“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
  - John 3.8

Brendan spake to them and said: “Fear not,” said he, “for we have God Himself as our guide and helper. And ship your oars and do not toil or labour; and God will guide His own boat and company as He pleases.” And Brendan and his company...got a steady wind...

  - Anonymous, Vita Brendani, Irish, 12th century[1]

Brendan (fl. ca. 560 AD) and his men dug mightily with their oars into the cold waters of the North Atlantic, but they could make no headway and were becoming discouraged.

They had just set off, in obedience to God’s leading, to carry the Gospel west over the ocean. And now, barely into the beginning of their journey, it seemed like the ocean itself, onto which the Lord had sent them, was trying to thwart their mission.

Brendan knew that, in spite of their struggle, God would take them where He intended them to go. They needed to trust in Him, and not their own strength. So he instructed his men to ship their oars, and they hoisted the sail of their leather boat, determined to let the steady wind of God blow them where He would.

And He did.

Our lives are like that sometimes. We think we know where God wants us to go, and we work and pray and fret and fuss to get there, but we don’t seem to be making much progress. In fact, what looked in prospect like such “smooth sailing” has become a stormy, stubborn sea instead.

But this doesn’t mean we’re out of the will of God, only that He wants to move us forward in a way other than we might have chosen or preferred.

If you’re seeking the Lord, truly seeking Him, even your troubled waters may be precisely where the Spirit is blowing. Check your course, trim your sails, and rest in the Lord’s wisdom and strength.

Look for the Spirit’s leading and rest in His power to keep you moving forward.

The steady wind of God’s Spirit blows through the pages of His Word, in the still small voice of prompts and nudges that come in the quiet moments of life, and sometimes through circumstances that just don't work out the way we’d hoped (Acts 16.6, 7). 

At such times we need to hoist whatever will catch the current of God’s Spirit – especially prayer, searching the Scriptures, seeking wise counsel, and waiting in silence on the Lord. The Spirit of God is always blowing toward the realization of God’s good and perfect plan. We will know that plan best and enjoy its fullest fruit and blessings as we seek the Spirit, are filled with the Spirit, wait on the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit – following His steady wind where He wants to take us.

Of course, there will be work to do, even as you catch the steady wind of God’s Spirit. But the better we know the Spirit and how He works (Ezek. 36.26, 27; Jn. 16.8-11), and the more we bring our lives into line with His purposes (Acts 1.8; Eph. 2.19-22), the more our lives and work will sail in the channel of His power, toward progress in the Kingdom of our Lord.

If progress seems slow and life is wearing you down, make sure your sails are hoisted into the life and work of the Spirit, and wait to see where that Steady Wind of God will take you.

Psalm 86.7-9 (Andrews: “Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven”)
When in my trouble, Lord, I call You,
You answer me, there is none like You!
There are no words like Yours, and all whom
You have created shall worship You.
Lord, be gracious to me, Lord be gracious to me,
All shall glory give to You!

But I don’t like waiting in silence, Lord; I’m much too busy, too inclined to do something, anything, to get off the dime! Help me, Jesus!

Coming this fall
We have a busy fall lined up for you in The Ailbe Community. Here are a few of the things which are coming on line:

In October we will be launching a year-long effort to improve our skills of communicating and defending the Gospel in this age in flight from God. Dr. Marshall Adams and I invite you to join us in this Apologetics Action Group. We’re looking for 10-15 men who are determined to advance the Gospel’s agenda by learning how to proclaim the Kingdom to the people in their Personal Mission Fields. If you’re interested, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll send you more details.

The Ailbe Seminary opens for classes in September. Two courses will be available. Watch this newsletter and the website for more information.

We’ll be seeking your input through some online questionnaires to help us focus our ministry more pointedly on bringing more of the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom into your walk with and work for the Lord.

Your support at this time will be greatly appreciated. Pray for us, refer a friend, and send a gift to support this work of ministry to you and others. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Psalms to Pray for Today and Thursday
Today
Morning: Psalm 119.81-88; Psalm 130
Evening: Psalm 54

Thursday
Morning: Psalm 119.89-96; Psalm 131
Evening: Psalm 55

T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.