Not retiring. Re-firing!

While I was attending secular college, I was approached by a headhunter. You know, a person who seeks out suitable candidates for a specific job opening. When I was in school,  a lot of guys got job offers in the tech industry, but not me. I was offered a rather unusual position that had little to do with my area of study. I was told I would “climb the ladder quickly,” and be “tops,” in my industry if I were to accept his job offer.

Can you guess what the job was? Believe it or not, I was offered the chance to become a stuntman of sorts. The offer was for me to take a job as a professional fire diver. I was already on the university diving team, so I guess they figured if I was able to throw crazy dives off the 3 meter springboard and the 10 meter tower, certainly I could throw myself from a much higher platform, and light myself on fire.

I accepted the offer. It was an awesome summer job. The pay was great, and the headhunter was right; I really climbed quickly and was tops in my field. We got to travel and perform in new places each summer, such as Gatlinburg, Toronto, Dallas, and New Orleans. I met a lot of people and made new friends every season. One summer I met Jesus. 

We did high dives from 95′ into a flaming pool at the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans. I thought the 95′ platform was high, but after Bible institute, and working as a Bus Director at my local church, the Lord allowed my family and I to become full-time missionaries with BIMI in Sucre, Bolivia. Our home was situated 9500 feet above sea level, which was much, much higher than we had ever been before. There we won people to Christ and did real fire diving, snatching souls from the flames of hell.

And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. —Jude 1:23

So, I am re-firing. I am going fire diving once again, but this time for souls. It’s just as thrilling as lighting yourself on fire but the benefits with Christ are far superior.

I can’t believe it, but some of my friends are actually finishing their careers. They’re really not that old. One of my retiring buddies told me the other day, “I am heading for the landing pad and you are heading for the launching pad.” Do you know what? That’s just the way I like it. I’m not retiring. I am re-firing.

Don Weeks
EXTREME MISSION EVANGELISM