Once upon a time there was a little horse that lived with her mother in a big pasture and her name was Abby. Abby loved to run and play and kick up her heels. She ran and played so much that her mother had trouble keeping up with her.
“You better not go too far.” Abby's mother warned her. “Please stay where I can see you.” But Abby didn't listen. She was tired of staying so close to her mother. She wanted to see what was on the other side of the fence. It seemed so exciting over there and Abby was ready for an adventure.
One day, while her mother was taking a nap, Abby snuck away and squeezed thru the fence. Abby looked back to see if her mother had seen her, but she was still sleeping. “I made it!” She said, as she trotted down the road.
It was so exciting to be out on her own with no one to tell her what to do or where to go. She felt so free! She found a nice field where she had lunch and a cool stream where she had a nice long drink. Then she began her journey again. She traveled on down the road and saw lots of neat sights. Cars whizzed by and birds sang songs.
Soon it started to get dark. Abby began to look for a place to eat supper, but there was nothing to eat. She was getting so thirsty, but there was nothing to drink. The cars whizzing past were scaring her now and Abby was getting lost! She wanted to go home to her mother but didn't know the way.
Just then a farmer came by and found Abby near the road. She was so relieved when he gently spoke to her and told her he would take her home. He led the way and soon he was settling her into a nice stall. The old farmer wasn't looking well and he forgot to feed Abby.
“I’m so hungry.” She said, as she lay down in the corner of the Stall.
“Don't worry.”
“Who said that?” Abby stood up and looked around.
“I did.” A little squirrel sat on the edge of the window to Abby's stall.
“Who are you?” She asked.
“I’m Chester, who are you?”
“I am Abby. And I’m so hungry. The farmer forgot to feed me.”
“He didn't forget. There is a caretaker who comes to feed the horses, but he is a mean man and doesn't always come.”
“I miss my mother too.” Abby explained. “I ran away and now I wish I had listened to my mother. She was right about how scary the world can be on my own.”
“You can pray and God will help you.” Chester suggested.
“Pray? What's that?'” Abby had never prayed to God before and she didn't know how.
“Well, you know God right?”
“Yes, my mother told me how God sent his only Son, Jesus, to the earth and he died for our sins then rose from the dead. She said it was because he loves us so much that he did it to save us from our sins. Now everyone that believes in him will go to heaven with Jesus.”
“That's right, but he also wants to be our friend. Just like when we asked him to save us and take us to heaven, we can pray and ask for guidance, or help, or just when we are lonely and need a friend.”
“Well, how do I do that?”
“Just talk to him like we are talking now and have faith that he will hear and answer your prayer.”
“What is faith?”
“Faith is when you believe in something that you can’t see.”
“Like God.”
“Exactly, you can't see God, but we know he is there by the evidence we see or feel.”
“Like when the tall grass sways in the breeze?”
“Yes! You’ve got it now.”
“Okay, I will pray that God will get me out of here and help me get home.” Abby went to sleep that night praying to get home.
The next morning Chester had collected some grass for her to eat.
“Thank you!” She told him.
“See, God has already answered one of your prayers.”
As the days passed Abby kept praying. Chester continued to bring some grass, but it wasn't enough to keep her full. She had lost a lot of weight and wasn't feeling as good as she used to. But Abby kept praying. She kept having faith, believing that God would help her get home.
One day as she stood in her stall and talked to Chester, a little girl came and looked in Abby's stall. She looked so kind when she smiled and Abby liked her instantly. The little girl liked Abby too and she hurried in the stall and gave her a big hug.
“This is the one I want daddy!” The girl said. “She looks like she needs to be loved.”
Abby was happy to be leaving the stall. She waved goodbye to Chester and followed her new friend to the trailer outside.
Soon they were pulling into her new home. Abby was surprised to see her new home was right next to the pasture where her mother lived. She hurried over to the fence and nuzzled her nose with her mothers.
“Let me tell you all about my adventure and how I learned that you were right all along. But I prayed to God and he answered my prayer. Now I have a new friend.” Abby looked back at the little girl running towards her. “I think we will be friends forever.” She told her mother.
Abby was happy she had prayed for Gods help and that she had faith.
