The March Kingdom Fast for Live Dead is shopping (groceries and bills not included). Physically this fast is easier than caffeine. There are no withdrawal headaches. Mentally though, it takes some work, like remembering not to hit “Buy now with 1-click” for a $0.99 book on Kindle. Oops. Goal #1 for the remainder of March: Stay away from Amazon. And Target, too, just to be safe.

With a new month and the new fast came a desire to do some spring cleaning. I thought, if I’m not buying any unnecessary items this month, I should try to get rid of some unnecessary items at the same time. Take the less is more approach to my entire living arrangement. So far, a stack of items are ready for Goodwill, three Thai cookbooks have new homes, a load of old paperwork is in the recycle bin, and a few tiny DIY projects have been completed. Goal #2: Find more stuff to move out of the apartment.

I didn’t realize how a shopping fast could influence my Bible reading, but it has. My reading this month has been enriched by thinking about shopping (or not shopping) while reading the Bible. Goal #3: Continue to read through that lens and take lots of notes.

I have a number of friends raising funds to leave for the mission field for the first time and a few friends on short furloughs to bring their budgets back to full support. I felt God wanted me to direct this month’s unused shopping money, and money from each month to follow, to my friends. Goal #4: Support more missionaries. Done.

We are now nearing the end of the month, and I feel lighter than I did at the start. Did the care of money and the possession of things weigh me down in some way? Feels like it, and that’s a thought I will ponder for the rest of the month.