While sitting in a combine or driving a grain cart, or hauling corn to the elevator, there can be a lot of downtime. Maybe you spend those countless hours of mundane activity thinking about how good the yields are. Maybe you’re thinking about what next year will bring.

Maybe you’re thinking back to the argument you had with your son, or maybe you’re wondering how you’re going to get through another dry year with declining commodity prices.

Whatever is riding the waves of your thoughts, keep one thing in the forefront of your mind’s daily agenda: You have a purpose.
Yep, that’s right – you, whoever you are, have a grand purpose in the world.

You were created with a purpose in mind and a plan to accomplish that purpose. There was nothing random about your creation and there is not one single thing that is random about your life’s purpose. Every minute of your life counts and as you live day by day, you need to be reminded of your purpose here on this earth.
Is there anyone like you? Is there another person in this world who has your exact DNA? No. You are unique and special. Now that you know you have a purpose, let me tell you there is a plan for your life.

A plan that includes mountaintop experiences and days in the desert. A plan that will make you wonder about who and what you are, and a plan that will satisfy your appetite of curiosity and strengthen every fiber of your being.

You have a calendar filled with treasures and blessings just waiting for you to open them. A calendar created by your Creator, God. When you get to the end of your days and God gives you a glance at your calendar, do you want to see open treasure chests where you enjoyed blessings in your life?

Or will you see many, many closed, unused treasurers?

You might live an “okay” life with a few blessings here and there, but “just okay” was never what God had planned for you.

With your purpose and plan, God has given you a passion to live out your wonderful life. You have a passion for things that no one else has. I have no idea what your passions are, but you can recognize them.

Your passion makes you tick. It’s what creates strong emotion in you. It’s what makes you get on your soapbox. It’s what makes you rise so early in the morning. It’s what keeps you going when life seems to stop.

Passion is your lifeblood to keeping on your plan, accomplishing your purpose. Passion is what drives the use of your unique giftedness. It unearths your talents so you can use them for your purpose.

And, along the way of working your plan, you’ll run into your pessimist. This may be a person, a memory or a voice you hear whispering in your ear. That whisper doesn’t need to be very loud, because it’s very distinct. You can hear it over everything else and it convinces you that you can’t do it.

It convinces you that you are silly, useless, selfish and unsuccessful. It reminds you of past failures, hurts and nurtures unforgiveness for others and especially for yourself.

It will tell you you’re no good, your plan will never work, you have no purpose and your passion is just uncontrolled emotion.
The funny thing about the pessimist is that he is only describing himself. This pessimist is weak and can be shut down with one good word.

So if you’re on the mountaintop, in the desert or somewhere in between, I want you to know you are loved, you are special and everything you are matters. And, one more thing: You don’t have to believe any of this for it to be true – it’s true, no matter what.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.