When my daughter Heidi was five years old she developed a real love of horses. I am not sure why, but whenever she had been given the opportunity to ride a horse either at my brother's farm in Ohio or at a camp in Colorado, she loved the experience more than playing soccer or any other outdoor activity.

As much as she loved horses and wanted one, there were several major challenges which my wife, Vickie, and I explained to her and our other children why it would not be possible to have a horse. First, we live in a city, which like most cities does not allow a horse in the back yard; and second, we had no place to keep one; and third, we did not have the funds to purchase one.

Even though we had the above obstacles to overcome, we did continue to tell Heidi to ask Jesus for a horse and if He wanted us to have a horse He would bless us with one. Of course, my wife and I never dreamed in a million years that this would be possible. However, Heidi prayed every day for a horse for three years. Her brother and sister joined her in that prayer. Heidi's personality is such that she puts her whole self into everything, including all her feelings. So, almost nightly, she would cry herself to sleep praying and thinking about her horse.

One night in a small group meeting Heidi boldly shared her prayer request for a horse with the adults. They graciously included Heidi's request in their prayers that night. "How sweet," I thought, until Linda approached me at the end of the prayer time. "Do you have a place for a horse?" she asked. "If not, you'd better find one—because a horse is on the way!"

Several months later our friends, John and Kimberly Smith, spent the night with us. She raises registered paint horses in Arkansas and they were returning from picking up two wild paint horses in Utah. They were pulling a horse trailer loaded with these beautiful horses that had never known captivity until they were loaded in the trailer and had been on the road for two days when they arrived at our house. Vickie and I do a lot of entertaining but this was the first time to have "horse" guests in addition to our house guests.

We decided to go with the flow and host both as needed to meet their needs. Our small city backyard is fenced, so when John and Kimberly informed us that the horses needed a little exercise after being in the trailer for two days, we offered what we had--our backyard! They accepted and two wild horses were let go in the backyard. Heidi and our other children thought it was the greatest thing that had ever happened at our house. Of course, when the neighbors woke up the next morning to see two large horses across the fence, they thought they were dreaming. Heidi, on the other hand, was ready to go to Utah and capture a horse! Her faith grew by leaps. She knew that only God could bring two beautiful horses to spend the night in her very own backyard!

During the night, God spoke to both John and Kimberly separately. Now they knew nothing about Heidi's three years of praying. The next morning when they came down to breakfast, both shared that God had told them to give the next female colt born on their horse ranch to Heidi and our family. Heidi was thrilled! She decided that we should name the horse "Blessing"—as a reminder that this horse was definitely a gift from God. For almost six more months she waited on the first female foal to be born. On March 1, 2000, the Watson family horse was born on a horse ranch in Arkansas. Not only was it a horse, but a registered paint horse, brown with white spots—absolutely beautiful!

John and Kimberly told us that they would deliver the colt sometime during the fall to our house! Heidi was so excited. Our thoughts--where in the world were we going to keep a horse? Again, Heidi started praying for a place and soon friends living about one mile from our house offered to keep the colt in their two acre backyard. For one year, our friends and our family watered, fed and loved on the new colt named "Blessing." After the first year, God provided a six acre farm for her, and at age two it was time for her to be trained for riding.

We checked on the cost of a horse trainer, and determined that the cost exceeded our budget. So again, Heidi and our children had a choice--to pray and ask Jesus for a trainer, or never ride their new horse. The children started praying. Not long after that our friend Kelly telephoned me to share what God had spoken to him during his devotions. Kelly's computer consulting business had been severely affected by the September 11 tragedy. The Lord had prompted him to give during his season of lack. As he pondered over what he had to give, the Lord reminded him that he knew how to train horses. He thought of our family. He offered to train "Blessing" at no cost to us, except that we take care of his 25 year old horse and have our children regularly ride him while Kelly trained our horse.

After two years of training, "Blessing" was returned to us and we returned the 27 year old horse that our children had been riding. Every time our horse's name is spoken, we think of the blessing that John and Kimberly gave our children. John passed away with cancer one year after he gave our family the horse, but the blessing and faith that he gave to Heidi and our family continues to live. Our children learned that God cares about them—about their desires and hopes—that He is a good God who wants to bless.