Believing

When I first joined the fire department, I was 18 years old. I was a senior in high school and I mainly joined because I was looking for something to do and I was really interested in the work that they did. As a young teen in high school, I never really considered what I would gain from the fire department, and I was surprised that my faith in God grew even stronger through my work for the fire department.

The first time the tone went off after I had joined, I remember my heart racing as I quickly drove to the fire station. My hands nervously fumbled as I gathered my gear and jumped in the truck. The entire way to the scene of the call, my heart felt as if it would leap from my chest. I said a small prayer, asking God to calm me and help me and all of the other responders to do our job safely and quickly. Instantly, I felt somewhat calmer after thinking the small prayer. Adrenaline was still pumping, but I felt clearer somehow. Now, every call that I go on, I offer a small prayer, for those we are going to help and for everyone who is responding.

Firefighters often witness the most heartbreaking of scenes; people losing their lives, their homes, their loved ones and while even the most brave are sometimes shaken to the core by what they see, we still have to do the job. We still continue, doing what has to be done, overcoming whatever emotions and obstacles we are faced with. Its through some of these experiences that I have learned that God is everywhere. I've always been a Christian, but seeing God in everything has truly made me a better, stronger Christian.

When I look around me, I have learned to feel blessed for what I have been given and I have found God in even the worst scenarios.

My work with the fire department has shown me that God is everywhere, if you just take the time to really look. God is there, with the family who has lost their home, but still has each other. God is there, with the parents of a baby, who had a close call, but turns out to be just fine. God is there, with the teenager who was driving way too fast and totaled his car, but walked away from the wreckage without a scratch. He's there, helping the firefighters and medical workers do their jobs, pushing them and helping them through each task. He's there with the police officers who get to tell a child's parents that it was close, but this time, they got lucky. I know, because I've seen it.

Not everything in life will always have a positive outcome, there are those who's lives are lost, those deaths that are unexplainable. But I find comfort in the happy endings, the times where the call goes "right" and we can all return safely and happily to our families.

It's amazing to me how you can do something for one reason, and be given a gift that you've never imagined. Just like I joined the fire department on a whim, never imagining it would effect my relationship with God, only to be a better believer because of it.