A Lesson in Love

Ladies' Home Journal, April 2007

The congregation of Heritage United Methodist Church, in Waverly, Iowa, watched with rapt attention. The focus of their interest was a 4-year-old yellow Labrador retriever named Annie, who sat at the front of the chapel. Pet tricks weren't the draw, though. Annie held the entire group in thrall just by resting her nose on her paws while her owner spoke at a Wednesday-night service last summer.

People had gathered to listen to Susan Lawrence, Annie's owner, weave the story of her dog's life into a parable about spiritual journeys, rescue and healing by God. According to Pastor Bob Holdorf, the storytelling captivated even the youngest listeners: "There was a 4-year-old girl who is hard to keep in one spot, but she sat watching Annie like a hawk."

Lawrence, an elementary school special education teacher in her hometown of Carlisle, Iowa, has always had a strong faith in God. But she never expected that her pet would lead her down a new spiritual path or that she'd be fielding invitations to address congregations around the state that were, like this one, more than 100 miles from her home. You can chalk it up to Annie's amazing grace, says Lawrence. "God gave Annie a special heart. Maybe her past experiences shaped her."

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