Holly's Highlights
Holly’s Highlights Podcast is an inspiring and practical podcast designed to equip and encourage listeners in their personal and professional growth. Hosted by speaker, author, and mentor Holly Curby, each episode features insightful conversations on leadership, faith, business, relationships, and personal development. Whether you're seeking motivation, strategies for success, or faith-based encouragement, Holly’s Highlights offers valuable takeaways to help you thrive. Tune in for engaging interviews, expert advice, and real-life stories that empower you to make a positive impact in your life and community. Available on all major podcast platforms!
Holly's Highlights
Embracing the Unknown: Finding Joy in Life's Surprises
A chance encounter at an animal shelter forever changed my family's life when an elegant stranger—like someone from a Gene Kelly movie—decided to adopt a dog for us. Despite all my explanations of why we couldn't take a dog home, this mysterious "fairy dogmother" completed the adoption process and even offered to pay for a year of insurance. My son cried with joy while I remained in shock.
What began as a "sleepover" for this unexpected pet gradually revealed itself as something more profound. The "coincidences" kept mounting: the dog shared my birthday, had only been in the shelter for a day after his elderly owner had to move to senior living, and seemed to fit perfectly into our lives despite my hesitation.
After 30 days of what we called "fostering," our family made the decision to keep him permanently. This journey through pet loss, grief, and unexpected joy reminded me of the verse that's carried me through many seasons: "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). Sometimes blessings arrive in the most unexpected packages, and when life feels surreal, remember there are no accidents in God's plans.
Whatever challenges you're facing—loss, fear, change, uncertainty—remain open to the possibility that something beautiful may be waiting just around the corner. Have you experienced a "God thing" that changed your life? I'd love to hear your story! Connect with me on Facebook at Holly's Highlights or Instagram at Holly Curby and share your unexpected blessings.
Visit www.hollycurby.com for more information and to sign up for the monthly Holly's Happenings e-newsletter. Holly's Highlights podcast and the opinions and ideas shared within it are for entertainment purposes only. The advice should be confirmed with a qualified professional.
Hi friends, welcome back to Holly's Highlights. Today's episode is one that has been heavy on my heart, one of those to do or not to do. It's about loss, unexpected blessings and a lot of serendipity, or, as I like to call it, god things. It's the story of how someone came into our lives when we least expected it and how, in the midst of so much change, we found a new beginning. I know a lot of you have followed my journey with my family, even those with our pets, so today I'm going to share some personal stories. There's heartache, but also hope, and I'm hoping that by the end of this episode you'll see how sometimes life just has a way of surprising us just when we need it the most. So sit back, grab your favorite drink and let me take you through this unexpected journey. Now let's go back to my growing up, when my heart felt like it would never fully heal Because our family dog, pepper, who we all adored, was tragically hit by a car.
Speaker 1:It was a typical afternoon and Pepper, our little poodle, had just been let outside to go to the bathroom. Now we didn't have a fenced yard, but that had never been a concern, as Pepper had never strayed until this day Now, I was out with some friends at a pizza parlor when I suddenly had just that gut feeling that I needed to get home. Now, keep in mind, this is pre-cell phone days, or at least I didn't have one. I think I only had one friend in my friend group that had a cell phone, so I rushed home, as the feeling was just really heavy upon me. I remember getting home and my parents informing me that Pepper had just disappeared. I'll never forget, though, that feeling that led me down many streets, from our tucked away home down to a busy street nowhere near our house. Now, a man was standing in a driveway near the busy road and he asked if there was something he could help me find, and I told him of our dog going missing, and suddenly his face just went somber. He then proceeded to tell me that he thinks there was some commotion earlier about a driver not having the patience to wait behind another car swerving and hitting a dog. I ran across the busy street to find Pepper laying there, yet still faintly breathing. I scooped him up in my arms and I returned to that man's garage, since it was so close, and he proceeded to call the vet and then call my parents. As I waited for help to come, I cradled Pepper in my arms and I remember seeing Jesus loves me as he passed away in my arms, and I remember singing Jesus Loves Me as he passed away. I can still feel his weight and the helplessness that washed over me.
Speaker 1:Pepper had been a part of our family for 17 years. We were the same age and my brother reminded me constantly that my parents received a two-for-one deal Buy a dog, get a free baby. So the sudden loss of Pepper was just something I don't think we were ever fully prepared for. Now, eight years later, I was now married and coming upon our one-year anniversary when my then-husband and I decided to get a dog for our first anniversary gift to each other. Oh the joy this little puppy, who would grow to be a surprising 135-pound golden noodle, would bring to our lives. That is until just a short six years later we would learn our precious Dakota had bone cancer. Now being our firstborn and thankful for doggy insurance. We fought that good fight, as he was treated with chemotherapy and traveled to a specialist in Colorado to try and help him. Yet despite everything we did to fight, dakota's time came too soon. Again, I was there holding Dakota and singing Jesus loves me to him as he took his final breath. Now, losing Dakota was devastating, but it also reminded me of the love and the bond that we share with our pets. They're not just animals, they're family.
Speaker 1:So fast forward another 15 years when, just after losing my mother to glioblastoma brain cancer, my dad decided it was time he got a new dog. He adopted George, a little Chihuahua named after a giraffe. On our last trip with my dad, my mom and me and my kids to Disney World and he adopted this dog from the local Humane Society George quickly became a beacon of light in a house that had been so full of grief. George helped my dad heal, and watching their relationship grow really helped all of us too, in ways that we didn't even expect. Now, as you're all caught up on our furry friends, I introduce you to a moment that seemed so surreal to me that I believe it was a total God thing.
Speaker 1:See, my son has had some strange allergies throughout his life, one of them being allergies to dogs, and although he has always desperately wanted one despite allergies, I've known that we need to wait off until just the right time. I've often gotten him tested and retested again, per his request, to see if he had outgrown all these allergies and a couple of other allergies. He had outgrown all these allergies and a couple of other allergies he had outgrown. So he really was hopeful for this. But then he also kept providing me facts his lack of breakouts or reactions to dogs as he was getting older, because he was exposed to many dogs, whether it be dogs at friends' houses he would go visit, or even family dogs. We have Chewy Trigger, maggie Kikli, coco Opal, gus, chloe Pike. They're all scattered throughout my siblings' and my nephews' homes. And he specifically commented how he never reacts to my dad's dog George.
Speaker 1:Now, although his case studies presented were in fact true, I just wasn't ready for an addition of a dog Now. I could squirrel on a path here as to why I had many reasons for it. I love my dad's dog George. I don't do change.
Speaker 1:Well, having a dog felt like a financial and time burden and just many what ifs. You know the what ifs of what if he destroys our home? What if we don't have someone to watch him when we go on trips? I didn't want to be housebound all the time. I like to travel and just have surprise moments with my children. Trust me, I had the excuses lined up. I figured once my children were grown I may need to eventually get one out of just pure companionship, but not anytime soon.
Speaker 1:Well, because we didn't have a dog yet, I knew my son's heart's desire to have one, so I often have taken my son to the local humane society to look at the dogs. He would simply choose one that he wanted to take for a walk or go into the caged area and let loose, and they just kind of run around together and play. That was it. Thanks to a short day at school, though, and a recent news coverage that some of the dogs from the California fires recently were brought to a different pet shelter here that we had never been to, I last-minutely asked him if he wanted to try this new shelter after school. Now, of course it was a given he did so. Long story short, that shelter was a major disappointment, and in an effort to kill time before swinging by the chiropractor who just happens to be in the same area as the regular shelter we'd visit again roughly once a period or so, my son easily convinced me to detour to the Humane Society. Never would we have ever imagined what would happen next.
Speaker 1:After walking a little box terrier mix, we were returning it to its kennel when a woman approached us. Now she was mesmerizing her bright red lipstick and graceful stance I swear she just stepped out of a Gene Kelly movie. She started chatting with us nothing extraordinary, just casual conversation. She asked why we chose not to adopt today, especially with all those around us who seemed really interested in this one little dog that we had just walked Now. I, of course, had many excuses which easily flowed from my tongue. Had just walked Now. I of course had many excuses which easily flowed from my tongue. But then, out of nowhere, she told us I'm going to do it Now. Thinking she was going to adopt this little dog elated me. I truly was so excited for her until she replied I'm going to adopt the dog for you, just like that. Something had prompted her to adopt this dog for us and I suddenly found myself speechless, which is something that I hear is hard to do. Now my son started crying with joy, and tears honestly ran down my face, as I was just in utter shock at this woman's kindness, yet also in complete disbelief in what was happening. Okay, next thing I know. We're going from station to station getting information and signing up for insurance and receiving a bag full of provisions for the pup, which the lady had urged the workers to put together complimentary. And then they brought the dog out to us After a quick photo and, still in complete shock, this woman asked if she could walk us to our car.
Speaker 1:Now I must add here that many times over I told this woman the dog would very likely be returning to the shelter the next day. As if we were ever going to bring a dog into our home, I'd want my daughter's input and involvement. She just smiled at me and so generously said you do what you feel is best for your family, but I feel this dog will be staying and when he does I'd like to help with the dog's insurance for the year. What it was like? A light bulb went off in my head and I felt God was saying this is it, these are your signs. So, without a second thought, I told the dog say thank you to your fairy godmother.
Speaker 1:Now, as my son and the dog and I drove off, I gently was telling my son to think of this as a sleepover, that we were not keeping this dog, that is, unless my daughter, for some reason, was fully in on it. Well, we drove straight to my daughter, who was at a softball practice at the time, as I was really deeply concerned of letting her know what had just happened. I wasn't really even sure what had just happened myself. I assured her adopting a dog was the last thing I expected. There was no planning, no foresight, it just happened. I was still in a daze and I had so many emotions running through my body. Now the plan was to have the dog overnight and then maybe a weekend, but as the days passed, we found ourselves with this dog in our home for a week, then two weeks, and then we had a family meeting to discuss whether or not we even wanted to keep him.
Speaker 1:Now I was still hesitant. I was scared of the change. I was worried about how it would affect the dynamics of our home and, let's be honest, I was concerned about the financial costs. Pets are expensive and I am not in a position to add to the expense. But here's the thing it didn't feel like just a random series of events. At one of the adoption stations, we learned the dog's birthday was shared with mine. At another station, we learned.
Speaker 1:The dog had only been in the shelter for basically a day or so, as his owner was an older gentleman who had to move into a senior living center and he couldn't take the dog with him. Of course, this utterly overloaded my empathetic heart as I thought about my dad and his little George and how devastating that must be that that man and his little dog had to separate. Suddenly it felt like God was orchestrating something bigger, and I didn't want to admit it, but the way this dog came into our lives felt like it was meant to be. Now I still didn't know if that was a time of transition where we were to love on this dog through this time of heartache for him, or if we were to be his forever home where he could continue to receive so much love that me and my children have to offer. So, after a lot of thought and ever so much prayer, 30 days after we called fostering the dog, we decided as a family to keep him. Now, a few days later, the three of us my kids and I went shopping for the dog. With the dog, we got him the essentials the food and dishes and toys and even a toothbrush. The whole experience felt like a new chapter.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to lie. It wasn't easy for me to accept. Change is hard, but I've learned that sometimes God doesn't send us the answers in the way we expect. He works in mysterious ways. So what's the moral of the story here? Sometimes we go through seasons of grief, loss, change, even fear, and we're so focused on what we don't have that we don't see the blessings that are right in front of us. And just when we think we're not ready for something new, god has a way of bringing us what we need. The truth is, the dog we adopted was a God thing, perhaps a blessing we didn't expect, but perhaps needed. Now. This is still new and I'm still adapting, so bear with me as I cautiously yet optimistically approach all of this. That's the action item I challenge each of us today.
Speaker 1:Look for the unexpected blessings in your life. It might not always look like what you imagined, but I promise you it's there when things feel surreal. Remember that life has a way of surprising us when we least expect it. Every twist and turn is part of a bigger picture, even if we can't always see it in the moment. I'd leave you with two quotes that have stuck with me throughout life's journey. The first is from a favorite author of mine, cs Lewis there are no accidents in God's world. Nothing can happen without his will or his permission. And the second is from a verse I've clung to during many seasons in life, and the first Bible verse my daughter memorized Jeremiah 29, 11. For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Speaker 1:I think this could probably be a chapter addition into my book facelift, wouldn't you say so? Whatever you're going through right now loss, fear, uncertainty, unknowns, change, or maybe just on the fence about something in your life Remember the answers may not come when you expect them, but when they do. They often arrive in the most unexpected ways, just like a dog showing up at just the right moment, like a conversation with a stranger that changes everything, like a God thing. Before we close, I want to take a moment to honor the woman who played a significant role in all of this, the fairy godmother of our story, as I like to to call her, who stepped in with such generosity and care. Her kindness truly feels like a miracle and I'll always be grateful for her timing and her heart. She was the unexpected angel that we didn't know we needed.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for tuning in today. I hope the story resonates with you and reminds you that sometimes, when we least expect it, something beautiful can come from the most difficult situations. I'd love to hear your stories and your thoughts on the episode. Or, for those of you curious, what we named the dog? As of now, it's simply dog. So if you have a suggestion you need to get off your chest. Be sure to reach out on Facebook at Holly's Highlights, and Instagram at Holly Kirby. Remember, keep your eyes open for the God things. They're out there and until next time, take care and keep looking for those unexpected blessings in your life. Thank you for joining me on this journey of life. I hope that today's highlight has been encouraging, inspiring and equipping so you can go out and live your life full of purpose. I'd be honored if you'd take a moment to leave a review or, better yet, subscribe. We can also stay in touch by joining my email list at hollykirbycom. That's H-O-L-L-Y, c-u-r-b-y dot com. Until next time, make it a great day for a great day.