1-Day Challenge to #LiveFully Community

This past week, I had the privilege of attending the Q Conference in Washington D.C.  If you are unfamiliar with the event, I highly encourage you to check out their site here.  In the course of 2 days, I heard from 30 presenters sharing their innovative ideas and stories of how followers of Christ are engaging various channels of culture in redemptive ways.

All of the presenters did an excellent job challenging the participants to think counter-culturally about a spectrum of important subjects. On a personal level there was one message that struck my heart more than the rest, and it’s a bit odd – Live almost Amish.

At Q, author Nancy Sleeth spoke to hundreds of highly driven, entrepreneurial, technologically savvy Christian leaders about one of the most extremely counter-cultural communities in the world.  In her talk, and new book “Almost Amish,” Sleeth doesn’t argue for Christians to become Amish. She does, however, challenge us to consider the values of this peculiar people because we can learn from their simple, deeply communal, integrated approach to family, life, and faith.

I was inspired by this in a number of ways.  Most immediately I decided that during my weekly Sabbath (day of rest), I would deny the urge to look at any social media or blogs.  No Facebook, no Twitter, no blog stats (I confess I obsess over these at times).

This decision was not made because I decided that social media is wrong.  In fact I am just as committed to using social media as avenues for connection and influence as ever before.  However, like many others, checking these sites had become a natural default, leading to wasted time that could be used to converse with God and others.  My first “fast” from social media was powerful, and I am committed to continuing this as a part of the weekly rhythm of life. It also birthed a desire to press others to try the same thing.

Here is the challenge for the #LiveFully community: Do not look at any social media (or all internet if you are feeling saucy) for one 24 hour period.  During this day, keep a record of how many impulses you have to check these forms of social media.  Every moment you find yourself reaching to check Twitter on your smart phone, or opening up the Facebook news feed, record it.  Then, in that moment choose to do one of these things…

-Thank God for a specific person that He has placed in your life

-Open up a book and read for 15 minutes

-Take a brief walk outside and look at the sky

-Ask someone near you how their day has been going and truly listen to what they say

-Come up with something else creative to do

If you should decide to take this 1-Day challenge in the next week, we will send you a #LiveFully sticker for FREE.  Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post or on our facebook page that briefly describes how many impulses you counted (be honest), what things you did instead, and how it affected your overall day.

We ask that you take the challenge seriously- we are using the good ‘ole honor system on this. After you post on the experience, just email us with your address so we can send you the sticker.

Lastly, invite friends and family to join you in the challenge.  We really believe this very simple act could be a profound experience for many that could lead to deeper consideration about the role we allow social media to play in our lives and how it could be used in healthier ways. Share this experience together!