1 Aug, 2008

Golden retriever adopts tiger cubs at Kansas zoo

Staff and agencies
31 July, 2008

CANEY, Kan. - A dog at a southeast Kansas zoo has adopted three tiger cubs abandoned by their mother. Safari Zoological Park owner Tom Harvey said the tiger cubs were born Sunday, but the mother had problems with them.

Harvey said it's unusual for dogs to care for tiger cubs, but it does happen. He said he has seen reports of pigs nursing cubs in China, and he actually got the golden retriever after his wife saw television accounts of dogs caring for tiger cubs.

"The timing couldn't have been any better," he said.

The Safari Zoological Park is a licensed facility open since 1989 and specializes in endangered species.

Because whit tigers are inbred from the first specimen found more than a half-century ago, they are not as genetically stable as orange tigers.

story courtesy onelocalnews.com & photo images.google.com 7/31/08

Adoption's gone to the dogs!

Check out the latest in adoption news...

Ephesians 1:3-5 (NLT)

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

In today's God's Story scripture, why is Paul using the word "adoption" to explain what happens when someone becomes a follower of Jesus?

Let's look at Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes:

1:5 God's "unchanging plan" is another way of saying that salvation is God's work and not our own doing. In his infinite love, God has adopted us as his own children. Through Jesus' sacrifice, he has brought us into his family and made us heirs along with Jesus (Romans 8:17). In Roman law, adopted children had the same rights and privileges as biological children, even if they had been slaves. Paul uses this term to show how strong our relationship to God is. Have you entered into this loving relationship with God? For more on the meaning of adoption, see Galatians 4:5-7.

A dog addopting tiger cubs is not an everyday occurance. In fact, it's something that made this golden retriever famous.

Have you been adopted into God's family? Jesus Christ, the "famous one" died and rose again to pay the penalty for your sins. Receiving His gift of forgiveness gives us all the privileges of being God's child. Wow!

This spiritual adoption doesn't put us in the headlines, but we become part of the greatest family both now and forever!

How can you connect today's God's Story scripture to your life?

If you have never been "adopted" into God's family, tell God right now that you want Christ to be your Savior. He will forgive you of all your sins, come into your life and promises you eternal life! (If this is you, email us so we can encourage you and help you in your new relationship with God).

If you have been "adopted" into God's family, praise your Heavenly Father for the privilege of being His child! Confess any way in which you have not been acting like you belong to His family. Thank Him for His complete forgiveness (this is one of the privileges of being His child) and ask His Spirit to empower you to live up to His family name every day.

How can you connect today's story, God's Story scripture and your story to others?

  • Use the story of this golden retreiver adopting white tiger cubs to share part of your story. You can simply say, "Did I ever tell you that I'm adopted?"
  • On your own, or with your youth group, look into "adopting" a needy child through an organization like Compassion International. You can financially support and pray for a child and make a difference in a life forever. Go to: http://www.compassion.com
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The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

YFC works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.