Our Sweet Mia Girl

10 short weeks ago, our lives changed forever. 

This sweet little black poodle came into our home and stole our hearts. 

Mia, our little girl. 

It is with broken-hearts and much sadness that I come to you asking for prayers for Jason and I. Prayers for comfort & peace. 

Thursday, when we arrived home from work, we walked in on an unexpected accident & our sweet Mia was no longer living. We realized that she had choked on a toy. 

There is so much heaviness & sadness in how unexpected and soon this was. 

For any of you that have pets, you know they quickly become family. 

We quickly fell in love with her & her precious personality. 

Her sweet little life was so short and we are so, incredibly sad about the fact that we won't have one more day with her. We didn't know that that morning was the last time we would see her, literally & figuratively so full of life and happiness. The Lord showed His goodness and grace by leading Jason and I, for some reason, to do a cheesy "family hug" with Mia smushed in the middle that morning, something we never do. Something that is now a sweet memory of such a sad day--a sweet reminder that we loved her, so deeply and that she was in fact, family.  

Her little life was so short, but, we are so thankful that The Lord gave us these 10, sweet weeks with our little Mia Girl & we hope to focus on and remember all of the joy she brought to us and our home.

The very next day, The Lord showed His tender love & His heart to Jason & I through a man's daily prayer that I subscribe to:

"Today, I am so thankful for this prayer. The mere fact that my daily prayer from this blog today was about suffering serves as such a present reminder that The Lord cares about Jason and I's sadness over Mia. What a sweet, gentle reminder that He, The Lord of all, shares in our sufferings today.

"When our Pain feels more real than God's presence"

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Pet. 5:10-11 (ESV)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Rom. 8:18 (NIV)

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the weariness-validating, peace-generating, heart-liberating voice of the Scriptures. Your Word brings us the encouragement we need, at just the right time. Today, I’m grateful for both Peter and Paul’s words about the sufferings we experience in this world. Both of these men were quite familiar with suffering, and both of them were even more familiar with your sovereign might and endless mercies.

I sometimes forget, that until Jesus returns, suffering will be more the norm than the exception. Everything and everyone is broken, so to suffer is to be human and alive. The Day of no more “death, mourning, crying, or pain” is coming (Rev. 21:4); but that Day is not yet. But until that Day, there is you, and all the grace we will need to suffer to your glory.

In the “bigger scheme”, as Peter said, all suffering is just for a “little while”—though sometimes it feels like “all the time.” Father, when life hurts the most, remind us (in our heart of hearts) that you are the “God of all grace”—the one who has called us to “eternal glory”, and that you will most definitely “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us. Make your presence more real than our pain. Make your grace more substantive than our sufferings.

And grant us, like Paul, the joyful assurance that “the glory that will be revealed to us” will make all the sufferings of our brief journey in this world seem like weightless feathers, compared to the weight of glory that will land on us when Jesus returns. Hallelujah! Until that Day, grant us grace to steward our pain as a gift, making us more compassionate and merciful to others. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus, faithful and beautiful name."

I mean, just WOW right? 

It will never cease to amaze me that venues that The Lord uses to speak to our hearts & help us begin to heal. 

As I said earlier, how sweet it is to be given such a gentle reminder that He care about our sadness over our sweet little pup. Thank you Lord for your gentle reminders that show us your heart towards your people. 

We have been overwhelmed and so moved by everyone's kind words, thoughts, & prayers during this time. You all will never know how thankful we are for your friendships, sympathy, and compassion. I can't even look at a text or receive a phone call without crying because of how moved I am by everyone's understanding and tenderness towards this situation. 

Thank you. Thank you for loving Jason and I so well during this sad time.