Ronda Rich

Syndicated Columnist

This is how prayer works: Tink and I were one hour into a seven-hour trip home from Memphis. I’d been on book tour for two exhausting weeks and had a stomach bug, very rare for me.

Our good friend and house sitter, Kathy Lanning, is alert and doesn’t miss a thing.

She sent a video of our miniature donkey, Sweet Tea, who was limping painfully around the barn. Limping is not good for an equine. It could be a path to being lame and that is danger.

Now, before I tell you what prayer miraculously produced, I must issue this warning: prayer is not a magic wand. It is not filled with words that will instantly resolve a situation though words whispered to an almighty power.

Yes, sometimes it does happen almost instantly. Sometimes, it takes days, weeks, or months.

Daddy, a man of remarkable faith, always said, “Pray about it.

Put in the Lord’s hands and leave it with him. You don’t need to keep praying about it.”

My faith, though, calls on me to keep reminding the Lord of the friend who is sick, of a tree that is dying, or asking the path He wants me to take.

People who don’t practice faith or don’t believe there is a need often make their first call to us and ask, “Will you pray for me?”

Sometimes, God takes a long time to answer. For 17 years, I prayed for the opportunity to buy some acreage that borders the Rondarosa. There were few days out of those years that I did not pray over it. Three times I called the owner. Twice, he steadfastly refused. Three years later, I called again. This time he was agreeable and named his price: three times what the land was worth.

My hopes were dashed. “Well, I hope you get that much but it won’t be from us.”

Six years later, the man was dying and needed the money. We bought the land at a fair market price. God had answered 17 years of prayers. In His own time Now, back to Sweet Tea, our donkey, who was ailing. As soon as the video came in, I panicked a bit.

We called two of our vets immediately and discovered both were out of town.

I called Kathy back. Kathy is a deep seeker of prayer and nothing is too small for her heartfelt, believing prayers. I explained the situation and said to her, “Let’s pray about it.”

Together, we prayed, begging God to bring a solution and asking for it quickly. We hung up the phone and, silently, I prayed another couple of minutes. Tink, on the spur of the moment, took an exit off of I-840. It was a one gas station town. Thompson’s Station, Tennessee. He pulled into the 12gas pump area that set in front of a country store where several men sat in rocking chairs, swaying and enjoying gentle conversation.

“Well, shoot,” said Tink as he looked for an open pump. But all I saw was one thing: a white, shiny truck emblazoned on the side with the lettering, “Tennessee Equine Hospital.” Without a word, I bolted from the car, clutching my phone in my hand.

A pretty, young girl with long, blonde hair, sitting in the truck, took me to find the vet, who was putting air in the tires. I explained the situation: we were passing through, our vets were out of town, and Sweet Tea was sick. I showed him the video. In two seconds, he told me what to do. Later, his advice was seconded by two veterinarians.

I gushed my gratitude and he, tall, lean and handsome, nodded as he started to walk toward the men on the porch. His confident walk, size, and sunglasses reminded me of Dale Earnhardt. He stopped, cocked his head and grinned.

“When you come to Tennessee, that’s what you get.”

That’s how prayer works.

Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of the hit novel, “St. Simons Island: A Stella Bankwell Mystery.”

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