Former Amish Testimonies
Marilyn Esh
| August 15, 2024Before I left my community, my life as an Amish person was fulfilling in many ways. I had friends, family, and a pretty good education, but my focus was on salvation. However, I eventually left my community.
Lydia Flora
| August 15, 2024Before I left my community, my life felt trapped, hopeless, and pointless, even though I had no fear of physical or sexual abuse. I eventually left because I found the truth of God in John 14:6.
Sadie Miller
| July 9, 2024What brought me to New Beginnings was my sister; she wanted to come but wouldn't without me. So, I thought, "Why not?" As I considered it more, I realized it would also benefit my future ministry.
Sylvia Miller
| July 3, 2024Before I left my community, my life was characterized by fear, confusion, and anxiety. This environment made it impossible for me to live out God's love and will, as life there revolved around the fear of man.
Linda Yoder
| July 3, 2024My life before I left my community was dark, monotonous, depressing, and sad. The rules made me feel like I couldn’t be myself 100%, and I wanted my own independence.
Mary Yoder
| February 21, 2023I was 16 and struggling with depression, addiction and immorality. Full of anger and bitterness. In my depression and anger I searched for love in all the wrong places and all of these things only drove me deeper into depression and despair.
Levi Mast
| August 23, 2022I grew up in an Old Order Amish community. Three things I enjoyed about growing up Amish was spending time with my family, living off the land, and developing a good work ethic. My relationship was challenging with my parents. )
Aaron Yoder
| April 14, 2022When I look back at the years I spent growing up in my Old Order Amish community, there’s not much I remember liking. My relationship with my parents was shallow. They were the cat, and I was the mouse.
Ivan Jess
| February 11, 2022I was born into an Amish family in a farmhouse, delivered by my grandmother. I attended church every Sunday, with few exceptions from the time I was born. I remember hearing about the second coming of Christ and an eternal heaven to follow.
Martha Burkholder
| February 7, 2022We got up like we normally do. I made coffee and Ray’s tea. I usually read and study for a while, then lay back down and rest my eyes. This morning, I started thinking about how the Amish stuff is such an idol.
Maddie Miller
| August 30, 2021My name is Mattie E. Miller, and I left home, my family, and my friends three years ago on October 9, 2018. For twenty-six years of my life, I was born and raised in the Amish community of Middlefield, Ohio.
Duane Miller
| July 15, 2021Growing up, I was told a lot about God and the life of Jesus Christ, but I didn’t take the time to study the Bible a whole lot. I have always desired a close relationship with God but let life make me too busy.
Rosella Graber
| July 15, 2021Before I left the Amish, I was so depressed that most days, all I did was get out of bed and go to work, come home, and go to sleep. I had no desire to socialize with anyone and did not want to cause conflict between my parents, so I spent most of my time in my room sleeping and reading.
Ann Miller
| February 2, 2021I was born and raised in the Amish culture for thirteen years. My Dad started reading his Bible and saw that Salvation is not received by being Amish or by doing good works; it's only received through the precious blood of Jesus Christ!
My Story on Leaving the Amish Community
| January 20, 2021My story on leaving the Amish community in northern Indiana and moving to Idaho.
Mary Yoder
| January 4, 2021A poem written by a former Amish woman about following Christ and receiving the healing that only He can offer.
Enos Miller
| December 7, 2020When I was born, my dad and mom were experienced parents. My mom was forty, and I was baby number eight for her. Live was good for me as a young boy in an old order Amish setting. My dad was a good dad, who treated me well. When I reached the age of fourteen, I began working in a parts shop. I was living with some double standards, which is pretty common for Amish youth. Outwardly, I was Amish, but inwardly, I was not following the teaching or honoring authority.
David Renno
| June 18, 2020The Bible became really alive with many things explained that I didn’t know were there! I then realized how much we as an Amish community were actually missing. My eyes opened to being involved in occultist practices, and I realized that my sins were actually not taken care of (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Colossians 2:20-22, Ephesians 2:14-15,5:6-14, 2Corinthians 4:3-4, 10:4-6, 1 John 5:13). Jesus is the ONLY door!!
Ben Girod
| May 26, 2020At the age of 17, I, with others was baptized and became a member of the Amish church. Even so, from this point on I lived in much fear and heavy conviction of my sin. Not knowing the destiny of my soul, I lived in deep anguish—often driving me to my knees while in the barn doing my chores, or out in the field working with a team of horses.
Erma Mast
| November 27, 2019I grew up in an old order Amish home. I loved having animals, the slower simplistic lifestyle and the Amish community when it came to everyone working together and helping each other in time of need . It was ‘normal’ to live that life.
Harry Troyer
| September 28, 2019I grew up in an Old Order Amish community. Even though the first word that comes to my mind when I think about my parents is “disciplinarians,” I did really enjoy the childhood that I got to experience. I liked the simplicity and community I was surrounded by; it gave me a sense of security.
Andrew Bye
| September 28, 2019Growing up in an Old Order Amish community was a great experience for me. I really enjoyed being on the farm and spending time with all our animals. Life was simple, and I had two really wonderful parents, who I always had a really good relationship with.
Shawn Eric Ruth
| July 25, 2019My name is Eric, and I am from Saint Paul, Minnesota. When I was sixteen, I began studying all the different "tribes,” sects, and denominations of Christianity; I had a hunger for God and was searching for Him because I wasn't satisfied with the rigid formalism of the Lutheran church I was in.
John Miller
| May 6, 2019My name is John Miller, and I grew up in an Old Order Amish community in the small town of Cashton, Wisconsin. I loved living close to family and being able to feel connected to nature through my farming. I also loved driving horses!
Dennis Stoltzfoos
| April 15, 2019My name is Dennis Stoltzfoos. Growing up as a young Beachy Amish boy, I really enjoyed the simplicity and community that came along with the Amish culture. I also really took to the farm life and had fun helping with chores around the house.
Velda Miller
| November 30, 2018I was born and raised in the countryside of LaGrange, Indiana. For the first twenty years of my life, I lived with my parents in an Amish community. My home situation was not the most ideal, and I struggled with life for a good portion of my growing up years. I quickly learned that I had to fight for myself in order to survive; and all though I was a pretty “good” kid, my heart and soul was anything but good. I hated life, myself, my parents, and especially God. Depression and darkness were some my closest friends.
Sarah Yoder
| October 1, 2018My name is Sarah Yoder, and I’m excited to be able to share my testimony and all that God has done in my life.
Born Again: 37 Years of Darkness Among the Amish
| August 6, 2018I was born in western Pennsylvania in the small village of Atlantic. Ours was a typical Amish family. We attended church services every other Sunday, which was normal for most Amish. Some of my earliest memories include hearing my grandfather preaching from Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Other scriptures I heard were John 3:7, “Ye must be born again,” and John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”
Andrew Miller
| June 18, 2018My name is Andrew, and I grew up in an Old Order Amish community. Although I would describe my childhood relationship with my parents as shallow, I did appreciate the close-knit community, excellent work ethic, and down to earth homestead lifestyle that I enjoyed.
Katie Gingerich
| June 1, 2018Growing up as a young Amish girl, I felt like any other child. I was taught about Jesus from the moment I could remember; I was told that in order to be a child of God, I had to obey all of his rules, which were taught by my parents and the church. I never questioned anything my parents or the church taught me.
