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Praying with Jane: Daily Reading Plan

kindredspiritbooks

It’s time. Time to revel in color. Time to list

It’s time.

Time to revel in color.
Time to listen and feel.
Time to breathe deep.

Fall is all around.

Falling
Leaves
Crunching underfoot.

It’s here.

The most beautiful month of the year.

October.

The month of my birth.
Glorious end-cap.
The month I long for most.

The month I can almost taste.

The smell.
The feel.

The world around me
slowly cooling and drying.

Crisp and brittle.
Smoky mist.
Colors swirling.

It’s time to draw in and curl up.

Sip deeply, slowly
as the hearth flame
flickers and winks.

—Ode to October

This is the annual post I look forward to most each year. Here's the full quote from Anne Shirley

“Oh, Marilla,” Anne exclaimed one Saturday morning, coming dancing in with her arms full of gorgeous boughs, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn’t it? Look at these maple branches. Don’t they give you a thrill—several thrills? I’m going to decorate my room with them.”

What do you love about October, Kindred Spirits? What are your favorite things to do in the fall?

Happy October!
Rachel xx

#anneofgreengables #anneofgreengablesedit #anneofgreengables1985 #anneshirley #anneshirleycuthbert #annewithane #callmecordelia #october #hearthfire #cozycore #fallvibes #autumnvibes #cottagecore #greengables #fallcolors #princeedwardisland #poems #poetry #inspiration #simpleliving

Dame Maggie Smith died today at the age of 89 in H

Dame Maggie Smith died today at the age of 89 in Hospital surrounded by her loved ones.

She will forever be Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Professor Minerva McGonagall, Granny Wendy (Darling) from Hook, and so many other beloved characters to me.

I know so many of us loved her. The world and British films and television won’t be the same without her.

Speaking about her reputation, Smith once said, “It’s true I don’t tolerate fools, but then they don’t tolerate me, so I am spiky,” according to the Associated Press.

“Maybe that’s why I’m quite good at playing spiky elderly ladies,” she quipped in addition.

And while that’s true, and that’s why we adore her, it’s also true that her characters were complex and delightful and witty and tender.

I plan to watch some of her movies this weekend as we enjoy some rain.

Which of her acting roles did you love most over the years?

Blessings to you all, Kindred Spirits. Well done, Dame Maggie Smith.

Rachel xx

#downtonabbey #downtonabbeyfilm #downton #downtonabbeymovie #downtonabbeyedit #downtonabbeystyle #maggiesmith #damemaggiesmith #violetcrawley #dowagercountessofgrantham #matthewcrawley #lordgrantham #ladygrantham

"So up he got, and trotted along with his little s

"So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter." -The Hobbit

Hobbits may be small in stature, but they are wise and brave! Stout-hearted and stubborn and loyal, Bilbo knows forward is the only way to go.

His decision process can teach us so much for our lives...and the life of faith:

Go back? Not good at all.
Go sideways? Impossible!
Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!

Forward motion is the motion of faith.
We can't go back.
Sideways only leads us...well, sideways.
Forward is the only Way.

Perhaps there is something that's making your heart go all patter and pitter right now. Something difficult. Something you can't control. Some kind of tight spot. Or maybe there's something you need to surrender, confess, or turn from.

Whatever it is, there is wisdom in forward motion. As you trot along, hold your sword up in front of you. Don't be afraid. You may feel like you're groping in the dark, but as you move in step with the Holy Spirit, He will be your guide.

The life of faith is not for faint-hearted hobbits, but hobbits prove to us that you don't have to be big or strong or mighty in stature to take a step of faith.

Maybe today is the day you get up and take a few steps forward. Maybe it's time to pick up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

Why do Hobbits make us feel brave? Why do we love them so much?

I think it's a lot to do with the beauty of how they're made. No one would think to give a hobbit a big job, which is exactly why they are the perfect choice. And that's exactly why God might be asking you to take a brave step too.

What do you love most about Bilbo (and hobbits in general)?

Here's to hobbits and fall days and forward movement, Kindred Spirits!

On we go!

Rachel xx

#hobbitlife #hobbitcore #hobbitaesthetic #cottagecore #jrrtolkien #thehobbit #bookquoteoftheday #thelordoftherings #lotr #thefellowshipofthering #followingjesus #onwego #upwardandonward #lifeoffaith #couragedearheart #bilbobaggins

Now closed. Congrats to @alletaquilts on winning!

Now closed. Congrats to @alletaquilts on winning! Thank you to everyone who participated.

👒Calling all Kindred Spirits!!👒

We are thrilled to bring this delightful #Annetober Fall Giveaway to you!🍂

As the leaves turn, and a crisp chill comes into the air, we head indoors to while away the afternoon in front of the fire. This Autumn, we’d love for you to join us in lingering on the beauty found in Anne of Green Gables and set your gaze upwards on His goodness and faithfulness, through these companions. One winner will receive these two prizes:

💕 Rachel @kindredspiritbooks brings you a hardback copy of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional with reflections, prayers, quotes, and delightful original artwork for each chapter. Perfect for individual reflection or small groups.

💕 Jessica @lifegivingpages brings you a printable family devotional for use with the whole family, from the youngest to the oldest. With biblical reflection, discussion questions, scripture memory work, copywork, colouring sheets, and more. A beautiful way to focus on the riches of God's word, all whilst reading this beloved classic.

To enter:
🌷 Follow us both @kindredspiritbooks and @lifegivingpages
🌷 Like and save this post
🌷 Tag all your favourite friends!

We’d be honoured if you’d share this giveaway to your stories to help spread the word. Every share truly encourages and blesses us.

Blessings to you, Kindred Spirits! 🌸

Rachel & Jessica xx

Details: Giveaway closes Friday, 27 Sept. Must be 18 and over. Not affiliated with Instagram. U.S. / U.K. only. Prizes provided by us.

#bookgiveway #kindredspirits #anneofgreengables #anneshirley

And people wonder why we mood read. Here is a des

And people wonder why we mood read.

Here is a description of Beorn's table:

"There they had a supper, or a dinner, such as they had not had since they left the Last Homely House in the West and said good-bye to Elrond.

"The light of the torches and the fire flickered about them, and on the table were two tall red beeswax candles.

"They sat long at the table with their wooden drinking-bowls filled with mead. The dark night came on outside. The fires in the middle of the hall were built with fresh logs and the torches were put out, and still they sat in the light of the dancing flames with the pillars of the house standing tall behind them, and dark at the top like trees of the forest."

With descriptions like these, it's no wonder we want to be hobbits, go on a grand adventure, and slay a dragon.

It's no wonder we want to sit at a table, joined with other stout-hearted folk, listening and learning, sharing and nodding, dreaming and planning.

It's no wonder we long for nourishing fellowship over a shared meal... together... the candles list... with something hearty and warm in our bellies.

Fellow hobbits, what's your favorite place to gather with friends and family? What warms your heart most about Middle Earth?

Here's to hobbits and meals and all the cozy feels, Kindred Spirits.

Rachel xx

#hobbitday #thehobbit #jrrtolkien #theinklings #thefellowshipofthering #lordoftherings #theshire #middleearth #cslewis #bilbobaggins #gandalf #samwisegamgee #cozyreads #cozymeal #fellowship #gather #cozycore #hobbithole #hobbitcore

What’s your favorite setting for a book? I tend

What’s your favorite setting for a book?

I tend to love small towns and quirky characters in addition to the main love interest.

Which is why I’ve been waiting for this next book from @hollyvarni!! Her first book On Moonberry Lake was absolutely charming. This next installment centers on a new but related character so you can read it alone or as a sequel. Yay!

I’m all about small-town charm, eclectic characters, and a hearty warm welcome that makes me chuckle one moment and reach for the tissue the next. If that’s you, then this is your next read.

It releases next week. Run, don’t walk, to order your copy, Kindred Spirits!!

Rachel xx

#moonberrylake #hollyvarni #revellpublishing #christianfiction #hope #hopefloats #encouragement #smalltownlife #smalltown #youvegotmail #gilmoregirls #avonlea #mitford #smalltowncharm #happybooks #cozyreading #cozyreads #newbookalert

What book world do you wish you could visit, even

What book world do you wish you could visit, even for a day?

I'd go through the wardrobe with Lucy to the lamp-post and beyond into Narnia.

"This is the land of Narnia," said the Faun.

Those words elicit such a heart-pang, don't they? Those of us who consider ourselves Narnians, though we've never seen it, share that familiar pang when we hear the words Narnia, Cair Paravel, Mr. Tumnus, or Aslan.

I am convinced more and more that any heart-pang or longing we have in response to Narnia is meant to create in us a heart-pang for Heaven.

I don't know if C.S. Lewis did that on purpose, but I love to think about the fact that he is now enjoying "Narnia" to the fullest. And more than that.

Because even Narnia is merely a shadow of what's to come.

Because what God is preparing is beyond anything we can imagine.

So hold fast, Narnians! Be brave. Be heroic. Be filled with valor. Press on toward truth and victory.

Your King has come and will come again. And One Day, that lamp-post, that Light of the World, will lead us to a Cair Paravel far fairer than any we have seen here.

Take heart, my fellow Narnians. Whatever dark you see here will one fade into starlight on That Day when Aslan comes.

Rachel xx

#narnia #narniaedit #narniaquotes #cslewis #cslewisquotes #cslewisbooks #aslan #thelionthewitchandthewardrobe #thechroniclesofnarnia #christianwomen #dailydevotional #dailydevo #quoteoftheday #bookquoteoftheday #anneofgreengables #littlewomen #thesecretgarden #prideandprejudice #cairparavel #mrtumnus

What’s the last book you stayed up late to read?

What’s the last book you stayed up late to read?

I read this book in one night…

Not because my own mother is gone, but because I hate to even think about that day, and I want to cherish what I have right now.

I stayed up to read this book because some of my friends are walking through life with a mother who is now in Heaven. And I want to love them well.

I stayed up to read this book because Chelsea's words flow in gentle rhythms that soothe the soul.

I stayed up to read this book because there is wisdom in these pages about love and loss and grief. Wisdom I need.

I stayed up to read this book because each section includes an entry about the complicated parts of mother-daughter relationships.

I stayed up to read this book because it reminded me that Heaven is coming, and I can't wait for what Jesus is preparing.

I stayed up to read this book because my friend Chelsa Ohlemiller, one of the most beautiful women I know, wrote it with all her heart. And I love her for it.

I stayed up to read this book, Kindred Spirits, because I wanted to share it with you as soon as I could. I hope you'll go get a copy for yourself and a friend.

Congratulations to Chelsea @hopeandharshrealities this beautiful book! Thank you for sharing your heart!

Rachel xx

#hopeandharshrealities #nowthatshesgone #griefsupport #griefjourney #griefandloss #hopeofheaven #christianwomen #prayingwomen #lament #christianbooks #momlife #cozyreads #shereadstruth #fivestagesofgrief #griefshare #healingandhope #jesusheals #marmee #marillacuthbert #carolineingalls #megmarch

What's your favorite book in the Anne of Green Gab

What's your favorite book in the Anne of Green Gables series?

I've always loved the first one best, but several of the others, including Anne's House of Dreams, are incredibly special.

Each book grows more dear with each passing year. As I grow, Anne seems to grow with me.

I've seen this quote shared a few times this past week, and I had to add it here. It seems so perfectly fitting as August melts into September.

If you could visit any of the places where Anne Shirley lived, during any season, where and when would you go?

If I could live in PEI for one full year, even knowing I'd have to brave the snow and winds of winter, I think it would be a dream. I've been touched by Montgomery's descriptions of that beautiful place all my life. I want to feel it for myself one day.

Here's to dreamy books, northern skies, and seasons of change, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

#lmmontgomery #bookquote #bookquoteoftheday #anneshirley #anneofgreengables #anneofgreengablesedit #anneofgreengables1985 #kindredspirits #anneshouseofdreams #autumnvibes #summerbreeze #changingseasons #cozycore #cozyreads #oldfashionedgirl

What’s your favorite part about walking into a b

What’s your favorite part about walking into a bookstore? Would you work at one if you could?

“Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again.” ―Louisa May Alcott

Some bookstores feel like that, too. I felt at home in my new town the day I walked into our downtown indie bookstore. Even then, I somehow knew I belonged there, with those people, in that store.

Bookstores and libraries have always been such happy places for me. I love the smell, the quiet, the peace, the books books books.

I’m wrapping up a read through this fascinating history of bookstores in the U.S. Tomorrow night, after the shop closes, we’ll gather to discuss it. All thanks to a boss who loves books and loves people and believes that books can change lives.

Here’s to all the #indiebookstores out there and to all the #bookshop owners and #booksellers who could probably make a lot more doing something else but have chosen to follow books!

Rachel xx

#bookstores #bookstoresofinstagram #readmorebooks #kindredspiritbooks #kindredspiritsclub #booktalk #cozyread #cozybookstore #bookshop #bookshops #booksellers #booksellerlife

How do you afford your book habit? Used bookstore

How do you afford your book habit?

Used bookstores...
Budget for books...
Kindle Unlimited...
Online used books...
Library books...
Library audio/ebooks...
Free books as a book reviewer...
Free Little Libraries...
Ask for books at Christmas and bday...
Borrow from friends...
Work at a bookstore...

There are so many ways to make it happen. What's your top choice?

I confess, I pretty much employ all of these incredible techniques to feed my reading habit.

How about you? Tell me what you do? What tips and tricks can you share? I know a lot of you are majorly into audiobooks and libraries...

Here's to reading all the books, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

#bookstores #bookshop #bookshelf #bookcollector #bookcollection #bookaddic #librarylife #freelittlelibrary #bookish #readingallday #booklovers #readallthebooks #cozyreads #cozycore #cozyreading

Are you in your cottage garden era? I am!🙋🏻‍♀️

Jane Austen’s House is one of my favorite places on earth. It's peaceful and lovely...like stepping back in time.

The gardens make me want to wander around in a beautiful dress, dreaming and reading to my heart’s content.

I'm in the middle of writing a 12-month series on Jane Austen's life for Jane Austen's World blog, and this month is "August in Jane Austen's World."

These photos by @janeaustenshouse and @chawtonhouse are just one little peek into the beauty Jane would have known during her years at Chawton.

Have you visited Jane Austen's House? If you could visit any author's house, which one would it be?

Here's to English gardens and blooming flowers, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

P.S. To read more about August in Jane Austen's world, click the link in my bio!

#janeausten #janeaustenfan #janeaustenbooks #chawtonhouse #chawton #janeaustenshouse #summerflowers #cottagelife #cottagecore #prideandprejudice #prideandprejudice2005 #cottagegarden #thesecretgarden #englishgardens #hampshirelife #englishcountryside #englishcountrygarden

Ah, a never-to-be forgotten summer. Have you had o

Ah, a never-to-be forgotten summer. Have you had one of those? What are your current summer joys?

Here are some of mine...

Joy that we're making new memories in a new season of life.

Joy over shared books and long read-aloud hours on the couch.

Joy over shopping trips and lunch dates and the things you do with a teen and pre-teen.

Joy over travels to and fro.
Joy over visits from friends.
Joy over the zoo and the water park.
Joy over time in a cabin in the mtns.

Joy over time together.

I love to look back on each summer and think of all God has done. We started this summer worn down and weary from a long, hard school year. We felt like it might never end. But summer came, and God did a big work in our hearts. Healing and mending and restoring our strength.

If you're like me...and you're a mama who loves time with her kiddos and misses them when they are busy during the school year, take heart with me.

Fall is coming and that's lovely too. It's busy and times flies too fast, but there's goodness ahead in each season.

Because God is ahead of us, every day.

The joys will continue...
Your kids will thrive...
And God will go before you...

Because of everything you poured into them all summer long, they will do well.

Blessings to you, Kindred Spirits. May you sip and savor and linger over every last bit of summer.

Rachel xx

#summerbreak #readingwithkids #lmmontgomery #anneshirley #anneofgreengables #momlife #cottagecore #cottagelife #homesteadlife #mamaheart #prayerwarriors #prayingmom #sacredparenting

I'm ecstatic!!! Eat Like a Heroine is out today, K

I'm ecstatic!!! Eat Like a Heroine is out today, Kindred Spirits!!

I'm so excited to share this book with all of you! And I'm so incredibly PROUD of my dear chums Jenny Williams @carrottoppapershop and Lorilee Craker @thebooksellersdaughter who have poured their hearts and souls into creating this beautiful book for us to savor.

"Join book-obsessed kindred spirits Jenny Williams and Lorilee Craker as they time travel through favorite heroine classics to glean all the foodie wisdom: How to eat, picnic, comfort, host and more like your best-loved bookish stars.

"Elevate your eating life to the level of Anne of Green Gables, Jane Austen, Maya Angelou and Zora Neale Hurston; come to the table with us as we learn how to eat like heroines."

Please join me in congratulating Lorilee and Jenny and please tag at least 3 bosom friends who would love this beautiful book!

Here's to eating like heroines, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

Credit: Photos and illustrations by Jenny - of course!

#eatlikeaheroine #bakingbook #cookbooks #eatingtogether #breakingbread #anneofgreengables #kindredspirits #janeausten #alittleprincess #thesecretgarden #littlewomen #louisamayalcott #franceshodgsonburnett #littlehouseontheprairie #lauraingallswilder #lmmontgomery #foodies #newbookalert

This is literally all I can think of when I sit an

This is literally all I can think of when I sit and watch the Olympics in the evening from the comfort of my couch.

😂😂😂

I hear Lady Catherine in my head over and over. I also use a lot of tissue because I get so emotional over the inspirational moments.

What sports are you enjoying most? What sport do you (like to) think you could excel at if you'd ever learnt?

Happy Sunday, Kindred Spirits!
Rachel xx

P.S. I think at this point in my life, the best I could do is mayyybe be one of the moms who is squirming in her seat as her kid goes out and does the thing.

#prideandprejudice #ladycatherinedebourgh #janeausten #janeaustenfan #olympics2024 #teamusa #kindredspirits #elizabethbennet #mrdarcy #prideandprejudice2005 #prideandprejudice1995

Do you love or hate summer rain storms? We’ve b

Do you love or hate summer rain storms?

We’ve been longing for rain and a real summer storm, and it’s here! It’s been an unusually dry summer and I’m here for it.

There’s nothing quite like watching a summer thunderstorm from my front porch. Everything gets dark and cool, and the breeze comes up, and then…

Boom! Crack. Pow. Rain pours down our roof and windows and eaves, and a river flows down our front sidewalk.

It gives me all the nostalgic feels of summers at my grandparents’ house growing up.

What is your favorite part about summer, Kindred Spirits?

Here’s to summer storms and special memories…

Rachel xx

#cozycore #cottagecore #porchlife #porchsitting #porchview #summerrain #summerrains #summerstorms #rainyday #cozyvibes #readinglife

When did you first discover The Blue Castle?? For

When did you first discover The Blue Castle??

For my fellow mood readers, Valancy waits for Barney in July...

In the velvety twilight,
She puts everything on the line...
She waits for him,
With her heart in her hand...

Waiting to see what he will say,
In that magic, warm, odorous July twilight.

Montgomery's inspiration for The Blue Castle came about on a visit in July 1922 to Bala, Muskoka in Ontario:

"The situation here is very lovely. The lawn runs down to the river where the bank is fringed by trees. It is beautiful at all times but especially at night when the river silvers under the moon, the lights of the cottages twinkle out in the woods along the opposite bank, bonfires blaze with all the old allure of the camp fire, and music and laughter drift across from the innumerable canoes and launches across the river.

"Bala is a dear spot—somehow I love it. It has the flavor of home—perhaps because of its pines which are plentiful hereabout." (from The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volume III, 1921-1929)

The Blue Castle is the only book she wrote that takes place outside of her beloved Prince Edward Island.

Just think... a little trip to a new place... brought about the inspiration for a beloved novel.

Where have you been this summer that has inspired your heart or imagination? What mood reads are you enjoying during the month of July?

Here's to warm summer nights and waiting expectantly by garden gates in the twilight, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

#gardengate #gardenlife #gardenlifestyle #thebluecastle #bluecastle #anneofgreengables #valancystirling #anneshirley #lmmontgomery #muskoka #lakelife #lakelifestyle #summerreading #summervibes #readingvibes

Meg March got married in June when the roses were

Meg March got married in June when the roses were in bloom!

Which movie version did the best job with Meg March's wedding? (Swipe to see photos).

I've always loved Meg's wedding in the book. She planned everything simply and beautifully.

"Meg looked very like a rose herself, for all that was best and sweetest in heart and soul seemed to bloom into her face that day, making it fair and tender, with a charm more beautiful than beauty. Neither silk, lace, nor orange flowers would she have."

Meg said, "I don’t want a fashionable wedding, but only those about me whom I love, and to them I wish to look and be my familiar self.”

I think June roses and June weddings are lovely. I was married in a garden at a historic home because of Anne Shirley and Meg March. An outdoor wedding, surrounded by flowers and family and friends, was perfect for me.

Which of Meg's weddings did you enjoy most in the Little Women movies? Who is your favorite Meg? And John?

Here's to June roses, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

#littlewomen #littlewomen1994 #littlewomen2017 #littlewomen2019 #jomarch #megmarch #bethmarch #amymarch #marmee #orchardhouse #louisamayalcott #anneofgreengables #thesecretgarden #booksandblooms #bookwedding

Here’s to all the fathers and father figures who

Here’s to all the fathers and father figures who are loving, strong, encouraging, upright, and kind. Those who remind us of the love of our Father in Heaven. Who pour out their lives as a living sacrifice for their families.

I’m thankful for my own dad who has always been my biggest champion and encourager. He taped Anne of Green Gables on PBS for me on VHS tapes, and we watched the movies over and over when I was growing up. We still talk about Anne and quote her all the time! The characters are part of our lives.

I’m so glad my parents fostered such a deep love for books and movies like these. I’d surely be a different person if they hadn’t!

Who first introduced you to the Anne movies or books? Can you imagine anyone else ever playing Matthew Cuthbert as well as #richardfarnsworth? For me, he IS Matthew.

Three cheers for Matthew Cuthbert and all the great fathers (real and fictional) out there!

Happy Father’s Day, Kindred Spirits!

Rachel xx

#fathersday #fatherlove #anneofgreengables #matthewcuthbert #anneshirley #marillacuthbert #avonlea #littlewomen #littlehouseontheprairie #christianwomen #fatherhood #cozyvibes #cozycore #cozyreads #comfortreads #princeedwardisland

Have you read the Besty-Tacy books? I hadn’t re

Have you read the Besty-Tacy books?

I hadn’t really heard of them until a few years ago, and I wish I had known about them when my daughter was little. I read so many old-fashioned books growing up, so I know there are only a few reasons I didn’t hear about them:

1) My library didn’t have them (I would know bc I read ALL the books in the children’s and middle grade section)
2) My mom didn’t have them (rare)
3) My grandmother didn’t have them (even more rare)

I’d love to find vintage copies, but I’m working on building my library with new copies for now.

It’s never too late to read lovely old books, and children’s books are usually my favorite! What about you? Do you read grown-up books exclusively or do you read children’s books, middle grade, YA?

Bonus: If you grew up with Betsy-Tacy, tell me who introduced you to the books!

Here’s to old books and roses in June, Kindred Spirits!!

Rachel xx

#maudhartlovelace #maudhartlovelacequotes #betsytacy #anneofgreengables #littlewomen #thesecretgarden #heidi #littlehouseontheprairie #thebobseytwins #childrensbooks #childrensliterature #oldfashionedbooks #summerreading #kindredspirits #kindredspiritbooks #nostalgiareads #cozycottage #cozycore #cottagecore

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