Amy Boucher Pye

Author: Amy Boucher Pye

Devotional of the Week: Glorious Creation (6 in Psalm 98 series)

Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 98:7

I sat by the lake, listening to the lapping waves, watching the sun set as I gazed across the water to the hill beyond. Peace settled on me and I gave the Lord thanks for his goodness, his creation, his beauty. My thanks bubbled into joy as I felt my praises join those of creation as we lifted our voices in song.

The psalmist in verses 7–8 notes how creation worships the Lord – the sea reverberates, the rivers clap their hands, the mountains sing for joy. Because the Lord created the world, it reflects his DNA. We can see his creativity and care in the graceful flight of a bird, the tender petal of a flower or the strong presence of a mountain.

Today, I encourage you to be present to God’s creation, whether you live in the country or in a city. Even in a mass of concrete buildings, we can hear the joyful song of a bird. Open your ears to the buzzing of insects, the wind that flutters the leaves, the gentle drops of rain. Take time to wonder at the intricate design in a leaf or a shell or a rock. And know that the Lord who created the glorious flowers of the field, which one day blossom and the next are thrown into the fire, loves you much more than all of these.

Prayer: Lord God, your world astounds us. Help us to be good stewards as we care for its creatures and vegetation. Amen.

November 30, 2016
The Pilgrims Give Thanks

Photo: Martin Cathrae, flickr

In honor of Thanksgiving, here is an excerpt from Finding Myself in Britain with a look at some of the history behind the holiday. For us in England today, it’s just another normal day as unusually we aren’t attending the service at St. Paul’s Cathedral today – the kids have missed too much school lately. Happy turkey day, everyone! I hope it’s a day of giving thanks, wherever you are.

For a long time I didn’t realize that the British celebration of Harvest underpins the American celebration of Thanksgiving. The Pilgrim fathers and mothers observed days of fasting and days of feasting, one of the latter at Harvest, through which the modern Thanksgiving holiday was born.

Devout in their faith, the Pilgrims left England in 1608 for Amsterdam in search of religious freedom. They lived there twelve years before the foreign culture wore them down and they decided to head for the New World. Their journey on the Mayflower, however, was desperate. The ship they travelled on was designed to carry cargo, not passengers. And the cabin where they slept was intended for thirty people, not eighty. Their food rotted and became infested with insects; they nearly drowned when the ship’s main beam cracked; they endured ridicule from the sailors. They pressed on through their five-month journey across the Atlantic – though admittedly they didn’t have much choice. New World or bust.

When they arrived in what is now Massachusetts, the Pilgrims faced a new set of challenges: a new land called for the planting of food and the building of places to live. But in all things they gave thanks, observing a full day of Sabbath each week. After surviving their first harsh winter, they hosted a three-day feast that we now name as the first Thanksgiving. During this celebration, they gave thanks for their food, for seven houses built, for a peace treaty with the Native Americans, and most importantly for the freedom to worship God. The women cooked, the men played games, and they all shared stories and returned thanks to the Lord. Sound familiar? The women cook and the men watch football. They invited the Native Americans who helped them acclimatize to this strange new world to join them at their table.

This is the account I’ve always heard, but lately some contest it. I’ve learned that we base this vaunted holiday on what might be a lot of lore, for we only have a 115-word account from that first Thanksgiving. The pilgrim Edward Winslow wrote a letter to England after the feast, including this brief description (and note the “u” in labours hadn’t got lost yet):

Our Harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling; that so we might, after a more special manner, rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruit of our labours. They four, in one day, killed as much fowl as, with a little help besides, served the Company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our Arms; many of the Indians coming amongst us. And amongst the rest, their greatest King, Massasoyt, with some ninety men; whom, for three days, we entertained and feasted. And they went out, and killed five deer: which they brought to the Plantation; and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain, and others.

Slim historical evidence notwithstanding, the tradition grew, if not every year at first. And probably turkey wasn’t the centrepiece during that first celebration, but goose or duck. Later during the Revolutionary War, George Washington and his army stopped on their way to Valley Forge in bitter weather to mark the occasion. The practice then became solidified when in 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared that the last Thursday in November would be a national day of Thanksgiving. Then in 1941 a joint resolution of both houses of Congress decreed, and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law, the bill establishing that the fourth Thursday of November shall now and always be Thanksgiving.

From Finding Myself in Britain (Authentic Media, 2015). Reprinted with permission. You can buy copies from good bookshops, Eden.co.uk (where it’s 25% off) and Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. (In the States it’s only available from Amazon.)

November 24, 2016
Devotional of the Week: Jubilation (5 in Psalm 98 series)

Photo: Mesut Sahin, flickr

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music… Psalm 98:4

Music can touch a deep part of our beings, opening up locked-down emotions and bringing forth memories we had forgotten. Perhaps when we sing or play instruments, we’re able to shut off a rational part of our brain as we enter more fully into the experience. The Lord through his Holy Spirit can touch us deeply with his love and healing grace.

Here in this third stanza of Psalm 98 the psalmist not only comments on the wonder of the power of music in worshipping God, but he commands us to join the earth in bursting into jubilant song. At times we might not feel like singing or playing an instrument, but as we worship through our wills, putting our feelings aside, the Lord can to change our emotions. He can bestow peace where there has been disquiet; he can soften our hard hearts, bringing repentance; he can soothe anxious feelings with the gentle sound of the harp, as with David playing for Saul (see 1 Samuel 16:14–23).

Music can calm us or energize us. Through it we can pour out our praise and worship to the living, loving God. May we this day, as we wait for the coming of Jesus, lift high the Lord – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, you came to earth as a baby and lived as God and Man. We praise you with our songs. Amen.

November 23, 2016
Book Notes November 2016

What better way to celebrate the launch of The Living Cross than by sharing my love for two fantastic books? In this video I talk about What Falls From the Sky by Esther Emery and Barefoot by Sharon Garlough Brown. Both will grip you and challenge you. Both are perfect Christmas presents – including for yourself!

November 18, 2016
The Launch of The Living Cross
The day has come – today is the official launch day for The Living Cross: Exploring God’s Gift of Forgiveness and New Life, published by the Bible Reading Fellowship (BRF). In the times of old in publishing, the launch date may have been met with a bubbly-infused luncheon or a glitzy party at night. Times have changed, however, and those publisher-sponsored events are largely a thing of the past – at least at my level of authorship!

In loving memory of Olwen Pye.

But we have marked the birth of this second book-baby by hosting two events, one on each side of the Atlantic. Babies come at all sorts of odd times in life – I have a friend, for instance, who gave birth on her birthday, and I am glad that a family member has a September 13 birthday and not a September 11 one. This book-baby arrived at a time of sadness in our family. Days after my husband and kids arrived in Minnesota, laden with copies of The Living Cross that had arrived while I was in Michigan, Nicholas’s mother died unexpectedly. He was able to cut short our visit and fly back home to England to be at her bedside when she died, for which we were grateful. We decided to go ahead with the already-planned book celebration a couple of days later, feeling the loss of her but sensing she’d want us not to cancel the celebration. For Olwen always so encouraged me in my writing, and one of our last conversations was about how happy she was that Finding Myself in Britain had won an award. I honour her memory with this book on the gift of forgiveness – a gift to be unwrapped in the close proximity of family life.

I think too on this launch day about the advice from another who has moved onto glory, Marion Stroud. In her last post for the ACW blog, just weeks before she died, she spoke of author Cynthia Ruchti’s practice of praying on a launch day. Praying for all those who would read the book; praying for those going through the struggles that her characters experienced. I too am embracing this practice today.

Starting next week, I’ll be hosting another guest blog series, Forgiveness Fridays. I’m so excited to share with you some fantastic posts on the freeing gift of forgiveness, written by an interesting range of people.

Lent is a long ways away – we haven’t even entered Advent yet! But if you’d like to buy copies of The Living Cross (maybe as a Christmas present?), I’d be happy to sign copies and send them out to you. They retail at £8.99 but I’m selling them for £8 each or two for £15, plus postage. Email me at amy@amyboucherpye.com. You can also buy it from:
- Great Christian bookshops in the UK – I’ll be at the Faith Mission bookshop in Portadown on 2 December; Sarum College bookshop on 6 January and Church House bookshop on 8 February signing books.
- Eden.co.uk – a wonderful online retailer. I’ve blogged there about Finding Myself in Britain and have some blogs on Advent coming up.
- Amazon – yes, the giant has my books. In the UK the link is here; if you’d like a copy and you’re Stateside, this is the only place to buy it – here’s the link.
I leave you with photographs from the two book parties, the US one was hosted in Minnesota by our lovely friends Tim and Heather Peterson. The UK one was held at our church, St Paul’s Finchley, on Remembrance Sunday. I started off my sermon with the opening of my book, exploring the question posed by a Jewish prisoner of a concentration camp – Should I forgive?

Photos from St Paul’s Finchley:

Being interviewed by the vicar.

Preaching!

These gorgeous flowers were sent to me by my friends at Our Daily Bread, in memory of my mother-in-law. Perfect to have them gracing the books.

I had my helpers as my cashiers…

Selfie with another beloved helper.

My friend Ali obviously had me riveted!

Photos from the Minnesota book party:

Sadly my only photo with my hosts, Heather and Tim Peterson, with author Julie Klassen.

Three of my forever friends, Pam, Sue, and Kara.

Loved having some of my relatives there! Here’s my cousin Lenore and my aunt Margaret. Love how you can see my parents in the background. The Petersons’ conservatory is tops.

What a delight to have people come to the book party whom I hadn’t seen for years. This photo is of Mark Aleckson and my dad, and the one below is of Sharon Aleckson and my mom. I used to babysit for the Alecksons many, many moons ago!

What a huge delight to meet Gail Helgeson! She’s been a massive encouragement to me online. Here she is holding her underlined and highlighted copy of Finding Myself in Britain. How humbling is that!

Delightful to be with Gail and Julie – novelists!

Very fun to have my neighbors-growing-up at the party. Here I am with Paul Chlebeck and Melody (Wolleat) Johnson.

Ruth and Mark Vukelich have been longtime friends of my parents. So lovely to have Ruth and her son Tom (who works at Bethel University, where I went) attending.

Dawn and Kurt Marka – Kurt’s an encouragement online. I love how friendships evolve, even though I don’t think we knew each other very well in high school!

A photo with my mom!
November 18, 2016
Devotional of the Week: Never-ending Love (4 in Psalm 98 series)

Photo: Chris R., flickr

He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel… Psalm 98:3

Today in celebrity culture we see the phenomenon of the “starter marriage,” so called because people view their first marriage as a stepping stone to move up the social scale as they find a more affluent mate. The qualities of love, faithfulness and commitment lose power as the current spouse is tossed aside for the new one.

I admit my example is extreme, and not one I’ve seen in Christian circles – and I don’t want to incite pain by mentioning broken marriages, for we live in a fallen world where followers of Jesus suffer betrayal too. But though we fail, we know that the Lord will never stop loving us or being committed to us. He will never tire of us, disposing of us in the quest for the bigger or better or more accomplished. His love remains.

Do we believe this at the level of our hearts? Do we live out of the assurance that the Lord’s love is foundational for our lives? If we find we are struggling to believe God’s promises, a simple exercise can impart deep-reaching change. That is, write out the Lord’s promises in Scripture as if he is speaking them directly to us, inserting our name. So with Psalm 98:3, I would say, “He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Amy.” Something to try?

Prayer: Your love, Lord, never ends. Your faithfulness, Father God, remains. Your grace fills my soul, and I am home. Amen.

November 16, 2016
Devotional of the Week: Goodness Revealed (3 in Psalm 98 series)

Photo: Flickr, Liz West

The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. Psalm 98:2

I cringed when I read a letter I wrote many years ago in which I was trying to share my faith with a friend. Although I had good intentions in writing, my words were awkward and stilted. Yet this desire to share the good news of God’s saving grace is rooted deeply within us, not least because the Lord himself doesn’t hide his works of redemption. As the psalmist says, the Lord makes known his salvation and goodness, not only to his own people, but to the nations.

The Lord chose the Israelites as his own, saving them from slavery in Egypt. He planted them in a new land, a place where they could thrive and flourish. As they defeated the marauding nations, often as the underdog, the Lord’s power and glory was revealed. The other gods were shown to be worthless in the face of the true and living God.

How might the Lord want to make his salvation and goodness known in your life, and thereby to your friends and neighbors? How might you share your faith with someone? Perhaps you might write a letter (or email, text message, or a post on social media), yet hopefully you’ll employ more graceful words than those I used decades ago.

Prayer: Father God, your power is beyond our imagination, and yet you love us with a tender devotion. May we share your goodness and grace this day. Amen.

November 2, 2016
Devotional of the Week: The Arm of the Lord (2 in Psalm 98 series)

The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, public domain

His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. Psalm 98:1b

Symbols matter – we need them to help us interpret what is true and real in our world. Although the Lord God doesn’t have a human body (except, of course, for Jesus being born centuries after this psalm was written), he uses the language of symbol to communicate so that we might understand truth.

One such symbol is his strong and powerful arm, which appears not only in the Old Testament – such as in several places in Deuteronomy, which describe how the Lord delivered the Israelites, or in Isaiah’s prophecy – but also in the New Testament. For instance, Mary, in what is known as the “Magnificat,” her song glorifying the Lord over being the mother of Jesus, uses the image as praise: “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm” (Luke 1:51).

Whether found in the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament, this image of the Lord’s arm reveals how God intervenes in his world. He who provided freedom in the land of milk and honey for the Israelites also enacts salvation and new life for us, not only through the death of his Son on the cross, but through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. The Lord is not removed from his world and his people, but delights in rescuing and redeeming us.

Prayer: Lord God, as you work salvation through your powerful arm, help me to serve others today, for your glory. Amen.

October 24, 2016
Devotional of the Week: A New Song (1 in Psalm 98 series)

Photo: Dave Coram, flickr

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things… Psalm 98:1a

How better to start a new devotional series than in singing to the Lord a new song! And how wonderful to focus on one of the biblical psalms. Join me these next weeks as we explore this ancient song together. Perhaps today or this week you could take a few moments to read Psalm 98 through, letting its call to praise sink into your heart and mind.

Biblical commentators aren’t sure who wrote this psalm, although it has been attributed to King David. Many see it as a song exulting the Lord for his help to the Israelites as they fled Egypt and entered the Promised Land (the long journey commonly known as the Exodus). The Lord asked them to remember his deeds, lest their hearts become cold and they return to their evil ways.

To keep our hearts tender, we too need to remember the Lord’s goodness, and one way to ensure we do not forget is to sing of his gracious love. Praising him takes our eyes off of ourselves and our troubles. As we ask him to reveal how he’s working in our lives, we may begin to see our sometimes challenging circumstances more from his viewpoint; we may understand the marvelous things he is doing in the midst of them. His grace is new every morning.

What song can you sing today?

Prayer: Father God, you have done wonderful things in my life. Help me give you thanks, always having a tender and grateful heart. Amen.

October 17, 2016
A Friendship That Ended Too Quickly

I closed the door quietly, not wanting to wake my parents as I knew they’d be asleep. As I walked toward the basement door I thought it was odd that the light was on – my parents were so good at turning off lights when not needed. I headed down the stairs and looked up with a start at the tear-stained face of my mother. My stomach dropped.

“Is it Grandpa?”

She shook her head, unable to speak.

“What’s going on?” I said, fear pervading my insides.

“It’s Sue. She was killed in a car accident.”

“No! No! No!” I screamed as my mom tried to comfort and quiet me.

In that instant, my world changed forever.

♥♥♥

Sue and I before a double date. Here we were feasting on the leftover ice cream from the ice cream pie we made for the dessert. Of course, a lot of the fun was had in the preparation of the date. She was with Lonnie; my date was Tom Marzolf who went to St. Paul Academy – wowee, we thought.

Today is the thirty-year anniversary of the death of Susan Carol Weavers. That October I was in my sophomore year at Bethel College and living back at my parents’ house after living on campus my freshman year. I was taking a required class that explored the arts, if I remember right, and I had been to the Minnesota Orchestra that night as part of the class. I left for Orchestra Hall a carefree young person but upon my return felt the weight of the unexpected – and unwelcome – death of one of my best friends. Besides the sheer horribleness of grief, in the coming months I would undergo a crisis of faith about how a good God could allow someone so young, smart, caring, and wonderful to die.

♥♥♥

I met Sue Weavers when she returned from living in Japan with her family. We became fast friends, and soon I knew I could always depend on her as one who would listen when I was down and who was always up for a new adventure. Though she had traveled and lived abroad, she never lauded her cosmopolitan understanding over us who had never left the country – or even the Midwest. She accepted me for who I was and loved me all the same.

She had gone to the University of Minnesota at Duluth while I stayed in the Cities, and on that fateful night had been out driving with a guy, sitting next to him without wearing a car seat. On her desk back in her room was a letter I had sent her, which would remain forever unopened. I’ve kept her letters, and now when I see her handwriting I’m instantly transported back, hearing her voice and seeing her smile.

♥♥♥

I find it poignant that Sue never finished signing my yearbook…

This summer when I was back in Minnesota, some of my high-school friends and I went to visit her grave. But we went on a Saturday when the office was closed and none of us could remember exactly where she’s buried. We walked along the rows of gravestones, searching in vain for our friend. “How can I not remember?” I wondered, thinking of the many times I would visit her grave, bringing a sandwich from Arby’s during my lunchbreak from the law office where I worked the summer after she died. After an hour or so, we gave up, feeling the poignancy of what we’d lost by the fruitless search in the cemetery. She was there, but she wasn’t.

Those of us in our high-school group have remained lifelong friends, perhaps because the shock and horror of losing Sue bonded us together as nothing else would. Of course I would rather she lived, but I’m grateful that we have this gift of friendship over the years of people who know us, warts and all. With each other we can descend into shorthand (“I’m spent!”) or pose the normally unaskable questions of each other.

♥♥♥

Our life can change in a moment, as mine did thirty years ago. Sue, I miss you.

Some of the gang at Kara’s cabin. Kara (R) and Sue (middle) sitting on the dock and Jill (L) and me (R) standing.

Sue and Kara skiing. Remember those big mirrored sunglasses?

October 15, 2016