Volunteers

Saturday evening March 14th at 6:00 p.m., our family was invited to the annual Fireman’s Banquet. New Concord’s Fire Chief, Brent Gates, honored each of the many volunteer firefighters and first-responders in and around our area.

During this time he also had our family come up to the front. He presented each of our children with a medal for courage and bravery in the mist of an emergency. Our family also received a plaque with the date of our accident. Joshua received a baseball cap and two beautiful pocket knives for his bravery in helping each of the children during the accident.

It was an honor to meet each of the men and women and their wives who sacrificed their time and gave of themselves to rescue us that fateful day. We were amazed at how many men and women were involved with our accident in one way or another.  Our family was able to personally thank these incredible people for their service to us and our community.

The dictionary defines a volunteer as a “person who freely enlists for service.” Each one of these men and women freely enlisted for the different services they performed. We are deeply grateful and indebted to all of them for everything that was done to rescue us.

As I was sitting at the banquet reflecting on our accident and the many people involved, I thought of different volunteer: a volunteer who freely enlists into an even greater service, the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible states in 2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

This is the service of telling others about the free gift of Salvation! How great is the need to rescue people with gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Oh that I will continue to be reminded to be a volunteer for Jesus! The song writer writes:



A call for loyal soldiers
Comes to one and all;
Soldiers for the conflict,
Will you heed the call?
Will you answer quickly,
With a ready cheer,
Will you be enlisted
As a volunteer?

A volunteer for Jesus,
A soldier true!
Others have enlisted,
Why not you?
Jesus is the Captain,
We will never fear,
Will you be enlisted
As a volunteer?

Yes, Jesus calls for soldiers
Who are filled with pow’r,
Soldiers who will serve Him
Ev’ry day and hour;
He will not forsake you,
He is ever near;
Will you be enlisted
As a volunteer?