Memoirs of an Angel: True Stories of Service Through Love

By Jim Huggins

Cadie is a beautiful German shepherd who cannot find a home. Adopted and returned to the shelter more times than any other dog shes unloved, unwanted, and lonely. Seemingly destined to live in foster homes for the remainder of her life, God decides its time for a change. Adopted by a man who knows what its like to be unloved, unwanted, and lonely, she finally has a home. But he has no idea that she will return the favor, over and over again.

In his touching narrative about the unconditional love between man and dog, Jim leads the reader through his walk with Cadie and how their reliance on each other propelled them into a unique ministry. As they help people in unexpected ways, Jim reveals how both he and Cadie not only changed each other, but also impacted the lives of countless others in ways only God could have orchestrated.

In this collection of poignant vignettes, a man and his dog discover together, with divine guidance, that there is always hope for a bright future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Oct 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781480833418

Jim Huggins

Author, filmmaker, speaker, and entertainment executive, Jim Huggins focuses on telling stories and telling them well in order to influence society in a positive manner. At a recent Hollywood summit, Variety Entertainment referred to Dr. Huggins as one of the "top entertainment chiefs" for faith and family film, TV, and digital media. Currently, he serves as the President and CEO of New Shepherd Films, an independent film production company producing faith and family entertainment for the mainstream market. He also serves as the head of New Shepherd Entertainment, a faith and family promotional and marketing venture dedicated to being a resource to independent producers, and is a member of the Board of Advisors for Valorous TV, a network focused on bold and brave films, stories and reports of courage and uncommon valor. With a BS in mathematics, Jim began his career as an officer in the Air Force in 1984. After a string of successes that ultimately took him to the Pentagon, he volunteered for a selectively manned position at HQ US Central Command during Operation Desert Storm and continued to serve in subsequent operations in the Middle East and northern Africa. He has received numerous awards, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. Presented with unique opportunities to direct his talents toward innovative technology startup companies in the private sector, Jim moved from the Active Duty forces to the Reserves. Continued success propelled him upward, with ever-increasing responsibilities, where he excelled at a global level as part of a select management team between AMR and CSX, two of the world's largest transportation companies. Along the way, Jim earned his MS in engineering and PhD in engineering management, specializing in computer and software engineering. Jim has taught a variety of disciplines at two major universities. He served as a professor of computer science at Campbell University, as well as an adjunct professor of aerospace studies for the Air Force, teaching Islamic Fundamentalism and The Laws of Armed Conflict at NC State University. In 2006, Jim set his sights on the entertainment industry. Recognizing the need for family-friendly films and other entertainment products with a solid faith-based message, he turned his passion for storytelling into the driving force behind a new career. By 2009, Jim had become an award-winning stage actor, experienced director, and professionally trained TV/film actor. From this, came New Shepherd Films, an entertainment company dedicated to producing faith and family content specifically for the crossover audience. By 2011, Jim and his team released their first film, Footprints: Angels Are Real--Some Even Have Fur. Based on the reviews, audience reactions, and an ever-increasing fan base, New Shepherd Films clearly hit the target. Jim's desire to impact the culture around him as a storyteller, goes beyond movies--entertainment extends to books as well. To this end, Jim has become a published author, with two books in worldwide release and more in the queue! These efforts have resulted in Jim being awarded a doctor of divinity degree for his work in creative evangelism. Jim and his wife, Leslee, their kids Emma, David, and Samuel, and their rescued German shepherd, Lily, are originally from North Carolina and today, they call Salem, Oregon, their home.

Book preview

Copyright © 2013, 2016 Jim Huggins.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Archway Publishing

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Unless otherwise noted, all images are copyrighted by Jim Huggins. The Dove Foundation Logo and Seal are copyrighted by The Dove Foundation and used by permission. FOOTPRINTS movie poster is copyrighted by New Shepherd Films and used by permission. The FOOTPRINTS DVD cover art produced by Mill Creek Entertainment under license from New Shepherd Films and used by permission.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture is taken from the Life Application Study Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 19778, 1984, by Biblica Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. TM Genesis 1:27 is taken from the Life Application Study Bible, New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com.

ISBN: 978-1-4808-3340-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-3341-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016910371

Archway Publishing rev. date: 10/31/2016

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Prologue

A Faithful, Loyal Friend

The Journey Begins

The Boomerang Award

Cadie’s Story

Meeting Cadie

Would You Like Fries with That?

And a Little Child Shall Lead

Hi, Honey, I’m Home!

The Traveling Salesman

Bonding

School’s in Session

How to Take Your Dog to the Emergency Room

Special Needs

Public Spokesdog

Pigs Can’t Fly, but My Dog Can Read!

Creative Evangelism, Strike One

Creative Evangelism, Strike Two

When in Doubt, Look It Up

Nothing Solves a Problem Like a Good Right Hook!

Time for Change

The Interview

Bob

Hitting Our Stride

Lightning Really Does Strike Twice

Acceptance… Finally

Not a Pastor

Creative Evangelism for Real

The Journey Home

Bonus Feature: Additional Stories

Joe

Mary

Grandmother

The Elegant Lady

Charlie

Unknown Hero

Epilogue

Some Final Farewells

Reviews

SmokeysDedication.jpg

For Smokey

February 1, 1993(e) - May 2, 2002

Foreword

For all of us, life is a journey. But what if that journey has been a difficult one? The book Memoirs of an Angel offers tremendous hope through the lives of two characters you would not suspect. Yet their impact on each other unfolds in a way that teaches them, and us, that just because you have had a bad past doesn’t mean that you can’t have a great future.

We are all looking for love, acceptance, and respect. But what if your experience in life has been abuse, you were unwanted, unloved or have had your heart broken a number of times? Can there be hope for you, or do you just accept experiencing more of the same?

This touching narrative, told in poignant vignettes, inspires us to the grace of redemption and the opportunity of second chances. No matter how broken your past might have been, this true story of Jim Huggins and his partner Cadie, a rescued German shepherd, will give you hope that God can still do something beautiful with your story.

As you follow the trust developed between this man and his dog, you cannot help but be moved by the impact Cadie makes on everyone around her. This journey together leads Jim and Cadie to places they would never expect. Little by little, step by step, they move into a walk designed for them, as they become a friend to those in pain, a shoulder to cry on, and motivation to inspire others to keep on going. What becomes clear is that their walk, love and trust in each other springboards them into a unique ministry, helping people in unexpected ways, and teaching the redemptive love of the Lord.

Reading this book is well worth the journey you will take. I believe that it will inspire you to look to your future in a new and renewed way. Perhaps looking closely around your own life and take notice of the unlikely angels you might have encountered also.

It has been my pleasure to know this author and his family. The journey he and his family have walked, and are walking, is a true testament of perseverance and dedication to telling their unique story to give God the greatest glory,

I hope the example of Jim, along with his partner Cadie, will encourage you to minister in unexpected ways. May we not use our past as a burden, but allow God to turn the brokenness we might have experienced into a blessing to serve others.

Dr. Ronald L. Bernier

Senior Pastor

Master Builder Ministries

Yes, there are dogs in heaven,

and there are angels on earth.

Acknowledgments

To my unsung angel.

The role of a supportive spouse should never be overlooked or taken for granted, no matter how big or small the endeavor. Unfortunately, when life gets busy and project deadlines loom, the acknowledgment of those closest to us tends to be among the first things missed. They’re in the trenches sharing the victories and the defeats, yet their accolades are often the first casualties as their efforts are taken for granted. This is my attempt to avoid that error and right any wrongs I may have made while travelling this path.

The journey I’ve been on in recent years has certainly had its share of ups and downs. But through them all has been the steadfast support and encouragement of my wife, Leslee. As you’ll learn, she is the real reason behind the existence of this book, the movie it inspired, the book from that movie, and a film company (New Shepherd Films) producing more movies, books, and even a documentary.

All because of a notepad, a pencil, and a threat from my wife.

Note to all the husbands out there reading this: listen to your wives. You may not understand them, but you’d be foolish to ignore them.

So with that said, thank you, Leslee, for believing in me (and Cadie). I never doubted her. But I sure doubted myself. While God worked through Cadie for others, He worked through you for me. He still does.

You have been and continue to be the unsung angel in my life.

Prologue

There’s nothing trite about having a purpose in life. In fact, having a purpose is the real secret to living life with a focus, a determination, and a relentless passion that makes every day more exciting and challenging than you could ever dream! But I think most of us have a hard time finding our true purposes, much less realizing that we have a destination other than our couch, which is conveniently located directly in front of the big-screen TV (or computer or mobile device or…never mind, I’m sure you get the idea.) This is due, at least in part, to a highly successful industry known as entertainment. Between the technologies that enable it and the stories it tells, getting lost in the daily lives of our favorite characters is easy. And getting easier every day.

I know because I’ve been there myself.

The other thing I’ve noticed is that it’s hard recognizing motion if the only thing moving is your thumb on the remote control or across a keypad as you text your life away. Like I said, been there myself. Don’t believe me? Keep reading.

They say confession is good for the soul. Well, here’s mine. For me, it was a 4-in-1 remote that controlled an entire home theater complex while I sat in my Lazy-Z-Boy recliner (with built-in heat and massage, of course). It also had cup holders. Really, it did. Two of them in fact! Only one person could sit in the chair, but you could drink two beverages at once. Go figure. I wound up using the second cup holder to hold my remote.

Imagine that, everything at my fingertips—literally. A drink, a remote that controlled everything in my known universe, a massager for when reclining for long periods became uncomfortable, and a heater for when I got cold (from too much ice in my drinks, I suppose). All the comforts of home. Wait a minute, what am I saying? This recliner was my home! Which is why, at a very difficult period in my life, I had a hard time recognizing that I had even started a journey. Here I was thinking I’d arrived.

To quote an old but very true saying, Journeys begin one step at a time. Sounds simplistic, doesn’t it? After all, who could argue with that? If you want to get somewhere, you have to put one foot in front of the other. It’s a no-brainer.

But through firsthand experience, I’ve learned that the key is not actually taking a step. It’s not about moving your feet. Otherwise walking to the bathroom or going to the grocery store could be considered journeys. They’re certainly destinations, but I wouldn’t consider either of them a journey.

What’s the difference, you ask? Follow me on this (no pun intended)…

A journey involves more than simply going someplace. It involves learning, interacting in other words, along the way. The real key to a journey is recognizing that you’ve started it in the first place, which implies you’ve recognized the fact that you’re doing more than moving from someplace to someplace else. In other words, you have more than a destination. You have a purpose.

On the journey through life, many of us have a tendency toward being distracted drivers—paying more attention to the little things along the road rather than figuring out our travel plans and why we’re doing what we’re doing. Let’s face it: life gets complicated. And we get distracted. Squirrel! is a common phrase in my home (thanks to Disney’s Pixar animated movie Up!).

That’s why, as we travel, sometimes it takes encountering a pothole to jolt us into awareness. They’re out there… the potholes. And they have names on them. One out there has yours.

Make no mistake about it, these potholes do some damage if you hit them hard enough. While my road had been rocky and, at times, nearly impossible to navigate, I was adept at avoiding potholes. Then, in 2002 after several years of an especially bumpy ride, I hit the pothole with my name on it. Stranded on the side of the road gave me a different and much-needed perspective, not to mention time, to think. Now, with 20/20 hindsight, I realize it was in that moment that I truly started packing my car for a journey that would become one filled with a unique purpose God had designed for me. One I had missed completely until that moment.

And He would send me the most unlikely of helpers for the most unlikely and surprising of tasks.

Memoirs of an Angel is full of stories—memories entrusted to me by a very