Amy Boucher Pye

Author: Amy Boucher Pye

  • Two novels with a difference

    With summer coming, it seems time to delve into a good read. Here are two novels, but with a difference.

     The Sky Beneath My Feet, Lisa Samson (Nelson, ISBN 978-1595545459)

    A few years ago, I featured Embrace Me by Lisa Samson in the Woman Alive book club. I rave about her writing when given the chance; she’s one of my favourite Christian novelists. She fills her stories with real characters who could be living next door to you – such as the protagonist of The Sky Beneath My Feet: Beth, the wife of a pastor at a huge church. She’s a mother with teenaged sons and a wife whose husband experiences a sort of midlife crisis, where he retreats to the shed in the back garden to get in touch with God. How Beth deals with this absent husband/father/pastor makes up the novel’s storyline.

    The author manages to weave searching themes into the story: community, intimacy, envy, identity, love and commitment. For instance, in terms of identity, who are we, and who are we made to be? When we marry, do we morph into a different person – one our younger self might not recognise? What is intimacy in marriage, and how can we stop killing our marriages with “the death of a thousand cuts”(nagging)?

    One to read slowly and to ponder. And to enjoy for the author’s evocative use of language: “Like whisky in a sauce, Jed’s wrath will burn away quick enough” (page 53).

     

    Wings of Glass, Gina Holmes (Tyndale, ISBN 978-1414366418)

    Wings of Glass is another novel dealing with real-life issues. This one exposes the lies, fear and pain of an abusive marriage. As I read it, I thought back a few years to the pain of witnessing a friend who endured a long, protracted divorce from an abusive husband. And I thought about how that could have been me too; one of my relationships in my twenties, in particular, could have turned out nasty.

    Every couple’s story is different, but similar themes often emerge. Wings of Glass recounts how Penny fell prey to the charms of Trent when she was just 18. She marries him, delighted to leave her parents’ home, but doesn’t reckon on his verbal and physical abuse. Only the impending birth of their child after 10 years of marriage, and the help of some newfound friends, can make her face the reality of her husband’s brutality.

    It’s a gritty novel, but is marked with the hope of change as rooted in the Gospel. I agree with Liz Curtis Higgs, who says on the cover: “… so real that it reads like a memoir”. One to read prayerfully, asking God if there’s a woman near you who might be suffering in silence, and who might need a friend.

    Have you read either book or books by these authors? If so, what do you think?

     

    Join the Woman Alive Book Club, including our Facebook group. Giveaways, great discussion, interesting viewpoints. (This review originally appeared in the May 2013 print issue of Woman Alive.)

     

  • Devotional of the week: Psalm 18:1-3

    Rock

    My rock and refuge

    I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1–3 (NIV)

     

    This psalm begins with an impassioned cri de coeur – I love you, Lord! David’s adoration and thanksgiving pours out in an intimate declaration. These are the words of lovers, of parents and children, of closest friends. And they are the words of an earthly king spoken to the heavenly King who rescued him from his enemies.

    David employs seven metaphors to describe the saving nature of God: Yahweh is his rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, horn of salvation and stronghold. These images relate to the military battles David fought throughout his life and to how God provided him with physical safety as he hid from his pursuers, swords drawn and ready to strike. In danger, he called to the Lord for help.

    We may not need to take cover in mountain hideaways, but God wants to be our rock – our firm foundation. With him the building of our lives will withstand powerful and dangerous storms. Indeed, as Paul said to the Ephesians, we have been “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord” (2:20–21).

    And God yearns to be our stronghold and fortress. In David’s time a fortress was a remote rocky spot that was used as a place of refuge. Its very isolation provided a safe haven. Today too the unchanging God outstretches his arms and welcomes us to take shade in his presence. As Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

    A rock to build our lives on. A fortress for protection. Delivery, safety, refuge and strength. All attributes of the God who loves us and draws us to himself.

     

    Prayer: Lord, help me build my life on your foundation. Shield me this day from those who would oppress me. Hide me in the shadows of your wings. I love you!

     

  • Why I bought “How to Like Paul Again” by Conrad Gempf

    An Inside Look at a Publisher’s Decision-Making

    9781780780610

    I didn’t think we at Authentic Media would get to buy this book. Although I had been Conrad Gempf’s commissioning (US: acquisitions) editor when I was working at the other end of the alphabet, time had elapsed and I had been out of the publishing game for a few years. Then Authentic approached me to work with them parttime, and I found myself agreeing, yet kicking and screaming inwardly, thinking that commissioning would distract me from my writing. I committed to a three-month gig and here I am, over a year and a half later and humbled by how much I love the marriage of writing and editing.

    I was especially chuffed (US: thrilled) when the first book I acquired was Conrad’s. He’s a brilliant writer; witty yet deep. One of the unusual academics who writes for a popular audience, seamlessly weaving in references to Clark “Superman” Kent or Nieuport 27s (a World War I plane) or John Deere tractors. All while persuading us to like the apostle Paul better, or to understand why Jesus asked so many questions. One of his defining passions is to open up the Bible to his students at London School of Theology and to his readers. He’s quirky and not everyone will love his humor. But those who do often become diehard fans.

    I was sad when I learned that Conrad was in advanced talks with another publisher about his book on Paul. For when I was at the Publisher-at-the-End-of-the-Alphabet, he and I had talked about this being our next book. Then my job was eliminated… and the book got put on hold. After a couple of years, Conrad restarted discussions with other publishers, and when we met up was nearly signing a contract. Out of integrity, but secretly crestfallen, I stayed out of the picture. Until surprisingly How To Like Paul Again came back to me after all. Another example of change being the only constant in publishing.

    Why did we buy? Because today so many people don’t like the apostle Paul. They think he’s legalistic and cranky and anti-women. They pre-judge him, assuming they aren’t going to like his letters or what he has to say. But Conrad, in his inimitable style, gives us the tools to read Paul’s letters. We start to look at the greater context, such as the letter’s recipient, and begin to tease out why Paul was, say, pushing for freedom in the case of the Galatians or for tightening up the rules for the Corinthians.

    Conrad-Gempf-2

    As an author, Conrad is wry and he’s playful, but he wants us to engage in serious work as students of the Bible. You might literally laugh out loud, but you’ll also pick up the Bible to see if what Conrad says is there, actually is there. (Like Galatians 5:12. Seriously? Did you realize Paul actually said that?)

    What I love especially about Conrad’s writing is that when I read his stuff, I feel like he’s with us in the flesh, sharing a meal in our dining room and helping us lose our misconceptions about Paul. His prose shouts with his unique, funny, profound, make-me-laugh voice. No one else will have that voice, of course. But as we’re all made in God’s image, the voice we exercise will be beautiful in its own right.

    And that’s why I bought this book. But what about you? Think you’ll buy it?

    (Want to know more? Click here for some two-minute trailers.)

    © 2013 Amy Boucher Pye. This blog post has been adapted from an article that appeared in the Spring 2013 edition of Christian Writer. 

  • God shows up

    “It’s a hungry monster,” I said.

    But my resistance was futile, and having relinquished my fears, I am penning my first blog post. I promise to feed the monster regularly – at least three times a week – with posts, including stories and anecdotes of how God shows up in our lives regularly. I love it when he does that.

    I have a long-distance friend with whom I enjoy a slap-up meal when we meet up. We talk of books, love, literacy, disability, travels… give us a Jamie Oliver restaurant and we can chat into the night.

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    Recently I emailed her about a book-related issue, and as I started to sign off, I had the sudden thought that I should ask her about men. Such as if any of that vast mass of humanity had come to his senses yet and asked her out. As a spiritual rule I try to be sensitive and not bring up, again and again, what can be painful subjects. To the infertile couple: “Any news?” To the hoping singleton: “Any men?” It’s just not helpful, is it.

    So with some fear and trepidation, I asked about the man situation, keeping it short and light. She wrote back the next day with delight, saying that yes indeed there was a guy and things were cool and exciting and…

    And I sat back and thought, “Wow God. Your Spirit prompted me there, didn’t it?” I acted on a little thought, stepping out in faith, which resulted in my friend and I sharing a new layer of intimacy. Delighting in the wonder of young love when possibilities seem unlimited and quirks are charming. Giving thanks for prayers answered.

    What nudges are you sensing today?