A Puritan Prayer for 2026

Voyage

O Lord of the oceans, My little bark sails on a restless sea, Grant that Jesus may sit at the helm and steer me safely; Suffer no adverse currents to divert my heavenward course; Let not my faith be wrecked amid storms and shoals; Bring me to harbour with flying pennants, hull unbreached, cargo unspoiled. I ask great things, expect great things, shall receive great things. I venture on thee wholly, fully, my wind, sunshine, anchor, defense.

The voyage is long, the waves high, the storms pitiless, but my helm is held steady, thy Word secures safe passage, thy grace wafts me onward, my heaven is guaranteed.

This day will bring me nearer home, Grant me holy consistency in every transaction, my peace flowing as a running tide, my righteousness as every chasing wave.

Help me to live circumspectly, with skill to convert every care into prayer, Halo my path with gentleness and love; smooth every asperity of temper; let me not forget how easy it is to occasion grief; may I strive to bind up every wound, and pour oil on all troubled waters.

May the world this day be happier and better because I live. Let my mast before me be the Saviour’s cross, and every oncoming wave the fountain in his side. Help me; protect me in the moving sea until I reach the shore of unceasing praise.

[The Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions]

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“For me to live is Christ.” (Philippians 1:21)

Intimacy with Jesus Authenticity with others A passion for your calling A purpose for your influence

Thoughts to Consider in Living with Eternal Intentionality®

1. As you (like the Puritan writer of old) set sail into the unknown, where are you focusing your sights?

2. Help me to live circumspectly, with skill to convert every care into prayer, speaks to me. Which line do you find poignant and why?

3. Consider the Words of Psalm 107:23-32; how do they add depth of meaning to life’s turbulent voyage?

Artwork by Beth DeVries. Words from the prayer Voyage are inscribed across the billowing sails. Contact Bethany at nbethanyann@gmail.com

Loving Christmas Blessings 2025

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15

Our Annual Christmas Guest

“If the meaning could be put into a sentence, there would be no need of telling the story.” H.V. Dyke

As I watched the scene unfold, no gift under the tree could have brought greater pleasure. The lights were dim, and the tree sparkled; soft music played in the background. With little ones clad in Christmas pajamas and snuggling in our laps, the seven of us sat in a semicircle, waiting with anticipation. The ambience offered all that one could want on Christmas Eve, and I tried to absorb every blissful second.

At this moment, our son took out a book to read at home with his family, just as we had so many Christmases past: The Other Wise Man.

Our Annual Tradition

A tradition is an intangible we carry with us wherever we go, giving shape and meaning to seasons and situations. And, a tradition helps make a house a home. As I moved my family from nation to nation and across unique cultures, traditions provided this pilgrim a much-needed thread of continuity.

While some traditions naturally run their course and fade, there are those traditions that become classics. Like antiques, they grow more precious with time and are treasured and passed down from generation to generation. For our family, The Other Wise Man is such a classic.

Our Annual Guest

As David opened the cover, I thought back over the life of Artaban the Fourth Magi, who also saw the star and declared, “The King is coming, and I will go to meet Him.”

In this fictional account, Artaban’s three gems form the thread of the narrative: a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl. With urgency, he sets out to follow the guidance of heaven’s light. However, repeatedly, he is deterred and thus denied (so it seems) the completion of his journey.

Beyond being a beautiful literary work, this story offers inspiration. In Artaban’s humanness, we see holiness.

Understandably, you may ask, “What does it mean?” And the author himself answered that question: “If the meaning could be put into a sentence, there would be no need of telling the story.”

Now with Christmas near, may our Lord Jesus Himself thoroughly bless you and yours as you make memories, honor traditions, and celebrate the wonder of His birth.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“For me to live is Christ.” (Philippians 1:21)

Perhaps 2025 is the perfect time to treat yourself and those you love to a new tradition and read The Other Wise Man. If your audience is young, the shortened and edited version retold by Pamela Kennedy is outstanding.