By Kathy Cheek
I am so proud of my niece. She suffered the devastating loss of both her parents in June 2013. Carla bore the brunt of all that pain. She has been living through the hardest part, much harder than what I have been through in losing my sister and brother-in-law. She was the only child and her parents are gone. She loved them so much and had a very special and close relationship with them.
Carla planned their funeral. She handled their estate and sold their house. She took care of everything and then with the passing of time she tried to find a way to move on. She looked for something to help her heal and something meaningful.
She found it in Ellie, her beautiful Yellow Lab that she has trained and now takes to visit veterans in the hospital suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ellie is a therapy dog. She has earned her Advance Therapy Dog title through the AKC for 100 hours of therapy work with the VA.
Carla tells me that Ellie loves it. Carla enjoys it too. She feels like they are giving back in a small way. It also makes her think of her dad who served in the military and cared about veterans. She said he would be proud she was doing something to help the vets.
I happen to think they are giving back in a big way. That’s why I am so proud. Carla and Ellie are helping to bring to our vets with PTSD the healing they so desperately need. I admire Carla for her compassion and for the time she gives to help veterans.
She has walked through a valley of pain and has come out the other side wanting to help others. She picked the perfect partner to do this, in her beautiful Ellie. Thank you to both of you! You do us all proud.
Kathy Cheek writes faith-filled devotions and is published in LifeWay’s Journey magazine and Mature Living, and also contributes to ministry devotional sites Thoughts About God and Christian Devotions.
Her favorite subject to write about is the rich relationship God desires to have with us and the deep trust it takes to live it out. She and her husband of 35 years live in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas and they have two daughters and one son-in-law and grandson who also reside in the Dallas area. You can read more of her devotions at www.kathycheek.com.
Kathy is thrilled to announce her book First Breath of Morning – Where God Waits For You Every Day – A 90 Day Devotional is now available. You will find ordering info and a description of the book on her Book Info page at Devotions from the Heart.
