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FAITH OF THE FARMER

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1)

Faith a small word but a huge concept both a noun and a verb. With over a million words in the English language and nearly 500 words being both a noun and a verb. What a great privilege to meet both requirements and as action and an object. Faith to own it or to act it out. You must have one to have the other. You can't have faith without being faithful. I always think about our farmers and ranchers their livelihood is based in faith. Faith in the weather, faith in divine timing. I can remember my dad always having that attitude, “nothing i can do, tomorrow is another day”. Or walking away from a tough situation to be revisited when his mind had calmed. “That's when S%#@ breaks when you force it, when your temper is present.” So many situations in a famer's life are truly out of there control. The weather, the price of seed, price of fertilizer, fuel, spray. But every year they start with a great faith that this is the year it will all fall into place. Knowing there will be break downs, weather issues. But having the Faith that it will be worth it, and that God will always provide. I can remember asking my dad once about Faith, Hope and Love and which he thought was the most important. He spouted the Bible verse as he knew the good book very well. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13, NKJV)” He stated he didn't think in his opinion, one is more important than the other and that this verse was not a red word, so it is the opinion of a man and everyman has their own opinion. Even though he neve gave a answer, he in his own “Eddy” way did. He had a great Faith, in his neighbor, his community, his government (Trump). He never seemed worried by much, He never wasted time on worry, what good does worry do-if you have faith you need not worry. I don't know if it was dad that said to me, “if you are going to pray don't worry, but if you are going to worry don't pray.” Give it to God let him take your worry away. Da would not like me sharing his faith or religious opinion he was very private about his Christianity and faith. Anyway, back to farmers and the great faith they exhibit every year. It is a rare profession that is so much out of their control they rely on faith or the theory everything will always work out. Many professions have a that unknown factor but not to extent of the entire years work coming down to one hailstorm ruining the entire years work. We can all learn a lot from the mentality of the farmer do your best and have faith that God will do the rest. When it hails always know tomorrow is another day. Each day is new and brings new blessings, just have faith!!