On this cold Minnesota morning I see two black forms curled up with their noses tucked securely under their tails. Their favorite napping places are on the two recliners in the living room. Sometimes during the frigid early hours they wrap themselves closely together on one chair, but not today. They have their own spaces and all is quiet. I marvel at their features. Tiny noses, little pointy ears and perfectly made fluffy black coats. It is unbelievable to think that they were not here last year at this time.

During numerous times in my life I have watched shows or read books where events in the main character's life seemed not to reflect reality. I have seen miracles unfold in dramatic fashion on TV, and countless times I have thought to myself, "That would never happen in real life!" About a year ago my thinking changed. On the Friday night after Thanksgiving, I was sitting on the edge of my bed somewhat exhausted as the girls and I had gone to an all night Black Friday shopping event. I was thinking about how much fun they had finding little treasures in the middle of the night.

As I was reflecting on our shopping trip, I began to envision each girl carrying a puppy in their arms. I saw Jena carrying her puppy off to her room and Kelsey followed after, doing the same. It struck me odd that I would be thinking this way, and then the thought went through my head, "Pray that each girl gets a puppy for Christmas." I pray and talk to God all the time. If I have a need I lift it up to Him for an answer and for help. This time was different. It was almost as if it was being impressed upon me to make this request to Him. With a lot of uncertainty, I lay back on my bed and began to pray that each girl would be blessed with a puppy for Christmas. The words sounded strange to my ears as I spoke to the Lord about it. Two dogs? Really? We had gotten rid of our five year old black lab because of uncertain financial times due to my divorce. I just assumed that after she was gone there would no more dogs in my house.

I remember just laying there questioning what in the world I was doing. Did I really want two dogs? As a final note to my conversation with the Lord, I said very emphatically, "Well, they are going to have to be free puppies because I cannot afford to pay for one puppy, and I have just asked you for two." The girls and I had been into various pet shops and the price tags were high for any breed of puppy. I figured that by putting that condition on my request before the Lord it wouldn't happen. There was no way that someone was going to give us two puppies for Christmas for free. I kept all of this to myself because I thought it was just plain crazy. I told no one, and I put it out of my mind.

"Chris, they are free!" "How much?" I asked for the third time. And, again, the response,
"They are free." My brain was not receiving the message because it was just so shocking. I had answered a phone call from a friend of mine who was telling me that he knew a lady who was giving away free puppies for Christmas. It was two weeks after I had prayed. Then he said the unthinkable, "I think you should give one to each of your girls for Christmas." I had a difficult time forming a coherent sentence. This had been a private conversation between God and me and now it was happening. I took the phone number he offered and said I would call for more information.

I could not hide my bewilderment from my girls. When I told them what was happening they instantly were excited. I called Ellie, who owned the puppies, and agreed to meet with her. While driving to the meeting I had conflicting emotions. My mind kept coming up with every reason why not to take on two puppies. But, I was also at peace about it. It was the oddest sensation I had experienced. Once we arrived at her house we were greeted with four puppies and two older dogs. My daughters and I sat on the kitchen floor so that we could be up close and personal with all of them. Two black puppies suddenly were our best friends. Ellie had already named the dogs, so we decided to just let them keep the names they had been given. Lilly immediately went to Kelsey and Stinky went to Jena. It was as if they knew who they belonged to.

All of this seemed so extraordinary to me that I decided to tell Ellie how I had asked the Lord for free puppies for Christmas. She explained to me that the litter had been unexpected and after numerous attempts to sell them with no buyers she had decided to give them away for Christmas. She especially had wanted them to go to homes with children. After speaking with her I knew that I was to take them both. We made arrangements to pick them up that weekend.

Over the next few days our house was in a flurry purchasing puppy things. Water bowls, food bowls, a kennel, toys, and of course, carpet cleaner. We went back to get them and I felt like a first time mother all over again. I had never raised two puppies before. The first night that we had them in our home they fell asleep under the Christmas tree in a basket. All of my worrying was for nothing. They fit right in, and one night, I watched as each of my girls carried a puppy off to their respective bedrooms. Just like I had envisioned weeks before, God had taken what I thought was an impossibility and made it into reality.

When this event occurred in my life, it reminded me of when Mary was suddenly in the presence of the angel of the Lord who told her that she would give birth to Jesus. It was beyond her scope of comprehension. She could not fathom having a baby who would be the Savior. The angel answered her confusion with one sentence. In Luke 1:37 the angel said, "For nothing is impossible with God" (NLT).

That message was not just for Mary. It was an assurance for those of us who are sometimes not so sure that our prayers can be answered. We look at our circumstances and wonder how we will ever find a way out or obtain what we need. I have found when we cannot get the answer ourselves or through human measures, that is when your walk with God gets very exciting and the unexpected begins to occur.

Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God, everything is possible" (NLT).

Jesus emphasized again that nothing is out of range for God to accomplish for us. Our job is to listen, obey Him and pray as He directs. When we do that, He can move the impossible out of the way to bring those things He desires to bless us with.

Maybe your Christmas wish is not on a list. Maybe it is an unspoken desire that only you and God are aware of. Can you believe Him for it even though it may seem impossible? While others may be waiting by a fireplace for a bearded man to show up with their hopes and dreams, you can believe and know that God hears and sees all things. He knows what will lift your despair and bring you a joy that will last way past the Christmas season. Two wagging tails, shiny black eyes and pink tongues ever ready to give us kisses under the mistletoe have brought our house more happiness than we could ever have imagined.

Copyright © by Christine Prueher Share