Contentment Challenge 2019
Well friend, here we are again. It’s been over 5 years since God put the Contentment Challenge on my heart for the first time. Since then, I’ve done the Contentment Challenge about once a year, and again and again, it changes me. Which is why, on January 1st, I’m doing it again!
My friend Kat is joining me, and I’d love for you to pray about joining us, too.
So what is the Contentment Challenge, you ask? GREAT question!
Here’s the story in a nutshell:
After paying off our house back in 2012, Will and I accomplished a huge financial goal we had sacrificed and worked for. Weeks afterwards, we began arguing about money wayyyy more than we ever had when living on a tight budget. I thought I could shop at Whole Foods and Anthropologie and do all the things I had sacrificed, and went over budget for 3 months straight. Sorry, Babe.
Then, I spoke at Making Things Happen, and God began to whisper the word “contentment” in my heart. “Nancy, are you really content? with just Me? or do you always have to buy new things?”
I felt a tugging on my heart to give up shopping for 3 months. After fighting the Lord in my head and heart for 2 days straight, I finally gave in. To do this well, I planned it out and created the Contentment Challenge:
So after recently buying a new house (and buying a lot of new things), I’ve honestly fallen back into a lot of…
“Hey that’s cute!” (Clicks buy now button on Amazon)
“Goodness the girls would love that” (Throws it into my cart at Target)
“Look at that deal!” (Adds to Anthro’s online cart)
More than just a bad habit, it’s an underlying spiritual issue. I’m lacking in self discipline. I’m finding my joy in material things, not in the Lord. I’m straight up distracted from the precious souls in front of me, and I’m tired of it.
So for me, this contentment challenge is going to be focused on my heart. As I settle into being a newborn mama for the 3rd time, I’m asking God to SHOW ME real life. To be completely immersed in the GOOD things and gifts all around me. To be more in tune with relationships and family. That I’ll stop comparing my life, my house, my things with other people.
My prayer: God, what do you want MY LIFE to look like?
So, if you feel like you might also need a heart check…
If you feel like you want to experience JOY right where you are....
If you feel like you need to stop wishing for “one day” and praise God and live in TODAY…
Join us.
I can say this because I’ve done it before: The Contentment Challenge will change your life.
It’ll expose the ugly sides of yourself, but will expose the beauty of what you already have, too. And it’s ONLY 3 MONTHS of your life! It might feel like forever, but it’s so short in the grand scheme of your life.
So, if you want in, here are the guidelines for joining the Contentment Challenge 2019!
The Guidelines:
• For the next 10 days, your homework is the following: prepare your heart, organize your closet, and make any necessary purchases that you might need during these months. (This is not a last minute shopping spree! This is one final trip to the store for items you will need, and the opportunity for you to say your goodbyes to Target.)
• Choose 1-3 inspiring books to read during this time. I would recommend any of the following: Seven, Weird, The Celebration of Discipline, 1000 Gifts, Essentialism. I’m planning to read one book (because newborn life): Cozy Minimalist Home. (Feel free to leave additional recommendations in the comments!)
• Gifts are okay! If someone gives you a new dress or piece of decor during that time, receive it graciously! If you need to buy someone else a gift, by all means, do so. The point is not to be rude, but to learn more of ourselves and the Lord.
• Necessities are okay! If you drop and break your phone, please go get a new one! If you lose your glasses, buy a new pair. Just don’t start justifying new purchases for items that you already have. (“I really need this bathing suit, even though there are 8 in my closet already.”)
• Food: please buy food for yourself and your family :). From my experience, this is a good time to stop grocery shopping at Target and instead choose a grocery store. Some who have done the contentment challenge have chosen to use this as a time to forgo eating out. If you eat out all the time, maybe it’s best for you to limit it to 2x a month. I’ll let you decide what you want to do here!
• You must actively pursue something – anything – that replaces your tendency to buy stuff. Begin thinking about something you love or a hobby you’ve always wanted to do, and make preparations to actually do it. (Reading and Running are my go-to hobbies!)
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If you’d like a little more information about the Contentment Challenge and how to prepare for it, download our FREE extended guide below! You’ll also get monthly emails once the challenge starts in January for accountability and encouragement!
Finally, the official hashtag is #contentmentchallenge! So be sure to share your struggles and victories along the way on Instagram. Who’s with me?