Preparing our Hearts for a gift…

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father. James 1:17 (a)

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. Josh Billings

A while back, as I was walking my pup, I was reminded again of how God prepares our hearts to receive His good and perfect gifts, even when we are unaware.  A woman, who was also walking her pup, stopped to comment on how my dog was exceptionally cute.  I laughed and told her that, after I got him, I was cleaning out one of my son’s old stuffed animals collections and ran across two stuffed puppies that looked remarkably like my pup! Then I realized that I had yet another one on my shelf!

Before I got my sweet boy, I never thought about owning a dog like him; I always liked symmetrical markings, which my dog does NOT have.  I had always thought about a malamute, beagle, or a Shar-pei (until I realized that Shar-pei drool!). Yet, my canine pal came into my life in a season of grief and now is the dog of my heart. I find it so interesting that it was clear that God had long been preparing my heart to receive the blessing of my little fur family best friend, long before he came into my life!

Sometimes God has a special blessing planned for us, and we have absolutely no idea of what’s coming or how that gift will impact our lives. When we are in the middle of difficult times, we especially need to remember that God DOES provide blessings in all seasons of life and that He is ever preparing our hearts for gifts of love. Our God is full of lovely surprises!