It was a cool morning as I turned on my walking playlist and started on my walk. I was traveling and walking in an unknown neighborhood, but it looked safe as I turned up the music and rocked out my walk.

 

About 20 minutes later, jamming to some old Kenny Loggins, I heard an email come in, so I looked to see what it was. As I read this email, fear immediately gripped my body and my head began rehearsing every awful moment that was going to happen over the next few days.

 

“Terror” would be a better word to describe how I felt at that moment. The unknown became a beast that would swallow me up whole.

 

I had no facts about the situation – just what my mind created as reality for my life, and I was scared stiff. Realizing I was standing in the middle of the sidewalk with cars and school buses driving by, I began walking again, acting like everything was normal.

 

Kenny Loggins ended and the next song should have been Earth, Wind & Fire or Rascal Flatts or Journey – but instead it was Chris Tomlin singing these words: “Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord... As we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord Our God You reign forever Our hope, our strong deliverer …” This was not on my playlist. I had other Christian music on there, but that song was not one of them.

 

I had gotten tired of that song after singing it in church so many times, I didn’t want it on my playlist too. I spent about 30 seconds wondering how in heaven’s name that song got on my playlist when suddenly I realized I was listening to the encouragement coming from that Strong Deliverer.

 

He knew my fear, my thoughts, my hopelessness – and decided to pick me up with an unexpected song that spoke Truth into my life.

 

As I listened I knew everything was going to be okay and that God would walk through every step of what was in front of me.

 

Today hundreds of dairy farmers in Wisconsin are facing the strong reality of finding a new milk market. A letter in the mail to Grassland customers told them they would be shut off on May 1. Finding a new market for milk in an industry where we have too much product will be difficult, at best.

 

Regardless of how treacherous the situation staring you in the face today, there is always hope. That’s a promise. Toss fear of the future to the side, throw down those chains of discouragement that want to keep you in prison and remember those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

 

They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

 

And you can take that to the bank. 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.