As I said in the last post, it's been raining quite a bit here in San Diego of late. I'm not a big fan of rain but I realize it's part of life. "Rain" is part of ministry, too...it's not always blue skies and sunny days. So how to you deal with it?

I think the first step in dealing with rain is recognize its value. We HAVE to have rain. Here is San Diego, we've had some very dry years, and when that happens, it shows...and it's not very pretty. Rain in our ministry - those challenges that we sometimes would like to just go away - is necessary.

Ministry challenges stretch you and your team. It causes you to grow. Challenges cause the leaders, or would-be leaders, to rise to the top, and often weeds out those who aren't really buying in to your vision (addition by subtraction). Challenges make you think and evaluate what you are doing. And ministry "rain" helps you to appreciate the positives that are happening all around you, be it a team member who is developing into a leader, the impact of a ministry on the lives of kids, or some other positive aspect of what's happening.

So rain can be a good thing...even ministry "rain"...when we recognize its value. Other good things can come from it, too...check back and find out.