“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but the power of love and a sound mind.“
2 Timothy 1:7
I have been acquiring lists for prepping, to prepare for the worst, but not in fear.
I once heard a prophet say ” Everything you prepare in fear will not be enough” when reciting a dream they had from God. Fear cannot be what guides us in this world as Christians, because Jesus already won the battle! He already conquered death. We have a savior who paid it all. Do not be afraid of an enemy who just wants to make you as miserable as he is. The adversary already knows his end, but God is still letting you write your story with him, and hopefully, you’re letting God’s will reign in your life. Pray before you read this and ask God to lead you, and as always test every spirit.
For prepping or simply camping, my first piece of advice is to not burn green. Fresh green wood will create a thick smoke in a fire that will bring unwanted attention to you. It also burns in a way you will not like, treated dry wood that is not rotten or wet is your best bet. You do not want to create random smoke signals. You cannot assume everyone has good intentions in bad situations. If people are living in survival mode it is best to keep you and your family safe. As well as not burning green, it is imperative to limit artificial light, or light that comes from technology, fires, and vehicles at night.
It is important in more than just prepping, in life in general, to be picky about your friends. Have a group of people you trust, but keep in mind how the Bible tells us to have friends.
“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. ” Proverbs 18:24
“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” Proverbs 22:24-25
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
“”Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20
As a Christian, in hard times it is not really an option to depend on ourselves. We have to be like David when he was struggling with adversity, praying continuously with a repentant heart, and faith big enough to kill a giant. Faith and wisdom are going to be a new currency in a time where we cannot depend on convenience and technology.
A community of people who will uplift each other and share blessings will significantly improve mental health and wellness among you and family. Humans are social creatures and studies have shown that people who have others to support them socially, problems that are big seem smaller in perspective. This can just be you rfamily, or a small group of friends. Rely on good news, and remember the great things God has done for you.
If you have ever read Lord of the flies, you know people need order, leadership and rules. In a larger community voting, authority, compromise, and adaptation will help everything run smoothly with less conflict. Choosing a leader should come with prayer, fasting, and a vote to see who is ready to lead, and who is intelligent enough to bring others to success. This comes with mutual respect to sustain a growing and thriving community.
A trading system will become more and more popular as prices in stores rise, and especially if society is not as connected as it is now. Things to keep in mind is that everything has value. If we treat everything with a materialistic mindset, we will put our minds in the landfill like the tons of trash we leave there too. Human labor is so valuable to me. Someone willing to put in effort for something they care about means so much to me, so I really respect one’s labor. Trading can come from tangible items as well as services and food.
Everyone should have at least one skill that can support them and their family. Things like running machinery, foraging for food, crochet, knitting, embroidery, vehicle repair, cooking, finding shelter, building, leading community, organizing… There are so many skills anyone can learn to help them and their family, and you can always learn more. This work is not futile, you can do this alone or with a community, but most importantly with God. In my book, we take care of eachother, and we help those we trust. Selfish ambition has no space in times like this. Isolation can cause more harm than good, but always discern the times and situations, because there are times where isolation can actually be safer.
Remember, do not fear, trust in God, and do what is best for your family. I hope this helped you get an idea of things we can prep without spending money, but things we should prep with our minds and community. Thank you for reading, and send a contact message if you have any prep advice or questions!
Sources cited
7 Types of Wood you Shouldn’t Burn in your Fireplace
Cutting Edge Firewood
https://www.cuttingedgefirewood.com/blogs/blog/7-types-of-wood-you-shouldnt-burn-in-your-fireplace
Homesteading Honey 