- July 29, 2026
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A dog’s collar hanging from Christopher Severance’s backyard fence in Winter Garden is a tribute to his long-lost furry companion Bear — a mutt full of personality, love and energy who lived in the ’80s with the Severance family.
Severance worked in the orange groves before severe freezes destroyed the local citrus industry. He was offered a puppy from a litter that was under his co-worker’s care.
“We weren’t really looking for a dog at the time, but it just kind of happened,” Severance said.
The unanticipated arrival of the furry family member in 1980 prompted him to share the power of prayer and inspire children to have faith — just like he did — in the form of a children’s book nearly 40 years after Bear’s passing. Inspired by his own experiences with Bear, Severance wrote “A Birthday Surprise,” a 22-page children’s book about a 9-year-old boy named Timmy who prays to the Lord to bring his furry best friend, Bear, back home after going missing for months.
In the book, Timmy is mocked for praying for Bear and is told to just get another dog.
But his faith was stronger than those words.
He kept praying, but Bear was nowhere to be found.
Soon, Timmy’s 10th birthday came around, and after much debate, he asked his parents for a new dog after starting to believe he never would see Bear again.
To his surprise, however, his faith, resilience and hope were meaningful after all.
On his birthday, Timmy unexpectedly reunited with Bear, making it the best birthday surprise.
After months of searching, Bear was back home to his loving family.
As a Christian, Severance believes the book is an important tool to teach children God does listen to prayers. But beyond just listening, He acts on them.
“It’s a ministry tool,” Severance said of the book. “I may even be able to do some readings at some bookstores or churches. … Maybe it can touch a lot of lives.”
His goal is not to profit from the book but to teach that prayers can be heard.
The book’s story arc hit especially close to Severance’s heart. In real life, his Bear also went missing. Severance was nearing his 20s when Bear disappeared. He searched day and night, gathering neighbors, family and friends to help in the search.
“It was pretty disheartening,” he said. “I was sad. I prayed for him that he would come back, and it was really quite a surprise that the prayer was answered.”
After nine months of searching and determination, Bear came home.
While it wasn’t on Severance’s birthday as the book entails, the surprise was meaningful just the same.
“One day, my sister came and knocked on my bedroom window and said, ‘Guess who came by my house?’” Severance said.
The suspense lingered for a moment.
“Bear!” She told him.
After nine months, he had found his way back home.
Time stopped for Severance. He couldn’t believe it.
Overwhelmed with joy, all he could do was thank God.
A quick examination of Bear showed he had stitches on his leg; someone was taking care of him.
A sigh of relief.
That day, Severance learned God was listening to his prayers and putting the pieces together to make Bear’s return an unforgettable memory.
Soon after answered prayers, Severance wrote the story in 1988.
At first, it was just a class assignment during his time at the former Winter Park Vo-Tech.
His teacher, however, adored the story and thought it would be perfect for a children’s book.
Initially, he brushed it off. Writing simply was a way for Severance to express his emotions.
But the memories lingered and so did the writing.
After decades, it was time.
Severance decided to turn the story into a book to inspire children for generations to come.
Setbacks and travails slowed the process down, but Severance never lost his faith.
If it was meant to be, God would find a way to make it happen.
And He did.
Today, Severance is proud of his accomplishment and happy to share a piece of Bear with the world, and he cannot wait to see the impact he’ll have on those who read his book.
“It’s the best I could do,” he said.
