Celebrating Another Year of Living with Grace

Today, North Shore Animal League Featured Gracie’s Adoption Story on their Facebook Page. It’s a testimony of God’s work through our partnership and is an answer to our prayer that God would make His name famous through our lives. In only 2 hours, that testimony is approaching almost 2,000 likes! What an incredible blessing!

I’d dreamed for most of my life of growing up and adopting a big mutt that would traverse wooded trails and sandy beaches with me; who would let me cry into her neck when I was heart-broken and make walking through the front door a joyous reunion. When I moved to a small pastorate in New England, the timing was perfect, and after a prayerful search, God led me to love in a fur coat!

Welcoming Gracie Home from the Shelter

Shortly after I adopted Gracie, I was on a date with a man who was also in the ministry. When he learned that I’d just adopted a dog, he looked at her photo with distaste and asked, “So…what’s the life expectancy on a dog like that?” As he was doing the mental math, trying to figure out a timeline for relationship after the dog was dead, I was doing the mental math, trying to figure out how soon I could get out of the coffee shop! 🙂 There was something very “Anti-Kingdom-of-God” about that. (As you can imagine, that relationship didn’t last!)

Her First–and Last–Christmas Dress!

Later that night I came home, pulled my new pup into my lap, laid hands on her head and prayed a blessings over her, saying, “Gracie…I bless you in the name of the Lord with a long life, a generous spirit, a kind and obedient nature, and a keen ability to be used in the ministry; that through you, God would lead me to people who need to meet Jesus and connect me with those I’d never connect with apart from you. The Lord bless you, for you are God’s grace to me.” I remember this prayer so well because I’ve laid hands on her and prayed it almost every day for the 4 years since.

Trick-or-Treaters!

Humiliated on Halloween!

And BOY has God answered that prayer, exceedingly! Just a few weeks ago, on a beautiful summer Saturday, I dedicated a new baby at the home of someone I met through Gracie. The sweet baby’s mother and I met while she was the manager of the pet store where I buy our dog food. Her family wanted to dedicate their baby but didn’t have a church to call home. She remembered that I was a pastor and asked someone to look me up in the system, searching by my dog. Suddenly I got a phone call and found myself in the middle of a backyard, surrounded by strangers, telling them about a Kingdom in which God was crazy about them. Again, Gracie was the catalyst that God used to make an eternal connection.

Bumping Into Governor Malloy at the Pet Store!

Skyping with Korea

Gracie and I will both celebrate a shared birthday together on 10/10 and just a few weeks later we will mark our 4th anniversary as “Pack Leader and Pack Follower” (we alternate who occupies which role!). During the last 4 years, God has walked us through some incredibly painful challenges on extremely dark days as well as through some joy-filled moments that rival one another for the title of “best.day.ever.”

Recovering from Surgery after a Vicious Dog Attack–Thank God for Protecting Her and Keeping Her Personality So Sweet!

Swimming in Long Island Sound

Starting to look a bit alike… 🙂

The word “Grace” is defined as “God’s un-merited favor,” and I can think of no better-fitting name to describe my beloved companion. Gracie is simply a gift from God; an un-deserved gift that teaches me—and all that come in contact with her—about the Lord’s loving kindness and favor that is offered to anyone who is willing to receive it. Unconditionally.

With her Friend Nola

With her Best Friend Chai, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

With Her Cousin Kyler

That prayer for God to use Gracie has been answered over and over in the last four years and her influence is international in scope. Whether it’s spending the evening visiting with our adoptive Mexican grandmother, greeting the young Jewish men studying at the Yeshiva down the street, or spending the day in the office at the Korean church where I work, Gracie is always reminding me, and those we come in contact with, about the Kingdom of God.

In fact, my little Muslim neighbor girls from Bosnia have now plastered my fridge with love-notes to my dog. And when they come to my kitchen window with joy–and sometimes tears–calling for Gracie, the Kingdom reminds me that they, like all of us, are really calling for Grace.

Happy 4th Birthday, Gracie Girl! And many more.

P.S. If you aren’t already over-dosed on Gracie pics, here’s a few more 🙂