Ponkeys

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13

Yes, such a critter exists. A ponkey is a cross between a pony and donkey. You must admit, that little ponkey in this picture is adorable. Lori Hatch (All God’s Creatures) shares some spiritual insight from her research.

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Bidders at the wild pony auction at Grayson Highlands State Park in 2014 got an unexpected opportunity—the chance to buy a ponkey.

The park is home to approximately one hundred wild Virginia Highland ponies that thrive on the grassy balds of Mount Rogers. To keep the population healthy and the numbers manageable, caretakers annually round up the herd, check the horses’ health and separate some of the ponies to offer for auction.

In the spring of 2014, park staff noticed that several ponies looked a bit unusual. They had long pointed ears, stubby tails, and wide-set eyes. A local horseback rider solved the mystery when he mentioned seeing a male donkey roaming the area earlier that year. Park visitors nicknamed the foals “ponkeys.”

Those fortunate enough to buy a ponkey were doubly blessed. Because donkeys tend to retain the best qualities from each parent, the Virginia Highland ponkeys were smarter, sweeter, and more patient to train.

When I hiked the train, I saw three foals, but no ponkeys. The roving Romeo must have stayed closer to home that year. Their story, however, mirrored my own life.

How often has something unexpected or something that didn’t look like I expected it to brought something good with it? The unemployment that led to a better job opportunity. The time of spiritual searching that birthed a more vibrant faith. The season of grief that proved the sufficiency of Christ.

Over and over God has allowed “surprises” to disrupt my plans to show me that He knows best and is always working on my behalf. Even when things look different than I expect them to, I can trust Him.

Walk of Faith: Think back on the circumstances of your life. Identify a time when something that appeared (or actually was) bad brought unexpected blessings with it. How does this impact the way you view the challenging circumstances of today?

Lord of Creation, thank You for the little surprises with which You bless us. Help us never to forget that You don’t make mistakes. Teach us to search out the lessons You desire us to learn. AMEN.