Treasure for the journey

Well, it's been entirely too long since I have had a blog post. That will be a goal for me, to blog more often. The main reason I started this blog was to share bits and pieces of the treasures in my life. Sadly, I have had huge changes in my life lately, and have not used this source to document such monumental moments. Maybe I can come back and reminisce as I remember things. 

3 months ago I packed up my family and we moved to a completely new state, where we knew very few people. Why did we move you might ask? We moved because my husband followed the leading of God's heart and took a senior pastor position. It's been an amazing journey. I don't have time to tell every detail of how God worked everything out for us to move in His perfect timing, but I will share that in a future blog post.

This is my first time being a senior pastor's wife. I've been the preachers kid my whole life and I've been a youth pastors wife. I enjoyed both of those seasons. Being the pastors daughter wasn't bad for me. I enjoyed it. I always felt it was an opportunity to meet new people and be a part of the ministry my parents had worked at their whole life. The years spent as a youth pastor's wife were fun! We took many trips and made lots of silly memories. I took a group of girls under my wing and tried to be the best role model I could. I wanted to be their shoulder to cry on, their personal cheerleader, their listening ear. That was my favorite part of youth ministry. My girls... Who I still keep in touch with and value every silly inside joke, and sentimental memory. I hope they always remember this gal loves them... No matter what.

Now I'm in a new season. A season I feel bears a heavy load at times. A season of making new friends. This time I get to be many people's shoulder to cry on, personal cheerleader, and listening ear. I watched my mother be a pastors wife all my life. I thought it wouldn't be unfamiliar, but at times it is. I now know first hand how it feels to grieve along with members over a lost loved one or troubled marriage. I know how it feels to visit with little ones in the hospital who are about to have surgery. I feel the hurt that our members have over wayward children. I have felt the hurt of a dear lady battling cancer. Before being a pastor's wife I had dealt with this as a youth pastor's wife but always endured it with my mom and dad as our Senior pastor. Now I'm dealing with it along side my husband. 

Not only do we deal with the trouble and heartache of our members who truly become our family and dearest friends but as a pastor's wife I also am there for my husband. For my pastor. I am there for him when he needs encouragement, when he needs to tell someone about the sermon God has laid upon his heart. When he comes to me because he just needs to laugh. When he comes to me and ask me to pray for him. I get to be his shoulder to cry on for those who are lost. His personal cheerleader for when he preaches his heart out, and his listening ear when he's not sure which direction to go. 

I've said all this to say... There are up's and down's to being in the ministry. I'm glad the up's by far outweigh the down's. Every tear shed at the alter and every heartache we have felt with members is nothing compared to the joy of someone taking Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Or seeing that wayward son or daughter make a commitment to live for God. Or seeing the peace that passes understand on a faithful believers face through the midst of a storm. Or seeing an answered prayerwhen that Young ladies husband comes to church and receives Christ. Or the testimony of men and women of how God delivered them from cancer. That my friends is why a Pastor and their family do what they do. That is why they move 300 miles away from all that is familiar. Because of you and because of all people who are hurting. Because a pastor's family LOVES people.

So to my dear pastor's wife friends, never feel you are facing this journey alone and always keep in mind the good outweighs the hard!

Court