The summer after I graduated from law school, I had a lot on my plate. I was studying for the bar exam, finalizing plans for my wedding, living by myself in a new city, and adjusting to life states away from my closest friends.
It wasn’t a bad time, but I was juggling a lot of changes. Suddenly and inexplicably, a fog of depression settled over me. It made it hard for me to function at a time when I needed to get a lot of things done. All I wanted to do was sleep.
I fought the bone-numbing lethargy like a champ by studying on the treadmill, sitting outside with my test prep books in the blistering heat, and trudging to one coffee shop after another, but it was an uphill battle. And the bar exam was getting closer every day.
I was in trouble, and I needed something God-sized to help me snap out of it. I prayed very specifically for a reason to get out of bed in the morning, but I didn’t really expect God to come through for me. In fact, I didn’t really expect much from God at all.
A week later my husband-to-be came to visit. Neither of us had any money, so we resorted to one of our favorite student pastimes: visiting dog shelters for some puppy therapy.
The first shelter we visited was hot, noisy, and had only big dogs. One of the volunteers saw the look on my face and referred us to a small dog shelter in Atlanta. We hopped in the car and went, planning only on petting some lonely puppies.
You know what happened, don’t you? Obviously, I came home with a dog! Not the purebred Cavalier King Charles puppy I had imagined, but a sweet, one-year-old mixed breed who seemed just as desperate to get out of the dog shelter as I was not to be alone in my apartment. Armed with instructions to walk her “three times a day” and the promise that “she won’t shed a bit,” we loaded her back into my high school car and drove her to her new home.
The following Monday when it was time to get up and study again, I didn’t have a choice. Eppie was scratching and howling to get out of her crate. Hours later when I came home from my test prep class and wanted to rest “for just a minute,” she jumped on me to take her for a walk. That evening when I started to doze off over my flash cards, she ran circles like a mad dog around the apartment. When it was time for me to finally go to bed for the night, she started nosing me off the couch and towards the bedroom.
God didn’t just give me a reason to get up and snap out of it, He gave me a 23-pound, 24-hour accountability partner!
Eight years later, that accountability pup has mellowed into a sweet couch lounger who lets my two babies hug her, pull her tail, and give her open mouthed kisses. She comforts my son during thunderstorms and “sings” with us when we say the blessing. She is a friend and family member. She is a gift. She is love.
Now when I pray for something audacious and bold, I think of Eppie. I would have settled for an alarm clock, but God answered my request with a response to prayers not even known at the time. She is evidence for me that God goes before me, behind me, and with me — even when I don’t fully recognize his presence.
Isn’t He the best?
“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” Psalm 96:3
I’d love to hear your story of how God met you in doubt and answered your prayers unexpectedly.
Leave a Comment
Marty says
Great post. Interesting how we ask God for things we don’t believe He will give (I’ve done it, too). And, even if we could imagine a response, it’s only what we could dream from OUR box of possibilities. You said it right…He IS the best! He is also the God of surprises! So thankful that He cares for each of us, and gives us EXACTLY what we need, even when we don’t know exactly what that is!
Melissa Lu says
Thanks for reading, Marty! It’s funny — I wrote this over the summer and needed to read it today as much as anyone. Praying for that “surprise” in your life, however you might need it!
Chavos says
Yes, he is the best Melissa! He’s such a great Father to provide for us, even if we don’t know what we need. Our Father truly is the best and knows the best for us!
Melissa Lu says
Thank you for reading Chavos. This is such a great, encouraging community! How often I don’t know what I need but think I do! Blessings to you today!
Rachel Brunswick says
I am still waiting to hear from God in such a manner. I know he watches over me and takes care of me.
Melissa Lu says
Oh Rachel, it is hard sometimes, isn’t it? I need to tell you that I often don’t see the answer until I have the benefit of hindsight . . . lots and lots of hindsight. As I mentioned to Marty above, I needed to reread my own blog post today because I have a prayer that I have prayed for years that seems to be unanswered. I will pray for you, my friend. Really.
Beth Williams says
Rachael,
Prayers that God will answer your prayers soon! Know that He has plans for you plans to prosper you and not harm you plans to give you a hope and a future! Keep on praying my dear sister in Christ!
He will answer in His perfect timing!
Cynthia McGarity says
I love this so much. It breaks my heart in the most beautiful way imaginable. How can we ever really know what we need? He is so faithful, so loving, so generous. (As I sit and look at my 13 year old German shepherd/Husky mix who was an answered prayer for my daughter at age 5…she just went away to college. We knew it was providential…that puppy’s name was “Cookie” which was the only word my newly diagnosed autistic son could say. Oh, yes, God provides answers!!) Thank you for this sweet, sweet post.
Melissa Lu says
Cynthia, than you for sharing about your Cookie! Even today I was “mad” at God for not giving me what “I need” — silly me! Your comments are so encouraging. Thank you for that!
Carletta says
This post really touched my heart today. I have two “mutts” myself. My two daughters brought home two kittens that I ended up with, also. I really am not a “cat person”. However, the one that was a runt ended up finding a place in my heart. I named her Hobbey after “Calvin and Hobbes” because she liked to jump out and “attack” you. I think she thought she was a dog because she would beg for food from me just like the dogs. She especially loved muffins. She died yesterday after the vet gave her flea medication. I’ve never had a problem dealing with the fleas before, but this year they seemed very aggressive. She became anemic because she wouldn’t let me treat her. She was feisty and would bite and scratch if I tried to do things like that. I don’t know why the vet went ahead and gave her that medicine knowing how weak she was. Then I sobbed like a baby because I had to watch her die from poisoning. On top of that, my Dad just died a month ago from an abdominal aneurysm, and I was with him just a few minutes before it happened. I am going through a many trials right now, and what happened to my Dad and Hobbey all within a month has thrown me into an emotional turmoil. I know they are with God now, but I don’t understand what God’s purpose in all of this is. I am glad that you found your “wake up call”. I pray that God will do the same for me and show me His will in all of this.
Melissa Lu says
Oh Carletta, how my heart breaks for yours. You have experienced a lot of loss, and that is hard. My mom recently found out she has cancer, and I was praying about it and loss in general the other day. As I prayed, I felt as if God said to me that his greatest desire is to bring his children home to him — how he rejoices when they do come home! At the same time, I felt as if I heard him say that He understands and listens to our human hearts and prayers because he has literally walked in our shoes. So — I take that to mean that His heart breaks with yours too. I will pray that you can trust Him through this and that He sends evidence of his love to you.
Beth Williams says
Carletta,
Prayers for healing! May you feel God’s loving touch on you and your family now! My heart is crying to God to come give you a hug and shower you with some grace, mercy and love!
Prayers that you can trust God through all this pain and loss!
(((((Hugs)))))
Diane says
What a blessing your story is. God is good in the good times and bad. He knows what we need and when we need it.
Melissa Lu says
Thank you Diane. Your encouragement goes straight to my heart!
Linda says
Great reminder of how good he is to us, thanks!
Beth Williams says
Loved the story! Pets are wonderful teachers and healers. If I have a bad day then when I get home I grab my “tiny” hold and pet him. It seems to soothe me and calm me down quickly!
It is amazing sometimes how and when God answers our prayers. I think He wants us to have faith in Him that He will do as He says–even if it takes time or the solution sounds crazy like Jerico walls falling outward, but only after doing something that seemed crazy to most people!
God wants us to trust and obey Him!
Hannah Holmes says
Thanks for this! It reminded me of a similar story that God gave me a couple months ago. I’ve been struggling through a rough season in my life for a little while, and really wrestling to trust God. I had just moved into a new apartment (on my own for the first time) and had curtains, but no way to hang them on any of the windows. Desperate for a cheap, easy solution I tried PVC pipe, Command Strips and pretty much everything else… with no success. I felt God speak to my frustration: “Can you trust with me the curtain rods?” It seemed like the most ridiculous thing to me. Why on earth would the God of the universe trouble Himself about my curtain rods? But I grudgingly gave up fighting for the day and spent the night with my parents. When I came back, I was shocked and indignant to find a huge wet spot in the middle of my living room floor. Searching desperately for the leak, I opened a cabinet that I hadn’t put anything in, and haven’t opened since that day. Inside were two unopened packages of curtain rods. I was astounded at the grace of God in that moment to provide for a need I just assumed was too small for Him, and still am: to this day I have not found the source of the mystery leak, nor has it ever happened again. But I never would have opened that cabinet without it. It was just the miracle I needed to continue learning how to trust God. Sorry for the long comment, I just really felt like Jesus wanted me to share that story tonight!
Melissa Lut! says
Hi Hannah! How great that you would share this tonight! I just prayed upstairs at my house for some encouragement, and here this was. So – the Lord continues to work in mysterious ways. 🙂 I”ve been praying about quitting my job for 6 months and felt like He was calling me to do it . . . this week I finally received the courage to do it. But oh – it is scary. So how nice to know that through my pup, your curtain rods, and this little exchange he is reminding us that he hears all our concerns, small and big. You are so awesome for posting this tonight! Thank you!