Joe Keim > Quotes

“(Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5). Scripture aside, let’s consider the Amish men who serve as ministers because the lot fell on them. God equips us for the work He has given us, but what if we are given a job we are not equipped for? Throughout my childhood, it was apparent that some were able to stand up and preach. It was just as apparent that others were not.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:23-26)”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“wasn’t something Esther and I had to do to become Christians but was something we wanted to do because we were Christians. Colossians 2:12 says that we are Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who hath raised him from the dead.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“This helped me understand that it’s not a matter of doing the best we can or”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“can’t preach.” This time he left the Amish and his family and turned to alcohol. After years of being an alcoholic, he finally died, separated from his family and banned from the church.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Easter. On this one day in the year, everybody went fishing. We often teamed up with cousins and other friends in the neighborhood. This day, my cousin Eli and I said we were going to the lake fishing, but instead, we went to Kmart. Going to town hardly ever happened. I didn’t even know how to get to Kmart, but Eli was a little older and knew the way. Regrettably, I stole money from my dad’s cash register to spend. We bought battery-operated watches, a toy car with a racetrack, and a camera − all forbidden by the church rules. While we were there, Dad came to town. We were so engrossed in our illicit activities and enjoying our freedom that we didn’t see him walk into Kmart, but he saw us. However, he didn’t say a word to us, neither did he show himself. We never knew he was there until later that evening. As we headed back to the community, we had so much fun with that camera. We took countless pictures and played with our toys and”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“This promise has held true for us many times since that first experience with the car owner. God has blessed our family a hundredfold, and then more.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Oh Eli, please take heed today and not tomorrow because tomorrow it’s too late. It’s gonna be the Devil’s day, and if he can’t get you over the fence, he’s gonna take you under it if he can. Oh please act fast. Oh please, you are my friend; please don’t play”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“The meeting between my parents and the Weavers got so intense, I could hear them yelling at each other from another building. Many in the community had forgotten, or were totally ignoring, the teaching of the apostle Paul about their walk in Christ. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“was the Jesus way. He further explained that in John 14:6, the Bible says: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Jesus didn’t say “I am a way, a truth, and a life.” He claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus left no room for other means of salvation. John 10:1 says: He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Going to church and becoming a member would not take our sin away. Being Amish wouldn’t save us from our sins. Being baptized wouldn’t do it. Therefore, Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, was sent to our planet to die on the cross. It was through His sacrifice – death, burial, and resurrection – that we could have our sins washed away and receive everlasting life.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Igrew up Amish, with the Jewish name Keim. While that may seem unusual, it’s an example of how God orchestrates – how He arranges the pieces of our lives to create His story, or as we say, our history.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“a three-day pineapple diet because it would clean us out – “worms and all.” While pineapples are deliciously sweet, they are very acidic. By the third day of a pineapple-only diet, my sore mouth burned with every bite. And we dared not eat anything but pineapple, because Dad wouldn’t stand for it. At the time, it was NO laughing matter, but now I admit, it gives me a chuckle.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days (Colossians 2:14, 16).”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Oh please remember hell is forever and ever. Oh please come home. I’m praying for you and hope you’re praying too. Remember hell – hell is forever and ever.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“mix. Looking back, I realize he was doing his best to bring me up with good morals and an honest, strong work ethic. But what I desperately longed for was encouragement and affirmation. I don’t remember ever getting a hug from Dad or hearing him tell me that he loved me, but that’s not uncommon in the Amish community. Most Amish people don’t show affection. It’s just the way it was. In fact, the word love isn’t in the Pennsylvania Dutch vocabulary – the closest word for love is like.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Since Leander was still one year away from becoming a member, we believe his sins are covered, and he’s in heaven.” I remember walking away wondering, Is he right?”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“​The believer is instantly reconciled to God, becomes a new creation, and is forgiven for all his sins (2 Corinthians 5:17-19). The believer is delivered from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13). ​•  ​The believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). The believer is perfected forever (Hebrews 10:14).”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“soon learned his church believed you had to believe in Jesus plus get baptized and belong to his denomination in order to be saved. Suddenly, confusion set in, and I began to evaluate all the different beliefs in the world. One church said Jesus alone can save us. Another said you have to believe in Jesus, get baptized, and join their denomination. Back home, they”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“It wasn’t uncommon to hear stories of those who left the Amish and later tried to return but couldn’t. It was said they stayed away too long and finally God gave them over to Satan.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“about the Son. I remember thinking, The Father must be offended. But after hearing many different sermons, I realized the importance of the Son’s role, and how He, through death, burial, and resurrection, was able to bridge the huge gulf between us and God the Father.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“It saddens my heart to see so many Amish fathers raise their families on the harsh side, and this is even more profound in the ultra-conservative churches. They seem to have a harder time showing love and appreciation. Instead, rules are enforced and discipline is carried out more easily. When it becomes unbalanced like that, relationships can deteriorate very quickly.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“One day when he met me coming around the barn, his body tensed. His frustration ignited and anger got the best of him. “You are worthless. I don’t even know why I feed you,” he said. What I wanted more than anything else in life was for my father to pat me on the back and say, “I know you are going through difficult changes in your life, but I love you just the way you are.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Mom always made our bread.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“into our hands (1 Samuel 17:47, emphasis added).”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“Every single person on the face of the earth stands before God a sinner. It makes no difference if the person grew up in a Christian home, has gone to church all his life, gotten baptized, or is in full-time ministry. The Bible says: There is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“with the Devil. I’m sorry that I ever done what I done. Just think; maybe you will be in a wreck, and then do you think you’d have a chance to go to heaven? Now if a good Christian had a chance of ten, you only got about one. I’m afraid the Devil’s got you chained hard, and you can’t ever get loose.”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son

“To this day, Esther loves to share the story of how God took over the moment she let go. It was as if someone flipped a light switch. It was that quick! It was that real for both of us. The truth is, there are times we think we let go of the battle in our lives,”
― Joe Keim, My People, the Amish: The True Story of an Amish Father and Son