In the book Living on Purpose: Knowing God’s Design For Your Life (2017) I wrote:
Jolee and Bailey are my two dogs that I dearly love. They are loving, playful, curious, and full
of life. We live on 5 acres and, needless to say, the dogs enjoy running the property. And run
they do. They love to chase rabbits as well as run along the fence to bark at everything from
people to school buses. Even when there is nothing particular to chase, they still love to run.
It was one day as I watched them run that the light bulb came on for me. I enjoyed watching
them run. I know that doesn’t sound too profound but my point is that I got satisfaction out
of watching them enjoy doing what God had created them to do. They were born, in part, to
enjoy running.
While it is true that they were born to run, they also were born to comfort and to be faithful companions. It is in their DNA. This became quite evident during the pandemic as the foster rate for dogs jumped by 87% in the U.S. People were feeling isolated, anxious, and stressed. But being close to a dog can release a flood of oxytocin, often pulling us out of our spiraling negative thoughts. As one author wrote, “Being with them makes us calm and happy – just as being with us makes them calm and happy.”
We lost Bailey in the middle of 2020. And as Jolee nears her 15th birthday, she doesn’t do much running anymore. But she still fulfills her most important purpose of being a faithful companion. And just as God has hard-wired that into her, he has similarly hard- wired us to live with purpose. If you have not already discovered your God given purpose, maybe 2022 is the year to listen closely for God’s voice.