“Mom, my happy place is WOFT.”- said my 14 year old daughter as we were leaving this past weekend.
“I’d rather go to WOFT than Disney, Universal or the beach,” my other daughter said.
This put the biggest smile on my face. My husband and I were reminded in those moments why we’re exhausting our weekends, traveling 3 hours each way to Groveland, FL, once or twice a month.
Disney and others like it are known for ‘family entertainment’ but in recent days they’ve been called out by many for indoctrinating kids against family values. We know many people who have or currently work at these amusement parks and the horror stories we have heard would give you nightmares.
This post is not about those stories.
We’ve decided that we will spend our time pouring into our children: wisdom, grit, situational awareness, and a Christ-anchored courage to protect the innocent.
We’re not raising soft targets. We’re raising kids who keep their heads when other people lose theirs. That is not aggression; that is stewardship under God.
Since June our whole crew—my husband and our twin fourteen-year-old daughters—has been training at WOFT. We come home sweaty, humbled, and grateful, because skill beats wishful thinking. Tips are cute on Instagram. Doom-scrolling on Youtube, looking for self-defense videos, is ok…. but training is what shows up when the parking lot gets weird.
We’ve logged hours in low-light scenarios, anti-carjacking drills, hand-to-hand and blade work, and firearms fundamentals—because calm under pressure is taught, not wished for.
“Do not be afraid… fight for your families.” — Nehemiah 4:14
If you missed the journey:
Part 1 — I Thought I Was Prepared—Until I Trained at WOFT
This is Part 3, and the headline says it all: flashlight first. Not firearms. Not jiu-jitsu. A flashlight.
Let’s Tell the Truth About “Internet Courage”
Reading a post feels empowering for five minutes; your body will not remember it under stress. Real training rewires your reactions so your mind, your mouth, and your movement agree. That’s the gift WOFT keeps handing our family: not bravado, but calm on demand.
I love you enough to say this clearly. This article will not save you. Training might.
Not Everyone Can Carry Firearms. but Everyone Can Carry Light.
I hear from moms in states, schools, jobs, and situations where firearms aren’t an option. I see you. You still have options.
A quality flashlight is legal almost everywhere, (check your local and state laws) travels with you, lives in your hand without raising eyebrows, and does several big things that matter in the real world:
It doesn’t just help you find your way in the dark… It lets you see problems early instead of getting ambushed by them. It helps good people see you and get to you faster when you need help. It can impair vision of a predator long enough for you and your children to get away from harm. It forces predators to make new decisions at the worst possible time for them.
That last point matters. Predators run on scripts. Training teaches you to interrupt that script so escape becomes possible. You do not need to be a cage fighter to be effective; you need practiced habits and the right tool in reach.
The tactical flashlight, the gift that keeps on giving… with the right flashlight, if the threat gets too close, you can use it as a force multiplier and strike a debilitating blow to your opponent.
“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.” — Psalm 144:1
The happiest place on earth is where families learn to protect each other. 
The beam of a high lumen flashlight is enough to momentarily blind a predator. 
The instructors at WOFT have become Aunts and Uncles to my daughters. 
Every birthday gets celebrated at WOFT. 
Our family now includes the founder of WOFT, Philip Toppino. 
Buck Lawler trained Isabella helping her nail targets from 5 yards to 60 yards. With a pistol. 
She nailed a 60 yard shot with a pistol on her first try thanks to the amazing instructor, Santi.
We traded roller coasters for real courage and the smiles keep getting bigger and bigger.
What woft Built In Our Home
I could give you fifty tactics, and you would feel prepared until the first adrenaline dump. Instead, here’s what actually changes outcomes:
Confidence with humility. Panic takes orders from preparation.
Family communication. Clear roles beat chaos; our girls now move like a team with us. Raising them from a liability to an asset.
Calm in ugly spaces. Low-light hallways, garages, gas pumps, sidewalks at dusk—those “in-between” places feel different when your body knows what to do.
Discernment about flee or fight. We practice exits first and only defend when escape is not possible or a life is on the line.
None of that is theoretical for us anymore. That is the difference between scrolling safety and owning it.
For the Everyday Mom With a Cart, a Purse, and a To-Do List
You are not paranoid because you want a plan. You are prudent. Scripture calls that wise. The loudest lies moms hear are the ones that say, “It will probably be fine,” “You are overreacting,” and “This will NEVER happen to you.” The enemy of your family’s safety is that shrug. I reject it for you.
We still do church, sports, grocery runs, and extracurricular activities. We just do them with light in hand, heads up, and a shared language for what to do when something feels wrong.
Faith, Then Training, Then More Faith
We pray before we train and after we train. We ask the Lord for wisdom to see trouble early, restraint to de-escalate when we can, and courage to act when innocence is on the line. Preparation is not fear; it is love with a backbone.
Your Nudge to Start
If you take nothing else from me today, take this: do not mistake information for transformation. Book a class. If you cannot carry a firearm, invest in a solid flashlight and the coaching to wield it with purpose. Let your kids watch you train. No victims in this house—we train courage and discernment so our kids are their own first responders.
We’re training because we love our family, not because we love a fight. We’re training because we trust God, not because we trust luck. We’re training because our daughters will one day stand where I stand, and I want them ready.
Call your sister, your cousin, or your best friend and go together. Trade algorithms for accountability and come home calmer. I’m cheering you on! Head up, light on, heart anchored.
Let me know what day you’re going and I’ll be there. With my family. Training with you! 🫶🏽
Joyful family, steely spine, Christ at the center—that’s the plan.
P.S. use code BEBOLD for a discount on your training and flashlights. 🔦
