Healing Faith and the Love of a Little Shih Tzu
Smokey’s story and Sheila’s memoirs will warm your heart, lift your spirit,
and remind you that hope can return in gentle and unexpected ways.
New here? Start with Smokey's story.
Dedication
This website, and the books I have written, are dedicated to my husband who carries the weight of PTSD every single day. PTSD is not something that simply goes away. It is something you live with. Some days it feels lighter, and some days it feels like it will never leave.
It is also dedicated to all the men and women who live with trauma in silence, veterans, first responders, correctional officers, families, and anyone who knows what it means to wake up with anxiety, face sleepless nights, and fight battles no one else can see.
I dedicate this to God, who gave us the strength to keep going when we had no strength left. To Jesus, who held us in the darkest moments and whispered that we were never alone.
And I dedicate it to Smokey, our little Shih Tzu with the healing paws. He cannot speak, but his love speaks louder than words. His presence has been our comfort, our laughter, and our reminder that life still holds joy.
If you are living with PTSD, if you are carrying anxiety, flashbacks, or memories that feel too heavy, this is for you too. You are not alone. Healing may not mean forgetting, but with love, faith, and hope, life can still be beautiful.
Living With PTSD
PTSD became part of our lives when my husband, an Air Force veteran who later worked at a state prison, was hurt on the job. Trauma followed us home. PTSD brought anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, and fear that never seemed to end.
The truth is PTSD may never fully heal, but that does not mean life is without hope. With faith in God, with the love of Jesus, and with small everyday joys, there can still be light. Smokey was often that light for us. His soft snuggles, his playful bark, and his steady love reminded us that even when life feels broken, love can carry us through.
Walk with us on this journey of living with PTSD. Discover our books and share in our story.
Books With Purpose
Stories of Healing, Faith, Family, and the Love That Helped Us Through
Every book we share comes from real moments in our life. Moments of joy, moments of fear, moments when we felt God carry us, and moments when love held us together. Our story is not perfect, but it is honest. It is filled with courage, softness, family, and the unexpected blessings that helped us keep moving forwar
These books were written with purpose.
To bring comfort.
To offer hope.
To remind you that healing is possible.
To show that you are never alone in your struggle.
Smokey The Little Dog That Saved Us
A heartwarming true story about the tiny Shih Tzu who brought light, laughter, and healing into our home. Smokey lifted our family during difficult seasons and reminded us that joy can return even when life feels heavy. This book celebrates love, faith, resilience, and the beautiful bond we share with our pets.
Love That Never Let Go
A moving memoir about marriage, faith, and the journey of rediscovering hope after a life changing incident. This book shares how we faced emotional distance, fear, and the weight of PTSD, and how love and God’s grace helped us rebuild our life together one day at a time.
Why These Stories Matter
They offer comfort to anyone facing trauma, stress, or emotional pain.
They show the healing power of love, family, and the presence of a little dog.
They remind you that God works quietly in the hardest seasons.
They are true stories of resilience, hope, and second chances.
Our Purpose
Our purpose in writing these books is simple.
To help hearts feel seen.
To bring encouragement to those who are hurting.
To share our journey so yours feels a little lighter.
And to remind you that even in the darkest places, God can place a small light to guide you home.
Our Books on Healing Faith
and
the Love of a Shih Tzu
Smokey The Little Dog That Saved Us
A heartwarming true story about the little Shih Tzu who brought joy, comfort, and healing into our home when we needed it most.
Smokey has always been more than a pet. He is the laughter in our quiet moments, the gentle warmth at our side, and the small but powerful presence who helped lift our family through difficult seasons. Whether it was fear, stress, sickness, or days when life felt overwhelming, Smokey had a way of bringing peace back into the room.
This memoir is filled with sweet memories, funny stories, and the kind of love only a dog can give. It shows how the smallest companion can bring comfort to a hurting heart and remind us that happiness can grow even in the hardest times.
It is a story of family, faith, resilience, and the beautiful bond we share with our pets.
For anyone who loves dogs or believes that healing can come in unexpected ways, this book will touch your heart.
Love That Never Let Go
A Journey Through Trauma Faith and Hope
A true story of marriage, faith, and the quiet strength that carries us through life changing moments.
When my husband survived a traumatic incident that forever changed our lives, our marriage was suddenly filled with silence, fear, and challenges we never expected. Little by little we had to learn how to love each other in a new way, how to trust again, and how to face the difficult days with patience and grace.
This memoir shares our journey through the emotional weight of PTSD, the strain it placed on our relationship, and the small steps that helped us rebuild our life together. It is an honest and heartfelt story about staying when it is hard, loving when it hurts, and believing that God can restore what feels broken.
More than anything, this book is about hope. It is for anyone who has faced trauma, loss, distance, or moments when life felt too heavy to hold. It is a reminder that love can survive even the darkest seasons and that healing often begins quietly, one gentle day at a time.
About Smokey
Life With Smokey
Smokey is the heart of our home and the center of our first memoir. His story is filled with gentle routines, loving habits, and the small everyday moments that make him unforgettable. He checks every room before bed, follows us wherever we go, senses our emotions, and brings peace in a way that only a little Shih Tzu can.
This is the Smokey readers meet in Smokey The Little Dog That Saved Us. It is a warm and heartfelt memoir that celebrates who he is and how one small dog can fill a home with comfort, joy, and love.
Our second book titled Love That Never Let Go is a very different story. It does not focus on Smokey. It shares our journey through marriage challenges, emotional distance, fear, faith, and the slow work of healing together. Although Smokey is lovingly mentioned in the dedication and acknowledgments for the comfort he brings to our lives, he is not part of the main story.
What You Will Find Here
• Heartwarming memories and real life moments from our life with Smokey
• His loyal, sweet, protective, and gentle personality
• A separate and honest look at marriage healing shared in the second book
• Themes of comfort, family, hope, resilience, and quiet support
• A reminder that healing can begin in simple and unexpected places
Why This Story Matters
Our books come from two different parts of our lives. One celebrates Smokey and the happiness he brings into our home. The other opens up about the emotional challenges we faced as a couple and the faith that helped us rebuild.
Smokey The Little Dog That Saved Us honors the little dog who changed our world with his love.
Love That Never Let Go shares the story of a marriage strengthened through patience, honesty, and grace.
Thank you for being here. May these stories bring warmth, comfort, and hope to your heart.
About Me
Sheila Buffy is a storyteller of survival, faith, and hope. Her words come from real life experiences, from the challenges she has faced, and from the strength she found through love, family, and God.
Her first memoir titled Smokey The Little Dog That Saved Us shares the joy, comfort, and healing found in the love of a small Shih Tzu who became so much more than a pet. It is a warm and heartfelt story about the bond between a woman and her dog, and the simple moments that brought peace into her home.
Her second memoir titled Love That Never Let Go opens her heart to the emotional journey inside a marriage touched by fear, silence, and moments that felt impossible to carry. This book shares the quiet work of rebuilding trust, the strength it takes to hold on through difficult seasons, and the unshakable faith that helped her and her husband choose love again.
Sheila’s writing is honest and deeply human. She tells the truth about pain, yet always points toward hope. Through her books and her blog at LifeWithSmokey.com, she invites readers into a journey filled with resilience, healing, and grace, reminding us that even in the darkest seasons, hope can still return.
At home, Sheila treasures life with her husband Dennis and their little dog Smokey. Small moments of joy, faith, and connection continue to inspire the stories she tells and the love that never lets go.
📚 You can find her books on Google Play, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and here on LifeWithSmokey.com.
Join Smokey on the Blog
Smokey has a way of turning ordinary days into stories that stay with you.
On the blog you will find moments of laughter, lessons from a little Shih Tzu, and gentle reflections about life, love, and the small comforts that help us heal.
Why Smokey’s Story Matters
Smokey is more than a little dog to us. He is comfort, joy, and a reminder that love can be simple and steady. His presence has brought peace into our home in the sweetest ways and has taught us that hope can return in quiet moments. Smokey’s story shows that healing can begin with the companionship of a little dog who loves without limits.
Fall in Love with Smokey
Smokey The Little Dog That Saved Us is more than a pet story. It is a heartfelt memoir about the special bond between a Shih Tzu and the family who needed him most. Smokey’s gentle spirit will warm your heart and remind you that love can heal in unexpected ways.