“God will supply all your needs from his glorious riches that pour from Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:19
Ryanne had always been a daddy’s girl. When
her father, John “Davey” Nast, lost his earthly battle with colon cancer at
just 41, the world around her dimmed. The disease, now the nation’s
third-leading cause of cancer deaths, took the person who made her feel safest.
Ryanne would soon learn more about heartbreak in the weeks that follow than any
child should.
Ryanne was so proud of
her Dad, not only for his courage during his illness, but because he was the
kind of guy who always showed real empathy for the needs of others. Now forced
to grow up more quickly, she’d learn more about pain than she ever thought
possible. Standing outside the funeral home today, the weight of all she’d lost
pressed heavily on her small shoulders.
As she greeted mourners outside the funeral home with her
cousins, the grieving first-grader spotted a black Lab jogging by with its
owner. Something inside Ryanne lifted, an instinctive pull toward comfort she
couldn’t yet name. “Can I pet your puppy?” she blurted.
“Yes, of course, as long as your parents don't mind,"
Emily replied, unaware of the girl’s circumstances. “His name is Blue, and he’s
very gentle. If he licks your face, it means he wants you to be his friend.”
Before Emily found words, Blue moved up slowly, reverently,
as if guided by unseen hands.
He pressed his warm body against Ryanne, who wrapped her
arms around him with the kind of desperate tenderness that aches to be held.
Something holy passed between them, a whisper of compassion shaped by unseen
hands.
Then, with childlike confidence, Ryanne invited the two
random joggers inside to meet her Dad.
Hardly dressed for a funeral, Emily knew just walking in
the door with her dog would cause some commotion. But she also knew this might
be the last time this sweet child could introduce her Dad to new friends. So she
and Blue followed Ryanne down the aisle.
Surprised, the mourners blinked, then softened. The room
warmed as grief loosened its grip.
Later, Ryanne told friends, “Daddy helped me find Blue.”
Blue was his favorite color and also the color of the colon cancer ribbon she
wore proudly in her ponytail.
Perhaps, their unexpected encounter was her Dad’s gentle
reminder: I’m still with you. I haven’t left you. Love doesn’t end here.’
No one will ever replace her dad. But God, in His kindness,
sent comfort wrapped in fur and carried by the kindness of a stranger. Ryanne
and Blue now share regular playdates and a bond that feels heaven-sent.
