Our dog, Beau, was the best dog in the entire world. He was smart, loyal, and faithful...always ready to keep you company on a walk, or sit by your chair, or fetch sticks in the pond. We got him as a seven month-old puppy, and in his fifteen years with us, his presence was woven into the fabric of our family story. Our kids grew up with him; they loved him, and he loved them as much as any dog ever could.
I think that dogs are one of God's gifts to people. I really do! And if you ask anyone who has ever loved a dog, they will agree. With their soulful eyes, wagging tails, and wet noses, they just make life better in the way that they love unconditionally, no matter what.
And you can't say that about too many people. Especially not the part about unconditional love.
There is a new book that is out today, called Stay: Lessons my Dogs Taught Me About Life, Loss, and Grace, by Dave Burchett.
I've only read the first chapter online and I'm hooked. I ordered it immediately.
I started to summarize the book for you and then thought, "you know what, the publisher has done a way better job, so why don't I just let them do it?"
You’ll be enthralled by this story of a man and his lovable Labrador retriever, Hannah, and what their canine friendship can show us about life, grace, and long walks in the park.
Hannah was Dave’s best friend. He couldn’t imagine starting a day without her tail wagging an energetic greeting, her body wiggling with sheer gratitude when her food dish was filled, and her unbridled enthusiasm for tennis balls. (How she fit three tennis balls in her mouth at once he’ll never know.)
So when Dave first learned of Hannah’s cancer diagnosis, he decided to take whatever time he had left with Hannah to cherish the moments and capture his thoughts in a journal. As he wrote about his canine friend, he soon realized that Hannah was an able (and furry) mentor of faith, grace, kindness, and forgiveness. The lessons were invaluable: from being present to trusting the master. When Hannah lived well past the expected time frame, Dave started to see that the insights he was gaining were more than just journal entries about a family pet. Through Hannah’s antics, God was preparing Dave for life itself.
You won’t want to miss this heartwarming tale of a dog who knew how to live . . . and showed her owner how.
I wiped away a little tear just now.
I thought you might like to know about this book - perfect for the upcoming Spring Break reading - and get yourself a copy. I'm not an affiliate or anything, just an animal lover who is happy to see another book that shows how creative God is in the ways He speaks to us.
Yes, He uses our furry friends to illustrate timeless truths. You could say I believe that...you know, with my donkey and all. :)
Could there be anything better than soulful eyes, a wagging tail and a wet nose to teach us? Nah.
Nothin' better.
You can order the book right here.
Let me ask you: What have you learned from your dog? Do you have a favorite dog story to share? C'mon! We'd love to hear it!
