Freely Giving Friday: 30 Day Giving Challenge Update And Reflection...

So, I know I said that I would update on this 30 day giving challenge every week, but...I failed at that. Sorry! Haha!

It is now November 20th, so for those of you following along with the 30 Day Giving Challenge that Kingdom First Mom is hosting, we have about 10 days left in November! For those of you who haven't been following along, be sure to check out my post HERE from when I first accepted this challenge along with many other bloggers and readers!

The challenge was simple: Give every day some how, some way, to somebody...for the entire 30 days of November. If you are just now learning about this, it's not too late to jump on board! Grab a journal, and start giving every day and keeping a log of it. It's very rewarding, and brings so much joy!

I just wanted to do a quick update, encourage you to continue giving, and ask you to share your experiences if you have been participating!

Giving can be a very personal thing. Honestly, I don't feel comfortable just sitting here and telling you what or how we've been giving every day in detail. It's just not my style. God knows our hearts, and He knows what we give and our intentions for giving...and to me, that's all that matters...

I do want to give you some ideas for giving. So here is a brief list of some ways you can give - some we have done, some we have not but hope to. Just some inspiration, though!

• Smile or say hello to a stranger who needs it.
• Give pocket change to somebody who asks you for it on the streets.
• Leave your change in the coke or snack machine.
• Be a "coupon fairy" and leave coupons in front of corresponding items at the store.
• Pay for a friend's meal.
• Hug somebody who needs it.
• Pick up trash outside that you see.
  
• Donate money online to various organizations that stand for causes you are passionate about. (For us, some of those organizations include World Vision, Save Darfur, Children International, Compassion International, World Relief, Blood Water Mission, Living Water International, Stop Child Trafficking Now, Invisible Children, etc.)
• Send money anonymously to a friend, acquaintance, or coworker who you know needs financial help of some sort.
• Provide a Thanksgiving meal for somebody.
• Invite people into your home.
• Visit people in children's homes, nursing homes, and homeless shelters.
• Go downtown and talk to the homeless. Take them blankets and jackets.
• Drop off food at the food bank (thanks to coupons!)
• Take toiletries and cleaning supplies to places that accept donations.
• Pay for somebody's meal or coffee behind you in line.
  
• Donate clothing to thrift stores where money goes to good (such as helping battered women)
• Put together a Christmas Shoe Box for a child overseas (time is about up on this one).
  
• Donate by simply clicking or doing free online actions: Free Rice (Play Trivia), The Animal Rescue Site, The Breast Cancer Site, The Hunger Site, Welch's Harvest Of Help, Land O Lakes (fights hunger), Leapfish and Make A Wish (Tweet a message, and Leapfish will donate to Make A Wish), Kraft Foods (send an e-card, and Kraft will donate 10 meals to Feeding America), Good Search (use Good Search when searching the internet, and 50% of revenue from advertisters goes to a nonprofit organization of your choice), Seed The Future (If you do SwagBucks, you can plant a tree through this organization for only 15 swaggers!),
  
• Adopt a pet. =)
• Adopt a child. Maybe you've been trying to decide, and that life decision is upon you.
• Adopt a child internationally to support with a small amount of money each month (World Vision, Compassional International, or Children International listed above with links).
• Talk to somebody you normally wouldn't talk to.
• E-mail or write a letter to somebody just to say hello.
• Bake treats and goodies for somebody just to make their day.
• Call somebody to tell them you're thinking about them.
• Babysit for a couple who needs a date night out.
• Offer free tutoring to a student who needs it.
• Open the door for a stranger.
  
• Clean the house for your spouse or do something special for him/her.
• Spend quality time with your family.
• Give up something for one day that normally takes up all your time...and use the time for something more valuable. (For me, it would be giving up blogging to spend time with my husband).
• Give to your church.
• Collect Box Tops for your school.
• Volunteer anywhere, everywhere. There are so many places to choose from!
• Visit prisoners.
  
• Mow somebody's yard, help them with yard work, or help them with a repair they need done on their house.
• Donate your hair to Locks of Love.
• Give those free samples away that you collect over time.
• Donate blood.
• Put together a gift basket for somebody in need, maybe somebody who lost a job.
• Visit and talk with an elderly person who is lonely.
• Cheer up that cashier at the store who is "not so friendly."
• Donate to an animal shelter.
• Drop off some toys at a donation box.
• Give somebody a ride who doesn't have a car.
• Spend quality time with your children.
• Join Free Cycle.
  

The list could go on and on and on. But the main point is that you can give in small ways or big ways, depending on your life circumstances. All I can say is that giving brings so much joy and purpose to life. You will be transformed when you start making giving an every-day priority. You don't have to break the bank to give.

For some more info on how couponing can enable donation of items for practically free, go HERE. For more info on what and where to donate items, go HERE.

If you'd like more inspiring stories on how people are giving during this 30 day challenge, you can go visit some of the links over at Kingdom First Mom, or you can visit the Facebook page where people are posting daily how they are giving! It's very encouraging and amazing!

This is a season of giving...it shouldn't be a season of stress, over-spending, and strife. Be set free by the power of giving!! =) As for me and my husband, we have decided on a way to challenge ourselves to give more this Christmas. I will be sharing about it very soon on here in a series called "Simplifying Christmas." So look forward to that!

Please feel free to share below how you have been giving during this challenge, and how it has changed you. Comment away! We want to hear!!!