Read Great Dog Stories for Free Online

brother she had talked so much about. But where was Bella?
    Ryan tried to introduce himself. The two men regarded him with a confused and somewhat angry stare. The little boy said his name was Raul and asked why Ryan was in their home. Ryan explained that he’d come to pick up Bella for a date. Raul translated these words for his still rather hostile-looking elders.
    At last, the two men broke into huge smiles. Then they started howling with laughter, and Raul joined in. They shook Ryan’s hand and Raul revealed that his sister hadn’t told any of them about her date. She had gone next door to borrow a cup of sugar for her mom and would return shortly.
    Once everyone had settled down, Ryan asked about the huge pit bull who had growled at him. He explained that the dog was the reason for his rapid, unexpected entrance into their home. Was the dog rabid or just a crazy wild animal?
    After Raul translated this, all three of them guffawed again—even more loudly than before. Raul explained that the dog, Diablo, was their pet. He was really a very sweet dog, but he was protective of his family. They had rescued him from the desert when he was just a puppy. He’d been left there to fend for himself. Passersby had thrown things at him. He’d probably had to fight for food and become aggressive as a way of survival. When Bella’s family found him he was hungry and tired and had a cut on his forehead.
    They had caught the needy stray and brought him to their home. They’d taken care of him, fed him well, and loved him. At first he’d had a hard time responding positively. His nasty growl made them think of Satan, so they named him Diablo. They refused to give up on their devil dog. After a few weeks, he seemed to realize that love was better than hate. He accepted his new family and neighborhood. Since he was a devil no longer they considered changing his name, but he already knew it, so they left it.
    Ryan feared Diablo’s name still fit him rather well. When Bella’s family let him in, Ryan stood frozen as Diablo slowly circled. Then Ryan warily stuck out his hand. To his great relief, Diablo licked it, and everyone laughed once more. Bella returned and apologized for not being there when Ryan arrived. The two went off for a wonderful evening—Ryan armed with a brand new story to tell her over dinner.
    Human love healed Diablo’s past hurts so he was a devil dog no longer. How much more can God’s love heal and free us! Jesus’s life and ministry are powerful proof of this. In some cases, He cast out literal demons, as with the Gerasene man who had multiple evil spirits (Mark 5:1-13). In other cases, His love healed and freed people from the “devils” of sin, guilt, shame, rejection, and hurt.
    Diablo didn’t stop being a devil dog the moment he was loved and cared for. It took time. But Bella’s family stuck with him, and in the end, love conquered. Are there Diablos in your life who God is calling you to stick with and love until their devils are conquered too?

    And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Consider This:
    In what areas of your life have you been a growler, like Diablo? What underlying pain may have triggered this? How has God’s love helped to free and transform you? How could your experience encourage someone else?

A Different Kind of Leash
God’s Love Shows Restraint
    Conscience whispers, but interest screams aloud.
    J EAN A NTOINE P ETIT -S ENN
    D aisy had been praying for a dog—not just any dog, but a dog God had picked out for her. So when a friend called to say her son had rescued an abused stray from a tough inner-city neighborhood, Daisy was intrigued. Then she saw the dog. She was greasy, flea-infested, covered with sores, had a cut nose, and her hair was falling out. A bath and a prayer later, Daisy decided to keep this scrappy street survivor—and named her Harriet.
    Daisy soon took Harriet to meet her friend’s