Man raises the bar in all areas of his life

I am very thankful for the series entitled, "Raising the Bar." So much of what has been spoken about in this series resonates in my life. By the encouragement from a few godly friends I have devoted more of my time and energy to raising the spiritual bar in my life.
One way I have started to do this is by being more devoted to morning prayer. Though there have been times that I have done some of this in the past, lately I have strived to be more devoted despite how I may be feeling. Each day I have been getting up and spending some time reading the Psalms, thanking God for His many blessings, asking Him for His will for today, and praying for my family and ministry. I know more time spent this way would be better, but I am pleased I have at least established a routine that I can build on in the future. I can already see that the consistency of this routine is helping me in my life.
Another small way I have raised the bar is in Bible reading and study. I have for years used a 365 Bible which I read each night before bed. During the "Raise the Bar" series I have been encouraged to reflect more on what I am reading. If needed, I will go back and read a verse three and four times until I feel like I understand the deeper message. I am amazed at how often what I am reading ties into other areas of my life: it shows up in a message during Men's Fraternity, in Sunday sermons, or in a conversation with my wife or a friend. It is reassuring to see how God is speaking to me and reinforcing his Word in my life.
Lately, I have really been getting hit with God's challenge to overcome my feelings. There are often many areas of my life that I do not "feel" like addressing. I have seen that when I listen to my feelings I can become complacent, distant and, frankly, a little depressed. I am not always a great student, but I think God is teaching me that I have to fight through these feelings and "just do it." Boy, it can be a struggle, But, when I take God's advice I have found that He will often meet me when I've stepped out, and I will feel better.
I think it is a humility thing - often times I just want to be in control. When I am in control I only have to do what I feel like, but eventually I so distance myself from God and His will that I get lost and depressed. At these times, I am especially thankful for the encouragement of friends. It's good to know that I am not alone in my struggles and that others believe in me and my ability to persevere. God definitely uses these relationships in my life to point me back to Him.
Thanks again for the Raise the Bar series. In the last year or so, many sermons have been very convicting to me. I have spoken to others that feel the same. Thank you!