March 2002

Rickey Vaughn

Chicago Firefighter Engine Co. 120

November -December 2001

&

January - February 2002

Andrew K. Vigil

Company Officer/EMT

Poudre Fire Authority

Fort Collins, Colorado

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  I Corinthians 10:13

       Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to be a firefighter. My desire seemed to be so out of reach during my young adult years, but thanks to my Lord Almighty and the support from my wife, it has been a blessing that has been fulfilled.

     The first time I seriously took an interest in becoming a firefighter was in 1978.  I was disappointed when I was not selected but became more determined to try again, again and again!  Finally in the winter of 1981, I was hired as a firefighter for Poudre Fire Authority in Fort Collins, Colorado.  I truly thought that I was now done, that my dream was now fulfilled.  Little did I realize it was only the beginning of Gods plan for me.  The fire service has helped me to become more of a team player, communicate effectively, and to be compassionate in dealing with stressful situations.  Seeing people in pain and suffering softened my heart. Only now do I realize that this would all prepare me for my Christian walk.

     I knew of the Lord at an early age.  My mother made sure that all her kids went to church every Sunday.  My grandmother was the one who would always pray for me.  Even though I knew of the Lord at an early age, I never knew that it was possible to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Going to church for me only meant it was for religion.

     Once I became a teenager, I drifted away from church completely and became involved with the things the world has to offer.  It was in the late 1960s and I was enjoying my carefree life.  I put the Lord on the shelf and called on Him in emergency situations, crisis, and deaths in the family.  During these years, I always considered myself a social drinker and someone who was always ready to have a good time.  My habits never caused me to neglect my obligations to my family or my job or caused me any legal problems.  Because of this, I think I felt that all was well with the Lord and me!  I really thought that I had strayed just a bit and just needed to get back on the right track.  The only problem was that I was heading in the wrong direction.  I realize now that these bondages were keeping me from the blessings the Lord had in store for me.  I truly believe that God was watching over me, all the while knowing that He had a different purpose for my life and it wasnt the one I was living at the time.

     It wasnt until I met my wife in the late 1970s that I started thinking of others instead of only myself and what I wanted.  I believe that was the hardest time of my life.  These first couple of years was both stressful and enjoyable.  Now I realize how God puts people and situations in your life to help you grow, learn, and develop for His purpose.  To Him be all honor and glory!  I thank the Lord for my wife everyday; she is the catalyst that helped me to change.  My lovely wife was brought up in the Assemblies of God Church, studying the Word, teaching Sunday School and attending and participating in all church activities.

       I spent a few years riding the fence.  I would be a worldly person a few days then go to church the next.  At this time I was also hopping around for a perfect church and the perfect religion.  I think now that I was looking for a religion that would justify my habits.  I was shopping around without my family and I was not being the spiritual leader that God calls us to be.  This was a routine that was not helping me spiritually. These so-called social habits that were not causing me problems before, were now starting to cause me problems in my marriage and our finances.  When my wife became pregnant with our first daughter, it became clear to me that I needed to choose which road I was going to follow.  It seemed like once I made a decision, the temptations became greater.  I was more determined than ever to make a change in my life.

                Again, God put people and situations in my life to help me take the right track and go in the right direction.  I was invited to attend Promise Keepers not knowing what it was all about.  For some reason, I said I would go.  I didnt know then that my attendance was not a coincidence but part of Gods plan for me.  A lot of my fellow workers on the department said they would go but only four of us ended up going.  Once there, I found that men were freely worshipping the Lord.  These men all had the same kind of lives, problems, addictions, challenges, ... but yet they were all ordinary men like me.  The only difference was that they were turning their burdens over to the Lord.  Hearing their testimonies and the peace they felt in their heart helped me to understand that this was the direction I wanted to head.  I didnt fully realize the impact of what one Promise Keepers seminar had started in my life.  I found that I had a desire to learn more about the word of God and started reading the Bible more, asking more questions, seeking more answers and yearning for a personal relationship with the Lord.  It was in the fall of 1991 that I asked the Lord to come into my heart and become my Lord and Savior.  I was baptized in water in the spring of 1992.  A fellow firefighter, Ron Lindroth, invited me to attend Bible Study Fellowship.  This helped me to understand Gods word for my next step.  During this time that I was searching for a home church, my wife encouraged me to attend the church that she had been brought up in.  I had some reservations, but my heart would tug at me to attend.  We started attending as a family and have been members for several years.  I am glad to say that I am a Church Trustee, Usher, and Sunday School teacher for nine to eleven year olds.  I am also a group leader for Bible studies for a small group of firefighters.

                I have been in the Fire Service for 21 years.  During these years I have gone through the ranks and I am currently a Company Officer.  In 1994, I became a member of Colorado Urban Search and Rescue.  After years of training, our first activation of which I was a part of, was after the tragedy that occurred in New York City on September 11, 2001.

          Our task force was deployed on September 21, 2001 to a military base in New York and then transported to the World Trade Center disaster area.  Our duty was to assist the New York Fire Department.  We assisted in moving rubble, cutting metal, and supporting the New York Fire Department in whatever they wanted us to do.  We were there to support our fellow brothers and sisters.  The amount of destruction is indescribable.  The amount of pain and loss is unimaginable.  Through all of that, you could see the hope on the firefighters faces, and the courage and determination that kept them going for days.  The clergy, of all denominations, would always be present offering their prayers and words of encouragement.  This helped me because at times I would feel overwhelmed.  I would find times to pull out my Fellowship of Christian Firefighters pocket Bible and would read and meditate on I Corinthians 10:13 and Psalms 91.  Not only had my firefighting training and my USAR training prepared me for this task, but also I know now that my relationship with the Lord is what has given me the strength and wisdom to serve my community and my country and give all glory and honor to Him!  Without His strength, His shield of protection over me, and the refreshing touch of His Holy Spirit, I could not do it.  I encourage all those that do not have a personal relationship with my Lord, Jesus Christ to seek His presence, admit you are a sinner, believe that He died for your sins and confess your sins to Him.  Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Kevin Coffey

Chicago Firefighter

FCF President, Chicago Chapter

I have been a Chicago fireman for twenty-two years. My wife Lorraine and I have six children: one married, three in college, and twin two-year-old girls.  I have been a Christian for over twenty years and have been involved in the Chicago Chapter of FCF for just about that entire time.  It has truly been a tremendous experience to be blessed with a career that I love as well as have the opportunity to work with fellow believers in representing the Lord to our co-workers.

             Obviously, through the many years that we have operated our FCF chapter ministry we have gotten involved in numerous events and projects.  Some have been blessed more that we could have imagined, and others - well, they flopped.  But I want to encourage you in this testimony with some of the things Ive learned along the way in hopes that these principles will be a help to your personal and chapter ministry:

1.       Let me encourage you to attract co-workers to the Lord by your on-the-job attitude and performance.  Titus 2:9-10 says, Teach slaves (employees) to be subject to their masters (employers, superiors) in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. Plainly put, we are very visible on the job.  Your personal and chapter ministry is built on the foundation of the chapter members on-the-job reputation.  That elevates your daily attitude and performance to a spiritual level.  Without a good reputation in your firehouse and your department the chapter ministry is undercut and the Gospel becomes unattractive.

2.      Let me encourage you to anticipate criticism and conquer it with character.  You must understand that even with a good reputation, you are involved in a spiritual battle, and there will be those who will try to slander you and/or your chapter ministry with criticism.  The character you build today with Gods help will conquer the criticism you can anticipate down the road.  Again, in Titus 2:6-8, Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled In everything set them an example by doing what is good.  In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

3.      Let me encourage you to build bridges to co-workers by meeting real needs and providing practical resources.  Staying with Titus 3:14, Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.   As a chapter you must try to understand what the real needs are in your co-workers lives.  I have heard of many different ideas for chapter ministries that have touched a real need in some particular area or department.  Our most successful activities over the years have been those that have provided a helpful resource or met a real need such as printing a department pocket directory or visiting co-workers in hospitals.  When those types of bridges are built by your chapter, you will see co-workers much more receptive to the most precious resource you have to share­­the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

4.      Let me encourage you to understand the limitations (not lamentations) of your chapter ministry and so tie in with local churches.  As a para-church ministry, it is vital that you understand that you can never be all the ministry that either an old or new Christian needs.  It is the local church that God has called and gifted to do the comprehensive work of the ministry for individuals and families.  Each chapter member should be grounded and involved in his/her local church and see the FCF chapter as a bridge to inviting co-workers to the church.  Your pastor should be aware of your chapter work and be willing to help you tie it in with your local church involvement.

5.      Let me encourage you to never neglect the proclamation of the Gospel.  The Gospel is the ultimate gift which your chapter has to offer your department/coworkers.  Paul said, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given methe task of testifying to the gospel of Gods grace (Acts 20:24).  Chapters have employed dozens of different means to get the Gospel message out to their co-workers: tracts, New Testaments, newsletters, etc... In the midst of all your other chapter planning and projects, always stop and ask yourselves, How are we getting the Gospel clearly across to our coworkers? In these uncertain and dangerous times men and womens hearts are open like never before to Good News of Christ, so be sure to never neglect its proclamation.

May God Bless you and your chapter!