Do You Need a Good Night's Sleep? Don't Count Sheep, Count Fruit!

What's getting in the way of a good night's sleep for you? Here are just a few common examples: replaying the day's events in your mind, worrying about the next day's schedule, stewing over a conflict, feeling stressed and anxious, and scrolling on your phone before bedtime.

If we're not intentional, we can forget to give all of our worries and cares to God (I Peter 5:7). Prayer doesn't require Wi-Fi, so God is always online to be with us. Grateful for that! Speaking of grateful, I also invite you to count your fruit with God in prayer and get a good night's sleep! In Jess Connolly's book, You’re the Girl for The Job, she encourages women to count their fruit. That really resonated with me which led to more reflection which led to 5 ways you can count your fruit!

1-3. I learned Dr. John Townsend's Competence and Character Growth Path in graduate school in the Townsend Institute at Concordia University-Irvine. In his book, People Fuel, he names three types of fruit in our lives, the three Ps: Personal, People, and Performance.

Personal: Includes healthy choices in your behaviors, thoughts, values, and emotions.

People: Includes your personal and professional relationships. To the degree that they are healthy and bearing fruit depends on relationships where there is safety and acceptance with reciprocal vulnerability (being mindful of appropriate boundaries) and the ability to solve relational problems.

Performance: Includes the productivity and success of your tasks, the doing aspects of your life. A few examples of work include living out your God-given purpose; serving others with your time, talents, and treasure; and leading others with mission, vision, and core values.

What kind of fruit are you bearing in the three Ps?

Thank God in prayer for the fruit you are bearing in your life. Remember, when we bear fruit, we are blessing others and giving glory to God the Father who is the giver and source of all blessings (James 1:17).

4. I encourage you to thank God for the special people in your life where you are the receiver of their fruit.

5. Pray for the people that get under your skin! When was the last time you prayed for someone that they may know God or be strengthened, healed, or forgiven so that they could bear healthy fruit in their lives? I don't know about you, but this can be the last thing on my mind to do! Yet God instructs us to pray for our enemies and those who hurt us (Matthew 5:44).

Each night at bedtime, pick one of the 5 ways to count your fruit.

God desires to be in a personal relationship with us. After all, "there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13). God blesses all who believe in His Son, Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins and rose in victory, to receive His greatest fruit, His gift of eternal life. With a free, undeserved, gift of grace like that, how can we not respond with prayers of Thanksgiving! So, let's be intentional and develop a daily habit of prayer, connecting with God. 

So, before you start counting fruit and enjoy some good zzzzzzs, I have a favor to ask. Please leave a comment and describe what this experience was like for you and what was your fruit count before you fell asleep! In all fairness, I will share mine with you next week!