Blind Hope: An Unwanted Dog and the Woman She Rescued »

Kim Meeder is the author of Hope Rising and Bridge Called Hope. Along with her husband, Troy, she owns and operates Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in central Oregon. Crystal Peaks is a nonprofit organization that rescues abused and neglected horses and pairs them with disadvantaged children, offering the children a place of safety, peace, and hope. In 2004, Kim received the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award, one of the nation’s highest honors for public service.
 
Laurie Sacher is a team leader at Crystal Peaks Youth. Laurie graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2003 and taught English as Second Language in Spain before returning to her native California roots to pursue her passion for kids and animals. 

An unwanted dog. An emotional rescue.
Two lives forever changed.

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. And she soon began to realize 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 discovered the transforming power of God’s grace even for imperfect and selfish people—and she experienced a greater love than she had 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
 

Publishers Weekly

Meeder (Hope Rising) tells the story of an unwanted dog whose forlorn and broken heart and body called out to Meeder'sco-author, Sacher, and how, in their subsequent relationship, the dog became the agent of spiritual rescue to her owner. Together, Meeder and Sacher write about their own meeting and work at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Oregon, where Sacher was moved to take ownership of a disabled pooch that she renamed Mia. In a completely disarming manner, Meeder relates a love story between Sacher and Mia as human and dog grew to trust one another one day, one bump, and one bruise at a time. Meeder parallels their human/canine relationship with the trust and love Sacher develops with God. With humorous and poignant asides, Meeder beautifully bridges the gap between the sad and silly, showing the lovely and forsaken aspects of the individual heart so powerfully that readers will be coaxed into revisiting their understanding of the rescue God readily offers to all. (July)

The Humble Beginning xiii

Prologue: The Sound of Trust 1

1 The Rescue 9

2 The Facade 19

3 The Choice 33

4 The Calling 39

5 The Lesson of Love 53

6 The Diagnosis 63

7 The Three Things 73

8 The Light 87

9 The Walk 95

10 The Storm 103

11 The Purpose in Proximity 119

12 The Gift of Joy 129

13 The Bridge of Trust 139

14 The Closet 151

15 The Hope 167

Epilogue 173

Acknowledgments 179

Notes 181