A long time ago I learned from one of my mentors that attitude makes a big difference in life. He taught me that my attitude towards life, although shaped by many different aspects in my past, my current situation in life, as well my hope for the  future - really boiled down to a choice I needed to make on a daily basis. Each day I face many issues in many nations - legal, governmental,  religious, relational. I work with and in difficult situations and often with people in crisis mode. There are time pressures, shortages of needed resources, lack of adequate manpower, and people living in very difficult and dangerous  situations who need help right now!

I feel inadequate. I know I am limited in what I can do. I often feel powerless and overwhelmed. I pray and still bad things happen to good people.  There never seems to be enough soon enough to make a major difference. 

But I live with tremendous hope in the midst of all this. I choose to be hopeful because I see all the young people hungry for God and learning to minister to their own people in their nations.  Great things are  happening - and we, His people, need to live with hope in our hearts. We need to choose to be optimistic. Attitude is  not everything but it is a good start.