Wordy Wednesday

My favorite conference on our Gatlinburg trip was: What I Wish I had Known About Being A Minister's Wife. Sheila McFadden from First Baptist Humboldt led this particular conference. These were her points:

1. The highs are high and the lows are low
I am thankful to be in a place where we are very loved, but I realize that there will be times when we won't always feel the love. We're human... it inevitable. These verses she gave us are extreme, but great reminders that God is our refuge in difficult times.

Psalm 56:3-4
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 33:20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

2. I will not meet everyone's expectations
I am a people pleaser! That may even be an understatement. I like to make people happy. I do not want to ruffle feathers. So this is hard to take, but there is only so much I can do. I can't feel guilty about not agreeing to help with everything the church does. For one its not fair to D for me to be worn out and then at home he gets whatever is left. And also, its not healthy for me.

Psalm 139:1

You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

3. Not everyone will meet my expectations
I know I'm not perfect so I need to remember that everyone else isn't either. This means that I not only need to remember this but I can't allow it to create a critical spirit in me.

1 Timothy 3:11
In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

4. I need to "learn" to be content
Content. This 7 letter word is a tough one. Content not just in the good times, but all the time. Content in the good, bad, and ugly. We are to be content wherever God has placed us trusting that He is at work and has us exactly where He wants us.

Philippians 4:11-12
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

5. I need to serve out of my gifts.
I don't need to serve out others gifts or the gifts I wish I had. I need to discover what mine are and use them for His glory.

6. I need to be my spouse's cheerleader
I should be D's #1 fan, supporter, and cheerleader. He should feel safe sharing information, plans, dreams, frustrations with me without fear of rejection, sarcasm, criticism etc. This support should be obvious whether we are alone or in public.

7. I need to mother with grace
I need to remember that my future children and the youth we lead are all different. I need to be sensitive to these differences and look for ways to build stronger, meaningful relationships with them.

8. Celebrate the ministry
I truly believe being apart of God's ministry is one of the most exciting journeys we could be on. We have been chosen for this. What an honor!


I was never called to be a minister's wife, but I was called to be Daniel's wife. I knew at 17 that God created him for me. That meant that I was going to be his wife no matter what God called him to. I never expected to be a minister's wife, but now I know I wouldn't have it any other way!