"This is only a test!"

Did you realize a North Korean satellite passes right over the continental United States every 90 minutes from an altitude of about 370 miles? According to Newsmax, North Korea’s last round of tests, conducted in May 2009, appear to have included a “super-EMP” weapon, capable of emitting enough gamma rays to disable the electric power grid across most of the lower 48 states.  What if that satellite is the vehicle required to ZAP us from high in the atmosphere, causing an EMP (electromagnetic pulse)? This would fry all-things-electrical and set our progress back 100 years for who-knows-how-long. Imagine, every electronic device from cell phones to computers, prison doors to ATM machines, suddenly out of order.

Well, on November 13-14, the GridEX II drill will focus primarily on how the U.S., Canada and Mexico will react if the electrical grid fails and, among other things, the food chain collapses.

Sadly, in the case of an actual EMP, most of us would fail that test. According to FEMA, 93% of us aren't ready for anything. Financially, Emotionally, Physically or Spiritually, the majority would simply fall apart. With far too many convinced the government would rescue them (insert laughter here), others are certain churches would save them. We tend to forget soldiers, cops, firemen, preachers and neighbors have as their main concern their own families. 

So, who dies first? Those on life support in hospitals, folks with pacemakers, and people in airplanes. All the trains are run electronically and all modern cars have electronic ignition systems. Your town's water filtration plant is electric so, there's goes the clean water. See, it really doesn't matter who goes first after the initial strike. According to Frank Gaffney, President of the Center for Security Policy, “Within a year of that attack, nine out of 10 Americans would be dead, because we can’t support a population of the present size in urban centers and the like without electricity”

It's estimated the entire power grid could be protected for about $20 Billion. Hmmm. Pathetic! We've spent over $400 Billion fighting in Afghanistan. VERY telling, eh?

If we can't count on the government, every family should be focused on the 5G's of survival:

1) God: Trust in God to provide, preserve and protect you. Establish an intimate relationship with Him in the mean time through prayer, Bible study and fellowship with others who truly know Him. I can attest, He is a very REAL person! He loves you and isn't angry with you. He has your best interests at heart and is GREATLY concerned about you.

2) Guns: For self defense and hunting. Whether it's a gun, a slingshot, a bow and arrow, or a blow gun, your concern is not just drug addicts in need of a fix, or fathers trying to feed their hungry children, breaking in your door at 3AM. You may have to fight to remain at the top of the food chain, too. Dogs tend to roam in packs when areas collapse and, when garbage isn't being collected, rats arrive en masse (now, there's an easy meal eaten by many across the globe. Do you have traps?). 

3) Gold: Physical gold in small units, even if only for bartering, could come in handy. (CLICK HERE) So-called Junk Silver (U.S. coins dated pre-65) are 90% silver. Get some! You can store your wealth in something like rare european coins wrapped in an IRA. This will help when things start returning to normal. (Contact Tom Barrett of Golden Art Treasures).

4) Groceries: Ya gotta eat! Dried foods with a long shelf life will be appreciated by families more than military MRE's. (CLICK HERE) They taste better. Learn how to grow your groceries and start canning things. If you plan on becoming Daniel Boone, shooting all your own food, bear in mind there simply isn't enough wild game to feed everybody. Besides, if land owners are in survival mode, too, they might take a shot at YOU for trespassing!

5) Good water: We can live 30 days without food but only about 3 days without water. If that water isn't filtered and purified, it could contain critters too small for you to see and they can kill you, or make you REAL sick. Learn how to gather water, create water, filter it and boil it without electricity. I make something called the FILTRATOR! some of my friends have bought from me (CLICK HERE). It's an Emergency Water Filtration System and I make it with my own two hands.

The first thing many people say when we discuss this catastrophe stuff is "I can't afford to get ready!" I hear that all the time, often from folks spending a small annual fortune on cigarettes, beer, gambling and entertainment. But I digress. One can do an awful lot of preparation at Dollar Stores, Walmart and garage sales. Save water in clear plastic juice containers with a few drops of bleach. Buy seeds and start bucket gardening. A few cans here, a few more there. Buy extra toilet paper! Anything you do is better than doing nothing. If you prepared for a year, what would you do if the catastrophe lasted 366 days? Our forefathers survived in this way. We can, too!

Bottom line is this: Determine in your heart you will be a Disaster Ready Christian. If your theological bent is to believe God will "rapture" you away before things get very bad, prepare anyway; the stuff you gathered will be left behind for someone else. You can leave a letter and a Bible with your stash and tell the fortunate "finder" about Jesus.

As for me and my house, we've embraced the spirit of Joseph, who gathered grain and stored it for the coming famine (CLICK HERE). I like the obedience of Noah, building an ark when there's never been a drop to fall from the sky. Ever. Call it "prepping" or "Doom 'n Glooming" if you like. Perhaps some people who were awakened by Paul Revere's shouting from his horse even became angry with all his midnight noise-making.

Remember, on November 13 and 14, this is only a test.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work

20 Items to Hoard Checklist

When a crisis is brewing, making a comprehensive list of supplies is no easy task… neither is purchasing them.

As panic spreads, super market shelves will be stripped bare in a matter of hours. Contrary to popular belief, super markets don’t have tons of excess inventory. What you see on the shelves is what they’ve got in most cases.

We see it almost every time a major hurricane targets a populated area. Desperate shoppers buy up every last can of beans, flashlight, and bottled water in a 50-mile radius.

If you’re smart, you won’t be standing in line at the grocery store when the SHTF. You’ll already have that taken care of…

Because you’ve read through this checklist to make sure you have everything your family needs to survive a crisis. Here are our Top 20 Items to Hoard:

1. Rice – Dried rice has an incredibly long shelf life, making it ideal for storage. In nutritional terms, rice is rich in starch and carbohydrates. It’s also a good source of Vitamin B, iron, and protein.

2. Beans, Lentils, Black-eyed peas – Legumes are a great source of protein, iron, and dietary fiber. Like rice, which they’re traditionally served with, dried beans have an exceptionally long shelf life.

3. Candles – You’ll probably never read a disaster preparedness list that doesn’t include candles, and for good reason. A good stock of slow-burning emergency candles is a survival essential, as well as something to light them with.

4. Cigarette Lighters – I recommend stashing a combo pack of at least 6 lighters in your stockpile. In a power outage, these guys can become very, very important. The can also be very easy to misplace.

5. Pasta – Pasta stores well, has a long shelf life, and it’s loaded with carbohydrates. It’s also easy to prepare. Not to mention, pasta pairs well with lots of other items on this list.

6. Peanut Butter – Hoarded by everyone from college students to doomsday survivalists, and for many of the same reasons, peanut butter is a tasty, shelf stable source of protein that pairs with lots of other items.

7. Can Opener/Multi-Tool – It’s a good idea to carry a survival knife, but it’s a great idea to carry a quality multi-tool, like a Leatherman. A Leatherman comes in handy almost every day under normal circumstances and could be used as a weapon in a pinch.

8. Dried fruits, such as raisins, apricots, and papaya – Dried fruits are a great source of nutrients, calories, potassium, and fiber. They can also be added to nuts to make delicious trail mixes.

9. Energy bars – Since these bars are typically loaded with carbs and protein by design, they’re actually a good choice for your survival storage (maximum nutrition with minimal effort and prep).

10. Canned soups and chili – Canned soups are easy to prepare and offer a nice variety of ingredients for the effort. Look for low-sodium options. Premium brands may be healthier, but value brands will make your money go further.

11. Gauze/Bandages – For more serious injuries, you’ll want to keep a supply of dedicated gauze and bandages.

12. Rubbing Alcohol – Rubbing alcohol burns on an open wound, but it is a great way to sterilize instruments, surfaces, and the skin surrounding a wound.

13. Batteries – Obviously, you’ll need to coordinate your battery storage plan with any of the flashlights, radios, or other devices you may keep in your emergency stockpile. Batteries will last longest in cool dry conditions, but should be rotated out of your emergency supply on a yearly basis.

14. Toilet Paper – Running out of toilet paper is annoying in any situation. But you certainly don’t want to run out in a shelter-in-place crisis scenario. My advice is to get more than enough. Life can get messy.

15. Trash Bags – Trash will still need to be properly disposed of, even in a crisis. In fact, trash bags are even more important in a crisis. If running water is unavailable, trash bags may have to double as a toilet. Don’t skimp here.

16. Firearms – Last but certainly not least, you’re going to need some type of weapon, just in case. It doesn’t have to be a gun, but then again what else are you willing to risk your family’s safety on, a sword? Pepper spray?

17. Drinking Water – Most experts recommend a 2-week supply of water in your emergency storage. A 72-hour supply is the bare minimum.  A water filter can help you extend you supply by allowing you to reuse cooking water.

18. Hand-Crank Radio – Hand crank radios offer the ability to listen to important communications when power and cell networks are down. Some hand crank radios even offer a USB charging functionality.

19. Camp Stove – There are a million options available for this purpose – everything from handy backpacking stoves to heavy-duty outdoor ranges – but it’s hard to beat the old self-contained Coleman camp stove.

20. Flashlights – When it comes to flashlights, I have two recommendations, and neither one is expensive. First, find a comfortable LED headlamp. Second, rather than finding the brightest, most high-tech available, invest in a Maglite that runs on simple AA batteries.