"Free to good home—female black Lab, 11 years old."

I saw this ad in my company newsletter and it gripped me. "How will these folks ever find a home for an eleven-year-old dog?" I thought. Less than a year before this, our 11-year-old black Lab died. Because we do not plan to stay at our current home long after retirement, we decided to not get another dog. We did not want to have a dog to give up when it was time to move.

Still, I could not get the thought of this dog out of my mind.

Reluctantly, I decided to send the ad to my wife, knowing she was committed to not having another dog. She was also gripped by the ad and equally concerned for the fate of the dog. We decided to contact the dog's owners and request that they contact us if nobody else was interested. Well, of course, no one else was interested in a dog that old.

Soon we went to meet Sissy. She was an energetic, healthy dog with a wonderful disposition. She was a house dog, but was used to having a lot of room to run around outside. Since we a have a two-acre fenced yard, we knew that she would be happy at our place. So we decided to take her. Since she is 11 years old, she will probably not live longer than we will be at our home and is really a good match to our situation.

When I look at Sissy, I am reminded that God cares about puppy dogs, too. He cares about the small and the great things in our lives. He cares about all of His creation. Whenever I look at Sissy, I will always think of the time that God directly touched the lives of four people through one puppy dog. Two people had cared for their dog for twelve years, but could no longer keep her. They did not want to abandon their faithful friend to an uncertain fate at an animal shelter, but wanted very much to find a good home for her. Two other people needed another dog very much—although they did not know it. But God knew, and God brought four people and a dog together. Why? Because God cares about puppy dogs—and He cares about us too.

Frank Hart works as a systems consultant for an insurance company and is a member of Westside Church of the Nazarene in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Please note: All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of original publication but may have since changed.