A hands-on and time-tested look at ways to pray that will strengthen your relationship with God and lead to transformation.7 Ways to Pray explores ancient prayer practices to help you encounter God and avoid an over-intellectualization of your faith. Each chapter shares real-life examples, is rooted in the Bible, and includes prayer exercises for individuals or groups. This is a sourcebook for prayer, not a simple to-do list. Amy is a storyteller that brings these proven practices to life so you can make them immediately actionable. This is a great resource for your retreat, prayer group, or book club.Prayer is a gift from God; praying is a practice. We are always a simple word or single step away from a conversation with God. And yet taking that step or saying that word can sometimes feel confounding. This book draws from the deep well of Christian history to make praying a habit to enjoy in our crazy, bustling, wearying times. With seven ways of approaching prayer and practical examples of those ways to pray, you will find yourself regularly and repeatedly turning to God and finding him happy to hear from you.
Amy is a writer, speaker, retreat leader, and spiritual director. She's the author of six books, including Transforming Love and 7 Ways to Pray. She writes devotional thoughts for several publications, including the globally recognized Our Daily Bread. She received her MA in Christian spirituality from the University of London.
She's an American who has lived in the UK for over two decades, married to a vicar, as featured in her first book, Finding Myself in Britain. She and her family live in North London. Find her at amyboucherpye.com and on socials.
This book came along at the right time for me. I needed to explore some new ways to pray, especially when life falls apart, and 7 Ways to Pray does exactly what it says - gives 7 different strategies to come closer to God in prayer, including lectio divina, practising the presence of God, listening prayer, and prayers of lament. 'The unreachable, unknowable God reaches down and makes Himself known,' Amy writes, and the book is filled with this rich and powerful language, drawing the reader closer to God. I felt excited about prayer as I read, excited to try out the exercises and make prayer more of a central focus in my life, having lost it a little lately. One of the things that excited me most of all was the whole idea of using the Bible in prayer - reading the Bible can sometimes feel dry, and without purpose, but Amy's words in this book help bring the Bible to life once again, and give ways to go deep into the Bible while praying. It's a book that is power packed with wisdom and treasure, and I highly recommend it.
I’ve had the privilege of reading many wonderful books on prayer, all of which now live on the bookshelf. But on reading Amy Boucher-Pye’s, ‘7 Ways to Pray’, I knew instantly that hers was a book to keep close to hand for ongoing use.
‘7 Ways to Pray – Time-Tested Practices for Encountering God’, is not a book to read just once, or quickly. It’s a beautifully crafted treasure chest of engaging personal stories, clear helpful teaching including inspirational background to some of the historical contexts, and exercises woven throughout to help us put into practice what we’ve learnt.
Throughout the book, Amy gently affirms both the joys and the challenges of prayer. She reminds us of God’s yearning for communication and relationship while encouraging us to be open to how He may use prayer to change us. Amy leads us into a deeper knowledge and practice of prayer but this isn’t a highbrow theoretical book. It’s an invitation to walk with and learn from someone who has already encountered God through prayer so powerfully herself.
The ‘7 ways’ suggested cover three different ways to use the bible in prayer (including ‘Lectio Divina’), practicing the presence of God through prayer, listening to God in prayer, the prayer of lament and the prayer of examen; the prayerful reflection on where we have met, or not met with God, through our day. Perhaps we’re already familiar with some of these practices, but there’s an abundant supply of fresh nuggets to mine to enrich our encounter with God in greater measure.
I highly recommend this unique book for its gentle measured teaching as well as its warmth of invitation to a life lived in and transformed by the presence of God through prayer. A delightfully written book that will accompany our journey with God beyond its first reading.
I was blessed by '7 Ways to Pray:Time -Tested Practices for Encountering God' by Amy Boucher Pye because it is a rewarding read. Her thorough research in to the lives of Teresa of Avila, Martin Luther, Oswald Chambers, John Cassian, Ignatius Loyola, Francis of Assisi, Apostle Paul,heroes of the bible and many others lend readers a great foresight of understanding how God can connect with us and we with Him. The author provides many realistic and practical personal examples of how she connects and encounters God, which I found very revealing. She reminds us from Hebrews that the Word of God is alive and active. She recommends using the bible as one of the ways to pray to receive comfort, guidance and conviction through the psalms and scriptures with the Holy Spirit as a helper. It was fascinating reading about how to pray using the senses, permission slips and learning how to practice discernment in encountering God!
I also found the suggestion of writing bible words into 0ur own words really helpful and enlightening. The writer's personal example of Jeremiah 46:27 showed that we are helped to grasp the wisdom of God at a deeper level.l Iearnt many new concepts such as ' Lecto Divina'! Find out why it can be regarded as God's love letter! The idea of reading scripture several times which the author gave its benefits: your spirit is flooded with your personal response, praise , petition, etc which all lead to a union with God . I actually felt I had found how to encounter God in a new way!
Readers have the advantage of using any of the 7 ways of connecting with God to suit their own style and are taught how to pray by having an adventure with God,using remebering, using imagination, crying out, listening in, etc.Whatever way is used, you will recognise the goodness and mercy of God because each of the suggested ways ensure you meet with Him and hear from Him through His Word with loads of practical exercises,scriptures and prayer prompts.
Have you ever prayed using 'God's indwelling'? For me, this was the most powerful way of praying. It served to remind me about the presence of God everywhere because God dwells in us through His Spirit and Jesus the Vine. There is so much this book gives that can't all be expressed here. Grab this book and read through and find which of the 7 ways you find most effective and powerful to encounter God.
This is an absolute gem of a book. I’ve read many books on prayer but none have encouraged me to enter into prayer more than this one. Amy looks at various prayer practices and teaches us how to apply them to our daily lives. Amy knows her subject well and through sharing her own personal experiences and her deep knowledge of past prayer champions she helps place us on a path that leads us into deep communion with God. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so excited about a book on prayer, a book which I can guarantee will make you look forward to praying!
I love many of the prayer practices presented in this book and am going to do a mindmap so I don't forget any of them! Some are new to me such as writing a Scripture poem (really love this idea!) and some are reminders. There are a couple that may be a bit controversial (such as the lectio divina) and I definitely will be reading up on them to keep myself better informed before starting anything.
Suggestions for personal as well as group practices are given. A really helpful and practical book for anyone who wants a better prayer life.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began reading 7 Ways to Pray by Amy Boucher Pye. I was afraid it might be another “dumbed down” devotional written by and for women (If you have read any Christian devotionals, in some cases especially targeted for women, you might know what I mean). I was so wrong! This is an intelligent, heart-felt, deeply spiritual book just full of amazing insights and ways to help anyone find ways to get closer to God. One chapter that especially resonated with me was God’s Word To Us, which encourages us to read scripture slowly, and put the scripture into our own words, even creating a scripture poem. “Writing down the scriptures as a prose poem slows down our reading so we can” get to the heart of the passage.
In a time of deep grief, Amy opened the Bible and landed on 1 Corinthians 10:11 “For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God.” This helped Amy during this difficult time in her life and it spoke to me as well. I had always worried that my mother had died without accepting Jesus as her savior. But this passage helped me see that only God and she knew what was in her heart, and that comforted me.
There are so many rich resources in 7 Ways to Pray, for your own personal devotional times or for leading a group. I highly recommend this book.
Curl up in your favorite spot and learn practical methods for developing your prayer practice. Amy’s writing is so authentic. She gently invites you to explore these times tested methods. You don’t have to be a prayer warrior (but I am sure you will learn something too). I was looking for something to jump start my relationship with God and this book was it. It drew me closer as I worked through the different practices.
Thankyou Amy for putting together an excellent explanation of ways to pray. It's a book I should reread every few years to remind me of things I've forgotten.
To write a book on prayer requires courage, because you cannot broach the topic effectively without revealing your own soul.
Amy Boucher Pye is serious about prayer. Since her teens it has been a daily exercise, and part of the lens through which she views the world. Prayer has not been simply a private matter, but also a focus of study, and a few years ago she completed an MA in Christian spirituality. She is in demand as a speaker and retreat leader. She knows her subject, and her treatment of core strands – lectio divina, for instance, or practising the presence of God – is sure-footed, engaging and clear.
Any book is to some degree a personal encounter, between author and reader, and here I particularly valued Amy’s candour, because she has the grace to share something of her own prayer journey. It takes guts to let down your guard, and she makes no pretence that prayer is easy. There have been dark times, dashed hopes, bitter disappointments and tragedies; she feels keenly that, as an American resident in Britain, she is living far from home, and there is a pervasive element of sadness in her work. Yet, despite this, Amy is fundamentally a cheerful guide, who enjoys her role as teacher.
A particularly valuable aspect of her book is the material for group work. It can require unusual mental focus, discipline, and a capacity for patient introspection to push privately through the five steps involved in Ignatian examen, for example. In a group setting, however, and once past your embarrassment threshold, the task is less onerous and more rewarding.
Whether you are a novice Christian or a veteran of many spiritual battles, Amy’s book is a valuable resource. In the best way it is disruptive, offering you new possibilities and suggesting new horizons.
This book is a gem. Like many Christians, I’ve read quite a few books on prayer. Some of those books can be slightly daunting: you have to take a deep breath before plunging in, even though you know you’re going to find spiritual treasure.
The great thing about Amy Boucher Pye’s book is how direct and accessible her writing is. She takes the reader through seven prayer practices: praying with the Bible, praying through the Bible (the ancient practice of ‘lectio divina’, or sacred reading), practising the presence of God, listening to God, the prayer of lament, praying with your imagination (based on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius) and finally, the prayer of examen, which Amy calls ‘how to move forwards by moving back’. Each of the seven chapters ends with helpful, practical prayer exercises. The whole book pulses with the warm, clear conviction that a good and holy God loves us dearly and wants to draw us into a personal relationship with him. Prayer, as portrayed in this book, is the adventure of a lifetime.
Each chapter is excellent: the author brings fresh and vivid insights into these prayer practices, backed up by personal stories and testimonies. I was struck in particular by the chapter on lament, especially the idea of using visual aids to express deep emotion in prayer.
7 Ways To Pray is not a long read (which is very much in its favour) but is packed to the brim with good things. Now to put those prayer practices into action, not as tick-box exercises, but as open doorways to a deeper, richer, life-changing intimacy with God. I commend this book highly, both for one’s own personal prayer life, and also for small groups.
Boucher Pye clearly loves the Lord having spent much time in communing with Him over many years. She writes in a conversational style that makes all 7 practices very accessible. Her depth of knowledge and research regarding each is solid and adds further encouragement to their history and relevance.
The 7 practices Boucher Eye covers are:
1. How to pray with the Bible 2. Lectio Divina 3. Practicing the Presence of God 4. Listening to God 5. The Prayer of Lament 6. Using one's Imagination to Pray 7. The Examen - or remembering in prayer
Boucher Pye provides examples throughout and guides the reader through the various practices gently and confidently. I expect this would be an excellent book to listen to in audio especially if Boucher Pye narrates it as she could guide you through the various practices like you were in the same room as her.
Further, she provides in each section how the 7 practices might work in a group situation which is very useful.
I judge a prayer book on whether it encourages me to pray more as I'm reading it. Even though there are many guided examples because I'm familiar with each of the practices I didn't find myself jumping into the examples for some reason. However, I expect someone who is new to them will find Boucher Pye a very accessible and gentle guide.
I felt I lacked some direction in my prayer life. As a result, I didn’t feel as close to God as I should be. My hope in reading Amy’s book, 7 Ways to Pray, was to provide me with some insight in how I could pray in a better way whilst bridging the gap between me and God. Amy’s book is so much more than this. As well as giving practical advice and sound teaching on each of the prayer practices, Amy gave me some light bulb moments. Amy made me realise that this prayer journey wasn’t just about me. It was all about God. It doesn’t matter how I pray, when I pray and how long I pray for. Just being present with God was all that mattered. Thank you Amy for opening my eyes, and my heart, to a new ways of praying and being present with God.
I would highly recommend this book, but not for everyone. Amy Boucher Pye goes through seven techniques of practising prayer so as to draw close to God, and allow God to grow close to you. Most of these techniques involve using the Bible, and many also use a notebook and pen. She also expects the reader to do, and not just to read! This suits me quite well, and I found the practices helpful; i was especially grateful for the emphasis on the prayer of lament. If however you think of prayer as mainly something done in the congregation, or in the open air, or with a rosary, or for other people, you will not find much here. The writer's style is fairly but not excessively chatty, with good use of her own experience. The bibliography shows substantial reading, but she wears this lightly.
Although I have read many books on prayer, I found in this book exactly what the author claims - seven different approaches to prayer that have been used historically by various giants of faith. I was delighted to find them summarised together here, set in their historical context but showing how I could practise them today. I knew immediately that this would be a book to which I would return often, to allow Amy Boucher Pye to lead me once again in my approach to God in prayer. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a closer walk with God.
Give Up Your Campaign. These are the opening words to the chapter on Hearing God. What do you do when you listen in prayer but your heart's desire, your precious campaign, is met with Give Up Your Campaign? The author shares her story and then weaves in practical steps to help us listen for God. Each chapter draws you in- a story that feels raw, Bible verses that light your path and practical steps to guide you in ways to pray that will feel new. What a beautiful book.
Encouraging personal stories, generously shared, form the uniting thread of 7 Ways To Pray. Each of the seven methods of prayer is clearly presented, and then, as if we are taking part in one of her retreats, Amy Boucher Pye guides us through a practical session. This is invaluable, as, though each method is tried and tested, not all may be familiar. Each facilitated candid communication with Christ leads towards a deeper and more vibrant relationship with Him.
This book is absolutely fantastic in countless ways. The authors definitely took on an extraordinary task of bringing ancient disciplines to the modern-day person. They brought the very practices which deepen our faith up to the surface so everyone might benefit. And, they did all of this without losing the very essence and beauty of the practice itself. I'm recommending this book to new believers and those who need a refreshment in their prayer lives. Thank you!
I read this book when I was in need of a fresh approach to prayer. This was just what I needed. The practical ideas for prayer were so helpful and I loved reading snippets of the author's life which made it a lot more personal. I ran a family service at our church based the ideas in this book. Great feedback from our congregation who found it really useful.
When you come across a recipe that has good reviews and looks like it's worth trying you just can't wait to try it yourself. That's how I felt after reading this book. I can't wait to try some of the ways to pray that Amy suggested. It was helpful to have her recommendations in the back of the book for further reading if you want to pursue this topic and go a little deeper.
It’s a wonderful collection of spiritual practices to nurture and enrich one’s faith and relationship with God and other believers.
I’m glad to have first listened to the audiobook version over a span of months and a year. There’s so much food for thought that time between sections was necessary. I look forward to revisiting the content in text format next.
While the seven praying methods were familiar to me, the author gives practical applications for each one. Her descriptions are clear, and she shares examples from her own life. There are usually at least two specific models given. I did not practice them while reading each chapter, but I will keep this book as a resource to consult when I would like to change something in my prayer routine.
Some nice prayer exercises to come back to on occasion, for myself or for others. Nothing much profound in the book in terms of content, but I’d say a good primer on opening up possibilities if you’re stuck.
Thorough, deep, practical book on prayer. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for ways to freshen your prayer life and intimacy in conversation with God.
I had the opportunity to get an advance copy of the book from the author, and I also purchase my own copy. There are so many thought provoking ways to pray, and I look forward to adding these ideas to my practice of prayer. If you’re looking for ways to change your prayer life, I highly recommend this book.
When you think you have read all the books you need to read on prayer - then your good friend and writer Amy Boucher Pye comes up with this one. If you want to enter into a deeper prayer life can I suggest you dip into this treasure of a book where you will find diamonds and golden nuggets of encouragement for your daily prayer life.
I've read many books on prayer over the years; only a very few are still on my bookshelf and even fewer are remembered. But this one is refreshingly different - open and accessible, honest and practical, life changing in the sense of renewing and revitalising one's prayer life. Amy writes so well; and she is very honest about what has worked and what hasn't worked in her own prayer life. Then there are the gentle encouragements to have a go; the practical suggestions, the examples. There are 7 ways (or course, that's the point of the title) - praying with the Bible, Practicing the Presence of God, Listening in Prayer, Lament, Praying with the Imagination and entering the story, The Examen - Moving forwards by Looking Back. Used by Christians throughout the centuries, these different ways are brought up-to-date in the book, yet with quotes and examples from others who've used them in the past. You can tell that the author is very excited about prayer - and is excited to share that with her readers, longing that they too will 'meet the Carpeter as he planes off the rough edges.'
I’ve never read anything quite like 7 Ways to Pray. Amy Boucher Pye’s humble and inspired approach to sharing stories alongside helpful information and biblical wisdom offers a comprehensive path to the throne of God through a variety of ways – 7 to be exact. I’m so grateful for this book and the peace it brings me. It reminds me that as I continue to learn and grow in my faith walk, prayer can be a breath of fresh air, not the short inhale/exhale of striving.
In my faith upbringing, much of the liturgical and meaningful focus on the real meaning of prayer was mostly overlooked. I’m grateful to have found this deeper meaning later in life and thankful for Pye’s book to help me along in my journey.
I will proudly share this book with others who seek to gain a deeper connection to God through prayer.