameron, this six-session Bible study explores the heart’s longing for love and acceptance and the Bible’s answer to this universal human need. The Participant Book has five daily readings per week, each including Scripture, reflections on the day’s topic with questions and space for writing responses, prayer, and a suggestion for the day—a question to ponder, Scripture to consider, or action to take.

More about Kathryn Cushman: Kathryn Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy. She is the author of four previous novels, including Leaving Yesterday and A Promise to Remember, which were both finalists for the Carol Award in Women's Fiction. Kathryn and her family currently live in Santa Barbara, California. Visit her Web site at www.kathryncushman.com.

More about Almost Amish: "Cushman crafts strong characters that are easy to connect with."--Romantic Times

Julie Charlton is at the breaking point. She's overwhelmed and burned out, and in today's unrelenting society, her kids are, too. When her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series promoting simple living, and needs another family to join her, it seems like the perfect opportunity.

The location is an idyllic farm outside an Amish community in Tennessee. Julie, with her two children, joins Susan and her teenage daughter for a summer adventure. Susan needs to succeed in order to become self-sufficient after an ugly divorce, Julie needs to slow down long enough to remember what her priorities are and regain a sense of purpose and meaning. It becomes clear from the start that "living simple" is no simple matter. With the camera watching every move, Susan's drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. With each new challenge, their season of "going Amish" gets more and more complicated, as each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family.