How God Led Us to Gizmo: A Faith-Filled Dog Rescue Story About Prayer, Timing, and Trust
Sometimes the Lord speaks through the smallest details. It might be a feeling in your heart, a delayed answer, a closed door, or even a simple word puzzle. Looking back now, I can clearly see how the Lord guided every step of the journey that eventually led us to Gizmo, our joyful little shadow who quickly became part of the family.
What started as a casual search for a companion for our sweet dog Ally became a reminder that God truly cares about the details of our lives.
How God Led Us to Gizmo
When We Started Wondering if Ally Needed a Companion
Ally has always been a very social dog who loves playing with other dogs. After we lost her brother, Wile E, she seemed fine for quite a while. But as time passed, we started noticing changes in her. She spent more time laying around, and we began wondering if she was lonely.
Still, we hesitated.
Having only one dog made life simple. We could easily take Ally with us to run errands or visit dog-friendly restaurants. We also worried about bringing another dog into our home and disrupting her peaceful, happy life.
After nearly two years of Ally being an only dog, we started asking ourselves a hard question:
Were we avoiding another dog because it was easier for us?
That question led us to prayer.
Making the Decision a Matter of Prayer
One thing our family has always done is to make rescuing a dog a matter of prayer. Every dog we’ve had has been such a blessing, and we trusted the Lord to guide us again if another dog was meant to join our family.
So we began praying and casually looking.
One afternoon while I worked in the kitchen, Jay called me into the office. He had been browsing Pet Finder and searched for “Airedale Terrier” because we once had an Airedale we absolutely loved.
The first dog that appeared was a full-blooded Airedale – he was beautiful.
Strangely though, I didn’t feel that immediate peace in my heart.
Jay noticed my hesitation and mentioned that there was one more dog listed under the Airedale category. This little dog had been found as a stray, and they weren’t really certain what breed he was. They listed him as an Airedale because of his coloring.
At that point, we were still praying about even getting another dog, and Jay knew exactly what my reaction would be to this one. He said, “I don’t even want to show you this one!” Then he laughed.
I made a comment that I wished the Lord would give us a very clear sign. Jay clicked the screen to the second dog he wanted me to see, and my reaction was, “Well, I guess He just gave us the sign!”
This is what I saw on the screen that day!
In my heart, I knew right then that this little guy (Gizmo) was to be part of our family.
When the “Practical Choice” Wasn’t the Right Choice
Even though my heart was drawn to Gizmo immediately, the other dog seemed more practical. He was older, and he was potty trained.
After raising Ally through her puppy chewing stage, we had promised ourselves we would adopt older dogs from then on. (She was quite destructive!)
These are pillows that she destroyed on two different occasions, along with a couple of kitchen mats. These are just a few of the things, never mind the carpet! So we applied for the Airedale. Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about Gizmo.
That evening while eating at a dog-friendly restaurant with Ally, we kept discussing both dogs. As soon as we got home, I applied for Gizmo too.
The next day, the rescue group with the Airedale contacted us. But we heard nothing about Gizmo.
I assumed that was my answer, so we scheduled a trial period with the Airedale.
Then Monday came and Gizmo’s foster family contacted us.
Suddenly my heart sank!
Then on Tuesday, the answer to my Guess Word puzzle was “Gizmo.”
Again, my heart sank!
I knew God was giving me signs, but we had already started the process with the other dog. Who was to say that he wasn’t the one the Lord was leading us to?
God Sometimes Answers Through Closed Doors
The Trial Weekend that Changed Everything
The rescue group insisted we do a trial period with the Airedale before officially adopting him. We thought that was odd because we had never done a trial with any dog before.
At the time, we didn’t understand why. Now I believe it was completely ordained by God.
I normally bond with all dogs very quickly. I love them all, but I did not have that feeling with this one. It was the strangest thing. Ally enjoyed playing with him though.
At first, the dog seemed fine. But over time, behaviors started surfacing that deeply concerned us. He growled at our teenage granddaughter for no reason.
I knew we only had a short window for a trial, and I wanted to know how he would be around our family. We invited my parents, sister, and nephew over after my mom’s birthday dinner, just to see. We eased him into it, and everything seemed fine.
I was literally praying that the Lord would give me an undeniable sign about keeping this dog.
A short time later, as we calmly visited, his demeanor suddenly changed. When he growled at my mom, I gently took hold of his collar to redirect him. In a flash he turned into Cujo. I have never experienced anything like it before. I was pretty sure that when I let go of him my hand would be unattached from my arm!
At that moment, the Lord answered my prayer clearly – the answer was no. He went back the very next day.
Lessons in the Hard Times
As difficult as the experience was, I later realized something important: maybe the Lord allowed us to see those behaviors not just for our sake, but for the safety of the family who previously had him around small children.
Sometimes God allows us to walk through situations that ultimately help protect or bless someone else.
The Joy of Finally Bringing Gizmo Home
God’s Perfect Timing
The very next day I contacted Gizmo’s foster family. This time, when they answered, my heart didn’t sink – It leaped with joy.
They still had him!
The following Friday, we drove about 2 1/2 hours to go get him. By then, all my concerns about his age and potty training had disappeared. I simply had peace.
Looking back, I can clearly see the ways God guided us. God had given me:
- An overwhelming feeling the first time I saw Gizmo’s picture.
- An undeniable message that the other dog was not meant for us.
- Confirmation through a morning word puzzle.
- Perfect timing through delayed responses and redirected plans.
And what a blessing Gizmo has become.
Ally absolutely adores him, and he loves her too. He has given her new life and some of her spunk back.
He was potty trained in less than 30 days, he constantly amazes us with how smart he is, and he fills our home with joy.
He may still be in the chewing stage, but honestly, that feels so small compared to the happiness he brings.
The Sweet Reminder Gizmo Gives Me Daily
Gizmo follows me everywhere.
Every time I walk out to the She Shed and feel him stepping on the backs of my flip-flops, I’m reminded of the old hymn “In the Garden.”
“And He walks with me…”
Of course, the hymn speaks of walking in fellowship with the Lord. Now, thanks to Gizmo constantly under my feet, the words of that hymn are always on my mind! I encourage you to listen to the song. It is a perfect picture of the fellowship we can have with the Lord!
Thank you Gizmo for that reminder!
One Final Detail – DNA
There is one final detail still makes me smile:
We did a DNA test on Gizmo. We do not care in the least what breed/breeds he is, but it is always fun to find out.
He is 0% Airedale Terrier. Somehow, God used an Airedale search to lead us straight to the dog who was not an Airedale Terrier but was meant to be ours.
That feels exactly like the Lord to me!
Lessons We Learned
- Make Everything a Matter of Prayer – God cares about every detail of our lives, even choosing a family dog.
- Wait on the Lord’s Timing – Sometimes delays and detours are actually protection. We learned to trust the Lord’s timing in this.
- God Uses Both Opened and Closed Doors – Not every “good” option is the right one.
- God Often Works in Unexpected Ways – An Airedale search led us to a dog who wasn’t an Airedale at all.
- Some Experiences Aren’t Just About Us – God may use our experiences to protect or help others too.
Faith Reflection
There are moments in life when God’s guidance feels unmistakably clear. It is not always through dramatic miracles, but through peace, discernment, timing, and gentle nudges along the way.
When we had had Gizmo for about a month, I had another morning word puzzle!
How many times has the word “Gizmo” been in my morning word puzzles? Twice! Confirmation!
Our journey to finding Gizmo reminds me that the Lord truly cares about the small things we bring before Him. When we pray, wait, and trust Him, He faithfully leads us exactly where we need to be.
An Added “Gizmo” Bonus
Since almost all of our dogs have been rescues, we do not have baby pictures of them. Many times I have wondered what they looked like as a little puppy.
I do not have to wonder about Gizmo! He was rescued as a stray when he was about 8 weeks old. The foster family sent us so many baby pictures!
I have no words for all of that cuteness!!! What a blessing that God led us to Gizmo!
I found a way to show off some of this cuteness in the house. See “How to Use AI to Create Custom Dog Portraits” to see get the instructions and see how adorable these turned out to be!
Related Posts
Rescued! Another dog rescue devotional, by Jay!
Spiritual Lessons from the Dogs
How to Get Skunk Spray Off of Your Dog
How to Take Care of an Aging Dog
Time Lessons: Like Sands Through the Hourglass
Until next time,
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“When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.” Psalms 94:19
Why are you making me cry on a random Friday, Susan! I’m a total puddle right now 🙂 I’ve had the same reservations about getting Piper a companion as well. This gives me hope she’ll not only be able to socialize one day but find some friends. Thank you for adopting and always encouraging us to seek Him first, even through all the ups and downs. I’m beyond excited Gizmo has found a forever home. He definitely won the love lotto! Sending hugs, CoCo PS: My sister has an australian cattle dog, and he’s amazing!
Dog anxiety is no laughing matter! I know Piper has a lot, and I feel terrible for her (and you). It is hard. Ally never was scared at all until Wile E. passed away. Gizmo has definitely helped, but she still lives with fear. Fireworks, gunshots, and thunder are the worst! Yesterday she was terrified because it felt like it was going to rain. I kept trying to get her to go potty, just in case it did rain, but she wasn’t having it – until a dog showed up at the fence. All of a sudden, she had no fear and stayed outside for about an hour, playing through the fence. She loves other dogs, and especially Gizmo, but a new one was a distraction for a while.