Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Arches - Chaser - Search (07/03/25)
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TITLE: How God Answered Dylan's Prayer | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
07/08/25 -
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“ Goodness sake, Dylan. I’m right here. You don’t have to yell. What’s wrong anyway?”
“Mom, Chaser escaped again. I’ve searched everywhere. I can’t find her.”
Mom just rolled her eyes. Chaser was her eleven year old sons guinea pig. It seemed Chaser escaped at least once a week. The name fit her perfectly. The family would “chase-her” around the house in play. She found the most inconspicuous places to hide, and apparently she had done that - again.
“Dylan, how many times have I told you to make certain her cage door was shut and locked. This wouldn’t happen if you had listened.”
“I know, mom. I’m sorry. I was playing with her and then my phone rang. I put her in her cage, but guess the door wasn’t locked tight. Will you help me find her?”
“You know she is in the house somewhere. She’ll turn up. I need to get back to the kitchen and finish putting dinner on the table. Your dad will be home in half an hour. We’ll all look for her after we eat.”
“Okay,” Dylan said with a dejected look. “I’ll keep lookin’.”
Exactly on time, dad walked through the door. “Hey everyone. How was your day,” dad said as he gave mom a peck on the cheek and a high-five to Dylan.
“This is the worst day ever,” lamented Dylan. “Chaser escaped and I can’t find her anywhere.”
“Again?” Questioned Dad. “This is the third time this week that guinea pig got out of her cage. One of these days she’s gonna’ get out of the house and be gone forever,” warned dad.
“Will you help me find her?” Dylan asked with his big brown puppy-dog eyes pooling with tears.
“After dinner we’ll all search for her,” dad said as he rubbed the top of Dylan’s head.
After dinner the three of them spent an hour looking for Chaser. She was no where to be found.
“Boy,” said mom. “She sure picked a good spot to hide this time. Maybe we’ll have to wait until she finds us. Sooner or later she’ll get hungry.”
“That could be forever,” sobbed Dylan.
That evening as Dylan was getting ready for bed dad came into his room. “Hey son,” he said. “You know Chaser is in the house somewhere. Before you crawl into bed let’s ask God to help you find her. What was the memory verse you learned in Sunday School this week?”
“Ask, aaannnnddd you will-will receive, thhhaaaat your joy may be full. John 16:24”, Dylan repeated between sobs.
“Okay then, let’s ask God to bring you joy by helping us find Chester.”
Together dad and son bowed their heads and prayed. As dad tucked Dylan into bed Dylan said confidently “God knows where Chester is. He can find her for me.”
Dad kissed Dylan goodnight, turned out the light and closed the door.
Later that evening Dylan awoke with a start. What was that noise? It sounded like music but where was it coming from? Dylan crawled out of bed and sat on the edge, listening.
There it was again. A soft “plink”.
“That’s strange,” whispered Dylan. “It sounds like it’s coming from my room.”
Dylan listened again, and sure enough, another soft “plink” sounded. As Dylan looked around his room his eyes landed on his guitar which was lying on the floor by his closet. He walked over to where it was and listened.
“Plink”
“Hmmmm,” thought Dylan as he scrunched up his forehead. “Something is in my guitar.” He turned on the light and went back to his guitar. Reaching inside he found something soft and fuzzy and….Chester!
“Chester, how did you get inside my guitar?” Laughed Dylan. “I guess you fell through the hole.”
Dylan ran to his parents room. “Mom! Dad! I found Chester.”
“What? Where?” a groggy dad asked.
“He fell inside my guitar and couldn’t get out. I heard this plinking sound. It was Chester trying to get out. He sure found a good place to hide this time.”
“Yep,” said mom. “Now put him in her cage, lock it tight, and let’s all go back to bed. Morning will come soon enough.”
“Okay,” a happy Dylan said. As he walked back to his room his parents heard him praying.
“Thank you Jesus for bringing me joy by answering my prayer. You are an awesome God who loves guinea pigs. Amen.”
Story based on true events
Scripture from ESV
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red ink - the name changed as did the gender 'put him in her cage'
I agree - read it out loud before submitting
Blessings
Other than the name inconsistency that everyone else has already pointed out, I think it was well done.
How often it seems the answer is waiting for us to just ask.