Held For Ransom

When God created puppies, I think He was especially thinking of children. The matched energy, unconditional love and companionship, really nothing can be a better match.

We were in transition, between leaving our home, our family, our friends, and our country. We had traveled to the U.S.A. to both celebrate Christmas with our American family and purchase property to build on. It was especially hard on our youngest daughter. Already not liking change, the thought of leaving behind her friends was nearly unbearable for her. Our two small dogs, Wally and Amelia had traveled with us, they helped root her and gave her companionship.

It was one week before Christmas. We decided to go Christmas shopping. My father-in-law had made a special pen for the dogs so they could go outside. We locked the gate and said goodbye. Not long after we left a storm blew in. Thunder, lightning and high winds. When we returned we found Amelia had spooked and somehow climbed the fence and escaped.

We went out in the storm walking the streets, calling her name and knocking on doors. I tucked in a sobbing girl that night. We prayed together asking God to both protect our puppy and bring her home.

This went on for several days. Our daughter continued to pray. We prayed for a Christmas miracle but it didn’t come. I was giving up hope and began praying that God would protect her faith. I knew He had the power to return our dog, but my sinful heart doubted. My thoughts were dark, I questioned why He would allow the dog to go missing when He knew how badly our daughter needed her. I knew my questioning was wrong. I documented my thoughts in my journal and asked God to change my heart so that my attitude would be in tune with Him and to trust that He knew what He was doing.

Two days after Christmas we received a phone call. Our dog had been found and they would be returning her that very afternoon! Our daughter squealed with excitement and sat by the window waiting for them to come. She waited and waited but no one came. I finally once again sent her to bed sobbing. Four more days passed and no one came. Eventually she calmed down and came to grips with the fact that our dog had been stolen.

On the eleventh day we received another phone call. Sadly our daughter was by the phone and overheard the conversation. This time they asked for money. We talked to the police, who doubted that the people even had the dog and that they were trying to scam us.

“What is going on God? Please protect our daughter’s faith AND mine– this all seems so cruel!” God heard my prayers. I went to bed at peace, trusting that He knew best.

Two weeks to the day we received another phone call. This time they revealed their address. They were in a neighboring town and were still insisting on money. My husband and father-in-law quietly slipped out the back door without our daughter knowing and cautiously headed to the address with money in hand. An hour and a half later they returned.

Our daughter was laying on our bed when my husband walked in and set Amelia on the bed. NEVER has there been a reunion more rejoiced over. My heart sang, not only because of the happy reunion but how God had both taught me a lesson in trust and added a measure of faith to one of His young daughters.

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37 KJV