Oh how we have had us some horse adventures this year!
My daughter Natalie has loved horses since she has been two years old (maybe younger). I think she was influenced by the Disney movie Spirit. That VHS ran our player ragged. I can still hear the music...
Plastic horses have adorned more birthday cakes than not over the past eleven almost twelve years of her life.
This past February Cocoa was brought into our lives. Remember
this post? We LOVED Cocoa and she actually spent all summer at the barn we board our horse at...but she ended up being too "Green" for Natalie to take to 4H this year.
We continued to look for a horse to lease but ended up buying a horse. Natalie named her Shiloh which means "His Gift".
Every single thing about Shiloh has been a challenge. Nothing has been easy about her.
I even
questioned if we were within the Lords will when we purchased her.
Though the journey has been hard -every single step- I do not feel we were outside of the Lord's will. Things were lined up in such a way that if any detail would have been different we would have not bought her. God allowed her to be placed in our lives even though He knew the challenges we would face. Through the hard we have also had much joy in owning her...and boy have we learned a lot! Nothing has come easy!
But through it all God has been faithful!
And to defend Shiloh...she simply just needs more training. More than us newbies can give her. She is a beautiful girl and we love her so very much. It's just not a good match for where Natalie is in her riding.
At fair...Shiloh was a hot mess. She was so scared and nervous I did not think Natalie would even be able to do Showmanship. But again, God was faithful...and out she went.
Since then we have decided to sell her. This has been a hard decision. A big decision. The right decision for our family.
Within the first couple of days we had someone coming to look at her. We ourselves found another horse that seemed to be the perfect fit. His name was Honda.
I felt so happy...it was all FINALLY coming together!
We loved him and offered to buy him. Natalie was so excited!
The next day the woman came and looked at Shiloh. SOLD! I put the money in my pocket and almost cried as I walked her to the trailer. I was really going to miss her!
I was so happy for Natalie though...things working out in great timing. Shiloh sold, Honda a great match, thank you Lord!!
Then it happened.
Shiloh backed right off that trailer and wouldn't get back on. We worked and worked with her and she simply wouldn't go back on! The woman got frustrated and handed me the lead line. I handed her back the money. Back in the barn Shiloh went.
That following day I received an email letting us know that the family who owned Honda decided to sell him to someone who lived local. What?!
The wind was knocked out of me....I can't believe this was happening.
Natalie was so upset.
I can't tell you the overwhelming emotions that came from this. The wrestle with God that came from this. I am Jacob. I wrestle. I pitched a fit and stomped my foot and wrestled with why until I was too exhausted to wrestle anymore.
Almost two months have since past. I praise God. I can now look back and smile.
Shiloh still stands in the barn.
It is amazing what things God will use to draw us closer to himself. How he smooths the rough edges of our character and teaches us to trust Him even more. God has used this experience to do a work in my heart. And even though we want to protect our children and give them the very best...what a great learning experience this has been for Natalie. She too has grown in her faith.
I'm not sure what the Lord will do with this horse named Shiloh...His gift. But I do know that He is loving and abundantly blesses those who trust in Him. I also know that this is a very small issue in the grand scheme of life. I've asked forgiveness in the fact that a horse seems so trivial compared to all the evil, sickness and death in this world. I also know that He simply wants it all, the big and the small in our life. My life glorifies Him when I give it all to Him.
So we continue trusting Lord...
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in prayer;
Romans 12:12~NKJV
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