A couple of years ago on a Sunday morning, a friend and I were on our way to church. It was raining, and as we were driving on a highway interchange ramp, we saw the truck in front of us swerve suddenly to avoid hitting something in the road. A moment later, my friend and I realized with horror that the truck had not swerved enough and had struck a small dog.

I remember crying out, “No!” My friend immediately pulled the car over to the shoulder of the ramp. I jumped out and flagged down the cars that were coming behind us so no one else would hit the dog. Then I scooped him up in my arms and jumped back into the car.

Earlier that morning, I’d been preparing for the service at our branch church, where I was serving as First Reader. Part of my preparations included praying specifically with the ideas in that week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson. So much inspiration about the true nature of God and creation as His reflection had filled my thought that I was now equipped to address the bleak picture in front of me of this precious dog.

My friend started driving again, as I held the dog in my lap. I began praying out loud, declaring facts about God’s almighty power and love for all that He had made. I declared that God was Life that could never end; and that God, as Spirit, protected and maintained all of His creation. These truths were spiritual realities, divine laws, in full effect right then, at that very moment. I was speaking vehemently and adamantly, so as to dispel any fear my friend or I might be feeling, and to keep our thoughts focused entirely on Truth. At the same time, I was tenderly petting the dog. Within a few minutes, he began to respond. He sat up in my lap, and started licking my face.

My friend suggested calling a fellow church member who lived close to church to see if the dog could stay at her home during the service. She readily agreed. When we arrived, she had a place prepared for this little one in her kitchen. I set him down on some towels, but he immediately hopped up and began dashing from one of us to the other, licking us as we petted him. He was bleeding in a couple of places, so we cleaned him up and gave him some food and water. Then my friend and I left for church, to get there in time for me to be ready to conduct the service.

After church, we went back to collect the dog. He greeted us at the kitchen door, happily running from one person to the next. The wounds that had been bleeding earlier had closed and were already healing. We were all so grateful to see God’s loving power in action.

But now, this dog needed to be reunited with his family. Though he was not wearing a collar, it was clear from his appearance that he was well cared for, and probably a purebred. My friends and I discussed some ideas about how to accomplish this, from posting signs to calling local shelters and veterinarian offices.

At first I felt overwhelmed. How was I going to find the dog’s owners? They could be anywhere! It would be like searching for that needle in a haystack. Right on the heels of this discouraging thought, however, came a spiritual correction: No, it will be like a mountain on a sunny day—you can’t miss it.

With that encouragement, I set up a cozy place for the dog in my home and started taking the necessary actions. I made posters, then drove to the neighborhood that was closest to the freeway where we’d found him. This area of town was considered neglected and dangerous. As I tacked up the posters, I prayed about true unity—the love of God for all His creation. And I prayed that not one of His ideas could ever be separated from Him. I knew this unity would be expressed in finding the dog’s owners, just as it had been in caring for the dog while he was with me, and in loving my neighbors rather than being afraid of them. All the contacts I made with people in this area of town were positive, friendly, and helpful, and I went about my work completely unafraid.

The next day, Monday, I called the animal shelters in town to see if anyone had reported a missing dog. But no one had. Then I considered calling every veterinarian in the city. More discouragement—there were so many! Again, this felt like it might be a chance hit at best. But I knew that wasn’t how God operated. God governed the universe—the owners, the dog, and me—harmoniously, not by chance. From there it was clear to me that the answer to this problem would be singular and obvious, like seeing that mountain on a sunny day.

I knew of a vet’s office at the end of my street. I felt impelled to take the dog to this vet to confirm that he was doing well and to see if they could suggest ways to locate the owners. The vet was very helpful, assuring me what I already knew: that the dog was well, and that he had practically recovered from all injuries. Five minutes after we left his office, just after we walked in the door to my home, the vet called me. He had recognized the dog as belonging to one of his regular clients, but had wanted to contact the owners to see if they were indeed missing their dog. He then gave them my number, and while he and I were talking, they called me. The owners lived in the neighborhood where I’d been posting signs, but hadn’t seen them. We agreed to meet close to their house, and within 30 minutes, dog and family were reunited.

What gratitude I felt for this beautiful proof of God’s good care for all His creation; for the very quick healing of the injuries sustained; and for my own spiritual growth, which came through applying to this need the truth that Christian Science teaches about God’s powerful, loving, and immediate presence.