Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through The Prayers Of Jane Austen by Rachel Dodge

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

While much has been written about Jane Austen's life and novels, less is known about her spiritual side or the three prayers she wrote.  In Praying with Jane, Christian readers and Jane Austen fans can explore Austen's prayers in an intimate devotional format as they learn about her personal faith, her Anglican upbringing, and the spiritual truths found in her novels.

Jane Austen's faith comes to life in this beautiful 31-day devotional through her exquisite prayers, touching biographical anecdotes, and illuminating scenes from her novels.  Each daily entry includes examples from Austen's own life and novels, as well as key Scripture verses, ideas for personal application, and a prayer inspired by Jane's petitions. 

“This is the devotional I didn’t know I was missing. Dodge connects  stories from Austen’s life and the pages of her novels to her prayers and  Scripture in fresh and insightful ways. An inspiring and illuminating look at the life and faith of a beloved author.” —Anne Bogel, author, I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life and blogger, Modern Mrs. Darcy

“Rachel Dodge draws rich meaning and practical application  for modern readers from Jane Austen’s beautifully written prayers. Includes compelling accounts of Jane’s life and inspiring, heartfelt prayers to make your own. Praying with Jane is a wonderful devotional for anyone, and a  perfect gift for an Austen fan. Highly recommended.” —Julie Klassen, bestselling author, Tales from Ivy Hill

“Praying with Jane is full of rich insights into the faith of one of our greatest English writers. It offers a window into her life and writings, as well as  being a source of spiritual nourishment!” —Terry Glaspey, author, The Prayers of Jane Austen and  75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know

my thoughts:

As a huge fan of Austen, I was super excited to get my hands on a copy of Rachel Dodge's excellent new book, Praying with Jane.  A book that explores Austen's spiritual side and shares with us three prayers that she wrote - how could I not want to read that, right?! Especially, since I've been trying to connect with my faith more, too.  I just knew that this book would be the right fit for me.  Not only would I get to read about one of my favorite writers, but I would get to learn more about her.  Talk about the perfect combination!

This lovely slim-volume is a great guidebook to prayer.  I just loved how it was able to connect Austen's prayers to her life and her work.  The book begins with the author, Rachel Dodge, sharing with us about Jane's religious background - her father was an Anglican clergyman, prayer was a huge part of their daily lives, and she wrote her own prayers (which her sister, Cassandra, preserved).  I LOVED learning about Jane and her faith.  I felt that it provided us with a richer and deeper look at the more personal, private aspects of Jane's life.  And, I just really enjoyed reading her prayers. 

Praying with Jane is broken into three sections - one for each prayer.  The section begins with the prayer in its entirety, and then from there we get ten days of devotions.  Each devotion is made up of a quote from Jane's prayer and it is then connected to her life or a character in one of her novels. Dodge uses Scripture references to tie the prayer and correlations she makes all together.  She does a fantastic job of exploring Jane's life and faith.  I really enjoyed these devotions. And, I just loved how at the end of each daily devotion we are invited to pray.  I was drawn to each devotion by my love of Austen - I always love learning biographical tidbits about my favorite authors. I also really enjoyed Dodge's top notch writing - her love of Jane is evident in the respect and praise she shows when discussing these prayers.  I found myself enjoying this book in the evenings, as I reflected on the day itself and what I had just read in Praying with Jane.  Dodge has definitely created a terrific reading experience with this book - I just loved it to bits!  Not only did I enjoy reading Jane's prayers, but I also loved the links that Dodge made with Jane's life and novels.  In fact, this book has inspired me to reread Jane's work in the coming new year - (yes, I already have a TBR for 2019).

I would happily recommend Prayers with Jane for anyone and everyone - you will LOVE this book!!

About the author: Rachel Dodge

Rachel Dodge teaches college English and Jane Austen classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and Jane Austen groups, and is a writer for the popular Jane Austen’s World blog. She is  passionate about prayer and the study of God’s Word. A true “Janeite” at heart, Rachel  enjoys books, bonnets, and ball gowns. She makes her home in California with her husband and their two young children.






 







Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!!