Built by Fire: Hearing God in the Middle of the Flames is a firsthand account of a life shaped by service, sacrifice, and spiritual refinement. Drawing on real-world experiences in military operations, search-and-rescue missions, humanitarian deployments, and personal trials, David A. Burnell shows how the voice of God-through the Holy Ghost-can be heard even in the most dangerous and broken places on earth.
From earthquake-ravaged Haiti and tsunami-struck Japan to covert rescue operations, life-and-death decisions, and quiet moments of personal collapse, this book is not a collection of heroic stories-it is a witness. A witness that God does not abandon His children in chaos. A witness that revelation does not end when life becomes hard. And a witness that the refining fires of suffering, trauma, and surrender can forge faith rather than destroy it.
Written from original journals and lived experience, Built by Fire explores how God guides, protects, warns, comforts, and reshapes those who are willing to listen and act. Burnell speaks openly about spiritual promptings that saved lives, moments when restraint mattered more than strength, and seasons when surrender-not action-became the highest form of revelation.
This book will resonate deeply with:
- Veterans, first responders, and humanitarian workers
- Readers navigating trauma, loss, or spiritual exhaustion
- Anyone seeking to recognize God's voice in uncertainty
- Disciples striving to follow Christ in real-world complexity
Built by Fire is not about perfection. It is about willingness. It is about learning to trust the whisper of the Spirit when the flames are hottest-and discovering that God is not only present in the fire, but actively shaping us through it.
