A Christian author has been living his life dedicated to God after he survived a fire accident when he was a child that left most of his body covered with burns.
In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, John O'Leary recalled how his curiosity about fire when he was still nine years old led to a life-threatening accident.
Seeing how other boys played with fire and gasoline, he decided to mimic them, leading to a massive explosion in the house where he and his parents lived.
While in the hospital, O'Leary feared that he was going to die, but his mother gave him words of encouragement that changed his life forever: "You take the hand of Jesus; you walk the journey with Him."
Heeding his mother's advice to rely on God, O'Leary was miraculously able to survive and leave the hospital. Until now, he admits that life is still not easy because of the injuries he obtained from the accident, but he draws his strength from his faith.
"There was no guarantee that I would survive the fire. I had burns on 100 percent of my body. 87 percent were third degree. I was on a trach. My lungs had been damaged. My body is broken. It would require dozens of surgeries. It would require amputation. So the path forward is difficult. It's painful. It's taxing," O'Leary said.
"What made it endurable was my faith in God that He was working through all things, even burns, was the love of my parents, was the community showing up day after day after day," he added.
Now happily married and a father of four children, John travels around the United States to share his journey of faith. He has also published a book on his relationship with God entitled "On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life."
"I have understood now through revelation, through time, through scripture, through the Word, through Jesus, through his relationship with me and mine with Him, what joy looks like. And it's not always perfection here on earth. It's the realization that He is working through this thing and that our best days are coming," he shared.
