Nobody who wants to keep on living wakes up one morning and suddenly decides, "I think I'll climb Mount Everest today." Such a monumental assault requires training, preparation, and gear.

Lots of gear.

In fact, experts suggest those who climb Mount Everest should approach it with no fewer than three separate pairs of boots: double plastic climbing boots, fully insulated overboots, and light hiking boots. And yeah—you need crampons, and certainly gaiters, and booties. Plus socks. Wool socks, pile socks, synthetic socks.

Lots of socks.

Tools help keep you alive, so don't scrimp here—you'll want an ice ax, carabiners, ascenders, a rappel device, a climbing harness, trekking poles.

To stay warm, you'll need plenty of good underwear, a pile jacket, pile pants, down pants, a down parka, a Gore-Tex shell with a hood, and probably a bib. Along with your sleeping bag you'll need two different sleeping pads (and a repair kit). Plan on two pairs of synthetic gloves and two pairs of pile mitts or Gore-Tex overmitts. Hand warmers are optional, but you won't regret bringing them.

For your head you'll want a baseball cap or some kind of sun hat, at least a visor …. Many climbers also like to use a neoprene face mask, and make sure you include a headlamp (with plenty of extra bulbs and batteries).

And toilet paper. Please don't forget the toilet paper.

Climbing Everest is a big deal. You need to be prepared. The same is true for other areas of our lives.

Take marriage, for instance. Just as you wouldn't try to scale a mountain without making sure you have what you need, don't enter the most difficult relationship of your life without doing so.

Preaching Angles: (1) Premarital Counseling, Marriage—This story was originally used to motivate engaged couples to prepare for marriage. (2) Preparation, Advent—But this story could also be used to motivate people to prepare for almost any area of their Christian lives, including the spiritual preparation needed for Advent or Christmas.