A New Beginning: An Amish Celebrations Novella

By Beth Wiseman

Rebecca and Noah are in love and about to be baptized. But when Noah decides to enjoy one last night of his rumschpringe a few weeks before the ceremony, he does something that causes Rebecca to reconsider his proposal. As Rebecca and Noah navigate the turn in their relationship, Rebecca must learn to forgive Noah or abandon her dreams of marrying him. If Noah won’t forgive himself in time for the baptism, his guilt could cause him to run from his love for Rebecca and leave his community behind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Jul 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9780310352518

Beth Wiseman

Bestselling and award-winning author Beth Wiseman has sold over two million books. She is the recipient of the coveted Holt Medallion, is a two-time Carol Award winner, and has won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award three times. Her books have been on various bestseller lists, including CBA, ECPA, Christianbook, and Publishers Weekly. Beth and her husband are empty nesters enjoying country life in south-central Texas. Visit her online at BethWiseman.com; Facebook: @AuthorBethWiseman; Twitter: @BethWiseman; Instagram: @bethwisemanauthor

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COPYRIGHT

ZONDERVAN

A New Beginning

Copyright © 2018 by Elizabeth Wiseman Mackey

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication

CIP data is available upon request.

Epub Edition July 2018 9780310352518

Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

Printed in the United States of America

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CONTENTS

Copyright

Glossary

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Discussion Questions

Acknowledgments

Other Books by Beth Wiseman

About the Author

To my readers

GLOSSARY

ab im kopp: sick in the head

ach: oh

boppli: baby

bruder: brother

daadi haus: grandparents’ house

daed: dad

danki: thank you

Englisch: those who are not Amish; the English language

Englischer: non-Amish person

grandmammi: grandmother

gut: good

haus: house

kapp: prayer covering worn by Amish women

kinner: children

maedel: girl

maeds: girls

mamm: mom

mei: my

mudder: mother

nee: no

Ordnung: the written and unwritten rules of the Amish; the understood behavior by which the Amish are expected to live, passed down from generation to generation. Most Amish know the rules by heart.

Pennsylvania Deutsch: the language most commonly used by the Amish

rumschpringe: running around; the period of time when Amish youth experience life in the Englisch world before making the decision to be baptized and commit to Amish life

schweschder: sister

sohn: son

wie bischt: hello; how are you?

wunderbaar: wonderful

ya: yes

CHAPTER 1

Noah’s heart palpitated. He was excited and nervous about attending this party with his Englisch friend. He’d lived in Lancaster County his entire life, but as Gavin wound his car around the semicircle driveway, Noah was sure this was the biggest house he’d ever seen. A huge two-story structure encased in white stone with ornate columns and decorative pillars that ran the length of the front porch.

What did I tell you? Gavin put the car in park near the entrance and looked at Noah. It’s a massive place with a pool in the backyard, and there’s going to be tons of food and girls.

Gavin left the car running and stepped out. Noah followed his friend’s lead, looking down at his blue jeans and flip-flops before he smoothed the wrinkles on the front of his yellow T-shirt. All loaner clothes from Gavin. The jeans were a little big, but when Noah suggested he might wear suspenders, Gavin frowned and told him that wouldn’t be cool.

A man hopped into the driver’s seat and drove the car around the driveway, passing a fountain shaped like a giant pear. Colorful summer flowers filled the area around the water, which flowed into a small pond outlined in lights.

Noah followed Gavin across the threshold and into a spacious living room filled with fancy furniture in shades of white and gold. A large crystal chandelier hung in the entryway, and he saw another one in the distance. Loud music and a haze of smoke assaulted his senses as they made their way through the crowd of teenagers, Gavin edging some of the kids out of the way with his elbow.

The beer is out by the pool, he yelled above the music.

Gavin was what the Englisch girls called a ladies’ man. He was tall and muscular with sandy blond hair that was just wavy enough to look good without being too girly. Gavin strutted as he walked, kind of a swagger, his shoulders squared, and with an air of confidence Noah wished he had. Gavin’s teeth were perfectly straight and white, from braces he wore when he was younger. When Gavin smiled, girls seemed to melt like butter in his presence.

Noah had always liked Gavin. He was a nice guy and always the first person to offer to cover Noah’s shift if he needed to be off work. And Noah needed to be off a lot during the fall harvesting season that was coming up.

Noah hurried to keep up with his friend, as his temples pounded and his heart hammered against his chest. His parents would be disappointed that he’d agreed to come. Rebecca would be even more upset, but Noah had worked at the hardware store with Gavin for almost a year, and Gavin told him this was the party of the year and he’d be crazy not to go. He’d turned down his friend at least a dozen times before, but since Noah hadn’t really taken advantage of his rumschpringe over the last couple years, he decided to tag along to see what one of these parties was like while he still could. Soon these kinds of things would be forbidden, and this might be his last chance to experience the Englisch world before he was baptized and married Rebecca.

He tried to hold his breath as clouds of cigarette smoke wafted in every direction. People were talking loudly and yelling over the music, and about a dozen or so kids around his age were wiggling their hips and swaying to the beat, most with a cup in hand.

Noah followed Gavin out the patio door straight to a big keg of beer. But his eyes kept drifting to the pool. The girls there barely had on any clothes—skimpy swimsuits that didn’t leave much to Noah’s imagination. He’d never seen that much of Rebecca, much less strangers, and he was going to marry Rebecca. Girls in their community wore bathing suits, but not the kind these girls were wearing.

Watch out. Gavin nudged Noah and grinned as he handed him a plastic cup filled to the rim with beer. You’ll turn to stone if you stare too long.

Noah glanced down, swallowed hard, and wondered if his cheeks were turning red.

Relax, man. I know you’re getting married in a couple months. But I guess it doesn’t hurt to look, as long as you’re respectful, so you might as well get an eyeful now. Gavin nodded toward the far end of the pool. That’s who I’ve got my eye on. Penny Schroeder.

"Ya, she’s pretty." Noah wasn’t surprised Gavin was going after the prettiest girl he’d seen at the party so far. Penny had long blond hair pulled into a high ponytail, and from what Noah could see of her waist-up in the water, she had a great figure. He lowered his gaze as guilt rushed over him. He was going to be a married man soon.

Gavin pointed to a guy who had just jumped into the water, grabbing his knees in midair, which caused a tidal wave across the pool.

I’d run if I was that guy. Several girls pushed back groomed hairstyles that were now soaked, and two of them had lost their sunglasses and now yelled at whoever had just splashed them.

Noah took a sip of his beer. He’d only had the beverage one other time, when he and Jacob Lapp each drank a bottle behind Jacob’s barn early into their rumschpringe. Jacob had gotten an older kid to buy it for them. Noah liked the taste then, and he liked it now. And he wouldn’t have to have just one this time. There were two other kegs at the other end of the pool. He drank what was in his glass and went to fill it up again.

Easy there, dude. Gavin grinned. We’ve got all night, so you’d better pace yourself. He motioned for Noah to follow him. Let’s go see Penny and her friends.

Noah was a bit shaky, so he chugged more of the beer and stifled a burp, hoping it didn’t slip out the second he opened his mouth. He watched as Penny got out of the pool, and he could see that everything below her waist was well proportioned too. Although her bikini bottom looked too small—

Noah forced himself to look away, worried about turning shades of red again. But almost against his will, his eyes ventured back, and she smiled.

Hi. Are you Noah? Gavin said he might be bringing a friend. Penny held out her hand. Welcome to my house. Please make yourself at home. She pointed to a large covered area to her left with a bunch of tables and chairs set up, although not many people were over there. The guy we hired to cook will be firing up the barbecue pit soon, but there’s tons of appetizers if you’re hungry now.

Noah had been so mesmerized by Penny that he hadn’t noticed another girl join them.