So, were you ready on September 18^th?  You didn’t know?  It was national “Get Ready Day”.

I didn’t have it on my calendar either.  But the American Public Health Association identified that as a day to draw attention to our need to be ready for at least 31 types of disaster.  They had a list ranging from volcano eruptions, tsunamis, disease carrying mosquitoes, power outages and wildfires, to home disasters, work emergencies, nuclear and radiation exposure, mental health emergencies and landslides.

I’m exhausted just thinking about everything I need to do.  🙂

I’m all for preparation.  I live in an area prone to hurricanes, so I know all about making sure I have the candles and the water and the emergency food in case a storm turns in our direction.

But there are things in life that are more difficult to prepare for.

Are we ever really ready to get a phone call at 4:00 in the morning?  You know the ones – the phone calls that bring bad news?  Are we ever really ready for those situations that catch us off guard and leave us blindsided and confused?

There are no checklists for times like those, no storage closets for the things we’ll need to get us through.  And yet, while we can’t really stockpile calm and peace and clear thinking, we can know where to reach for them when the time comes.

God has an unlimited supply of everything we’ll need.  Being “ready” for the seeming disasters in our lives means knowing that nothing happens outside of His control or behind His back, and believing that He is ready and willing to give us whatever it takes to get us through.

I might not always be completely ready for the unexpected, but I’ll be ready to trust the one who has it all under control.

Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.  Psalm 46:2

So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:6

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.   Psalm 50:15

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.           Psalm 23:4

He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.  Psalm 112:7