January/February 2018 Issue

Dawna Hetzler
Starting Fresh
In the stillness of sleep, I heard a faint, familiar sound. I sat up in the darkness and listened. “Woo
woo!…Woo woo, grrrr.” My Siberian Husky, Zorro was letting me know that something was up.
I jumped out of bed, grabbed the flashlight and headed to the backyard. A black furry creature was on
the other side of the fence. Half asleep, I assumed it was a porcupine or a raccoon.
My light exposed a small black dog, scared and lost. My other Husky, Mya, whined as if to say, “See! He
needs our help.”
At the top of the road, a slow moving car with beams of light and voices calling through the night,
“Fluffy…Fluffy.” I signaled back and yelled, “He’s over here!”
Two kids jumped out of the car and ran across our acreage. Half way to our fence, Fluffy ran to greet his
family.
“Oh, Fluffy! We were so scared!”
In the distance someone called out, “Thank you!”
“Welcome!”
Now in bed, I couldn’t get back to sleep. Thoughts of Fluffy raced through my mind. If I hadn’t gone out
there, his family would have never found him. What would’ve happened if I’d ignored Zorro? And then,
the familiar voice of God whispered to my soul. “I stirred your spirit so you would get out there in my
perfect timing.”
Ah yes. I thought about the timing of Fluffy’s family showing up—how I’d just realized there was a lost
dog in my yard when their car drove by. “God, thank you for impeccably orchestrating everything.” I
exhaled as peace enveloped me.
“I am the One who reunites and gives fresh starts. My mercies are new every morning.”
I drifted off to sleep lulled by His words from Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV: “The steadfast love of the Lord
never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your
faithfulness.”
Starting fresh doesn’t happen once a year. It happens each moment as we listen for His call and do life
with Him.
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