Blessings in Sleep

Today's Scripture
“He gives blessing to His beloved in sleep” (Psalm 127:2 AMP).
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
The Lord longs to pour out blessings on you constantly—even when you sleep! Many people today struggle with sleeping at night. They stay awake or get poor sleep because they are constantly focused on their problems and worrying about tomorrow. But that’s not God’s plan for you! He wants you to enjoy your sleep as a time of blessing and refreshing. Understand that God has His hand on your life even in the midnight hour. He wants to speak to your heart and restore your dreams. He is taking care of those things that concern you. When you cast your cares on Him and trust Him to work out every detail of your life, you’ll be able to enjoy that sweet sleep that He has promised. Make the decision today to enjoy the blessing of the Lord as you sleep tonight. Say a prayer before you go to bed and cast your cares on Him. As you allow the Lord to bless and refresh you in sleep, you’ll see a tremendous change in your waking hours. You’ll be more invigorated, more alert, and full of the blessing of the Lord in every area of your life!
A Prayer for Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promise of blessing. I ask that You teach me to receive that blessing even while I sleep. I cast my cares on You and trust that You are working behind the scenes in my life. Thank You for watching over me and protecting me. Thank You for refreshing me as I sleep tonight. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

I seldom have problems sleeping, but I am posting this just in case you do and in case I do sometime and need to re-read these words.

Rest

The following is from Disciplines of the Heart by Anne Ortlund via the Life Lessons in my devotional bible:

For you to rest -- that is, to live in total acceptance of God's way -- demands quiet...

To rest in God permanently means to hand over each activity, each situation of your life, to Him and to learn the habit of trusting Him to work for you.

We don't naturally rest. Naturally we are stewers, tinkerers, and fussers...

Have you too much o do? Are you pushed, rushed, harried?

Said George Fox long ago, "Come out of the bustlings you that are bustling."

To guard your inner life, you must guard your outer life. How's your pace? Are you too busy?...

Does your pace allow you to keep in touch with yourself -- with your inner needs and feelings and longings? Does it allow you time to think, plan, make changes? Does it allow you time to observe carefully the dear ones around you and care for their needs -- physical and emotional? Do you have time to really live?...

Asian theologian Kosuke Koyama says that in human affairs God moves at something like three miles an hour, the pace at which a person walks, not runs! Are you synchronized to your world, maybe even your Christian world, but out of sync with God?...

You will change when your inner life changes. But I just said your inner life is affected by your outer life! Then is the whole thing a vicious cycle that can't be stopped?

No, the change begins with a decision. Your heart is your headquarters. Even as you read this chapter, make the decision, by a conscious act of your will, that you will learn to rest in God both in your inner life and your outer life. Once the decision is made -- and you implement it as God opens your eyes to ways to implement it -- gradually, gradually over the weeks or years, the changes will come. Your heart will start listening to a different pulse deep within you, and with joy you'll begin to match your steps to that lovely, restful beat.

Weekly Weight Average

Today is the day I calculate my weekly weight average. It was 130.9. Exactly the same as last week (totally amazing). I am THRILLED! At the beginning of the week I was afraid I wouldn't end up in my weight range (127-131) this week. I am excited to be there (even though it is just barely).

Today is my first Sunday to not where my pedometer or exercise. It is great. You know God really knew what he was doing when he invented the Day of Rest. I feel free today - free from guilt about not exercisings, free from worries about getting all my steps in, free to sit back and relax. I love it.

Day of Rest

I've been reading a blog called "Out of the Shadows." Dee is definitely a Christian. She does not wear her pedometer on Sundays because it is the Lord's Day, a day of rest. I was getting ready this morning and thinking about that and rationalizing that it was ok to work out on Sunday because it was relaxing to me. BUT, Sunday was MADE for rest which means my body probably needs a day of rest from exercise even if I don't think it does. So, starting this coming Sunday I won't wear my pedometer and the only exercise I will do will be stretching. Now that I have made that commitment, I am looking forward to it!