Join host Meg Grier on "God and Our Dogs" as she interviews Neva Fernandez, owner of Neva Day Spa in San Antonio and volunteer with Canines for Christ. Discover the heartwarming story of how Henry the Golden Doodle came into Neva's life on Mother's Day 2018 and transformed her world. Learn about their inspiring therapy dog work, bringing comfort to communities in crisis including Rob Elementary and Kerrville, and how Henry's joy touches lives both in person and through social media. This episode explores themes of purpose, compassion, and seeing God's presence through our four-legged companions.

Timeline:

0:00 - Welcome & Introduction to God and Our Dogs

0:38 - Meet Neva Fernandez & Henry the Golden Doodle

1:05 - How Henry Came into Neva's Life

1:53 - The Mother's Day Adoption Story

2:08 - Overcoming Hesitation as a Business Owner

2:38 - Finding Purpose Through Henry

4:41 - Canines for Christ Therapy Dog Work

5:31 - Serving Communities in Crisis

6:18 - Henry's Gift of Joy & Laughter

7:00 - Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:8

7:47 - Being Present for Others

8:09 - Henry's Instagram Community Impact

8:46 - How to Connect with Canines for Christ

9:42 - Volunteer Opportunities

10:02 - Closing Thoughts & "Pawnder" Moment

10:30 - Where to Find the Show & Tune In

Connect with Henry: Instagram @iamhenrythedoodle

Learn more about Canines for Christ: k9forchrist.org

Tune in: Boerne Radio 103.9 FM | boernradio.com

Host: Meg Grier

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 6/27/26

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join host Meg Grier on God and Our Dogs as she interviews Dwaine Rivers of the Rivers Team with Phyllis Browning. Dwaine shares an incredible 12-day journey of faith, persistence, and divine intervention when his daughter's Australian Shepherd, Raya, went missing on her wedding day in Bay City, Texas.

This heartwarming story demonstrates how God's fingerprints appear in unexpected places - from a traumatic storm that caused Raya to escape, to an entire community rallying together in prayer and search efforts. Despite crossing busy highways and navigating railroad tracks and canals, Raya was miraculously protected for nearly two weeks.

The turning point came through divine guidance from an animal behaviorist who advised a simple but profound approach: just sit quietly with another familiar dog. Within 10 minutes, Raya emerged from the woods, completely healthy. This powerful metaphor reminds us how God patiently waits for us, and sometimes the best way to help those who are lost is simply to be present.

Key Takeaways:

Faith and persistence in the face of overwhelming odds

The power of community support and prayer

Trusting expert guidance even when it doesn't make sense

God's protection and perfect timing

Lessons about approaching lost friends with patience and presence

About Dwaine Rivers: Real estate expert with 40+ years of experience, award-winning horseman, community leader, and devoted dog lover with the Rivers Team.

0:00 - Introduction to God and Our Dogs podcast

1:04 - Meet Dwaine Rivers - real estate expert and dog lover

1:49 - The Rivers family: from 10 dogs down to 6

2:15 - The wedding day crisis begins

3:07 - Raya escapes during a storm in Bay City, Texas

3:54 - The groom's remarkable decision at noon

4:36 - Wedding proceeds despite the crisis

4:55 - Bay City community mobilizes in prayer and search

5:15 - Raya spotted across town - crossing railroad tracks and canals

5:58 - Animal behaviorist explains traumatized dog behavior

6:21 - 12 days of searching and divine protection

6:30 - Raya crosses 4-lane highway multiple times unharmed

7:13 - The solution: Dakota, the familiar friend dog

7:38 - Miracle moment: Raya emerges in less than 10 minutes

8:21 - Found 100% healthy after 12 days

8:42 - Lessons about not giving up

9:24 - Priorities: marriage first, then continuing the search

10:54 - Following expert advice that didn't make sense

11:42 - Bay City celebrates - local newspaper covers the story

12:01 - About the Rivers Team real estate services

12:43 - Thought to "paw-nder": being present for neighbors in need

13:34 - Closing and how to connect

Host: Meg Grier - Stories@GodAndOurDogs.com

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 6/20/26

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Meg Grier sits down with Veronica Brown — owner of the popular Bernie Bar Salvador Dobbs and Marketing & Advertising Director for DAS Festival — to talk about the beloved Dachshund Races at DAS Festival in Boerne, TX.

From hilarious stories of dachshunds refusing to run (or running the wrong way), to heartwarming moments of dogs finally spotting their owners at the finish line, this episode is full of laughs and unexpected spiritual insights. Meg draws connections between the Dachshund races and life's journey with God — from Romans 5:3-5 on endurance and hope, to 1 Corinthians 9 on running with purpose.

🎯 In this episode:

What DAS Festival is and when it takes place (Father's Day Weekend, June 19–21, 2026)

Behind-the-scenes stories from the Dachshund Races

Tips for training your dachshund to race

How to volunteer or sponsor DAS Festival

Spiritual reflections on running the race of life

Podcast Show Notes / Summary:

Episode: Dachshund Races, DAS Festival & Running the Race of Life

Guest: Veronica Brown, DAS Festival Marketing Director & Owner of Salvador Dobbs

In this episode, host Meg Greer welcomes Veronica Brown to talk about the Dachshund Races at DAS Festival — a Father's Day Weekend celebration in Boerne, TX (June 19–21, 2026). Veronica shares funny and heartwarming stories from the races, including dachshunds that refused to move, ran the wrong way, or — in one memorable online video — knocked competitors out of the race one by one before winning.

Meg weaves these dog race stories into spiritual reflections: like us, dogs sometimes freeze at the starting line, head the wrong direction, or get distracted. But with patience, love, and the right motivation, they find their way to the finish. Scripture references include Romans 5:3–5 (suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope) and 1 Corinthians 9 (not running aimlessly).

Tips for racing your dachshund: Practice at home with distractions, use a unique command or whistle, and bring treats!

Get involved with DAS Festival:

Volunteer: dasfestival.org (signup genius on site)

Sponsor: Contact heather@dasfestival.org

Community contribution: $100 to support the festival

Follow: DAS Festival of Boerne on Facebook & Instagram

God and Our Dogs is the Saturday Dachshund Race sponsor for DOS Festival 2026.

Paw·nder this: What lessons is God trying to teach you through your dogs today?

📍 DAS Festival: dasfestival.org

📻 God and Our Dogs on Facebook | BernieRadio.com

🎙️ Stream on the Bernie Radio App or your favorite podcast platform

Host: Meg Grier - Stories@GodAndOurDogs.com

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 06/13/26

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Meg Grier on "God and Our Dogs" as she speaks with Tiffany Jureczki, St. John Lutheran School Director, about her Australian Shepherd Dolly's miraculous recovery from a rattlesnake bite. Tiffany shares how caring for Dolly through months of healing taught her profound lessons about God's unconditional love, patience, and the power of prayer. Discover how a tiny puppy's unwavering trust and faith mirrors the childlike faith God desires from us, and why perfect love truly does cast out fear.

Timeline with Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

Welcome to God and Our Dogs

Show introduction and mission

1:29 - Meet Tiffany & Dolly

Introduction to guest Tiffany Jureczki

Meeting Dolly, the 5-week-old Australian Shepherd puppy

2:34 - Bonding with a Tiny Puppy

Dolly's early days - being carried everywhere

Becoming the "school dog" at St. John Lutheran School

Teaching the other dog (Diesel) good habits

3:54 - The Rattlesnake Bite

The shocking moment during an evening walk

Emergency vet visit and anti-venom treatment

5:47 - The Long Road to Healing

Massive wound from neck to stomach

Daily wound care for 2+ months (August to October)

Prayer and witnessing God's miracle of healing

8:09 - Lessons in Unconditional Love

How Dolly's trust mirrors our relationship with God

Childlike faith and perfect love casting out fear

Walking without fear after trauma

11:15 - St. John Lutheran School

Faith-filled education with a homeschool heart

Community involvement and field trips

Website: stjohnlutheranschool.com

12:33 - Closing Thought

Learning good habits from other believers

Final reflections and show wrap-up

Host: Meg Grier - Stories@GodAndOurDogs.com

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 06/06/26

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Meg Grier interviews Dennis Blocker, a military war dog trainer and handler with experience in Iraq and Afghanistan and author of three books. Dennis shares a story from his time guarding the US Embassy construction site in Baghdad along the Tigris River. He explains how he and his German shepherd Taurus identified a suspicious motorcyclist with explosive residue on his hands — using the concepts of "JND" (Just Noticeable Difference) and "COB" (Change of Behavior) in dog handling.

He draws a parallel to faith: just as a handler must spend time with their dog to recognize subtle behavioral cues, we must spend consistent time with God to recognize when He's communicating with us. The episode closes with a reflection on relying on God the way dogs rely on their owners.

0:00 Show intro — "God and Our Dogs" on Bernie Radio

0:07 Mission statement & show overview

0:38 Guest intro — Dennis Blocker, war dog trainer & author

1:10 Welcome & conversation begins; favorite stories from three books

1:56 Dennis introduces the theme of trust — in God and in your dog

2:21 Reading dog body language — how dogs communicate through movement

3:22 Explains JND (Just Noticeable Difference) and COB (Change of Behavior)

4:22 Connects JND/COB to recognizing when God is speaking to us

5:07 Story begins — Checkpoint Miami, guarding the US Embassy in Baghdad

5:58 Suspicious motorcyclist arrives; Taurus begins growling

6:34 Dennis positions Taurus downwind; reads the dog's cues

7:28 Taurus alerts on handle grips — explosive odor detected

8:09 Suspect's hands test positive for multiple explosive residues

8:56 Meg draws the spiritual lesson — time with God = recognizing His signs

9:36 Discussion on growing closer to God over time

9:51 Book three update — Dennis's son handles publishing to Amazon

10:33 How to contact Dennis & find his books (DogsOf2Wars@yahoo.com)

10:59 Closing thought: "PAWND-ER" — how is your dog relying on you today?

11:24 Sign-off, show info, and how to find Bernie Radio

Host: Meg Grier - Stories@GodAndOurDogs.com

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 05/30/26

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Pawndering episode of God and Our Dogs, host Meg Greer is joined by Dwayne Rivers of the Rivers Team at Phyllis Browning Real Estate. They listen to a story from a previous guest, Clint Buck, about his rescue dog Cotton — who faked an illness just to get an early walk — and then ponder the deeper question: Do we try to manipulate or perform for God the way dogs do for us?

The conversation explores how God's attention is never something we have to earn, the danger of seeking recognition from others rather than serving from the heart, the Parable of the Vineyard Workers, and what true freedom in Christ looks like — even in unfair circumstances.

0:00 – Introduction & Show Overview

1:04 – Guest Introduction: Dwayne Rivers

1:57 – Cotton's Story: The Dog Who Faked an Illness

4:03 – Pondering: Do We Perform for God's Attention?

4:25 – God Knows Our Hearts — No Deception Needed

5:43 – Doing Good Deeds for Recognition vs. the Right Reasons

7:10 – The Parable of the Vineyard Workers

8:38 – The Blessing of Living with Christ

9:01 – Faith, Fairness, and the World We Live In

9:32 – Persecuted Christians & Entitlement

10:26 – Freedom in Christ (Book of Galatians)

11:18 – Keeping Your Eyes on God

11:43 – Wrapping Up & The Rivers Team

12:03 – Where to Find the Show

🐾 Find God and Our Dogs at godandourdogs.com

📻 Boerne Radio 103.9 FM | boernradio.com

Host: Meg Grier - Stories@GodAndOurDogs.com

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 05/23/26

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this “pawndering” episode of God and Our Dogs, host Meg Grier is joined by Curtis Bissonette — a 20+ year Boerne resident and Director of Transportation Projects at Valero — to reflect on a K9 story from Sheriff Al Auxier about police dog Renee, who was redirected from guide dog work to law enforcement and thrived. Curtis connects Renee's story to his own career journey and to training his young Labrador Retriever, Grace, drawing parallels about purpose, calling, and the patience God shows us as we grow into who He designed us to be.

Curtis also shares about Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries' youth mentoring program, which has 60+ students waiting for mentors. Learn more at hillcountrydailybread.org.

0:00 – Intro / Welcome

1:28 – Guest intro: Curtis Bissonette

2:14 – Al Auxier's K9 story: Renee finds her purpose

3:57 – “Pawndering” begins: Curtis reflects on Renee's story

5:06 – How do we know when we're blossoming?

5:50 – Grace the puppy & knowing your pedigree/potential

7:26 – Discouragement, stumbling, and God's heart posture

9:05 – Catching yourself as a trainer; God as perfect Father

9:40 – "I am the vine": pruning, growth, and returning to God

11:25 – Training Grace, pruning ourselves, strong will & patience

12:39 – Hill Country Daily Bread youth mentoring program

14:17 – Closing / How to find the show

🐾 Subscribe, share, and stay at GodAndOurDogs.com

📻 Tune in Saturdays on Boerne Radio 103.9 FM

Host: Meg Grier - Stories@GodAndOurDogs.com

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 05/16/26

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

God and Our Dogs – "Pawndering" with Scott Kappel ft. Stan Leach

In this pawndering episode, host Meg Greer listens to a dog story from Scott Kappel about his three dogs — Gemini, Knight, and Copper — then ponders its spiritual lessons with Stan Leach, athletic director for Boerne ISD and one of Texas's most successful high school basketball coaches.

Scott's dogs, though from different backgrounds (and two from the same litter), are completely different: Knight retrieves tirelessly all day, while Copper refuses to fetch but is tall, affectionate, and always by your side. Scott admits he's still figuring out what Copper is "good at" — and catches himself before he discounts him, noting Copper is just sweet and loving.

Meg and Stan draw rich parallels between the dogs and human identity in God's eyes: every person is uniquely gifted, comparison dishonors God, humility is central to faith, and saying "yes" opens doors in ministry. Stan reflects on how success in one area doesn't make you an expert in everything, and how trials reveal character. The episode closes with a look at Boerne ISD spring athletics.

Timeline

0:00 – Intro

0:30 – Welcome & show overview with Meg Greer

1:15 – Introduction of guest Stan Leach

1:45 – Scott Kappel's dog story begins: meet Gemini, Knight, and Copper

3:00 – Knight vs. Copper: one retrieves endlessly, the other won't fetch at all

4:30 – Ponder begins: different gifts, same family — what can we learn?

6:00 – Stan: "I'm still trying to figure out what Copper's good at" — embracing purpose

7:30 – Quote: "The race is only with ourselves" — don't compare

9:00 – Sports analogy: teams need guards, forwards, and centers — all roles matter

10:30 – The importance of humility and depending on God, not ourselves

12:00 – Waiting on God's timing; how we handle things when they don't go our way

13:30 – Persistence as testimony; how others watch how we respond

14:30 – Boerne ISD spring athletics update (track, golf, tennis, baseball, softball)

16:00 – Closing remarks & outro

Host: Meg Grier - Stories@GodAndOurDogs.com

Website: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072683640098

God and Our Dogs airs every Saturday at 11:15am on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - www.boerneradio.com.

Air Date: 05/09/26

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.