"I fell asleep listening to your book"
My favorite thing to hear
One of the best compliments I have received from some of you is, “I fell asleep listening to your book.”
That statement reminds me of something I heard years ago. I think it was from Ray Ortlund and it went something like this: “I used to feel guilty whenever I’d fall asleep praying but then I realized how much I liked it when a child fell asleep on my lap and I realized that’s what God is like too.” That’s not an exact quote, but I hope I got the gist of it right. He’s right. The Bible says, “God does not slumber or sleep but keeps watch over Israel.” I’ve burnished those words on my brain.
Sleep is my favorite thing in the world. If I don’t get enough sleep or good sleep, I feel all kinds of upside down. I’ve struggled with forms of insomnia or interrupted sleep over the past ten years and it is really important for me to safeguard the perfect concoction of sleep aids while also not drugging myself into oblivion.1 So when someone says the cadence of my voice speaking about curiosity and faith is the thing that lulls them into rest, I want to figure out how to package it and give it to anyone and everyone who struggles with sleep.
Fortunately, Christian Audio packaged it for me.
For the month of August, A Curious Faith audiobook is 60% off. Just $8. If I could buy it for you all and send it with magnesium gummies and a warming eye-mask, I would. Just click on that button below.
More sleep for all!
Did you know that I’m leading a trip to Israel this fall? I am! It’s called A Curious Faith: a contemplative pilgrimage through Israel. We will walk the streets of Capernaum and sail on the Sea of Galilee and tour the village of Mary Magdalen and sit with Palestinian believers in their homes and so much more. It is going to be beautiful and I can’t wait to go with you. There’s still time to sign up for the trip and we need to get a few more spots filled in the next few months. I hope you’ll consider coming. Going to the land where so much of Scripture unfolds helped color in so many lines for me. Sign up here.
Have you ordered my latest book? A Curious Faith: The Questions God Asks, We Ask, and Wish Someone Would Ask Us. Available now, wherever books are sold: Amazon | Baker Book House | Bookshop
Also available: Handle With Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch in Life and Ministry
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Right now the concoction is being home early, a completely dark room with a fan running, three Calm gummies (not the melatonin ones which make me wake up feeling hungover), read for about an hour, absolutely no screens an hour or more before bed, turn the 60 minute timer on my warming eye mask, put one pillow between my legs and another under my head, and pray I fall asleep quickly because if not, it’s going to be another hour or two or sometimes three before I fall into a somewhat restful state. Anyway. That’s what’s working now, who knows what will work in another three months.
I am going to look up a warming eye mask!!
I need to have a better “wind down” routine before bed this school year. I used to drink Calm before going to bed. Maybe I’ll start that again! I did a sleep study in July. The results were fascinating and helpful to me. The best part about the whole not-great, but not-awful experience was the sleep number bed that could elevate my back and legs. I’m going to start saving money for one! I sleep best when I’m basically sitting up…which is kinda perfect for reading, too.