Spring gave a convincing false start last month in Chicagoland. It was the first of March, and I found myself outside in the shining sun, enjoying a mild 60° breeze. After three months spent licking icicles (which have since returned,) I was unable to resist nature’s charms—shed a quick tear for global climate change—and took a walk in the woods. After about a mile, I stopped to sit on a split log and looked up into the sky. Gazing into the vast blue dome rimmed in still-naked black oak branches, I took a deep breath and thought, “I am so glad I exist."

A lesson on choosing to see the good.

Every time I look at the bright blue sky, I see a swarm of tiny, black gnats.  As I shift my eyes left and right, they follow me. It’s as if each oddly shaped little bugger is fighting for the spotlight in the center of my vision.  It’s distracting; it pulls my focus away from cloud gazing and onto the annoyance of the squiggle that interrupts my line of sight.

You know how seeing a picture can bring back memories?

I saw a photo recently that reminded me of a time in my life where I felt my lowest. It was a photo of myself and a few friends the day after I had a major anxiety attack. At the time the photo was taken, I had been living in Southeast Asia for almost 4 years as a missionary. I was involved in wonderful ministries, had amazingly encouraging friends, food to eat, a place to live, etc. Life was good. From the outside.

Do you ever struggle trusting God’s plans? Or find it difficult being joyful with the callings He's placed in your life? Me too. Questions of how, when, where, and why flood my head and my heart.

Recently, I asked God to speak to my unbelieving/struggling heart, and as a faithful God, He spoke through the book of Mark at a church service, encouraging me to be faithful in living a life that's glorifying and all-devoted to following Him. The passage, and message, taught me there's three aspects of a servant's call, all of which begin with Jesus.