Letter Re: Getting a Christian Wife Involved With Preparedness

Mr. Rawles,
I’ve been into the survivalist genre since I first read [the novel] Alas, Babylon ^[1] [by Pat Frank] about 10 years ago. Since then i’ve read just about every book on the subject I can get hold of. I ran across your novel “Patriots” ^[2] about six months ago and it has really lit a fire under me. When discussing the subject with my wife, I was surprised when she asked me, “why?”. She said that if our great country collapsed, what would be the point of surviving? Why keep struggling to go on when our Father in Heaven is waiting with open arms? I told her that I believe in our country and our ideals. I believe we are a force for good in the world and provide freedom and God-given rights that are found in almost nowhere else. That I believe is worth fighting and dying for. But I still struggle with her question. How do I get her on board? I know it’s a personal decision and motivation comes from within but I just wish I knew what was going to do it for her. In the meantime, I will continue to be the head of my household. I will prepare in an effort to care for and protect my family and I know that with many issues of family, when a godly man leads, his family will follow.

Do you have any advice? I know there are probably many folks in the same situation that could use some encouragement.
Very Respectfully, – L.K. in Boise, Idaho

JWR Replies: You need to talk with and pray with your wife about God’s purpose for your mortal lives. Although our lives are brief in the grand scheme of things, they can and should be used for God’s glory. (That is our Great Commission.) I can think of no better Christian witness than being well-prepared and hence being in the position to share copious Christian charity in a time of crisis or catastrophe. The bottom line is that you can’t share the gospel when you are room temperature.

You also need to think in terms of your progeny. Parents have responsibility to protect and provide for their children. That is Biblically mandated. And on a longer time scale, it would serve God to pass on Christian values to future generations. But that can only happen if your children survive to have children of their own. Parenthetically, I’d like to mention that I’m a descendant of Dr. Rowland Taylor ^[3] (who’s life and death is described in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs ^[4].) He was burned at the stake for holding to the inerrancy of the Bible. He died singing hymns, amidst the flames. Part of Taylor’s legacy is not just in that book, but also in the witness of his descendants, like me. Ask your wife: What will be your legacy? The certain fact is that our lives matter, in many ways, and some of these may not be apparent until after we’ve left this mortal life.