Heavenly Father, I come before You on behalf of the work You placed in my hands — not in worry over sales figures or rankings, but in faith that You authored the calling before I wrote the first word. You did not give me these stories to see them die in obscurity. This is kingdom work that glorifies you, so I trust what You started will bear fruit for today and years to come.

Thank You for the Selah Awards, the INSPY Award, the Moonbeam Award — confirmation that these books have already found favor with You and with others. Thank You for the inmates whose lives have been touched, for the way your message of repentance and hope in Jesus brings life and light into darkness.

I thank you for every young reader who picked up a Caden Chronicles book and discovered that truth about monsters — both imagined and real.

I thank You for the humor You wove into my voice, the sailing life that gave me Hard Aground series, and the imagination that built the Caribbean Chronicles in a pirate series that reaches over the horizon to sailors and lubbers alike.

These gifts were Yours first. I return them to You with gratitude.

Lord, You gave Nick Caden a mission: debunk the myth, uncover the truth. That is the gospel in a middle-grade mystery. I ask You to lead every boy and girl who seeks the truth of life and life to come to these books. Put the Caden Chronicles in the hands of teachers, librarians, parents, and youth pastors. Let the awards open doors that dollars cannot buy. Raise up readers, reviewers, and champions who will carry the word.

Father, the Caribbean Chronicles carries a young teen through time and adventure toward something eternal: where past mistakes are corrected and futures are shaped with love and curiosity. I ask You to steer this series into the hands of young readers who feel unmoored — who need to know that even a boy with a medical affliction can change the today and tomorrow by anchoring to something greater than himself. Make these books a lighthouse for young adults navigating stormy waters. Expand their reach beyond what I can chart on my own.

Lord, these are the stories I lived — the boats that broke, the shoals I hit, the grace You hid inside every misadventure. Hard Aground was never just about sailing; it was always about a navigationally challenged man finding that You are the only reliable skipper. I ask You to place these books in the hands of sailors, yes — but also in the hands of all who feel stuck, spiritually hard aground, who need to laugh and then look up. Let the humor be the on-ramp, and let Your name be waiting at the end of the dock.

Father, You are already moving toward. I surrender the outcome. Supply whatever is lacking in this prayer and in this author. You know the readers these books were written for before they were born. Blow wind in their sails and lead them home.

Now I receive the peace that passes understanding — not the peace of strong sales numbers, but the peace that comes when we place our work in Your hands. Guard my heart and mind from the anxiety of comparison, checking sales and statistics, and the worry that I haven’t done it all correctly. I know I have not. But I also know the One who is perfect in all He does.

You are the Skipper. Your Son is my brother, King, Lord, and Savior. I follow Your lead.

In the name of Jesus Christ — Amen.