08/03/2025
The following is a little story about Belle, our mascot, when she became a member of our family. I hope you will read to the end. I was cleaning out some old books and files and found a journal entry I made during a Daniel Fast in 2013. We had just brought a French Bulldog into our home and named her "Belle". This excerpt was written on 12.30.2013 just 3 months after Belle was born. I am posting it exactly as written:
Monday, 12.30.13
Yesterday as our pastor preached about fasting, he encouraged us to fast with water only one day out of the 21-day Daniel fast. Today will be the day for me.
Last night as I was getting ready to go to bed & read, I took Belle and Shade (our six-year old lab) out for a quick “potty” before putting them to bed. Before I realized it, they had vanished. I called, I opened & closed the door so they could hear the chime (this sometimes brings Belle back), I shook the treat box…they were gone. This is the first time they had gone out of sight. But it was dark so I wasn’t sure. I went to find a flashlight. I found a very small one and walked around the yard but I couldn’t see much. I interrupted my husband’s sauna to tell him & ask him where the head flashlight was I gave him for Christmas. He immediately got out to help me look. He put batteries in the head flashlight for me and then took two flashlights with him through the woods. I searched the yard, down to the lake, down the driveway. As I searched, I prayed and pleaded for God to bring my baby home. I was so scared that she would get lost, stolen, drown or get eaten by wild animals. At least an hour passed. As I was praying, I remembered my pastor’s sermon and I was prompted to commit to fasting with “water only” if he would send my baby home immediately.
I remember when my pastor mentioned a one-day water fast, I thought, “I don’t know if I can do that. I’ve never done that before.” When the thought came to my mind (I believe I was prompted by the Holy Spirit) I tried at first to push the thought away. But it wouldn’t go away so I prayed out loud that I would fast all day if he brought my babies home. He answered my prayer!
I continued to walk and pray. I could hear my husband calling in the distance. All of a sudden, I heard the jingle of a tag. I started calling out in the direction of the sound and out ran Shade, my lab. I didn’t see Belle but then several seconds later I heard her little tag and she came running out of the woods in front of me.
I know in my heart that God answered my prayer! I believe an angel turned them around and brought them back to me to the exact spot I was standing. I am so thankful to God! I know it might sound crazy to some people to get that worked up over a dog but God cares about even the little things. (big to me!)
My husband had walked two miles through the woods looking for them. I tried calling him but he didn’t answer. I then saw where he had left me a message to come pick him up on a street over from where we lived. When I told him the dogs came home he said, “Thank you Jesus!”.
He went back to his sauna. I put the dogs to bed and went to bed to read my devotional. After he finished his sauna, he came to me and said while he was in the sauna praying and reading the bible, God spoke to him and said, “Would you pursue me like you pursued the dogs? Lord, may I pursue you with the same passion I pursued my dogs. I love you and I thank you for answering my prayer. All praise and glory to you!
If we are completely honest, most of our prayers have as their chief objective our own personal comfort rather than God’s glory. My prayer for Belle’s safety was for my own comfort and Belle’s safety but I will give God the glory!
The day after:
Yesterday I fasted with only water. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be. I now know I can do it and plan to fast more in the New Year and lifetime. I was fasting as a promise to God, not really for anything specific other than a closeness with Him. He was on my mind most of the day. I’m beginning to feel a closeness with Him that I’ve not felt before. I pray God was pleased
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