Live by Faith – Not by Fate

The Importance of Faith and Prayer / The Cheyane Caldwell Story

photo courtesy Mathew Pray

First responders have dangerous jobs and they are well aware of it. From fires, shootings, traffic collisions, and other calls to emergencies and disasters, first responders put their lives on the line all of the time. Firefighters run into burning buildings, cops run towards gunshots, and our medics perform emergency medicine in the danger zone.

Due to their professions, many first responders will burn out. Some commit spousal abuse, some abuse alcohol and drugs, others develop Post-Traumatic Stress injury (PTSi), and some give up and commit suicide.

Therefore, being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 5-1 KJV

Tuesday, July 24, 2007, started as just another day; the L.A. weather was mild with highs in the mid-’70s and clear; traffic in the Los Angeles area was congested as usual. The day’s big news was the arrest of actress Lindsay Lohan and the opening of the last seven miles of the 210 freeway in neighboring San Bernardino County. But for Los Angeles City Firefighter Cheyane Caldwell, his day would be far from ordinary.

photo courtesy Los Angeles City Fire Department

Having just been promoted to Apparatus Operator (the person who drives the big “hook and ladder” fire truck), Cheyane reported to Fire Station 26, in the historic West Adams neighborhood, for his first day as the driver of Truck 26. It was a dream job for the 5-year veteran firefighter, and he was ecstatic about his accomplishment. It was a day of several promotions, and Cheyane stayed busy meeting his new Captain and fellow firefighters.

At 8:20 PM, Cheyane Caldwell’s life changed forever. The LAFD “Significant Incident Summary” for July 24, 2007, reported:

MAJOR EMERGENCY STRUCTURE WITH F/F INJURY

On Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at 8:20 PM, 27 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters and 9 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, under the direction of Deputy Chief Jimmy Hill responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 5111 West Adams Boulevard in mid-city Los Angeles. First units on scene reported a 100 x 75 single story commercial structure with fire through the roof. Light Force 26 was on the roof conducting ventilation operations when the apparatus operator fell through the roof. Firefighters from Engine 26 and Engine 94 made a quick rescue and pulled him from the fire. The injured Firefighter was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in serious condition with burns to the hands, face, and head, and possible fractures. His prognosis appears to be good. No other injuries were reported. The fire was knocked down in 2 hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation and no dollar loss has been established for the vacant structure.

Upon arrival at the fire scene, Cheyane maneuvered the aerial ladder to the roofline while also instructing other firefighters to grab additional smaller ladders to take to the roof. Cheyane then grabbed his chain saw and climbed up the ladder. As he got onto the roof, he saw fire coming out of a skylight. He started his way to the fire area to cut holes in the roof to let the superheated gasses out, allowing the firefighters on the ground to enter the building and aggressively fight the fire. The Los Angeles Fire Department is not a surround and drown agency; they train to be aggressive firefighters.

As he moved to the fire area, he stepped over a division wall (a wall subdividing a building into significant portions). He immediately fell through the roof, falling about 15 feet to the floor below. On his way down, a chain-link cage broke his fall, but with over one hundred pounds of equipment, he still hit the concrete floor hard. Because of the hole created where the roof collapsed, superheated gasses and smoke billowed out of the building. It is believed the fire had already “flashed over,” consuming every flammable item in the building and raising the interior temperature to over fifteen hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

As Cheyane lay there in pain, he could feel the layers of his skin melting off, his tendons and muscles began to constrict, making it difficult to move. He said he felt like his arms were in an oven and could not get them out. The superheated gasses made it difficult to breathe. Cheyane’s training kicked in, and he kept his face as close to the floor as possible, the only place where he could get breathable air; Cheyane was burning to death. For a quick second, Cheyane knew he would die, but he refused to accept that fate.

Cheyane Caldwell had a secret weapon. Several years earlier, Cheyane played football at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Standing at 6 foot 1 and 240 pounds, he was rated one of the top blocking fullbacks. Although focused on football, he was a typical college student, hanging out with friends and studying (he would later graduate with a Bachelor’s in sociology and a Master’s in education). His father had tried to talk to him about God, but he was too absorbed in sports and “living his life his way.” However, on Tuesday, August 15, 1995, he changed his life for the better; he was invited to attend a bible study, and that night Cheyane Caldwell accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. It was a defining moment in his life, and he has served the Lord and studied the Word, building his FAITH from that day on.

As he lay on the floor in the fire, Cheyane had a conversation (prayer) with God. “I thought three things in my mind clear as day: ‘OK Lord, I’m in here all by myself,'” he recalled. “Second, ‘Lord, this is it. I’m ready’ — and lastly, my life just went before me all on a DVD in fast order.” “Whether I’m going home to my wife, Nohemi, or I’m going home to You, I’m OK with it. I’m ready.”

Several things happened during the next seven minutes and 10 seconds. A MAYDAY call went out, letting every Firefighter at the scene know that Cheyane needed help. A search and rescue team was formed, and against all protocol, his Captain put a charged hose in the hole. This was against all SOPs because the water would transform into boiling steam, fill the room, and kill anything in it. He put the charged hose into the hole and opened it up, and with an ear-splitting whoosh, it transformed to steam, adding to the deafening noise. However, the steam blasted up through the hole caused by Cheyane’s fall through the roof, causing some water to cascade down. Large drops of water cooled Cheyane as he lay there. At that point, Cheyane had peace; he was calm, he felt the presence of God.

As he was being carried out of the burning building, his prayer continued, “You chose to save me, God, I would have come home to You, but You chose to save me. You must have something for me to do here.” Cheyane knew that God was holding him in His hands; he knew that God loved him. During the ordeal, Cheyane Caldwell had unbreakable FAITH.

FATE

The statements “whatever,” “it is what it is,” and even “Que Sera Sera” all have the same basic meaning; you are powerless over your life! It is living by fate; it is the belief that events are predestined and that humans have no control over them. It is known as fatalism. Many people live in a state of fatalism, embracing everything that happens in their lives as God’s will and design. They do this because they do not know God’s Word; they do not have true faith!! Fate is a destined outcome based upon man’s decisions.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Mathew 21:22 KJV

FAITH

Faith and prayer go hand in hand; without faith, prayer is mute. The biblical definition of faith is; “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3.

Faith is a strong belief that the world around us is part of a larger design, God’s plan, instead of simply believing in specific doctrines, such as that God exists. Faith means that, even if the world appears chaotic and uncontrollable at times, we know deep down that this is not where we truly reside. Instead, we are guided by God’s might and power.

photo courtesy sdrock.com

Jesus said, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20. Faith is the act of placing one’s trust in God and believing that he will keep his promises.

Cheyane’s Captain was not a Christian at the time, and he later told Cheyane God guided him to put the hose line in the hole. His Captain paid several visits to Cheyane in the hospital. He saw Cheyane’s bravery, his peace, and something in his eyes that he had never seen in other men’s eyes. He was affected because God saved Cheyane’s life through him. Finally, he needed Cheyane’s God. Cheyane would later lead his Captain to Christ.

Cheyane Caldwell recovered from his injuries and is now a Captain II, leading a Task Force. He grabs every opportunity to tell of God’s miracle in his life. He is a leader in the Los Angeles Chapter of Firefighters for Christ, and he reminds everyone that “Prayer Works.”

“There’s no reason I should have survived, but I … give all glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for what he did on that day. There’s no luck involved. There’s no coincidence — it’s all providence and providence is defined as God’s hand at work for a later activity or mission.”

Are you living by FATE? Are you in CRISIS? Are you SUFFERING? Are you living in spiritual FEAR? Are you LOST or in the DARKNESS? Are you having thoughts of SUICIDE?

If you died tonight, do you know if you would go to heaven? Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Do You Know GOD? If not – please click HERE