Weird faith story about Rue

Here's a pic of my babydog, Rue.

(Name = When I adopted her they told me she was an australian shepherd / beagle mix so we were going to call her "Kangaroo", then "Kanga", then "Roo", then the spelling of "Rue" seemed more hip and I THOUGHT it meant "red" in french but it turns out that it means "street"... or sauce (though that might be spelled "roux").

A few weekends ago, God tested me in a BIG way with Rue. He knows how much I love her and He wants me to be sure to love Him more. I feel like the experience was akin to the Abraham/Isaac sacrifice story (Genesis 22:1-18). (This is more suited for a live telling, but I'll try to write it out because I'll forget.) 

Once upon a time.... (a few months ago) .... my friend Meggan told a group of us that she was considering adopting a dog. It is very vivid in my mind and something in me (God?) planted a little seed that maybe I needed to offer to give Rue to her. (Of course the seed wasn't developed yet so I didn't say anything right away.) Over the course of the next few months I started to think that maybe God was going to take Rue away (I wondered if it was going to be through sickness or what) but I felt like it was HIM so I set my mind on trusting whatever the plan was going to be. (Also, secretly, I was worried that if I went to Africa for a long period of time, I was going to have to do SOMETHING with her. But I put it out of my mind.)

So then the other week, I got an email from Meggan asking for dog supplies because she was ready to adopt and she wanted an older dog (not a puppy). As I read the email, I felt like God was prompting me to offer Rue (my baby) to her.

Note: This was incredibly heartbreaking but I felt like it was God and I wanted to be obedient. I didn't want to let Him down.

I responded to her email and made the offer of adopting Rue to her....and then I let it sit.  <---when I wanted to call and/or write and explain and whine. I wanted to tell her that I didn't mean it and I hoped she wouldn't take her but that I was trying to be obedient to God... but I DIDN'T. I walked...and mourned....and BEGGED GOD for a ram in the bush! It was torture...

...but the next day (after a day spent with the Lord) when I got Meggan's response that she already had a dog in mind and that I should keep my baby, I was SOOOOO HAPPY!!! It was like God had given me the gift of Rue all over again!!

The end. :)

(*This is kinda a hokey story and hard to express in a blog. I feel somewhat prideful and braggy telling this to you (me), but I wanted to document it because I realized that I will forget and someday I need to remember how the Lord was teaching and training me during this point of my life. He is building my FAITH and teaching me to trust in Him alone. PLEASE keep walking in faith, Carissa! PLEASE don't forget. There is no one / nothing that can love and fulfill you more than Christ.)

Remind me to tell you the "donut" story sometime!

Love!