A young donkey learns from his wise mother to trust in God through good times and bad as he hears a bedtime story about his ancestor - Balaam's donkey, his mother's long-ago trip to Bethlehem, and his own task for the next day.

"Tomorrow you will be ridden by a stranger," said Zeesha's mother to him softly one night.

A story came to me one day that tied together three biblical donkeys and two strands of spirituality I've come to treasure - Celtic imagination, where donkeys can talk and angels are visible - and child's version of the Ignation First Principal and Foundation, where each creature's unique character is truly God's glory. - Mary Ann Archer

Mary Ann Archer is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and professional flutist/piccoloist. She received her master of arts degree in spiritual direction from General Theological Seminary in New York City. She has worked with individuals and groups in spiritual direction for more than thirty years, focusing on active imagination. A member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for twenty-six years, she now performs with orchestras across the South and lives with her husband, Frank, and their cats in Charlotte, North Carolina.