Miracle Puppy

Friday, November 1, 2013
Listen to this devotional:
Listen while you read: "Lord Who At Cana's Wedding Feast"1 (Lyrics)

Job 1:21b – The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (NKJV)

Sometimes, the Lord does a miracle just to show that He loves us. One of those miracles was the life of a newborn puppy. He was very large and got stuck in the birth canal. His water sack had broken early on, so he was encased in just membrane for over an hour as we worked hard to extricate him, to no avail. It became clear that we could not deliver him naturally, and we needed to get to the vet, but it was the middle of the night, and we were forty-five minutes from the emergency clinic. As I made the long drive with my little girl howling in the back, I cried and prayed. I had received word just a few hours earlier (in the midst of the delivery) that my sister had passed away that day, and I was completely emotionally raw. For fifteen years, she had been battling cancer of the breast, the other breast, bone, brain, and then liver. My prayer was simple: "Lord, I cannot take any more death today. Please, please preserve the life of this little one." I had the strangest sense of peace come over me, and I arrived at the clinic feeling assured that the pup would be okay.

The vet was sorry to inform me that the pup was not okay. From what they could tell, he was already dead. Rather than C-section for a dead pup, removal by forceps was recommended, and I was asked to leave the room, as he would most likely come out in pieces, given his presentation. I insisted on staying, certain that they were wrong. Amazingly, the pup did come out intact on the first good hard yank, but he was cold, dark grey-blue, and without any vital signs. They worked to resuscitate him, clearing his airways, shaking him down and applying adrenaline, but they were unable to get him breathing or get a heartbeat. After doing all they could, they packed his body in a little cardboard box and sent us on our way.

Once home, I put the pup with his mother under a heat lamp, lay down beside them, and fell asleep. When I awoke hours later, the pup was alive and well, stretching, yawning, and nursing. Needless to say, the vet was shocked and stunned when I brought him back for a checkup! Our little miracle boy has grown to be not only healthy in every way, but the sweetest, most loyal dog that I've ever had.

I believe that this miracle was not a coincidence, but a legitimate way that God chose to show Himself and His love when I needed it badly. I also believe that God cares for all creation and that animals do have a place in God's plan for man. However, I don't know why God saved that pup and not my sister, for whom I'd prayed for years, or hadn't healed my children, who both continue to suffer with mental illness and addictions, or stepped in on any number of other extremely difficult situations. But I'm a person of simple faith, aware that we live in a fallen world in fragile bodies that aren't intended to last forever. I know that we're just passing through, and I am thankful for God's presence and help along life's way, and content to let God be God.

Prayer: Lord, Your ways are a mystery to us, as we cannot see life and its events from Your vantage point, and we cannot know all that You know. Help us to cling to our belief that You are wise, loving, kind, and good in all that You do. Amen.

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About the author:

Kelly Chafe <bkchafe@gmail.com>
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

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1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    THANK YOU!


    Wonderful message Kelly.


    What a truly beautiful Devotional!


    Bless you for encouraging us all today.


    Great attitude great process and great writing. Blessings.


    Thank you for the very touching story: it was most appreciated.


    Thank you for your insight and presentation of your message. It really rings true.


    A powerful story and beautiful faith. Thanks for sharing. My prayers are for you and your family.


    What a lovely story. I couldn’t resist responding to your devotions.
    God Bless.


    What a wonderful faith you have, Kelly, and your words express so simply and eloquently that faith. Thank you.
    (Texas)


    Dear Kelly,
    I really enjoy your story “Miracle Puppy”.
    Thank you.


    Your story is bittersweet. It brought a tear to my eye. Thanks for sharing it with us. ‘Ours is not to question why’ and that whole thing, BUT we gotta keep trusting!!!


    Dear Kelly-
    Being an animal lover as well and a sister, Thank you for your wonderful words. I pray God will bless you and your family with His great goodness always.


    WOW! What a special devotion to start off my day. Wonderful writing Kelly. May God continue to bless you and inspire you. Thank you for sharing these words with us this morning.


    Very powerful devotion showing your faith in God even though it is hard for us to understand. I think this is difficult for all of us when some prayers are answered and other ones which seem more important in our eyes are not. Thank you for sharing.


    Hi: I have tears here. What a touching story! Hope you are doing well coping with the other tough situations with your simple faith. I will send a copy to my grown children, both of whom are animal people, but not Christians.


    What an awesome message of faith and trust in the Lord.
    Thank you so much for sharing.
    I was, also, incredulous, at the puppy’s survival A definite God-thing.
    Keep writing Kelly.


    Thank you for sharing this beautiful example of your “simple faith” … strong and true. My thoughts are with you in the loss of your sister, your children’s struggles with mental illness and addictions and ultimately, how heavy this must be on your heart. God Bless and be with you always, and all ways.


    Good morning, Kelly.
    What a beautiful, inspiring story … reminding us that God is in the details and loves every living thing.
    My condolences on your loss. Thank you for sharing.
    God bless.


    Kelly, I am sure you will be receiving many emails in response to your devotional. We have a loving God. People are pushing Him away more and more. Your thoughts help me keep steadfast and hopeful in my also simple faith that God does hear our prayers.
    God bless you.


    Dear Kelly: Thanks for your open and honest recalling of this time in your life. I’m going to keep this for awhile for your straightforward assessment of God’s love – of what we can control and what we can’t – and trusting His love in the midst of it.
    God bless you, and yours.


    Hi Kelly,
    Thank you for sharing your story. It must have been very difficult to watch your sister struggle and eventually pass away from cancer. It is my greatest challenge with Christian faith … why God seems to answer some prayers, yet remains silent for others. I appreciate your honesty in your daily devotion.


    Dear Kelly,
    I loved the way you described yourself as “a person of simple faith.” Jesus told us to come to Him with child-like faith. I also related to the fact of having lost a pet; it was devastating. Your story and it’s ending was a faith builder. Thank you for sharing.
    (California, USA)


    Dear Ms. Chafe
    Reading this devotion this morning was what I needed today. Your devotion was lovely and I will also pray for your family as I too face these things.
    May God continue to bless you and the miracle pup and also your family.
    Have a bless day and keep writing your inspiring devotion.
    God Bless
    (Trinidad)


    Good Morning!
    Being an animal lover, I was touched by your insistence and faith that your little guy would make it through this situation! I am so glad that he did. We experience His goodness is many ways, and I know that He is still working in your children’s lives even though you may not see it or you, perhaps, are too close to the situation.
    I pray for them and pray that you will be uplifted knowing that He specializes in broken people! and He isn’t finished with us yet!
    (AZ)


    Thank you for this beautiful devotional. My daughter passed away very recently, after a long battle with heart problems. She lived alone with her little dog; they were each other’s lifeline. Her desire was that on her death, the little dog would be put down and they would be buried together. We will follow her instructions.
    Meantime, a couple of days after she passed, my car was damaged, so now there are all the usual things to do in conjunction with insurance, etc. When the party who hit me came to tell me what he had done, my thought was “what next”. Immediately, I prayed to God for strength to carry on through all these things.
    God indeed works in wondrous ways. Your message today gave me a sense of God’s loving arms around me, and I know all will be well.
    Again, thank you. God be with you.


    Dear Kelly:
    God is so magnificent. He shows Himself in so many ways. I know he’s there when the material for a project is exactly enough. A stranger cut my grass when I was unable, etc.
    This past year a tiny great-grandson was born at 26 weeks. He was placed in Saran Wrap because he didn’t have proper skin. He was the size of a pound of butter. He had 8 major surgeries by the time he was 2 months old and never expected to live. Many prayed for him, every month there was a new crisis. He’d forget to breathe and had a stomach tube.
    He was finally able to come home for his first birthday. He has cerebral palsy, or so they say, although it is not visible. He is dearly loved by everyone who meets him and he loves everyone. We are so overjoyed to have this tiny blessing.
    His mom was our wild-child, she has turned out to be the best mom and is pondering God’s goodness. Puppies and babies are God’s special gifts.
    Blessings.


    Thank you for sharing.


    Thank you for your words. Blessings.


    Thank you, Kelly, for your very precious devotional.
    We do not understand God’s way of answering prayer, but as the little saying goes “He doeth all things well”
    Out of all the situation you have living proof that God is aware of the smallest of creatures even an unborn puppy who has brought great pleasure into your life.
    May God bless you richly in the days to come.


    Dear Kelly,
    I like your miracle story, indeed, oh praise the Lord!! I love dogs. I have four golden retrievers in my house and sometimes they were not well. I felt the similar emotion just like you had.
    (Indonesia)


    Kelli, your devotional touched my heartstrings, as God’s holy Love flowed freely.
    Our elder daughter, while not yet a professing Christian as far as I know, lived a similar God’s Healing Love experience.
    Some years ago during winter, she was cross country skiing with her dog in the Yukon.
    As she was passing a Dog Sled and Team of Dogs, the Lead Dog attacked her dog, causing all the other dogs to follow suit.
    My daughter tried to fight off the dogs until she herself fell semi consciencious to the ground.
    When she awoke her dog was lying motionless, covered in bites, still being savaged by all the sled dogs.
    The Dog Team driver finally stopped the attack.
    She saw her dog lying motionless and thought the dog was dead. Her friend managed to get the dog.
    They rushed to the town vet, who said she was too far gone to be saved.
    The vet there held out little or no hope, but agreed to do his best. The surgery was costly, but, God be Praised, the dog made a full recovery.
    Isn’t it so true, Father’s love always finds ways to touch us.
    Kirsti, I pray for our Lord’s healing peace and love to resonate within you and your’s as you mourn the loss of your dear sister. May your little dog that you stood up for, be a special blessing in your life.

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