I was running down the street like an idiot.

"Taffy! Taffy! Come here Taffy! You want a treat?"

I didn't even have a treat with me, I was desperate. The dog had bolted out the front door and ran so fast down the street I had lost sight of her. The thing is, she wasn't even my dog. I was pet sitting for a family and they had warned me that she was an escape artist. Man, they weren't kidding.

It was nighttime, so I couldn't see a thing. Panic started to set in as I began to imagine the worst possible situations. But I wasn't going to just freeze up and not do everything in my power to find that dog. I remembered she had a tracker so I called the parents cell phone, and the kids picked up. They had left their phone with the kids and had gone out. Thank goodness kids are so great with technology, within minutes they had an app running that was tracking Taffy's location. There was hope!

But when they told me that the tracker said she had made it out of the neighborhood and onto the main road my heart stopped. All of those awful thoughts came back, I couldn't help it.

Praise God my dad was with me. He drove as I talked to the kids on the phone, and most importantly my dad reassured me that we would find her. And we did! She ran as soon as I approached her, but she was tired by then and eventually gave up the chase (I was thankful, for I am not the athletic type). It was the craziest and scariest experience.

We finally got Taffy back to her house, and as my dad and I left to go home we looked at each other and laughed hysterically. Uncontrollable laughter. Genuine joy at the absurdity that had just occurred. We high fived, cause we rocked.

Sometimes things get out of control. We lose something, we forget who we are. The dog gets out.

Do you ever feel like something is missing in your life? Have you been trying to get something back that you once had? Maybe it's time to start asking, who let the dogs out?

For example, I've been losing my focus on my school work. It's so easy to burn out and become complacent, and I realized I had a problem when I spent more time on Facebook and Youtube and less time actually doing my assignments. I was losing some self-control, and now I'm working to get it back.

The hope for change starts with recognizing what is missing, and how it got away. These answers come with time and prayer, I pray that God speaks to you and that you understand His promise for your life.

Once you know what's missing, it's time to find a way to get it back. Don't let the panic overwhelm you, remember the small details in life that could help you take steps towards success. And never do it alone. Have someone in your corner who can point you to Christ as you pursue his promise of fulfillment in your life.

"Not one of all the LORD's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. " Joshua 21:45

Keep your eyes on the Lord, He is with you in every moment and every struggle. Invite him into your darkest places and rejoice in Him when He brings the victory.

When the dog gets out, go and get it back.