One of the most encouraging devotional resources I use is The Valley of Vision. The subtitle describes what it is: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. This little volume is edited by Arthur Bennett and published by The Banner of Truth Trust.
The prayers it contains are rich in content, and some contain beautiful prose. But the most encouraging element for me is that many of them express praise and petition with thoughts that I have but words that I often don’t have. I am especially blessed and helped by the section on Service and Ministry. Many times I have used these prayers to cry out to the Lord in preparation for my own preaching.
I have often wondered about the compiler of these prayers and the background of them. Today I came across an article that fills in some of the details, here. If you use V of V, this article might interest you. If you’ve never enjoyed the blessing this little book brings to Christian devotion, I recommend your getting it.
Dean H. Taylor 