Staying on the Train

Support for Ministry Wives

I've been a ministry wife for almost 32 years - first as a youth pastor's wife (you need a good brownie recipe and an open door policy there!), a pastor's wife, and a church planter's wife. In 2000, my husband, Richard, joined the staff of our National Home Missions Department and we moved to Nashville. We travel together training, encouraging, and trying to help our church planters any way we can. In an effort to do a better job and offer a little support, he has asked me to write a blog.

I woke at 3:30 this morning and I remembered that I had not called the venue where we are going to have our ladies tea- which started me thinking about the other things I needed to do for that - and before I knew it, I was wide awake! So I got up, in the hope of getting sleepy if I read my Bible, I made a list of all the things I needed to do (a dull pencil is better than a sharp mind)...

I am watching three kids for the weekend while their parents are away (two are teenagers and you know that involves food)
We're having a prayer meeting at our house Sunday night (ie...make food)
I'm supposed to get this blog to Richard today by noon.
I'm supposed to write an article for a magazine by this afternoon.
Christie and I are cooking the Wednesday night meal at church this week.
We've been rising at 6(AM that is) to walk (I need my sleep to even think...)

All of these involve responsibilities that are hanging over me ---good things, but things you have to think about and prepare for. It's easy to get overwhelmed and just want to check out.

Dr. James Dobson, likened the situation for many women as being on a fast-moving train. Rather than trying to slow the train down, women are jumping off the train saying, "I can't do this anymore!"

At our training meeting a few months ago, church planter wives told us that being with and hearing that other women felt like they did was in a strange way helpful and encouraging (misery loves company HA)

Sometimes I forget how much I need other believers to walk alongside me - after all, who has time to add one more thing to the list. There are some things we can do "solo" but we need others to listen, pray with us, commiserate, encourage and care for us.

I hope this blog will do at least some of those. I plan to write about my own experience as a church planter's wife (probably one of the hardest jobs ever)--- and just my journey as a wife, mother, sister, friend. Sometimes it's easier to have a "friend" or gather information online (at least you don't have to put on makeup or get dressed to connect). Usually I'll post a thought or two and then pose a question. Feel free to email your own thoughts (iron sharpens iron) and even questions. I may not have the answer, but maybe someone else will.
After I wrote my list, I opened my Bible to the next five psalms for the day (I read five a day to jumpstart my own praise).

"God is my refuge and strength - a very present help in trouble. Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:1, 10)

I needed the reminder that I need God's help -and He wants to give it- and that I need to be still and re-focus on Him. He can help me to know what I need to do and give me the strength to do it!

Email me ways that you manage to do all that you need to do and still stay sane - in other words, "how do you stay on the train?"