What Fostering Dogs Taught Me About My Own Faith

by Bekah

October 21, 2024
3 minute read

I’ll be honest—I was mostly in it for the puppy breath and extra snuggles.

When my husband and I started fostering puppies, I didn’t expect was how caring for these dogs—each with their own needs and quirks—would deepen my understanding of faith and reflect God’s love and care for us. Here are three things fostering has taught me about trusting God:

1. God calls us to step beyond our comfort zones

When our foster pup Penny is inside the house or yard, she’s confident and happy. But the second you step onto the sidewalk to take her for a walk, she freezes. She’s so afraid of the world beyond her comfort zone that she refuses to move.

Penny loves people and other dogs, and I know she’d thrive if she could just make it more than 10 feet past our house. My frustration with her refusal to move reminds me of the times I’ve resisted God when He led me out of my comfort zone. Just as Penny would experience so much more joy if she trusted the walk, I’m learning that when God leads us into unfamiliar territory, it’s for our good, and He won’t abandon us in the process.

2. God is present in the smallest details

With every foster dog we’ve taken in, we always ask the same question: “Should we keep them?” The temptation to foster fail is real, but I know we can’t become the people with a dozen dogs.

I was struggling with whether to keep one of our fosters when a friend asked me: “Have you prayed about it?” At first, it felt silly, but after praying for clarity, I felt peace that this pup wasn’t meant to stay with us—we were simply preparing her for her forever family.

It’s a comforting reminder that God cares about the big and small things in our lives. Every decision, no matter how trivial it might seem, matters to God because we matter to Him.

3. God’s love is freely given and never runs out

There’s always an adjustment period when we take in a new pup, especially in how our two dogs react. Some of our fosters arrive malnourished and scared, and our older dogs get jealous when we give the new pup more food, more time, and more patience. What I wish I could communicate to them is that no matter what the foster needs, we’ll never stop caring for them, too.

This pattern reminds me of the older brother in the story of the prodigal son. While the father pours out love and celebration for the son who returns, it doesn’t diminish the deep love he has for the son who stayed.

God’s love is infinite—His attention to one person’s need never takes away from what He has for the rest of us. There’s no competition in His care. No matter how much love, grace, or healing someone else requires, God’s love for us remains as full and overflowing as ever. It never wavers. It never runs out. It will always be there for you.

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