I don’t like being “on the fringe” of most anything. If you’re on the fringe of a group of friends, you’re not really part of the core group; you just kind of hang out on the edge of things. If you’re on the fringe of a conversation, you can’t quite hear everything that’s being said.… Continue reading I want more.
Author: Rachel Dodge
Jane Austen’s Childhood Home: Steventon Rectory
When I look at this view, with the lane twisting along out of sight, I think, “Jane Austen saw this.” Jane Austen’s childhood home (Steventon Rectory) was torn down long ago, but some things never change in the English countryside. There used to be an old pump that marked the spot of the Austens’ home… Continue reading Jane Austen’s Childhood Home: Steventon Rectory
Book Review: Top 7 Reasons You Should Read Mrs. Oswald Chambers: The Woman Behind the World’s Bestselling Devotional
If you haven’t read Mrs. Oswald Chambers: The Woman Behind the World’s Bestselling Devotional (or Mrs. OC), you’re in for a treat. Author Michelle Ule and I met through our literary agency, Books & Such, and I was honored to be part of her launch team for her book. It was a wonderful experience and… Continue reading Book Review: Top 7 Reasons You Should Read Mrs. Oswald Chambers: The Woman Behind the World’s Bestselling Devotional
Love and Friendship
In honor of “Galentine’s Day,”* today, I’ve been thinking about my favorite friends (both real and fictional). I’ve learned a lot about friendship from Anne of Green Gables. In it, Anne Shirley says, “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them… Continue reading Love and Friendship
Book Review: Young Jane Austen
Looking for a quick, sweet read or for a way to introduce younger readers to Jane Austen? Then Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer by Lisa Pliscou is the book for you. Jane Austen’s nickname in her rather affectionate family was “Jenny” when she was young. This book takes a peek into what life may have… Continue reading Book Review: Young Jane Austen
Be Brave.
I don’t go in much for New Year’s resolutions, but I do really love to reflect on the past year and look forward prayerfully to the year to come. This past year was full of surprises, after about 10 years of same, same, same (which isn’t bad, but I had started to believe that surprises… Continue reading Be Brave.
Christmas with Jane Austen
Many Austen fans enjoy thinking about how Jane and her family celebrated Christmas. They wonder, did she give gifts, “deck” the halls, or have a Christmas tree? As most Austen fans know, many of the Christmas traditions we might picture actually became popular during the Victorian Era. However, there are plenty of Regency Christmas traditions… Continue reading Christmas with Jane Austen
Crossing the Red Sea
We all have a Red Sea to cross—a seemingly impossible and insurmountable obstacle that we face in our lives or faith. I’ve had (and do have) plenty of Red Sea moments and hindrances. In a surprising turn of events last spring, the Lord called me to cross a new kind of Red Sea. He opened… Continue reading Crossing the Red Sea
The Desert Shall Blossom
During the first few weeks after my youngest went off to preschool last fall, I experienced a complete upending of emotions. Yes, I mourned my season as a mom of little ones, but there was something more that caught me off guard, something unexpected. I found myself also (mysteriously) co-grieving the trials I had experienced… Continue reading The Desert Shall Blossom
The Glow of Candlelight in Jane Austen’s Novels
Just as fire was the centerpiece of most evening gatherings in Jane Austen’s time, candles also played a vital role in Regency life and culture. Today, family members work or read in separate rooms in the evening and go to bed at different times (due to the advent of electricity), but people in Austen’s day… Continue reading The Glow of Candlelight in Jane Austen’s Novels