Craig Saunders is a cotton farmer in St George, Western Queensland. He’s seen his share of highs and lows of life on the land, but he’s also been active in helping other farmers who also face brokenness and blessing in their lives and families too.
Craig recently joined us on 20Twenty, where he shared how he discovered purpose not only as a farmer but also as a man with faith in Jesus. Craig has found meaning in the operation of his agribusiness thanks to his faith.
Brokenness and Blessing
Drought often serves as a source of brokenness for many farmers, accompanied by challenges like managing family concerns and income issues. ‘We get broken pretty regularly,’ says Craig. ‘But through the brokenness, we see our part of the blessing.’
Craig believes that the blessing comes with rain. When the soil is sweet and the harvest comes, it is a time for celebration. ‘We’re really broken and blessed at the same time,’ he says.
For Craig, finding his identity and purpose on the land took time. ‘Starting off as someone that used to attend church regularly,’ he says, ‘and then actually being spirit filled and confident in the Saviour and knowing that He’s sovereign changed everything.’
Building Relationships
It’s important to Craig to actually engage with people and to be holistic. There is so much more to farming than planting seeds in the ground. There are a lot of people involved in the process.
‘I actually find the blessing in that,’ says Craig. ‘Working with people is what I enjoy the most.’
Craig has also initiated some men’s weekends, where he gathers men together to spend some quality time. The purpose is to create a level playing field where they can openly share what’s on their hearts. The idea is to build relationships by genuinely engaging and understanding their challenges.
‘It wasn’t a fix or a magic solution for problems,’ says Criag. ‘But rather a platform for men to express themselves and connect with others. This approach yielded significant success, with many finding healing through the process.’
Listen to Craig’s full interview on 20Twenty below:
