Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Getting Rest

Welcome if you’ve come over from my devotion published at P31 today. Pause and go read it if you missed it. As promised, here’s six practical tips for better rest.


1) Declutter your bedroom. Begin this today – finish it as soon as possible. Work on it section by section this week until you’re done.

What you’re thinking when you nod off affects your sleep, and your mood when you wake up. If you are surrounded by stuff, projects, things that need sewing, things that need cleaning, things that need putting away, things that need giving away, things that belong downstairs, when you lay down you are going to feel like there is so much you still need to do. When you wake you will feel already behind. (Translation: you will feel self-defeated and guilty about resting.) Get that stuff out of your resting space!


2) Strictly limit what comes into your room. This is how you hold the line once you’ve decluttered. Let your bedroom serve a few main purposes: relaxing or sleeping, dressing, and intimacy with your spouse. You may be surprised at how much decluttering can help with that last one. It’s not that you can’t read in bed or wrap a present on the bed sometimes but don’t make your home office in your bedroom. Or set up your crafting business in your bedroom. If you have no place else in your home to do such things, figure out how to put it all away or out of sight at night. That will signal your brain that creative/work time is over.


3) Pray. Spend sometime unwinding with God. Pray through stressful issues from your day – turning your troubles over to Him. Give Him thanks for blessings from your day – reminding yourself He is good, powerful and trustworthy. This is how you turn laying down to sleep (or a warm bath before bed) into a spiritual discipline. Drift off with your worries released and your mind centered on Him.


4) Keep a notebook by your bed. If to-do type thoughts come to you while you are trying to fall asleep, or trying to pray, jot them down and then let them fall from your mind. The paper will remind you tomorrow. You can also jot down things that come to you as you pray. Or write down a few things you are thankful for from that day to jumpstart your prayer time.



5) Give yourself permission to invest in your rest. Do you like it dark? Get lined curtains. Put your bedside lamp on a dimmer switch. Sleep better when cool? Invest in a programmable thermostat that automatically makes it cooler at night but brings the temp back up in time to wake. Is it time for a new pillow or mattress? We spend 1/3 of our lives asleep. Think about how quick you are to go buy something you will wear once to a special event!


6) Exercise. As a small little shoe company would say, just do it. What ever time of day works for you. Whatever exercise works for you – even a 15-20 minute brisk walk around the neighborhood works wonders. Just do it several times a week. You will rest better.


So, which of these do you need to do? Got any strategies that help you unwind for rest? Post a comment and be entered to win a copy of my new book It’s No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know. Tomorrow I’ll announce the winner, post more tips, link to some articles, and share some specific products that help me rest.

72 comments:

  1. Thank you for the devotion and for the tips on your blog. I have had trouble sleeping for some time.I am going to try to implement some of your tips. Specifically, I need to declutter the bedroom! Also, I need to make sure that I am praying and leaving my troubles with God right before sleep. Thank you for writing on this topic it was truly beneficial to me!

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  2. I love that while we are resting, God is working & preparing our day and has Himself & everything ready for us! We can awake in gratitude and faith. A sleeping room decluttered yet with the Bible, music, & prayer is advantageous. Also , I used to just collapse. Now I prepare by washing up, fresh night clothes & bed linens, and washing up spiritually with confession & giving worries to God, gratitude, and worship. DD

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  3. This is very convicting to me, my bedroom is always the place I put all the junk. I really long for a haven and I have felt guilty about spending time and especially $ to make our room nice.
    Today I will talk to my husband about investing some $ and effort into making our room a restful place we can actually enjoy going into at night.
    I have trouble decluttering anything, so it's also time to ask God for help in this area. Your devotion was helpful to me in implementing this task.
    Thanks for the insight,
    Elisa

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  4. I find that keeping up with work, home, and kids can be overwhelming... so I began to pray and ask God how to make it easier to do and find that "balance" I've been desiring. God woke me up in the night and gave me a daily life plan - it has helped me rest better, stress less, and spend more time with family and God.

    He showed me that if I would take my to-do list down to 3 things a day, I would find that I could still enjoy time with my son, and with my husband in the evening. He showed me that if I would get up just an hour before everyone else did, I'd have time to "relax" before the stresses of the day began... which definitely helped me with my patience with the kids. I have even made it a point to have a schedule for each day (a tentative one) and that schedule does allow for "surprise" things or changing moments when needed for it has "room" in it. I used to have a schedule that filled up so fast I had no time for anything else and I let that schedule dictate what I did. God showed me I needed to remove from the schedule and allow for "room" in my schedule so I could enjoy things more.

    Now I have a day for laundry, a day for cleaning the bathroom/bedrooms, a day for cleaning the upstairs, a day for yard work, and cleaning the kitchen comes everyday. I've made it a point that after dinner is over, I clean up the kitchen, turn out the light, and go enjoy the rest of the evening my family until kids bedtime. After the kids off to bed, I create a small to-do list for the next day, close everything up and just enjoy the next hour with my husband.

    I've found that when I pray before bed or read Sheri Rose Shepherd books, I have a peace and I can sleep as if I am lying in green pastures beside the still waters... and when I rise in the morning, I wake up refreshed and ready for the day!!!

    Thank You, God for showing me how to balance my life!!!

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  5. Thanks for the perspective, Rachel. Another thing that helps me rest is keeping my technology (smart phone, laptop, ipad, etc.) out of the bedroom so I'm not tempted to work throughout the night!

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  6. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    Thanks for these good tips. I really need to declutter our bedroom. Now that the HOT weather is keeping me indoors this is a good time to start this project. I also like your idea of paper & pen beside the bed for those sleepless times. Thankful I don't have many of them.
    Blessings

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  7. Rachel, thanks for sharing this important truth about rest. What a difference it will make in my life to reprogram myself to a thinking pattern of rest, rise, work..rather than the other way I was living.

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  8. Thanks for sharing this with us! You have some great ideas to help us rest easier. We have never had a TV in our bedroom the 20 years we have been married, which can be very distracting. I stretch my muscles and sometimes do leg exercises before I settle down. I read one of my devotionals and give up my worries in prayer. In the winter I wear socks to bed and have heard that this helps hasten sleep. these relax me and help me fall asleep faster.

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  9. What an inspiring way to look at the day. I "knew" that was how the Jewish looked at the day but never really contemplated it before your post. I like to read in a hot tub to relax and end(start, really) my day. I am able to let the water soothe me and turn concerns to God. It allows me to relax and prepare for a good sleep. Thank you so much for your devotional.

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  10. Thank you for being obedient to God in sharing his wisdom he has imparted to you. We as women sometimes forget that God takes us through things that we may be a blessing to others. Your tips were God inspired and very helpful to me. I also look forward to obtaining a copy of your book. Be blessed my Sister. LOVE YA!!! - Jackie

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  11. Thanks for such a thought provoking blog today. Today is my first day to read your blog and it has really caused me to stop and think. Why is it that we always seem to have things backwards? If we would just let God show us, our lives could be so much simpler. My family is trying to get to a more simplified life and even though the world may think we are crazy and not with the times, our lives are not filled with all the stress. Thanks again!!!!

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  12. Wow! That pretty much sums up what your devotional and tips did for mr today. I know to some these are such practical things and things most of us all know but I see things in a whole new light in this area. I believe I am totally free from some things now. Thank you for obeying the voice of the Lord and being such a blessing. Be Blessed!

    Jennifer R.

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  13. Rachel - I read your email devotion on rest this morning, and it was so beautiful and relevant that I had to come over and comment. So well done. Look forward to seeing you at She Speaks!

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  14. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    Thanks for the devo and tips. Good rest makes for a better day!
    Sarah

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  15. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    What a timely message...as I tossed and turned and finally got up at 5 this morning...I need to work on decluttering my brain before sleep...Thank you so much for your inspiring words...Sue R

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  16. Thanks for the reminder about rest. Your tips are so helpful and I will definitely put some to use that I do not use now. Reading something peaceful after the Bible is helpful for me. Once lights are out and I still cannot sleep, I quietly ponder the Bible verses that I have memorized.

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  17. Oh my gosh, it's a wonder I can rest at all in my terribly cluttered bedroom! Thanks for the inspiration to finally DO SOMETHING about it!

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  18. Leigh GradyJuly 12, 2011

    Before I go to bed, I go into each of my children's room, look at their sleeping faces, and go back to my room to thank God for them. I ask God to protect us all while we sleep, and then I can drift off into a peaceful sleep knowing the God of the universe is watching over us.

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  19. tiffany g.July 12, 2011

    Great devotional. I often wake up feeling behind. I really really need to de-clutter. I will never look at my days the same. I have asked my hubby to partner with me to prioritize rest.

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  20. A cup of chamomile tea or warm milk with honey or a drop of vanilla help me to relax - and as I sit to sip, my mind and body slow down.

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  21. I would write 5 things that I am thankful for before I go to sleep. I have gotten away from that and I need to go back to this practice. Thanks for the great reminder of the importance of rest. I thank you,too for the wonderful insight about evening preceding morning. I am praying for a breakthrough in my quality of rest knowing this insight. Bing

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  22. This was needed! We just started a new school year and I'm purposing to make it more peaceful and more restful this year. Thanks!

    ~Lyn

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  23. Wonderful message points! I particularly like the one to give myself permission to rest. That is something I find hard to do.

    I have a wonderful wallword Scripture posted on my bedroom wall which says:

    "I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone O LORD make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

    Nothing like a word from God to ponder as you rest in him knowing that he has you protected!

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  24. Rachel, I am not sure I posted my comment right the first time so this might be a repeat from me.
    I used to write 5 things I am thankful for in a notebook before I turn in for the evening. I need to go back to this practice. Thanks for the insight on evening preceding morning-very enlightening. I am looknig forward to a change in my life because of this perspective. Hugs to you, Bing

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  25. I was blessed by your P31 teaching on God's order of the day.
    Thank you for helping us realize how He created us, and the rhythm of all His creation.
    I am renewed in my commitment to rest, all the more during this needed season of vacation.
    I also got a much needed reminder about exercise -- {that's} what's missing right now, to feel less sluggish. Thanks!

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  26. Thank you for assembling all of these tips for getting better rest. I will use them as well as reversing my thoughts from night to day.
    I find also that reading from Psalms at bedtime is a divine sleeping pill for me. It has become a time that I look forward to each night. I find reassurance, hope, praise, instruction, and much more in the verses in Psalms. Try it! It works. Patc

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  27. I have just started reading P31 devotions my neice shared one and afterwards just had to sign up to receive them. Thanks for your advice on rest I really need to declutter my bedroom. I use Lavender candles and Chmomile tea to help relax and get a good nights sleep. As I read Gods word before bed I light the candle and make myself a cup of tea with just a touch of honey. The two together along with the word put me in the right mood to rest and let the days worries just float away. Thanks for being one of Gods earhtly angels and foloowing His plans for your ministry. Deanna Myers

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  28. Loved the devo on P31 and the thoughts you shared here. The best thing I ever did for my marraige was to get rid of the TV in our bedroom!! We didn't watch it very much but it was still the elephant in the room. Our bedroom is now our haven!

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  29. Thank you Rachel, This gave me a new prespective for my day. the first thing I need to do is delcutter our bedroom. Funny this should pop up today. My husband and I were just discussing this same thing over the weekend. Guess this is a good time to start. God does work in mysterious ways sometimes.

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  30. Thank you for your devotion today! What a blessing it was to me. One thing that I do almost every night is take a hot bath. I use this time to unwind, read, & pray. The warm water relaxes my body, the quiet relaxes my mind, and the alone time helps me shift from being a mom to being a wife.

    Thanks again for being a blessing to me today!

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  31. Thank you for giving me a new way to think about resting and working!

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  32. Love the thoughts; I "knew" this , but had forgotten to practice it. When I was widowed 9 months ago, I moved from a house to a condo. I was very conscious of setting it up without clutter. Each night I write down 3 things that went right that day; that leaves my last thoughts on the good things and not the bad. Sometimes it is as simple as a phone call from someone I haven't heard from, being able to pay a bill, or driving home safely. Other times, I have lots more than 3. A second thing I do is starch and iron my top sheet and pillow cases; I'm worth the time and it feels so nice. Also, about an hour or so before bedtime, I go in and do a "turn back" (not always with a chocolate, though;-). That way I feel pampered and ready to just slip into sleep. By the way, if it is in God's plan for me to re-marry, one of the conditions (I hope) is that there is no TV in the bedroom; amazing how that feels after being married to an addict!

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  33. When I am unable to get to sleep, I do a little chant - "He giveth his beloved sleep, and I am his beloved."
    Most of the time, my sleeplessness was not due to the condition of my bedroom, but more related to worry or anxiety related to the condition of my life.
    This little practice of repeating this sentence calmed me down and brought me into peaceful sleep every time.

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  34. Thanks for your relevant words! Great reminder of god's desire for us to rest and rest well. With a 9 week old baby and almost 3 year old, my rest is limited these days. But being reminded to make the rest that I do get, good, is extremely helpful and encouraging!

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  35. What a 'refreshing' idea. Resting as an act of worship. A must read book (even if I don't win!)

    Renee

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  36. Your blog and your devotional on Proverbs 31 hit the spot. I have everything in my room and I am always planning to get them out but never do. I realize that I need to make it more of a restful haven, a spot to relax. One thing I do after my time with God, is play some soft music. Usually that will do the trick. Of course I have the radio set on a christian station so I know the music will be a positive note to fall asleep.

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  37. I really enjoyed the devotional. I have never looked at rest from the perspective of rest first then work. It totally makes sense that rest is the fuel for work, meaning rest first and allow God's work to begin then when we wake we respond. Grace is primary! That is my take away for today for sure.
    My room needs a little decluttering. My boys bring toys in there and play while I am folding laundry or getting ready, laundry that doesn't get put away piles up on a chest. So today I will declutter and put all those things where they belong. I will enjoy the end result and my husband will appreciate it too!

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  38. What a wonderful devotion and way to view rest and God's work in us. I try to be in bed at about the same time every night. I also quit watching the news in the evening- it was too stressful.

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  39. ChristineJuly 12, 2011

    LOVE the article about putting rest first! For quite a while, my evening routine ALWAYS ended with Bible-reading/studying and prayer. As life invaded, I was pulled away from ending each day with my time with Jesus. I didn't realize I was actually beginning my day with Him. Sadly, I found myself reading His Truth less and less. I was left feeling spiritually empty and disconnected.
    Yesterday, the Spirit was undeniably "directing" me toward Ephesians. I read the first two chapters with my 5-year-old son last night, explaining each verse and answering his questions. Before bed, I read over those chapters again and prayed. I cannot tell you how well-rested and full I felt when I woke up this morning. When I read your devotion, Rachel, it convicted me. This was complete confirmation!
    Thank you so much! Praise God!

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  40. Hmm, probably the thing that I need to do the most is declutter my room. I was doing really well with that for a while, but let things creep back in, including the dirty laundry.
    It doesn't help right now that we are working towards moving in the next two weeks. Once that is done, I will be able to monitor what comes into my bedroom more easily.
    But I think I need that notebook by my bed to jot things down in. As we are moving, at night as I try to relax, I end up thinking of a million things I need to do the next day or few days.
    Thank you for these tips!
    Heather

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  41. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    I have never slept well, but have learned that if I keep pushing and totally exhaust myself - I sleep better. Yes, exercise does help not only your sleeping, but has many other benefits as well. If someone thinks they are too out of shape to exercise - you're not! Just get up and get moving, even if it's only walking through your house a couple of times a day, that's better than just sitting.

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  42. Your devotion really inspired me to think differently about our days and nights. Sacred rest as listed in the 10 Cammandments is a topic I have studied in the past. Thanks for the reminder of the rhythms that God has created. I am going home this afternoon to begin the process of decluttering my room! My challenge will be to convice my husband to declutter his very overloaded night stand.

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  43. Thanks for all of the great tips Rachel. I really need to declutter my bedroom. The one thing that helps me fall asleep every night is that I pray a prayer of thankfulness for that day. This relaxes me and helps me fall asleep.

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  44. I loved today's devotion ! Also your tips on helping rest were great. I sometimes struggle with getting to sleep and I really like the idea of keeping a notebook handy to get those "to-do" thoughts out of my mind and let them go. I de-cluttered the bedroom a long time ago and it did make a big difference in how I felt and how I feel in my room now. It made it much more peaceful. Thank you Rachel.

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  45. Hannah's NanaJuly 12, 2011

    Thank you for this message. I lost my son a few years ago and sleep has become very difficult for me because of a recurring bad dream. This may not affect anyone else, but if it is your problem too, my counselor has taught me to envision the sequence of my dream and CHANGE it in my mind before I try to sleep. With God's help this is working for me. I would love to win a copy of your book to look for more ways to improve my sleep, which should really be viewed as a gift from God.

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  46. Your devotion on rest was very practical and made me realize how much simplicity in my home is the best way to live. Another way I get to sleep quickly is to practice deep breathing. I inhale my breath into my belly and then exhale slowly through my lips. It eases any stress in my body and makes me drift off to sleep.

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  47. Thank you for the reminder that God's ways are better than ours. He commands and expects us to rest so that we are better able to do His work and represent Him; no matter what our job is.
    I also appreciate and agree with the decluttering of the bedroom!!!
    Blessings to you as you continue to do His work well rested!

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  48. This devotion really hit home with me this morning. I have been having a sort of opposite problem. I have been so tired in the past month that I have been sleeping constantly. My house has fallen apart, and my children are suffering. Deppression? lack of motivation? Overwhelmed, and avoiding the daily task to keep up on everything as a single mom of 3? Not sure, but my daily bible studying came to a holt. All I wanted to do was sleep, and sleep sleep sleep I did. I am so in love with my bed. All I could think about was when will the babies go back down for their naps so I can crawl back into my bed. I love my sleep, and soak up every second of it. However is was coming before God. I keept hearing God in many tiny ways...Praise, Worship, Read, WAKE UP! Finally today I did, and logged back into biblegateway for a morning of bible study. This is the first blog I come to. WOW. My children are asleep right now, and I am not :o) I am fairly certain that the clutter in not only my bedroom but in my entire house is whats keeping me "hiding under my covers" I feel like my house is trying to swallow me whole! I havent known where on earth to begin, and what to tackle first, so I've gone the easiest route....Gone BACK TO BED!! Thank you so much for your wisdom, and sharing it with all of us who are in great need of God's word. God is using you in a great way, and Im sure I speak for many when I say that you have helped me realize so much!! Thank you for all you do!
    Warmly,
    Amber Litwin

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  49. Thank you so much for today's devotion. It was like it was meant for me. I have so much trouble sleeping that I have resorted to using a nightly sleep-aid (which leaves me groggy in the morning). I'm going to implement this tonight instead.Thank you!!!

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  50. I'm thankful to God for leading me to this post. I never really thought about the way we go to sleep as a direct reflection of how we approach our day. The iconcept of honoring God as we rest (and prepare to rest) has truly blown my mind. I'll definitely be taking a walk/bath/praying tonight to make my time of rest intentional. I've never been able to vocalize the necessity of honoring this time and space to others, but now I definitely will. Sharing this with my girlfriends!

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  51. I have never seen rest the way you layed it out in your devotion today! Thank you so much, I absolutely needed this today! My husband likes to leave the TV on in our bedroom and leaves it on all night. He has had to be out of town for the past week and I have left the TV off. This has helped me to rest so much more peacefully! Then to read your devotion today and to see what God said about Rest and the beginning of out day just topped it off. Needless to say, TV will have to stay off in the evening and I have a new perspective on when my day should begin!

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  52. Thanks so much for this devotion. This perspective on rest is eye opening. To put rest first and know that it is a time of preparation for us to serve the the Lord really brings home the importance of this gift that we have been given.

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  53. I guess I never thought about rest time being "holy." I have lately been considering "do all to the glory of God." That includes sleeping. If I allow my mind to dwell on things of the day that bother me, I am not resting to the glory of God. I am learning to release my cares to Him, knowing that I can't do anything about it while I am supposed to be sleeping.

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  54. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    Tip for restful sleep: Try a jar of lavender nest to your pillow. Also, place a small waterfall on your bed-side table. The sound is very relaxing.

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  55. Rachel: Thank you so much for your insights. We are often so busy that we treat rest as secondary when it should be primary. I like you ideas about prayer and decluttering the space, which will help declutter my mind.

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  56. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    What a great post - to so perfectly timed - ah God is good. Also visited your blog and will return often! Thank you Rachel!

    Lynn

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  57. Thank you for the tips on resting well. One thing I've always noticed is that whenever I sleep some place different like a friend's house or hotel, I seem to sleep better. I figured out that it's just the fact of sleeping in new surroundings, that often gave me new perspective on life's problems, so now I try rearranging my bedroom in new ways and changing out some old things for new (like curtains, bedding, etc.)It always gives me a feeling of a brand new bedroom and therefore a new way of seeing things. You'll be surprised at how a simple room change can have a positive affect on your whole outlook.

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  58. A great devotion and the tips for sleeping. Actually I don't have any problems going to sleep. There's a pill I have to take to offset another one and it puts me to sleep within 2 hours.

    We live in an apartment and our bedroom upstairs is big enough for a recliner and a rocker, desk, TV and all the other furniture that goes in a bedroom. The recliner has become my place to read my Bible, watch some TV (not much), read a book, just very relaxing making it easy to drift off to sleep when I go to bed. My husband usually comes us and we spend this time together. He may watch TV, I may read but we're together. I have to give you a Praise the Lord. My husband had surgery on his left carotid artery which was 85% blocked and he is recovering really well. It's amazing how he found out that this was happening to him. It was like God was leading him through to the final thing - surgery. The doctor said if he didn't have it he would have a stroke within a year. Praise God for taking care of my husband.

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  59. I need to exercise. I have completely gotten out of the habit, and it shows. I've gained about fifteen pounds, and I am sweating more at night which greatly effects my rest! If I am honest, though, I could work on ALL the tips!!! ;)

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  60. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    All of the above!!! Before going to bed I do some chores to get ready for the next morning so I won't be so rushed in the morning. I practice a general progressive relaxation stretching while lying down in bed and pray. I go to sleep peacefully... and just drift off. mheard11@frontier.com

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  61. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    I also needed this devotional! I'm so tired many mornings and was praying for God to give me something today and that was exactly what I needed to hear. I would love a copy of your book!

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  62. I so needed these tips today! I just started the monumental task of de-cluttering our room...I am a messy mommy and this is tormenting me!!! Thanks again...

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  63. Love the devotion. I need to give myself permission to rest. I am a type A, to do list type person and I need to just lie down and take a nap often times, rather than keep going & going.

    Mel

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  64. Elisa Becerril BriseñoJuly 12, 2011

    Dear Rachel, I´m so grateful with you, this was the message I need to read. When I go to sleep I give thanks for at least 10 things that happened during my day.

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  65. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    Any tips for staying asleep? I don't usually have trouble falling asleep, but have been waking in the middle of the night or too early in the morning and not able to go back to sleep. After an hour, I usually get up, read, write, do something until I'm tired again. After several days though I am overall exhausted and tired throughout the day.

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  66. I need to give myself permission to invest in sleep. Our mattress is quite old, but since money is tight (2 kids in college and 1 just graduated) we have many other things that we spend our money on. Also, I liked your idea of having something by the bed to right things down in.

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  67. AnonymousJuly 12, 2011

    Thanks for the post today Rachel! I beat myself up for, well, being a sleeper. If I don't set an alarm, I can easily sleep 10 hours, and sometimes, that can be exclusive of a 2 hour nap in the middle of the afternoon. Point being, I want to be a person who can sleep 4-5 hours, never take naps, and be energized. Thanks for letting me know, as doctors have, it is ok to need rest!

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  68. I loved your devotion so much. I prepare for rest by making sure my clothes are laid out for the next day, teacup is ready, lunches packed, etc. Things that make my mind wander. My bedroom has always been neat well except for my dear hubby's corner but we are working on that. I think the one I need most is to pray my heart to God and then let go. He can take care of my worries, but I have to let go.

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  69. Thank you Rachel for your devotional and blog today on rest and evening being the beginning of our day. When I saw the title of your devotional in my email, I knew I had to read it and learn. Reading all the wonderful comments has inspired me to look at my days differently and to rest in His peace. Hot tea and reading my kindle before bedtime is how I wind down and slowly prepare for my time with God. Thanks again!

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  70. I like to make sure it's very dark (no tv left on!) and that the fan is on when I go to bed. Thanks for sharing in your devotional today. I find I'm often running around trying to clean out emails to stay caught up with work as well as declutter my personal email for the next morning. Some things you mentioned will be very helpful. Especially the paper by the bed for when things come to mind. Thanks for sharing.:)

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  71. AnonymousJuly 13, 2011

    I think all of the tips were great reminders of things to do to relax and rest. My husband's favorite and the one I really need to do is to declutter. It may take some time, but I will make it a priority. The second most important to me is the praying; I definitely feel I get better rest when I am able to pray before bed. The tips were great and I really enjoyed the suggestions that went along with them.

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  72. I read your devotion on Prov 31 and came here. I really liked what you had to say about the day starting at sunset with rest. God just brought to mind, that I have been in the process of doing this, but needed your words to solidify what I was doing. I have been 'ending' the day in the word and then in the morning 'beginning' the day in the word. I like better the thought that I am beginning my rest and leaving all my cares and worries wiht Him while He is watching over me and preparing the day. I wake up, spend time with Him and then do what he has already planned for me. I LOVE your tips. I have a few days of vacation next week and my plan is to declutter my room, and make it inviting and restful...Thank you so much!

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