As a pastor’s wife, you may feel as if you’re living in the shadow of your husband’s wings, no matter how busy you are at church. But his call to ministry is also your call. Since you’re a team, God has a great purpose for your work at church as well. When you embrace that call, you gain the freedom to soar to reach your highest potential in Christ and in ministry.

Here’s how you can get your ministry off the ground and start soaring:

Discern the voices that truly matter amid the noise surrounding you. Each day brings fresh pressure as various tasks compete for your attention. But many pursuits aren’t truly important. Learn to block out the noise pollution in your life and listen for the four types of voices that matter most: Christ’s voice, the voices of other believers, the Holy Spirit’s voice, and your own voice. As you seek to hear Christ’s voice, be clear about what exactly you’re listening for so you can focus. Remember that His voice will always be positive, not negative, and that He will often speak to you from the pages of Scripture. Know that God will sometimes use other believers to deliver messages to you; carefully consider what they say. Surrender all aspects of your life to God to invite the Holy Spirit to work in and through you. Depend on the Spirit’s unlimited power rather than your own limited abilities moment by moment, and you’ll be able to hear the Spirit’s guidance. Understand that your unique voice is valuable in ministry. Don’t be afraid to speak up and use your God-given natural talents and spiritual gifts to make a positive contribution to the world around you.

Embrace your call. Realize that your husband’s call to ministry is also your own. Since you all are a team in life, the anointing that’s on him is also on you and the authority that resides in him also resides in you. So come alongside your husband to work together in unity. Be confident that your work as a pastor’s wife is significant. Don’t just busy yourself at church without a clear sense of direction. Instead, ask God to show you the specific purposes He wants you to fulfill in ministry so you can be as fruitful as He wants you to be.