Blind Hope: An Unwanted Dog and the Woman She Rescued

Awesome Read

Blind Hope, by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher was such an amazing story. I could not put this book down, I was done with this book in a day and a half if that. It is about a rescued dog and her master. The dogs name is Mia, and Laurie comes to find out that after she takes the dog she rescued to the vet, that she has diabetes and she is going blind. Although Laurie goes through many trials with her new pet, Laurie is able to learn more about herself and her relationship with the Lord. Her dog helps her to see things through a whole new light. This is a story that is very meaningful and heart warming. I would recommend this book to everyone. This is a story that leaves you with a great feeling, and allot to think about. This book is about compassion and having God be in control of your life, instead of you trying to control your life on your own. It made me take a look at my own relationship with God, and how I needed to change myself. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Waterbrook Multnomah book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Blind Hope by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher

I love reading books about animals and this one is no different. "Blind Hope" captured my heart from cover-to-cover. Laurie is reliving her life through this book.

The story opens as she dreams of getting the perfect dog. She had her heart set on getting a beautiful tri-colored Australian shepherd mix. Instead the dog she adopts has a dull, tangled coat, is skinny and has bad breath. At first thought, Laurie did not want this dog, but decided to take it so it would not appear that her loving compassion was only a facade.

As the story develops Laurie shares her search for anything that would fulfill her, anything that would give her life meaning. I could feel for her, as I know how it is to want to fit in but not quite making it. She had been running away from God, trying desperately to "fit in" in this world. Because of the actions of her dog, "Mia", she begins to gain perspective.

My heart began to sink as I read about the many complications Mia has, from an aggressive form of canine diabetes, to cataracts and blindness.

There is so much in this story that I could relate to. I was that child who pushed against my parents guidance, testing the limits of my freedom. I even found myself doing that with God. I believe this book is all about trust. Just as Mia solely trusted Laurie, God wants us to solely trust Him.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves animals, or is trying to find their place in life.



You may purchase your copy through WaterbrookMultnomah.com


Thank you Waterbrook Multnomah for my free review copy.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

An unwanted dog. An emotional rescue. Sometimes the life you save may be your own.

Warning: This book will completely change your life for the better and will require a healthy dose of tissues as well. This is the heartwarming story of Laurie Sacher who decides to adopt a dog one day without seeing the dog first. When she shows us the dog is not at all what she expected, she is reduced to half her body weight, has bad teeth and horrible breath and smells horrible. Yet deciding to leave the dog where she is, isn't something Laurie can do if she is being honest with herself. She decides to adopt this broken down dog because she can relate to feeling like a broken down person herself.

Over time, Laurie finds that when she spends time with her dog Mia, she discovers the life she has been missing with God is revealed to her in the time spent with Mia, from unconditional love and forgiveness to peace in the midst of a storm. Overtime, Laurie begins to see a parallel between her life with Mia and her life with God. I don't want to spoil the remainder but I can honestly say, this book has changed how I see my own personal relationship with God know and how I can live free from my emotions and be at peace with God.

I received Blind Hope by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah for my honest review. I can't recommend this book enough to my fellow bloggers who love animals and want to experience a life changing relationship with God. I would easily rate this one a perfect 10+.

If you would like more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy, please click on the link below:

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601422804


Laurie had her own shattered dreams before she came to work at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch-the ranch of rescued dreams-where broken horses and broken children encounter healing every day. Reaching out to save a dog in need, Laurie soon realized that the dog was rescuing her.

An inspiring true story told through the engaging voice of Kim Meeder, Blind Hope reveals poignant life lessons Laurie experienced from her ailing, yet courageous canine friend. Despite the blindness of her dog-and her own heart-Laurie uncovered what she really needed most: authentic love, unconditional trust, and true acceptance, faults and all.

As Laurie and her dog, Mia, both learned to follow the lead of a master they couldn't see, Laurie discoverd the transforming power of God's selfless love even for imperfect and selfish people-and she experienced a greater love than she has ever known.

"Love is a bridge that stands firm through difficulties and connects one heart directly to another, not because of how it looks, but because of what it is." -Kim Meeder, Blind Hope

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

All about trust, faith and moving forward.

I was intriged and delighted with the underlying theme in this book and wish I had a dog that I could share such a relationship with. Kudos to the author for putting out a positive story of this ladies journey. SB8S

Great story Laurie's dreams had been shattered before she ca

Great story
Laurie's dreams had been shattered before she came to work at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch—the ranch of rescued dreams—where broken horses and broken children encounter healing every day. In an attempt to soothe her aching soul, Laurie reached out to save a dog in need; she began to realize that the dog was rescuing her.
Blind Hope reveals poignant life lessons Laurie experienced from her ailing, yet courageous canine friend. Despite the blindness of her dog—and her own heart—Laurie uncovered what she really needed most: authentic love, unconditional trust, true acceptance, faults and all.
As Laurie and her dog, Mia, both learned to follow the lead of a master they couldn’t see. Laurie discovered the transforming power of God’s grace even for imperfect and selfish people. Laurie experienced a greater love than she had ever known.
Blind Hope is not what I expected, but better than expected. I love stories about pets that in the end teach you about the love of God. This story of a mangy, abused blind dog who transformed a young woman's life and led her to understand God's love.
A very touching story about faith, love and hope. This is a good read. An abused and homely dog brings so much joy and happiness to his new owner. Laurie understands her own life so much better because of things she learns through her dog and his handicaps.
I enjoyed reading it on a pleasant afternoon and would recommend this special story to all pet lovers and anyone who enjoys a good story about how animals teach humans.
I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing in their blogging for books program for my review.

Kim Meeder took an abandoned rock quarry in Oregon, rebuilt its

Kim Meeder took an abandoned rock quarry in Oregon, rebuilt its landscape and purpose into a shelter for rescued horses. From that came a ministry that pairs caring for the recovering horses with children in need. Called Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, Kim and husband Troy rely heavily on trained volunteers to keep their dream functioning. Laurie Sacher, one volunteer who stayed on to become an employee, found her very life change as she settled into life at Crystal Peaks.

Kim narrates this short, but powerful book of Laurie's acceptance of God's love and care, all because she adopted a battered, extremely ill dog. Renamed Mia by Laurie, the Austrialian sheepdog looked nothing like the beautiful, long haired specimen that Laurie imagined would become her new companion. Instead Mia was underweight, had halitosis, needed to have an infected eye removed, and needed insulin injections daily. But from the first full face lick, Laurie could not turn away from her new family, and such began the daily lessons and analogies Laurie learned. When Mia became totally blind, the two trained so Mia would follow her master's voice. Lesson: "What faith . . . to follow a master . . . you cannot see." When vets gave Laurie a way out from the responsibility and cost of caring for such an ill animal, the woman saw instead another lesson: "Love is not a feeling but a choice."


Soon she was facing her own weaknesses and hang-ups. She realized she had been caught up in a negative self-image, focusing on her body and her popularity, frequently embracing new causes and lifestyles, only to run when anything or anyone challenged her. She described her faith as only strong enough to get her a place with other believers, but never having any substance of its own. All that changed through her role as Mia's caregiver. And as the title shows, it was the blind dog who helped the woman SEE.


Told as if Laurie is telling Kim her story as the two friends hike, ride, and ski over several months, the book is rich with powerful one-liners that echo our relationship with God. However, I found that format of revealing Laurie's transformation a tad contrived. I know that Kim is already a published author who has told other stories of change from the ranch, but since Laurie is an adult, I felt the whole book would have had more power if she had told the story. I would recommend the book to anyone who is an animal love or to those who seem to be floundering a little. I received a copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher. Opinions are my

Blind Hope

I had the opportunity to review Blind Hope written by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher. Kim Meeder owns and operates Crystal Peaks a Youth Ranch in Oregon. Crystal Peaks is a nonprofit organization that rescues neglected and abused horses to help children.



Blind Hope is about Laurie Sacher and her journey with her dog, Mia. Laurie adopts an Australian Shepered dog, but when she goes to get the dog, it is much different that she expected. The dog is thin, smelly and has some needs. Despite the dogs imperfections, Laurie decides to take the dog and rename it "Mia." As the story continues, we see how "Mia" transforms Laurie's life by bringing her closer to God. Mia, the dog is blind and through Lauries relationship, she discovers God's grace for imperfect people and imperfect dogs.Blind Hope: An Unwanted Dog and the Woman She Rescued

This book is not what I expected it to be.. It is so much more. I love that Mia transformed Laurie's life. I love when God shows up in the most unexpected places. This book was very easy to read and could be read in an afternoon sitting. It is inspiring. This book is more about Laurie's spiritual journey and less about Mia, the dog, which surprised me.

Thank you Waterbook publishing for allowing me to review this. I was not required to give a positive review.

I guess reading this I thought it was something different than

I guess reading this I thought it was something different than it ended up being. It is more about Laurie reconciling her spiritual relationship with God more than the relationship of Laurie and a dog. If you are not looking for a spiritual book then this isn't the book. I thought the book could have been more detailed and glossed over certain things. It's worth a read though!
>

inspirational

Great book-- found it at a bookstore while on a trip and love it.

An unexpected rescue

Abused animals are rescued daily, desperately searching for basic love and care. Rarely do we expect to find that the human rescuer is, in fact, "rescued" by the animal they have saved. It's the same idea as realizing that our "pet" is truly a family member that can never be replaced.

Laurie and Mia are a pair that cannot be separated. After rescuing Mia from a home that had so many problems that an under-nourished dog was the mildest of them, Laurie carefully nurses Mia back to health and life. Only as time went on and Mia was faced with new challenges, did Laurie realize that Mia was teaching her about life and nursing her back to emotional and spiritual health.


Mia is amazing, teaching not only Laurie but others to trust in your unseen Master, for a loving one never steers you wrong. It's a story of a woman in need of rescuing finding her self in God's love as she saves a dog. Acceptance and pure love are at the heart of Laurie and Mia's story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this galley from Waterbrook Multnomah through the Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Blind Hope

I love this book!! This book captured me because I am such an animal lover. In the book, Laurie get this dog "Mia" which is not by any means beautiful; her coat is tangled and she does not smell that great. As the story progresses Laurie see how her relationship with God has been lacking. Through her relationship with Mia , Laurie gains a new outlook on God. Some parts of this book made me cry, but it is so wonderful! It is pretty short so you can finish it in a few sitting.
I received a free copy from Waterbrook Multnomah, but this is my own personal opinion.

You will get something great out of reading this book.

Blind Hope - An Unwanted Dog & the Woman She Rescued by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher is the book I will be reviewing. I got this book because I am a huge animal lover. This book arrived yesterday and I could not wait to read it. It is a true story about Laurie and her dog Mia. Mia was a rescue dog. She was an Australian mix dog that was around nine years old. Laurie had not seen Mia before she went to rescue her she had only heard about her through her work (this was a good thing for Mia). Once Laurie arrived at the dreadful location to rescue Mia (aka Angel at the time) she was taken aback by the looks of Mia. Mia was not attractive like Laurie had anticipated her to be. She was also in need of food, bath and some breath freshener. The words Laurie used to describe the dog were "Wretched Creature" It was not long until Mia had a new name and started to teach Laurie about a blind faith. Laurie had grown up in a world were she went to church but she says in the book "she had mistaken God for a church, a group of people and a set of rules." Laurie begins to see the inner beauty that comes from Mia but also the outer ugliness of Mia reminds her of herself on the inside. It is not long before Mia teaches her that" love is not a feeling but a choice" Mia also lead Laurie back to God. She has strayed for so long. What I learned from this book is that we are always looking for those big moments to hear from God. We want him to fix us when we are lost. He wants to fix us too but sometimes the fixing comes in a not so pretty package and with bad breath. I thought of my dog that has bad breath and I though about how much happiness and love he brings to me and how his love is unconditional. I realized God did that. He gave us these simple animals to teach us lessons. Laurie and Mia's story made me realize this. This book made me cry; it made me laugh and taught me that Love is a choice and that God loves me unconditionally like the dogs he brings into our lives. I also found it ironic that Laurie rescued a dog originally named angel .If you are not an animal lover get this book. You can learn from it as well. I have to say there are so many good points in this book I got out the high lighter. I recommend this book. The book is an easy read as well. It is a short book with only a total of 178 pages.

not worth your time

I recently read Blind Hope, An unwanted dog and the woman she rescued by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher. The true story of a woman who adopted a dog and how she learned lessons about God and His love for her seemed promising. And if you are willing to put up with amateurish writing, false sounding conversation, awkward transitions from first, to second, to third person, and cheesy predictability you will find some good truths. But I don't recommend it.

There was one quote from the book that resonated with me- enough so that I actually posted it on facebook. "The grass isn't greener on the other side- it's greener where you water it. It's greener where contentment flows." I really like this twist on how many of us feel- that if only we can get there- wherever there is, we will find joy. This reminder that we create our own joy, by pouring ourselves into what we have now was a good one.

Now that I've given you the highlight of the book you don't have to read it.

God shows us his love in all of creation - even the 4 legged creation

Summary: Laurie decides to adopt a 9 year old Australian Shepherd mix from an at risk family situation. The dog has obvious health issues and some not so obvious. But Laurie is in for the lesson of her life. She sees herself with different eyes through her relationship with her dog, and also sees the trail back to a God who she's sure has forgotten her. Laurie's story is told through her relationship with Kim Meeder, boss, mentor and friend also owner of the Crystal Peaks Ranch - a place where broken horses have found new lives.

What I Liked: I love the lessons God teaches us. I love it even more when we become aware that he is at work around us and look through a different lens to see what he has for us. This book is the story of brokenness, of God's Grace and an animal story - all rolled into one. I have had many dogs touch my life in different ways. I loved that Laurie shared bits and pieces of her many attempts to find meaning in her life. Amazingly enough, it was a dog as broken as she was that led her back to God. This is a beautiful story of finding God. And also of a girl and her dog.

What I didn't Like: The format of the book - the story being told through the eyes of Kim Meeder bothered me a little. While it served as a good vehicle for the lessons that Laurie was learning about God, I thought that Laurie's own voice might have made the story a little more powerful.

Overall: I really enjoyed this book. As a dog and animal lover (I enjoyed Kim Meeder's other books), I have often myself see the hand of God through the life of his creations. Laurie's mistakes and hurts laid out humbly on the table of this book struck a cord in my own life.

Rating: 4.5 stars. This is a nearly perfect read for me. Love it!

Note: Book provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. All opinions expressed are my own.

Highly recommend

This is an inspiring book about a relationship between and woman and dog. Laurie is on a journey to truly find out who she is and in search of unconditional love. Mia, the dog, teaches her what it is to love completely. Mia has physical problems that challenge Laurie to look at situations from a different perspective because she has to figure out how to take care of a dog that is slowly going blind. Laurie relationship with Mia leads her closer to God as she yearns to know if God loves her unconditionally with her many faults. The story inspires all people to seek God and know that he loves everyone unconditionally and will never leave no matter how difficult the situation seems.

I'd give it no stars if I could

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for a good dog story. I just love 'em, even though, I know the dogs usually die and then I get all sad and weepy. So I was really, really looking forward to reading Blind Hope: An Unwanted Dog & the Woman She Rescued. The back of the book hooked me. It sounds great, it really does, but this book was seriously lacking in everything.

To be honest, there was really nothing about this book that I liked that much, except for maybe the pictures of the dog, Mia, who really is a pretty dog. And at its core, I liked the story, but there were so many problems with how the story was told that I couldn't focus on Laurie and Mia's journey. As I used to tell the kids who I tutored in college, what you're saying is getting lost in how you're saying it.

First of all, it's just an awkward, awkward set up. The basis of hearing Laurie's story of pain and heartache is done via Kim, and then what Laurie learns is told through Laurie's conversations with Kim. The biggest problem I have with this is the way these conversations start. They are so forced and strange that it's so hard to believe that anyone would ever speak like this in real life. It's clear that the author has an agenda and a story to tell, and she hasn't mastered the art of easing into the story skillfully.

I'm interested in hearing Laurie and Mia's stories, but told through Kim, they come across as weird and bulky. But even more than that, I feel like we never get to know Laurie, which is incredibly important to this book because it's Mia who rescues Laurie - how can we, as readers, see that happen when we never really know what Laurie has struggled with? It's hard to share difficulties in our lives, but when you're writing a book that's based around someone or something saving you, you need to share what you're being saved from. The best we get are vague descriptions sprinkled throughout the book.

It's just so painful to read over and over and over again. It's very formulaic, too -- it typically happens at the beginning of each chapter. I wish I could recommend this book, but I unfortunately cannot.

God is Love!

Blind Hope, by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher, is a sweet story about a blind dog and her ability to change a woman just by being present in her life. I enjoyed reading this story as I have a very big heart for dogs in need of rescue. I have two dogs that I have adopted. My babies do not have any problems, they simply did not have a home. By letting them into my life, my life has changed because of who they are and how they love unconditionally. This is what Laurie Sacher, one of the authors found to be true with her dog Mia.

The story is written much like a memoir, which threw me off at first and actually kept me a little disinterested in the story itself. But once I started reading, I fell in love with this dog Mia and who she was. Also, interwoven in the story is the message that God is always with us, that God forgives all of our faults (just as a dog would), and God is ever loving no matter what our past might look like. It was a true reminder of God's love and grace. And sometimes, just that message alone makes a book worth reading.

"No one ever warned me that when you rescue a dog, the life you save just might be your own!"

Well worth reading

The subtitle of this book caught my attention."An Unwanted Dog and the Woman She Rescued." Usually that works the other way around! When I first opened the book and started reading the introduction, I began to wonder what I might have let myself in for. Was this going to be another in-your-face "Jesus saves" kind of book? I'm glad to report that it's not! Yes, the message is definitely about the healing power in a relationship with Christ, but I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I am a dog lover myself, and following the adventures of Laurie and her (initially unwanted and unloved) rescued dog Mia as they began to learn how to trust was fascinating. Each chapter was Laurie sharing her growing understandings of how her previous actions had put barriers between herself and Christ-and how she saw herself in Mia, as Mia was having to learn how to trust and how to listen for the voice that would lead her in safe paths. Check out the first chapter for yourself. The book is an easy read, and yet it's one that I think I will find myself going back to re-read for the insights shared. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for a review.

Very Touching

A very touching story about faith, love and hope. I really enjoyed this story on numerous levels. First, the whole idea that there are ranched in this country that are soley run to help heal animals and children just the same is amazing and I applaude all those to particapte in these programs! The fact that Laurie agrees to adopt this dog without ever seeing it is touching to me and a teltale sign that God put this dog in Laurie's path to help heal her. It is awesome to see the growth Laurie expresses in caring for and loving this dog who is up again all odds and still loves and trusts beyond what it should be able to do. This is a well written touching story, a great book for animal lovers.

Blind Hope by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher

Blind Hope is a book about love, faith, and trust in the things unseen. It tells the story of an unwanted, mangy dog and the woman who rescues her. In the journey to help the dog regain its strength, Laurie begins to learn valuable life lessons from the dog; she realizes that it is not her helping the dog, but the dog helping her.

I believe that this book is a wonderful story, especially in the fact that it is a true story. While the story is a great one, the writing of the book is not as appealing. The authors tend to be so anxious to get their story across that they end up taking away from the simply amazing story of what Laurie learned from her new friend, and how she learned it. The excruciatingly detailed accounts of the landscape or the soup that they were eating took away from the real, deep, inspiring point of the book. This made it difficult to keep my attention and to follow along with the important parts of the story.

I believe that this book has potential to be a great book, but based on the trouble it had keeping my full attention, I don't think I would recommend this book to a friend -- at least not without a warning first.