We live in a secular age. The word secular comes from a Latin word meaning "this age" or "this world." A secular age is based on the assumption that there is no reality beyond the material reality of this visible universe. It assumes that God, if he exists, is irrelevant to our daily lives, and that true fulfillment must be obtained here and now, no matter the cost.This secular worldview contradicts the Christian worldview even more than non-Christian religious worldviews do, because the Christian worldview is based on the conviction that what is unseen is actually more intensely real than what is seen, and that our life here on earth is only the first chapter of an adventure that will continue forever into eternity. Living immersed in a secular culture is hard on our faith. We have to be even more intentional now than in past ages, perhaps, about nourishing and protecting that faith, since the predominant worldview is constantly attacking it. This Retreat Guide, Navigating Stormy Seas, will help us do that.