“Marley and Me” by Judy Belshe-Toernblom

John 11:3 … Lord, the one you love is sick. 

This movie snuck up on my husband and I as we watched it with our dog, Snuggles nestled next to us. This movie brought a profusion of feelings. The sad realization was, there is an ending to so many things we love.

Like all dogs, Marley was in and out of trouble, but he was so loved by his owners. They chose him, loved him, took care of him. No amount of damage he caused could make them not love him. Marley, gave them a life time full of lessons, laughter and even a search for jewelry in poo. 

Does that seem like your life sometimes? So many circumstances have poo all over them. We shuffle through the stinky days in our minds and ponder, “If I’d been smarter, prettier, more handsome, richer, taller…..” and so on. There is no end to the ways we beat ourselves up. Someone once said, “Leave the job of beating yourself up in the skilled hands of your enemies.” 

The verse says, …the one YOU love, not the one that loved you. If you check in John 3:16 it says that GOD SO LOVED the world, not that the world so loved Him. 

Just like their love for Marley, Gods love for us begins before we were born and continues into infinity. He so loved us that no matter what Marley antics we come up, He’ll be there with us always.

Today’s writer is a screenplay writer and mother of four children from California. She has worked in the film and commercial industry for 34 years and likes attaching her devotionals to the message in films. Contact