Share
Two days ago I silently drove our dog, Pooka, to the vet for the last time. It was so hard! We’ve had Pooka for 11 years, and she has been a big part of our family. She was my walking/jogging partner. Winter, spring, summer, or fall, we walked and jogged around our neighborhood and on logging roads through pine forests near our house in Priest River, Idaho. She was such a kind, friendly, good-natured, wonderful dog! Last week Kristin, Seth, Abby and I learned she had bone cancer. Her quality of life had diminished greatly. At times, she could hardly stand up. Through pain meds, we gave her a few more days where she was royally pampered (Kristin gave her lots of treats!). Friday, June 11, at 2:45 PM, was her last appointment. The lower right picture was taken just seconds before she passed out. As you can see, she was happy. She knew she was loved. After a quick shot, she suddenly looked straight at me. Within seconds, she was out. I’m teary-eyed just writing this!
I was going to keep this whole thing quiet, but yesterday I decided to post some pictures on my Facebook page. Last night I was amazed to see nearly 300 comments! As I read through them, I was so moved. So many said they were praying for my family, and many others said they could relate to our pain. Others wrote that they just put their animals down last week, too. Others commented on how deeply they have been blessed by my book, Will My Pet Go to Heaven? One woman wrote: “We share your book ‘Will My Pet Be in Heaven?’ at our Pet Therapy table in downtown Talkeetna all summer. The tourists from all over the world take all these precious truth-filled gospel books readily so please know dear Steve Wohlberg that your ministry is being extended worldwide even from our tiny tourist town in Alaska.”—Dianne Merrill. Another wrote: “I cherish the book you wrote ‘Will My Pet Go to Heaven’. After reading it I felt the closest to God that I ever had before. I don’t know how many I have given away. I always kept several on hand for friends who lost their furry friends. With me it was mainly horses but my vet also requested a copy. I’ve never been able to say THANK YOU so I’m doing it now. God bless you. We have a cherished little doggie that is in her later years. I know how it leaves a hole in your heart! But what a loving God to give them to us even for a short time. I still have a couple of the books left but buy them whenever I can.”—Marjorie Pryor-Spiller. Praise God Dianne, Marjorie, and everyone else! After reading comments like these, I decided to send this out by e-news and to let everyone know once again about our book, Will Pet Go to Heaven? now available through White Horse Media (1-800-782-4253). It is clear to me that this book has been a huge blessing to so many. Maybe it will be to you, too, or to someone you know.
I want to thank everyone who has prayed for my family. Our God is a God of love. Yes, we humans are the crowning work of His creation; and yes, the Bible teaches that Jesus died for the sins of humans, not animals. But remember, God made those furry creatures, too, and for many of us, they have become very special parts of our lives. I am thankful that God gave my family 11 years with Pooka. She was a fantastic dog. She was happy right before she died. Will we ever see her again? Well…years ago I decided to research this topic. As I did, Psalm 104 really hit me. It’s about animals (and humans, too). David wrote:
These all wait for You,
That You may give them their food in due season.
What You give them they gather in;
You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
You hide Your face, they are troubled;
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
May the LORD rejoice in His works. Psalm 104: 27-31
“They die,” the Bible says, just like Pooka died. Then David wrote: “they are created, and You renew the face of the earth”! This sure sounds to me that the very ones that “die” will be “created” again in the New Earth. Without being “dogmatic,” let me say that I sure hope so! I prayed beside Pooka before she died. She is in God’s loving hands. And the thought of possibly seeing her again brought comfort to my heart.
May our loving God be close to us all. He knows the pain we go through down here when we lose an animal, and especially another loved human.
Heaven will be wonderful!
Trust Jesus.
I hope we will all be there together.
White Horse Media’s newest video (only 4+ minutes) is about Israel, Iran, red heifers, the Temple Institute’s plan to rebuild a third Jewish temple, Antichrist, and Bible prophecy. Writing specifically about how “the man of
Here’s some exciting news. This morning I was a guest on The Stew Peters Show (he has a very large audience) for 30 minutes discussing popular end-time theories about Israel, the Tribulation, a rebuilt temple,
In “the time of the end,” stated a holy angel to Daniel the prophet, “many shall be purified, made white, and tried; But the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand;
In yesterday’s enews I made a small mistake when I wrote: “To discover what the Holy Bible says (and doesn’t say), join us on Thursday, April 8, at 4 pm Pacific Time for a Bible
This Monday (April 8) will be a historic day for many North Americans as the moon perfectly aligns with the sun causing a rare total eclipse. An estimated 34 million Americans will witness the celestial
Social media is ablaze with dramatic video presentations, articles, and posts about the Total Solar Eclipse coming Monday, April 8. Some see it as a date for divine judgments to fall, specifically on America. Tomorrow,
One Comment
We are so sorry to hear of your sadness and loss of your sweet girl. We, as it sounds others are experiencing, lost our precious girl last month too. We will pray for you. It’s not something one gets over easily. Their trusting spirit, their piercing gaze as they look into your face. Their leaning into you to be petted and hugged, following you around to see what you’re doing. It’s a very precious thing to have a dog that loves you.
It’s a little frustrating that God didn’t spell it out in the Bible and that I’ve not found anything concrete anywhere. Maybe that’s the answer. I don’t wish to live like some in some denominations that would be destroyed to find out Mother is not in Heaven looking down at us, and refuses to hear of it! But years ago, in my Bible class, the sweet gentleman once told us (when one of the kids asked if pets go to Heaven-a topic we all wanted the answer to) that Jesus came to seek and to save THAT which was lost. Indicating more than just humans. I pray so. It will be one big wonderful Heaven if they are there too, in perfect health–and if we get to be reunited and live with them again. God spent a good deal of time creating each beautiful creature and giving them to us to care for and love. It almost seems impossible to me that He wouldn’t take them to Heaven too. Sin isn’t their fault. But if it’s not His plan, He’s going to be wiping away all tears, removing painful memories, etc. in the Earth made new, so we can trust Him, whatever He does. God bless you, and your family, and thank you so much for all of your research, books, seminars, video, etc. It’s all great.