Heavenly Cat Tales

M.R. Wells

Description

In this delightful book of devotions from the authors of Four Paws from Heaven, humorous stories about cats and their people give insight into our own relationships with God. Barney, Misty, Muffin, and a host of other feline friends illustrate how even the most contradictory creature can thrive in the presence of a loving, ever-patient owner. Each entertaining and enlightening tale encourages readers to discover how God draws us to Himself, stimulates our growth, cleanses and refines us, teaches us His ways, and reigns over us for our own good. Perfect for animal lovers everywhere, this unique devotional inspires us to delight in the Lord and lap up His loving presence.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Harvest House Publishers, Inc.
• Date de parution: 01 septembre 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780736946971
• Langue: English

Extrait

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible , 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. ( www.Lockman.org )
Verses marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked CEV are taken from the Contemporary English Version 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used with permission.
Published in association with the literary agency of Mark Sweeney Associates, 28540 Altessa Way, Ste. 201, Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Cover by Left Coast Design, Portland, Oregon
Cover photo S.P. / Shutterstock
The information shared by the authors is from their personal experience and should not be considered professional advice. Readers should consult their own cat care professionals regarding issues related to the health, safety, grooming, and training of their pets.
HEAVENLY CAT TALES
Copyright 2008 by M.R. Wells, Connie Fleishauer and Dottie P. Adams
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
The Library of Congress has cataloged this edition as follows:
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wells, M. R. (Marion R.), 1948-
Purr-ables from heaven / M.R. Wells, Connie Fleishauer, and Dottie P. Adams.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-7369-4696-4 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-4697-1 (eBook)
1. Cat owners-Prayers and devotions. 2. Cats-Religious aspects-Christianity. I. Fleishauer, Connie. II. Adams, Dottie P., 1944- III. Title.
BV4596.A54W46 2008
242-dc22
2007019416
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a non-transferable, non-exclusive, and non-commercial right to access and view this electronic publication and agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author s and publisher s rights is strictly prohibited.
We joyfully dedicate this book to the cats and humans we hold dear, and to the Author of our faith, who called us to the task. Thank You, Lord, for keeping the promise You made at the start: Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the L ORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you (1 Chronicles 28:20) .
Acknowledgments
Birthing a book is rarely, if ever, a solo effort. Ours is truly a product of the body of Christ. So many wonderful people prayed for us, supported us, and let us share their stories. We want to thank our families, our friends, our prayer and Bible study groups, and our churches for all they have done to uplift and uphold us. We re also grateful to our feline families for their irreplaceable contributions to this book and to our lives.
Special thanks to our agents, Mark and Janet Sweeney, for all their efforts on our behalf; to Paige Evans, DVM, for her comments and suggestions on our manuscript; to Stephanie Smolinski, for her title idea; and to our marvelous team at Harvest House Publishers, especially our awesome editor, Kim Moore. Most of all, we thank and praise God, without whom this book could not have been written and would have no reason to be. We gladly give Him all honor and glory, now and forever!
Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Meet the Kitties
Part I
Let s Get Purr-sonal
God Draws Us to Himself
Wally on Our Shoulders
Curl Up on God s Lap
Storm Warnings
God Is Our Refuge
Let There Be Peace
Our Peace Is in God
Midnight Meows the Blues
God Heals the Brokenhearted
Chosen Ones
God Adopts Us As His Own
Totally Yours
Delight in the Lord
Caged or Free?
God s Love Is Key
All Shook Up
God Understands Our Weakness
Nine Lives and Life Eternal
Christ Conquered Death
Boundless Love
When We Can t Be There, God Is
Twilight Cats
Be Faithful, As God Is
Uno, Dos, Grace
God Sustains the Lonely
Part II
Stretching Exercises
God Stimulates Our Growth
Don t Let the Birds Get to You
Trust God s Sovereignty
Grease
Dare to Share Your Faith
Bold Is Beautiful
God Wants Us to Pray
The Treat Not Taken
Taste All of God s Goodness
Great Expectations
Trust God to Provide
The Master s Call
Say Yes to God
Tabby s Mission
Press On for the Prize
The Taming of Cats and Humans
God Grows Our Faith
Free to Fly
Obedience Brings Blessings
Jumping from the Helmet
Caring Builds Trust
Mooch Mountain
Nothing Is Impossible with God
The Licked-up Glory
Seek God s Glory, Not Yours
Steps of Faith
God Helps Us Through Tough Times
In This World We Will Have Hairballs
God Is Greater than Our Troubles
Christmas Treed
Hold Fast Its True Meaning
Part III
To Hiss or Not to Hiss?
God Cleanses and Refines Us
Picture Purr-fect
Look at Life from God s Perspective
A Lunge in Time
False Assumptions Can Hurt
The Almost Never-Ending Bite
Beware of Spiritual Infection
Saved By a Watchcat
Heed Wise Warnings
Divine CPR
God s Discipline Revives Us
Hollow Paw Syndrome and Its Cure
Fill Up on God
If Cats Could Talk
Insight Breeds Compassion
Part IV
Scratching Post Guidance
God Teaches Us His Ways
Follow That Pumpkin
Seek Spiritual Role Models
A Cat in Doll s Clothing
Be Who God Made You
A Time to Work
Diligence Is Next to Godliness
Of Claws and Covenants
Keep Your Word, As God Does
Unwelcome Offerings
Give Gifts That Please God
Baby Steps
Spiritual Milk Before Meat
Kitty Learning Curves
Sometimes We Must Learn the Hard Way
Moving Day
When Life Changes, God Doesn t
Chasing Fears
Stand Firm in Your Faith
Kitten Love
Love One Another
The Great Paper Towel Wars
Give Ground for God s Sake
Community Cat
God s People Need Each Other
Legacy Lost
Pass On Your Faith
All in the Family
Make God s House Welcoming
Part V
Who s Top Cat?
God Reigns over Us for Our Good
The Miracle of Birth
God Is in the Details
Sign Language for Cats and People
Look for God s Leading
Huffy Muffy
Give Space, As God Does
Cat-astrophic Salad
God Is Bigger Than Our Bloopers
Who Owns Whom?
God s Agenda Is Best
New Cat on the Block
God Puts People Together for His Purposes
Pumpkin Can t Wait
God s Timing Is Perfect
Separation Anxiety
God Finds Those We Can t
Jericho Moments
Watch for Glimpses of God
Cat Tails Er, Tales by Author
Meet the Authors
About the Publisher
Foreword

The ancient Egyptians got it all wrong. They revered, even worshipped, cats. God wasn t too pleased, but we doubt the cats minded. They probably lapped up all the adulation they were given. They re still doing so today.
Actually, we humans were born to have dominion over all other creatures and worship the Creator we share. But our kitties don t always get that straight, and neither do we. Perhaps that s what makes them such a marvelous mirror to reflect our own foibles and God s care and love for us in spite of them.
Cats are a study in contradictions. By turns they re endearing and exasperating; adoring and aloof; pliable and petulant. When they give their affection, it means that much more because they can be such little rebels too. Even as we tear out our hair because of them, we laugh at their antics and hand them our hearts. Even as they re declaring their independence, we are pledging our allegiance.
Ah, what a wonderful picture of our relationship with God. We are contradictory, willful creatures also. Yet God not only bears with us, He sent His Son to die that we might be redeemed to spend eternity with Him. We are grateful to our kitties for giving us a glimpse of ourselves from God s perspective, and a window into His great love for us and patience with us. We pray our stories may spur you to delight in the Lord and curl up in His lap.
Meet the Kitties

Wells Cats
PRIMARY PLAYERS
BARNEY has the deep chocolate coat and green eyes of the breed called Havana Brown, although his lineage is mixed. At 19, he s my oldest cat-and my biggest talker. When he was younger, he used to spring to a perch high atop a kitchen cabinet to snooze or survey his world. These days he s so stiff he settles for a low stool. But though his body is faltering, his will is as strong as ever. He meows for his due and won t quit-a perfect illustration of persistence in prayer.
MISTY is a beautiful blue point Birman, also in the twilight of her life. Small of stature, she has a huge spirit and has never let larger cats intimidate her. She can curl up for hours at a time by herself, but she welcomes attention when she s in the mood. She will lick my hair in an effort to groom me and curl up on my chest to be petted-as long as it happens on her terms and timing. This old girl demands respect.
MUFFIN is a fluffy seal point Ragdoll who loves to wind humans around her paw. She looks like a princess and acts like one too. When she first joined my family, my two dogs became her surrogate parents, and she adores them to this day. She loves to climb on my lap in the morning and snuggle and purr while I have my coffee, or flop atop the cat tree in my office. She s spunky and