You Can Trust the Lord and Be a Prepper…But There Is a Balance
As people of faith, we believe in the Rapture. Our hope is that Jesus Christ will take us from this world before the Tribulation occurs. Tribulation is defined as, a state or cause of great trouble or suffering. We know that as believers we will be spared from the worst of the tribulation that occurs during the end times, however, that does not mean you shouldn’t prepare for any difficulty that might occur before then. After all, these are the birth pains, and they can be painful! Being a Christian prepper means you take responsibility for your family and your community’s safety and well-being, while still trusting in God’s plan.
Being responsible means having a plan, preparing for difficult times, hence the term “prepper”. Prepping and faith are not mutually exclusive, to a point. Common sense preparation is for difficult times is quite different long-term survival prepping for tribulation times. Christians need to take care not to trust in their preparedness, rather than trusting in God. Here are the top 10 beginner prepper tips for people of faith.
1. Start Small
Begin by setting small goals that are easily attainable and affordable, such as stocking up on non-perishable food, water, and first aid supplies for a week or two. Gradually build your emergency supplies over time. Don’t stress, don’t hurry, and pray. Steadily build your prepper supply. The more you learn, the more you’ll think you need. Remember…plan for difficult times, not tribulation times.
2. Prepare for Likely Scenarios
Think about the most likely disasters in your area, such as hurricanes, floods, or earthquakes, and plan accordingly. For example, if you live in a flood-prone area, you may want to invest in sandbags and have an evacuation plan in place. People that live in the city may have to prepare differently than those in the country.
While people of wealth may think they should prepare differently than those of less means, disaster is the great equalizer. Rich or poor; if the phones, power, and financial institutions don’t work…we’re all in the same boat. Prepare accordingly.
3. Get to Know Your Neighbors
In times of crisis, your neighbors will be an important asset. Get to know them and build relationships now. This will create a sense of community, and you can work together when bad things begin to happen in your neighborhood. People that know each other, stick up for each other. You and your immediate neighbors should have each other’s backs.
Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:17
4. Store Plenty of Water
Water is essential for survival. Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days. You can store water in clean, food-grade containers or purchase pre-packaged water. It’s a good idea to have water treatment options available as well. You may have a 20,000 gallon pool in the backyard, but you will need to filter and/or boil that water to make it usable.
If you regularly buy cases of water in plastic bottles, note the date with a sharpie and rotate them out or use them up as the expiration nears. A typical 40 count pack of water is about 5 gallons. You’ll want to have extra water available if you are keeping dehydrated emergency food on hand.
5. Stock up on Non-Perishable Food
Store non-perishable food such as canned goods, dried beans, rice, and pasta. Make sure to rotate your food stockpile regularly and check expiration dates. This is a great opportunity to build a storehouse, AND give back. Once you have a selection of goods you intend to keep, mark the expiration dates boldly on the packaging. When the expiration dates creep within 6-months or so of an item, donate it to a food bank and replace them with a new ones.
There are also plenty of emergency survival food vendors that offer dehydrated food that has a shelf life of 25 years. Of course you need water, hence tip #4, but these emergency foods are an excellent choice to supplement the foods you have with less shelf life. Although they can be expensive, try to round out your selection of emergency food to have carbs, fruits & vegetables, and meat.
Prices on these emergency foodstuffs fluctuate with the times. Put items on your wishlist and when the go on sale, bite the bullet and buy them then. When events occur that cause you to think that you would really like to have them, the prices will skyrocket. Political upheaval, power grid failures, and natural disasters are all triggers that cause the demand, and thus the price, for survival food to increase.
6. Have a First Aid Kit
In emergencies, you may not be able to access medical care. Having a first aid kit with basic medical supplies, including bandages, gauze, antiseptic wipes, and pain relievers available is just the beginning.
It’s a good idea to do some research and build a more complete first aid kit based on lists provided by trauma specialists, survivalists, and preppers. You can create a custom first-aid kit that suits your family’s needs that is far more complete than an off-the-shelf solution.
Even if you don’t know how to use everything in your kit, someone else might…such as those neighbors from tip #3. If things get really bad, you’ll want the most complete first aid kit available.
7. Learn Basic Survival Skills
Learn basic survival skills such as building a fire, purifying water, and basic self-defense. These skills will be valuable in emergencies. This seems like a no-brainer, but these skills have been lost as the need for them has waned. It wouldn’t hurt to learn, review, and plan for some of these basics.
8. Have a Prepper Bug-Out Bag
A bug-out bag is a portable emergency kit that contains essential items you need to survive for at least 72 hours. It should include food, water, first aid supplies, a flashlight, a radio, and a map. In a perfect world, you’ll have two of these…one in case you have to flee on foot, and another more complete bug-out supply if you have the luxury of escaping in a vehicle.
9. Keep Bartering Items on Hand
In the old days, we would say to keep cash on hand. In today’s digital, almost-cashless society, I’m not sure cash would actually have any real value. Ammunition and food will be the currency of the day if a real SHTF moment occurs and we haven’t been raptured…yet. Right up there with ammo and food will be medicines, batteries, and water. Think about the top 5 items you want to make sure you have, and those will be your bartering triggers.
10. Guns and Ammunition
Speaking of ammo…guns and ammunition are certainly among the top items you’ll need. City dwellers will employ those items mostly for protection, while more rural residents may also utilize them for hunting potential food sources. We’ve all been jaded a bit by zombie apocalypse movies, but the reality is…make sure you have weapons and ammo. Even range ammo is better than no ammo.
Make sure you are properly trained and licensed in the defense weapon of your choice. Get used to handling it, and carry it everyday if you can. I truly believe that ammunition will the be currency of any pre-tribulation disasters that occur.
11. Emergency Power
Once again, in the “old” days we would say make sure you have a generator and plenty of fuel. That statement is still accurate, however, I would add that this could include battery pack systems and solar panels as well. Today’s LiFePo4 battery packs with solar inputs are quite remarkable in their ability to capture and harness power.
Propane has an almost endless shelf life, and a generator that could run on propane would be an outstanding investment, as would any other stoves or refrigerators (such as found in an RV) that run on propane. This presumes of course you have the ability to store large amounts of propane.
12. Trust in God
As a Christian, you believe in God’s plan for your life. Trust in Him and pray for guidance in all your preparations. Let His Spirit tell you when enough is enough. We all know we are going to die, and we are not afraid of death. To be with Christ is better than anything we will ever experience, and to die is gain. Yet, God has created a survival instinct within us, not to just roll over and die, but to survive. Surviving terrible times with joy, expectation, and no fear might be what turns a person to Jesus at the final hour.
Conclusion
Being a Christian prepper is about balancing your faith in God’s plan with your responsibility to prepare for emergencies. By following these prepper tips, you can ensure the safety and well-being of yourself, your family, and your community. Remember, it’s better to be prepared and not need it than to need it and not be prepared.