Category Archives: Animal Assisted Therapy

Striving to be enough?

Posted on July 2, 2016 by journeywithmercy

Often times I struggle to be fit enough for some things. I often feel degraded then rejected and excluded from what is important to me for messing up even with those things I am passionate about. I have been dealing with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Accomplishments, Accuse, Accused, Achievement mentality, Achievements, Advocacy, Agreement, American Culture, Animal Assisted Therapy, Approval, Authenticity, Autism Awareness, Being fit enough, Believe, Belonging, Bi-polar Disorder, Burnout, Calling, Challenges, Christianity, cliques, Closed Doors, Cohesion, Common Purpose, Compassion, Competence, Competition, Cooperation, Degraded, Demoralization, Demoralized, Depending on God, Destiny, Devalued, Difficulty, Disappointment, Disapproval, Discord, Discouragement, Discredited, Division, Dog Training, Dreams, Driven, Empowerment, Encouragement, Enrichment, Exclusion, Faith, Fulfillment, Fundamentalism, Giving, Giving up on someone, Goals, God's Glory, God's Love, God's Presence, God's Will, Good enough, Grace, Growth, Guidance, Happiness, Harmony, Healing, Health, Health Care, Heart, Hope, Human Animal Bond, Identity, Important Endeavors, Included, Inclusion, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Jesus Christ, Judging, Leadership, Light, Luke 10:38-42, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Matters of the Heart, Meaningful, Meaningful Life, Meaningful Purpose, Measuring up, Mental Health, Messing up, Ministry of Reconciliation, Mission, Mixed Messages, Opportunities, Overcoming, Passion, Peacemaking, Persistence, Pet therapy, Prayer, Purpose, Qualified, Quality of life, Reconciliation, Rejection, Relationships, Relaxation, Respect, Second chances, Seeking God, Serve, Serving, Setbacks, Shame, Social Norms, Stress, Strive, Struggling, Success, Teamwork, Thriving, Togetherness, Trust, Trusting God, Understanding, Unity, Values, Vocation | Leave a comment

Persistence pays off

Posted on April 19, 2016 by journeywithmercy

After a few setbacks, Mercy and I are back in the saddle. God was dealing with me for a while, purifying my heart and humbling me. Back last November, I decided that I would let my Therapy Dogs Inc., (now … Continue reading →

Posted in Access Ministry, Accomplishments, Agape Love, Animal Assisted Therapy, Assessibility Summit, Autism, Autism Awareness, Behavioral Health, Believe, Belonging, Calling, Career, Challenges, Change the World, Children, cliques, Closed Doors, Comfort, Compassion, Competence, Confidence, Counseling, Dealing with Reality, Depending on God, Depression, Destiny, Determination, Difficulty, Divine, Dog Training, Dream, Dreams, Embrace, Empowerment, Encouragement, Enrichment, Faith, Faithfulness, Fulfillment, Future, Goals, God, God's Glory, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Kingdom, God's Love, God's Presence, Golden Retriever, Goodness, Grace, Growth, Hard Work, Health, Heart, Hope, Human Animal Bond, Humility, Identity, Important, Important Endeavors, Included, Inclusion, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, Joy, Kindness, Leadership, Liberty University, Life, Life Change, Life Transformation, Light, Love, Lovelyness, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Meaning, Meaningful Purpose, Mental Health, Mercy, Ministry, Mission, Obedience, Open Doors, Overcoming, Patience, Pay it Forward, Peace, Persistence, Prayer, Priorities, Purpose, Pursuing, Reassurance, Righteousness, Seeking God, Service, Serving, Setbacks, soothe, soothing, Special needs kids, Struggling, Success, sympathy, Tenderness, Therapuetic, Therapy, Therapy Dogs, Trust, Trusting God, Uncategorized, Unspoken Rules, Valuable, Worth, Worthwhile, Worthwhile Endeavors | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God is directing me on a new path

Posted on November 9, 2015 by journeywithmercy

I know I have not written in a long time. I have suffered some setbacks with Mercy since my last post. Mercy has needed more training to renew her skills and manners lately. Needless to say, life has been very … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Animal Assisted Therapy, Approval, Arrested Emotional Development, At risk youths, Autism, Autism Awareness, Believe, Bi-polar Disorder, Calling, Career, Challenges, Cohesion, Comfort, Common Purpose, Compassion, Competence, Comrade, Confidence, Cooperation, Disappointment, Dog Training, Dogs, Dreams, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Goals, God, Grace, Hope, Hurt, Love, Mental Health, Outcasts, Purpose, Rejection, Respect, Second chances, Setbacks, Shame, social skills, Stress, Struggling, Support, Understanding | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Child’s Heart – Love of Animals

Posted on July 27, 2015 by journeywithmercy

I care about the hearts of children. Maybe it’s because my own heart is wounded. Deep down, I am still a hurting little girl. God is using this to help me identify with and relate better to children. Sadly, there … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, affection, affirmation, Alley cats, Animal Assisted Therapy, Animals, At risk youths, Beauty, Believe, Calling, cats, Change the World, Childlikeness, Children, Comfort, Cooperation, Desires, Destiny, Disappointment, Disapproval, Disdain, Displeasure, Dreams, Embrace, empathy, Enrichment, Hopes, Hurting, Intimacy, Kindness, Love, Nature, needy, Passion, Pet therapy, Rescue, stray cats, sympathy, Tenderness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trying out for Mercy’s Stardom

Posted on August 26, 2014 by journeywithmercy

I can’t help but revisit the possibility of God wanting me to become well known. I know he called me to represent His love and His grace and mercy towards people particularly disadvantaged youths using Mercy as a divine instrument. … Continue reading →

Posted in Accomplishments, Achievements, Animal Assisted Therapy, Art, Believe, Calling, Career, Challenges, Change the World, Cheer, Childlikeness, Comfort, Compassion, Counseling, Depending on God, Destiny, Dreams, Enrichment, Epic, Faith, Financial Difficulty, Fulfillment, Future, Goals, God, God's Glory, God's Goodness, God's Grace, God's Kingdom, God's Love, God's Promises, God's Will, Golden Retriever, Grace, Guidance, Heroism, Hope, Importance, Jesus Christ, Kindness, Life Change, Love, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Meaning, Mercy, Ministry, Ministry of Reconciliation, Miracle, Miracles, Mission, Needs, Opportunities, Passion, Peacemaking, Prayer, Promises, Psalm 84:11, Purpose, Seeking God, Serving, Support, Tenderness, Therapy, Thrive, Thriving, Trust, Unity, Valor, Want, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mercy, the Epitome of Grace!

Posted on March 29, 2014 by journeywithmercy

Mercy, the Epitome of Grace!.

Posted in Acceptance, Animal Assisted Therapy, Autism, Believe, Comfort, Compassion, Destiny, Dogs, Embrace, Faith, Fulfillment, God, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, God's Love, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Grace, Healing, Inclusion, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, Love, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Meaning, Mercy, Ministry, Opportunities, Passion, Purpose, Service, Serving, Special needs kids, Therapy | Leave a comment

Mercy, the Epitome of Grace!

Posted on March 29, 2014 by journeywithmercy

Mercy was granted an opportunity to serve through Summits Therapy Animal Services tonight. She visited with special needs kids at a special therapy dog event at a local community center. There were other dogs there and there was even a … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Animal Assisted Therapy, Autism, Beauty, Believe, Career, Comfort, Compassion, Destiny, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, God's Love, Golden Retriever, Grace, Healing, Health, Inspirational, Love, Mercy, Ministry, Purpose, Serving, Solace, soothing, Special needs kids, Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I now have an online Golden Retriever souvenir store

Posted on October 13, 2013 by journeywithmercy

Hello everyone. It has been quite the time the last few weeks. Mercy did a fantastic job at the assisted living facility during her second observation visit for getting certified with Therapy Dogs Incorporated. She needs one more visit before … Continue reading →

Posted in Animal Assisted Therapy, Cool, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Making a difference, Mercy, Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What does Valor (Heroism) mean to you?

Posted on August 15, 2013 by journeywithmercy

Last May, my husband and I sailed on the Carnival Valor for our 7th wedding anniversary. We even participsated in the Behind the Fun tour where we got to visit the engine control room and the bridge as well. During … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Accomplisments, Achievements, Advocacy, American Culture, Animal Assisted Therapy, Anti-Bullying, Approval, At risk youths, Autism, Believe, Bullying, Calling, Career, Carnival Valor, Celebrating, Change the World, Christianity, Comfort, Common Purpose, Compassion, Cooperation, Counseling, Cry for Help, Deny, Destiny, Division, Dogs, Dreams, Embrace, Enrichment, Extra Mile, Faith, Financial Difficulty, Friendship, Fulfillment, Giving, God, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, God's Will, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Hard Work, Healing, Health, Helping Hands, Hero, Heroism, Holy Spirit, Hope, Humility, Included, Inclusion, Injustice, Inspiration, Inspirational, Jesus Christ, K9 Dogs, Kindness, Life, Love, Low Income, Luis Carlos, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Meaning, Mental Illness, Mercy, Ministry, Obedience, Opportunities, Passion, Peace, Poverty, Purpose, Rejection, Relationships, Search and Rescue Dogs, Service Dogs, Serving, Society, Special needs kids, Support, Tears, Tenderness, Therapy, Thrive, Thriving, Togetherness, Trust, Tuesday, Unity, Valor, Value, Welcome, Wellbeing, Wellness, What matters most, Wholeness, Word of God, Worth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mercy passed the Canine Good Citizen Test

Posted on August 10, 2013 by journeywithmercy

Mercy passed the Canine Good Citizen test. Praise God! This opens a door towards therapy dog opportunities. I am still exploring my options, but my passion lies with comforting disadvantaged youths. Just think of all of the young men and … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Accomplisments, Achievements, Animal Assisted Therapy, Approval, At risk youths, Calling, Canine Good Citizen, Celebrating, Challenges, Change the World, Christianity, Comfort, Compassion, Competition, Cooperation, Discipling, Dogs, Dreams, Embrace, Enrichment, Fulfillment, Goals, God, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, God's Will, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Guidance, Hard Work, Healing, Hope, Humility, Included, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Kindness, Love, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Meaning, Mercy, Miracle, Opportunities, Passion, Peace, Relationships, Satisfaction, Service, Serving, Teaming up, Teamwork, Therapy, Titles, Togetherness, Uncategorized, Unity, Welcome, What matters most, Worth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment