Thomas Nelson - A Jane Austen Devotional

To

From

A JANE AUSTEN
DEVOTIONAL

COMPILED and WRITTEN by
STEFFANY WOOLSEY

A Jane Austen Devotional

2012 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION. 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by Permission.

Other Scripture quotations are taken from: THE CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION (CEV), 1991 by The American Bible society. Used by permission. Amplified Bible (AMP). Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. KING JAMES VERSION (KJV). The Message by Eugene H. Peterson (MSG). 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. New Century Version (NCV). 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Living Bible (TLB) 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, IL. All rights reserved. NEW KING JAMES VERSION (NKJV). 1982, 1992 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Holy Bible, New International Version, (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT). 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Ill. 60189. All rights reserved. NET Bible (NET) copyright 19962006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://bible.org. All rights reserved. NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (NASB), the Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV), copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, (NRSV) copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by MacKenzie Howard
Cover design by: Studio Gearbox
Managing Editor: Lisa Stilwell

ISBN-13: 978-1-4003-1953-4

Printed in China

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HAVE WE THOUGHT IRREVERENTLY OF THEE, HAVE WE DISOBEYED THY COMMANDMENTS, HAVE WE NEGLECTED ANY KNOWN DUTY, OR WILLINGLY GIVEN PAIN TO ANY HUYMAN BEING? INCLINE US TO ASK OUR HEARTS THESE QUESTIONS OH! GOD, AND SAVE US FROM DECEIVING OURSELVES BY PRIDE AND VANITY.

Evening Prayer 1

Thomas Nelson gratefully acknowledges full access to Jane Austens beloved novels, all of which reside in the public domain. Every effort has been made to preserve the integrity of the extracts used, which includes retaining the original British spelling, syntax, and grammatical construct except where the device proves distracting, confusing, or otherwise prevents accurate interpretation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

An Honorable Legacy

F or two centuries now, women have had the opportunity to curl up with a Jane Austen novel and get lost in the romantic stories of the English countryside. It is one of lifes great pleasures to finish a book and feel the satisfaction of not only having read a well-crafted story, but of learning a valuable life lesson about God and human nature.

Jane manages to accomplish all of that and more as she shows us through her words what love is. Hers is not a superficial, vain love, but a 1 Corinthians 13 loveone built on action, character, and honor. Any woman who has ever read or seen Pride and Prejudice longs for a lover like Mr. Darcy, a hero who comes to her and proclaims, Surely, you must know it was all for you.

As the ultimate answer to all questions, the Bible is the standard by which we compare everything. Austens writing is newly illuminated when held up to Scripture. In probing her novels for biblical insights on living and loving, we are reminded of humanitys innate desire for relationship with the Creator. Through Austens varied and colorful characters, we learn not only about true love but meaningful character. We strive for the humility, wisdom, wit, and grace of a Jane Austen protagonist while learning to recognize the superficial vanity and worldliness of so many other characters who concern themselves only with their own gain.

This book was crafted with the hope that readers would take the opportunity to get lost in the world of Jane Austena place where we can all pause in solitude, as though weve just finished a stroll in the garden with Jane and are now sitting down with her to tea, reflecting on important life lessons and taking in the beauty of the countryside. Through excerpts from her work, short devotions, and Scripture, we hope this book will bring you moments of peace while you allow Gods Word to shape your own character.

And while you rest for a moment in the simplicity of Janes words, perhaps your own life will grow a little simpler and more peaceful. Our wish is that through these spiritual insights into Janes writing, you, too, will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus, who through His death and resurrection woos you with the declaration, Surely, you must know it was all for you.

Jane did her readers a great service when she used the gift God gave her to touch the world with her writing and wisdom. May each of us do the same with our own talent, and offer glory to God and beauty to our fellow man.