One Day Without Shoes [Challenge & Chance to win]

{UPDATE! Even if you see this mid-day or at 10pm at night, it’s not too late to jump on board! Even if you only slip off your shoes for 5 minutes… Count, Click, Contribute and Comment–every bit counts! God bless you!}

Today’s the day! Today, Tuesday, April 5th we have a very fun opportunity to partner with World Vision and One Day Without Shoes, an awareness-raising movement by TOMS shoes. Take a moment and watch the video, then check back in because we’re doing a little different spin here today… (Video here)

Cool, huh?

My  heart is that whenever we meet physical needs we meet spiritual needs as well. It isn’t enough to do one or the other.  We are to give generously and in a manner that spreads the gospel of Christ.

Amen?

SO, will you join me in this amazing opportunity to raise literally thousands of dollars today and spread the gospel in powerful ways. It’s a 3-part challenge and includes a chance to win a FREE gift — something to nourish your soul.

Here’s the challenge:

1. Go today without shoes. Maybe it’s weird, but at the very least you’ll get a tiny taste of that it’s like to have a little less. Maybe it’ll be rainy, maybe it’ll be odd socially (I have Bible study and we have ADORN tonight!), but if you are able (I know in some vocations you would not be allowed, so just go barefoot before or after work!), I’d encourage you to go for it.  At least it will remind us to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who struggle every day to meet their basic needs of food, water, clothing and shelter.  So slip off those shoes and bare those beautiful toes!

2. Count your shoes. Give $1 for every pair you own. This isn’t about guilt it’s about grace and gratitude. Taking inventory of what we have is healthy way to remind ourselves of the FACT that have A LOT. For example, I do not think of myself as a shoe-lover. I didn’t think I had very many at all. But when I say count your shoes I mean every pair, not just in your closet, but in the garage, in your out-of-season rubbermaid bins, the ones tossed in the corner or the dusty ones you never wear. (And yes, those satin pink bridesmaid heels you never threw away! If you can walk in ’em, count ’em!) I counted the old boots in the garage that I never wear and all the $2 flipflops in every color that I got from Old Navy on clearance. Every pair–count them. I did this and was shocked:

24 pairs.

Really? I really have twenty-four pairs of shoes?

Ok, $24 dollars. Now here’s the cool thing (Don’t miss this!): If you give through World Vision, through this specific link, the money we give specifically for shoes and clothes will be MULTIPLIED ELEVEN times over! Yes! They have generous donors who have agreed to multiply any gifts in this category eleven times over. So if I give $24 that will pay for $264 worth of clothing and shoes! WHOA!

So go count up your shoes and CLICK HERE to visit World Vision and have your gift multiplied by 11.

Last, and here it gets fun and I get scared…

3. IF you do this (go barefoot, count your shoes, and give the $ amount), leave a comment on this site (click at the bottom of this post) with the number of shoes you counted.  This isn’t to embarrass anyone, it’s to share in community and get some perspective and to acknowledge how much we all have.  (If you leave a comment and say “2” I’ll know you’re lying.)

Then, Jeff & I will give World Vision an additional $10 for EVERY COMMENT. And that will also be multiplied by 11, so we literally have the opportunity, together, to give thousands of dollars to help clothe and shoe those in need today!  In just one day!  This is a phenomenal opportunity.  I know that there’s a lot of ya’ll out there, so I’m a little scared to do this, but if you’re up for it, so am I! (And yes, my husband said it was ok!)

And although the real “winning” is in giving, here’s one fun little freebie:

At the end of the day we’ll draw a winner at random from the comments and that winner will win a FREE BOOK. You choose from a list of five books, which you can see below.

Ready?  Head over to the closet and with a little counting and clicking we can bless God’s children with the message of Christ and the gift of shoes.  Because our God is so good.

*Books to choose from: (or if you have all these you’re welcome to pick another spiritually nourishing book of your choice.)