Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God. ~Jim Elliot
What?! You didn’t wake up one morning to a cryptic message that said, “Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to be a pastor’s wife.” It doesn’t happen that way, does it? Our husband is called, and we follow. We can be the “make it or break it” to family ministry. “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;” 1 Timothy 1:12
One of the most meaningful lessons as a pastor’s wife came three weeks after my husband became a pastor. I wanted to do it all perfectly. I wanted everyone to like me. I had huge shoes to fill as the previous pastor and his wife had been at the church for almost 30 years. Here is what happened.
My husband and I were standing at the back of the auditorium greeting people after the Sunday morning service when a lady came up to me with an unhappy look on her face. I had seen her once or twice before, but I was having trouble remembering her name. She marched up and abruptly said, “I am mad at you.” Shocked, I replied, “Oh no! What did I do?” She went on to tell me that she had been sick for almost two weeks, and I hadn’t even checked on her. I apologized and asked her to please bear with us as we learn the “ropes” of our new position. She said she would try to be patient. She left the church a couple of weeks later. At first, I felt like a failure, and then I was mad she would be so petty. Finally, I allowed God help me to learn something important. I can learn from anybody and any situation whether it is my fault or not. I decided from that moment on that I should keep track of ladies who were not at church and make sure they knew I missed them being there. I also realized, that while I could encourage ladies, I was not the “fixer.”
We (God’s sheep) have issues that go straight to heart. Only God can fix the heart. I like to make things happen and see immediate change, but see the need and take the lead is not a helpful motto when dealing with hearts. Only prayer can soften hearts. Over the eight years that followed and to this day, I am learning practical things that allow me to serve (not perfectly) but with gladness. This post got kind of long so I am breaking it into two posts. Here are the first three points. The others are coming soon.
