Mini Miracles: the Church Dogs of Charleston

✍ Scribed by Storm, Melissa

• Publisher: Partridge & Pear Press
• Year: 2018
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 127 KB
• Series: The Church Dogs of Charleston Volume 1
• Category: Fiction
• City: Brighton, MI.
• ISBN: 1644510138

✦ Synopsis

Some say that whenever it snows in Charleston, God is giving a miracle to his most favorite of places. So, I reckon, the blizzard that bleached the entire sky that December must have been a blessing of epic proportions. It was certainly a miracle that I’d forgotten my cell phone after giving my Christmas Eve sermon and had to race back to the sanctuary in order to retrieve it.

Otherwise, how would anyone have ever known that right there in our famous nativity scene, a trembling, little Chihuahua had given birth to a litter of puppies? Yes, right there in the manger. O Holy Night for sure!

This is a story about how those special pups came to change our church—and all the people in it—for the better. Most especially my poor daughter, Abigail. Being the preacher’s kid is never easy. I know, because I grew up as one, too. But losing your spouse right while expecting to become a parent for the first time?

Well, that’s enough to make even the strongest of believers question God’s plans. I know I did. But then our Mama Mary Chihuahua and her Mini Miracles found us… And, well, I’ll let you read the story to find out what happened next!

*“An ode to a broken heart. Storm continues to touch hearts with her stories and inspire with her characters.” ★★★★★ Isha Coleman

“Faith, love and dealing with everyday life...and the miracle of dogs!” ★★★★★ Huanne Woodward

“This sweet, Christian tale subtly provides its own sermons, opening eyes to potential and possibilities, even in the face of loss and mourning.” ★★★★★ Betababe

“Romance, the love of God and of a child will have you smiling page after page.” ★★★★★ Shonda
*

**

Review

"I read this book when I need some inspiration...I suggest that you have some tissues nearby." ★★★★★ L. Bakke

"Made me think about how amazing and powerful unconditional love is." ★★★★★ Ann

"Another truly inspirational story from Melissa Storm." ★★★★★ Anne Blyth

"not afraid to address very real difficult issues with her trademark insights and a deep faith." ★★★★★ Nancy Garbe

"Inspirational!" ★★★★★ Nadine Vrijhof

"an ode to a broken heart. Storm continues to touch hearts with her stories and inspire with her characters." ★★★★★ Isha Coleman

"faith, love and dealing with everyday life...and the miracle of dogs!" ★★★★★ Huanne Woodward

"This sweet, Christian tale subtly provides its own sermons, opening eyes to potential and possibilities, even in the face of loss and mourning." ★★★★★ Betababe

"Romance, the love of God and of a child will have you smiling page after page." ★★★★★ Shonda

"sometimes that help comes from the most unexpected place." ★★★★★ Debbiew

From the Author

It shouldn't be a surprise to learn that I am head over heels for the mighty little breed commonly known as Chihuahua!

It wasn't always that way, though. I, too, bought into the negative PR that called members of the tiniest dog breed vicious, crazed ankle biters with a Napoleon complex.

But then my little girl became utterly obsessed. She begged and pleaded for her own Chihuahua to love. Mind you, it took us several months to realize what she was begging for, as our then-three-year-old princess said she "needed a Jawa."

So, after several talks that always ended with, "Ugh, why a Chihuahua? I really don't want one of those!" we finally took her to meet a litter of puppies. We reasoned she wouldn't actually want one of these tiny terrors once she met some in person.

But we were wrong again!

A couple weeks later, we brought home our first Jawa , which she proudly named "Sky Princess." Okay, fine. This was my daughter's dog, and she already loved it like crazy. We had four other awesome dogs and--seriously--how much trouble could a one pound puppy actually get into?

I was on a tight writing deadline at the time, so asked my husband to take care of the puppy during the day while our little girl was at school. He did, but occasionally the little pupster wanted to spend time with me in my office.

And she always--always!--begged for me to pick her up and set her on my desk. Once there, she'd cuddle into my chest and even climb into my shirt to snuggle. She was too little to climb the stairs by herself, so I took to carrying her up at night for bedtime.

Speaking of bedtime, the crafty little thing actually figured out how to open her crate and came to cry at our bedroom door during her second night with us.

Little by little, I fell in love... and, oh, I was a goner!

A few months later, we found out that Sky Princess's mother needed a new home due to sudden health issues with her original owner, and now I was the one begging and pleading: "Please give me my dog's mom!"

And so we welcomed our second Jawa to the fold, Mama Mila, who--you guessed it--was the basis for Mama Mary in this book. With two wonderful, loving cuddle bugs to call our own, I quickly moved from hate, to indifference, to like, to an overwhelming devotion to these little dogs--these mini miracles.

Did you know that Chihuahuas are the second most euthanized dog breed in America? It's sadly true. That's why I one day hope to open my own rescue and breed education program to show the world just how lucky we are to have Chihuahuas in it.

I never knew such a tiny dog could fill my heart so completely! Now imagine having two. Or, in the case of Abigail and Pastor Adam, five.

There are so many Jawas--so many dogs--out there who need a second chance at forever. Don't look past the Chihuahua just because you've heard some not-so-nice rumors. Each dog deserves to be judged for her own heart.

Each dog is a blessing.

And, yes, a miracle.

✦ Subjects

Fiction