“Readers will be clamoring for more.” Publishers Weekly on FlashJust when you think it’s the end of your story . . . grace shows up.Sometimes it arrives as a moment of joy in the middle of despair. Sometimes you find it next to a trusted friend along an old, well-trodden path. And sometimes, grace has fuzzy ears, a bristled mane, and hope for a new start.Join Rachel Anne Ridge, author of the … Ridge, author of the beloved memoir Flash, in a journey back to the pasture. As she adopts a second rescue donkey as a little brother for Flash–a miniature named Henry–she finds that walking with donkeys has surprising lessons to teach us about prayer, renewing our faith, and connecting to God in fresh ways.Readers all over the world fell in love with Flash and with Rachel’s thoughtful, funny, and poignant stories about what life with a donkey can teach you. Now, meet Henry and join him on a walk that could change everything about how you hope, trust, and move forward from past regrets.
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If you are looking to change your walk with the Lord, this book is a fabulous, inspirational story of a new season of growing closer to the Lord. The author uses the practice of prayer walking with an adorable miniature donkey named Henry. Okay, most of us don’t have donkeys or even a dog. Where there is a will, there is a way, and there are suggestions in the book regarding prayer walking.
Donkeys are social creatures; without companionship of another donkey or a horse, they can get depressed, sick, or even destructive. The author and her husband already have a donkey, Flash, who inspired an earlier book called “Flash: The Homeless Donkey Who Taught Me about Life, Faith, and Second Chances”.
Rachel Anne Ridge felt it was time for Flash, who had wandered into their yard seven years earlier, to have a companion. She talked with Doctor David Dunkin, who works at a donkey rescue in San Angelo, Texas. He found a donkey that was taken in with a group of 20 strays and named simply Henderson #10 after the county he was rounded up in. He had walked in a recent parade, and Doc felt he would be a good companion for Flash and probably be about the same age.
Rachel embarked on a journey, seeking a new dimension of knowing God’s presence in His creation through the timeless prayers of the church. She knew she needed to walk with a donkey and a book of prayers, and in this manner she stepped into the passages of scripture, from Abram to Jesus. I love the analogies of Henry’s behavior and human behavior, especially since I understand walking backwards, lack of trust, anxiety, and getting along with others. Grace. Learning to better understand confessing the things we failed to do, appreciating the Way of Peace, and seeking God’s love. Seeing Jesus through the prayers and walking.
There is so much of value in the “Big Lessons from a Little Donkey on Faith, Friendship, and Finding Your Path” (subtitle). The author provides a guide to prayer walking, and in each chapter includes a prayer she focuses on. One of my favorite quotes: “Sometimes we need companionship more than we need instant fixing. We need to know we are not alone, that we have never been alone, and that we will never be alone.” (page 190) Watching the author grow to a new level of faith in the Lord, the sense of the sacred that she sought, has been a privilege; this is a journey one will want to refer to again and again. I enjoyed using it as an additional devotional. I loved “meeting” Henry and seeing his adorable smile in some of the photos.
I appreciate the author’s use of the liturgy, the Book of Common Prayer, and prayers used through the centuries, as I now love the liturgy that I once thought so restrictive when I was younger. I also appreciate the author’s insights into scripture, the events of her life, and how each chapter has valuable lessons. I highly recommend Walking with Henry to those who wrestle with their faith, emotions such as anxiety or grief, or are seeking a new depth in their relationship with the Lord, or simply looking at another means of prayer. Thank you, Rachel, Henry, Flash, and Tom for sharing with us!
From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from The Book Club Network; a favorable review was not required.
“Walking With Henry,” begins as a story about a donkey and the way it changed a woman’s life. This simple act also ushers Rachel into a deeper relationship with Christ. I enjoyed this read, although I must mention it can be emotional for sensitive readers. Rachel Anne Ridge is an author who has already shared the story of Flash the donkey in her first book. This story connects to the prior read by bringing a few new characters into the pasture with Flash–namely, Henry.
Henry is one donkey in need of a rescue! Abandoned and left to his own devices with lots of other donkeys in a large field, Rachel eventually talks her husband into letting them take Henry in. A miniature donkey with a big personality worms his way into their hearts, much to Flash’s initial dismay. The book captures the reader with the simplicity of farming life, but continues to become a spiritual journey for both the animals involved and their human caretakers.
In the midst of dealing with a now empty nest, lots of spiritual questions and accepting others’ challenges as their own, Rachel and her husband traverse a very personal journey in this memoir. There is grief, there are questions, there is loss. But there are also fits of laughter, animals who have larger than life personalities, and lots of prayer among the paths. In deconstructing their faith, both Rachel and her husband find the Jesus who meets them right where they are, no matter their questions.
You will laugh, you will cry, but you will not finish “Walking With Henry” without a smile. This is my first read of Rachel’s, but it will not be my last. This book would be amazing for any animal lover or for someone who wants to learn more about faith, prayer and growth in their spiritual walk. This unassuming book is quite profound. I found myself taking notes, wanting to share it with others and felt encouraged to grow in my faith without fear of asking questions. I was thankful to be an early reader, thanks to Tyndale. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.