Amy Boucher Pye

Tag: Advent

  • Waiting for Jesus, God with us, at Advent

    Jesus, the true light, shines into the world as he is born a baby and is God with us, Emmanuel. I invite you to enjoy two short videos I made during the Advent retreats I led at glorious settings, Waverley Abbey, the lovely house and the historic ruins of the Cistercian monastery, and Mulberry House in High Ongar, Essex.

    A nighttime blessing and considering of the wonders of Jesus, for whom we wait in Advent:

    A morning blessing from the grounds of Mulberry House:

    Missed out on my retreats? Join from the comfort of your home via YouTube and a downloadable journal. Just £15.

    May God bless you richly during this Advent and Christmas season!

  • Encounter God this Advent

    “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world…” (John 1:9, NIV)

    During Advent, this time of darkness in the northern hemisphere, we wait for the True Light who vanquishes the darkness. We embrace the gift of God who came to earth as a baby, who lived among us, who died and rose again, living with us now through his Spirit.

    As you ponder the Light of Christ, I offer a poem that I’d forgotten, which someone brought to my attention last week, one I penned some years ago based on Isaiah 9:2, focusing on the True Light:

    Darkness Deep darkness Walking and stumbling Feeling our way Feet in the muck Sucking us down Helpless cries Feeling lost But then the sense A lightening of our spirit Darkness turns to dawn The light breaks through The Son appears His light not covered The secret places revealed He gives hope and health We welcome him with us That light now within In us; through us We dwell in him And our cracked clay pots Now shine forth bright What was dirty and broken Reveals patterns of light The people walking in darkness Have seen a great light On those living in darkness A light has dawned Come, Lord Jesus.

    If you can set aside some time for a retreat this Advent, I know God will bless your time with him!

    One way is for anyone who has an internet connection and just under two hours – join my Advent retreat sessions via YouTube and a downloadable journal. Just £15.

    Or I have two in-person opportunities for an Advent retreat day:

    Join me for an Advent reflection to refocus on Christ from the comfort of your home or in person at the atmospheric Waverley Abbey or beautiful Mulberry House. Through three sessions, using words and pictures, we will look at Jesus from the start, Jesus in the darkness and Jesus with us. We’ll enjoy time together as a group, and you’ll have space for your own prayer and reflection.

    Waverley Abbey, Farnham, Surrey, on 14 December. Find out more and book your place. You’ll have time to explore the ruins and enjoy a the wonderful house, decked out for Christmas.

    Mulberry House, High Ongar, Essex, on 16 December. Crazily wonderful price of £25 with a 2-course lunch (their food is hotel standard and REALLY nice). Find out more and book a place.

    Enjoy the mist and ruins of Waverley Abbey in this Advent-themed video:

  • Join me this Advent on retreat

    Plan now for a refreshing encounter with Jesus during Advent!

    “I was able to lose myself in my time with Jesus.”

    “You helped me encounter God in a new way.”

    “I’m very visual, and am learning that the Spirit really speaks to me through beautiful art… Leo’s lovely paintings really blessed me. The journal was beautifully presented.”

    Advent can be an intense time of the year – the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas can overtake our intentions to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Jesus. But however busy we are, we can trust that God is with us. He is Emmanuel – the One who always with us.

    Join me for an Advent reflection to refocus on Christ from the comfort of your home or in person at the atmospheric Waverley Abbey. Through three sessions, using words and pictures, we will look at Jesus from the start, Jesus in the darkness and Jesus with us. We’ll enjoy time together as a group, and you’ll have space for your own prayer and reflection.

    Together, let’s cut through the frenetic pace of the season and make space for Jesus this Advent.

    Please note that I will be sharing much of the same content as for the Advent 2023 retreat.

    When: 7 December online from 3 to 5.30pm UK (check your timezone)

    What: Three sessions for you retreat, receive, renew

    Downloadable prayer journal, either for printing or to use digitally through a PDF

    Schedule:

    3pm           Introduction and session 1: Jesus from the start

    3.50pm      Session 2: Jesus in our darkness

    4.30pm      Break

    4.45pm      Session 3: Jesus with us

    5.30pm      End

    Sign up now!

    Or join in person at Waverley Abbey, Farnham, Surrey, on 14 December. Find out more and book your place for an engaging day.

  • Join me this Advent on retreat

    Haven’t had time to book an Advent retreat? Now you can access my Advent retreat online, at a time that suits you!

    Just set aside an hour and 45 minutes (you can spread it out however you wish) and prepare to experience God’s loving affirmation as you ponder Jesus from the start, Jesus in our darkness, and Jesus, God with us. Each session has not only teaching but time for prayer exercises, including guided times.

    I hope you can join me and be refreshed by God during a busy season.

    Comments from some participants:

    “I was able to lose myself in my time with Jesus.”

    “You helped me encounter God in a new way.”

    “I’m very visual, and am learning that the Spirit really speaks to me through beautiful art… Leo’s lovely paintings really blessed me. The journal was beautifully presented.”

    Buy now!

  • Preparing for Christmas

    The Advent and Christmas seasons will be here in seemingly the blink of an eye! If you think the season will be busy for you, why not get yourself a copy or two of Celebrating Christmas, a gorgeous book of my dad’s art with my reflections? Its short readings and beautiful paintings pack a lot of goodness in a small space. Great for gift-giving too.

    You can read the introduction and this first meditation in this sample, courtesy of BRF, my publisher. Here’s how to purchase.

  • A Prayer for Advent

    Here we are in Advent, and I haven’t yet set up the Advent wreath or figured out if I’m going to read something different for my daily devotional time. Can you relate?

    Whether we are super organized and have all of our Christmas shopping already done (and yes I do actually know a few people in this enviable position) or we are catching our breath, wondering where November went, it’s all grace. I am guessing God is more delighted that we’re preparing our hearts for Jesus rather than him chastising us for being a wee bit late.

    Advent used to be a time of fasting, not feasting. Similar to Lent in that it’d be a season of preparing for the feast of Christmas. Culturally we’ve turned things around, however, and for many people, Christmas ends on the 26th. I so respect those who observe Advent in the historic sense, but I’m so much a creature of culture that I tend to do a bit of both – I set up the tree around now and have been known to listen to Christmas carols before Christmas Eve, but we like to observe Advent as a family and definitely like to extend the Christmas celebrations to Epiphany (for us even something as simple as eating our evening meal in the dining room makes it more festive).

    However you’re celebrating the season, I hope you will sense God’s presence, drawing you closer to him.

    Here’s a prayer from the first entry in Celebrating Christmas, which focuses on light. You can read the introduction and this first meditation in this sample, courtesy of BRF, my publisher. And yes, you can read this book day by day during Advent (it has 25 chapters) or while curled up by the Christmas tree during the twelve days of Christmas.

    Jesus, you bring light and life. As I yield to you, your presence within me burns away that which is not holy. Help me to welcome your clarifying light, that I might be free of any sin that clings. May your light within be a gentle and welcoming beacon, a signal in these dark times of a safe haven. Amen

    To buy a copy of Celebrating Christmas, please visit a Christian bookshop if you can. Here’s a list of places to purchase, including online.

  • Weekly Watercolor: The second week of Advent

    By Leo Boucher. Used with permission; all rights reserved.

    This week, two candles glow on our Advent wreath, the light becoming stronger in our kitchen as we eat dinner each night in candlelight. The second candle traditionally denotes peace and the prophets. Peace – that’s certainly something we can pray for, in these worldwide times of terrorism, political upheaval, and unrest. 

    Father God, you sent the Prince of Peace to our world as a baby, that we might not live shrouded in fear, conflict, and strife. Continue to usher in your peace, the peace that passes all understanding and guards our hearts and minds through your Son. We ask for creative ways to mend the brokenness among people groups around the world; we long for unity and respect among those with deep differences. May your shalom reign, that your kingdom on earth might flourish. Amen.

  • Watercolor Wednesday: Advent wreaths – or not

    By Leo Boucher

    We’ve had a different sort of Advent in our home this year, as I didn’t realize I had none of our Advent candles stashed away like I usually do. Getting them (we go for three purples, a pink, and a white one) meant a jaunt to the next High Street where parking is a nightmare, and it just didn’t happen. So here we are days before Christmas with the candles only recently purchased, but now the kitchen table needs to be cleared of the cookie-making mess before we can assemble and light the Advent wreath.

    We’ve failed our own customs this year, but I imagine God doesn’t much mind, not wanting us to get our knickers in a twist, as it were. Life is messy – which is why Jesus came as a baby in the first place.

    How’s your Advent going?

  • Weekly Devotional: My soul magnifies the Lord by Amy Robinson

    Advent is a time of waiting and welcome. Waiting for the coming King, not only to celebrate his coming as a baby but for him to come again. Welcoming as we make room for him in our lives, a laughable thought for many as we juggle carol services, baking tasks, shopping for gifts… But some days we need snow days, like many in the UK have experienced, to make us slow down and ponder what this season is all about.

    I am delighted to share another acrostic poem, following yesterday’s offering. This one is by another Amy, she a gifted storyteller and writer (Amy Robinson). You can view her wonderful poem that is a Christian take on the Santa story, inspired by the famous poem by Clement C. Moore, on her Facebook page – don’t miss it!

    Here’s Amy’s acrostic poem as inspired by Mary’s song of praise to God, known as the Magnificat. Mary visits Elizabeth who is also pregnant, and when Elizabeth praises her for her great faith, Mary responds with her wonderful song. You can read the whole story in Luke 1.

    My soul magnifies the Lord,
    And my spirit rejoices in my saviour!
    Generations will call me blessed,
    Naming God as holy and mighty.
    In strength he has scattered the proud,
    Fed the hungry and left the rich empty.
    Israel will see his mercy again.
    Children of Israel, you know what he promised our fathers,
    Abraham and his offspring for ever?
    This is happening now.

    © 2017 by Amy Robinson

    Could you pen an acrostic poem today? Whether you do or not, may you be blessed in your waiting during this season of Advent.

  • Weekly devotional: An Advent reflection

    How do you mark the season leading up to Christmas? It can be a mad and crazy time of parties, shopping, church services and baking. So much so, that we lose the reason for the season, to use that slightly cringey American phrase.

    One Advent, in my quest to consider the season’s true meaning, I followed a Bible reading plan that moved from the Old Testament to the New as it revealed God’s greatest gift, his Son Jesus. As I played around with the biblical text, moving words here and there, some poems emerged. If you like to write, maybe you could do something similar this year for an Advent practice. Of course, you may not like writing at all – in which case, I trust you’ll find just the right thing to keep the gift of Jesus before you.

    Read the rest at Eden.co.uk…