A horse that communicates through dreams, a dog that gives Reiki treatments, and a cat that brings the joy of Christmas back to a family in mourning. These are just a few of the incredible animals that come alive in Heaven Sent, through the words of the owners who love them.
Whether they are large or small, have hooves or paws, or bark, meow or neigh, these beautiful beings enriched and even transformed the lives they touched. And though they arrived under different circumstances––some from pet stores, others from shelters, and still others from the street––they always seemed to show up at just the right time to lend support and ease their owner of challenges and hardships.
We often believe we’ve rescued our pets when the truth is they’ve rescued us in return. They are our saviors and our angels; our children and our teachers; our healers and our best friends. Some are only with us for a short while, others for a decade or more, yet it never feels quite long enough. We grieve their loss, but we never forget the gifts they gave us while they were here.
If you’ve ever experienced the unconditional love of an animal, you will certainly resonate with the twenty-four authors who contributed to this anthology. Their stories will make you laugh, they’ll make you cry, and hopefully they’ll remind you just how blessed you are to have—or to have had—the companionship of your loving pet.
Our hope is that this collaboration will warm your heart and awaken a few new animal lovers at the same time. One thing’s for sure, after reading these stories you’ll see that our animals are more than just our furry friends. Indeed, our pets are heaven sent.
Contents:
Foreword: When the Right Time is Near, the Right Love Will Appear
by Pam Baren Kaplan
Introduction: The Inspiration Behind This Project
by Shanda Trofe
Chapter One: A Reason to Live
by Jennifer Benton
Chapter Two: And God Had a Plan
by Margaret-Maggie Honnold
Chapter Three: Angel Blue Eyes
by Lisa A. Clayton
Chapter Four: Bella Means Beauty
by Rosemary Hurwitz
Chapter Five: Best. Cat. Ever.
by Mari Cartagenova
Chapter Six: Big Ole Boy
by Sandra Hanshaw
Chapter Seven: Buddy ~ Teacher, Protector, and Forever Friend
by Dena Hanson
Chapter Eight: It All Started With the Mice
by Jodie Harvala
Chapter Nine: Jasper: The Barn Cat That Wasn’t
by Marilynn Wrigley
Chapter Ten: Jewel. A Diary of Presence
by Katherine Glass
Chapter Eleven: My Spirit Horse
by Janice Story
Chapter Twelve: Our Earth Angels
by Georgia Nagel
Chapter Thirteen: Our Four-Legged Guardian Angel
by John Newport
Chapter Fourteen: Rose and Her Six Kittens
by Linda A. Mohr
Chapter Fifteen: Ruby
by Cher Rue
Chapter Sixteen: Sam—A Shaman Disguised as a German Shepherd
by KC Miller
Chapter Seventeen: Sassy Mare Companion
by Jani McCarty
Chapter Eighteen: Sebastion ~ The Story of Us
by Jennifer Wheeler
Chapter Nineteen: Taylor Made
by Raina Irene
Chapter Twenty: The Bud Man
by Debbie Schmitz
Chapter Twenty-One: The War Dog
by Wendy Rose Williams
Chapter Twenty-Two: Wally
by Gail “GG” Rush Gould
Animal Charities Dear to Our Hearts
