Spring 2011 Widow's Challenge: No New Clothes!

How much during a particular season does your family spend on clothing? I've decided to do a season-long Widow's Challenge for the Spring, with the personal challenge to not buy any clothes for myself, husband, or baby girl! Do you think I can do it? As long as I can avoid the adorable baby clothes at Carter's or the deals at Old Navy, I may just be victorious, and save a lot of money.

I've worked in retail and know the temptation to buy new, beautiful clothes each season. Maybe not according to our culture's standards, but for what my family needs, we have plenty of clothes to last us through the Spring. I often find myself buying new clothes for the fun of it, when we don't really need them. I encourage you to join me in this challenge, be it for the entire Spring, or for a shorter time period.

I'm sure there are many outlets you could use your saved money on, whether for personal needs or through outreach. I'm a big proponent of Gospel for Asia, a ministry that sends 100% of donations to the mission field and is seeing incredible results in its outreach to the "Untouchables" of India and Southeast Asia. Some possible and theme-appropriate areas you can give this season through Gospel for Asia are: a clothing packet for a national missionary who faces harsh weather in the Himalayas, or a sewing machine (and with it an opportunity for income) to a Dalit family, or a $5 blanket to a family who has none.

The possibilities are endless in our giving! Above all, I encourage you to cleanse your heart of the seductive materialism that lies at the heart of our western world, and remember our brothers and sisters in Christ who daily go without.

New to the Widow's Challenge? Check out what it's all about!