Several years ago, I met Flash the donkey and a new to me author, Rachel Anne Ridge. The book spoke to my heart in the sweetest and gentlest of ways and this meant, purchasing copies and gifting the book to many friends. You can read my review of this book HERE.
And now comes along another new friend – Henry.
In her latest book, Walking With Henry, Rachel Anne Ridge takes on Henry, a rescue donkey, as a friend to Flash. Thus begins another friendship with a donkey who becomes more than a companion for Henry, he becomes a teacher to the people who love him.
“Walking with a donkey, as I learned, is not done with the purposeful strides of personal achievement, but rather with the humbled steps of one forced to go at the pace of an unhurried companion. Although I couldn’t yet see it, ahead of me on the paths was a whole new dimension of finding God’s presence, not only in His creation but also in the timeless prayers of the church””the voices of His people throughout the ages.”
As the friendship with Henry develops, the author shares of the glimpses of God’s grace and hope she discovers along the way. Prayer becomes more than a few words shot up quickly, it becomes the means of deeply connecting with God and with ancient prayers which bring life and meaning.
The author turns to “The Book of Common Prayer”, and includes beautiful and meaningful excerpts throughout her own book, which brings added comfort and encouragement. She explains:
“Liturgy is literally “a work of the people,” or even better, “a work for the people.” It’s simply an order of worship, laid out long ago, that helps people read, pray, and worship in ways that are constructive and formative.”
A few of my favorite thoughts from the book were:
“Just when you think it’s the end of your story, grace shows up in all its unexpected glory. Sometimes, grace arrives as a moment of joy in the middle of despair.”
“I have discovered that something is awakened through failure, tragedy, and disappointment. It is a place of learning and potential creativity. In such moments you can get lost in despair or denial, or you can recognize the failure and run toward the hope of something new.”
“A scarcity mind-set had prevented him from experiencing the abundance all around him … Watching Henry, I realized how easy it was for me to let the wounds of the past dictate my actions, even without realizing it.”
” … regular confession creates a posture of humility, a space that allows the Holy Spirit to gently remind you of short- comings and the opportunity to listen for His conviction. It lays your soul bare and exposes your wounds so that God can pour the healing balm of His mercy upon them. You just need to keep coming back and coming back, giving them to Him and giving them to Him . . . as long as it takes you. There’s no rush, no timetable for healing.”
Every walk with Henry, every chapter, brings a fresh insight to both the author and the reader. As with Flash, I found myself not wanting to come to the last page of this endearing book. You will laugh and you will cry, and you will find yourself drawing ever so closer to Jesus as you take a walk with Henry.
Today I am joining … Tell His Story and Grace Full Tuesday and TrekkingThru and Booknificent Thursday .
This sounds like a sweet and encouraging read.
And I appreciated the reminder that liturgy is “the work of (or for!) the people.”
Michele, I loved her thoughts on liturgy and it has surely made me think of late.
This sounds like such a sweet book. I love the connection to liturgy and the quote about confession.
Mary, it was a very sweet book and one which made me think a lot.
How sweet! Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com!
Tina