A couple of weeks ago I made a few new friends at Global Maritime who loved to play pool. After playing a couple of games with them, they decided to teach me a new game, which they called 61. It was totally new to me, and I’m still not sure that they weren’t making up some of the rules as they went, but it was a great time. It took me a while to catch on, but eventually I even won a game!

Later in the evening before we were about to head back to their ship, I asked one of my new friends about his family, and he began to tell me about his two little girls and about how his wife was struggling to keep up with them while he was away. He had bought the older one a lap top for doing her homework at Best Buy earlier that day.

I asked him if it would be alright if I prayed for them, and he said of course. So together we prayed for his family, for their strength and unity as he was away. I was reminded to pray for all of our seafarers and their families. Often times their work is the best way to provide for their families monetarily, but nothing can make up for the lack of a father’s presence. So, I would ask that those who read this pray for the families of our seafaring friends, and specifically that in the absence of their earthly fathers, that our heavenly Father would be particularly present and tangible to the families in the times of their absence, providing the peace and comfort only God can provide.

I was then handily thumped in one last game of pool.

-grace and peace