In my most recent year of teaching, I worked with a lesbian, a married gay man, and a transgender individual. All of them were excellent teachers who exhibited professionalism, loved their families, and were dedicated to their careers. While neither affirming nor condoning their lifestyle or choices, I learned that year that I could love all kinds of people. The Lord placed these people in my life for several reasons, and for each one, I am grateful. The world is always changing and transitioning. To be Christ-like, we must show love. I found a love I never knew I could possess without the Lord’s help. Can you imagine the wickedness that perplexed the world right before Noah built the Ark? How about imagining what it was like for the flood waters to dry up and for Noah and his family to step off the Ark? Now imagine the beautiful rainbow in the sky, reminding us of the covenant between God, Noah, and all living things.

Genesis 8:22 provides the Lord’s promise to us, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” Ladies, we have important work to do in our ever-changing, transitioning culture. We must be the light that ministers to a hurting world. We must also minister to those who don’t even know they’re hurting.

Transition is defined as the “process of changing from one state or condition to another.” As ministry leaders, we transition from one assignment to the next. Ministry is about laying down our lives and being available. It is also about time, effort, and the investment of others.

For us to be effective ministers, we need to take care of our spiritual needs. Here are a few tips.

1. Leaders must stay encouraged and grateful

2. Walk in communion with the Lord

3. Embrace the next assignment

4. Use ministry assignments to understand the Lord.

5. Cultivate a deeper awareness of the supernatural work of the Lord

Noah’s rainbow was a supernatural work that resulted in a visible wonder to serve as a reminder of God’s covenant each day. As we minister to a transitioning culture, we, too, must transition to success and be all that the Lord is counting on us to be!

“So, here is what I want you to do, God helping you, take your everyday, ordinary life, your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, walking around life, and place it before God as an offering. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out in you and develops well-formed maturity in you.” Message Bible, Romans 12:1-2

Love, Learn & Live - Michelle