Charisa Stories

Tag: rescued

Here is the Final Chapter of Stay

Last week we had to say goodbye to our sweet rescued dog Maggie. I spent the last few days looking back at what I wrote about Maggie in 2014 when my book Stay was submitted for publication. She was just a couple of years old when I finished the manuscript so I decided to write an epilogue about her amazing development over the last 10 years. If you have a copy of Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace you can print this out and put it at the end of the volume. I don’t think Tyndale Momentum Publishing will reissue the book to include this chapter but feel free to ask them!

Our girl was found running loose near Van Alstyne, Texas in the fall of 2012. She was a few months old when rescued but was in very bad shape with an open gash on her leg. She was undernourished and tested positive for hookworms. A rescue organization brought her in, healed her up, and found a foster home. Her assigned foster home name was Savannah. We decided to adopt her but we had to change her name because the name Savannah was just too close to our recently deceased dog Hannah. Maggie could have been her third name in a very short lifespan and that had to be confusing for her.

Everything was a mystery. Was she wanted and ran away? Was she unwanted and abandoned to fend for herself? Was she treated poorly? Had she been socialized with other animals and people? The details of her story—who, what, where, when, why—surely influenced her behavior.

Maggie’s biggest issue was trust. I certainly get that. She was lost, captured, hospitalized, kenneled, fostered, and then adopted. Each day, I tried to read Maggie’s expressions and body language. Did she think we were just one more way station on her sad journey? She seemed appreciative of everything we gave her, yet she was still wary. Her personality was friendly at times, but then she’d become withdrawn and want to hide. She would accept affection but she rarely initiated it. The message she was sending was “It’s okay. I can make it on my own.”

I related to that spiritually, I was generally grateful for God’s gift of grace. I openly proclaimed the “title” of believer but sometimes I failed to really trust God in tough times. I would accept that I was forgiven but I often tried on my own to control my wrong behaviors and my trust was too often situational.

Something beautiful happened as our time with Maggie grew. She began to trust that this place where she landed was for real and that we were always there for her. Maggie began to relax. Her already sweet spirit grew as she showed incredible patience with our grand kids when they climbed on her, pulled her tail, and shared her bed. She greeted Joni and I upon each return home with body shaking enthusiasm and intense sniffs.
Over the years Maggie developed anxiety during storms and fireworks. Instead of going into hiding she began to come to us for comfort. Another lesson learned from her. In times of stress the best thing to do is go to a reliable source of comfort. For Maggie the source was the ones who gave her a home with love. For me the source was easy. The one who gave me love, forgiveness, grace, and hope.

Jesus.

Maggie showed me the importance of sitting and staying (abiding) with my eyes on Jesus instead of on the behavior I was trying to stop. When I quit focusing on the sin and shift to the Savior, the sin dissipates. Why did it take me so long to trust that the One who died for my sins is the One who gives me power over them? Jesus is the source of my power to live

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7, NLT)

I recently shared a chapter from Stay about how Maggie learned to trust gentle and kind leadership.

Last week we were shocked that Maggie was unexpectedly unable to move. We took her into the emergency clinic to see what was going on. Maggie remained gentle even when the doctor had to cause some pain to test her movement. The vet tenderly petted her and said this.

”I wish all of our patients were this sweet.”

My heart melted as I looked into her eyes. She responded to our touch. Even in her pain this sweet girl still lived in the moment with a heart for her people. Looking back over Maggie’s life I can relate to so much of her journey. I was also a mess running roughshod into unknown trouble. I was also rescued by the Lord in my darkest moment. Jesus patiently loved me as I slowly learned to trust Him just as Maggie learned to trust her rescuers. And now I hope to follow her example to love others and live in the moment until the very end of my journey. Maggie was special. Her story is finished but I am certain that in my heart it will never be forgotten. Thank you sweet girl for bringing so much joy into our lives.

December 9, 2024
Remember Your Name!

Ten years ago we adopted an abandoned dog after we said goodbye to our beloved canine friend Hannah. The new puppie’s foster name “Savannah” was just too close to Hannah so we began brainstorming other possibilities. After some debate we settled on Maggie.

There was only one problem with the new moniker. Our puppy would not respond to her new name. It wasn’t unexpected. After all, she had been dubbed Savannah by the adoption center. Perhaps she had a different name before she found herself lost in the Texas countryside. Now we were trying to saddle her with a third name in less than a year of life. No wonder she was confused!

We concentrated on teaching the puppy her new name. “Maggie, come!” We gave her treats when she came when called and praised her profusely. We did all the things the dog training websites suggest to introduce a rescued puppy into a new environment. No matter what we tried, Maggie seemed to choose if, and when, she would respond to her name. It was frustrating to see her look in our direction when we called her and, a moment later, wander off with apparent disinterest.

Later I realized I had just learned my first lesson from my new canine mentor that I wrote about in Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace. I realized I sometimes do the same thing with God. I was given a new name and identity when I put my faith in Jesus as my Savior. My new identity, mentioned several times in the New Testament, is “child of God.”

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
(1 John 1:12, NLT)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:1-16, NLT)

You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26, NLT)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. (1 John 5:1, NLT)

So who am I? Former Texas Ranger’s TV director? Author of modestly successful books? Husband of Joni? Longtime church goer? Father of three outstanding men? Ridiculously proud grandfather? Executive Member of Costco? Perpetually frustrated Cleveland Browns fan? All those things define me to some degree. But the one thing that should define me but I easily forget is that I am a child of God. Just like Maggie, sometimes I respond to my new identity and sometimes I just wander off thinking He must not be talking about me.

There is power in believing in a name. We rescued an abandoned puppy and gave her a new name. Jesus rescued me and the Father gave me a new name.

His child.

For an embarrassingly long time I reminded God of what I used to be and all that was wrong about me. I told Him I didn’t deserve to by His adopted child. But Jesus patiently reminded me that my spiritual DNA had been rewritten. That I was a new creation in Him. That I am holy. A saint. That I am a flawless child of God. Not because of anything I have done, am doing, or will ever do. It is because of what Jesus did for me on the Cross. When I believe what Jesus says is true about me, it dramatically changes how I live my life.

Maggie eventually learned her name with repetition, praise, and rewards. Our dog trainer gave us a great tip. “Never use her name for shaming or punishment. When you call Maggie, she should expect to play, get a treat, or to be loved. Every time she hears ‘Maggie’ it should be a party.”

I love that imagery for my journey with Jesus. When He calls my name, it is a party of grace, not of shaming or punishment. I am His beloved child. When He calls me it is for my good.
Dave Burchett is known in Heaven as a “child of God.” And I am finally putting my full weight on that truth.

October 24, 2022
Remember How it Feels to be Rescued?

You don’t have to dig too deep into my writings to know that I am a dog lover. For some reason I seem to gain spiritual insight from these wonderful creatures. On social media I follow lots of organizations that rescue dogs.

This photo touched my heart.

The photo on the left shows two sweet dogs one hour before they were rescued and adopted. Look at their faces and body language. On the left you see fear and sadness.

After the miracle of rescue you see a total change. They are new creatures full of joy and excitement.

The picture reminded me that I sometimes forget that I was once trapped in that place of fear and sadness. And then I heard the Good News of the Gospel. That Jesus came to forgive me, adopt, and rescue me. My initial photo after having that weight lifted would have resembled those joyful faces on the right. But something happens if we are not careful. We lose the joy of being rescued. We forget what God has done for us and focus on what we want Him to do for us now or get angry about something He didn’t do.

When I do that I am forgetting the miracle and joy of being rescued. God did not have to rescue me. He chose to out of love. And He didn’t just say you are forgiven, good luck, and go on your way. He gave me the mind-boggling promise that I am now His child.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. (Romans 8:14-17, NLT)

Are you kidding me? Do we really comprehend the magnitude of that text? We aren’t put in a foster home with the hope someone might come along to rescue us. We are adopted as His own child and become heirs to God’s glory. That hope is my guiding light as I endure the sadness and trials of this world. God’s amazing promise is also framed with honesty about living in a fallen and sinful world. The last part of verse 17 gives us a reality check.

But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Satan comes along and tries to make us focus only on the suffering. He tells us that if God really loved you this wouldn’t be happening. Or how can a loving Father treat His child this way?

Sorry not sorry Satan. Your lies are completely destroyed by the next promise from our Father in Heaven.

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

Our rescue is eternal. Our hope is assured. Whatever difficulties I have to navigate until I make it to my eternal home will be nothing compared to the glory that awaits.

Remind yourself of where you once were and how Jesus came along to rescue you. That should shift your attitude toward gratitude.

October 16, 2022
Sanctification Insights from a Dog

Our canine friend Maggie recently sought us out while dog sitting a rambunctious young pup. Maggie had played some with the younger dog, patiently endured the persistent attempts to play more, and now was urging us to help her find personal space. We chuckled and Joni remarked about what a good and easy dog Maggie is to care for.

Later I reflected on that comment. That was far from the case when we rescued Maggie from unknown circumstances nearly a decade ago. I reviewed her story from my book Stay. Here is what I wrote about our initial experience with Maggie.

For the first two weeks Maggie was pretty well behaved. But now she is showing some decidedly less attractive sides to her personality. She is independent. She is stubborn. She is affectionate only when she wants to be affectionate. She acts out on occasion. She chews things that are not approved for that activity. I am finding out that a “honeymoon” period is pretty common for rescue dogs. That was not mentioned in the brochure. Now that the honeymoon is over, I guess we get down to the challenge of making this relationship work.
I wish we knew more of Maggie’s backstory. We found out from the veterinarian’s report that Maggie had a fresh gash on her leg when she was rescued near Van Alstyne, Texas. The exam showed that she was visibly undernourished and tested positive for hookworms. Everything else was a mystery. Was she wanted and ran away? Was she unwanted and abandoned to fend for herself? Was she treated poorly? Had she been socialized with other animals and people? The details of her story—who, what, where, when, why—surely have influenced her behavior.
Maggie’s biggest issue has been trust. I certainly get that. She was captured, kenneled, and then fostered. If I had been bounced around as a child, I would have trust issues. Oh wait—I didn’t experience any of that, and I still have trust issues.
Of course, Maggie isn’t a unique case. Many rescued dogs suffer from behavioral baggage. Some have severe separation anxiety that may have started when the pups were taken from their mother too early. If a dog has fended for itself, it can become dangerously territorial over food and possessions. When a dog flinches or cowers at the gentlest human touch, it breaks my heart.
Each day, I tried to read Maggie’s expressions and body language. Did she think we were just one more way station on her sad journey? She seemed appreciative of everything we gave her, yet she was still wary. Her personality was friendly at times, but then she’d become withdrawn and want to hide. She would accept affection but she rarely initiated it. The message she was sending was “It’s okay. I can make it on my own.”
Stay: Lesssons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace

Those memories reminded me of my own journey. I came to Jesus with baggage. I wasn’t abandoned but I certainly needed Him to rescue me from my own selfish desires and stubborn insistence that I could “do it on my own”.

I thought about my experience with Maggie and compared it with how Jesus could report His experience with me.

Both of us could be frustratingly inconsistent in our obedience. We shared a penchant to react impulsively to certain stimuli instead of calming evaluating our next step. We both chose to be selective with our affection and caring for others.

Now I look at Maggie and I see how she has matured. She has learned to trust us and knows we will take care of her. The only time she shows any anxiety now is when we are packing a suitcase and she knows her caretakers might be absent. That must be hard for a dog because they don’t have a calendar to know when or even if we are coming back.

Again, I compared that to my journey with Jesus. When I slow down long enough to reflect I can see how I have matured over the years. I have learned to trust Him. My obedience is no longer begrudging compliance but comes out of gratitude for the gift of grace and mercy I receive every day.

I can see how many areas of growth I have experienced. Satan wants me to focus on the areas that still need refining and ignore how much God has already done in my life.

I know that Jesus will take care of me today and forever. Because of that promise I don’t experience the anxiety that Maggie does on occasion. Jesus made this amazing promise in the Gospel of Matthew.

²⁰…And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20, NLT

I have the assurance of my eternity and that I will never be abandoned.

The first canine hero of my book Stay was another rescued Labrador. Hannah was a once in a lifetime dog that came into a tough season of our life and was an amazing companion. To be honest, Maggie was a challenge compared to Hannah. But that is how relationships of love go. Some are easier than others, but all are worth the effort.

The apostle Peter said it well in his first letter, words that we all should take to heart.

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8

We all fall short. We all sin. We all need love when we fail. We all need grace. My prayer for all of us is that we will become infectious carriers of God’s amazing grace. We played the long game with Maggie and she has become a sweet and gentle friend. Jesus plays that long game with me and I can see how His patient hand is refining me over time. If you are a follower of Jesus He is doing the same thing for you. Even if you are in a bad season Jesus is patiently and tenderly waiting to be your strength and bring triumph out of trials. My prayer is that you will trust and embrace the process.

August 8, 2022
He Knew He Was Loved

A little over fifteen years ago youngest son and dog lover Brett called from Baylor University. He had spotted three abandoned puppies along the side of a Waco road. He tried to round them up but could only catch one. Brett called to let me know that he intended to bathe, feed, and care for the pup over the weekend. He told me he planned to take him to the Humane Society on Monday for adoption. I knew I was in trouble when Brett decided to let me know what his rescued puppy looked like.

I called the lovely Mrs. Burchett. “He is working me,” I told Joni. “He is falling in love with this dog.” On Sunday I was driving through Waco and I stopped to see Brett and his alleged short term friend. The way this puppy followed Brett around and looked at him was astounding. He appeared to sense that Brett was, for him, the canine version of Amazing Grace. That sweet puppy seemed to understand that he once was lost and now was found. Maybe if we remembered our dramatic rescue along the side of the road to destruction we might gaze at our Rescuer more consistently with that look of adoration.

I also started falling in love with this adorable mutt and concluded that our family dog population had just increased. Brett was scheduled to take the newly named “Trigger” to the vet for shots and a checkup on Monday. On that day another phone call came. Trigger had become violently ill overnight. The scourge of many abandoned puppies seemed to have attacked this sweet little ragamuffin puppy. Trigger had contracted Parvovirus. Brett’s words were heartbreaking in their honesty and love.

“Dad, I don’t think he is going to make it. But at least he knew he was loved for a few days.”

Okay. I cried at Old Yeller. I am a soft touch. But that remark from my youngest touched my heart and made me think that this is a microcosm of ministry. Sometimes it is heartbreaking. The results don’t always match our desires. But if we can love the down and out like Jesus at least they know they have been loved and they will know the source of that love.

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“Then these righteous ones will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ And the King will tell them, `I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (Matthew 25, NLT)

The results are not guaranteed when you minister to the least of these. But when we do minister to the least of these we show them the very face of Jesus.

This rescue story had a happy ending. Trigger was in the hospital for 12 days of intravenous feeding and medication. I earned hundreds of airline miles on my MasterCard thanks to Trigger. He and Brett went on to be best buddies for fifteen years.

This month Brett and his fiance Sarah said goodbye to Trig. You never know how acts of kindness will turn out. This improbable rescued mutt blessed Brett with years of companionship and joy. And from that first weekend until his last moment Trigger knew he was loved.

Trigger’s story was one of my first blogs about the amazing connection we have with our canine friends and the spiritual lessons they teach us. My book Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace is the result of that journey. Trig was a wonderful part of our family. He will be missed.

June 28, 2021