SUBMITTED BY A READER: My teenage daughter, a rodeo champion, was practicing rodeo tricks on her horse in the riding arena on our property. Her foot was firmly strapped into the saddle and she was riding upside down (on purpose).
For some reason, the horse suddenly started running and bucking, flinging my daughter like a limp upside down rag doll. My mother and husband were there watching, and it was my mother’s horrified screams that drew me out of the house. As I ran to the arena, my heart stopped — it looked like my daughter’s head was bouncing off the ground as the horse ran and bucked, carrying her upside down all over the arena.
I saw my husband, a dutiful father, running as fast as he could, trying to chase the horse down and rescue our daughter. As the horse continued bucking, a hoof caught my husband’s leg and broke his tibia.
My first thought was, “I have to do something!” and I quickly contemplated running back to the house to get a gun – I was fully prepared to shoot the horse in order to stop this horror – but that would take too long.
I suddenly realized that there was actually nothing I could do. And so I prayed. I called out to Jesus to save my daughter – and at that moment, the fender (a very thick piece of leather that was keeping her leg attached to the saddle) was cut cleanly from end to end, and instantly was freed from the saddle. My daughter dropped to the ground and we rushed to her side, afraid of what we’d find. Praise God, except for some minor scrapes she was absolutely fine!
The Lord spoke to me very clearly in that moment. He told me that I can’t do everything myself, and that I needed to give my daughter to HIM. Jesus cut through that leather fender that day. Sliced it clean. But I needed to ASK Him to. As my pastor says, God needs me to make prayer my first response instead of my last resort.
The Lord spoke to my daughter as well – she saw her father risk his very life to save hers. That touched her to her core. And even greater, she experienced the love that her heavenly Father has for her as well!
Jesus saved my daughter’s life that day, and He changed mine forever.