Amy Boucher Pye

Category: Prayer Exercise

  • Join me for a seven-week online retreat on 7 Ways to Pray!

    Would you like to explore seven ways to pray, under the guidance of a seasoned retreat leader? Join me in engaging with time-tested prayer practices as outlined in my new book, 7 Ways to Pray. You’ll not only learn more about these ways to pray in a nonthreatening setting, but you’ll have plenty of time to try them out—and thus to encounter our loving God.

    What:

    • 7 sessions on zoom, either joining live or watching later (each session no longer than 60 minutes)
    • An exploration of the prayer practice with plenty of time to try it out, reflect, and share
    • Downloadable resources, including a prayer journal
    • A private FB group for you to get to know the other participants (optional)

    When:

    Two streams, Tuesdays or Saturdays:

    Tuesdays from 8-9pm in the UK (3-4pm, EDT; 12-1pm PDT)
    7, 14, 21, 28 September; 5, 12, 19 October

    Saturdays from 10-11am, Eastern daylight time (7–8am PDT; 3–4pm UK)
    September 11, 18, 25; October 2, 9, 16, 23

    (I’m sorry that these times aren’t very friendly to those in Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. I know some lovely ones there who might want to join in. I’d love to run a retreat for you if we could get enough people together; let me know if you’re a people-gatherer and can help make this happen.)

    How much:

    The suggested cost is £60/$80, but you’re free to subsidize others or to receive the generosity of others. I’m trying to keep it simple as possible while having some options to give or receive:

    • Sign up in the store if you are paying the suggested cost of £60 in pound sterling.
    • If you are paying the suggested amount in US dollars, please send $80 to me via PayPal through this link (and tick the box you’re receiving a service) and email me to let me know you are coming at amy@amyboucherpye.com.
    • If you want to subsidize others or be subsidized, then send me an email at amy@amyboucherpye.com to confirm that you are attending the course and I will sign you up. You can send money in US dollars to me via PayPal through this link or money in pound sterling to me at this link. (Or email me for bank details for a transfer to avoid PayPal charges.)
    • If finances preclude you coming, please join without paying. Email me at amy@amyboucherpye.com to let me know you are attending.
    • Does your small group want to join together? Be in touch and we can work out a group rate. (See below for more ideas for small groups.)

    Description:

    Week 1
    Praying with the Bible (personalizing Scripture, poetry, and others)

    Week 2
    Praying through the Bible (lectio divina – a four-step way to digest God’s word)

    Week 3
    Practicing the Presence (exploring the indwelling of God and unceasing prayer)

    Week 4
    Hearing God (including learning to discern God’s voice)

    Week 5
    Lament (crying out to God when life doesn’t go as we hoped)

    Week 6
    Imaginative prayer (placing ourselves in the stories of Jesus with our imaginations)

    Week 7
    Examen (looking back to discern how we’re moving toward or away from God)

    Next steps:

    Please sign up! I’ll be in touch in early September to send you the link to the private Facebook group, and you’ll also receive your zoom details and downloadable resources.

    Ideas for small groups:

    Want to join as a small group? Let me know and we can arrange for you to be in break-out rooms together. Also, you could follow the example of a group that will gather via their own zoom link for a half-hour prior to our meeting to catch up and share how the prayer journey is going.

    About your sponsor:

    Coracle, who is generously sponsoring this retreat, is the wonderful organization out of Virginia with whom I’ve just become a spiritual director. They exist to inspire and enable people to be the presence of God in the world by offering spiritual formation and Kingdom action. They help people become who they are in Christ so that through Christ they can bring God’s kingdom to a broken world through their lives, relationships, vocations, service, and risks.

    About your host:

    Amy Boucher Pye is a writer, speaker, retreat leader, and spiritual director. She’s the author of 7 Ways to Pray and other books, including the award-winning Finding Myself in Britain. She loves writing devotional thoughts, including for the globally recognized Our Daily Bread, and runs the Woman Alive book club. She received her MA in Christian spirituality from Heythrop College, University of London. She regularly leads retreats at El Palmeral in Spain, Lee Abbey, Devon, and Penhurst Retreat Centre in East Sussex.

  • Praying with the Bible: Engaging with the Psalms

    The Psalms are the prayer book in the Bible, and we can use these ancient words in our own conversation with God. Such as what I did when I was reading Psalm 26. I found myself talking to God, wanting to query some of the statements David made. Here’s how it went…

    Vindicate me
    A big word; a very big word
    It asks for release
    I have led a blameless life
    But no I haven’t
    How can he pray this?
    I have trusted in the Lord
    Yes, I have
    I have not faltered
    Well, no, I’ve not
    Test me, Lord, and try me
    Really? I’m not so sure
    Remember that adage
    Be careful what you pray for…
    Test me? I’m not so sure
    Examine my heart and my mind
    Yes, I want this
    Or at least I want to want this
    For I have always been mindful of your love
    Your unfailing love
    I fear not always – always is a big word
    But I know your love is unfailing
    I’ve relied on your faithfulness
    When I’ve needed to
    Definitely when I’ve needed to

    I do not sit with the deceitful
    Nor associate with hypocrites
    Um, sorry, how can he say this?
    When I know I myself am a huge hypocrite?
    I wash my hands in innocence
    Nope, can’t say that either…
    I proclaim aloud your praise
    And tell of your wonderful deeds
    Now this I can do
    Yes! I love to tell of your work in my life

    Lord, I love the house where you live
    The place your glory dwells
    Oh how lovely is your house!
    Take not my soul with the sinners
    My life with those who thirst for blood
    In whose hands are wicked schemes
    Yes, I can affirm this
    I lead a blameless life
    Still not sure how he can say this
    Deliver me and be merciful to me
    Oh yes, Lord – deliver me
    Be merciful to me

    My feet stand on level ground
    Rooted to the earth, Lord
    Let me be rooted to the earth
    In the great congregation I will praise you.

    Three questions in closing:

    How did you feel when you read that?
    Why do you think David said his life was blameless?
    Might you turn one of the Psalms into your own prayer?

  • Praying with a Painting: Seeds and the harvest

    A large acrylic painting of a big red combine out in the yellow fields, under a cloudy blue sky.
    By Leo Boucher. Used with permission; all rights reserved.

    It feels fitting to be offering this prayer exercise while sitting outside in the sunshine while upstairs in my study my daughter enjoys an art lesson with my dad via video chat. Feel the sun warm your toes and the breeze gently float around you, and picture yourself somewhere where it’s not too hot and not too cool. Where the clouds pass over the sun, dampening the temperature a bit. Where you hear the cry of the blackbird in the distance.

    Use my dad’s painting of a combine harvesting in late summer as a jumping point for prayer. Follow the Spirit where he leads. You might want to ponder seeds and growth in the kingdom of God from this parable of Jesus:

    26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26–29, NIV).

    Bonus to come—Sharon Garlough Brown leads us in lectio divina on this Scripture passage in a video interview I will post in September!

  • Praying with the Bible: Colossians 3

    Image: text of "The life-giving practice of praying with the Bible"

    Praying with the Bible roots us deeply in God’s word. This is the first topic—the first way to pray—I engage with in my forthcoming book, 7 Ways to Pray. Here’s an exercise of praying with the Bible through a text from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. It’s rich with meaning and one that Dallas Willard recommended that we memorize. I’ve started memorizing it and got about halfway through before I’ve stalled. Maybe that’s something I could pick up again!

    Why not take some time to pray through this text, personalizing it and examining it this way and that. You might want to do this over several days. The text appears below in the NIV, and underneath it, I’ve added some of my own prayers based on it.

    1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

    5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

    12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

    15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

    Lord, I come to you with thankfulness for how you’ve created me. I praise you for your faithfulness and love. Come now through your Holy Spirit and help me to pray. Thank you for your word, which gives me life and truth. Make it come alive to me, that I might know you better and share your love more faithfully.

    Lord God, I ask that you’d help me to set my heart on you. Not, Lord, on earthly things. It’s so easy to look at the things of this earth and get bogged down in them. Or even to glory in them, for you have made them with such care and beauty. But you are there, Christ, seated at the right hand of God. You call me to think on heavenly things. To know that this earth is not all that there is. I’m so grateful that through your Spirit I’ve died to my old self, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God. And I know that when Christ comes, who is my life, then I’ll appear with him in glory. Alleluia!

    Help me put to death whatever belongs to my earthly nature – sexual immorality, lust, greed. These actions are idolatry, and because of them, I know the wrath of God will come. I say with Paul that I used to walk in these ways in the life I once lived. But now I know that I must rid myself of all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from my lips. Lord, these are things that come easily to me, and I repent and say sorry for the ways I let my mouth take over. For the ways I rage and lose my temper. Forgive me please. I know too that I shouldn’t lie to anyone else, for I’ve taken off my old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which you renew in knowledge in the image of you, God, my creator. There’s no division between people for Christ is all, and is in all. No division! No divide based on class or race. No inner group or newbies. Christ is all and is in all. Christ is all!

    I know therefore that as God’s chosen person, one who is holy and dearly loved, I put on the clothes of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I put these on, Lord. I put on the cloak of compassion, which you will help to ooze out of me when I see someone in need or hurting. The hat of kindness, that I might notice others instead of being wrapped up in myself. The sweater of humility, that I might be willing to give of myself to others, seeing them as your daughters and sons. The trousers of patience – please, I pray, slow down my eager legs. The gloves of gentleness, to spread your loving touch.

    Help me to forgive as you’ve forgiven me. And over all of these virtues, I clothe myself in your love. I shower in love. I wrap myself in love. You are love and you fill me with love. Bind me together with my fellow sisters and brothers in perfect unity.

    Let the peace of Christ rule in my heart, for you’ve called me to peace. I am thankful, Lord, for the amazing ways you’ve worked in my heart and mind.

    Let your message, Christ, dwell among us richly today. Help me to teach and admonish others in your name, with wisdom, through gratitude and song. Help me to do whatever I do in your word and deed, all in the name of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to you.

  • My burden is light

    Come, beloved,
    I know you’re tired.
    I know you’re weary.
    I know you’re burdened.

    Come. I’ll give you rest.

    Here’s my yoke—
    take it and learn from me.
    You know I’m gentle,
    caring, and humble.
    You’ll find rest;
    Rest for your soul.

    My yoke is easy—
    you’re constrained under it
    but I bear the load.
    My burden is light—
    I do the heavy lifting.

    © Amy Boucher Pye; after Matthew 11:28–30

  • New Lent resource: The Prayers of Jesus

    Looking for resources for Lent? Looking for someone to give a talk on the prayers of Jesus during Lent?

    I’ve written an interactive small-group resource for Lent called The Prayers of Jesus, published by CWR (Waverley Resources) in which we explore 6 of the 7 prayers of Jesus in the gospels. It gives you the tools for leading the session, such as prayers, activities, background on the particular prayer of Jesus, discussion questions, and a prayer activity for the group.

    I’m really excited about it because I’m excited about the prayers of Jesus! I’m especially thrilled that I was able to add the prayer activities to this format, for when we make time to pray together, we find that God responds in amazing ways.

    Would you like me to zoom into your meeting/service during Lent to give a talk? I have a limited number of spaces available. I’m not charging a fee to come but I’d be grateful if I could supply the booklets to your small groups. Contact me if you’re interested.

    The resource goes for £6 each. Here’s my discount plan:

    • 1-6 copies, 16% discount, £5 each plus postage
    • 7-9 copies, 21% discount £4.75 each plus postage
    • 10 or more, 25% discount, £4.50 each plus postage

    With postage to the UK:

    • 1 = £6.53
    • 2 = £11.99
    • 3 = £16.99
    • 4 = £22.70
    • 5 = £27.70
    • 6 = £33
    • 7 = £36.25
    • 8 = £41
    • 9 = £45.75
    • 10 = £48
    • (above 10 contact me)

    If you’re not in the UK, I am happy to explore options, but postage might be prohibitive.

  • How can I hear God?

    How can I hear God?

    It’s a perennial question, and one that I explore in 7 Ways to Pray, my book coming out this autumn. Yesterday I had a delightful little experience of hearing God that helps in pondering how God speaks to his children.

    Yesterday was a bit of a mess—and today will be too, I fear. I woke this morning and looked over to the clock but it wasn’t lit up, meaning that half of the house is without electricity. Including the hot water and heat (please do pray that we can get an electrician in to sort it out today!). Yesterday the electrics went out yesterday twice, and both times the desktop computer I was using died (but thankfully I didn’t lose too much work). Of course the wifi router is plugged into the half of the house shrouded in darkness. Then last night one of the kids’ beds broke, so we had to disassemble it and put the guest bed in there until we can get another one.

    The hassles of life, right? We all know and experience them. But the timing for these hassles isn’t great as I need to submit the rewrites on my two books this week and next.

    So in the backdrop of these distractions and the kids trying to stream online school with wifi that was going out and me being on a couple of video calls and also trying to make lots of progress on the rewriting, I wasn’t anticipating receiving from God my word for the year (a spiritual practice I write about here). But that’s what happened, to my delight. Hearing God can take us by surprise—we don’t control the experience but when we keep our ears and hearts open to God, we put ourselves in a position to receive.

    I had an article published with Our Daily Bread yesterday, and thus was interacting on their website with the comments about the article. One of the comments was this:

    My daughter felt God leading her to get a tattoo of the word ABIDE. The woman doing the tattoo asked what that meant and she was able to tell her redemption story! May Your children all abide in You, Lord. Let us tell Your story of love and grace! Amen.

    As I replied I had a flash of insight:

    Abide is such a good word. We abide in Christ; we abide in His word. Hmmm… thank you! Maybe this is to be my word for the year! I’m going to pray about that!

    I asked God for confirmation, but I also sensed within a quick yes, abide is my word for 2021. It was a deep feeling of knowing that this was God’s answer. I hadn’t set out to hear God on this yesterday; it was his gift of love. But since the beginning of the year I have been expectant, wondering when God might answer my desire.

    How do you communicate with God? Does my experience resonate with you?

    One of the chapters in 7 Ways to Pray explores hearing God. I will be sharing more about the release of this book in my monthly newsletter. To receive it, click here.

  • The Lord is my Surgeon

    I love personalizing Psalm 23 according to what I’m going through. You can see various examples in this post about the Lord as my Teacher, with links to other examples too.

    This rendition is perhaps the most personal as I get my hip replaced! Thank you to all those who have sent encouraging comments and who are praying for me and my family. I’m so grateful.

    The Lord is my surgeon, I lack nothing.
    He makes me lie down in a hospital bed,
he leads me to a clean environment,
    he repairs my body.
He guides me to just the right medical care
    for his name’s sake.
Even though I enter
    the scary sterile theatre,
I will fear no complications,
    for you are with me;
your scalpel and your saw,
    they comfort me.
You prepare a tray of nourishing food
    in the presence of my medical team.
You wrap me in bandages;
    my body is safe.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days in my life,
and I will dwell in the healing house of the Lord
    forever.

After Psalm 23
(c) 2020 Amy Boucher Pye

  • Finding hope in crisis: Free ebook

    We live in unprecedented times. You may feel you have more space to engage with God or you might feel overwhelmed. Perhaps you feel both eager to meet with God and then flat-out tired and listless in the same day.

    If you have some time and energy, consider journeying with Abraham and Sarah over a two-week period through my free ebook.* These founders of our faith lived with uncertainty and change as they left their home and their family and community to follow God’s call. We can find hope in God through walking with them.

    Each day you are invited to consider part of their story out of Genesis, followed by some reflections and an interactive prayer exercise.

    I hope and pray God will meet you in amazing and comforting ways as we celebrate Easter and rejoice in God breaking the power of death and sin through his Son’s sacrifice on the cross and resurrection.

    God is with you in these hard and good times!

    *Free ebbok when you sign up to my monthly mailing list. You of course will be able to cancel the mailing list if you wish later.

  • Jesus’ last week: A guide to prayer

    We’ve arrived at Holy Week, ushered in yesterday on Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. As I outline in my book, The Living Cross, one way to approach Holy Week is to consider each day what Jesus experienced, being conscious throughout the day of the unfolding events. I compiled the following based on what I found in Michael J. Wilkins, The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (Zondervan, 2004), pp. 
709–10.

    Saturday (8 April)

    Palm Sunday (9 April)

    Monday (10 April)

    Tuesday (11 April)

    Wednesday (12 April)

    Thursday (13 April)

    Good Friday (14 April)

    Holy Saturday (15 April)

    • (Waiting.)

    Resurrection Sunday (16 April)