Never Leave Your Partner Behind…Fire Rookie

I’ve been thinking lately about what I want to do for a career. For the last 3 years or so I’ve wanted to do something with the Greensboro Fire Dept. Whenever I’m around firefighters I have that feeling inside of me just pushing toward that goal. Firefighters give us the freedom to live safely in our homes and in our day to day lives. They save many and give us protection from fires igniting. Have you ever gone up to a firefighter and just said thanks? Many take it for granted that firefighters do their job and it’s not their jobs to say “Thanks” for their service… Will you stand back and just say to yourselves they did good and let it go at that? Their jobs aren’t easy and their lives aren’t perfect, they are people just like you and me. Firefighters train for months preparing for what is ahead in their careers to keep us safe. They put their own lives to risk saving people everyday! Many say, why?

Every year, fires and other emergencies take thousands of lives and destroy property worth billions of dollars. Fire fighters help protect the public against these dangers by responding to fires and a variety of other emergencies. In addition to putting out fires, they are frequently the first emergency personnel at the scene of a traffic accident or medical emergency and may be called upon to treat injuries or perform other vital functions. I was at Chick-a-fila getting some dinner to take home and I saw 4 firefighters sitting down to eat dinner after a hard days work on the job. Every time before any meal they wait for the captain or the chief to say the blessing thanking the Lord for a wonderful day. I admire the firefighters for what they do each day and just to let them know that I care I always go to them and say I pray for all of the firefighters everyday and that they are doing a great job.

Because of firefighters we can stand up and say a simple Thanks! They need to know that they are appreciated and loved. They are not forced to fight fires but they choose to make it their career and to help others, we can learn a lesson from their actions. They are brave enough to walk into a burning building when everyone else is running in the other direction. Just take a few minutes to pray for them!

In addition to being part of the Greensboro Fire Department, I am now waiting and trusting the Lord for guidance in figuring out what God has planned ahead for me. The fire atmosphere just thrills me every time I’m around the station or around an emergency. I live to give God my everything and if it is Gods plans I know things will work out to be in the field of firefighting. Emergency workers have to have a passion to do what they do and it has to be a life long passion. Not just a thrill for the day and then it’s over…The firefighters give one word that they always stand by saying to Never Leave Your Partner Behind in a fire! Pray for them…

Third Day

My oldest brother Stephen works at Erwin Brothers Motion pictures in Bessemer, Alabama. The company films for many events including Christian bands. Erwin Brothers is a Christian professional filming company that first started out with two brothers having the same passion in life. They have grown in business and are now filming for Christian singers and bands such as: Nichole C. Mullen, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, Salvador, Whitney Duncan, and Third Day along with many others.

Faith Force

On Sunday, October 26^th, I went to Word of Life church in Burlington where the Faith Force were performing. I had never seen anything like this before! Faith Force is a team of world-class athletes who use feats of strength to get across a world class message. The athletes come from all backgrounds including: martial arts, power-lifter, football players, soldiers, firefighters, and even “American Gladiators”. These men give a spectacular show of Gods powerful strength in them, this show is in the Faith Force crusades to draw massive crowds of un-churched people together.

Everyday

Everyday we see people, whether we are on our way to work, school, or shopping. When I see people I wonder if they are Christians, what their purpose is in life and how they are spiritually. I make a game out of it, so when I see guys and girls out together I wonder if it’s their first date or how they got to know each other. Do you ever think about it?

Sometimes, I see people sitting by themselves who have no friends. Those people who are shy and have so many problems that they don’t know what to do or who to go to. What would you do? Would you ignore them or would you make time and go talk with them?

Kindred Spirits

Do you have that someone special in your life, who is always there to listen? The someone who gives love and makes you feel warmth inside of your heart. When that someone smiles, your eyes glisten as you smile back at them. Somebody who will always listen and encourage you to keep running the race that God has set before us. When you feel sad or lonely, just pick up the phone to call and chat a while. This special person squeezes my hand and it makes all of my troubles in life seem to go away. Do you know anyone like I have described?

The Excellent Life

Have you ever awaken in the morning longing to do something extravagant for God? Do you ever have things that are stopping you from fulfilling your own desire? With these two questions asked, I know that things have hindered my plans in life. When you say I will carry out my plan, and then you think oh, I can’t do that… My question is, “What is stopping you from doing the God’s work?” God knows what you are capable of doing and He knows what you can’t do. Most people today think that God will call them to fit their own abilities. If that’s you, here’s my advice, don’t hold your breath.

You Can Do It

This whole story is based on a real life story from the Shiloh Eagle football team. The coach is Grant Taylor who wanted the football team to do their best and not just play half way. In his six years of coaching, Grant Taylor has never had a winning season. Even the hope of a new season is lost when the best player on his Shiloh Eagles decides to transfer schools. After losing their first three games of the season, the coach discovers a group of fathers who are plotting to have him fired. Combined with pressures at home, Coach Taylor has lost hope in his battle against fear and failure. The young captain Brock of the team does not believe that the upcoming game will be won either. When coach Grant hears of this young mans little faith, he said, “Are we just going to give up because we have lost the other games?”

All athletes training to be a football player has to show what they can give. They have to show their strength and their yearning to want to be a football player. Not only by playing their roles in the game but they have to take on a strenuous task called the “death crawl”. The “death crawl” is where the guys on the team have to crawl across the field with a fellow teammate on their back to the finish line without letting their knees touch the ground at anytime.

Choosing Godly Friends

In the past, I’ve had friends come and go in my life. When I really thought they were good friends, then I saw the true side of who they were in real life. Some people I thought were my friends turned out to be someone totally different. The people I saw were friends of the world and they didn’t care anymore about me or our friendship. Some people come into our lives and only stay for a little while and the next thing you know they turn their backs on you. They’re not your true friend.

It’s hard to find a true friend, one that would stick by you in everything that goes on in life. In the midst of looking for a friend who will be loyal and encourage you in life, know that there is ONE whose name is Jesus that He will be your Friend until the end of time. Have you ever heard of David and Jonathan? They were true friends to each other, One day Jonathan stood up to his father, King Saul, in defense of his friend David. David kept his promise to Jonathan to look after his family members in the future. Are you a “friend that sticks closer than a brother?” (Proverbs 18:24)

The Free and Perfect Gift

When I was growing up, I was part of the GHE homeschoolers, and there were meetings that I would go to. They would talk about things coming up in the school year etc. I met a boy there, and we became friends right off! He was shy, but I will just go up to people and start talking to them to make them feel accepted. There was something special about this boy, for the first time I met him a radiant light shown bright through his personality. All I wanted to do was show the people in school the love of Jesus Christ! God created me for such a time as this, to witness and to be an evangelist. I didn’t want to show everyone who I was, but who Jesus is and that He loves them. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:58 to “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because… your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Soaring with the Eagles

I don’t ever have to be afraid of the circumstances in life or the challenging situations I find myself in. I can always be at peace, because the Bible says, there is no fear in him whose mind is focused on the Lord. Isaiah 26:3

It’s up to us how we react to the storms of life that come our way. It’s our decision whether we flee in terror or begin to wring our hands and say, “Lord, why is this happening to me?”

I have been in situations of that sort and didn’t know what to do. But you know what? In the name of Jesus those things can be gone! No longer do we have to flee in terror from the enemy. We can rise to Victory! We can rise to our full potential in the spiritual realm where God wants us to dwell. We can learn valuable lessons from the eagle. The eagle has certain characteristics that set it apart from all the other birds.

Think about this:

“A thunderbolt of lightning flashed vividly across the dark sky…Dark foreboding clouds rolled across the bay like some giant, waves crashing down. Again, a flash of lightning streaked the sky, striking the earth with such devastating power that it caused the lodge to tremble under the impact.”

Now other birds would huddle together in terror, trying to find a place of security. But as I looked up in the heavens, and soaring in the storm was a magnificent eagle. This eagle soared through the storm and he was a brave bird. The eagle was unafraid, and unaffected by the sheer ferocity of tranquility appeared to mock the storm, to dare the high places; as it enjoyed riding through the wind, sailing above them with grace and control.