On Thanksgiving Day in 1944, a young American platoon sergeant named Mac St. Johns led his men on a scouting mission in the French countryside. They were looking for German soldiers known to be in the area. Heading toward a crossroads under the faint light of dawn, Mac “stood stark still” and argued with himself about what to do next. He knew that he should have his men “fan out so that they could move with the cover of the trees” in the surrounding forest. But a voice in his head told him not to do so. After some hesitation, he chose to walk his men down the road in a single column. Though they were exposed, no Germans fired. In fact, Mac and his men encountered no German resistance near the crossroads at all.
Turning around to return to camp, they quickly realized how close they had come to death. Nailed to the backs of the trees, German signs warned, “Minen!” Had they moved through the woods earlier that morning, they would have been “blown to bits.”
Weeks later in mid-December, Mac got a letter from his mother. “Can you remember where you were on Thanksgiving Day?” she asked. His mother explained that she had awakened just after midnight with a sense of terror. “I had a strong feeling that you were in great danger. When I opened my Bible, a phrase in Second Chronicles [20:17] gleamed on the page: ‘Stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord with you…’” Stand…ye…still. Mac had definitely received his mother’s Thanksgiving message.
I came across Mac’s story in this collection of inspiring Thanksgiving miracles. It spoke to me because I have had my share of similar moments in life — when a whisper stopped me in my tracks and moved me in a different direction. In each of those instances, the choice before me seemed small, but the voice inside my head insisted that it would be consequential. That voice has always been right. So it is in this world: sometimes a single step is our undoing, and sometimes a single step is our salvation. When you hear an unexpected whisper, it’s best to listen.
We don’t always listen, though, do we? Sometimes we ignore any misgivings and continue down our original path. And when those choices burn us down the road, we have an even more consequential decision to make: do we let our past mistakes define our futures, or do we use our newly gained wisdom to defeat challenges yet to come?
It is not easy to admit when we’ve been wrong. It is even harder to find peace when our bad decisions harm others. It is tempting to cover up one bad choice with another. You do that enough times, though, and you eventually realize that you’ve done nothing but bury important truths.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
When I was younger, a wise man told me to be thankful for my regrets. “Thankful?” I remember thinking in disbelief. I preferred to carry my regrets like weights around my neck. I refused to let them go. Living like that means living with inconsolable pain. But there was something else that old philosopher said that stuck with me: your regrets give you a chance to be a better person today than you were yesterday. Be thankful for your regrets, he argued, because they are the instruments that mold our character. Use your pain to grow, or your pain will one day use you up. Some of the best people around us have profound regrets. Often, it is their profound regret that has shaped them into such morally excellent people.
Be thankful for the hard lessons. Wisdom is rarely obtained with ease. If it were, everyone around us would be wise. Wise people stand out because wisdom comes with a cost. We humans all suffer in one form or another. Only some of us, however, learn to use that suffering to become better versions of ourselves.
Sometimes bits of wisdom seem contradictory. In a single evening with friends, you might hear one argue, “People never change,” and another insist, “People do change.” Are our natures set in stone from the moment we enter this world, or are we capable of real, substantial growth? I have always been fond of what the Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus had to say on the matter: “A man’s character is his fate.” Who we are affects our decisions, and our decisions ultimately affect our futures.
But think about the advice from the old wise man I mentioned above who encouraged me to be thankful for my regrets. If our character is shaped by how we handle our regrets, then surely we have some measure of control over our fates. Perhaps the more we understand about ourselves, the more capable we become of creating our own futures.
There have been only a few times in my life when I was near someone who gave me the shivers. If you’ve ever found yourself around such a person, it is difficult not to believe in the existence of evil. Aside from truly evil human beings, though, most people are capable of doing both bad and good things. You can take a boy without a family, give him a gun, and tell him to protect his neighborhood gang. Awful acts soon follow. You can give a boy a family, help him learn from his mistakes, and encourage him to protect his community. The same boy becomes a selfless police officer. Often, it is not a question of whether we humans change or not but rather how we channel our inherent natures. When we are wise enough to learn from our mistakes and listen to those who wish to help us, we become better people.
As Mac St. Johns’s Thanksgiving Day story from WWII shows, sometimes the difference between life and death is a steadfast faith in God. Will we listen when He whispers, or will we walk the other way? Will we allow Him to shape our character, or will we insist on doing so without His help? So much is at stake. At any moment, we might face the most consequential decision of our lives.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, many of us are also celebrating President Trump’s election victory. Something has been rotten in America for quite some time. Our national borders, shared history, and common love for freedom have been disappearing. Multinational corporations and international bureaucrats have long exerted more influence over our country’s direction than the people who call America home. Our national debt is unsustainable. Our government is corrupt. Our Constitution is ignored. Our Union is divided. Our culture is vulgar. Our moral compass is broken. President Trump’s return to office offers the prospect of needed change.
The questions now are straightforward: will we learn from our past mistakes? Will we admit that we have sometimes taken the wrong path as a nation, caused unnecessary harm, and hurt ourselves? Will we stop covering up one bad choice with another? Will we make use of our suffering and grow stronger? Will we learn from painful experiences and gain wisdom? Will we choose to be thankful for our many regrets?
A country’s character is its fate, too. Any country is capable of both tremendous good and shocking atrocity. Any country can nurture its people’s best impulses or exacerbate its people’s worst instincts. Any country can submit to evil or seek God’s guidance and forgiveness.
If we have been given a second chance this year, let us be supremely grateful. Let us be penitent. Let us demonstrate wisdom. Let us harness the best parts of our natures. Let this be the first of many joyous Thanksgivings to come. Above all else: let us be still…and listen.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.