How God Used a Dog to show me His Love - February 10, 2019

Since it is Tebow’s birthday, I thought it would be a good time to write about what God has been showing me through him. Before I got either of my dogs I prayed and felt like God showed me in both cases, which one to pick. With Lucy she has been a dream: sweet,
kind, loving and well, almost perfect. Tebow on the other hand… he has always been a struggle. From the day I got him he was stubborn and fighting to be the head of the pack. However, Tebow brings so much joy and love. He is fun and funny. He has such a big
personality. Honestly he reminds me of me. Hence where this story begins.

THE HURT:

I made sure to introduce Tebow from an early age to dogs. I wanted to teach him how to  get along with them and to not be scared or aggressive towards them. For the most part he did great, but he had a few little attacks at the dog park and started to act a little
more aggressive toward other dogs. One day I decided to go camping and my friend was bringing her dog too. We knew that both of our dogs personalities might not get along and there might be trouble. We were too busy to get them together in a controlled setting
beforehand and that night of camping everything was a mess. Instead of taking proper care of letting the dogs meet, we were too busy getting tents up and trying to beat a rain storm. People were upset and it was not going well. The dogs were doing ok, but
my friend’s dog was very stick aggressive. Tebow walked by and the other dog attacked him. There was blood, it was bad. To Tebow he thought the dog was his friend, he was on a leash and it was from behind. This scared Tebow and he never let go.

How his hurt, hurt others

I thought if I just forced him to be around other dogs he would get better, but things got so much worse. He attacked every new dog he met. He then would try to be their friend, but who wants to be someone’s friend after they’ve been hurt by you? I began to
isolate Tebow in fear of him hurting another dog and he just got worse. I was scared that I might lose him because of his fear and aggression toward other dogs. I got a trainer and she was unable to help him and I really felt lost and hopeless. I started to
isolate Tebow while trying to still let him go out. I was anxious, he was anxious until his anxiety got so bad he could not walk on a leash anymore because he gave himself anxiety attacks and could not breath. It was bad. Then a few months ago he started to
nip at people coming to my house. I felt hopeless and he was terrified all the time. It was awful. I watched as he let his hurt destroy him. I felt bad because it was not his fault. I should have protected him. I should have acted and done everything differently.
I was heartbroken and scared I would lose him. His hurt and fear was destroying him and keeping him from happiness.

 What God Said:

One night I was upset after a friend had treated me horribly. I was asking God about it and he said: You see Tebow – you give him grace and love because you saw his hurt and know it was not his fault. You love him even when others say it is crazy because you see
how the hurt is destroying him and making him act. But you sympathize with him because you know the pain and the fear, and you know the bad behavior comes from something he could not help. Rachael that is how I see my children. They were hurt and it was not their fault and they act out of their hurt and it destroys them. I want you to love people even if you don’t see their hurt, understanding that you must have grace towards the hurt and bad behavior. Love them even if you feel that they don’t deserve it because they didn’t deserve the hurt. If you act in love towards others, My love (God) will  heal their hurt. You guys that rocked me so hard that I have never been the same.

God’s Solution:

I prayed over Tebow for years. I begged God to take this experience, hurt and aggression from him. I knew God could, but he didn’t. So I asked God to help me by giving me someone who can show me how to love him the correct way. And….. God did. He sent me a trainer that cost a lot of money. The training takes a lot of patience and time. I am  frustrated and feel like a failure more days then I don’t. I am tired and don’t have time but I choose to make time and…. Tebow is doing so much better. He spends most of his day in a crate and in a down stay. It seems that I am taking all of his freedom from him. However, in fact I am giving him more freedom because even if Tebow can’t see this, I am doing this so his anxiety and fear are better. Soon he will be able to go on more
walks, run freely, hike and go camping without restrictions.  Right now, this is the best he has ever been since the attack. He is not there yet but he is almost there and I see the potential.

As I was talking to God the first day after the training he again said something that rocked my world: Rachael, you see Tebow has so much potential. He is not bad, but his hurt was consuming him. You tried to love him but it was not in the right way. When you
love someone the right way to cover their hurt, then you help them reach their full potential. Their hurt will no longer control them, my love will. Their behavior will change and they will have freedom. That is how I see all my children.

What has God taught me:

Well I already gave you 2 examples but ultimately, as I sit here and look at Tebow as he patiently stays in his down position waiting from me to move him is…. I’m like Tebow and God is like me in this situation, in that I am also “in training” with God. My hurt
has controlled me all my life. It has made me do some pretty bad things that made me seem unlovable. God has been disciplining me and asking me to give him my “freedom” to give me real freedom. His love has and will continue to change my behavior and my actions .This is giving me freedom and making me new. He sees the potential in me and he just wants me to reach it because it is what is best for me. I can’t wait to walk and run freely in his love.  He did not cure Tebow like he could have because he is using Tebow
and his training to show me and teach me all about his love. I am literally crying because I now know just a little of his love, because that is how much I love Tebow. That Love is one of a kind. God even loves my dogs and gave them to me. This is proof.