Paws in His Presence

I have loved every single book I’ve written. Each one is special to me and will always have a special place in my heart. And yet, my newest release (Paws in His Presence) feels a little extra special. I think it’s because in many ways, this is the most personal book I’ve ever written. This devotional wasn’t just me putting words on a page, it was me putting my heart and my deepest prayers in a book in the hopes others might encounter the same powerful presence and peace that steadied me through a very difficult season .

This book will forever stand as a reminder (to myself) that God is faithful and good; and that he can and will hold us through the good days, and the really, really hard days.

And so to celebrate the release of this book, I wanted to share a brief talk I gave at a book release event we had a few weeks ago at Arise Ranch in Raleigh, NC (where the idea for this devotional book was born)

I hope this gives you a little glimpse into the why behind Paws in His Presence.

Being here in this place to celebrate the launch of these books, especially Paws in His Presence is so special—and honestly so sacred—to me, because it was here—actually right over there, that the idea for Paws in His Presence was born.  

It was a beautiful fall day in October of 2022. My daughter, Ella, was here helping Brooklyn with a birthday party. There were happy children and smiling adults all around. The sky was a brilliant blue. The air was cool and crisp. The birds were singing.

But my heart was breaking. 

I was in the middle of one of the hardest seasons I’ve ever known, and so while the birthday festivities were going on, I was over there, by myself—not in any kind of mood to be around anyone. 

I had been trying so hard for so long to make everything ok. I had been pleading with God to intervene, to fix the situation, to do a miracle. But it was like all I could hear from heaven was the roar of a deafening silence. 

I came here that day, broken and empty and terrified. I remember standing there, not really thinking, not able to pray. Just…there. Alone. 

Until suddenly I wasn’t. 

A precious horse named Slick (who you can meet tonight) walked up to me. He stretched his head over the fence and exhaled. I reached out to rub his shoulder and he turned his head into me and just stood there. 

With me. 

As he stood there, the emotional dam holding back all my complicated feelings burst and all my fear, doubt and sorrow came rushing out. But Slick didn’t move. He stayed. He remained with me through it all. 

That day Slick became a living, breathing embodiment of God’s love and presence with me. That day, the horse reminded me that I wasn’t alone. That I never had been—and I never will be. As he stood there with me, he reminded me that I hadn’t been forgotten by God. That God still loved me and was with me. 

You see, I had been praying for months for a miracle—desperate for God to intervene in a mighty way. I wanted a miracle so big that it would knock my socks off. I had begging God to wow me with his actions. 

But instead, knowing what I needed most, God rescued with his presence.  

Now the fact is, nothing about my circumstances changed that day. And yet, everything in my heart felt different. 

I had seen a glimpse of God with me and it changed everything. It reminded me that I could face whatever was to come because I would not face it alone. I would face it enveloped in God’s presence and wrapped in his love . 

And that is my prayer for all of you. I don’t know where your heart is today. I don’t know if you came here feeling like you’re on the mountain top or in the valley. Maybe your heart is full of joy or maybe your soul feels crushed with grief. Maybe this week you’ve see countless evidences of God’s love all around you. Or maybe you, too, are hearing the roar of deafening silence from heaven. Wherever you find yourself today, I pray that while you’re here you will feel enveloped in God’s presence and wrapped in his love. And that as you leave here, you will take that awareness with you. 

Well, a few months after my powerful encounter with Slick, I was sharing the story with my publisher and told her that someday I’d love to put that story in a book. She suggested that maybe that someday was now and we began brainstorming about a new book. I knew that whatever it was, I wanted it to be rooted in Psalms. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Proverbs and I loved writing Pawverbs, but my heart has always been in the Psalms. It’s the book I go most to when life feels overwhelming. It grounds me more than any other.

Paws in His Presence is full of stories much like the one with Slick. There are also some funny stories in there too, along with some bitter-sweet ones. I really tried to mimic the Psalms by including the range of human emotions and experiences— from green meadow and still water moments, to tales from the valley of the shadow of death. And yet, there is a thread of hope that weaves throughout each and every story.

I love this book so much and I hope you all will like it too. 

And it’s actually been really interesting…this book feels a little different than the others. And as I’ve reflected on why, I think it’s because this wasn’t just me writing a book. This was God rescuing me through writing a book. 

A book that was born…here. 

And so, as I started talking to Brooklyn about the idea of doing an event for this release, I kept coming back to the moment that I stood over there with Slick and encountered God’s presence in such a powerful and tangible way. And I found myself wanting nothing more than to invite others to have a similar experience. And that’s really what tonight is all about.  

Ok, now it’s time for a very important disclaimer: If you don’t have some life-altering spiritual encounter while you’re here, that is 100% ok! There is nothing wrong with you! One of the beautiful things about God is that he’s in the big moments just was much as he’s in the small ones. He’s in the burning bushes, just as much as he’s in the mud and the muck of life.

In fact, some of the most profound spiritual moments aren’t ones that would make an instagram reel. But they are the moments that are the most real.  

So tonight, we simply want to give you time and space to paws in God’s presence. To enjoy some food, to meet some animals, to hang out with some friends—maybe even meet some new friends. And more than anything we want you to feel held in God’s love and wrapped in his peace as you take some time to paws in his presence.

If you’d like to learn more about Paws in His Presence you can find that here and here

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