Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Greetings from the missions field 9-26-2012

From the Field
I need to start with an apology. I promised to post every Monday, and here it is Wednesday. This week has been very busy. I feel like I got on one of those playground rides that go in a circle. You get on and it spins faster and faster. This past week has been filled with ups and downs. Yesterday we had our first International Board meeting. Since we are so far away from each other it is always difficult to meet. Praise God for modern technology. We were able to meet over the internet. What a blessing to get everyone together and talk about God's ministry to firefighters. We will be having a Bible study via that same connection. Please pray that all would go well. Its awesome to think that firefighters can meet together for fellowship and Bible study via the internet. I hope it is an encouragement to people. I am still waiting for the tax exempt from Maryland to go through. This is holding up our purchase of computer for the new office. We have decided to go with a Mac, which should help us with editing the Encourager. I am looking forward to putting that together.

I had a wonderful time at the prayer breakfast for the Prince George County Volunteer Fire Department. I was able to speak, and the topic was prayer in the fire service. What a blessing to be a part of that yearly event. I am thankful for this chapters desire to give out Bible to the newly elected officers. I pray that they would continue to be a blessing to firefighters in Prince George County. The next prayer breakfast is a combination of three local chapters getting together. I look forward to that time with them.

I continue to be blessed by talking to members of our organization. Yesterday I talked with a 84 year old brother from Canada. He retired as a Captain from his department. I loved hearing how God worked in his life through prayer in order to get his position on the fire department and in his families life. It is amazing to me how God works. I am thankful that God even cares for us, especially when we mess up so much.

Family
God is working in my families lives for which I am very thankful. Seth has been putting out his resume for Assistant pastor positions. He heard back from a church who is very interested in him, praise God. Please pray that God's will would be accomplished. It is exciting to see your children grow up and walk with the Lord. I pray that first responders families would be strengthened in these last days. God is faithful.

Personal Life
I am back in the New Testament in my daily devotions. This morning I read through Colossians. I love reading the books that Paul wrote, and particularly am interested lately in prayer. I have been trying to pray better for individuals and for the fire service. I have been praying for a revival in the fire service. I pray that God's people in the fire service would wake up to righteousness and would stir others up to love and good works. May that revival start with me and spread like wildfire.

Prayer List
  • The Maryland Tax exempt status to go through
  • We have several members out of work. Pray that they would be able to find work
  • We have several members with very ill relatives.
  • That God would be glorified in the fire service
  • That FCFInternational would minister to first responders who need to hear the Gospel
  • That doors would be opened up in fire departments in Canada.




  • That God would open doors to fire departments in states where we do not have members

Friday, September 21, 2012

Duncan Wilkie Testimony

I hope and pray that you will enjoy this as much as I did. The fire service hasn't really changed as much as we think. I thank God for the testimony of this Christian Firefighter. Once a firefighter - Always a firefighter!

Duncan M. Wilkie
My Search for the Abundant Life

My name is Duncan M. Wilkie and this is how abundant life eventually became mine.
I joined the Denver Fire Department April 1, 1955. What a job! I was thrilled to be a part of such a neat group of guys who really looked out for one another. The fire department became the focal point of my life. I was vice president of the union. I ran 5 years with the State Fire Convention team. I played on their basketball and softball teams.
At the fire department I worked 64 hours a week. My other activities took a lot of time. Also, I had a construction company and I often would go straight to work from the firehouse and not get home till 8:00 or 10:00 at night. I was so busy I didn’t have time for my family. I had a wife and four children. They were going to have everything I didn’t have as a product of the depression.
I was on the merry-go-round and couldn’t get off. I had two homes, building a third and money in the bank. Things were really going well. I thought I had provided the physical needs and what more could a family want.
All I worked for was wiped out with one phone call to a divorce lawyer. I was out and I told myself stubbornly I didn’t need anybody. I had my kids once a week and I’d get by. I spent the next two years in bars trying to fill the void in my life. I traveled to Europe. That was satisfying. I questioned myself as to why I was sitting in Zermatt, Switzerland, looking at Mount Rosa, their highest mountain, which is 13,000 plus feet high, when I could look out my apartment window in Denver any day and see mountains over 14,000 feet. The people in Europe showed the strain of the war on their faces. They didn’t seem to have the answers to the life I was seeking. I was seeking a reason for living.
Back at the bars, I watched how guys would accept another if he had money for drinks; but if the money ran out, he just wasn’t welcome. I came to the conclusion that no one really cared about me or anyone else, just self. There was nothing satisfying in life. Life was like a beautiful soap bubble with colors of the rainbow. You reach out for it and POP, its gone! It seemed that is all life held for me. I could find no reason for living. If all life offered was to work to make money to buy food to gain strength to go back to work, I’d had it. Suicide did not look too bad.
My health was not the greatest after 2 years of abuse. I injured the cartilage in my knee playing basketball. After the operation, I met my therapist. There was something special about her. I tried to date her, but she would not go out with one like me. She did consent to go have coffee with me if I would attend church with her.
I went and the preaching tore me up. I heard, “What profits a man if he gains the whole world and losses his own soul, or what should he give in exchange for it?” That was me! I tried to gain everything and had nothing, not even a purpose for living. The preacher went on, “Jesus said, ‘I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly’.” I tried most of what this life had to offer and it was not satisfying. The people at the church seemed to have something I didn’t; and I figured when I found out what it was, then I would buy it. I thought there wasn’t anything without a price in this world. For 5 months I attended that church and found I couldn’t buy what those people had. It was free! God’s gift --- Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of my sins --- was free! It was hard for me to accept this. Two things held me back. First, it was free. No one had ever given me anything without wanting something back. Now I wanted to do something to earn acceptance. I couldn’t. Second, it was to accept love. To believe someone loved me? I was from a broken home as a kid, my wife left me as an adult, and now should I chance being left again? Overcoming fear of rejection was tough for me.
Give God a chance to change me and give purpose to my life, or check out. That became my choice. Checking out of life became more of an option each day for me.
October 22, 1963, I asked Christ to forgive me my many sins and come into my life. That afternoon, I stopped in the bar as usual and I realized I had to give Christ a chance to work in my life. Drink had caused me to do things I was ashamed of. I left and, by God’s grace, that was the end of my drinking. My drinking buddies didn’t care to have me around. God gave me a new circle of friends --- people who walked with Him.
Life since I asked Christ into my life, has not always been easy. Heart attacks in July of 1964; disappointment of not going into Jewish missions after bible school; various problems with the changes taking place in the fire service have not been easy to accept. Yet, everyone of these testings has been of great blessing to my growth of trusting in God and His precious Word.
What I was going to buy was free. The contentment of those people at that little church is mine. God has given me life and life abundant.
Working with and encouraging my brothers and sisters in Christ through the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters is a blessing and joy only God could give. I can say in truth the fire department and the Christian life has challenge and thrills, but the greatest reality is knowing what is done for Christ has eternal value.
God’s blessing to me have been numerous. He changed me. He gave me the capacity to love and be loved. He gave me a new family and super wife. All my children walk with the Lord. Praise God!
Abundant life became mine when I asked Christ to forgive my sins and come into my life. The Bible guides me day by day as I walk with Christ. Is your life all that it could be? Will you give Christ the chance to fill your life abundantly? I know it works --- won’t you trust Him too?

If you would like to know more about the abundant life please call 1-800-322-9848

Monday, September 17, 2012

Greetings from the Mission Field 9-17-2012

From the Field
Things are beginning to take shape here in the new office. I have not completed the office entirely yet, but I have been able to organize files and supplies. The last shipment from Colorado has been sent out and should be here in the office this week. The plan is for Holly and I to begin handling all of the shipping. I am sure like most new jobs it will be stressful in the beginning until we are able to get in a rutine. I am finalizing the set up of the conference call company. I am excited to be able to use this new tool. Unless I find something better we will be using Webex. With this company we can hold conference calls with the new board members and Regional Directors as well as offer interactive Bible studies and training. We will be limited to 25 participants at a time until we can afford the bigger package. It might take a little while for people to catch on to this new ministry of ours, but I am confident God will use it in a mighty way. Please pray that this ministry would be a good tool for our members. The 1-800-322-9848 should be set up later on today so if your board give me a call and we can chat. I have been blessed already to talk to so many wonderful Godly first responders. I hope and pray that I become an encouragement to everyone I talk to. Some of the projects I am currently working on include:
  • Completing the filing system
  • Reworking the information Tri-fold
  • Evaluating and adding to the By-laws
  • Article for the next Encourager (our magazine)
  • Advertising our First Responder Retreat in March
  • Preparing for my first International Board Meeting
The Family
We are just back from a wonderful family vacation with the whole family. God was so good to us during this vacation. The weather was awesome and the time spent with family is always good. For me vacations are a time to reflect on God's goodness to our family and to remember what is truly important in life. As firefighters we full well know that in an instant life can change and those we love could be gone. So I encourage you to take the time and spend it wisely with your family. Then thank God for that time, I sure did. All of the family ranked this one as one of the greatest we have ever had.

My Personal Life
I have been working on a Leadership Bible study for FCFInternational. It has been going slow, but I praise God that He has opened up a new door for me. I was asked to teach the men's Bible study at church. I have used this opportunity to do the Leadership studies. This will force me to have them completed on time. I will also be able see how they work and get feed back from the men. I thank God for this opportunity. Pray that I will be able to stay on schedule for this quarter. Currently we are learning about the leadership of David.

Prayer Requests
  • We are still waiting for the Maryland State sales tax exemption to come back. Pray that everything goes through the first time.
  • We are also still waiting on the publishing company to get back to us in order to use the NKJV for our Ephesians project.
  • Pray for our first board meeting that it would go well.
  • The office would be completed
  • Pray that the leadership of FCFInternational would guard their hearts and minds from the world and that we would rely wholly on God.
  • We have many members that are sick and in need of healing.
  • God would send new members to FCFInternational and would open up new doors in every state and in new countries around the world.




  • That FCFInternational would be an encouragement to the fire service and that we would glorify our God in the stations we serve at.
Together Let's make Encouragement Contagious in the Fire Service!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Greetings from the mission field 9-8-2012

From the Field
This has truly been an interesting week for FCFInternational. God continues to amaze me in new and exciting ways. As I see prayer after prayer answered, it is just a confirmation to me that God is blessing this ministry. I thank God that we even have access into the holy of holies, not that we are able because of our goodness but because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. God answers prayer, and I am eternally thankful. This week God has provided more funds for the office transition. With these new designated funds we will be able to get a new computer. I have been praying about this because of my new responsibility to edit the Encourager. I have never done this before, and the new computer should greatly help me, praise the Lord! We also received some other donations for some special projects. What a blessing to hear the excitement in the voice of Gay and Sue as they told me the news. God is certainly on the move in the fire service.

This week we voted in the new members for the International Board of Directors. This board is responsible for oversight of FCFInternationals operation. Our board provides Godly insight on issues important to the fire service as well help to shape what ministries FCFInternational will be apart of. Please pray for our board as we begin meet once a month via telephone conferences. I look forward to working with these Godly folks as we reach first responders for Christ. Our board members are:
Bob Crum - Emeritus
Gay Reynolds - Emeritus
Sue Reynolds Emeritus
Dan Clegg - Indianna
Russ Stammer - New Jersey
Tommy Neiman - Florida
Keith Helms - North Carolina
Wayne Detzler - Connecticut
Isaac Brunetti - West Virginia

The Family
The family is doing well. Everyone is excited about leaving today for the ocean. Our new family tradition is to have a family vacation together, no matter how big their families get. Please pray that we would be able to honor God during this vacation.

My Personal Life
I thank God for what He is teaching me these last couple of weeks. God is stretching me in ways I could neve imagine. I have a long way to go, but I am going to constantly look to Him for all of my strength. Reminds me of the verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". I hope I quoted that right. If you know the reference leave a note. Things at work are going well. Please pray that I would continue to be a good witness and testemony for Jesus Christ. Pray that I would not do anything to ruin that testemony. So often I seem to fail, and I need God's strength and wisdom to get me through the day.

Prayer Requests
For this week I have a few specific prayer requests
  • The tax exempt form would be excepted and we would get our Maryland tax exemption
  • Our application would be accepted by Nelson Publishing to use the New King James version for our Ephesians Bible study
  • The new board members would work well together and be used mightily by God
  • God would continue to raise up new FCFInternational members so we might have new departments to minister to.
  • The International Day of First Responders Prayer, that many chapters and departments would get involved.
How about you? Let me know if there is anything I can be praying about for you or your department. Just leave a comment and I will take it to the Lord in prayer.



Together, Let's make encouragement contagious in the fire service!

Friday, September 7, 2012

International Day of First Responder Prayer

For the las several years I have been apart of the National Day of Prayer at the US Capital in Washington, DC. What a blessing to be in such a place with fellow Christians who desire to worship God and pray to Him on behalf of a greatful Nation. For the last several years they have used an image of General George Washington kneeling down by his horse in prayer. Most who attend a National Day of Prayer event do not even realize that George Washington was a firefighter in Alexandria, Virginia. What a Godly heritage we have within the fire service. I am thankful for those Godly first responders today who carry on that tradition.

I got this idea the other day. How about starting an International Day of Prayer for first responders. FCFInternational serves first responders throughout the world, and how awesome would it be to set aside a day to pray for everyones departments. The National Day of Prayer is always the first Thursday of May each year. I would like to declare the International Day of First Responder Prayer to be the first Wednesday in May of each year. I feel that this would be good so firefighters can still participate in National Day of Prayer Events if they would like. So mark your calander for Wednesday May 1, 2013. I pray that your local chapter or department would desire to begin this.

In Washingtom, DC our chapter used to have an annual prayer breakfast that was a big event. I am going to bring back the annual prayer breakfast specifically for this event. I can't wait to get back with our group and see what else we can add to it. Perhaps we could have our members stand in front of every firehouse and pray for them, or have a bicycle tour where we stop at every firehouse. I don't know, but I am getting excited just thinking about it. You know prayer really works, who knows how we can impact our local departments for the cause of Christ. I will post more details about our prayer breakfast if you are interested in attending.

Wednesday May 1, 2013 - International Day of First Responder Prayer

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Greetings from the Missions Field 8-3-2012

From the Field
This has been an interesting week for FCFInternational. I am still working on setting up the office in my home in Arnold, Maryland. Our last President/Missionary Gay and Sue Reynolds ran the international office out of their home. This practice is the most cost effective way for our organization to operate. I do pray that at some future time we will be able to afford an International office. I have always dreamed of operating a Christian retreat center for firefighters. We would be able to minister to first responders in many different ministries. For now I will continue to focus on setting up our office. I had fun showing Holly how to operate some of the programs we are building. What a joy to be able to work alongside my wife, I look forward to ministering to first responders with her. Next week we will be setting up some quicken programs on our computer. Also, next week we are looking forward to the second phone line being set up. It has taken longer than I want, but Lord willing it will be operational.

This week I received such a blessing. I posted on Facebook that I was looking for ideas on a computer. I need to publish the Encourager, and I have never done that before. After receiving some good ideas from the Charlotte chapter I found out that they sent me some funds to help with the office transition. What an awesome God we serve. Firefighters are always blessed with this magazine, and now the Charlotte chapter can know that they are a part of that ministry. Thank you so much folks.

I enjoy talking to folks on the phone. I have had many great conversations on the phone with some of our members already. Chris and I must have talked for over an hour about things the Lord has laid on his heart. I look forward to going out to West Virgina and fellowshipping with those folks. I was also able to talk with Wayne. What a blessing to chat with him as he has a true heart for the ministry. I would like to encourage folks to get on the phone and call someone. Everyone loves to get a call from someone they know. Who knows how you might bless them during the conversation.

Recently I sent out a survey to all of our International Board members and Regional Directors. Wayne was the first to get his back, and it was full of ideas. One idea was to have a daily devotional on Facebook. I am on day 3, so check us out on the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters International if you are not familiar with us. If you would like to send me a short devotional just send it in an email at firequacker621@aol.com I look forward to some of the other ideas that are members come up with. God is truly opening up doors for FCFInternational.

The Family
Our family is constantly on the move. For those who don't know me I have my wife Holly and four boys who still live at home. All four boys have graduated from High School and are serving God in various ministries. Seth has recently graduated from Bible college and is looking for a church to serve as an assistan pastor. Andrew has a fulltime job as a machinest and serves at Grace Baptist. Christopher works at a Christian book store and Justin works at a department store partime. I am proud of all of my boys and they excited that they love the Lord.

The family is looking forward to our vacation. This is our first annual family vacation. We decided that no matter how big the family gets or where they end up once a year we will have vacation together. We will pay for the place and every must come. This year my mom and her husband are coming, my inlaws are coming, and Andrews girlfriend. This should be fun, I can't wait.

My Personal Life
I thank everyone for their prayers for me as I learn how to do this ministry. Prayer is so important. I prayer for many of you throughout the week, that you would be filled with the knowledge of Him and that you would walk worthy. I know this is not easy at time in the fire service, but I encourage you to press on. In my personal devotions I have been reading Ezekiel. God has given the Isrealites so many chances to turn from their wicked ways. He does the same for us. I have also been trying to memorize God's Word. I haven't done that in awhile and I think it is important. It has helped to encourage me.

Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave himself for me." (NKJ)

Prayer Requests
- The office would be finished and I would be able to get the things that are needed.
- That I would be a good testimony in the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department.
- FCFInternational members would regularly read their Bibles and would seek God with their whole heart.
- We would get all of the right people for the International Board Members.
- The International Board members and Regional Directors would find a good time each month to have conference calls.
- That God would continue to open doors for FCFInternational members to serve Him.

Together Let's make encouragement in the fire service contagious!