For farmers, harvest is one of the most stressful times of the whole year. Everything is riding on the results of harvest. While hard work and determination goes a long way, many farmers also reach out to a higher power to find their strength.
As a farmer’s daughter, I always look up to my dad — he is the hardest working person I know. He is such a great example of a humble, kind human that many people look up to. Moreso, I always admired his ability to speak to God like he was talking to a friend while he way praying. Although he said few words, both God and I knew what he was talking about.
Since changing my name to farmer’s daughter to farmer’s wife, I have started my own kind of pre-harvest prayer. Even though we just got started with harvest in the Midwest, I still keep this prayer in my head everyday.
Lord,
As we start this harvest season, I pray that you watch over the farmer, the worker, and my family. I pray during this harvest season, that safety is in the forefront of every move they make.
With all the hard work put in before harvest, we pray that the equipment is ready to go and will hold up during the grueling season.
When things don’t go as planned, I hope that I am strong enough to take a step back and breathe without getting hot-headed.
I pray as Mother Nature makes her moves, that she spares the house, the farm, and the crops. I hope when it does rain, we take that opportunity to refresh and get everything in line before going back into the field.
When the long hours get tough, I hope our family can find the strength to remember why we love this life so much and realize how blessed we are, even during the toughest times.
As a part-time grain cart driver, I also pray this is the year that I understand hand signals. If not, thank you speaker phone technology — yet again.
Finally, I pray for every other farmer out there, that they also come home safely to their family.
Amen.
