As Veterans Day gets closer, people honor veterans like yourself. You’re not looking for any special treatment, but you deserve to be recognized for your service and sacrifice for this nation. Sadly, Veterans Day can also remind people of the dark side of military service. Veterans have a higher risk of self-harm and suicide, and this holiday can stir up old memories — including the bad ones. If you are a veteran (or one is part of your family), […]
Sometimes, the pain can be too much to bear. It feels like you don’t have any way out of the difficulties you’re facing, and it seems will only worsen over time. That’s why you started thinking about suicide. But suicide isn’t the answer, and there is help. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK (or 800-273-8255), a local emergency room, or even just dial 911. You know that suicide isn’t the right choice, and these resources […]
The T-Shirt Firefighter and the Bumper Sticker Christian It is not uncommon to see a person wearing a T-shirt that indicates they are a firefighter. In many instances, the words or pictures on these T-shirts are not pleasant and are often proclaiming actions this individual isn’t living out. This often angers firefighters who take the craft of firefighting seriously. But what about our faith? Do we take it as seriously as our place in life as firefighters? What about those […]
There comes a time in everyone’s life where all their efforts seem to be failing… There comes a time when nothing seems to work out despite our valiant efforts… There comes a time when disaster strikes those closest to us that do well, while the wicked live on and prosper… There comes a time when leaders will abuse their authority, slander & lie, promote mediocrity, and allow certain individuals who “fall in line” to break the rules while they discipline […]
It is a commonly known fact that those that care for others the most often receive the least care or concern in return… It is commonly known that those who give the most of themselves, who bear their souls, and lift up others in prayer often suffer in silence with their own struggles of sin and pain… To those who call out from the depths of despair… When you have walked through the darkness of your circumstance… Take […]
Many of us complain through our joys rather than celebrate them… We fail to realize that our lives are but mere moments… And it’s up to us to either live with remorse or cherish them… In one moment, we stand before God at an altar… In one moment, we cannot believe that our marriage has faltered… In one moment, we hold a precious new born child… In one moment, we are signing papers over differences that can’t be reconciled… In […]
Welcome to my fire house, it is like no other… Here we answer the call of the needy, the hurting, and bring calm to the chaos… This is my fire house, a place of provision, security, and accountability all in one… Here we eat together, pray together, play together, and share our burdens… This is my fire house, it is like no other for only here can we be real with one another… Here we […]
Is life tearing your world apart? In the middle of our broken moments…. When we are at our lowest… Remember the power of a kind word spoken… Think of those who are also at the end of their rope… When life attacks and we feel that we are spent… What if we spoke words of peace and encouragement? By choosing love instead of anger… We are rescuing others from danger… By practicing hope in the face of adversity… We lift […]
In the midst of the storms of this life, have we considered how well we are communicating with the One who controls the winds and the waves? In the middle of the firefight when the flames are raging, how well are we communicating with the Ultimate Incident Commander? “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me for in you my soul takes refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to […]
Want to learn more about firefighter behavioral health and what we can do about it? Here’s your opportunity: If you have been following our posts, you all know that our mission is to encourage, inspire, & provide the critically needed resources for the members of the fire service. And as a part of this mission, it requires that we learn about valuable programs available to first responders to assist them. This may not seem like much but anyone who has […]