Epic Teamwork

Posted on September 27, 2013 by journeywithmercy

You wouldn’t believe what just happened. We have a door to separate the dining room from the living room. We decided to put Mercy in the dining room for a timeout while we were chilling in the living room. We heard the phone ring and that’s when we discovered that the door was locked. The downstairs phone in on the wall in the dining room. We were not able to get the door open. Meanwhile, the phone went unanswered and  Mercy whimpered behind the door. My husband Peter tried to go to the other side and climb the fence to open the back door, but was unable to.  We live in a townhouse. Then he asked me to come back there with him so he could help me over. I was very scared. I was concerned about Peter being able to lift me up. At first he asked me to step into his hands so he could lift me up like stepping into a stirrup before climbing on a horse. Alas, he wasn’t quite strong enough. Peter’s 55 and 6’3′. He then asked me to grab the top of the fence post so he could boost me up. That worked. He put the back door keys into my hand. I was straddling the 6′ wooden fence. I used to climb 4′ chain link fences all the time as a child, but this was a little different. “I’m 37, not 10!” I cried. But I grabbed his hand, and I grabbed the top of the fence and let my feet down. I rubbed my arms and stomach a bit, but I am otherwise okay. I unlocked the back door and Mercy could not be more pleased to see me. Her tail was wagging so hard.

Posted in Accomplisments, Achievements, Believe, Cooperation, Epic, Faith, Golden Retriever, Helping Hands, Heroism, Inspirational, Marriage, Relationships, Teaming up, Teamwork, Trust, Uncategorized, Valor | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Still carrying on

Posted on September 21, 2013 by journeywithmercy

First of all, I wanted to share with you that Mercy passed her Therapy Dogs Incorporated exam. For membership, she also needs to pass 3 observation visits. Her first observation was with a food pantry. She did wonderful in there. It was great seeing these low-income people struggling being comforted by Mercy. Two of the observations have to be done in a nursing home. She visited the first nursing home yesterday. When the observer greeted her, however, she jumped on her. It was a shock to both of us. The observer almost failed me, but praise God she didn’t. Instead, she is now requiring that I go for a 4th observation, yet tomorrow’s observation visit is already taken. Go figure! Just keep up the patience and faith! I tried to have a meetup at a regional park on the river, and the one Golden Retriever person who signed up said she would come, but didn’t. I decided to take Mercy for a lone swim anyway. When I was ready to head to the car, Mercy ran off and still soaking wet, disturbed two people laying on a beach blanket. They were screaming like the people in the movies do when dogs jump on the dinner table. Yuk Yuk! I was disappointed in myself and Mercy once again. But I am over this. The last thing, and three times the charm, I tried to plan for a meeting for the ministry I am trying to found, Mercy Therapuetic Ministries through meetup.com. As I told you last month, Mercy passed the Canine Good Citizen test on August 9th. I thought the test would be on August 2nd, the last day of class, so I planned for my pilot meeting to take place on the 9th. Lo and behold, while I was taking the Canine Good Citizen exam, the people signed up came to my door. My husband had to tell them I was out with my dog. I then planned another meeting. She had to cancel on me. I then planned another meeting, tonight to be exact. After I was already facing humiliation from the wet dog disturbs relaxing people incident, which happened today also, when I didn’t think it could get any worse, I noticed that the time for my guest to arrive had come and went. I decided to check online to see if she might be running late. Alas, I discovered that she had written me yesterday to confirm if I had remembered if she was coming tonight. I never got the message. I wrote her back immediately, begging her to come, but as of right now I still have not heard from her. A first impression is a lasting impression unfortunately, and now I am concerned that I lost a potentially excellent ministry partner. I invited God into this and I put this into his hands. That’s all I can do. In the meantime, I could sure use some encouragement and support so that I might be able to pay it forward and help someone else in need of comfort. Somebody else out there might also need to read this message knowing that they are not alone in their struggles.

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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 our tour and later in our cruise we also got to meet the master of the Valor, Captain Luigi De Angelis. The Valor has even lived up to it’s name by rescuing people who were lost at sea. I love rescues. You might have heard of the movie Men of Valor. Hats off to our heroes in our military. Other servicemen of valor include firemen and police officers, doctors, nurses, the rescue squad and other service people we rely upon. The fireman who risked their lives on September 11, 2001 will always be remembered. Dogs are also are heroes in that they too perform many services for their masters. Dogs come to the rescue of their owners who are in a fire, having a seizure, protecting them from thugs, rescuing people from drowning. How about those dogs that perform services as part of their regular jobs. Hats off to our K9 heroes, Search and Rescue including those dogs who helped out on September 11th, Seeing eye dogs, Service dogs including my favorite, Tuesday helping Luis Carlos, and of course Therapy dogs, which Mercy is in training to become. It’s especially wonderful when dogs provide comfort to the hurting, particularly hurting children, whether children who are sick in the hospital, special needs kids including those with autism, children from abused homes, children in foster care, at risk youths, children with mental illness, children in prison, children in poverty, or children who are victims of bullying. Why do I say all this? Because I am passionate about using my dog to come to the aid of hurting people, that’s why. Whether it is through missions to other countries, feeding the poor, visiting the sick, or building camps for children with disabilities, serving Jesus Christ and sharing his love and the gospel is the greatest act of heroism there is. The ultimate act of heroism was Jesus dying on the cross on Calvary saving us from our sins and reconciling us to Himself.
Heroism to me includes most of all coming to the aid of people who are alone, in distress and otherwise in need of love and help. The lack of heroism via compassion that I see is very upsetting to me. It is not just people in need who are rejected. Talented, skilled people are also rejected and passed over for the opportunities they are worthy of. What I am saying here is that the attitude and values of people who have the ability to make a difference must change. With so many people being turned down for help or being underappreciated because others don’t think they need or deserve it (using judgement of character as an excuse) due to their own selfish greed, somebody needs to stand up for them. I for one chose to heed the call of God on my life and be a willing vessel to fight for those who are unable to speak for themselves. There is too much injustice of all kinds. There is too much rejection and division. Alot of the poverty we see is a result of social injustice of one sort or another. This injustice is in opposition to the values, virtues, principles and other teachings of Jesus Christ.
The attitudes of society run counter to the Holy Spirit and the teachings of the Bible. The philosophies of people in power, and the resulting values of the rest of American society/culture, which is leading people to turn their backs on others, shunning them and not lifting them up nor helping them succeed due to disapproval is very alarming to me. The lack of compassion and appreciation and acceptance of others breaks God’s heart as well those who are turned down whether for help or for a job or even a hug. As a result of this type of rejection, people feel unloved and worthless. God is very appalled at this as well. The Israelites were oppressed by such people in authority and power by both their own people and other nations. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. It saddens me to see people mostly making money their master instead of God. Unacceptance (rejection, exclusion) happens in schools, the workplace and the church as well as in families and other groups. In school, it is called bullying. In the workplace it is called discrimination. In the church, the family or marriage, it is called an act of betrayal. Hence the division that also leads to injustice. Loving others as Jesus commanded includes being a friend and accepting someone e.g. inviting them to your house or dinner, meeting the needs of others and also appreciating what other people have to offer as well as embracing (not just through hugs) people in the church. Alas, not everyone is willing to share with those who are less fortunate or be a friend towards someone who is different. Not everyone is willing to give talented and skilled and even knowledgable people a chance. One example of injustice is the emotional abuse of a child by a parent, Another is rejecting and turning down people who come for help. Another is an employer refusing to hire or promote someone, because you just don’t like them for who they are. Another is a company nickeling and diming people unneccessarily. Another is berating an autistic child in the classroom by a teacher. Is it any wonder there are so many people who are either heartbroken or don’t have enough to meet their needs or fulfill their dreams! People in this position are far from feeling loved! The unconditional love, especially the unconditional love of a dog, demonstrates the love, mercy, grace and the gospel of Jesus Christ, therefore glorifying God and his kingdom. May the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ shall be shown as God works through me and my dog Mercy for His Glory and Kingdom. I will heed the call of God in my life to come to the rescue of those who are falling through the cracks of society. Often people who are rejected by their family and friends for instance turn to dogs for companionship. The dogs are therefore their only source of love, acceptance and companionship. The dog might be the only thing going for them, not to mention that the ownership of a dog is very beneficial to one’s health. Instead of judging these people and refusing help to them and/or taking their animals away, offer to help walk their dogs. Give the gift of a Petsmart gift card to low income pet owners. If your are a vet with a prospering practice offer discounts and payment plans for those who cannot afford to pay for the surgery their beloved dog might need. These are examples of acts of selfless love that we can offer to those in need. I choose to use my Golden Retriever Mercy as an instrument to demonstrate heroism by showing compassion to others who really need it. Even though humans can reject one another, God will never reject anyone. I am available to Him to by used by Him to love others with or wihtout my dog. Somebody needs to take a stand for those suffering in silence. That person will have to be me in obedience to God. Who else is willing to heed the call on their lives and obey God? I plan to combat the lack of generosity and compassion in this world by starting in my home, and then my community, and then with my home country, and then the world. Who else is willing to lift up and offer support to those who are forgotten and overlooked in order that they may thrive? I long for the return of Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom ruling with justice over humanity, reclaiming paradise for all. Until then, as I said after I came back from my cruise in 2001, I’m off to save the world!

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 women who could be kept out of prison as a result of learning what the love of Jesus really means. I am not interested in titles or even competition. I just want a loving Golden Retriever to help people feel better. I know that Golden Retrievers are to be bred by a certain standard and how competing for titles shows their worth and contribution to the breed, but I see them as loving companions first and foremost. I applaud reputable breeders. What they do for the Golden Retriever is amazing. Still, I would prefer that none of them let it get to their heads. I am trying not to allow owning and training a champion sired Golden Retriever get to my head either. Serving God is not about your accomplishments. It is about what God does through you. Ephesians 2:8-10. I once saw in the New York subway walkways a manned table set up with New Testaments on it. When a young person ran by and picked up one of the books, one of the guys sitting there cried out to him, for he could see right through him, “You want to achieve! You do don’t want to receive!” I received God’s grace of enabling me to pass the CGC test. I opted out of getting a formal CGC title. Why must competing and achieving be top priority anyway? I preach to prospecting puppy buyers to choose breeders who compete with their dogs, but is that really a top priority to me? At a minimum, breeders for screen for elbow and hip dysplasia as well as SAS and heart problems, in other words obtain the 4 clearances and not breed until the dogs are 2. I embrace responsible breeding. Competition, not so much. It is about cooperation, not competition. It is about lifting others up. It is about helping others be successful. It is about including others, embracing them and celebrating them. It is about discipling and mentoring people because you want your blessings to spread to them and not be kept to yourself or your circle of friends. It about giving people a sense of belonging and purpose. Sure, pet ownership is a privilege, but if someone longs to be a part of the dog loving community it is far better to prep them for the responsibility of dog ownership than to just leave them out. This is the message that I will using Mercy as an instrument to spread to the multitudes.

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

Can Jesus Really be Found in our Churches?

Posted on July 16, 2013 by journeywithmercy

I wish to identify with Jesus Christ, a man of compassion, tenderness, sweetness, and kindness. He is full of grace and mercy, always forgiving, always accepting, wanting to be with you to help you and for you to help him. If Jesus is the one with whom you identify, it makes perfect sense that the church who claims to identify with Christ would be in communion with you, with you and the church body, working together for a common goal and purpose. With Jesus wanting us to co-labor with him, that means the whole church together. That means that a true follower of Jesus is never alone, but is engaged with fellow brothers and sisters (Brethren) in Christ passionate about sharing the love of Christ to the lost and hurting, comforting them with love. I still seek after the love of God and Jesus Christ, praying for God to make His love known to me. This includes loving me through others and loving others through me. I am still in the process of networking with others. This is not easy for an introverted, shy outcast. Since I long for love, I also know that others do too. This is where Mercy, my dog comes in. Golden Retrievers seem much more loving, sweet, tender, wanting to be with you, than alot of people who claim to be Christians. There are plenty of churches doing outstanding things for Christ, but why am I not with them, co-laboring with them right now? Why aren’t churches of different denominations co-laboring with each other? Why is there division in the church. Why is it that I am alone, with no one other than my husband and maybe a few friends. I am doing everything I can to reach out. It’s not anybody’s fault that I suffer from mental illness, however, I wish to be treated like family by some church since I am a child of the King! I embrace Jesus so much, and so do many others. So why are we not all in agreement with each other? Why are we divided? (Both me from the body and sects of the Christian church with each other) I don’t feel as though I have any belonging with many people. My thinking might be somewhat flawed, but that’s all the more reason why I need patience, grace, and Mercy and so do many other people like me. I am still on the lookout for fellow partners who will work with me to help all people in trouble or who need help or are hurting to feel loved and cared for. And this is why I am willing to serve using Mercy as an ambassador of Christ’s love, since I know what I am looking for and what others are looking for, even though I don’t feel completely loved myself. Lord, help me not to be a hypocrate. I am inviting hurting people to my home for fellowship and togetherness as well as recruit people who will help me launch my ministry, http://www.meetup.com/Mercy-Therapeutic-Ministries/ I invited lots of people to a dinner, and no-one came except one worldly person who ran away when she saw me. I want to help others like me who might be suffering sllently, afraid of speaking out, because they might be judged. Alot of people consider it bad ettiquite to express pain. Well too bad! In the Bible Jesus cries out from the “Mount of Olives” If only I could gather all of my people under my arms as a mother hen gathers her chicks. When Lazurus died, Jesus wept, both out of sympathy and out of disappointment in their being so sad about his death. He then raised Lazurus from the dead, ending the cause of their grief. A number of people would judge people for expressing their grief, but not Jesus! He cries along with you, keeping your tears in a bottle. I just cried out to God the other day after I got into a fight with a friend, raving about the need to feel loved and telling him how I I certainly didn’t feel His love at that time, especially since I asked Him the day before to do something to help me feel loved by Him. I thought he might be judgeing me, just like the world does. Mercy was in the car with me. She laid her snout on me, very graciously, compassionately and tenderly. It seems like Mercy, my Golden Retriever is willing for others to express their grief to her while she lovingly listens and comforts. Why can’t the people of the Church of Jesus Christ do that? If every person who claims to be a Christian was really passionate about the values of Jesus, they would be inviting other true brethren to join them in the causes for the Kingdom, and true Christians of different backgrounds would be teaming up together for the sake of the gospel being shared (which includes compassion for others) and common goals to achieve this end. Think about it!

Posted in Acceptance, Accomplisments, Achievements, Advocacy, Animal Assisted Therapy, Approval, At risk youths, Belief, Believe, Calling, Challenges, Change the World, Christianity, Comfort, Common Purpose, Compassion, Cooperation, Counseling, Cry for Help, Embrace, Friendship, Fulfillment, Giving, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Hard Work, Helping Hands, Hope, Importance, In Agreement, Included, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Kindness, Love, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Meaning, Mental Illness, Mercy, Ministry, Needs, Opportunities, Passion, Peace, Purpose, Relationships, Respect, Serving, Support, Teaming up, Teamwork, Tears, Tenderness, Therapy, Togetherness, Trust, Unity, Value, Welcome, Wellbeing, Wellness, What matters most, Word of God, Worth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Never Give Up

Posted on June 6, 2013 by journeywithmercy

Although my circumstances may be less than perfect, with my long commute, being away from home for 13 hours, having an autistic son, and money being tight, I am determined pursue what God has called me to do, seeing challenges as opportunities. I have made up my mind that I am going to keep pressing in and pressing on, not matter what it takes. I have decided to take classes through Liberty University online. I am going for my second master’s in Human Services with a focus on Christian Ministry. I may not take classes every quarter, but I will be on my way to completing this second masters.  I also have decided to take Mercy to another CGC prep course at A Click Above in Leesburg, VA.  It is a little on the far side, but it is worth it to me. I am going to aim towards getting Mercy her CGC and then her TDI along with taking her to Novice classes. I was able to get my previous dog Coal certified as a Delta Pet Partner after many years.  I just saw a re-run of the episode of Pit Bulls and Paroles in which an ex-convict raises a pit bull with an amputated leg, named Rocket to be a Delta therapy dog. For him, it was a struggle. For me, it’s a struggle. Mercy is by no means a special needs dog, but like my previous dog, she is a challenge. I have emotional challenges, which feed other challenges I am dealing with. Everything I do is harder, including dog training, but I am dedicated and determined. Hats off to Hernando for raising Rocket to be a therapy dog. He reminds me of myself a lot and what I have had to face as an outcast. Tia Torres is an inspiration to me. I may not be rescuing Pit Bulls, but what God has called me to is no walk in the park, but it will be very rewarding indeed. I am committed to raising Mercy to be a canine ambassador for Christ, while I use her as an instrument to share the love, mercy, compassion and grace of Jesus Christ with people like Tias and Armando, hurting people from broken or dysfunctional homes that end up being targets of bullying, at risk for drugs, gang membership, or crime, as well as just plain dying of a broken heart. Too many people are falling through the cracks, and I am determined to come to their aid. I myself am recovering from a broken heart and fighting and striving not to fall through the cracks myself, while planning to help others to do the same. I am not yet sure of all of the steps I need to take to get there, but God will guide me. As long as I follow God’s lead, I cannot go wrong. I will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and not my own carnal desires. He will not give me challenges that he does not equip me to handle. Step by step, day by day, putting one foot in front of the other to ensure that our family does not go under as well being a champion for Christ, and fulfilling my calling, purpose and destiny. I wish to impact as many people as possible before Jesus comes back. Everyone deserves a chance at a life in which they can thrive. I am fighting for my family and for those others who need help in pursuing their calling. I will be using Mercy to help the hurting in the community and to point others to God and Jesus Christ. To God be the Glory!

Posted in A Click Above, Acceptance, Accomplisments, Achievements, Advocacy, Animal Assisted Therapy, At risk youths, Autism, Bullying, Calling, Career, Challenges, Change the World, Christianity, Comfort, Common Purpose, Compassion, Cooperation, Delta Society Pet Partners, Destiny, Dogs, Enrichment, Faith, Fulfillment, Future, Giving, Goals, God, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, God's Will, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Guidance, Hard Work, Healing, Hero, Holy Spirit, Hope, Importance, Inspiration, Inspirational, Jesus Christ, Kindness, Liberty University, Life, Life Change, Love, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Meaning, Mental Illness, Mercy, Ministry, Needs, Opportunities, Passion, Pitt Bulls, Plans, Prison Ministries, Purpose, Righteousness, Rocket, Service, Serving, Support, Teaming up, Teamwork, Therapy, Thrive, Tia Torres, Unity, Wellbeing, Wellness, What matters most, Wholeness, Wisdom, Worth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Finding Hope

Posted on March 7, 2013 by journeywithmercy

Things are looking up! Praise the Lord! Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can look up and see what God is doing. I know that God is in charge. After over 30 years of being fearful of prayers not being answered, my husband has finally found reason to have faith in prayer again. We are currently in the process of refinancing our house because we could use the lower monthly mortgage payment in part because it is expensive to care for Mercy and raise her to be the messenger of hope, peace, mercy, love and grace that God has called me to raise her to become. She is to be a vital instrument in my sharing the Gospel with others. While I have not been able to find mentors or people willing to work with me to raise Mercy thus far, I trust God to send me the right people in His timing. Back to the discussion of our refinance, we have been longing for the closing day liek Mercy longs for our attention. We applied back in November and were told we were to settle in February and thus be allowed to skip our March 1 mortgage payment. We are refinancing under the Making Home Affordable program. We have faithfully provided multiple copies of my paystubs. As of late February and early March, the refinance had not taken place. We had paid for other things that needed to be paid for with the money we normally would use to pay our mortgage. As of February 28th, there would be no skipped mortgage payment, and we were therefore required to pay for a mortgage payment that we did not have the money for. On March 1st, however, our state refund arrived just in the nick of time for the mortgage. Even more important and valuable than the mortgage being paid is the fact that my husband has renewed hope and faith in the future that he has not had in decades. Praise the Lord! I know that God will continue to faithfully provide. We have more prospects of improved and increased finances in the works. I know that God will come through! Hallelujah! I am believing for the best outcome in all things to come! I will continue to update you all about God’s faithfulness. We are now hoping to hear of a closing date for this month and a skipped April 1st payment. With this refianance, we will be saving 2 % of our current mortgage rate. I praise God, that he will bring our refinance to closing and send someone to help me raise Mercy to be an Animal Assisted Therapy dog and that God will provide for obedience training classes. God is good! I appreciate and and all prayers of agreement for God’s continued blessings!

Posted in Accomplisments, Achievements, Advocacy, Animal Assisted Therapy, Approval, Belief, Calling, Cooperation, Destiny, Dreams, Faith, Financial Difficulty, Goals, God, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, God's Will, Golden Retriever, Hope, Importance, In Agreement, Jesus Christ, Life Change, Love, Mercy, Ministry, Miracle, Needs, Prayer, Promises, Purpose, Service, Serving, Support, Therapy, Thrive, Wellbeing, What matters most, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A less than ideal lifestyle and circumstances should not be used against you

Posted on January 30, 2013 by journeywithmercy

Earlier on, I had lamented about not being where I belong. Then when Mercy had a few less than desirable adolescent behavior quirks, I lamented about my personal trainer giving up on me, saying that I didn’t deserve Mercy because of my having less than ideal circumstances, which includes having to commute 30 miles to work each day and being away from home for over 12 hours a day, therefore not enabling me to be at home an spend as much time with Mercy as I need to, to raise her to be the tool for God’s kingdom that I have been called to do. Since my husband is at home during the day, he is expected to take most of the responsibility for the dog. I am always hopeful that my husband, whom I have also discussed earlier, musters up the strength, encouragement and motivation to overcome his issues so he becomes more capable. It is a two way street. Others should be willing to get in the trewnches with you, going the extra mile and working with you on the areas where we are weak. My husband does the best that he can. He is attending a one on one bible study with a mentor at our church, who is helping him overcome his insecurities and to have a better relationship with God. Since my son has autism, which we only knew about as of November, my husband works his butt off caring for him every day. The dog trainer acknowledged this, however it was used against us. She was saying that since I need to work for most of the day and since my husband as a stay at home dad is occupied with Joshua, that Mercy’s needs are going unmet and that I therefore have to rehome her. Quite of number of folks would argue that we are not being fair to Mercy, not making her enough of a priority because of our lack of availability, and therefore would recommend that we would rehome her. However, when God calls someone, he doesn’t usually call someone who is already equipped or adequate for the purpose He has called them for. David had to stay in the field a bit longer tending sheep before he became king after being elected. I otherwise give Mercy excellent care and give her much more attention than my last dog. If anything, having a son with autism is more of a reason to have a dog in the home. I admit, that at this very moment that Mercy might not be benefitting my son, but Golden Retrievers are very trainable dogs. I just need more time with Mercy! I agree that people should consider whether they have the time, energy and resources to properly care for a dog before they get one. But, as I have explained throughout my blog, aquiring Mercy and training her to be a working dog for God’s kingdom is my calling. I might not have the ideal lifestyle right now, but I am trusting God to most graciously come through with an amazing miracle. I am not going to put God in a box and tell him how to help us. I am thankful that He has a plan to transfer us to the life He made us for, where we will be thriving and fulfilled. I am leaning on Him and focusing on Him, since there is really nothing else I can do conventually to improve my life. I have applied to other jobs, checked out alternative careers and the like. But God wants to do something for me that I have not even thought of. I can feel the winds shifting into my direction, with God using His miracle working power as only he can. I hope more and more people will partner me and team up with me and cooperate with God’s plan for me to use Mercy for AAT (Animal Assisted Therapy) for His kingdom. People need to read God’s Word and interpret His word for themselves instead of listening to bad advice from others. Yes, the majority of the burden of responsibility for caring for the dog must be on the owner, but when the owner wants the best for his/her dog and is not quite able to give the dog as much attention as desired, especially since the dog is an asset in his/her life then people should be willing to go the extra mile and help that person, filling in the gap between where they are and where they need to be, supporting them and working alongside them all the way instead of giving worldly conventional wisdom. I could really use some prayers of support. I need other people who will be in my corner working with me as well as praying for me, so that I can in turn help others with their callings. God’s plans may look strange to people who rely on worldly conventional wisdom, but if we are serious about what Chirst wants, we need to be on the same page as Him and not lean on our own understanding. I am willing to be wrong. I always ask God to have His will over mine. But after hours of praying and seeking God over the last year and a half and living a hollow life for the two years after my son was born I know that raising a dog for therapuetic ministry is what I am called to do. It’s where my heart is! The last few times I cried tears with heaving sobs, it was related to people being opposed to the notion of dogs giving people therapuetic solace. God uses the foolish things and weak people of this world to shame the wise. We are all to commune together as one in cooperation for God’s purposes despite our differences. Are you on God’s team?

Posted in Acceptance, Accomplisments, Achievements, Advocacy, Animal Assisted Therapy, Approval, Autism, Belief, Calling, Career, Change the World, Christianity, Comfort, Comfort Dogs, Common Purpose, Compassion, Cooperation, Destiny, Dogs, Dreams, Enrichment, Extra Mile, Faith, Financial Difficulty, Fulfillment, Giving, Goals, God, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, God's Will, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Healing, Health, Hero, Holy Spirit, Hope, Importance, In Agreement, Jesus Christ, Kindness, Life, Life Change, Love, Making a difference, Meaning, Mercy, Ministry, Miracle, Needs, Passion, Peace, Prayer, Promises, Purpose, Relationships, Righteousness, Satisfaction, Serving, Solace, soothing, Support, Teaming up, Teamwork, Tenderness, Therapy, Thrive, Togetherness, Unity, Value, Wellbeing, Wellness, What matters most, Wholeness, Wisdom, Word of God, Worth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Who can stand against?

Posted on January 21, 2013 by journeywithmercy

If God is for us, who dare be against us! God answered my prayers based on my last post, but not in the way that I thought he would. As I was driven to my knees, God spoke to me and told me that my personal trainer’s prediction of Mercy becomming an agressive dog was inaccurate at best. Who says you have to perform perfectly in order for things not to fall apart? I have a life purpose for the sake of God’s kingdom! I am going to follow my heart regardless of what anybody else says. Dogs were created for us, not us for dogs. Even though a dog’s needs are important, you should not have to be a perfect dog owner in order to have a have a dog. This especially applies to those God has called to use their dogs as an instrument of God’s grace and healing. Obviously my private dog trainer didn’t care enough about my passion or my calling or she would have come up with other options to ensure that nothing separates us. But with her telling me that keeping her would not be in Mercy’s best interest is a bunch of nonsense! I need Mercy in order for my talents and passion to be nurtured. I may not be at home as much as I would like to be as I have lamented in a previous post, but I am trusting God for more open doors of opportunities. Having Mercy empowers the core of my being like nothing else ever has. I need people to stand in agreement with me in order for God’s hand to be moved for in His word it says when 2 or 3 are gathered in His midst, He hears them. I know God will open the pathway into my life’s purpose even if no one else is on board with me or on my side. I will rise above other people’s negativity and embrace the truth of God and His call on my life. He does not call the equipped. He equips the called. Since I have been called into full time ministry with Mercy, I know God will equip me to use Mercy as an instrument of His mercy, peace, love and grace. God will indeed open the pathway to living my life’s purpose no matter what, for where there is a will, there is a way. Nobody dare oppose God’s ministry of mercy and healing. No one is going to stop me from making my dreams come true. Mercy Therapuetic Ministries is taking off!

Posted in Acceptance, Accomplisments, Approval, Art, Autism, Beauty, Calling, Change the World, Christianity, Comfort, Comfort Dogs, Compassion, Destiny, Dogs, Dreams, Enrichment, Giving, Goals, God, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Healing, Health, Hope, Importance, Jesus Christ, Kindness, Life Change, Love, Making a difference, Making an Impact, Meaning, Mental Illness, Mercy, Miracle, Needs, Passion, Peace, Prayer, Promises, Purpose, Righteousness, Service, Serving, soothing, Tenderness, Thrive, Trust, Uncategorized, Value, Wellbeing, Wellness, What matters most, Wholeness, Worth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My ministry with Mercy is in jeopardy!

Posted on January 18, 2013 by journeywithmercy

Earlier in this blog I mentioned how God miraclously got Mercy for me. Now I need another miracle for Mercy. As I have lamented in this blog that I am not where I belong and that my lifestyle is not ideal for giving Mercy as much training as I would like to prepare her for my ministry. I have already been praying to God for a miracle to provide abundantly for as long as I can remember so that I can pursue the dreams that God has put onto my heart. God does not put dreams on people’s hearts and then not enable people to make them come true. God doesn’t work that way.

Here is what is going on. We hired a professional trainer just because we were working on a few problems we were having with her as can be expected with any adolescent Golden. Because of my work hours the trainer concludes that we are not able to give Mercy what she needs and that I therefore need to rehome her. She was saying that we should have consulted with her first before we even got the dog and she would have said absolutely not. She is so pessimistic saying all of the bad things that will happen like Mercy becommng an aggressive dog and the need for her to be rehabbed. Gimme a break! She is having normal adolescent behaviors that just need to be worked on. I know she would do better if I was home with her for longer periods, but that’s why I need people to stand by me and support me with prayers and moral support. Having Mercy has changed my life. My depression has lifted dramatically and I have the motivation to takes steps to improve my life that I otherwise would not have. My son might have autism and need lots of attention, but that’s more of a reason to have this special dog not less of one. I know they will be best buddies. Having a dog is one of the best things you can do for children with autism. I am praying for a win win situation for everybody involved. I am in a dire situation, although I seriously don’t think things are as bad as she is making them out to be. She was even scoffing at me saying “How can you raise her to be a therapy dog if you cannot make the changes needed at home?” Needless to say I am firing this trainer. I have already asked around for second opinions. I need someone who will stand by me, support me, have my back, mentor me and help me and Mercy to get from where we are to where we need to be. I need people who are just as passionate about my vision and calling to be a peacemaker using Mercy as a symbol of the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ as I am, since it is what God wants. I need someone who will believe in me. Having a Golden Retriever especially one for the purpose of helping others should not be a joy that is out of reach for me or denied to me. God does not withhold good things from those who walk uprightly as promised in His word in Psalm 84:11. I need to be able to keep Mercy for the sake of my wellbing as well as for the sake of God’s Kingdom not to mention for the sake of my dog trainer’s salvation.

You can kind of say that the purpose of today’s blog is to appeal to my followers to help support me in this and offer alternative suggestions to the ones that this dog trainer is giving. I know it is not God’s will for me to get rid of Mercy. If it was, he would have never blessed me with the miracle mentioned earlier in the blog in the first place! God’s performed a miracle before. I know he can do it again.

It is time to really lean on God for greatest miracle yet! I can’t wait to share with you all later my awesome testimony! May God be glorified! I need your prayers that this does not become a broken dream. if I lose Mercy, a part of me will die. I need her for emotional support as well as for the purpose of giving comfort others who are hurting as well. I choose to stay positive and never give up or loose hope. That is the last thing I want to do.

Posted in Acceptance, Advocacy, Approval, Autism, Calling, Career, Change the World, Christianity, Comfort, Comfort Dogs, Compassion, Cry for Help, Deny, Destiny, Dire, Dreams, Enrichment, Financial Difficulty, Giving, Goals, God, God's Glory, God's Kingdom, Golden Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Happiness, Healing, Health, Hope, Importance, In Trouble, Jesus Christ, Kindness, Life Change, Love, Making a difference, Meaning, Mercy, Miracle, Needs, Passion, Prayer, Promises, Psalm 84:11, Purpose, Service, Serving, soothing, Tenderness, Thrive, Uncategorized, Wellbeing, Wellness, What matters most | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment