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Devotions Archive
When the Ground Disappears
Weary, Encouragement, Comfort, Discouragement, Anxiety, Animals of the Bible Dana Rongione Weary, Encouragement, Comfort, Discouragement, Anxiety, Animals of the Bible Dana Rongione

When the Ground Disappears

I want to tell you something about greyhounds that sounds completely impossible until you see it for yourself.

When a greyhound runs at full speed, it uses what scientists call a double suspension gallop. What that means in plain English is this: twice during every stride, all four of the greyhound's feet leave the ground at the same time. Not once. Twice. In fact, when a greyhound is running full out, it spends roughly 75% of its time completely airborne. That elegant, flying creature is, at any given moment, more likely to be in the air than on the ground.

Think about that for a second.

For a greyhound, losing contact with the ground is not a crisis. It is not a catastrophe. It is not even a stumble. It is simply how the greyhound moves forward.

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Handle With Care
Reaching Out To Others, Spiritual Growth, Animals of the Bible Dana Rongione Reaching Out To Others, Spiritual Growth, Animals of the Bible Dana Rongione

Handle With Care

If you've ever owned a greyhound or spent time around one, you know they are gloriously fragile.

Not in spirit. In skin.

A greyhound's skin is extraordinarily thin. There is very little fat or fur between the outside world and the muscle beneath. What would be a minor scrape for a Labrador can become a significant wound on a greyhound. A small bump. A brush against a rough surface. An accidental nip during play. Things that most dogs would shake off can leave a greyhound needing stitches. In fact, up to 25–30% of greyhounds have a condition that makes them prone to excessive bruising and bleeding, even from minor incidents. Greyhound owners quickly learn that what looks like nothing can actually be something, so they handle their hounds with gentleness, awareness, and care.

Now, doesn't that sound like some people you know?

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What Can a Greyhound Teach You About Keeping Your Eyes on What Matters?
Distraction, Deadly Darts of the Devil, Spiritual Warfare Dana Rongione Distraction, Deadly Darts of the Devil, Spiritual Warfare Dana Rongione

What Can a Greyhound Teach You About Keeping Your Eyes on What Matters?

Over the next few weeks, I want to introduce you to one of my new favorite creatures, the greyhound. Now, before you picture a bus hurtling down the motorway, let me paint you a different picture. The greyhound is a dog breed unlike any other. They are elegant, ancient, and surprisingly full of spiritual wisdom. (Yes, I said spiritual wisdom. Just trust me on this one.)

This slender, noble dog has been around since the days of the pharaohs. In fact, greyhounds are believed to be among the oldest breeds on earth, with references dating back to ancient Egypt. This week, we are going to look at three remarkable characteristics of this dog that I believe the Lord wants to use to teach us something. Today, we begin with the one that may be the most convicting of all.

The greyhound has extraordinary eyesight, arguably the best of any dog breed.

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