Every farmer has time to pray — lots of time. It’s communicating with God, and our heavenly Father loves it when we do so.

There’s plenty of time to pray during the many hours spent milking cows, feeding, cleaning up after animals, fieldwork and working in the farm shop. You don't even have to stop working to do it.

When a neighbor or a salesperson comes by or calls and shares a problem or concern, we can offer prayer support to them. When we intercede for others in prayer, it lifts our minds off our own burdens. That, too, is a benefit of praying.

Prayer is answered
With last year’s severe drought in our area, our crops were in distress. And yes, we did a lot of praying.

When harvest came, God provided normal corn and soybean yields. Even the hay yield was decent. It might have been unbelievable — except that with God nothing is impossible!

In James 5:16, we’re told "to pray one for another.” We all have family members, friends and neighbors that need our prayer support. Sickness, family and financial problems are all valid concerns and worthy of prayer.

So here’s a suggestion: Write your prayer requests in a small notebook and date them. Pray about those requests — more than once. Then watch how and when they’re answered. You’ll be encouraged and will pray even more. That way, 1 Thessalonians 5:17’s “Pray without ceasing” will become real for you.

George and Julia Holmes
Trumansburg, N.Y.

The Holmeses are members of the Finger Lakes Chapter of Fellowship of Christian Farmers International. For more about FCFI, visit fcfi.org.