I have a crazy idea.  Be sure to read until the end!  I just finished reading More or Less by Jeff Shinabarger.  It’s about choosing a lifestyle of excessive generosity and the author calls readers to answer the question, “What is enough?”  He gently reminds us that we are rich.  All of us.  If we get to decide which clothes and shoes to wear or what to eat each day, we are rich.  We all have excess because we live in a society that pressures us to always want more.  More money, more clothes, more gifts, more everything.  We want more to the point that we are willing to go into debt to get more.

Instead of doing 12 Days of Giveaways like I have done the last couple of years, I had the crazy idea of getting everyone involved in a week of giving.  Here’s how it will work:

From December 1-7, I will post a prompt each day to encourage you to give away your excess in 7 different categories.  For example, if the prompt is shoes, you would go through all of your shoes and pick out some to give away.  There’s no minimum requirement for how many you have to give away.  Just be honest with yourself about which shoes you actually wear and which ones you’re saving for that “just in case” moment that will probably never happen.

Each day, post a photo of your giveaway pile with the number of items either in a post or in your stories (or both!).  Be sure to tag @ashleybrookephotography and use #abpweekofgiving so I can see your piles!  On December 8, post a photo of you actually donating all of your items with the number of items you are donating.  If you’re anything like me, you bag up your donations and they ride around in your car for a few months.  That’s why Day 8 is crucial for all of us – myself included.

Besides the satisfaction of donating your items and helping others in need, I’m giving away something a little more tangible.  One lucky winner that donates the most items will receive a complimentary 30-minute session AND a complimentary 8×8 press printed album!  (The total value is $565!).

Reading this book has made me very aware of how much stuff Weston and I have accumulated in our 7 years of marriage.  I want to use our excess to bless others, whether it’s through direct donations or simply a donation to our local Salvation Army.  “Will you use your excess to create more excess, or will you use it to address the needs around you?”  Will you join me in a week of giving away our excess?

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see the prompts each day!

P.S. Stay tuned for another giveaway on Day 9!  This one is for two lucky couples!