After 9/11 and hurricane Katrina occurred, the concept of emergency preparedness became a common household conversation. Then came the financial crisis of 2008. Remember how that started? Do you know what has changed since then? Opinions vary on the specific outcomes of the crisis and the response to it; but one thing is sure many people are not financially prepared for the future.

How can I make such a bold statement? Here are some facts to consider:

 

Only half of all U.S. households are prepared for retirement.

70.7% of households have a mortgage

76% of people live paycheque to paycheque

99% of us are not in the top 1% of income earners

Everyone is scared According to Nobel Prize winner Robert Shiller: 3 minute video

 

Most can relate to feeling challenged to be more financially prepared. Things are changing quickly. Where our parents may have been concerned about the future of their grandchildren, our generation is worried about its own financial wellness!But where do you turn to for information? What are we to do?

God has plenty to say to clarify our present day situation that is timeless and applicable giving us meaning, purpose and hope.

 

The prudent see danger and take refuge but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

Proverbs 27:12

 

And

 

We must live like the sons of Issachar, “men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do”

I Chronicles 12:32

 

A great resource to inspire you is Prepare: Spiritual and Financial Readiness for the coming Economic Storm. I usually wait until books become classics before endorsing them, but here I need to make an exception, the ideas in this book are so timely with current events. Everyone can be more effective by reading Prepare.

 

Read what Ethan Pope writes concerning financial plans from a Biblical perspective, combat the fear Robert Shiller identifies. Discover how you can trust God with every arena of your life: family, finances, career, relationships, everything. But you don’t have to be a Christian to benefit from this book. As the back of the book says so well…

 

An economic storm is on the horizon. The U.S. economy is on an unsustainable course and approaching the point when it will become mathematically impossible to recover. The time line has shifted. It is no longer just about your kids and grandkids – it’s now about you.

 

But, this is not a time for pessimism or despair. It’s a time for action.

 

In PREPARE Ethan Pope explains:

* P         prepare spiritually

* R         reallocate your resources

* E         economize your lifestyle

* P         pay off debt

 

Ethan’s PREP Plan is refreshingly hopeful, biblically sound, financially shrewd, and profoundly simple to understand and implement.

What’s more, for those who are prepared, the same economic storm may bring two of the greatest opportunities in the history of our nation: spiritual harvest and creation of wealth. But you must mobilize before the storm comes ashore.

I’m excited about the possibilities of this resource to help you get prepared financially and spiritually. It’s a book about opportunity and hope and how to prepare to take advantage of any situation, no matter what happens. Imagine feeling secure regardless of what happens in the economy. Prepare does that for you.

 

Attitude            Are you living in fear of your financial future?

Action               Order Prepare to become more effective in any financial situation.

Question           How prepared are you financially for an economic storm?