{"id":459,"date":"2014-03-24T18:41:07","date_gmt":"2014-03-24T18:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/safeplacewithruthgraham\/?p=459"},"modified":"2014-03-24T18:41:07","modified_gmt":"2014-03-24T18:41:07","slug":"when-you-cant-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/safeplacewithruthgraham\/2014\/03\/when-you-cant-sleep.html","title":{"rendered":"When You Can’t Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"

I woke up early this morning. Too early. Too early to get up but too late to go back to sleep. So I just lay in bed thinking….then I began to fret – worry – about what all I needed to do and the fact I didn’t think I had gotten enough sleep. I am sure you know the feeling! Frustrating. Maddening.<\/p>\n

I prayed for those that came to mind. I recited all the Bible verses I could think of – which is sadly, too few.<\/p>\n

I began to recite Isaiah 26:3. As I did, I thought I will just stay on this verse a while – use it for meditation. “Thou wilt keep him (me) in perfect peace whose (me) mind is stayed on Thee.” I took it piece by piece, word by word.<\/p>\n

Thou<\/em>: \u00a0God. The Almighty. The One who loves and knows me best. My redeemer and friend.<\/p>\n

Wilt<\/em>: not “may”, not “hope and wish” – but will.<\/p>\n

Keep<\/em>: He holds it. Things don’t slip through HIs fingers. Secure.<\/p>\n

Him<\/em> (me):<\/p>\n

In<\/em>: Not on the outside looking in – but inside the circle, close.<\/p>\n

Perfect<\/em>: Whole, complete. \u00a0Not halfway or partial.<\/p>\n

Peace<\/em>: Quiet confidence, calm.<\/p>\n

Whose<\/em>: Me again. But it is my choice.<\/p>\n

Mind<\/em>: That part of me that feels, thinks, wills and reasons.<\/p>\n

Is<\/em>: Present tense. In the now.<\/p>\n

Stayed<\/em>: Focused. Remain.<\/p>\n

On<\/em>: Position<\/p>\n

Thee<\/em>: \u00a0God. My redeemer and refuge. My stronghold and defender. My deliverer.<\/p>\n

Therefore:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The one who knows and loves me best will hold me securely inside a place of quiet confidence when my emotions, thoughts, choices, reason remains focused and positioned in\/on my Redeemer, Refuge, Stronghold, Deliverer, Defender…<\/p>\n

Be anxious for nothing. Be still and know that He is God.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I woke up early this morning. Too early. Too early to get up but too late to go back to sleep. So I just lay in bed thinking….then I began to fret – worry – about what all I needed to do and the fact I didn’t think I had gotten enough sleep. I am…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":466,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,43,16,33,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-god","category-peace","category-personal-thoughts","category-prayer","category-safe-place"],"yoast_head":"\nWhen You Can't Sleep - Safe Place with Ruth Graham<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/safeplacewithruthgraham\/2014\/03\/when-you-cant-sleep.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When You Can't Sleep - Safe Place with Ruth Graham\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I woke up early this morning. 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She has appeared on a variety of radio and television shows including: Good Morning, America, The Hour of Power, Focus on the Family, Moody Broadcasting, Fox & Friends, CBN, Life Today and CNN. She has worked in publishing for over 14 years and is the founder of the Ruth Graham & Friends Ministry. Ruth has three grown children and nine grandchildren. She lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. 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