waking the dead

I've been struggling with insomnia—not being able to go to sleep until 2:00 or often 3:00 in the morning. Then of course, I can't get up until 9:30 or 10:00. And I never feel rested when I finally do get up. This is a new problem in my life and it's really been getting to me. I feel like most of the day is gone by the time I get up.

Last night, I finally had a bit of a breakthrough. I was walking past a bookshelf and my hand, of it's own accord, reached out and grabbed my "Waking the Dead" workbook. "Waking the Dead" is a book by John Eldredge that I read probably a year and a half ago. It really hit home then, but I never got around to doing the workbook. I started at 11:00 last night and cried bitterly through the first part of it, but by the end of the first section, something had snapped back into place. I had forgotten how big of a battle we're in, how Satan wants to rob us of all our joy, make us doubt God, and make us miserable in general. So I did a little spiritual warfare and I slept so peacefully. Then I managed to get up much earlier this morning, have a quiet time with the Lord, go for a walk, have breakfast and do laundry all before 9:30. It made me feel so much more human and responsible somehow.

I know I'm a "plugger"; I push my favorite things on people all the time. But that book is really, really good if you're feeling down, like you're living a mediocre existence, hopeless, out of touch, and are beating yourself up for feeling that way. If you're in that place, give it a try. It's well worth it. That's it. No long discourse or major revelation. Just a little recommendation.