Puppy Power

By Kim Stokely –

I know it sounds odd to say, but a puppy brought me closer to God.

It started innocently one Sunday after church when my family and I stopped at a pet store. The volunteers from the shelter saw me coming from a mile away and set their sights. I know they did. As soon as I saw their little bundles of white fluff, they had me.

To be honest, we’d come to the open house of the Little White Dog Rescue with the intention of adopting a dog. I just hadn’t intended on coming home with two. But my family fell in love with a little Maltese/Poodle mix while my heart melted when I held the Bichon/Shih Tzu puppy. The ladies from the rescue told me they’d make us a deal on adoption fees if we took them both.

My brain argued with my emotions. Don’t do it! Two puppies at once? Are you nuts? If you’re not now, you will be when you try to train them both!

But thankfully, my heart won out. We brought the two little fur balls home with us and began the process of housebreaking.

A week of them on separate schedules and different bad habits was enough to make me tear out my hair. Not that anyone one noticed. My hair blended in nicely with the tufts of fur, squeaky toys and rope bones the tiny beasts left all over the house. My attitude had sunk from joy to frustration faster than a puppy can lift his leg to mark a piano.

One of the hardest things to get used to was waking up by 5:30 to take Ollie, the hair ball I’d fallen in love with, outside for his morning constitutional. Because his sibling still lay sleeping soundly in her crate, I hesitated to bring Ollie back to the bedroom after our walks. That meant I had to stay awake with him in the kitchen because, as everyone knows, an unsupervised puppy causes more havoc than a class one tornado.

At first, this new routine was another source of aggravation. The siren call of flannel sheets can be overwhelming on cold, dark, winter mornings. I longed to crawl back into bed and hibernate until the sun rose. But I realized something around the second or third week of this new normal.
I’d been seeking the motivation to wake up earlier to spend more time with my Bible and in prayer, but invariably would pull the covers over my head when the alarm rang. It’s a lot easier to ignore an inanimate object than a whining puppy. Ollie’s schedule pushed me out of my laziness and into a time of quiet intimacy with God.

I’ve come to love the hour or so I spend with Ollie curled up at my feet while I sip my tea and read God’s word. He may be the cutest answer to prayer I’ve ever received.

An Answer for the Weary

By Anne C. Johnson –

One morning I found myself weary of the long week and burdened by the day’s tasks before me. I closed my eyes and cried out to the Lord. At once I saw the cross; blood-stained and horrifying. I felt panic and fear creep toward me and overtake me. I wanted to close my eyes and hide, but I heard Jesus’ voice say, “Come.”

I recognized the soft yet commanding voice of my Savior. Beyond the cross a nail-pierced hand reached for me. Numerous times that week I had failed to take the hand offered to me. Instead I had looked behind, turned away, tried to do things on my own, or allowed panic and fear to conquer me and make me ineffective.

“No!” I heard His gentle spirit within me say, not today. “Come!”

I thrust my weary hand forward, praying I had heard right. Doubts flooded my soul, but Jesus’ warm hand pulled me to the other side. Brilliant light chased away the fear and smashed the panic to pieces. I fell to the ground at Jesus feet and confessed my sins, my failures, and my lack of faith.

Though I cried, my cheeks remained dry. When I looked up, I saw my tears glistening on His hands. His eyes searched mine. There was nothing in His gaze but love.

My sins and burdens had been carried far from my heart. I glanced over Jesus’ shoulder toward the cross and found to my amazement a sight of wonder. The cross was full of color and radiating with life. Christ had risen from the dead to raise those who call on His name out of our sinful and heavy lives and into a new life with Him. And as I rested my head on His shoulder I felt renewed, remade and refreshed.

“Return again,” He says to me.

My heart swelled and I realized Christ wanted me. He wants me to be close, to confide in Him, to seek Him. I am wanted. I am cherished. I am someone to the God of all things. And He wants me to be near Him, to come again and again.

As I opened my eyes, I realized my burdens of the week and the tasks of the day had faded in their importance and heaviness. I felt light and ready to take on a new day. Standing hand in hand with my Savior, Lord, Comforter and Friend.

Though I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, I realized the need for change in my life. I must daily spend time to press my hand into the one who can make all things new. To seek God constantly through the day. To walk and talk with Him and be renewed in my mind by His presence. To allow His strength to be mine.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV).

Worried About Money?

By Rachel Indihar  –

Like a lot of teenagers, I took money for granted. I wanted to go to France when I was fifteen and assumed that my mother could afford to pay for the trip. Growing up in middle-class suburbia, I was fortunate to be able to attend plenty of summer camps and field trips. I praise God now that I was able to do all these things without worrying about what it was costing my parents.

Now that I’m an adult and living on my own, I realize that “supporting yourself” means more than just paying for rent and food. I also have to pay for electricity, Internet, dental and medical insurance, and the never-ending college debt. Only after that is all paid can I consider spending money on activities for my own enjoyment.

Although I am single, I’m already starting to worry about the future and the possibility of one day supporting a family. The cost of raising one child to adulthood in America has been estimated to cost $10,000 or more. Regardless of whether this is an accurate estimate, I worry that I won’t be able to give my future children all they need and deserve.

When Jesus was on earth more than two thousand years ago, humanity shared our concerns about money. Although they didn’t have to pay for medical insurance or send their children to college, people still had plenty of fears about supporting themselves.

And what was Jesus’ response? Did he tell them to buy more stocks or lottery tickets? Quite the opposite: “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, —you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:27-31 NIV).

Remember the story of Ruth? She had lost what was considered in those days her life insurance: her husband. A widow who could not find a new husband and was not taken in by her family was the least fortunate of all. No one had more reason to worry than Ruth and Naomi. And yet, how did God provide for them? A wonderful kinsman-redeemer named Boaz saved both women from poverty, and through their marriage a son came into the world who was in the direct family line of Jesus. It’s more than a good story with a happy ending; it’s proof that God cares for and provides for those who love and trust Him.

Happy endings and good results do not always happen instantly when we pray. Jesus did not guarantee an easy life to His followers. However, through heartfelt trust in Him and constant prayer, our faith in God can lift us up above our circumstances and give us peace within the storm. And who knows? Our own Boaz may appear when we least expect him.

A homework assignment for those ready to look through God’s promises: search the Bible, especially the Psalms, for verses that have the word “trust” in them. Ex: Psalm 31:14-15

Untainted Love

By Makenzie Allen –

To: My man of God
Love: Your girl, Kenzie

It has been a year since I last wrote you a published letter. I pray God would give you comfort knowing I am here waiting for you. I’m sure you are feeling pressure to date, as am I, but praying for you has helped me to focus on the long term rather than the short, and I have grown content waiting. The triangle is only getting smaller, closing the gap between God, you and I.

Perhaps you’ve noticed the three-way relationship that comes into focus when you start to pray for your future husband. As you pray that he will be a God Lover you quickly start to see that your own relationship with the Lord has room to grow too. Do you see the triangular relationship that is formed through prayer? You, your future husband, and God. God is at the top of the triangle, while you and your future husband are at the corner points at the bottom. The closer each of you becomes to God, the shorter the distance between the two of you. By praying for the man you will marry one day, you are drawing closer to the Lord. –Robin Jones Gunn

On my left ring finger still sits the purity ring that many people are curious about. I have had humorous stories revolving around my ring, from gruff cowboys asking if I was married, to my little cousin saying my ring meant I was not going to kiss anyone but my future husband. The latter being true, of course. My ring stays firmly on my hand and my heart stays solidly rooted on faithfulness toward you.

As this year begins, I am excited and nervous to see where the Lord will take me as graduation is nearing. Whether you are out there or not, I have been blessed by the experience of praying for someone else and promising my purity to God. It’s as if the love I am saving for you magnifies how much love God has stored up for me.

One of my biggest prayers for you this past year has been that you would find joy in the Lord and not search for happiness in the world. The pleasure found in our world is bound by time; the joy found in our God is ever flowing. I hope that you have been blessed by this abundant joy and that it causes you to be at peace. Can you imagine the testimony? A couple satisfied with God’s love and content watching for His plan to unfold. This is how relationships are meant to be. God did not give us rules on purity just for the sake of having rules; He gave them in order to bless us with untainted love.

This triangle relationship we have illustrates God’s kindness. Not only did He make you and me, He made a plan for us that, when followed, produces blessing. God did not leave us to stumble through life, but rather, extended love and guidance.

Time has passed, and even more will sweep by. I will be here, praying that we yearn for God’s plan and fulfill it. He will bless you and I with untainted love, and we shall bless Him with lives that display His glory.

Someday soon,
Kenzie

As White As Snow

By Susan Dollyhigh –

His bald head glowed, his brown eyes sparkled, and his toothless grin made my heart skip a beat. His right arm rested on my shoulder while his left hand grasped mine as we twirled around in the kitchen. Cole laughed. For now anyway, he seemed to think dancing with Nana was fun.

I looked into the eyes of this five-month-old grandson of mine and relished the pure innocence of his life, as yet, untouched by the world.

“When God looks down at you, Baby Cole,” I said, “He sees you as white as snow.”

We twirled around again, “And when God looks down at me…” and suddenly the trance was broken.

My life has been touched by the world, and I have sinned greatly.

Satan, the great deceiver and peace-stealer, used this opportunity to hiss past sins at me. I could imagine the ugly, jagged scars on my soul. Our twirling slowed, and came to a stop as I felt my heart sink. Baby Cole’s smile faded, and he looked at me as if to ask, “Why did we stop dancing? What happened to our joy?”

But the Lord spoke to my heart and reminded me of Truth.

I know who I am, I am a child of the King. God loves me so much that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, into the world. Jesus paid the price for me, Baby Cole, and all mankind when he shed His blood on the cross. All I had to do was believe in Him, and not only does He forgive my sins, I have the promise of eternal life with Him in Heaven.

My sins have been forgiven.

My sins have even been forgotten.

My sins have been removed from me as far as the east is from the west.

I looked back into Cole’s eyes, and the magical moment returned. Cole and I continued to twirl while God the Father looked down on us and saw us as both as white as snow.

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be wool” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

Prayer: My Father in Heaven, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for the assurance You give us through Your Word that our sins are indeed forgiven, and that we can approach Your throne of grace as white as snow. Amen.

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