By Robbie Myers

At the end of June, we suffered a heartbreaking loss in our home.  Maddie, my wife’s service dog, passed away unexpectedly.  Maddie had been part of our household for over 9 years-her entire life.  Our family has faced many challenges in the past decade, and during those times, I always felt better and more peaceful when she sat in my lap.  Hopefully, she felt that same peacefulness when she took her last breath while sitting in my lap.

During this sad time, we have been intentional about being grateful to God for the time we were blessed to have her in our lives.  We are comforted by the many great memories we have of Maddie.

Maddie’s eyes would stare deeply in mine.  Her look conveyed her loyalty, her love, her admiration.  Whenever we arrived home, she would always meet us at the door with a present.  Usually, it was her most prized possession.  For the past year and a half, that item was a stuffed octopus toy.  This was a Christmas present given to her as we prepared to move to our mission field of Saipan.  Sometimes, she was too anxious to go find the toy so she would grab anything she could find-like a sock.  She would run right up to us, vigorously wagging her tail until we accepted her gift, then wait for us to pet or embrace her.

Maddie’s favorite activity was to go for a ride with her family.  We had to take great care to spell (and not say) the words “ride” and “go” or we would have a hyperactive dog to calm down.  Once in the car she would bark with excitement, and would even push the button to roll down the window so she could stick her head out.

Here in Saipan, I would take her for a walk in beach side parks after a ride.  Invariably, we would be approached by families.  When they walked up to us, they would almost always say the same words-“Your dog is pretty.  What is it’s name?”  This allowed me to engage in a conversation about my family and how we were serving as missionaries.  I was able to have some great conversations about our mission and Saipan Community Church with these families that hailed from all over the world, including Korea, China, the Philippines, Japan, and Russia.  Maddie enjoyed the attention and being petted by all the children.  Her presence helped us with our mission by creating opportunities for us to have conversations with people that would not have occurred otherwise.

As I reflect on the experiences I shared with Maddie, I keep coming back to the same thought-I want to be more like Maddie.

What do I mean, “more like Maddie”?  I mean I want to fix my gaze upon Jesus and worshipfully convey my love and dedication to my Master.  I want to show my joy for being in His presence by providing Him my best.  I want to demonstrate an unbridled enthusiasm for the journeys He has prepared for me.  I want Christ to use me to introduce Him to people from all over the globe.  I want to enjoy the same curiosity and appreciation she had for God’s creations.

In her life, Maddie provided joy to my soul.  Through her passing, she challenged me to find an even deeper joy in my spirit and a stronger relationship with my Savior.