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I’m delighted to share with you a beautiful new book I think you’ll want by your side this fall as you settle down for a cozy read by the fire! It’s called Bygone: Musings and Poems from a Regency Hearthside by Hannah Linder.

Not only is it beautiful to behold, but it is also beautiful to read. Read on for a fun interview with Hannah and some of my own thoughts on her book!

Book Description:

Modern, Regency-Esque Love Poems from a Regency Novelist. Enjoy this hardback collection of whimsical thoughts and poems, perfect for fans of Jane Austen. Grab a cup of tea and immerse yourself in this gift book release, just in time for fall.

I had the great honor of writing an endorsement for this book:

“In Bygone: Musings and Poems from a Regency Hearthside, Hannah Linder offers elegant, heartfelt verses for the discerning Regency soul. As words dance delicately across the page, you’ll soon hear the gentle rustle of silk and the subtle murmur of voices as you step back through time to the beauty and romance of a bygone era.”

As you can see, I found myself in a very poetic mood after reading Hannah’s poems! Her words not only sweep you away to another time and place, but they are also food for the soul.

Interview with Hannah Linder

Hannah agreed to do an interview with me, and I enjoyed getting to know more about her and her writing and artistic background. She is an accomplished, creative, and talented person (I’m sure Austen would approve) with the same deep love for Austen and the Regency Era that all of us here at Jane Austen’s World share. I hope you enjoy our Q&A!

1. What is your background with poetry and what inspired you to write this book?

For years, I’ve enjoyed slipping off alone somewhere with an old poetry book, reading the stanzas out loud, or committing them to memory. I love the way poems play with words. The soothing sound. The cut of realization, throbbing at your chest, when you read something you always knew about life but never really pondered.

For years, I said I could not write poetry. I liked freedom best and writing in rhythms seemed too binding. Funny, isn’t it? Oftentimes the things we say we’ll never do are those we find ourselves doing. Now, writing poetry is an outlet. When emotions swell, I let them topple over and bleed into paper, each line a journal entry or a piece of what cries within me. Bygone is the collection of all my thoughts, dreams, and longings.

2. What are 2 of your favorite poems and what is the story behind each one?

Love You? is one that will always be special to me, because it reflects the heart of a wife who tries to explain to her husband all the ways she loves him. Love is not always flowers and moonlit dances and serenating music. Love, more often, is the simple things we do for each other. The life we live together.

Another favorite is Worth the While. This poem is a sweet reminder to slow down, be happy, and enjoy life as it comes.

3. When did you first discover Jane Austen and the Regency Era? 

My best friend, in my early teens, invited me over and introduced me to the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. From the moment Mr. Darcy walked through the foggy field with his coat billowing in the wind, I was hopelessly twitterpated. I have been in love with everything Jane Austen ever since.

4. Do you read Regency or Historical Fiction? If so, who are your favorite authors?

Absolutely! My all-time favorite Regency author is Michelle Griep. Her stories always keep me captivated.

5. What are your favorite 3 books you read in the last year?

This is such a hard question! I think Memory Lane by Becky Wade and Forgotten Secrets by Christy Barritt were among my favorite reads of the year.

6. Who do you picture reading the poems in this collection?

Anyone who loves the Regency Era, the sweetness of romance, the sing-song voice of poetry, or the sentimental things in life. Bygone would be a fun book to curl up with in a chair, near a hearth, with a steaming cup of tea.

7. What was your writing process for this collection? Where did you write these poems?

Anywhere, everywhere! Sometimes a thought or idea would strike me, and I would rush to write it down before I could forget. Other times, I’d just go wandering in a field, take a seat by the creek, and ponder on life until a poem came to me.

Bonus: Who is your favorite Jane Austen hero? Who is your favorite villain?

Absolutely, hands down, the wonderful Mr. Darcy. Though Mr. Knightly would be a close second. And villain, hmm…perhaps Mr. Wickham. He’s so charmingly deceitful and such a layered character. Jane Austen was so masterful.

About the Author

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Also, Hannah is an international and multi-award-winning graphic designer who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a self-portrait photographer of historical fashion. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.

To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

Hannah’s Links

If you’d like to follow along with Hannah’s other literary and artistic ventures, here are a few ways to find her online:

FacebookInstagramWebsitePurchase Bygone

You can purchase Bygone by Hannah Linder HERE!

I hope you enjoyed learning more about Hannah and her beautiful new book! Which Jane Austen character do you think would be most likely to read poetry? Which would be most likely to write poetry?

The post Bygone: Musings and Poems from a Regency Hearthside first appeared on Rachel Dodge.

“God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world,” whispered Anne softly. -L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Anne Shirley didn’t say these words because everything in her life was perfect.

She experienced great loss when Matthew died, and she had a hard road ahead of her with teaching, helping at Green Gables, and doing her courses by correspondence.

And yet, she sits at her window “companioned by a glad content.”

Everything has changed, and her “horizons” have “closed in” since the last time she sat at the window.

And yet, Anne is quietly content because she believes that “if the path set before her feet was to be narrow,” then “flowers of quiet happiness would bloom along it.”

She’s looking forward to the “joy of sincere work and worthy aspiration and congenial friendship were to be hers; nothing could rob her of her birthright of fancy or her ideal world of dreams. And there was always the bend in the road!

Maybe your horizons have closed in on you recently. Or things have changed in a way you didn’t expect and might not choose. Perhaps you’re facing something that’s causing trial and tribulation on a very serious scale.

And yet, Jesus walks with you on every road, our companion of glad content.

Let not your hearts be troubled, dear ones. If the road beneath your feet looks narrow, watch for the flowers the Lord will cause to grow up all along your path.

He will make streams in the desert.
He will make your ankles strong.
He will establish your steps.
He will give you purpose.
He will make flowers bloom.

When God is enthroned on our hearts, “all’s right” with the world.

No matter what you’re facing today, I encourage us all (myself included) to take time to linger with the Lord today.

Quietly, quietly,
Sit with Him.
In the dusk of the evening
With a glad heart
In His presence.

May unexpected flowers spring up as you walk on God’s paths, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

The post Glad Contentment. appeared first on Rachel Dodge.

It’s time for the next installment in this series devoted to examining the enduring romantic themes in Jane Austen’s novels, many of which are used over and over again in today’s most popular “rom com” movies and books.

So far in this series, I’ve explored popular themes in Jane Austen’s other novels over at Jane Austen’s World: “Enemies to Lovers” in Pride and Prejudice, the “Slow Burn” Romance in Emma, “Best Friends to Lovers” in Mansfield Park, and “Second-Chance” Love in Persuasion.

This time, I’m taking a closer look at the romantic themes Jane Austen used in Northanger Abbey (NA) and tracking the themes that are still used today.

Defining the “Meet-Cute”

Every rom com has a meet-cute, the moment when two characters meet each other in a “cute” and memorable way. In The Holiday, Arthur (Eli Wallach) defines a meet-cute like this:

Say a man and a woman both need something to sleep in, and they both go to the same men’s pajama department. And the man says to the salesman, ‘I just need bottoms.’ The woman says, ‘I just need a top.’ They look at each other, and that’s the meet-cute.”The Holiday

While every story has a meet-cute, some are cuter than others. Sometimes the two characters cannot stand one another, sometimes there is a misunderstanding, and sometimes there is a clash. But sometimes, as in NA, the two characters meet and are immediately drawn to one another.

Introducing Mr. Tilney

In NA, not only do Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney have a clever first meeting, we also learn a lot about social etiquette during that era.

When Catherine arrives in Bath, she knows no one and her chaperone, Mrs. Allen, has no immediate acquaintances. On their first night in the Upper Rooms, they move through a crowded ballroom, but because Mrs. Allen does not see anyone she knows, Catherine cannot dance:

[S]he longed to dance, but she had not an acquaintance in the room. Mrs. Allen did all that she could do in such a case by saying very placidly, every now and then, “I wish you could dance, my dear—I wish you could get a partner.”Northanger Abbey

However, when they visit the Lower Rooms, “fortune” is “more favourable to our heroine” (Ch. 3). It’s there that the master of ceremonies makes an introduction: “The master of the ceremonies introduced to her a very gentleman-like young man as a partner; his name was Tilney.”

After dancing they strike up a lively conversation and the meet-cute is on.

Northanger’s Meet-Cute

Henry is described by Austen in highly favorable terms: “He seemed to be about four or five and twenty, was rather tall, had a pleasing countenance, a very intelligent and lively eye, and, if not quite handsome, was very near it. His address was good, and Catherine felt herself in high luck.”

As they talk, Mr. Tilney teases Catherine and is clearly a good-humored man: “He talked with fluency and spirit—and there was an archness and pleasantry in his manner which interested, though it was hardly understood by her.”

Mr. Tilney flirts with Catherine when he questions her about her journal and even tells her what she “ought” to write in it after their meeting:

“I danced with a very agreeable young man, introduced by Mr. King; had a great deal of conversation with him—seems a most extraordinary genius—hope I may know more of him. That, madam, is what I wish you to say.”

For the remainder of the chapter, Austen is at her absolute best with light-hearted, quick-paced dialogue and witty banter. Rarely do any of her characters talk quite so much upon first meeting one another, and we, her readers, find ourselves as charmed by Henry as Catherine herself:

They danced again; and, when the assembly closed, parted, on the lady’s side at least, with a strong inclination for continuing the acquaintance. Whether she thought of him so much, while she drank her warm wine and water, and prepared herself for bed, as to dream of him when there, cannot be ascertained; but I hope it was no more than in a slight slumber, or a morning doze at most; for if it be true, as a celebrated writer has maintained, that no young lady can be justified in falling in love before the gentleman’s love is declared, it must be very improper that a young lady should dream of a gentleman before the gentleman is first known to have dreamt of her.

Northanger Abbey

Love at First Sight, Conflict Ahead

In a book with a quick mutual connection between characters, there must be some kind of problem or conflict to keep the story going. Otherwise, it would be over in the first few pages. In many popular movies today, writers add in misunderstandings, timing issues, geographical hurdles, age differences, and other road blocks to make things interesting.

The same is true for NA. After their first meeting, Catherine develops an immediate first major crush, and it’s clear that Mr. Tilney is hoping to see more of her as well. Both are charmed and interested. Both hope to see one another again. However, as with most stories that start with immediate attraction, Catherine and Henry don’t live happily ever after–at least not right away.

For the remainder of the novel, Austen uses a variety of plot devices to create conflict for her two young lovers, unfold a larger plot with its own major themes, and build a multi-layered story arc for Catherine and Henry.

C.E. Brock illustration, Northanger Abbey, “Pray, pray, Stop Mr. Thorpe”Popular “Meet-Cute” Examples

No romantic comedy can hold a candle to Jane Austen’s complex plots, characters, and novels. However, it’s interesting to think about the devices she used to create the meet-cute in NA versus the devices writers must use today. While people don’t need a master of ceremonies to introduce them anymore, writers still must find ways to “match-make” their characters. Here are some popular movies that fall into the “meet-cute” category:

In The Holiday, there are several meet-cutes: When Iris and Amanda switch houses for Christmas, Iris ends up meeting Miles when he comes to drop something off at Amanda’s house on a windy day in Los Angeles. Miles and Iris immediately hit it off, while Miles’ girlfriend sits in his car waiting. Amanda meets Graham when he shows up on her doorstep (Iris’ doorstep), hoping to crash at his sister’s house after a night out.

In Serendipity, the two main characters meet in a busy department store at Christmas time. They each grab for the last pair of black gloves and strike up a conversation.

In Notting Hill, Will spills orange juice on Anna, a popular movie star, when they crash into one another on the sidewalk near his apartment. She agrees to go to his place to change into clean clothes and they share a delightful first conversation and an unexpected first kiss.

In 50 First Dates, Henry must create a series of meet-cutes to gain the attention of Lucy each day because she has lost her short-term memory and forgets who he is every time they meet.

And in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, we find a refreshing twist on the meet-cute when Toula meets and falls in love with Ian. As she serves him at her family’s restaurant, she can’t even speak to him. However, that meeting pushes Toula to change her life, go to school, (get a makeover – of course), and become the confident woman Ian later notices through the window of a travel agency.

Clever Introductions

Jane Austen created her stories in a world where men and women could only meet under certain circumstances. The social rules of her time necessarily set up parameters that she had to follow, which provided for some very creative inspiration. Today, people don’t have to follow those same rules, but they still need to find a way to meet and introduce themselves, either in person, online, at church, work, or school, or through a mutual friend.

What are some of your favorite “meet-cute” moments in literature or film? If you have a “meet-cute” story of your own, we’d love to hear about it in the comments!

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and book clubs, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Little Women Devotional, The Anne of Green Gables Devotional and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. Now Available: The Secret Garden Devotional! You can visit Rachel online at www.RachelDodge.com.

The post The “Meet-Cute” in Northanger Abbey first appeared on Rachel Dodge.

Have you read A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter?

This beautiful edition is my first purchase from Haleigh DeRocher’s Sweet Sequels incredible book shop. This is an out of print book that Haleigh revived with her own beautiful cover art!

A Girl of the Limberlost (1909) is set in the Limberlost Swamp of Indiana. Elnora Comstock desperately wants to attend high school but has no way to purchase the clothes or supplies she needs. Her widowed mother, an angry, hurting woman, refuses to help or support her in any way. The story unfolds beautifully as friends and neighbors help, Elnora finds and gathers rare moths to raise the funds she needs for school, and her mother comes to terms with her own bitterness.

Elnora’s determination, combined with fascinating descriptions of the wildlife in the Limberlost, make for a fascinating and satisfying read. 

Are you a Gene Stratton-Porter fan? I read all of her books about 10 years ago and have revisited them over and over. The Keeper of the Bees is another fave. If you haven’t taken the plunge, start here or with Freckles!

I hope you’re well, Kindred Spirits, and enjoying your summer reading months!

From my front porch to your heart,
Rachel xx

The post Girl of the Limberlost first appeared on Rachel Dodge.

Resting while you wait? Sounds like an oxymoron to me.

Waiting makes me want to DO something. I’m a multitasker. Surely, I can wait AND get something done. Right?

But what if God’s delays are actually a gift? What if waiting is a kindness? An invitation.

What if waiting is for our good?

When my son started preschool, I thought I’d jump right back into ministry. I finally had some free time, and I was ready to go!

But God said no and closed all the doors.

I struggled HARD with that time of waiting. I felt useless and lonely and out of sorts. I didn’t understand why God wanted me home alone when I could finally be part of something!

One day as I trudged along on my morning walk, I asked God, “Why would you sideline me now? When I actually have some free time to get involved?”

The answer just about knocked me off my Nikes…

“Because I want time for just the two of us. I miss you.”

That started a season of waiting on the Lord, reacquainting myself with Him, and resting my body and soul. I wanted to be out and about and busy, but the Lord knew I needed time to rebuild.

To pause and exhale.

You see, God’s waiting times are often a provision, a refueling, a refilling, a reshaping time. Waiting is for preparation and healing and renewal.

The Bible says, “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). Rest is baked into waiting. Waiting gives us new strength.

If you’re in a time of waiting, slow down and be still. Don’t spin your wheels, trying to figure out what’s next. Rest and breathe and remember.

Waiting isn’t a punishment.

Waiting doesn’t mean God is done.

Waiting won’t keep you from God’s best.

And if the waiting seems lonely—if it seems like the world is rushing past as you sit on the sidelines—remember that God is right there with you, holding your hand, planning things you can’t see right now.

Because is good. Because He loves you. And because He’s not done with you.

Not even close.

What are you waiting on the Lord to do? What makes it hard to rest while you wait?

Waiting with you,
Rachel xx

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As we continue our investigation into Jane Austen’s irresistible romantic themes and plots, we now come to one of my favorite Austen novels, Persuasion.

In this series, we’ve looked at “Enemies to Lovers” in Pride and Prejudice, the “Slow Burn” Romance in Emma, and “Best Friends to Lovers” in Mansfield Park.

Now we turn our attention to the love story that many Austen fans love as much as (or more than) Pride and Prejudice. It’s the story of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth and the one that got away.

The 1995 film adaptation of Persuasion with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds.Second-Chance Love

Persuasion is a second-chance story because Anne Elliot receives another chance at love with Captain Wentworth and another chance at living her own life and choosing her own happiness.

When the story opens, she’s somewhat of a faded, wilted flower:

A few years before, Anne Elliot had been a very pretty girl, but her bloom had vanished early; and as even in its height, her father had found little to admire in her, (so totally different were her delicate features and mild dark eyes from his own), there could be nothing in them, now that she was faded and thin, to excite his esteem.Persuasion

However, her true beauty and worth go far beyond her exterior, and Captain Wentworth quickly notices that she’s still the same Anne:

She was looking remarkably well; her very regular, very pretty features, having the bloom and freshness of youth restored by the fine wind which had been blowing on her complexion, and by the animation of eye which it had also produced. It was evident that the gentleman . . . admired her exceedingly. Captain Wentworth looked round at her instantly in a way which shewed his noticing of it. He gave her a momentary glance, a glance of brightness, which seemed to say, ‘That man is struck with you, and even I, at this moment, see something like Anne Elliot again.’Persuasion

The One That Got Away

Beyond a second chance at love, Persuasion is a picture-perfect model of “The One That Got Away” (or “Long-Lost Love”) romantic theme that has become so popular in romantic movies and books. Austen knew what she was doing when she created a storyline about passionate, young love; years of separation, heartache, and regret; and a long, drawn-out rekindling of a long-lost love that has only grown deeper and more mature with time.

But one of the reasons Persuasion is so intriguing is that Austen doesn’t instantly rekindle the relationship when Anne and Wentworth meet again. Instead, Austen builds a storyline that creates questions, heartache, and angst for Anne (and Austen’s readers).

While Anne never stopped pining for Wentworth, it seems as though he has moved on completely and has not forgiven Anne. There is no quick thrill, instant reignite, or swift rekindle. He acts almost as though they’ve never met.

Anne’s only recourse is to patiently, achingly watch the love of her life search for a wife, flirt with other women, and essentially ignore her (or so she thinks). She remains humble, quiet, and ever-patient, though each day brings fresh torture.

Forced Proximity

One romantic device Austen uses expertly in Persuasion (and in most of her novels) is what we now term “forced proximity.” This is when an author places two characters in a situation where they are forced to spend extra time together in close quarters. It might be a stalled elevator, a shared school or work project, a single bed in a hotel room, or a small car on a long road trip.

In Persuasion, Austen brings Wentworth right into Anne’s neighborhood, places him among the families she and her family socialize with, and even has them travel in the same group to Lyme. Austen also creates situations where Anne and Wentworth are even in close physical proximity:

They were actually on the same sofa, for Mrs Musgrove had most readily made room for him; they were divided only by Mrs Musgrove.Persuasion

In another moment, however, she found herself in the state of being released from him; some one was taking him from her, though he had bent down her head so much, that his little sturdy hands were unfastened from around her neck, and he was resolutely borne away, before she knew that Captain Wentworth had done it. Her sensations on the discovery made her perfectly speechless.Persuasion

In Bath, there are more opportunities for the two of them to cross paths, including the day when Wentworth overhears Anne’s conversation with Captain Harville and writes her his letter.

Love Stories Like Persuasion

Many popular romantic movies make use of these similar themes, such as The Notebook, Serendipity, The Princess Bride, Sweet Home Alabama, Before Sunset, 13 Going on 30, The Best of Me, The Parent Trap, Grosse Pointe Blank, Ticket to Paradise, Pearl Harbor, Love Actually, The Story of Us, Crazy, Stupid Love, When Harry Met Sally, and An Affair to Remember.

Television shows such as Friends (Ross Geller and Rachel Green) and As Time Goes By (Jean Pargetter and Lionel Hardcastle) also utilize the rekindled love or long-lost love theme.

Geoffrey Palmer and Judi Dench in As Time Goes ByStories We Love

I’m sure you can add other books, shows, or movies to this list with similar themes. I personally think that many of us can relate to Anne Elliot and a desired second chance, whether it’s in love or some other passion or pursuit. Though none of these popular rom coms hold a candle to Jane Austen’s masterpiece, it’s clear that the themes she employed have stood the test of time.

RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and book clubs, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Little Women Devotional, The Anne of Green Gables Devotional and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. Now Available: The Secret Garden Devotional! You can visit Rachel online at www.RachelDodge.com.

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When is the last time someone invited you to do something?

Anne Shirley always had so many scrapes in the kitchen, she could have probably had a funny YouTube channel!

But don’t you love that she never stops trying and never stops inviting?

Even after the currant wine, the mouse in the plum pudding, and the liniment-flavored cake, Anne keeps inviting people over, she keeps cooking, she keeps hosting.

Because she loves people and because she’s learned an important lesson:

An invitation can mean the world to someone else.

When you invite someone to meet up for lunch, have coffee or tea, go for a walk, or simply sit on the porch, you never know what it could mean…

An invitation can mean the difference between…

Sitting alone and sitting together…
Staying home and getting out…
Silence and laughter…
Loneliness and companionship…
Being unknown and being known…

When we invite people into our lives, into our homes, and into our circles, it can make all the difference to that person.

An invitation sends a message.

An invitation says, I’m glad you’re here. I’d like to get to know you more. I care about you. I think you’re worth knowing.

An invitation says, it’s not the same without you.

I think Anne loved inviting people over because she knew what it was like to be the new girl, the outsider, the orphan, the lonely one.

I think Anne knew that an invitation can mean the world to someone else.

I think she knew that an invitation can make all the difference.

What does an invitation mean to you, Kindred Spirits? What’s the best thing someone could do to make you feel welcome?

Since moving to a new state last summer, so many kind women have invited me to do things. It has meant the world to me! Last week I invited my Bible study over to our house and it felt good!

Happy Montgomery Monday!

Rachel xx

“Practice hospitality.” Rom 12:13

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What’s worth fighting for in your life?

One of my favorite quotes from J.R.R. Tolkien isn’t actually a quote he wrote. It’s from The Two Towers film from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. But it says something so profound, I’ve never forgotten it:

There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

The Two Towers (2002 film)

Sam is not big, strong, famous, educated, or exceptional… except that he is in the ways that count the most.

Samwise Gamgee wise and loyal and brave. He’s willing to go the extra mile. He stands by his word and stands with his friends.

He stands strong for the mission, for the cause. He stands strong so that good might have a chance over evil. For Middle-Earth. For the Shire.

He’s willing to even give his life.

Still Worth It

I think many of us need to believe (and be reminded) that there’s still plenty of good in this world that’s worth fighting for.

In our families, our friendships, our parenting, our neighborhoods, in our cities, and in our nation and world.

Thank you to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for my freedom and protection. Thank you for believing that there’s still much that’s worth fighting for.

Who are you honoring today? Who are you remembering?

Wishing you all a very blessed and meaningful Memorial Day!

Grace and peace,
Rachel xx

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Where do you go to be alone with God?

The Lord often asks us to tarry with Him before we go out again. Not because He doesn’t have good plans or purposes for us. Not because He doesn’t have a use for our gifts. But because He loves us.

To tarry is to stay, remain, linger, abide.

Often the Lord calls us aside from our work for a season, and bids us be still and learn ere we go forth again to minister. There is no time lost in such waiting hours.

Streams in the Desert

Take Time to Tarry

Tarrying is a gift from God, so that…

-You might be filled
-You might be refreshed
-You might hear from Him
-You might love Him more
-You might FULLY recover
-You might be ready

The Lord asks us to tarry, that we might find solace in Him and find quiet and contentment in Him.

Is God asking you to “tarry ere you go?”

It might be for a few minutes or a few days or for a season. If He’s calling you to tarry, it’s for your recovery and preparation.

Take time to tarry today, Kindred Spirits. Nothing can be lost when we come away and come aside with Jesus.

Rachel xx

“And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness… an angel of the Lord… saying…. now come, I will send thee into Egypt.” (Acts 7:30-34).

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“My mother’s name was Bertha Shirley.” -Anne Shirley

Anne Shirley never knew her mother. Marilla never had the chance to be a mother. Until one day, “Providence” brought them together “by a queer mistake.”

I sat across the table from two women this weekend. One had lost her mother. The other had lost her daughter. It was a poignant moment. And it made me think…

There are women all around us who are lonely today. There are women who long to be a mother and daughters who long to be mothered. Let’s find and love one another, dear sisters.

Many older women tell me they feel like they don’t have a place in the church as they get older. PLEASE believe me when I say, most of us “younger” ladies are dying to have an older woman notice us and take an interest in our lives. We often assume you’re too busy for us.

Many younger women tell me how much they long to have a mentor or an older, wiser woman disciple them. PLEASE believe me when I say that the “older” women around you don’t know where to start. They assume you don’t want to hear from them.

Wherever you fall on the Mother’s Day spectrum of emotion, let us remember to reach out to other women, love one another, and look for ways to be there for each other. Let’s be family.

Kindred Spirits, I am so thankful to have met and found community with so many of you here! Happy Mother’s Day!

Grace and peace,
Rachel xx

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