Megan watched Henry shuffle out of church, head down. Her heart hurt for him. Ever since his wife passed away last year, it was as if the life left him as well. He still faithfully attended worship each Sunday, but nothing more.  He no longer sang in the choir, no longer attended the men’s breakfasts, no longer volunteered. Megan had visited him on a few occasions, but he seemed to have lost the will to live. How she longed to find something to bring meaning back into his life.

She pulled on her jacket and made her way out of the church, praying for Henry. “God, You know how much Henry needs you. Please help him find his way. And if you want to use me to help him, I’m willing.” She drove the long way home, enjoying the country scenery on this crisp autumn day. On a whim, she pulled into the local park, wanting to get some fresh air. She strolled along the walking paths, her mind still on Henry, when a fat bulldog approached her.

“Hey fella,” she cooed, stroking him behind the ears. She glanced around for the owner, but there was no one in sight. “Where’s your owner?”

The dog cocked his head at her. No tags. Megan straightened and continued walking along the path, trying to decide what to do about him. He trotted right alongside her.

Megan laughed. “Well, you certainly seem to be good company. Don’t get me in trouble for having a dog without a leash in the park, though.” She followed the loop back to her car, and the dog followed along. Megan shielded her eyes with her hand and scanned the park. No one seemed to be looking for a lost dog. “Fine. Come on.” She let the dog into the back seat and drove him to the animal shelter.

“I found this guy in the park this afternoon,” she told the woman at the front desk.

The woman gave the dog a once-over. “Seems like a friendly guy. I just need you to fill out some paperwork. Hopefully his owner will come looking for him.”

“And if not?” Megan glanced around the packed shelter, barks and howls echoing off the walls.”

“We’ll keep him for a week, but if no one claims him, he may need to be euthanized. We’re completely full, as you can see.”

The mere thought of it was enough to bring tears to Megan’s eyes. The poor dog. “Hopefully his owner will find him soon.” She filled out the paperwork and was soon on her way back home.

As Megan lay in bed that evening, her mind raced. She still hadn’t thought of any way to help Henry. And why had God led her to the park, to the dog that would probably end up getting killed?

She bolted upright in bed. Of course! That was the answer.

At the end of the week, Megan called the animal shelter to ask about the dog. “Has anyone claimed him?”

 “No. Do you want to take him home with you?”

“No, my apartment won’t allow pets, but I do know someone who would have the perfect home for him. Can I take him to meet him?”

Later that afternoon, Megan stood with the dog on Henry’s porch. She rang the bell, and a minute later, Henry appeared, as withdrawn and forlorn as usual, until he looked down and saw the bulldog. “Buster!” he cried, and bent down to pet the dog. His face filled with a radiant smile, but then it fell. “Of course, you’re not Buster. You sure look like him, though.”

“Who’s Buster? Megan asked.

“I had a bulldog just like this growing up. We were inseparable. He was the best friend a boy could have.”

“How would you like to have a new friend?” Megan asked, gesturing to the dog.

“You mean he’s for me?” Henry asked.

“If you’ll have him. He needs a home, and my apartment won’t allow dogs. If he goes back to the animal shelter, they’ll have to euthanize him. But here, you have a yard where he could run, and…

Henry’s eyes filled with tears. “I’ll take him.”

The next week after church, Megan nearly dropped her coffee when Henry came over to speak with her. The spark was back.

“I wanted to thank you for bringing Duke to me. We’ve been going for walks around the neighborhood. In fact, just the other day, as we were walking around the block, Nina was out in her yard. She invited us in for some cookies. Can you imagine that? Why, I haven’t had homemade cookies like that since before Ellen got sick. I tell you, if old Duke can keep getting me in good with the ladies, I’m bound to get some good meals out of it.”

As Henry left, the shuffle was less of a shuffle. Was there a spring to his step? Megan’s heart filled with joy. Love. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks to God for allowing her to be a part of his plan for Henry. All he needed was someone to love.

1 Corinthians 13: 13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 

God, thank You for all the ways You have surrounded us with love. From family to friends to pets, You’ve shown Your love for us by surrounding us with the love of others. Please help us to recognize when others need help, and please help us be the blessing they need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.