Renewing Hope (In Your World #2) by Browne Jennyfer

Author:Browne, Jennyfer [Browne, Jennyfer]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2013-12-14T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

“Marriage is the sacred union between a God-loving Amish man and his obedient and Amish wife.”

Bishop Yoder had chosen the subject of marriage as our final baptism class.

With a smug look on his face as he regarded me the entire time.

Most of what he had to say Bishop Ropp had covered weeks ago, in the same authoritative manner that made my spine straighten and my mouth remain shut.

Obey.

Serve.

Provide.

Being a wife of an Amish man in Bishop Yoder’s terms sounded more like swearing in as a law enforcement official.

He never mentioned love, or partnership, or even the fact that the word union in its truest form meant to make as one.

One spirit.

One mind.

One body.

One heart.

Never that.

“A good Amish woman will bear many children for her husband so that the community can thrive and grow with a pure Amish spirit. Her husband will provide for his large family with humility and perseverance. Never will he stray from his duty to exemplify the true Amish spirit, and honor God’s will.”

I sat quietly and listened.

I didn’t pay attention to Naomi while she squirmed in her chair beside me, nor at Nathan’s red ears when the mention of many children entered the lecture time and again.

“An Amish woman will sacrifice much for her husband. She will keep a tidy home. She will discipline her many children as God sees fit. She will do as her husband commands.”

I remained still in my seat, my mouth shut.

I didn’t offer examples from the Book about how a wife would be the husband’s rock. How the husband would honor his wife as he would be so honored.

That the husband would please his wife, as she would do for him.

I knew in my heart how Nathan felt.

Marriage was not a step into servitude.

It was a partnership.

There would be love.

There would be honor between us both.

“Katherine Hill,” the Bishop said, drawing my eyes up. “Are you prepared to live as God intends? To serve your husband as he so wishes? To provide him with the means to provide and serve God and his community?”

All the loaded unstated requirements were not lost on me.

“I am prepared and willing to do as my husband wishes, and as the community requires,” I replied, tempering my voice to be the soft and timid woman that the Bishop assumed I wasn’t.

He pursed his lips at me and continued his interrogation.

“You would supply him with many children, without the benefit of your English medicine to mask the pain God has prescribed?”

“I would provide as He wills,” I replied. “With humility and honor.”

One last look and then he was interrogating his daughter.

Similar questions, but less severe.

Nathan chanced a glance my way and a hint of a smile creeped across his lips.

In his eyes, I had successfully answered the Bishop’s questions.

In mine, I simply saw another round of ways to accuse me.

“Should you choose the Way, your life must follow with the laws or the Ordnung,” the Bishop continued. “You will live an honest and humble Amish life. You will not allow the blight of the English life into your home.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.