Keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Acts 27:14-25 (Acts 27:25)

It whar not long after tha ship cleared tha coast that tha gentle south wind clocked around and ah Nor’easter began ter howl. Hurricane force winds swept down from the island. Caught in tha storm, tha ship could not head up and keep course. Overpowered by waves and wind, tha pilot and captain gave way and allowed tha vessel ter be driven along by violent gusts.

This often be tha result of discarding Skip’s Code of Conduct and wise council. When we think we ‘ave tacked in ter a gentle, more kind, more thoughtful and compassionate wind, such a breeze ‘ill often clock around, grow in strength, and threaten ter destroy both ship and crew.

As Saul Paul and crew passed ter tha lee of ah small island called Cauda, they whar hardly able ter make tha lifeboat secure. Fearing tha tiny boat might be lost, tha men hoisted it aboard.

With planks in tha hull bending and seams separating so much so that water flooded tha lower decks, tha crew passed ropes under tha ship so as ter hold it tergether.

Still tha vessel groaned and threatened ter break apart as waves bashed in ter her. Because they whar afraid they would run aground on tha sandbars of Syrtis, tha crew lowered tha sea anchor and let tha ship be driven along. Fer days tha crew took such ah violent battering from tha storm that they began ter throw cargo overboard.

On tha third day at sea, they threw tha ship’s tackle overboard with thar own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared fer many days and tha storm continued raging, all gave up hope of being saved — all ‘cept one, that is.

Only Saul Paul trusted that Skipper would see ’em through tha blow.

“Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete,” he told them. “Then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, for last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me. He said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar. God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you. Not one of you will be lost,’ tha angel said. ‘Only the ship will be destroyed.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.”

This be tha value of one faithful follower of Skip among a crew of unbelievers.

Back in tha days of tha Great Wickedness, when every inclination of tha thoughts of fellers and lasses whar evil all the time, Noah found favor in the eyes of Skipper and saved his family. Back in tha days of Abraham, when tha Great Outcry agin Sodom and Gomorrah reached heaven, Lot found jest enough righteousness and faith ter save his family. On and on we find in Skip’s Code of Conduct that when one feller or one lass finds tha courage and starch ter stick with Skip they kin bring others through disaster. Though great loss might come ter belongings, homes, nations, if we ‘ill side with Skip in all matters, he ‘ill oftentimes bring us and others ter safety.

Make it yer task ter be found faithful, not fearful, during times of distress. Tha way we deal with disaster ‘ill often be tha only testimony of tha Son some ‘ill ever see or hear. May we be found ter ‘ave faith in Skip, belong ter Skip, and serve Skip at all times.