That’s a question we hear almost every day.  Are you ready?  There are a variety of events that we can all be ready for depending on our situation, age and family.  We may need to be ready for school, work, church, shopping, or the holidays.  Most of what we do we can do on auto pilot because of our experiences in the past.

The kind of ‘are you ready’ that I am going to discuss is the kind of events you may wish would never happen to you, your family or your friends and neighbors.  Some of the events that you may not be ready for can be described in one word and the whole world will know what you are talking about.  Haiti.  Obama.  H1N1.  Taxes.  Flooding.  You know what I mean.  Unforeseen events that require preparation or survival may be at question.

Lets discuss a few of the ones mentioned in the above paragraph one at a time.

Haiti – Instant hell for an entire nation throwing world orders into action to help the sick and needy.  Many sources for donations at home are immediately drained off out of the US as the squeaky wheel gets the grease and the media is making sure that Haiti is the squeaky wheel right now.  Charities that usually had resources to calm the cries of cold hungry children here in the states no longer provide necessary bedding, clothes and food at the level they used to simply because donations are down, having been sent overseas or just not available due to the rotten economy – which brings us to another event, or rather person.

Obama – because of the decisions made by the Obama administration, every man, woman and child is in debt to the tune of $100,000.00 – that is one hundred thousand dollars – not chump change – and more announcements of further excessive spending by the same folks are surfacing daily.  I am not discussing whether anyone likes it or not, or even whether they like our current administration, I am simply stating a solemn fact that the US is heavily in debt and not likely to get out for generations, if ever.  If you are counting on the US for welfare, social security or any form of free handout – just know that it may be dubious as to whether governmental help will be there when you need it.

H1N1 – sickness can strip even an able bodied man or woman of the ability to provide basic essentials for themselves or their families.  Illness knows no boundaries, creeds, or race.  It can strike when least expected and leave devastation and misery in it’s wake.

So – what can you do? Can you do anything? Are you a victim or is there a way to safeguard yourself and your loved ones in times of crisis?

The answer is in the Bible.  “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.”

You may ask.. What kind of preparation?  How do I  get started?  What do I do?  How much does it cost?

The good news – there are many entities, charities, churches, and resources to help you be more self reliant.  You see, that’s the key – being able to rely on yourself for relief and assistance, and then extending help to family, friends and neighbors.   After you are secure and stabilized, then you reach out even further to others who need help.

Natural disasters, national leadership out of control (not just the current administration, it’s been going on for quite some time), sickness, death, loss of jobs, breakdown of the family and the disintegrating moral standards of those around us all impact our lives.

Here are some suggestions on how to insulate yourself, as much as possible, from negative aspects of events.

I.  Be aware.  Read the news, check the weather and be involved in your community so nasty surprises are kept to a minimum.

2.  Get out of debt.  Cut up those credit cards, use bank debit cards instead or paypal where when the funds are gone, they are gone and you can’t dip into someone else’s pocket at a terrible rate of up to 30%.  Know the difference between wants and needs.  You can get along with a lot less than you think you can.  Use ebay, craigslist, your local flea market or farmers market to sell what you don’t need that is cluttering up your life.  If it means walking to work instead of driving, taking a sack lunch instead of eating out, mending your clothes instead of buying the latest trends, then do it. If you can’t meet your mortgage, talk to the lender NOW before things get out of control to see if you can refinance at at lower rate or if there are other options available.  There are debt management companies  – legitimate ones – who are ready, willing and able to help you pay off your credit cards.  Don’t wait – mail this guy david@debtguru.com

David Gibbons, Credit Counselor
American Credit Foundation
www.debtguru.com
800-259-0601
7720 S. 700 E.
Midvale, UT 84047

Nope, I don’t get a kickback or am related to anyone that works there, I just am more than happy to share with others how to lighten the load. There are no gimmicks or high fees and it’s easy.

I will be posting more on provident living later on our Relief Share blog.  Helping folks to be self sufficient reduces our workload and strengthens America.  Once you are on your feet, then we hope you will join us in helping others who are walking the same path that we have walked.

3.  Illness is devastating.  Some illnesses are long term and coping mechanisms need to be set in place.   However, other illnesses have immediate onset and no warning may mean little or no preparation for some folks, such as having 6 months worth of income in the bank should employment be discontinued or disrupted due to illness.   Preventative measures can circumvent a lot of the loss and pain accompanying  illness.  Good quality vitamins can build your immune system so you stand less of a chance of getting sick in the first place.  The vitamins we recommend and take ourselves are by Pharmanex These vitamins are nutritionally formulated to nourish and protect cells, tissues, and organs in the body.  We also take Reishi for immune boosting.  You can read about the ‘miracle mushroom’ at www.reishi.com

When you do find yourself dealing with illness, don’t hesitate to talk to your caregiver, hospital, Bishop or family for help.  Note that emotionally sustaining the sick and needy is just as important as providing warm blankets or essential items through the hospital, such as gowns or slippers or turbans for women who have lost their hair through cancer.

There are a number of wonderful resources to offer more advice, and we strongly recommend you get yourself a cuppa, pen and paper and check them out.

Our self reliance top picks are free :

http://www.ready.gov  – prepare. plan. stay informed.

http://www.fema.gov/areyouready – an in depth guide to preparedness

http://www.providentliving.org – self reliance and resources

http://emergencyemail.org – have severe weather reports for your area sent daily to your email, etc.

If you have other links or information to share regarding self reliance, please feel free to respond to this article in our blog.  It takes everyone working together to make life a better place for all.

If you are able, and have the desire to assist others, please consider sending a donation to: Relief Share, 6078 Lundy Rd, Houston, MO 65483. All donations are tax deductible and acknowledged with a thank you letter. Donations of funds, new and used clothing and bedding, baby items, toys, books, fabric and sewing, knitting or crafting supplies, and essential items are gratefully accepted and donated out to those who need your gift of love the most.

If you have a question regarding a donation, and some folks have unusual donations they would like to make, please feel free to email us at info@ReliefShare.org  – come join us in making America a happier and better place to life.