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The Amish Voice
Conference Call Schedule
is listed on page 15!
Restless Years on the Run
from ‘Christianity’
In the summer of 1971 after high school
graduation, I had been partying regularly
with some so-called friends. I was
depressed and very bored with my life up
until then. As usual, the never-ending
search for excitement, in whatever form I
could find, would end in emptiness and
depression.
I would try not to think about the Godly
influence of my two loving parents and
all they had tried to teach me about
God’s Word and His ways as seen in the
Bible. Down deep I knew they were
right, but I was not ready to give up my
rebellious, self-indulgent ways. I was so
convicted when I was around them that I
made up my mind that I was going to
“run away from home” and try to get
away from the Christianity that had
always surrounded my life.
Selfish Pursuits Break Hearts at Home
I not only wanted escape from what I
thought were oppressive parents and
church influences, I wanted adventure
and lots of it. Well, on a summer
Saturday afternoon in late June, I
hurriedly made the decision to leave my
small Michigan town and head for the
bright lights and fun of Miami Beach,
Florida.
The flight south that afternoon was a
cruel thing to do to my family, especially
my mother, since I left without telling
them where I was going. However, I was
not thinking about them. I was only
thinking about myself and about what I
thought I wanted. The adventures in the
days ahead in South Florida are too
numerous to tell here; however, one thing
I know now and suspected then was that
God had His protecting hand on me. This
was no doubt due to praying parents and
grandparents.
High Life: Rubbing Shoulders with
Stars and Millionaires
After two weeks in Miami Beach, my
parents discovered my whereabouts
about the same time I found a “dream
job” aboard a world-class yacht that
chartered to movie stars and millionaires.
A few days later we headed up the east
coast to New York for the summer, just
as I started receiving letters from my
mother and grandmother, mostly.
The next 100 days spawned adventures
with which Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn
would have been thrilled. But, even so,
my days consisted of loneliness,
disillusionment, and despair. At every
turn, God reached out His hand to spare
my life and speak to my empty heart in
my desperate search for peace and
fulfillment.
Continued on Page 6
Lost at Sea!
—By Philip T. Sarlo