Our love connections with others last way longer than our physical bodies do. Whether it is a family member, friend, or pet, our love for one another carries on beyond a single lifetime. As a gift of love, God often brings Souls back together to continue their journey. What a joyous reunion!

When I was about twelve years old, our dog Mandy died of cancer. I felt sad and missed her, but before long I wanted a puppy. Dad felt differently. Deciding to put Mandy to sleep was hard for him and he would not even talk about getting another dog. So I turned to a higher authority. Every Sunday at church, I prayed for a puppy.

One of my favorite books at the time was “Where the Red Fern Grows.” The boy in that book also prayed for puppies but he knew that God helps those who help themselves. In his family it was a money problem, so he found many ways to earn money little by little to buy his dogs. He did his part. Later, he saw God’s Hand in all the opportunities that appeared to earn the money for his dogs. If he had not sought out ways to work, he would have missed the opportunities that God made available. I wanted to be like that boy, but since it was not a money problem, I did not know what my part was. I did not see it at the time, but part of it was simply being patient until Dad was ready.

About a year later, I was cleaning the kitchen after dinner and felt like I had to go outside. I did not want to, but felt something urging me to go into the back yard. As soon as I stepped out onto the back porch, I heard rustling leaves to my left. I hurried back inside, thinking it could be a raccoon or some other wild animal. Instead, a little puppy walked up to our back door. I got my parents and from the moment Mom picked her up, we did not even discuss whether we would keep her. We only talked about what we would do if anyone tried to take our new puppy, Charley, away from us. I knew she was the answer to my prayers.

Listening and obeying the nudge to go outside was also doing my part. Years later I learned from Del, the Prophet, that nudges are one of the ways that God communicates with us. An urge to take a different route, to check something before leaving the house, or to call a friend or loved one are all gifts from God. Opening the door that night was both a gift and an answer to a prayer. She was the perfect dog for us.

In my prayers I had requested a big dog, maybe an Alaskan malamute and husky mix. God knew better. Our little Corgi mix lived to play and give love. About a year later, my parents separated. Charley was the perfect size to sit on laps and comfort the whole family. Her loving companionship blessed all of our lives. I prayed for a dog, but God gave us so much more in His answer. He gave us love, joy, comfort, laughter, and a friend. Charley lived a long happy life and died in her late teens. Before she died, I would often look into her eyes and tell her how much I loved her and that if she wanted to come back in a new body, I would love to have her. Animals are soul just like we are. Soul tends to reincarnate with other Souls they have known or loved in the past, dogs included. I wanted Charley to know that she would be welcome if she wanted to come back.

A few years later I had moved to Charlottesville and was thinking about getting a dog. I hesitated since I lived in an apartment with no backyard and did not relish the thought of daily walks through rain, sleet, and snow. When volunteering at the local SPCA walking dogs, I looked in each dog’s eyes and wondered if this was Charley. If she came back and I found her, walking in the rain would be just fine, but none of the dogs was her.

Then during a class Del suggested that I get a cat. I adopted Bravo from the animal shelter soon afterwards and quickly fell in love with the most loving cat I have ever met. As we got to know each other, I started to wonder if he was Charley. Little things Bravo did reminded me of her and I kept thinking of Charley when I looked at my cat. I was still wondering about this when I took Bravo to the veterinarian. I now lived in a different town and the veterinarian did not know anything about Charley, but when I walked in the receptionist asked, “Is that Charley you have in the carrier?” I knew the answer was yes.

The receptionist’s question was an awake dream, another one of the many ways that God communicates with us. It confirmed what I suspected. The prayer in my heart had been answered; my childhood friend had come back to be with me again. With God and love, anything is possible, even a dog reincarnating as cat.

Written by Jean Enzbrenner

Anything definitely is possible with God….  our books are filled with amazing examples.