Welcome to the first DFA Mission!
Starting today – and over the course of the next 12 months – I will embark on month long missions designed to retrain myself to live a mission minded life.
For a thorough explanation of the purpose of the missions, go read the DFA Missions page and meet me back here.
What is the wardrobe mission?
“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” – Luke 12:15
I have way too many clothes. At this point in my life, my stuff has become a hindrance for the mission minded life God is calling me to live. So I am making a change. You can too.
For the entire month of November 2010, I will wear just one outfit. The video below also describes the mission, shows my wardrobe as it exists now, and shows the single outfit I’ll be wearing… if you’d rather watch than read you can scroll down and check it out.
The purpose of this short term mission is to reduce my clothing from what I want to what I need. At the end of the 30 days, I will pare my wardrobe down to the essentials and will either sell the rest to repay debt, will give the excess to those in need, or some combination of both.
The reason I’m wearing just 1 outfit for 30 days is to help clear the fuzzy boundaries of wants vs. needs so I can reduce my wardrobe the essentials. The wardrobe mission is the first in a long line of short term missions to simplify my life so I can better serve God and others. Up till now, a lot unnecessary time and resources have been spent acquiring and maintaining unnecessary stuff, and it’s time for a change. I believe we are all here for a purpose, and that nearly all of us are bogged down by excessive debt and possession. Because I see it as a problem in my life, I am taking steps of obedience to “take heed, and beware of covetousness.” I am excited to have others join me so we can make positive changes in our lives and the lives of others.
Encouragement from leaders around the web
Chris Guillebeau of The Art of Non-Conformity…
“It’s hard to say where these missions will take Matt, or anyone else who joins the ranks, but rethinking past decisions to live a life of pointed purpose can never hurt… I say go for it!” – Chris
Bob Lotich of Christian PF…
“I believe that the most exciting, joyful, and fulfilling life comes from diligently obeying God’s plan for our lives. As we take the plunge to give all we have to the Lord, we will find that all of our needs are met, people’s lives will be changed for the better, and God will be glorified. I appreciate what Matt is doing with DFA Missions and encourage you to get involved in any way you can!” – Bob
JD Roth of Get Rich Slowly…
“Living with purpose is the best way to get more out of life. When you have a goal or a mission, it makes every decision easier. Matt’s missions are a great way to bring focus and clarity to your finances — and your life.” – JD
Adam Baker of Man Vs Debt…
“I love the idea of Matt’s ‘Wardrobe Challenge’. Courtney and I are always looking for tips and strategies to raise the consciousness in our lives – especially when it comes to consumerism (and wants vs. needs). And this first “mission” is the perfect way to start things. I’ll be taking part at the 3 outfits level – for the month of November, I’ll only be wearing three different outfits. I’m excited about this challenge and it already has me brainstorming ways to apply this to my daily life. Come join us!” – Adam
Participation is encouraged
The wardrobe mission begins today and will last all 30 days of November 2010. If you have been wanting to simplify life or live more of a mission minded life… why not be a part of something bigger than yourself? Join the mission.
I am setting rules for myself, and if you join, you’re encouraged to do the same. In saying that, I still wanted to outline a few suggested levels of participation below. Do not hesitate to customize any level to make it fit in with your job or what have you.
One outfit (what I’ll be wearing – see video below)
- 1 coat, hat, pair of gloves, pair of shoes
- 1 over shirt, pair of pants
- 3 undershirts, socks, and underwear, handkerchiefs
Three outfits
- 3 coats, 1 hats, 1 pair of gloves, 3 pair of shoes
- 3 over shirts, 3 pair of pants
- 3 undershirts, socks, and underwear, handkerchiefs
- add/remove any customizations you like
Five outfits
- 3 coats, 1 hats, 1 pair of gloves, 3 pair of shoes
- 5 over shirts, 5 pair of pants
- 5 undershirts, socks, and underwear, handkerchiefs
- add/remove any customizations you like
Video explaining the wardrobe mission
Apologies for the “shakiness” of this video, I’ll do better next time. 🙂
Join and or commnt below
What do you think? Are you ready to simplify your life, reduce your wardrobe, repay more debt, and help others?
Join us and define your plans in the comments below. I am really excited to get started!