That Guy

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou

Tonight, our family watched a movie together.  It was an action-adventure movie, where against unbelievable odds, the good guy saves the day.  At some point during the movie, I turned to my husband, and said, “You’re that guy—the guy that is good in a crisis, who saves the day.”

Once, when my husband and I were out for dinner, a woman seated near us, fainted and was laying on the floor.  The waiters and waitresses ran to her aid but didn’t know what to do.  My husband is a Firefighter/EMT.  He had gone outside to grab a sweater, and when he came in, he was faced with this crisis. (I had told the waiters and waitresses that my husband would help.) He calmly went over to the woman, knelt beside her, and took her pulse.  By this time, she was awake, and he started asking her questions to assess her health history.   By the time the paramedics arrived, he calmly gave them her vitals and history and they then took her away.

It seemed to me that my husband’s presence calmed everyone down in the room, and I was filled with admiration for my husband.

Many years before, when we were standing in a lobby of a theatre with open candles around the perimeter, I saw a young woman back into the flame, and her hair caught on fire.  My husband moved like lightening — extinguishing the fire with his bare hands, saving the girl, and possibly the theatre.  He acted like it was no big deal. But it seemed like a big deal to me.

There are many men and women like my husband—they are good in a crisis, and they serve others with their skill sets all the time.

The day of our son’s accident, my husband heard his pager go off, stating that there was a motor vehicle/bike accident.  He was out of his chair like a shot, going to help.  It was our son.

At the funeral of our son, my husband spoke about the fact that the ambulance was changing shifts, and so they were only 1 minute away from the accident.  He was also struck by the fact that the paramedic instructors had just finished a class in our town, and they came to the scene of the accident.  My husband personally knew these people and thought highly of their skills.  

After our son had been airlifted to the hospital, we found out that the doctor who worked on Sean, had been in Afghanistan as a combat surgeon.

These details meant something to my husband—these were his kind of people—people who serve others.  My husband saw the hand of God in the service of these people.  He saw God’s lovingkindness in the service of these people.  He saw God Himself, through the acts of these people.

When we were at the hospital with Sean, we were on the pediatric floor, and we were surrounded by nurses and doctors who took care of our son and showed compassion to us and to our other children.  We saw God’s lovingkindness through them.

When our country experienced 9/11—we also witnessed men and women, running into buildings while others were running out.  They ran in to save, they ran into to serve.  We saw God’s face in their faces.

It is easy to look at the bad, and dismiss God and dismiss His existence, His power and His love. 

It is not so easy to look at the good—the good in people—especially when there is a crisis—and dismiss God—dismiss His existence, His power and His love.  For what other reason do we have to act as we do—except that we bear His image.

If we as humans, can act so nobly—just think what that means about the One who made us, and loves us.

For my husband and I—all these things—all these people—combined with experiencing God’s loving presence and strength— testified to us of God’s goodness, God’s grace and God’s love. 

So the next time you see a good guy or gal working to save the day or a moment, or a child—remember the One who made them, the One Who saved us —and thank them for bearing God’s image to you—and Thank God for making them!

Let us be encouraged!

***Photo Credit to Shayla Burman, website: http://www.evonywoods.com

13 thoughts on “That Guy”

  3. Heroes are people who seek to serve and aren’t put off by the problem or the attitudes of others. This is your husband–but it’s also our Lord, who became a Servant so we might be saved. He’s not bothered by the circumstances we’re in–just like your honey isn’t bothered by those issues. Thanks for this.

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  4. Wow, Katie! I watched some of Sean’s funeral. I can’t believe you and your husband and your other children spoke! I don’t know how you did that. Actually, I do. The Holy Spirit held you all up to be able to give God the glory – to show others that God does walk through the storms of life with us.

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    2. Hi Mary–just checking in with you. God has brought you to my mind–I know you are coming up to some difficult anniversaries–and holidays. I am thinking of you and praying for you. You have been loved with an everlasting love! Praying that the God of all comfort is comforting you.

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      1. Hi Katie! So funny that you contacted me because I just read your blog on “Broken Bones” two days ago. I have trouble commenting and Liking blogs on my phone so I wait until I can come into my office to comment but then time goes by, emails get pushed down, etc… It was really good, and got me to thinking about suffering again. I have so much suffering around me right now, but I stopped trying to figure out the reasons why because we will probably come to the wrong conclusion anyway…LOL! I just know our Heavenly Father is with us and loves us, and we will be with him soon.
        I looked for a separate email address so I can email you, but I don’t see you have one so I’ll just give you a short version. I’ve been really busy the year taking care of my 90 year old mother. Her needs have increased, especially the past few months. I’m grateful that I am not working right now so I am able to care for her, but I’m not sure what the future holds.
        You are correct that the fall and holidays are hard for me because Bill’s birthday is Oct 5th and our anniversary is Nov 2 and then the holidays which remind me of his suffering. He suffered so much the month of Nov & Dec, then left on Dec 30th. He loved the holidays so I’m trying hard this year to enjoy them with my family but I find myself missing him so much more this time of the year. I thought this year would be easier, but it’s not. Thank you SO much for praying. It makes me feel comforted that God put me on your heart to pray.
        Praying for you, too. I know you miss Sean more during the holidays, too.

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      2. Oh sweet girl–so sorry! Your plate is full. My almost 84 year old mother has cancer–and my siblings and I have been taking turns staying with her–so I am relating to your nuruturing role. I wasn’t thinking of her or other’s suffering when I wrote Broken Bones–I wrote it because of someone I know well, and love well, and their “wandering” away from the Lord time and time again. Sometimes suffering comes from being disciplined from God–and discipline is love. However, I think suffering is unfathomable–many times it is like Job’s situation–where there are no answers—but God uses it to reveal who He is to us–in the midst of the suffering. And He also uses the suffering to reveal Himself to His people. I think I was so drawn to you and Bill’s story because I could see God so clearly in your story—I could see His love and kindness and power and provision. I did hesitate writing and publishing that piece because I did not want those who had suffered to think that God had caused their suffering —as I think the evil one causes our suffering–and God transforms it for our benefit.

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