"...Acquiring food storage requires some effort and, after making a start, there can be a temptation to put it down. Keeping the benefits clearly in mind provides motivation to keep working at gathering food and reach your goals.
Here are some advantages worth working for:
It feels great to be self-sufficient! As you bring food supplies home, it is very rewarding knowing you can care for yourself without depending on someone else.
When a commitment to continue storing food is made, it's fun watching food stores grow. It becomes an adventure to see how much you can accumulate as you find bargains. The whole family can be involved in seeing what can be set aside for an emergency.
You leave a legacy of self-sufficiency for your family. Children learn from your example of being frugal and planning ahead. They often build on what they see you do in their own families. Your example could save them in their own serious financial difficulty one day.
You save significant money when you store basic foods, like grains and beans in a long-term food supply. You also save money when you buy food in bulk, taking advantage of grocery sales.
Cooking with your stored food helps you rotate it, so it does not become old. This helps you know what other foods to store for good-tasting meals. You become confident about what you can feed your family with reduced income or job loss, which significantly reduces stress before and during an emergency.
You save time with quick meals using stored food, including dried foods and canned, already peeled, cut up and already cooked canned foods. With good recipes, these meals can become favorites.
Having stored food and planned good tasting meals will be a significant psychological boost to your loved ones in a challenging time. Who wants depressing food when you're experiencing trouble?
You can bake a fast bread recipe. Homemade bread is world's greatest comfort food anytime, but especially in a time of difficulty.
Avoid serious health problems by eating fast meals using wheat, grains and beans. Current health officials are just about begging us to regularly eat these foods, which are so easy to store.
When leaders mention the need to store food, there is no nagging feeling that you should be doing something about it. It feels good knowing you made it a priority to care for your family should difficult circumstances arise.
In an emergency, having done what we can to care for ourselves, we can petition God for his help with great confidence.
Storing food and knowing how you'd prepare it frees you to better serve others. You will not be burdened trying to figure out how to feed yourself and your family in a difficulty.
Storing food brings peace of mind.
Some families who have been steadfast in their commitment to gathering a year's supply of food are extremely grateful today they did so. Though it seems like a lot of food to store, in this economic climate, their food stores are blessing their lives. Their precious funds are available for mortgage and insurance payments, and other critical expenses while they're trying to get back on their feet financially.
Let us, with continued, paced effort, claim the blessings of storing food for an emergency. The persistence will bring great payoffs."
