Sermon Illustrations
Woman Reunited with Dog During Search for New Pet
Just when Aisha Nieves thought she was ready to give up and move on, she unexpectedly found exactly what she’d been looking for. Or, rather, who. Back in 2019, Nieves lost her beloved dog Kovu when a car crashed into the fence outside her home and Kovu ran away. The loss affected her greatly. Nieves said, “He was my baby. He would go with me everywhere. He would sleep in my bed. Literally, the definition of a man's best friend.”
The pit-bull-rottweiler-mix was eventually picked up as a stray, and taken to the local humane society. He was treated for some illnesses, and then eventually given away to another family. By the time Nieves thought to contact the shelter for her missing dog, it was too late.
But then that family fell on hard times, suffering through a COVID-related eviction in the middle of 2021. Two years after adopting the dog, they had to give him back to the humane society. By this time, Nieves had lost hope of ever recovering Kovu, and was ready to try again with a different dog.
But when she scanned the humane society website, she saw a very familiar face. Though he had since been given the name Ash, Nieves recognized her dog immediately. And when she went to visit the dog in person, he perked up at her presence and immediately began wagging its tail. Nieves said, “He started squealing and screaming and yelling and jumping on me kissing me. I love him so much. I'm just so happy he's back."
The Society manager said, “Their reunion was undeniable and heartwarming to all who were there. The way that Kovu reacted and remembered … it was a moment that gave you all the loving chills."
Possible Preaching Angle:
Nothing and no one is ever truly lost in God’s kingdom. Even those who seem far away can be brought back again through God’s transformative, omnipotent grace.