Through the Pain

It was a hot and dry May afternoon. I was 16 and thought nothing could hurt me—but boy, I was wrong. I was given the chore of lighting the “burn pile” on fire so the trash would not be visible for my sister’s graduation party the next day. After running out of diesel fuel, I turned to gasoline (please, never use gas on a fire).

Long story short, the fire exploded on me, and my skin caught fire. I immediately remembered what I was taught in elementary school and stopped, dropped, and rolled until the flames went out. My mother had to watch all of this unfold in horror. She rushed me to the burn unit, where I went straight into a debriding surgery. Doctors removed about 10–20% of my skin.

Through the grace of God, I was saved. He gave me the presence of mind to put the fire out right away. Doctors later told me that if I had run the 40 yards to the pond nearby, I would have died, since fire feeds on oxygen.

I often return to Daniel 3:25 when I think about that difficult season of my life: “I see four men walking untied and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the appearance of the fourth resembles a divine being.” Jesus was with me in the fire—literal fire!

Whatever trial you may be walking through, remember: the fourth man is with you!!!

Piercen Harnish

Bluffton, Indiana