Caleb's Heart

Caleb frequently blesses us with hymns and worship music. Last Sunday, he played us two. Every once in a while, he will play patriotic music. His music reflects his heart for the Lord and love of our country. Caleb has made his own violin and two guitars. He plans on making himself a banjo next!
  Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.   Psalm 105:2 
 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary;   praise him in his mighty heavens.   Praise him for his acts of power;   praise him for his surpassing greatness.   Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,   praise him with the harp and lyre,   praise him with timbrel and dancing,   praise him with the strings and pipe,   praise him with the clash of cymbals,   praise him with resounding cymbals.   Psalm 150:1-5
I've tried to figure out why the spacing is off between the images and the text. I think it is due to the new photo formatting, but I may be wrong. I just don't have much time to look into it.

Frank Whitley

First posted 7/25/14:

Frances "Frank" Woodward Whitley

son of Elisha Everette Whitley
pictured with Frank is his wife Alice C. Whitley

and their five children

including my great grandmother Lillian Estelle Whitley who together with her husband Henry L Bailey

ran Bailey's Flower Market in Churchland (Portsmouth, VA)

Lillian was mother to my grandfather Rollis Ivans Bailey.

"Mom, I think we drove through an active police scene."

We are giving God thanks for keeping Joshua and Bethany safe yesterday. They drove through an active scene of law enforcement interrupting a robbery. 

Officers were just arriving and had not blocked off the road when Joshua and Bethany went through. They saw officers arriving and setting up around a home. 

Joshua's and Bethany's destination was right next to where this was occurring, but they could not see what was developing because of the trees. 

As they left, they saw 20 officers with guns drawn. The road was blocked off at that time and stayed closed for at least three hours. 

The suspect was behaving erratically and obviously on drugs according to one person who encountered him and shared information with us about the road closures.

Joshua came home and told me so I could alert other family members and friends to take a detour.

Declare How Much the Lord Has Done

Clint has been asked many times why our family is so different and so happy despite trials and tribulations. He's told them why: Jesus!

I have been awoken from a deep sleep with the name of a friend's sister with the strong urge to pray for her. I learned later she was being raped by knife as her husband was forced to watch. 

We've asked God to help us make sense of something that did not make sense. He revealed hidden knowledge that explained it.

Our home flooded, to the point it was declared a FEMA natural disaster, at the same time I gave birth in a hospital in a hurricane.

We've opened the door to a knock to be told we had to leave our home immediately because winds were sending a fast moving fire in our direction. Our home was spared.

We were the first responders to a fatal car accident. The help we gave the survivor and the care we gave to the deceased family allowed us to share God's love with many people of that neighborhood. That was the event that had us start this blog. 

A young man walked out of our woods and asked for our help and protection from "friends" who drove him him from the city, pulled a gun, and threatened to kill him. He jumped out of the car and ran into the woods on another road, and somehow ended up at our home. My husband spent time witnessing to him as he drove him home.

We've laid our heads down and had to jump out of bed and evacuate because our barn was on fire, and the winds were pushing the flames and embers towards our home. Our home was spared once again.

God blessed our lives and my womb 14 times with 16 souls. He took nine away and gave me a tender-hearted ministry to mothers with aching hearts and empty arms. 

Last year, Caleb had his gas pedal get stuck, not once, but twice! He was a newly licensed driver in heavy traffic. He had to call upon the Lord for help. He's since shared the story with co-workers.

Joshua had his SUV jump into gear and move towards him as he was opening our gate. He had to jump out of the way. Our gate was bent inwards from the force of the SUV. He gives God the glory for protecting Him.

Brandon had an elderly woman pull out in front of him. He knew the impact would kill her. Cars were in the other lane. He called upon the Lord in that frightening moment. He still does not know how it worked out that no one was harmed..other than with God's help.

Immediately after receiving a very large blessing, an unexpected and very violent storm took down trees that fell very, very close to where our family was sleeping. We were unharmed. We didn't even know how close it had come until later, so we had no fear.

We had someone shoot into the front of our home in the direction of four of us. No one was harmed. And again, we did not know the danger until it was over. God let us sleep peacefully.

Our family is a walking testament that God will carry you through any trial you face. He will use you right where you are. You can have an abundant and victorious life when He is the reason you live. 

I do not know what you, dear reader, are going through right now. I do know He will carry you as He has our family. May you look back and see God's goodness to you all the way through! May the stories of God's provision and protection to our family give you hope and strength with whatever difficulty or challenge you face.

God's story is being written through your life moment by moment. I challenge you to grasp ahold of the opportunities that come your way to share His goodness to you with as many people as you can. 

Telling people about His goodness to our family was the main reason this blog was started. Our family has chosen to live out loud for Jesus, and I hope you will too. He is by far too good to us for any of His people to be silent about Him. 

“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. 

Luke 8:39

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
Matthew 10:32

I have learned to kiss the wave that slams me into the Rock of Ages. 
Charles Spurgeon

Sulcata Tortoise Leg Spurs

Our young adult group really enjoyed seeing her explore!

She's looking for more shoes to inspect!

Little Jo has grown some neat looking leg spurs. As every guest is quick to notice, she has grown much larger. I have to carry her with two hands now.

I read how people killed tortoises and turtles "for fun" when I was a girl, and pledged I'd always be their helper. Little Jo came from a soldier who acquired her at birth, had to leave suddenly for duty, and could not take her with him. She is currently in a growth spurt and eats constantly. She can eat a gallon sized bag of vegetables every two to three days. She has some very interesting behaviors developing.

A Sulcata tortoise coloring page is here.
Sulcata tortoise fact sheet
Happy Homeschooling!

Left Behind

There was a Bible, a pair of glasses, and some change left behind tonight. I'll try to make some calls tomorrow afternoon to find the owner. Text info to Wendy's phone, please.

God's Will

“You say you do not know what God’s will is, but I’ll tell you what it is. Above all it is that you know Christ and then that your neighbors hear about Christ. That is His will. So often we sit around twiddling our thumbs, dreaming about God’s will in some distant future when we are not even willing to stand up on our own two feet, walk down the street, and do God’s will right now.”  ― John MacArthur Jr.

I challenge you, dear reader, to talk to a stranger about God's plan of salvation in the next 24 hours. 

Are you up to it? 

Isn't He worthy of it?

Endometrial Cancer

If you are dealing with cancer, especially endometrial cancer, please consider reading my FB friend's CaringBridge to learn what has been successful for her. This lady and her husband were forerunners of the homeschooling movement. In the early 90s, my husband and I received a lot of help from their books and talks. We have considered it a privilege to pray them through this journey. It has been a blessing to see how God has responded to those prayers.

Victory

I shared this truth with a group of young adults and was told it was helpful.  

For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory. Deuteronomy 20:4

for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. I John 5:4

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 15:57

The moment you repent of your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord over your life, you are a winner! You are guaranteed a win! You need not have any anxiety about how life will turn out or how well you will do. Trust Him to lead you, go where He follows, and do your best with whatever task is before you. Live for His glory, not your own!

Assumptions

Last year, I shared something on FB regarding thoughts I had been reflecting on since the shooting. Someone assumed it was about their situation and became upset. I didn't even know what was going on in their life at the time because I was preoccupied with our situation. Imagine that! When I became aware they were upset, I asked Clint if I could share with them about the shooting. He did not feel that was wise at that time, so I didn't.

Recently, I had some people wrongly assume from posts that Clint is abusing me. He's not. I have two friends, much like family, in bad situations. One has found a measure of relief. The other is doing what she can to get free. I did have another friend come ask me what was prompting me to share things I've shared. I appreciated that. That's what we are suppose to do. 

Then Amanda fell and injured her face around the same time, so people saw things and jumped to conclusions on that. I know what it looks like, but those posts have nothing to do with Amanda or her injuries. If someone hit her repeatedly, I doubt she'd be without defensive wounds. Both sides of her face would be affected too. More observation and a little logic would have led to the truth.

A few years ago, I shut down my FB for a few weeks. Evidently that disconnected Clint's and my pages. People started saying Clint and I were getting a divorce. We weren't. I needed a break from the political ugliness and heated arguments between friends. 

A few years ago, a friend ended a 30 year friendship because she saw me commenting on her estranged family's post. I had no idea they weren't getting along, but she assumed I did and took it as me choosing sides. I only wanted to encourage a friend who was facing heavy criticism for honoring her dying father's wishes.

I understand because I have jumped to conclusions too. People have a tendency to interpret things according to their viewpoint based on their life experiences, current situation, and/or emotions. If my friend had thought about what I shared outside of her circumstances, she may have realized I had to be referring to something else because it didn't quite fit her situation. Strong emotions and preconceived ideas muddy intellectual reasoning.

I wish I had been free to tell my friend about the shooting, but our family's safety was our first concern. We only told around a dozen people. I wrote these posts about it a year ago. We decided to wait until now in case there was something we did not see about the situation. Someone shot into our home in the middle of the night! We felt discretion was in order. I have yet to see a roadmap for our particular situation. We did the best we could.

Instead of assuming things about what is shared here or on Facebook, do the easy thing and ask. Our email is in the header. It takes only a couple of minutes to write a few sentences. If you are unwilling to do that, ask why is it easier for you to assume the worst than to simply ask for clarification. 

I believe the GO command in Matthew 18:15 is so misunderstandings can be cleared up quickly to prevent bitterness from taking root. We can work in our hearts to build roadblocks with the boulders of assumptions, or we can open the lines of communication by asking questions.

I am only responsible for what is in my heart as I share not for anyone else's as they read and interpret. God knows my heart, and that is all that matters to me.

"If others tell us something we make assumptions, and if they don't tell us something we make assumptions to fulfill our need to know and to replace the need to communicate. Even if we hear something and we don't understand we make assumptions about what it means and then believe the assumptions. We make all sorts of assumptions because we don't have the courage to ask questions.” ― Miguel Ruiz

My Bucket List Writes Itself

When the topic has come up, I tell people "I don't have a bucket list. My bucket list writes itself."

People laugh and take it as a joke. I mean it.

Why go looking for excitement and adventure when it comes to me?

There aren't many who can say they have been shot at.

I can.

To God be the glory! 

I hope He continues to give me events to share that draw others attention and point them to Him. I know that even the scare and worry these things have caused in my heart served the purpose of drawing me closer, revealing weaknesses, and refining me for His use. I tremble when I think about what might come next, but I rest knowing He is faithful. 

I belong to Him. My life is His to do with as He pleases. I hope yours is too.

Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.”And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
Luke 8:39

Come and hear, all you who fear God,

    and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Psalms 66:16

My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

    of your deeds of salvation all the day,

    for their number is past my knowledge.

16 

With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;

    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone

O God, from my youth you have taught me,

    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

18 

So even to old age and gray hairs,

    O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

    your power to all those to come.

Psalms 71:15-18

One of a Kind Artwork

We had another window pane we were not using. Isn't God good?! We swapped it out with the one sporting the holes. One of our children moved the screen with the hole in it to another window so our youngest children did not have to look at it every time they went to the bathroom. You can't really see the hole in the curtain unless you look.

When opportunity presents itself, I make a visible reminder (monument) to remind our present and future family of what God has done. 

We have an old hand pump God kept pumping when we desperately needed water to clean our belongings after Hurricane Isabel. 

We have a beam standing on our property to remind us of when our lives and home were spared when our large barn fire occurred. 

We have a large tree stump we point to and remember when God sent someone with a chainsaw when we asked Him for help. 

We have silhouettes of the babies we never held that have prompted people to ask how we survived losing so many. 

These physical reminders are very powerful visual tools that have not only reminded us repeatedly to keep God's goodness fresh in our minds as the years pass, but to also spark conversations that lead to witnessing with others. 

As a young mother, I got the idea make these important visual reminders of God's work in our life from a Bible study I did. God told the Israelites to build a monument to remind them and their generations of what He had done for them. Can you think of the story? I challenge you to read it. See Joshua 4

What God honoring monuments can you make in your home or on your property to give witness to God's goodness? They make wonderful conversation starters that can help you share your testimony.

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you 

and protect you from the evil one. 

2 Thessalonians 3:3

The Hypothesis

Note, we do not know for certain who did it, but we rest knowing God does and is in full control.

Our hypothesis:

• Caleb had a tablet disappear out of his woodworking shop. 
• It had a tracking. Once turned on, it had a screen saying something like, "This is Caleb's tablet. You are being tracked." It was turned on once, and then it never showed anything else.
• Joshua had a brand new, still in the package set of jumper cables go missing from his truck.
• I had a few small things go missing from my suburban including a small handbag
• Other items were missing.
• None of these items were found.
• I had heard something a couple of weeks earlier.

We think someone saw Brandon go home, Amanda leave for work, and Joshua and our younger children go to Brandon's house for the night. We think someone assumed because of the three outgoing vehicles that no one was home. Clint and I were home alone the night of the shooting. The night I heard the noise, there were four vehicles that left because Clint had to go to work. I was here alone.

They must have been going through the cars that were left and were frightened by me looking out of the window. Maybe they thought I saw them. We think they fired to scare us from coming outside and catching them.

We do have a theory about who it was based on a few factors that would explain why the person would want to buy themselves time to get away, but there is no way to know for sure.

There is another part to this story, but I will only share that face to face or by phone for those who ask. If you call, just ask me about this situation and reference the ruined seat which has something and nothing to do with the story. That will tell me you have read and know most of the details and help me remember exactly what I need to tell you. My days are very full.

Life can be scary! Evil is all around us. It is prudent to take whatever steps you reasonably can to protect life and property, but it is very unwise to place your hope and trust in them. 

Don't look to another person, law enforcement, cameras, dogs, alarm systems, motion sensing lights, weapons, special training, or your tough attitude/resolve. It's foolish to even brag about them. God can protect you through those things, but He does not need them. 

You can be perfectly safe in the most dangerous situations with nothing except Him watching over your body and soul. 

Look to God, and make claims of His protection! 

Make certain you place your trust in the One Who controls all. 
That is the only way to have true peace.

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. 
But letting the Spirit control your mind 
leads to life and peace. 

Romans 8:6

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23:5-6

What Happened When the Police Got Here

Amanda slept in our RV in the day time.
Because she works at night, she was not here when it happened.

Things happened simultaneously and very quickly. Again, one of my strengths is being able to think and react quickly.

I kept inwardly praying the whole time. I called Clint as I moved to grab a firearm. I asked him to call 911 for me and to get home as fast as he could. The children at home were gathered into an interior room. I warned the children on the way home not to come home because I didn't know if there was a threat on the property. I locked our doors. I gave consideration to possible hiding spots and exit points I would use if I was on our farm surreptitiously and tried to keep an eye on those areas. I didn't recall hearing gunfire that morning, but I wasn't banking our safety on my feeling that no one was here. I was the only person at the time to look out for my children's well being, and I took it very seriously. I am a good shot, and I will stop someone from harming my family.

After Clint called 911, they had officers on the way, and then the dispatcher called me. I don't know how they got my number because Clint did not give it to them. The phone is not even registered in my name.

I told her I let my husband call because that one call got them and him on the way to help me. I politely but firmly told them I had my children here and while we did not see anything active I needed to go because I needed both hands to finish securing our premises and observe the situation not only for our safety but also for the officers on the way. I made sure they had officers on the way, and she let me go.

Brandon did not heed my warning to stay away. He grabbed his firearm, came home, unlocked the gate so the officers could get to the house quickly, and helped me observe things.

Two officers arrived very quickly. They were younger. Upon the initial examination of the upstairs bathroom window, they concluded, 

much to my shock and horror, 

that a gun was fired in the bathroom to the outside. 

Then they glanced at my children. 

Lord, have mercy! 

I knew they were wrong, but I also became very concerned for what might develop. I sat down and was mute due to the fervent prayers I was inwardly lifting. When I am praying in the moment like that, I don't speak because all of my energy is going to pleading with the only One who can help. 

Bethany, 14, bless her heart, with a quiet, gentle voice spoke up and politely informed the officers that the shot had to have originated from outside because the hole in the first pane was smaller than the hole in the second pane of glass and "bullets flatten as they travel through things." They replied that there should be a hole in the walls in the hallway and the master bedroom. She answered and said she felt the bullet was in the shower frame because there was a dent/hole we did not have before. They did not acknowledge her on this.

Brandon spoke his agreement with his little sister. 

When they went back upstairs at Brandon's insistence, I texted Clint to alert him to what they were thinking to prepare him. 

The men felt the bullet should have gone into the master bedroom if it had gone into the shower frame, so they looked in the hall and bathroom. No holes were found, so they again insisted the bullet was fired from inside to the outside. 

Clint arrived about the same time as an older, higher ranking officer. They went upstairs to look. The senior officer immediately said someone fired from the driveway, and pointed right to the spot he thought they had been standing. A laser pointer through the hole later proved him 100% accurate. He was curious as to where the bullet was and checked the hallway and the master bedroom. Again, nothing was found.

Clint pointed him to the bent shower frame and offered to dismantle it. The officer agreed that would be helpful, so he and Clint took it apart. They recovered a .22. The police kept it.

The LEOs looked long and hard outside for any thing they could find to help us. Nothing. There was no shell casing, so it was assumed it came from a revolver. This later gave us a clue as to who.

The officer told us that there really wasn't anything to do or go on, but if we learned something to help open an investigation, to let them know. 

After they left, and I knew there wasn't an immediate threat, I started thinking things through. It was then I remembered the sound I heard in the shower. Then I remembered the movement and the motion sensing lights going off. And, I remembered that I did not see the geese which is what usually happens. 

Then, I remembered another weekend a couple of weeks earlier where I was here alone. I had turned off the lights downstairs early and headed upstairs to watch a movie. I heard a trash can get knocked over followed immediately with a thump and what I thought was a voice exclaiming something. I dismissed it as my imagination and figured it was only a cat or raccoon knocking over a trashcan and landing hard. The next morning, we learned some items were missing. At the time, I thought it was weird, but assumed they had been misplaced due to busy family living. 

more soon..

When Bethany Saw the Hole in the Glass

When Bethany saw the hole in the glass, she snapped a few pictures with her phone. She immediately came to me and said calmly but with a seriousness that got my close attention, "Mom, there is a hole in the upstairs bathroom window. Mom, I am pretty sure it is a bullet hole." 

I saw the first picture and immediately went to the bathroom. Whoa!! Shock!! Fear!! I had not pieced together the motion light going off and what I had heard the night before, so I was concerned someone could be on the property right then. Securing our home and protecting my children was my only concern at that point.

One strength of mine is that I am fast to think and react. It can also be a weakness, but mostly, it is a strength and has been a blessing in my day to day life. God made me to fit the life He gave me. I am also good at seeing what needs to be done in an orderly fashion and moving resources to make it happen in an efficient manner. That last part is learned, not inherent. 

Tomorrow, I will share more...

How Glorious It Will Be! (I So Love This Quote!)

Truly the sufferings of this present life 

are not worthy to be compared 

with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

One hour of eternity,

one moment with the Lord 

will make us utterly forget 

a lifetime of desolations. 

-Horatius Bonar
1808-1889

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 

For me, to live is to sacrifice my wants and desires for Christ's. To die means I get more of Christ, so when I die; I gain everything! -W

The Night Someone Shot into Our Home

bullet hole proximity to toilet

We live 1/8 a mile off the road in the middle of 14 acres with natural barriers. We have no close neighbors. We have a gate at the end of our long driveway that stays locked at night. Our area is very rural and has a very low crime rate. The last time I checked, the murder statistic was 1 person a year if we even have a murder. We felt very safe in our location. As hard as it may seem, we still feel safe but for a different reason.

I guess it was around 12:30-1:30 a.m. when I went went to the restroom. I was very groggy. There is a window by the toilet. I look out of it a lot because our critters are usually moving around. I moved the curtain a little and glanced out of it a couple of times like always. I stood up to the sink and saw the motion lights go off in the front yard in my peripheral vision. I did not see anything when I looked again after washing my hands, so I figured it was our geese moving around. 

As I left the bathroom, I heard a tap in the shower. Sometimes the children leave things haphazard so I figured it was shampoo or something else falling. I noted to check it in the morning and went back to bed. When I looked the next day, I saw a deep dent in the shower frame and thought one of the children had hit it with something. I did not see anything that had fallen. I shrugged my shoulders and kept going.

Bethany found the hole in the window later while cleaning and knew exactly what it was.  

The police were called. They eventually determined the person was standing right out of my view just out of the light. Basically it was in the center front of our home. The motion sensing light stopped them from being closer to the house. That light was given to me just a few months prior.

Our security cameras were offline so we did not capture any footage. We have since added several more motion lights, a new and very bright spot light, and more cameras with better night vision. We consider these things prudent but not essential.

The first three nights, we were scared and spent a lot of time praying about what to do for the safety of our children. Then, God answered the oldest five of our clan, all at the same time, with an indescribable peace and sense of knowing that He will keep us from harm. We went right back to living as normal. He protected us before and can again if that is His will.  

I still stay here alone at night when it works out that way, and I sleep deeply. 

In peace I will lie down and sleep,

 for you alone, 

LORD, 

make me dwell 

in safety. 

Psalm 4:8 

You will keep in perfect peace

 those whose minds are steadfast,

 because they trust 

in you. 

Isaiah 26:3

 And the peace of God, 
which transcends all understanding, 
will guard your hearts 
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7

More to come...

Pictures of the .22 Bullet Hole

My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me.
2 Samuel 22:3 

Consider

"Consider that God, 

in choosing you, 

not only loved you, 

but delighted to love you...

God rejoiced over you from everlasting, 

in his intentions to do you good, 

with his whole heart and whole soul." 

-Thomas Watson

Happy Valentine's Day 

to our friends and family 

near and far, old and new
close and estranged

You can trust Him to surround and protect you like a shield.

At the beginning of every new year, our family prays together that God will draw us closer to Him, closer to each other, give us ways to connect with others, and give us a louder testimony for His glory. Since I was approaching 50, I personally was asking God in 2019 to help me draw closer to Him, to let go of anything that didn't matter and to hold onto what does, to teach me to number my days, and to make my days count for His glory. 

Last year on this date, something unbelievable and totally unexpected happened. Interestingly, it also happened immediately after I spent some time in prayer asking God to show me any areas of preparedness our family needed to improve upon. The incident shocked everyone who lives in our very quiet, rural neighborhood. A police officer friend thought I was joking about it until I showed him the pictures. Things like this just don't happen here. Let this be a wake up call to you wherever you live.

All of the prayers mentioned above were answered last February when a bullet was fired into our home at a figure in the bathroom window. That figure the shooter was aiming at in the bathroom was me. The bullet went through the window and into the wall inches from my body and a few feet from where our children were sleeping against the walls on either side of the bathroom. 

I REJOICE that they were aiming at my shadowy figure instead of my husband or my children. I REJOICE that I was the one in the bathroom because it is easier for me to handle mentally than if it were one of them. 

The window sash with the bullet hole is now sporting a Bible verse and hangs in our dining room.  We have a one of a kind piece of art that will remind our family and friends daily of God's protection. It reminds us that God is keeping watch and is involved in our moments. It also reminds us of the importance of staying close to Him. 

I will share more soon. I encourage you to read the verses below and rejoice in God's protection over His people. 


Psalm 91

You can go to God Most High to hide.
    You can go to God All-Powerful for protection.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety, my fortress.
    My God, I trust in you.”
3 God will save you from hidden dangers
    and from deadly diseases.
4 You can go to him for protection.
    He will cover you like a bird spreading its wings over its babies.
    You can trust him to surround and protect you like a shield.
5 You will have nothing to fear at night
    and no need to be afraid of enemy arrows during the day.
6 You will have no fear of diseases that come in the dark
    or terrible suffering that comes at noon.
7 A thousand people may fall dead at your side
    or ten thousand right beside you,
    but nothing bad will happen to you!
8 All you will have to do is watch,
    and you will see that the wicked are punished.
9 You trust in the Lord for protection.
    You have made God Most High your place of safety.
10 So nothing bad will happen to you.
    No diseases will come near your home.
11 He will command his angels to protect you wherever you go.
12 Their hands will catch you
    so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.
13 You will have power to trample on lions
    and poisonous snakes.
14 The Lord says, “If someone trusts me, I will save them.
    I will protect my followers who call to me for help.
15 When my followers call to me, I will answer them.
    I will be with them when they are in trouble.
    I will rescue them and honor them.
16 I will give my followers a long life
    and show them my power to save.”