Last summer, a friend noticed that a forest fire had started on the mountain ridge above our home. I called 911 and was told it was under control.

But later that day I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me to evacuate our home. I told my wife what I had heard, and she knew in her heart that this was what we needed to do. I phoned some friends and family to come help, and within hours our home was empty. During all this time, the fire and sheriffs departments were telling us that there was no threat to our home; but in our hearts we knew differently. By nightfall, the flames had come to our side of the ridge.

The following morning was Sunday. [I am the children's pastor at our church, and] I called one of the other children's pastors to tell him we would not be at church because of the fire. I asked him to pray. He prayed, and also asked the Sunday school children to pray for us. Many kids came forward and agreed in prayer that the fire would not touch our home. That day the fire burned very quickly, traveling down the canyon toward our home at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. It came all the way to our house, with temperatures nearing 2,000 degrees. It blew out our propane tank and burned right up to within four feet of our house on all sides. But it went around the house, and continued burning, leaving the house unharmed.