Welcome Home

We recently "adopted" a 20-something mare who was used in a church camp for years. We don't have much background on her. Who knows what adventures she has seen, what pastures she has grazed, or what pleasures or abuse she may have endured in her life. It doesn't matter to me at all what her past was...I'm just so happy she is here and she is ours now. We want to pour our love and attention on her and she is already happy to give it back. We named her Willow because we passed by the most beautiful, flowing willow tree on our way to meet her and we had been considering names which were calm and peaceful since we had been told that was her temperament.


As she takes shelter today in the lean-to because of the rain, I see a tired horse who prefers to be protected from the elements. She looks worn yet kind-hearted and in need of people who want to spend time with her.

 

 

I washed her halter today. It was full of dirt and was worn on the edges. As I washed it, I felt as if I was cleaning out the grime and dirt of her past....creating a shiny new halter to help her feel pretty and special. Now don't get me wrong, she was probably taken care of very well, but we all have our stories and pains that we wish we could just wash away and retire to a place of green grass, soft breezes and kisses from children.

 

As I scrubbed the halter with a brush, I felt an overwhelming sense of thankfulness and love. Isn't this how Jesus feels about us? Isn't this what He did for us? He takes us in with the understanding of our past; but with a promise to provide a forever place of love and acceptance. He makes us clean and new. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away. The new has come." 2 Cor. 5:17.


I'm finding that owning and taking care of Willow is more satisfying than I could have ever imagined. My first intention was to have a "kid-safe" horse...and that is what we got....but I was given so much more. I gained an understanding of how much God loves us. He wants to provide a place of love, acceptance, care and "forever-ness" that we cannot find anywhere else.


It doesn't matter where you came from. It doesn't matter where you lived, what you did, how you spent your previous years or whether or not you were labeled "useful." He loves you just because. 


Just like we love Willow.


Welcome home girl.