Spiritual Insights this past week

I meet every other Tuesday with a group of women to study the Bible.  Right now we are working through a book by Beth Moore called Breaking Free: Discover the Victory of Total Surrender.  We are about 5 chapters in and it is proving to be an incredible study.  As I work through it's pages I am continually reminded of the verses in Hebrews 12: 1-3 that say:  "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, let you become weary and discouraged in your soul."  God wants us to look for Him day in and day out, to have HIM be our focus so that when the weight of life presses in we are not moved or shaken.  This requires much discipline and prayer.  I've found it difficult after a baby to get back to the discipline of rising earlier then my family to spend concentrated prayer and study in God's word but when I did I felt like the tone of my day was set.  I find I'm missing that time, we study God's word together in the morning with the kids but it does not fulfill that one on one time, that relationship I am meant to have with the Lord which I get when it is just Him and me in the early morning hours.  During that time He takes the time to teach me, convict me and renew me.  There is nothing like it.  And I have missed the regular routine of it.  A few things also spoke to me this week, a quote I saw on a friends FB page moved me to really think about how important it is to be in His word.  "Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right." ~ Charles H. Spurgeon  How true this is, sometimes it is easy to blur that line but it isn't as easy when my efforts are concentrated in His word by reading, studying and memorizing.  The line becomes much clearer and more defined.  And when I quiet my soul to hear His voice, asking for His wisdom, He will be more then faithful to provide it.  Another friend posted a beautiful song by the singer Heather William, her story behind the song was powerful (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVVn1Yh0sEY) and of course the song itself was amazing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX2uM0L3Y1A).  What stood out for me  was when Heather Williams said "I choose to keep and open dialog with God.... like David (King David)."   This stood out to me because King David did indeed do that, he kept an open dialog with God throughout the seasons of his life, even the hardest times; when King Saul was trying to kill him, or he experienced the consequences of his sin.  I think that makes all the difference in my walk when I do that, particularly in times of distress or times of intense refinement.  Sometimes, I don't feel like doing that but when I have chosen to, despite the way I'm feeling, I can feel my heart soften and the peace of God that passes all understanding settle in my spirit.  This week I am reminded of the race, of keeping my eyes on Jesus - the author and perfecter of my faith and I am also reminded that there are strong women who run beside me.  And I know that I am SO BLESSED.