SKY - a Rescue Dog!

Sadly our lovely SKY died early in July 2007. We knew she had a brain tumour a few months before we lost her, but she was brave, friendly and cheerful until we had to have her gently put to sleep. We are leaving this remembrance to her on our website, she was absolutely gorgeous.

Hi! My name is SKY, and I'm a 'rescue' dog.

That doesn't mean I go around with a little bottle of brandy round my neck, rescuing other people. No, it means that I've been rescued, from an unhappy life where people were being cruel to me... and the threat of worse to come!

Just when my first owners were about to have me put down - they kept hurting me and I kept running away from them, so they didn't want me any more - a German Shepherd Rescue Centre in Coveney, Cambs offered to try and re-home me, and I ended up 'rescued' by Chris and Eric.

I was frightened of them at first - I thought that probably all people must like hurting dogs - but slowly I realised that they loved me, and I'm really enjoying my new life now.

I still find it hard to let people I don't know touch me or stroke me, but I'm changing slowly and getting better at it. Recently I even had to go to the vets for an operation, but it's turned out fine and I'm raring to go again... I've even been back to the vets and wagged my tail for the nurses there, to say 'thank you!' Eric took a photo of me to show how the scar on my tummy has nearly gone, and my blonde hair is starting to grow back again.

My owners Eric & Chris say that they've been rescued as well! They are both Christians, and they say that Jesus has rescued them from a fate even worse than death!

When Eric plays his guitar, he often sings a song I expect you will know:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me;
I once was lost, but now I'm found, Was blind, but now I see.

PETS, ooops, sorry.... OWNERS CORNER!

As you read Sky's story, you can see that she really needed rescuing. She probably didn't realise it at the time, because pets have a remarkable ability to put up with the most awful of lives, without ever complaining, and they wont realise that there are people who do want to, and can, help them.

We were much the same. We never thought much about anything other than our own immediate concerns, and very little at all about spiritual things or "what happens next". Even though our marriage wasn't running very smoothly and we always seemed to be arguing, we still felt we were doing the best we could "under the circumstances."

But on a (very) infrequent visit to Church one Sunday, we suddenly - and for the first time - realised that, whilst, on the one hand we had far more to worry about than we had ever thought, on the other hand no-one has to live 'second-best' lives all the time... we began to understand that there is Someone Who not only cares about us, but Who has also already done something to rescue US!

We found out and started to understand WHY JESUS came to earth 2,000 years ago (the Millennium is a celebration of this, even if many people think all the parties are just for the fun of it!); and WHY HE died on the cross; and WHAT HIS resurrection means; and HOW HE can change our lives; and HOW WE can go to heaven.

Some details about what we found out in a moment! Perhaps like we did, you see something of the mess the world is in, with its injustices, cruelties, unpleasantness, hardships and violence, and if you could there are things you'd like to change, 'but at least we're all right, on the whole.' And then perhaps there are things in your own life you'd like to see changed?! Most of us can think of some!

JESUS is the ANSWER!

Perhaps you're concerned about where your own life is going... JESUS can rescue you! and give you NEW life.

The ANSWERS to our QUESTIONS

• 'JESUS came to SEEK and to SAVE the LOST'. When we said earlier that, 'on the one hand we might have more to worry about than we realised', it was the question of 'life after death', of heaven or hell - or nothing at all - that we had never really thought about.
• When JESUS died on the cross, 'HE died for US'. It meant so MUCH to HIM to know that people are LOST, in terms of the eternal consequences, that He was willing to DIE for us to RESCUE US! - or to 'SAVE' us as HE used to say, speaking to the multitudes in His day. So HE came willingly to DIE for us, to die for our sins.
• The Resurrection of JESUS demonstrates God's Power over sin and death. GOD called the resurrection of Jesus 'first fruits' which is the same expression He used for Harvest events - the 'first fruits' were presented to God as a sign of ALL that was TO FOLLOW, representing both quality and volume! The resurrection of Jesus is a sign of the resurrection of all who believe in Him, a proof that God's Promise of life after death for us will happen! No more sickness, no more sadness, no more burdens, no more pain, no more guilt, no more fear, no more bills (yippee!) and... no more death!
• As far as changing our lives NOW is concerned, the Bible says that anyone who becomes a Christian is 'born again', becomes a 'new person' in their hearts, and is given a brand new start. The MIRACLES of JESUS show that GOD does care about us, and wants us to have a quality and worthwhile life - 'I have come that you might have LIFE, and have it more abundantly,' He said.
• TO GO TO HEAVEN Jesus said that we need to Acknowledge and repent of our sin, Believe in Him, Jesus, and Call on His Name, asking to be saved. The Apostle PETER did it when he was drowning: 'Lord, save me' and Jesus reached out His hand and saved him. That's the A-B-C of the Gospel: Acknowledge sin, Believe in Jesus, Call on Him to save YOU! He can and He will! 'Anyone who believes in Me can come - I will give them Eternal Life.'

Thank you for reading SKY's and OUR testimony about our new, changed lives. We can promise you IT WORKS! If you would like to know more, or have a situation in your life for which we could pray for you (Jesus often helped people who didn't feel that they had the faith they needed for themselves), you are more than welcome to contact us.

Index of related Christian information & stories:

My Faith I Believe there is a God
Chess in the Bible?! An Easter Allegory... Chess in the Bible?
An Unusual Meeting... Daniel's Story
An Easter Painting, one of my famous Family Service sketchboard stories! The Great Exchange
A set of One Line Bible verse messages, designed to make you think... Bible Answers

For more information, or a free Booklet, write to: Eric Hallsworth, 45 Stretham Road, Wilburton, Cambs CB6 3RX, England, or e-mail... eric@elhchess.demon.co.uk