For a young woman whose
fiancé died tragically before
they made it down the aisle,
seeing the proverbial light at
end of the tunnel is anything
but easy.
Ruth Reid’s latest novel, An
Angel by Her Side (Thomas
Nelson), was inspired by a photograph
she took more than
20 years ago. While living in
a small Amish community,
she had snapped an image of
an Amish buggy during an
approaching storm.
“The sky was green, the wind
cold, and I was rushing to get
home thinking any minute a
tree would snap or an electric
pole would fall,” Ruth
remembers. “Traveling behind
an Amish buggy, I couldn’t
help but wonder if they were
frightened. After all, they had
no buffer from the
storm. Then sitting
at a stop sign a loud
crack of lightning lit
the sky. Subsequently,
I realized if a tree or
pole dropped it would
crush my car. The
Amish and I were both
in God’s hands.”
Ruth says her love of
all things Amish lies
in the simplicity of
their lives. “The first
time I watched a barn raising I was amazed at
their craftsmanship without the use of power
tools. I think people connect to the Amish
through a yearning to retreat from the chaos.
In so many ways, technology has advanced and
strangled our way of life, while the Amish way
has remained intact and strong throughout history.
Their simple lifestyle and firm devotion to
maintain separation from the world is something
to admire.”