This morning I was taking my rescue German Shepherd, Johnny, with me on my 3-mile mental health walk around my neighborhood. It was a gorgeous, sunny, blue-sky kind of morning. There was no warning that things were about to change and go terribly wrong….

Suddenly, not far from us, someone decided it would be a good idea to set off fireworks. Really LOUD fireworks. Poor Johnny has PTSD and is terrified of fireworks and gun shots. He also weighs about the same as me, only he is pure muscle. Me? Not so much 

As soon as Johnny heard the fireworks, his ears slicked back and he froze in his tracks. I could not budge him an inch. He was terrified.

Then it got worse and his “fight or flight” instinct kicked in.

He managed to get out of his harness twice and was pulling and lurching as hard as he could.

It took everything I had to hang onto my poor rescue Shepherd. I knew if I was not able to hold him, he’d bolt and be gone.

I held his leash with one hand and desperately tried to call, email, text, and Facebook my husband, Mike, who was sitting at home enjoying his coffee and had no clue that there was a crisis.

I could not reach Mike so I started praying and asking God to somehow get my husband’s attention. Johnny was lurching and pulling harder and harder. I knew I could not hold him on the street corner much longer.

Finally my cell phone rang. It was Mike. God had spoken to him and given him a strong sense that he needed to check his phone and check on me.

Help was on the way!

Johnny was still terrified!

I told Johnny….”It’s okay buddy! Daddy’s coming! Daddy’s on the way!!! Hang on! Good boy! Daddy is coming!”

Johnny heard the ONE THING that meant something to him in his moment of terror …..

“DADDY’S COMING!!!!”

Johnny stopped lurching and pressed his body against me – leaning on me with all of his weight. He was hyperventilating. But the knowledge that his Daddy was on the way made him calm down just enough to stop pulling. In the middle of his traumatic experience he understood that his Daddy was coming to his rescue! 

Have you ever been in a place or season of life where all of a sudden, out of the blue, SOMETHING HAPPENS…

And it’s terrifying…

It stops you dead in your tracks….

Fight or flight kicks in…..

Anxiety, Fear, and Depression threaten your sanity….

Something happened that caused you to stop, to shrink back….and everything inside of you wanted to run away….

I am here to tell you….that your Heavenly Father is only a heart-cry away! All you have to do is lift your voice and cry out to the One who comes running to you when you are desperate! He comforts you in your sorrow! He reassures you when you are full of fear! He holds you close when panic sets in. He stays right by your side. He pours out His Love on you when you are dry and alone and empty ….

God had me share Johnny’s story in my blog because He wants YOU to know….that in the middle of your greatest fear, in that moment of desperation – when things look hopeless – when the worst thing you fear happens and catches you totally off guard….

TAKE HEART !!!!

HOLD ON !!!!

Everything is going to be okay, because……

“DADDY’S COMING!!!”

My name is Julie Seals and I am a #hopedealer