Second Chance

By Mid Stutsman

"And without faith it
is impossible to
please God, because
anyone who comes to
him must believe that
he exists and that he
rewards those who
earnestly seek him."
Hebrews 11:6

arely does one get a second chance at life. I’m not referring to anything spiritual; I mean real life. Real flesh, blood and bone life. But after what happened to me last Saturday down in my secluded garden, I now know what a new lease on life means and what it means to walk by faith.

My husband started up his noisy Troy Built tiller, as I randomly pulled weeds I didn’t want tilled under. I was facing him with my back to our county road and the neighbors west of us.

As I bent over to dig up another weed, I heard and felt a shrill buzz next to my right ear. I ducked and grabbed the side of my head, thinking something had dive bombed me and I screamed loud enough for Fred to hear me over the tiller. He shut it off and stared at me. “Was that a bullet? Are you okay? I just heard something hit behind me!”

A bullet!

We found out later from the county sheriffs, who answered my 911 call that a neighbor to the west let some of his buddies bring their guns over for target practice. They had assault rifles and had moved the targets he already had set in place for them in front of a dirt berm.

What is so remarkable about all of this is the fact that they were a mile away and up, over and down behind a wooded hill. That, plus the fact our garden is down over a bank from our house, and the bank is lined with pine trees!

I’ve always felt safe in my garden and out of sight from passersby or neighbors. But when that stray, random bullet buzzed my ear, I faced reality. We are never safe anywhere, except by the grace of God and His protection.

I have never needed to see God to know that He is real. And I never will. But I can tell you I know for a fact His wings of protection were around me. In fact, they deflected that bullet, which then missed Fred and lodged into a little storage shed at an unexplainable angle.

Walking by faith and not by sight is like walking with a best friend. It’s all about relationship and trust. My best friend saved my life the other day. I hope you know Him in the same way. He’s there, whether you see Him or not!