Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot 25 April, 2016

Prayer Breakfast: Chosen by God

0700 at BJ’s Restaurant

Hamilton Montana

Oh Father, you have created us, called us, chosen us to be your people. We wait now to receive your word of guidance and blessing. Grant unto us ears to hear, eyes to see, and faith to respond to your love and leadership. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

1. Opening - Round the Table Individual Prayers

2. Morning Psalm: 126

3. Breakfast Reading: Romans 5:1-11

4. Breakfast is served

5. Breakfast Discussion Topics:

          a. News around the valley

          b. Week 15 of 52 weeks of preparation by Tess Pennington

          c. Memorial Day

                   

6. Closing - Round the Table Individual Prayers

7. Benediction

          May the peace of God fill my heart, mind, and activity all this day long. Amen.

Upcoming Events:

          0700, 2 May 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

          1200, 5 May 2016 – National Day of Prayer, Patriot’s House, Stevensville, MT

          0700, 9 May 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

          0700, 16 May 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

          0700, 23 May 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

          1000, 2 May 2016 – Corvallis Memorial Day Parade, Corvallis, MT

          0700, 6 June 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

          0700, 13 June 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

          0700, 20 June 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

          0700, 27 June 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

         

Follow the Fellowship of Christian Veterans:

On the Web: http://cvbitterroot.blogspot.com/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Walk_Mar_26_16

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/military.bitterroot

Week 15 of 52: Emergency Medical Supply (List 3)

Last week, my 5-year old slammed her finger in the door so hard that we thought it was broken for sure. Immediately, her finger began swelling and my husband and I were about to bolt out to the door to take her for an X-ray. She was terrified and crying, and all we wanted was to take her pain away. I grabbed an instant ice pack out of our medical supplies for her finger and decided to wait 30 minutes to see if the swelling changed. I laid her on my bed and cuddled with her while ensuring her fingers were in between the ice pack. When I checked her finger, the swelling had begun to subside and I breathed a sigh of relief. You never know when a medical emergency will arise, but you are always hoping that when it does, you will be ready for it.

As I previously mentioned, to be fully prepared for a medical disaster, you need to have a well-rounded medical supply. Since there are so many different types of medical supplies to store, I have broken them up to make the list more affordable. Click to see List 1 and List 2.

Because medical emergencies can occur suddenly and without warning, your medical supplies should be diverse and unique to your family’s needs. Situations may arise and getting to the store or the emergency room may not be a viable option. Therefore, having a wide array of medical supplies at your home can help diffuse an alarming situation.

When creating a medical supply, think about which medical issues will most likely occur and prepare accordingly for them. Also, have some supplies on hand for any family members who have pre-existing conditions would make a prolonged disaster more comfortable.

In 2006, The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) released a 2006 Emergency Department Summary that gathered statistics of emergency department use, including the most common reasons adults and children sought medical care and treatment. Having medical supplies that could assist in these common medical emergencies would be proactive on your part.

•  Children Fever
• Childhood Earaches
• Various injuries such as sprains, strains, broken bones
• Chest Pain
• Abdominal Pain
• Back Pain
• Shortness of Breath

It is very important to have vitamins in your medical supplies. Vitamins are essential in regulating body functions and also help in the healing process. Storing the right types of food that have the highest amounts of vitamins would be one way of ensuring that your diet is vitamin packed. Therefore, prepare by having first hand knowledge on what vitamins the body needs on a daily basis.  Storing multivitamins such as, Centrum multivitamins or Centrum Silver multivitamins are great options.

Ensure that your vitamins and medical supplies are stored appropriately and organized in a way that is easy to access. When an emergency arises, the person administering medical assistance will be appreciative that everything is in place and be ready for use.

  Preps To Buy:

• Sunscreen
• Anti-fungal cream or powder
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Nasal spray (saline)
• Saline solution
• Lip balm
• Flashlight (Small)
• Allergy relief medication
• Vitamin Supplements
• UTI meds
• Medical reference books or e-books on handling medical crises
• Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
• Adhesive tape or duct tape
• Gauze pads (assorted sizes)
• 2-4 instant ice packs
• Sterile roller bandages
• Sterile surgical gloves
• Latex gloves

Action Items:

1. Create some first response medical packs to make emergency situations easier to care for.

2. Take another first aid course, or purchase a first-aid book.

3. Practice basic first-aid techniques regularly.

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Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot 18 April, 2016

Prayer Breakfast

0700 at BJ’s Restaurant

Hamilton Montana

Oh Father, who has ordered this wondrous world, and who knowest all things in earth and heaven: So fill out hearts with trust in thee that by night and day, at all times and in all seasons, we may without fear commit all that we have and hope to be to thy never-failing love, for this life and the life to come; in Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

1. Opening - Round the Table Individual Prayers

2. Morning Psalm: 136

3. Breakfast Reading: Hebrews 13:1-6

4. Breakfast is served

5. Breakfast Discussion Topics:

          a. News around the valley

          b. Week 14 of 52 weeks of preparation by Tess Pennington

                   

6. Closing - Round the Table Individual Prayers

7. Benediction

          The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen

Upcoming Events:

          25 Apr 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

         

Follow the Fellowship of Christian Veterans:

On the Web: http://cvbitterroot.blogspot.com/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Walk_Mar_26_16

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/military.bitterroot

Week 14 of 52: Mental Preparedness

So many get caught up in compiling survival tangibles we forget about the most important asset – our mental preparedness. Mental preparedness implies possessing the right frame of mind to handle stress before, during and after a disaster. This aspect of preparedness is directly connected to spiritual preparedness. Spiritual preparedness strengthens based on the established core belief system that guides and serves you throughout your walk of life. Once your spirit is prepared, you will become more mentally prepared for dealing with a disaster situation.

Mental preparedness sounds great, you may say, but stress has a physical toll on the body, how can we prepare for that? Understanding chemical and biological reactions to stress will shed some light on how stress affects us all. Biologically speaking, stress or anxiety (especially after an unexpected event) leads to a short-term imbalance of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine. This leads to physical and emotional reactions to stress.  For tips on how to curb these natural reactions and reduce stress, click here.

One principle you must keep in mind when dealing with emergencies is that change is inevitable. Change is the one true constant in this universe, yet it is something we tend to stress about and avoid all together. Many do not handle stress well because they are unprepared to deal with what has been thrown at them. They are resistant to change. This rigidity will only hinder them from finding solutions. Disasters bring change and a lot of it. An aspect of mental preparedness, therefore, is learning to be more fluid and respectful of change in your day-to-day life. This ease in movement and acceptance of change will help you adapt more quickly to all situations. The more flexible you learn to be, the more adaptable you will be in an emergency.

We have all heard that practice makes perfect. One way to be mentally prepared for situations of extreme stress, therefore, is to practice rehearsal drills. Consistent practice will turn your life-saving plans into muscle memory. This rehearse-to-be-ready concept is how many emergency personnel and even athletes train to condition their mind and body. This could make all the difference when stress is sending your neurotransmitters out of whack. Even implementing stress relief techniques when responding to daily stress helps. The daily “minor disasters” give valuable insight into your mental and physical reaction to stressors, allowing you to know how you best perform under pressure.

Preps To buy:

The best way to begin increasing mental preparedness is through knowledge and practice. Read, watch, and walk through any information on disaster preparedness you can get your hands on. Enhance your mental and literal survival library. Increasing your knowledge of disasters will increase your perspective of your preparedness options. The Survival Blog has some excellent suggestions for survival literature and movies that you could watch. Here are some learning suggestions that I have found helpful:

• Start learning about disasters, how people are affected by them and the dangers they may encounter.
• Research first-hand accounts of survivor stories and recent disasters to learn what the victims came up against and how they survived.
• Invest in some survivor literature such as: Patriots by James Wesley Rawles,One Second After by William R. Forstchen, Lights Out by David Crawford, theLeft Behind series by William Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.
• Watch some survival/apocalyptic movies such as, The Day After Tomorrow, The Road, Jericho, Survivors, The Book of Eli, or Outbreak.
• Watch disaster documentaries.
• Discuss disaster scenarios and plans with other like-minded individuals. This is a great way for you to be aware of your community, your plans, and your current state of being.
• To be even more thorough, find out what disaster plans your community has in place so that you can plan more accordingly.

Action Items:

1. Decide which emergencies and disasters you need to be mentally prepared for.

2. Take some time and brainstorm potential disaster scenarios from this list. What stands in your way of preparedness? Think about how your family could be affected, what types of dangers you may face as a result of being in these disasters, etc., and find ways to be prepared respecting your mental reaction to stressors.

April 17, 2016 Worship Service

Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot 11 April, 2016

Prayer Breakfast

0700 at BJ’s Restaurant

Hamilton Montana

Oh Father, in whom I find life, health, and strength, through whose gifts I am clothed and fed, through whose mercy I have been forgiven and cleansed, be for me guide, strength, Saviour, and Lord all the days of my life. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

1. Opening - Round the Table Individual Prayers

2. Morning Psalm: 131

3. Breakfast Reading: Isaiah 40:9-11

4. Breakfast is served

5. Breakfast Discussion Topics:

          a. News around the valley

          b. Week 13 of 52 weeks of preparation by Tess Pennington

                   

6. Closing - Round the Table Individual Prayers

7. Benediction

          Almighty God, cause your good gifts to flow in and through my life and ministry this day and always. Amen.

Upcoming Events:

          18 Apr 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

          25 Apr 2016 – Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot Prayer Breakfast

         

Follow the Fellowship of Christian Veterans:

On the Web: http://cvbitterroot.blogspot.com/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Walk_Mar_26_16

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/military.bitterroot

Week 13 of 52: Spiritual Preparedness

We tend to play stories in our head. Whether they are truth or fiction, we live through these stories and feel them as if they are really happening. When I began Ready Nutrition two years ago, I plunged myself head first into every preparedness book and article, studied every possible disaster I may run into, and every grim scenario. Needless to say, I was playing a 24-hour TEOTWAWKI scenario in my head and became weary as a result. In my mind, I was not studying it, I was living through it. Even though, I prayed regularly and had accepted God into my heart and lived a Christian life, I found it hard to cope because there was something missing. I realized I had not put any thought into my spiritual preparedness before I began this arduous preparedness journey.

I am sharing my doomer fatigue experience with you because I want each of you to know that the end result of not preparing your spirit for hard decisions and troubling times will effect your overall well being and make it all the more difficult for you to shake the effects of the disaster away. The longer you stay in the shock and awe of the disaster moment, the longer it takes for you move into surviving.

Choosing to prepare now is a choice you made with your spirit to survive.  You are putting plans in place, purchasing basic living items, tools, and presently you are working on your spirit to be prepared. When you are spiritually prepared, the groundwork is then laid for mental preparedness (something we will dive into next week).

As James Allen once said, “Every man thinks, lives and acts in exact accordance with the belief which is rooted in his inner most being.” Essentially, spiritual preparedness is your moral compass that guides you through the good and bad times. It is your core beliefs that make up who you are and serve you throughout your walk of life. These beliefs are what guide you, motivate you, sustain you or they will do the complete opposite. They will either become a negative or positive influence depending on what they hold as truths about the nature of yourself and your reality.

Exercising these core beliefs will help you further develop and be more aware of where your spiritual growth is at and what you need to improve on.  You can develop this further by being aware of it and by utilizing these mental exercises:

1. Sit and reflect by asking yourself moral questions such as:

•  Am I what I want to be?
• Do I have the courage to make the hard changes to be a better person?
• Do I have the courage to turn away from bad habits?

And going even further, asking the tough preparedness questions and really investigating why you chose to answer the way you did can help you in developing your spiritual preparedness. Here are some examples of these types of questions:

• What would I do if a neighbor needed my help? How far would I go to help my neighbor?
• If a relative needed food, would I help them? Why is it important to help others?
• Would using a gun on a home intruder be something I could do? Why would I feel bad about it?
• Would I feel responsible if I could not help someone medically and they died? Why am I taking that burden on?

Working and further developing your moral compass will help you in finding the answers to tough situations during disasters. Most importantly you will find peace in the midst of adversity. Possessing this spiritual preparedness will lay the groundwork for being mentally prepared for disasters. The card game, Conflicted to exercise your spiritual preparedness and learn what you would do in certain survival situations.

2. Knowledge is power. Reading inspirational books and printing out inspirational passages that call to you is a tool that many use to stay spiritually awakened. In addition, reading survival books and survival fiction can help the reader look at preparedness from different perspectives and learn more about their spiritual foundation through the characters of the books. Devotional studies have helped many in developing their spiritual preparedness.

3. Acknowledgement and gratitude are other ways that you can begin laying a spiritual foundation. I have often started my prayers with how thankful I am for the family, friends and events that shaped who I am. Even the bad events played a part in who I am. I then follow the gratitude with further prayers. After I am done, I feel at peace.

4. Find passages in a book or religious reference and writing it down for you to turn to later also helps. In my preparedness manual, I have an entire section of my book that has inspirational quotes and bible passages that I have printed out or found that has touched me. In addition, I have all of the church handouts that I have received over the years to turn to.

Preps to buy:

The best way to begin training your mind for mental preparedness is through knowledge, faith and practice. Go online and purchase some books to add to your survival library. Some books that I have read and have found helpful in this area are:

• The Holy Bible or an equivalent book on religion
• Devotional books
• A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
• The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley
• Are You Ready for Change? Preparing for Tribulation in America by Philip Lewis
• Survive!: Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere – Alive by Les Stroud
• One Second After by William R. Forstchen
• Last of the Breed by Louis L’Amour

Action Items:

1. Find some time and think about your core beliefs. What do you believe in? What drives you to be a better person?

2. If you feel open in discussing your belief system, talk with family members and find out what they believe.

3. Set up a time daily where you can sit and meditate on your spirit.

4. Begin exploring ways to advance your core beliefs to spiritually prepare yourself.

5. Practice your spiritual beliefs daily.

6. Talk with a spiritual advisor, pastor, or priest if you reach a place where you need guidance.

April 10, 2016 Worship Service

April 3, 2016 Worship Service

Easter 2016 Worship Service