Labor Day weekend, 2005. One last blast of summer fun before the coming change of seasons. Students were preparing for their return to school. City parks prepared for the rush of picnicking families taking advantage of an extra day off from work. Retailers were stocking their shelves and retagging items, getting ready for their this-weekend-only sales.

Meanwhile, buried among the grocery ads and the sale circulars was something else many needed to prepare for: a tropical storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Katrina arrived, not without warning, on Aug. 28, 2005. While most of the nation watched in disbelief as the tragic events of the Gulf Coast unfolded before them, I packed my bags and prepared to head south.

As a National Guardsman I had been selected to be part of Joint Task Force (JTF) Katrina, a group consisting of several thousand soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines sent in to "rescue and recover" the citizens of the stricken area. My final destination would be New Orleans, the focus of so much media attention, the bulk of which centered on how unprepared the city seemed to be as the storm closed in on its shores.

I wasn't exactly sure what I would find as I headed towards the city, but I suspected it wouldn't be pleasant. An entry from my journal gives a glimpse of what I found.

Now we're at the edge of the "Big Easy." In the distance we can see the skyline. Nothing looks out of place. All the buildings are there, no partially destroyed structures are visible.

And then we begin the drive in....

We're traveling along I-10 at a relatively normal pace, but as I look over the sides of the overpasses the story of Katrina begins to unfold. I'm driving, so there's much I cannot see, but the glimpses I do catch as we drive by are shocking. The majestic buildings I'd been staring at in the distance are now coming into focus. Shattered glass in broken windows. Entire sections of buildings missing, their contents, once protected by walls, roofs and windows now exposed to the world. Curtain shreds, computer cables, and phone lines flutter in the wind.

Glancing over the sides of the roadway I see the remnants of shattered houses, splintered telephone poles, and power lines draped over debris like garland on a Christmas tree. The surreal view is difficult to adequately describe.

For those who were in the most destroyed sections of Owensboro after the 2000 tornado, visualize that scene on every street and in every block of Louisville or Lexington or any other "big" city you're familiar with. Then you can begin to imagine the sight I was looking at as I drove through the town.

So what if you lived there? What if you were given notice that your city or town was in the path of a pending disaster and you'd have to evacuate or, if time were too short, shelter in place? Would you have the things you needed to be comfortable, the things you'd need even to survive? And that begs the question: What do you need to survive?

Genesis 41 recounts Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dream foretelling difficult times for Egypt. Being a man of faith and of action, Joseph created a contingency plan and set about preparing for disaster.

So, where did he begin? What did he do? Well, first Joseph took a close look at what was coming in his direction (a famine). Then he evaluated what resources he had (the agriculture of Egypt). Finally, he used what he had to prepare for what was coming. Sounds easy enough. So how do you and I prepare for difficult times, whether they be predictable or unforeseen?

Let's back up just a bit, considering what we might do even before we find ourselves faced with a biblical famine (or any other impending event).

A good place for us to begin is to consider the things we need no matter what the situation is. Let me start with something that you may not immediately associate with preparedness: a will. If you're motivated to serve others, and care for those close to you, then it really isn't too drastic to make such extreme preparations. True, allowing the government to settle your affairs is a plan; it's just not a good plan. Wills are inexpensive, and actually comforting should the need for their use arise.

Now, where are those insurance papers? This is a question to be asked and answered now, not while you're standing in the middle of what used to be your house, apartment, or condo. Make sure you've gathered together in a safe place all of your insurance policies, health, home, auto, life, and any other coverage you might have. If you've got all your accounts through a company with online services, make sure your records are up to date and that your logins and passwords are current. And if you're especially computer savvy, you might consider uploading electronic copies of important documents to a backup server (e.g., Apple .Mac) in the event you need to leave your computer behind during an emergency. These preparations may help expedite the services you need, an option preferable to sitting at a table with a frazzled clerk trying to reconstruct your records.

What do you mean you don't take debit cards? About ATMs — when there are several feet of water flowing through them they tend not to work. Likewise, if the electricity is intermittent or nonfunctional, grumbling at and beating on the machine just won't produce any positive results. Just a few hundred dollars in your emergency pack could mean the difference between eating and not. If you're like most of us, this means you'll need to plan ahead and save extra money over a period of time for your kit.

OK, so who knows where you might be if you do have to evacuate for some reason? No one if you don't tell them. Make sure to have printed copies of address books for cell phones, e-mail accounts, and anyone else you might need or want to contact. The electronic versions are much handier but you can't assume they'll be available when (and where) you'll need them. You should also have a pre-determined Point-Of-Contact (POC), someone outside your immediate area that, in case of a drastic situation, you can call to "let the world know" where you are and that you're all right.

A key piece of your "any situation" kit should be a plan — a step-by-step guide to walk you through an evacuation process so you don't forget to do something important. As they go, plans can be very simple or very complex; your particular situation will dictate the layers of preparation you'll need. There are a few standard things, though, that all good plans should include.

1. What are things I need to take when I leave? Where are they? Having your "important to have stuff" together before you need it saves time (which you might not have too much of) and quells some, though not all, of the panic.


2. What do I need to do before I leave? Turn off the gas? Turn off the water? Turn off the electricity? Maybe all of these, maybe none of these. But knowing what should be taken care of before departure will, again, reduce the stress of a naturally stressful situation, and ensure that you don't forget something important.


3. How do I get out? I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but if your normal exit is blocked in some way could you, safely, get to the outside? Leaping from the second story window is a plan, but there may be better options — options that you can think of now that you might not have the capacity to think of then.


4. Where do I go if I'm not directed, by authorities, to a specific location? How do I get there by car? By foot? During the emergency would not be a time to get in touch with your inner gypsy and bounce from place to place.

Having all this written down so that you can see it and reference it at will can be very comforting, and can really help focus your thoughts during a chaotic time. After addressing these four foundational questions, then you can go on to consider adding other things to your list — things more specific to you, your home and surroundings, and those types of emergencies that might come your way, whether it be a hurricane, flood, fire, or tornado.

So what now? I suggest you read Genesis 41 and ask God to give you the insight and direction He gave to Joseph. Take a close look at verses 49 and 55; Joseph was a man of action, walking in faith. And God blessed his efforts. He wasn't paralyzed with fear, but was invigorated to step up to the plate, to exercise the authority the Lord had placed on him.

Throughout scripture we're challenged to be good stewards of God's stuff. Jesus teaches us in the parable of the wise virgins awaiting the bridegroom (Matt. 25:1-13) about being proactive, making prudent preparations now for events that may arrive at any time. So, like Joseph, and like those awaiting the bridegroom, we need to assess what we have to accomplish (becoming prepared), gather what we have to work with (the "stuff" we're watching for God), prayerfully formulate a plan of action, and step out in faith.

Ultimately, of course, we should find it comforting to remember that we are never required to have all the answers, we're only told to keep in contact with the One who does.

So the next time impending danger knocks on your door, pray for wisdom, review your plan, trust the Lord and fearlessly face the adventurous trial that may be before you.