Dave Burchett - Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace

When youre in a fierce battle against breast cancer, be on the lookout for people or pets through whom God delivers His most heartwarming encouragement. My friend Joni Burchett was in the cancer battle for her life, but God blessed her with His warm, personal touch through the pawprints of her Labrador retriever, Hannah. But this isnt just any dog story. This is a book filled with courage, yet tenderness; bravery, yet gentleness. I highly recommend Stay to anyone who is looking for a fresh and unusual touch from the Lord!

JONI EARECKSON TADA

Founder of Joni and Friends International Disability Center

Dave Burchett has written a truly wonderful book. I dont know when Ive shed so many tears, laughed so much, and been moved as deeply. Its not just because Im a lover of dogs (I am), but because this book is profound, refreshing, biblical, and true. It smells like Jesus! Read it and give it to everyone you know. They will rise up and call you blessed.

STEVE BROWN

Founder of Key Life Network

You can count on one opposable thumb how many books hold my interest. But Dave Burchett has written an incredible piece that describes what weve been trying to model to you all about Gods grace, His astonishing love, and what life feels like when humans discover who Hes remade them to be, even on their worst day. And the pages smell like a freshly cut lawn. I gotta get my master to read this!

BALI LYNCH

John Lynchs golden retriever, who loves to chew on her master's books The Cure and On My Worst Day

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Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace

Copyright 2015 by Dave Burchett. All rights reserved.

Cover photograph copyright andipantz/Getty Images. All rights reserved. The photograph on the cover spine by Caroline Burchett. The photograph on the back cover by Dave Burchett.

The photographs on pages by Robert Forrer. All other photographs are from the Burchett family collection and used with permission.

Designed by Jacqueline L. Nuez

Edited by Bonne Steffen

Published in association with the literary agency D.C. Jacobson & Associates LLC, an Author Management Company. www.dcjacobson.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. (Some quotations may be from the NLT1, copyright 1996.) Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. (Some quotations may be from the earlier NIV edition, copyright 1984.) Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked The Message are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NET are taken from The NET Bible copyright 1996-2006. Used by permission of Biblical Studies Press, LLC. http://netbible.com. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Burchett, Dave.

Stay : lessons my dogs taught me about life, loss, and grace / Dave Burchett.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-4143-9793-1 (hc)

1. Dog owners Religious life. 2. Dogs Religious aspects Christianity. I. Title.

BV4596.A54B87 2015

248.4 dc23 2014044568

ISBN 978-1-4964-0373-5 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-4143-9794-8 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-4964-0374-2 (Apple)

Build: 2021-04-21 22:35:56 EPUB 3.0

The greatest legacy one can pass on to ones children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in ones life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.

BILLY GRAHAM

To my precious grandchildren, Ethan, Clara, and Bennett. Nothing makes me want to finish strong as a Christian, husband, father, and grandfather more than looking into your innocent and loving eyes. I hope that I can teach each one of you the lessons outlined in this book. But if I am not given that privilege, I wanted you to know that Papa eventually began to figure out what it means to follow Jesus. I love you all dearly and unconditionally.

In His Amazing Grace,

PAPA

W HEN MY FRIEND Rusty Kennedy said I had to meet Dave Burchett, his name seemed vaguely familiar. I realized the familiarity came from years of watching my beloved Texas Rangers on television. Daves name was often mentioned with various levels of respect by the announcers in the broadcast booth. He is the behind-the-scenes director in the production truck and has been for three decades. I had heard his name countless times in that context. But that was not the reason Rusty suggested we meet.

He told me Dave had written a book about his grace epiphany and journey to freedom in Christ. I read When Bad Christians Happen to Good People and was blown away by Daves honest portrayal of his struggle with performance-based faith. God used that book and others as I pieced together my own discovery of grace and identity that led to MercyMes album Welcome to the New.

So I met Dave and found out he is a lover of grace and baseball and dogs. Is there a better rsum than that? I was touched, challenged, and amazed at the insights Dave has gleaned from his rescued dogs, Hannah and Maggie. I can relate completely to his stories about loyalty, faithfulness, and grace demonstrated by his four-legged friends. We are learning similar lessons of friendship and unconditional love from our own Shetland ponysized puppy named Lulu.

Just like me (and you), Lulu is a mess, but we love her dearly. What an example of how our heavenly Father looks at the mess we bring to Him yet still loves us with scandalous abandon because of Christ.

There is a grace revival sweeping our land. This delightful collection of lessons will show you how Jesus came to give us a new identity and a way to actually deal with sin. You will see how God can even use rescued dogs to teach a willing student that we dont need to strive to accomplish what Jesus has already done. Its an enjoyable journey of grace with Dave and his four-legged mentors. And I would be remiss if I did not let you know that Lulu gives