Fellow Patriots,
Greetings and welcome to the PENL Edition #112 and the month of June. Can you believe it? This year is flying by. We are happy to have you here at HFS and thank you for your time shared here.
A question that has been on my mind that I ask myself and also ask you is this. Are you better prepared now than at the start of May? Only you will know the answer to the question.
The month of June will be extremely busy both personally and with HFS. I have several guest appearances as a result of Heritage Life Skills 2021 and we have lots of new members I am working to get involved. Plus Ms. Lucy and I have a busy month on a personal level. Please keep us in your prayers this month. We would greatly appreciate it much.
In this edition of the PENL I focus on some preparedness thoughts and concerns I have that needs to be shared. The thoughts are a collection of things I have encountered the past few months that I believe to be important in preparedness planning. Always remember, it's not personal. It is simply observations.
Book 1 in the HFS series focused on building preparedness plans to survive, Book II, the Mindset, focuses on preparing yourself. Preparing your mental toolbox to stay outside the box and left of bang. Check it out. The Mindset is $10 plus shipping. You can purchase a signed copy at this link: Survival, Preparedness, Disaster Management for individuals or family (hopeforsurvival.com) Make sure to click on the link to the right if you desire a copy of The Mindset. Thanks to everyone who purchased The Mindset. I hope you enjoy the read.
Thursday Zoom Rallies – In this weeks HFS Thursday Zoom rally, special guest Paul from the All American Podcast on Spotify visited with the group to provide a update on Russia and potential issues we could see. We appreciate Paul's time and expertise shared with everyone. We covered the monthly threat matrix and ended with the weekly Chatter that Matters. Thanks to everyone who participated.
New members to HFS - Several of the new members emailed wanting to do the zoom rallies. Awesome. I will be reaching out to all of you in the next couple weeks with information on a new zoom group starting around July time frame. Instead of trying to manage a larger zoom group which takes away a lot of the personal touch, I want to do a second zoom and run the group through the same series of training as the first group. The zoom platform is a great method to learn but even better event to grow together with the other preparers. This is important. I'm sorry for the time it takes to work through the names, locations, and desires in preparedness for each of you who emailed me. More to follow.
Hope for Survival YouTube - I posted a new video to the page titled The Summer of 2021where I discuss some thoughts on preparedness briefly and thoughts on what could be ahead during the summer months. If you haven't already subscribed to the page, please consider doing so. This informs you when HFS post a new video. Thanks for your consideration. Thanks to everyone who subscribed in the past week.
Communications: You can now follow HFS social media on the following outlets:
Facebook – Hope for Survival
YouTube Channel – Hope for Survival
MeWe: - //mewe.com/p/hopeforsurvival2
Connect and give me a shout. Share with family and friends.
Moving along …
If you are a guest or newcomer to the HFS journey, please check out this link for additional information offered through HFS. https://www.hopeforsurvival.com/post/guest-and-newcomers-information-page
We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
Ding, Ding, Ding....Attention HFS readers..... Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions, and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and author of this site is not responsible for hurt feelings or thin-skinned readers. I do my best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. I take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Occasionally I use words only Patriots recognize and understand. It's not personal against any non-Patriot. It's just the truth. Sometimes we must pull up our spenders and suck it up. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay. When all else fails… Keep the faith and always have Hope.
Let’s move along and get to some thoughts...
Thoughts for the week –
Leadership and Groups - Leadership is an essential quality in the HFS Groups. It is also a key quality to demonstrate outside of a group. We have heard the saying "he or she is a born leader" and that may be true. Personally I have experienced a lot of groomed leaders in my life. Leaders come in many different styles. You have have experienced a authoritarian style leader or a dictator type. Or, you may have experienced a person who leads by example. The leader who never ask others to do something they would not do.
A good leader expresses interest in hearing what others can offer the group on a topic. Leaders surround the leadership position with qualified people to assist and communicate. A leader may be a good leader but lack in skills but that is not noticed when surrounded by qualified individuals. We all have a chosen type leader we prefer working for and with. Sometimes we may have a nice person we all like who is picked as a leader yet the style of leadership does not fit the personnel and/or task at hand. Leadership includes the adapt and adjust requirement.
In the format of group leaders for the HFS groups, a leader should strive to achieve the HFS Mission and Goals that HFS strives to deliver to those participating in the website, zoom groups, and regional groups. That being, the HFS Mission is achieving a state of preparedness as individuals, teams (family, node, or tribe), and community, and the HFS goal is self-reliance. This can not be achieved if the group does not spend time together in person. It is that simple. This goes for any type of group, HFS or not.
A group of any kind can not be prepared for any type of function if they do not spend time together bonding, training learning, and growing. If you believe one of your team members may have to cover your back during a period of tension or increased threat, how can you depend on the person if you do not know them nor have you spent time training with them? How can any group member entrust another member to protect their family while they sleep if you don't know the person nor have you trained with them?
To hone in deeper on this topic, I am finding some areas where individuals do not want to lead. I am not sure how they are building preparedness plans around the thought of not having a leader. Imagine being invited to a group to participate as a new preparer and after a single meeting the group has no leader. There is no single voice in the entire group you can identify as being the leader. How on earth could one believe or expect this person to come back again?
Next ....
I wrote on this recently and want to address it again because of its importance. Documentation. The biggest vulnerability I find when conducting family and preparedness plan vulnerability assessments is the failure to document plans. Individuals store all information in their head. I get it. It is time consuming to the point preparedness planning in many cases never ceases. I hear "I will get to it." It is not only critical to the family but also for the longevity to surviving a disaster of any type. Natural, manmade or technological.
How will another family member know what to do and where things are located if they are not included in the plans? The Family Communication Plan is another essential plan as mentioned earlier. How will another family member know routes communication methods, and time lines to reach a rally point if not documented? How will another family member know the combination to the safe if not shared or hidden and the location shared for emergencies? Processes and procedures must be documented and understood. You are doing your family a great disservice and putting them at risk by keeping all he information in your head.
Once you document your plans, share copies with a trusted agent or let them know where to find a copy of your plans if something happens to you. If you die, they can't put their head against yours and extract all the information you put together for plans. I know that sounds silly but it is a major shortfall in preparedness plans.
Next ...
One of the most important parts of preparedness is communication. Even day to day, now, having a plan is critical. In the HFS Family Communication Planning I cover the P.A.C.E. Plan, the 5-5-5 Plan and the importance of identifying and practicing your different routes used day to day or folks who will but out to a specific location together. Others must know where you are and track your agreed upon time lines in order to know where you are and when to expect you. If you go missing, how will they find you if your route is unknown? If the SHTF and he emergency plan is engaged and all parties are moving to the rally point, strict discipline must be practiced by everyone in order to keep the plan on track and schedule. When one alters the plan it can mess up the plan in a major way. When one person changes the plan without discussing with the team it puts the entire plan and others in possible harms way. Here is a good training video put together by NC Renegade to show the point I am making above.
Next ...
The Five Mile Radius - The populace included in a five mile radius can be expected to include individuals with different ideologies. Yes, this means both liberals and conservatives living side by side. Let me ask you, how long have you lived by the person? The world didn't end yet did it? I know, I know, it sometimes seems like it but in reality it hasn't yet. Personally, this is an area I have had to adjust my views over the years and mature to some facts and realities. I do not have to agree with you to live by you. Matter of fact, I may think the person is a nice family. They just believe differently that I believe. That's okay.
If the crap hits the crapper tomorrow, the odds are that same family will still live in your five mile radius. Wouldn't it be better to know and understand the family now than when the balloon goes up? Shouldn't you communicate and work with the family to get a better understanding of what potential problem they could pose to you and your family now vs later? It would be wiser to convince them to prepare resources now to have some supplies in place vs being on your door step wanting food from you later.
Another statement I hear is "why should I waste time trying to help someone who does not want to be helped." Good question. In the process of attempting to work with a person or family and they put forth little to no effort and offer nothing to your group, yet they are in your five mile radius, you can keep them within reach yet at a distance. This will help you keep an eye on them and also tag them as individuals who will probably be one of the first to be out of resources to survive. They will likely be the family who turns you in for having food while they are starving. I hope this makes sense. You can have a clear conscious because you attempted to work with them and help them. You can also weed this family off the reliable support to the group.
Simply put, a good reason to work with all your neighbors is to try and understand them better and if things turn bad and folks start to turn in other folks during food shortages, it is better to have a good judgement of who may be your biggest threats inside your five mile radius.
When I say it would be wise to meet and learn everyone around you, that does not mean to show them all your resources or even tell them what you have. This would include children. You may wish to consider how much of your plans you share with your children because they may befriend children of families with little to no resources. Your child may tell the other family to come to your house if they need food.
A lot of your success in establishing your five mile radius plan will be determined by the work you do now in researching and identifying important information now. I covered this with websites to use and methods to gather information in my Five Mile Radius class and also in my new book The Mindset.
Good luck!!!
Okay, lets move along to the news…
Preparedness News –
1. From Prep School Daily - Prep School Daily: DIY Antiseptics for Washing Wounds - Excellent article. If you aren't adding essential oils to your preparedness resources you should do so immediately.
2. From Ashley Adamant - Practical Self-Reliance - Canning Peas (practicalselfreliance.com) - I know some folks opt to not grow peas because of the labor required getting them from the garden to the dinner table. Here is another one to consider checking out to add to your home canned resources.
3. From Sally Foster - New Life on a Homestead - Preparing Your Permaculture Garden for Summer • New Life On A Homestead - The author offers some steps one doing permaculture should consider year round.
4. From Lauren Dibble - Homesteading - Essential Homesteading Supplies (hillsborough-homesteading.com) - Homesteading is becoming more popular if you haven't noticed lately. Large 3 day events are popping up all across America. Especially with families leaving the city and moving their children away from city life to farmland to offer a new way of life.
5. From Laurie Neverman - Common Sense Home - Bay Leaf - Fresh or Dry, It's a Plant with Many Uses (commonsensehome.com) - One is none, two is one, and three is better. Having a single resource to use in multiple ways is a resource we want to have.
Other News –
1. From Whitney - Peak Prosperity - Daily Digest 5/24 -- The World Economy Is Suddenly Running Low On Everything, Millions "Unwittingly Tracked" By Phone After Vaccination, Solar Storms Are Back... | Peak Prosperity - No one should be surprised by the information in this article. Anyone paying attention over the past year would have to be clueless to not believe we are facing a global shortage in many areas. The question is, are you prepared?
2. From Paul Joseph Watson - Summit News - Speaker at Armed Black Militant March: “Kill Everything White in Sight” – Summit News - If my grandparents woke up from the dead today and read this article they would probably scratch their head and bust out laughing thinking it was a comic book. Why? Because it is that unbelievable. The problem is it is real and it happened and some actually believe it to be realistic. We could replace white with black or red and it would be the same. Why would any ethic group, regardless of color desire to wipe out another? It simply tells you where our cultural is at today. That is the sad part of where we are as a nation.
3. From Peter Barry Chowka - American Thinker - Fauci will be gone in 90 days - American Thinker - Is that a drum roll I hear? Will America have a parade to celebrate the removal of this man? How a single man could have so much power over a single nation is beyond me. Oh, make that the world's biggest super power with a roaring economy. The Middle East was on the verge of a historic peace deal. The military had not been committed to any new wars or campaigns in nearly four years. Illegal immigrants crossing the US border was down to all time lows. It goes on and on. Then, introduce Dr. Anthony. Fauci. His voice brought the great American machine to its knees along with many other nations globally. Now it appears it could have been a big con job possibly. And, no one questioned or caught it? Do you have trouble believing this? I do.
4. From Charles Hugh Smith - Of Two Minds - oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith: The Real Unemployment Rate is 21%--and Heading Higher - Didn't the President of the United States just report to the American People the nation just had a great quarter, maybe the best in our history? Yea, I know, I didn't believe it either.
5. From John Whitehead - The Rutherford Institute - The Rutherford Institute :: John Whitehead's Commentary | - The author addresses a topic we do not hear any politician sounding the alarm on. Why? Keep this in mind when you go to vote next time. The National Debt. Our children and grandchildren's future. Do you realize the government has spent over $4 trillion just on Covid-19? We are barely capable of paying the interest on the out of control debt. When will we, the people, hold the government accountable?
6. This was sent to me just before finalizing this week's PENL for posting this evening. I wanted to share it with you to give you a better insight to what and why Mike Lindell (The Pillow Man) is talking about the past few months when he comments the Supreme Court will rule 9-0 in the election hacking. This is a pretty revealing video. Check it out. Thanks to our Patriot brother in western NC who shared this me to get out to you.
Drum roll...........
That's all my Patriot brothers and sisters.
Thanks for your emails and messages. Many of the emails I receive are uplifting. I enjoy hearing from you throughout the week and sharing your preparedness projects and accomplishments. I am still catching up on email so please forgive me if a response is a few days late. Thanks for your time to read the PENL and hanging out with us for a while.
Prayers - Please keep our great nation, our elected leaders, military and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. We pray for good health and wisdom. Please pray for our leadership to find answers and guidance to the problems facing our great nation. Please pray for the former President and his family. May your faith remain strong and answers to the unknown provided. God is good and may our prayers blanket and protect you and your circumstances. I pray for each, and every one of our Patriots.
May we pray for all the blessings and things in life to be thankful about and continued hope for revival around the world. We must continually pray for the unsaved, our family and friends who live each day without the protection for eternal life and salvation.
As Patriots we must stay strong and never give up. Our home, community and nation needs us now more than ever. Our nation suffers in many areas. The hole will only get deeper. The headwinds are strong against us but we must keep charging. Have a safe week. Don't allow the events around us to create fear in your life. Build your own self-reliance and focus on hope. Remember we are a blessed nation and we must continue to be great people today and make a better tomorrow. Keep charging."
Blessings,
Bravo Echo Out,
