July Rain

There’s something about the smell of fresh cut hay that stirs the soul, sweet, earthy, and filled with promise. Around here, July is one of the busiest times of the year. The sun rises early, the days stretch long, and the hum of tractors baling hay becomes the background music of summer.

For those of us who work the land, baling hay isn’t just another task, it’s a cornerstone of the season. It's how we prepare for the months ahead, making sure there's enough feed stored up for the livestock when the fields turn brown and quiet in the colder months. It’s hot, dusty, and demanding work, but it’s honest and rewarding.

And then comes the real miracle, rain in July.

Not just a drizzle, but a good, soaking, pasture-quenching kind of rain, the kind that makes the fields green up again and brings a sigh of relief from every farmer for miles. Rain this time of year is never guaranteed. It’s a gift. When it falls, we know we’re being looked after by a God who sees what we need before we even ask.

There’s a verse that often comes to mind during these moments, “He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.” (Psalm 147:8) That’s not just poetry. Its truth lived out in every field that greens up and every bale stacked high.

Baling hay after a stretch of good rain is a reminder that hard work and divine provision go hand in hand. We do our part, we labor, we sweat, we plan. But at the end of the day, we’re completely dependent on the One who controls the skies. And when He sends rain in July, we say thank You with full hearts.

So, whether you’re in the field, at your desk, or just trying to get through a busy season of life remember this: keep working, keep praying, and trust that the harvest will come. Sometimes, the blessing shows up in the form of hay bales... and sometimes, it falls gently from the sky.