My Toilet Paper Story--Or--You Expected The Holy Spirit To Shout?

"God wants to give you inside information.

The Holy Spirit in you will "show you things to come." Jesus shocked the disciples with a description of coming troubles, but followed up saying, "See that you be not troubled because these things must come to pass."   ---  Lance Wallnau

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Way back in The Normal Days (February), I stepped down to our basement, spied our toilet paper supply and thought, "Hmm. We've enough left for 3 months, but for some reason? I think we should order one 12-roll package. That will last us an additional 4 months." (We buy 1,000 sheet rolls.)

After 6+ years of prepping for any trouble, I know the math on this stuff. It's branded upon my brain.

So I climbed the stairs, sat down at the computer and put together an online order with extra a-bit-low-on items.

Before Tom was laid off in 2010, I'd always stock my cupboards and freezer around November for winter, yes. But toward the end of 20 long months of unemployment? I vowed, when paychecks returned, to live an always-prepared lifestyle.

I wrote here (a lot) about that adventure because, Honey? Learning to become a wise prepper requires years.

You need years to (truly, wisely) learn how to--


Stock your cupboards/freezers sensibly, to rotate items for no waste. To safely store certain items which last 'forever'.

Cook whole meals from simple, stored ingredients. That you can eat most canned foods past their date if they're not rusted or dented. How to give foods their longest shelf life.

Not buy, say, cornmeal if your favorite online prepper swears you need pounds of it, but your spouse hates the stuff. You learn how to make substitutions in cooking and everything else.

Store a few items so to aid your neighbors. Stay in good physical shape so you can do what you must.

Every few months, walk through your home, take inventory, write down your shortages, then purchase what you need. 

Also include medications, pet foods, beauty items and other often-forgotten stock-up items.

Budget so, especially at the beginning, you can stock-up while also purchasing your current supplies.

Always live prepared so that you'll never have to battle panicked, wild-eyed supermarket crowds in a disaster. (Did you see the video of long lines snaking through the parking lot of an L.A. supermarket?!)

No way will you see me shopping amongst crowds any time soon. No. Way.
I shared what I was learning, all while wondering if anyone cared or would heed my warnings, ones like-- "The time to prepare for emergencies is before they arrive. After is generally too late."

But what I've also learned? To just obey God's instructions--and leave the results to Him. That's the key (I feel) to never burning-out in ministry or becoming upset with folks who will not listen.

I'll rejoice that I obeyed God, not in any supposed success or readership. And I'll keep stepping forward, in love, completing my calling.


Anyway, hardcore preppers learn more, skills like how to build campfires and/or outdoor stoves, cook over open flames, heat a room with candles, do first-aid, plan to live without electricity, provide alternate sources of heat, cut their own hair and--


Jesus told us--

“I will send you the Helper from the Father. The Helper is the Spirit of truth^[b] who comes from the Father. When he comes, he will tell about me."   … John 15:26

And sometimes I wonder if we believe that's all the Holy Spirit was sent for. To help us tell others about Jesus and to explain Bible verses.

But no. The Helper came to help us with everything. With Life, actually, upon a divided, crazy planet in a Last Days, who-knows-what's-next era. 

And today I'm saying He still does all things well. He knows the future and He still leads us, by His quiet voice, to be prepared in all ways: emotionally, spiritually, mentally, supply-wise, etc. Even when we've no clue what's creeping near. 

But! This all works only if we'll humble ourselves, keep a quiet heart, listen--then obey, even the silly-sounding stuff.

"But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”   … Proverbs 1:33 


"Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future."   … Proverbs 19:20

Gracious! By 8 pm tonight we in New York will be pretty much confined by law to stay home. Yeah, we can get groceries and essential workers can still go out, but the remainder of us the rest of the time? We're not even supposed to visit with our neighbors. Nor have anyone over. If we're good little citizens we can stand outside in our yard, tho'. Alone. heh.

But oh dear. My sweet little neighborhood coffee shop is closed until further notice.  And yes, that news got me teary-eyed.

Gee, what a super blessing is the Internet, right? How wonderful that we can still fellowship this way, in fact, I'd love to hear how you are handling our new way of life!

And lastly, I shared this at Facebook---

Prepper vindication. How sweet it is. heh. I spied this comment at a video called, Preppers Aren't That Crazy Now, Are They?

"Hi Mike, I never thought I would be at the point where I would ever have said this. But I owe every single prepper an apology. While I never trolled preppers directly in any way, I have laughed at and mocked preppers to no end for years now. And now I find myself, like many others, realizing that preppers have been right all along. You have probably seen it's not just sanitizer and toilet paper anymore. Very little meat, even less produce, and no cows milk to be found anywhere. And I am not prepared. That ends as soon as things normalize. I am going to begin taking steps to prep for things like this in the future. I look forward to seeing more of your channel."

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15