Have No Fear

I am so thankful to the glory of our Lord and saviour that he has sent this lady to you, it is amazing when you tune into God and the Holy Spirit how he speaks to you whether it be through his word, sends people to you or through your discernment. How awesome is our God. There are so many, too many to mention times where I can testify God has spoken (or showed up) and his timing is perfect. He never leaves or forsakes us, and I thank him everyday for the blessings he pours out on me. 

I too have suffered, panic attacks, fear and anxiety and still sometimes do but what I have learnt over the last few weeks is that we must fight these things with everything our Lord gave us, the amour of God. I have always known this, however this has never really sank in, but this last week something had changed. 

As you know we have always rescued dogs, not purposely spaniels however it’s always been spaniels that seem to come to us. We lost our last spaniel in August this year, and after living with 3 all at once, one by one they passed away. And myself and Lee (my husband) said we would never have another dog, however God said different. As God cares dearly for his animals.

• Psalm 50:10: “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills” 

• Genesis 9:16: God makes covenant promises to animals 

• Hosea 2:18: God makes covenant promises to animals 

• Proverbs 12:10: “A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal” 

• Exodus 20:11: The Sabbath is for both people and animals 

• Jonah 4:11: God didn’t want to destroy Ninevah because of all the people and animals 

However now Lee is in his 60’s and I’m nearly there lol, spaniels for us have too much high energy and need lots of exercise, and we didn’t want another dog, even though we are animal lovers and miss having a dog around. And I have always had it in my heart to help animals specially dogs.

I believe God had other plans for us.

This is what happened, my daughter sent me a link on facebook where a kennel rescue centre was asking for volunteers to walk the ex racing greyhounds they had rescued from the greyhound track, (if greyhounds are not winning races, they are discarded and of no use any more)

So I applied and became a volunteer walker on 26th October walking the greyhounds. I thought this is nice, i don’t have to own a dog and can get pleasure from them and I am also helping these animals, it’s a win win. 

I walked my 1st dog called Sweetie she was a beautiful girl, and then my 2nd walk I walked Gilly, then Flight, I walked Sweetie again and continued to walk other dogs, some days I walked the same dog I had walked previously, but until I got there I never knew which dog they wanted me to walk. I never had an attachment to any of them no matter how many times I had walked them, but there was something about Gilly who I had only ever walked once, I found myself having to go and say hello to him everyday, and he was pulling at my heart, I was totally drawn to him. I had told Lee about him and came home one day and burst into tears as he touched my heart that much. 

I started to pray and ask God if this was his plan for me as this would be a big challenge I didn’t know anything about the breed, I couldn’t read their body language or face like I could a spaniel, they are also like a new born baby being exposed to the world, everything is new to them and they are frightened of everything as they have only ever know a race track, kennels and other greyhounds. Just walking along the road they are terrified of the traffic, other breeds of dogs, everything they come across is new to them even a paper bag. 

I kept praying and searching and God kept answering, but I thought no I can’t, God showed me in the bible where it mentions greyhound in KJV Proverbs 30:31, why show me that Lord? 

Gilly’s name never clicked with me, but one day I was walking him and called him Gil, it was as though someone had slapped me across the face with a fish, this was Lee’s Dads name, he was called Gilbert and everyone called him Gil, I said to Lee he is called Gilly, Gil, your Dad and he said I know I thought you knew that, and I said no not at all it never clicked. Long story short, I felt God was telling me to rescue this animal, on Tuesday 26th November we brought him home for a 2 week trial. Because he is such a big dog and had massive teeth, and I can’t read him, fear started to creep in, and we all know fear is not of God, and then anxiety started. I was praying saying I choose you Lord not fear, please help take this away, I don’t want to take Gilly back, I know we are challenged but I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me, and I want to do your will. I was reading my bible study and turned to Psalm 91 which is always my go to Psalm, in verse 4 at the side it referenced Job 5:21, it has other references at the side of the verses but my eyes were drawn to this, I turned to Job read it and then Job 5:22 said ” you will not fear wild animal” and 5:23 “and it’s wild animals will be at peace with you” wow. My fear went, and I was okay, then a couple of days later it crept back in, I was on my knees literally crying to the Lord asking for help yet again even though he had already shown me. Just whilst I was on my knees praying my daughter rang to say a lady was coming round to see me in 20 mins who owned greyhounds, my daughter had rang someone she knew, to ask for her to give me some advice and said I was struggling with fear and anxiety with Gilly, she came round, and was lovely she was opening Gillys jaw, putting her fingers in his mouth, rubbing his ears really hard, I’m thinking oh my word what are you trying to do to my dog, but she was showing me I need have no fear he is a gentle giant. I thank God for answering pray again and sending this lady and showing me, and then it clicked after watching a pastor on fear and anxiety (I already knew this but it never actually stuck in my head) we have to fight with Gods amour, so with his shield I stop the flaming arrows ( the lies) and say KJV 2 Timothy 1:7 for God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power love and a sound mind, and with my sword I bat it back and say Job 5:22-23 I will not fear wild animals and wild animals will be at peace with me.

I know it’s Gods will for me to have Gilly and even though a challenge,  God is giving me everything he has to help me look after his animal. 

God wants us to have peace and joy and we have to fight the spiritual battle with the amour of God and take captive them thoughts and make them obedient to Christ.