Forged In The Fire

To my brother Nick Mahoney

My walk with Jesus has been a great journey.

Thank you so much for showing me the Truth.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20

PROLOGUE

If you are a new Christian just starting off in your walk with our Lord Jesus Christ or if you have been attending church for years, you may be asking yourself, What do I need to do to serve God?

Unfortunately, because each one of us is a totally different person in the body of Christ (the church) this is not the easiest question to answer.

There are people sitting in pews all over the world that have been called to service that are sitting there stagnant and not doing what God is calling them to do. 

For some it’s because they don’t have the faith in themselves to step out in an unfamiliar environment that they may not be comfortable in.

Others can hear the calling but have decided that they are happy just filling a spot in the pew rather than truly serving God.

And still others just don’t hear God telling them what He is calling them to do.

And there is still one more group out there. And they are the Born Again Blood Bought Christians that are serving God with all they have and want to do more but are not sure where God is pointing them.

Every Christian has a calling from God in their lives.

Unfortunately the new Christian doesn’t know yet what they are called for and too many older Christians have become compliant in their unproductive walk with God.

Just like many people before me when I was a new convert to Christ, I asked my pastor what I needed to do to become a better Christian.

He sat down at his desk and made a list of five things I needed to do as a new convert.

He told me that the list looks very simple but when I get to number five it will be the hardest thing I would ever have to do as a new Christian.

When I looked at his list it did look pretty simple. But as time passed it became obvious what he meant when he told me that number five would be the hardest.

The top of his list simply said;

How to become a better Christian

1. Read your Bible

2. Pray

3. Read your Bible more

4. Pray more

5. Repeat steps 1-4 and listen for God taking to you

Reading my Bible and praying wasn’t hard. Being a new Christian I wanted to learn so much about the Bible and prayer came easy for me. But it was my walk with God outside of praying and reading my Bible is where I struggled.

Nobody ever told me that being a Christian would be hard, but then again no one ever told me that being a Christian was going to be easy either. God gives us everything and asks for everything in return; our time, our talents and most importantly ourselves. We’re called to be Christ’s ambassadors, and to reflect God in everything that we do in our lives.

But, in the midst of our daily lives, filled as they are with our family duties, deadlines and responsibilities, we often lose track of our highest calling; and that is to serve God.

In our story there are a few suggestions on how to draw closer to God and better convey His love to those around you. Some are easy. Some require more effort. But all can help remind you of one key truth: As a Christian, your life is not yours. We need to find what our calling is in life and work diligently to do that job to the best of our abilities.

So no matter what group you fall into and even if you don’t fall into any of these groups I pray that something in this book touches your life.

I pray that this book will open up your eyes to the route that we need to take as Christians in our daily journey to serve God.

THURSDAY MARCH 10th

Fighting the Fire

So how was your weekend buddy? Firefighter Richard Jackson asked Captain Mike Wilson as they sat in the firehouse drinking their coffee with engineer Frank Nitti late Thursday evening.

It wasn’t all that good. The baby was sick with some kind of stomach bug so we stayed home and just watched some movies on TV and relaxed, Mike said.

That really bites. Well, if it makes you feel any better I spent all day Wednesday fishing out on Miller’s lake, Richard said with a grin.

No. That doesn’t really help, Mike replied.

Well I didn’t catch anything if that helps any, he said with a laugh.

Ya that really makes me feel a lot better, Mike said as he stood up to refill his coffee cup. 

Frank just softly laughed and said, Well, I spent Tuesday at my mother in-law’s house fixing her shower drain. And trust me; I would have traded that for a day fishing any day of the week.

She can’t be that bad, Richard said.

No, actually she’s worse than that bad. Once she gets a couple glasses of wine in her it’s like my mother in-law left and some crazy lady takes her place.

Come on, you have to be joking, Mike replied as he poured his next cup of coffee.

Did I ever tell you that when she drinks she has a new name that she calls me?

No, what’s it? Richard asked.

Well, once she gets about a bottle of wine into her, my name goes from Frank, to the guy who ruined her daughter’s life. He replied.

Wow, I guess you’re right, she is that bad. Mike said with a grin.

Firefighter Jerome Smith, whom the guys nicknamed Smitty walked into the kitchen drinking an energy drink.

That stuff is going to kill you Smitty, Richard said with a chuckle.

This is the last thing I need to worry about in my house, Smitty said as he lifted his drink to his mouth.

Don’t tell us, things are rough at home still?

Sandra’s church is having a revival all this week and she’s mad because I won’t go with her.

What’s wrong with church? It may actually do you guys some good. Richard replied.

That’s what she said too, but I’m not trying to get involved in that foolishness. I would rather be home watching the game on Sunday rather than sitting in some church listening to a preacher tell me all of the things that I’m doing wrong in my life.

That’s not what church is all about brother, Frank replied.

Ya, he’s right, Sally and I have been attending church for almost 30 years now and we love it. I couldn’t imagine what our lives would be like if we didn’t go to church. Richard said.

Just because church works for you doesn’t mean that it will work for everyone, Smitty said.

The first thing you need to do is realize that it’s not just a church, there is whole new world through those doors and I believe that if you gave it a real chance then you will see that Sandra’s right. Frank said.

Mike put down his coffee cup and sat back in his chair with his arms crossed looking at Smitty.

What? Smitty asked the Captain as he sat there just staring at him.

You remind me of a stubborn teenager I knew about forty years ago, Mike replied.

Really and who was that? Smitty asked.

Me, Mike replied.

You, what, were you an overweight black man when you were a teenager? Smitty asked with a laugh.

The other firefighters laughed at this also.

Mike just sat there and smiled and said, No, I wasn’t an overweight black man, but I will say that I was stubborn just like you. My parents would try to get me to go to church with them too, just like Sandra is doing to you. And just like you I didn’t want anything to do with it. I was stubborn and stupid.

You’re in church now, so what changed your mind? Frank asked Mike.

When I was twenty two years old my mother was diagnosed with cancer. She suffered for almost eight months before she finally passed. I was mad at God for taking my mother away and I couldn’t believe in a God that would make a woman who served him like she did suffer the way that she did.

I’m sorry to hear that. Richard said.

It wasn’t until about three years later when I married Julie that I learned a very important thing in my life. We were on our honeymoon in Niagara Falls and we were standing out there looking over the falls. I was happy because I just married this wonderful woman but at the same time I was sad that my mother couldn’t be there to see me get married.

That really must have been hard. Smitty said.

Ya it was, but it was what Julie told me that day that changed my entire outlook on God and the church, he said.

What was that? Frank asked.

I told her how I doubted God and didn’t think that church was for me. I guess a part of me didn’t even believe in the God that my mother believed in and told me about. That’s when Julie opened my eyes to something that changed my life forever.

Mike took a deep breath and then a sip of his coffee and looked at Smitty then said, I’m going to ask you the same question that she asked me.

Okay, Smitty replied.

Let’s just for a moment agree that your right and you don’t need God or church in your life.

Okay. Smitty replied.

So when the day comes and you die, and we all will die one day, and you are right about God then it doesn’t matter. You lived your life the way you wanted to and now it’s over with no consequences about the afterlife. Mike said.

Ya, that’s me in a nut shell, Smitty said with a smile. 

Okay, but what if Richard here is right? What if God is real and He has a plan for your life and offers you an eternity in an afterlife that will include your wife and even your mother?

I never thought about that. Smitty replied.

So if you’re right then who cares, because when it’s all done and over with, it didn’t matter if you went to church or not because our lives on earth doesn’t determine our destiny after death. But if your wrong and I’m right; then you’ll have an eternity that you will not want to be a part of, trust me on that one. Richard said. 

I never looked at it like that, Smitty replied.

And if you go to church with your wife and open your mind and heart to what the preacher is saying and if in the end you are right; what have you lost? Nothing, if anything you have a happy wife, some great friends and in turn a happy life, Frank said. 

Your right but I’m just not too sure I can understand all of this religion stuff, Smitty said.

Don’t focus on the religion stuff. Just go in with an open mind and God will show you what he desires you to understand, Mike said.

I’ll think about it, Smitty replied.

We are here if you need anyone to talk to. I have been praying for you for a long time and I believe that God could use a man like you in his church. Richard said. 

Stop it, your starting to sound like my wife now. Smitty said with a laugh.

Just then the alarm sounded alerting the firemen that there was a fire somewhere in the city.

The all too familiar voice came on the speaker announcing; Engine 3, ladder 9, medic 4. Respond to 1008 Bleecker Street, structure fire with reports of a child still inside the structure. Call out 23:27

HERE WE GO! Richard yelled as he jumped up from the table and ran to the door and out to the firetruck. 

Mike, Smitty and Frank were only a few steps behind him and the other firefighters were running from all directions of the firehouse.

Paramedic Stacey Elmer slid down the fire pole from the second floor. As she ran to the paramedic truck parked on the far end of the building, she was yelling to her partner who was still on the second floor to hurry.

Like a well-oiled and well-tuned piece of machinery the firefighters all slid their boots and pants on and climbed up into their vehicles.

Mike, Frank, Smitty and Richard climbed into the pumper truck parked closest to the kitchen door. Frank started the truck and turned on all of the overhead lights.

Captain Mike Wilson climbed into the passenger side seat and Smitty climbed into the seat directly behind him. Richard then yelled from the back seat, ALL IN!

This told Frank that all of the men assigned to this truck were loaded and ready to go.

The paramedic truck was the first to pull out of the firehouse and behind them was the pumper truck driven by Frank then followed up by the ladder truck. As they pulled out onto the street, each vehicle turned on their sirens.

Captain Wilson got on the radio and informed headquarters that they were in route to the fire and had an estimated arrival time in three minutes. In the distance up ahead they could see the orange glow of the fire against the black night sky.

Looks like we have a cooker on our hands, Richard said from the back seat.

As soon as we get there check and see if the child made it out of the house. If not, that child is our number one concern, Captain Wilson said.

As the convoy of firetrucks passed through the intersection of Kossuth Ave they could see the building just two blocks ahead of them on the right hand side of the street.

They could see the crowds that gathered in the street and the flames that shot out of the windows from the third floor of the building.

As they pulled up to the house that was fully engulfed with fire, Captain Wilson grabbed the radio and started reporting back to headquarters.

Headquarters be advised, Engine 3, ladder 9, medic 4, all on scene at 1008 Bleecker Street. It’s a three story structure and be advised that third floor of the structure is fully engulfed and we are requesting a second alarm.

10-4, sending out second alarm, time out 23:31. the voice responded from the radio.

Just then the alarm sounded across town at Firehouse Eight informing them of the fire on Bleecker Street. They were also informed that this was a second alarm.

Just like the first crew of firemen, the trucks pulled out of the firehouse and headed out to the fire.

As the firemen climbed out of their trucks a woman ran from the crowd screaming that her five year old daughter was still somewhere inside the apartment on the second floor.

Richard and Smitty climbed out of the back seat of the truck and grabbed the hose from the rear and ran to a nearby fire hydrant and hooked up the hose.

Frank hooked the end of the hose to the truck and yelled to the other two, HOOKED! CHARGE THE LINE!

Just then Smitty turned a screw on the top of the hydrant and sent water rushing through the hose and into the pumper truck.

As Richard and Smitty ran back to the truck, Frank already had a hose hooked to the pumper truck and the two firefighters started dragging it to the front door of the building.

The men on the ladder truck were hooking their hose up to a nearby hydrant and extending their ladder so that they could fight the fire from the sky. A firefighter could be seen climbing the ladder as it was being raised into position.

Firefighter Smitty and Richard approached Captain Wilson and told him that they were ready to go in.

As Richard pulled the air mask over his face Captain Wilson said, The girl’s somewhere in the second floor apartment. The door’s the one on the left at the top of the stairs. The child’s room is the second one down the hall on the left.

As Smitty and Richard approached the building’s front entrance, a large explosion could be heard coming from somewhere in the back of the building. They turned back and looked at Captain Wilson waiting for the all clear sign before they continued entering the building. Captain Wilson waited until the ladder man informed him of the situation.

It looks as though there was an explosion from the back right area of the building. It’s on the third floor, the ladder man said over the radio.

Just then Captain Wilson gave the go ahead signal and they entered into the building.

As they entered they could see the door at the top of the stairs. They also noticed the black smoke that was coming out from the top of the door jam.

As they approached the door they both dropped to one knee. Richard reached up and opened the door. Just then a large cloud of smoke billowed out from the apartment and into the hallway. As they crawled into the apartment on their hands and knees they could make out a hallway in front of them that ran the entire length of the apartment.

As they crawled down the hallway Richard was yelling out to the young girl that they were there to help her. When they reached the second bedroom on the left hand side of the hallway Richard noticed that the door was wide open. He looked into the room and noticed a small leg sticking out from under the bed. He crawled into the room and grabbed the girl’s leg and pulled her out from underneath the bed.

The little girl’s body was limp and Richard knew that the smoke had been too much for the young girl.

He pulled his mask off and placed it over the young girl’s face. He could tell that the girl was breathing but they were very short and shallow breaths.

BREATHE BABY! BREATHE! He yelled as he placed the mask over the girls face.

Just then he heard a second explosion coming from the apartment just above them. Then he heard the voice of Captain Wilson come over the radio.

GET OUT OF THERE! WE LOST THE ROOF AND NEED YOU GUYS OUT OF THERE RIGHT NOW!

Just then they heard the sound of the roof collapsing into the apartment above them.

Richard ran down the hallway carrying the girl’s limp body. Smitty was just a few steps ahead of them. Just as they reached the front door to the apartment, the ceiling above them collapsed and the debris fell and struck Smitty and Richard as they passed through the doorway.  The force of the impact threw Richard and the young girl to the floor. Smitty was knocked down the stairs and he tumbled down to the bottom.  All Richard could think about was getting out of the