Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be Amish? Would you like to take a peek into their private community?  Join me as I take you for a walk through a day in the lives of ten Amish women from Willow Springs in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. 

Your listing to the Buggy Talk Podcast where some of your favorite authors, friends, and guests, explore the simpler side of life. Here's your host Amish fiction author Tracy Fredrychowski.  

The following transcript is a shortened version of the original recording.

Hey there. Welcome to another episode of buggy talk. I'm your host Tracy Fredrychowski. Each week I'll bring you the story behind the stories along with the storytellers. Perhaps even some weeks. I'll invite some of your favorite characters to come to life and join us right here on Buggy Talk. For this week's episode, I'll be talking about my collection of short stories that introduce you to the Amish Women of Lawrence County.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be Amish?

Would you like to take a peek into their private community? Come join me as I take you for a walk through a day in the lives of 10 Amish women from Willow Springs in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.

Some will discover new love, one will battle some health issues. Others will need to forgive and many will find who they are in Christ, but what binds them all together is their desire to serve God, love their families, and support their community. By loving their neighbors, just as God instructs them to do. Before I talk more about the Amish women of Lawrence County, I have something I want to share with you. 

Do you find yourself in a season where you're looking for ways to slow down and simplify your life?

If so, I encourage you to look to the Amish for inspiration. The way they live is no secret. We English have everything they have at our fingertips. Oh, we have to do is look for it. If you find their way of life appealing, I have 10 things you can do to bring some Amish values into your life.

Starting with practicing gratitude. You know, being humble is a big step to living a quieter, simpler life. In today's world, many of us want to be the center of attention. We want to stand out in a crowd and we want to be heard, but finding peace and serenity starts with being silent. Listen to those around you. Avoid gossip, stay clear of bragging, and by all means, avoid being too showy. 

Tip number two, establish peace. It may be hard for many of us to find peace in a world so full of news and electronics and the constant connection to the outside world, but finding ways to add periods of calm to your life should be the ultimate goal every day. Start by turning off the television practice yoga, learn meditation, read a book and just reject all forms of outside noise.

Tip number three, how about living on less? How many things in your life do you have the add no value if you're like me. Many of our homes are filled with consumer driven products that just clutter our spaces. I know for a fact when I started reading my home of all those things that just took up space and didn't add any meaning to my life, I found a true freedom from owning less.

Tip number four, provide for yourself. Have you ever stopped and thought about what would happen if we couldn't go to the store? Finding ways to live a more self sufficient lifestyle is a big part of living a simpler life. Being able to raise vegetables so your own clothes, conserve energy, and even baking bread are just a few ways to learn to take care of yourself. 

Step number five, work hard. Don't be afraid of hard work and take pride in i