The Joys of a Pastor's Wife

Before reading the following post: Please hop over to my friend Tracy Corey's Blog. Tracy and her husband are in Peru to complete the adoption of two little girls ages 12, and 8. The oldest daughter has had a lot of fear, (which would be expected when you are leaving everything you've ever known) and is saying now that she does not want to be adopted. This will mean that the girls will not be adopted and will age out in an orphanage. The Corey's have a full heart to reach out to embrace these girls. Please join me in praying that they will be willing to accept the love the Corey's want to give them.

My husband is a pastor. Before he became pastor of  our church he was the youth pastor. Being a pastor is a calling that God places on someone's heart. It means laying one's life down for the sake of souls. It means, many times, letting go of something that a person might like to do (In the sense of a temporary dream, pleasure, or way to spend time), and laying that aside to tend to the flock God has given them. ( Danny and I are doing exactly what we want to do with our lives, and that is fulfilling God's plans for us.)

When Danny and I were newly married, I struggled at times with this. I knew that being a pastor's wife was something that God had called me to. I knew it meant sharing my husband, and our time together with people. People who have needs, who need comforting, who need reaching, and who need feeding.

There were many times as newlyweds that I felt bitter and angry when we would have to drop our plans on a dime, because someone had a need. I can remember one time in particular, on our first Valentine's Day as a married couple. I decided to surprise Danny with something extra special. I had my Dad come and set up a large white tent he had, and I decorated it with white lights, candles, and a romantic dinner. Just as we sat down to enjoy the meal, the phone rang. It was a teenager in the youth group who said they needed to talk to Danny right then. He hugged me, apologized over and over and left to go and see what the problem was. He was back quickly, and we were still able to enjoy our evening.

My husband has a heart for souls, plain and simple. He can be very silent as we are driving down the road, and I'll babble on and on about our future plans, yard work and household doings. He will agree and chime in at times. There is one thing that will always keep him talking. There is one thing that will bring rivers of tears from his eyes. It is his desire to reach the lost. His passion to see lives change for God's glory is unlike any I have ever witnessed in anyone else in my life. He helps me keep my focus right, he leads our family to the things that truly matter the most.

The responsibility that is upon him as the pastor of a church is even greater now. Danny works a full time job at our family insurance business, and is a father and husband, along with being a pastor. I am amazed at the zeal that flows through him. He wakes early in the mornings and goes to the church to be able to pray and spend time in the Word. He comes home to get ready for work, works his job, then comes home and takes care of household things. (baseball, supper, yard work, visiting people, etc) He seems to never lose his steam. Nothing excites him more than a midnight call from a broken teenager, or a surprise visit just as we are climbing into bed for the night. It is his joy to spend all Saturday morning preparing his sermons. It is truly his pleasure to rise and meet other people at 5:30am for Thurday morning prayer.

The last few weeks have been absolutaly full to the brim. We have had numerous fundraisers for our adoption (3 days garage sales- chicken dinner sales-) along with church events. There have been real needs in real lives that have been broken, needing a touch from the Lord. There have been people who have been seeking direction and healing. There have been regular household issues like a broken air conditioner, a broken down vehicle, and a problem with our septic system.


It is my joy, as his wife, to share in this journey. When satan tries to remind me of how busy our lives have been,  I have the privelige of reminding him of the souls we have seen reached. I am filled with excitement to see the work God is doing in our area and in our church.
Today, as I honestly was tempted to wish for things to slow down, God overwhelmed me with his joy.
He gave me the following thought:
Not very many people would covet the life that we have chosen, but there are also not very many people who will have the privelige of dancing with joy as this harvest comes in.

The gospel plow is a plow still. Being beneficial to lives around means a sacrifice, and anyone who says anything different is speaking out of ignorance, in an attempt to candy coat a world full of hurting, broken people. These people are not looking for someone to pray with them and pat them on the back, as they go home to their easy life.  For someone to be affective in impacting someone else, it will cost something. Time, money, tears, sweat and blood, maybe.

There is not a more rewarding pursuit, though.

I am honored to pour my life out for something that will outlast this world. I am honored to do it with such an amazing husband. It is not a chore, it is gift and a blessing that God would choose to use these clay jars to fill with such a wonderful treasure. Thank you Lord for letting me be a part!

***We are so excited to share that we received a letter this week from Show Hope letting us know that we will be receiving a $3000 grant. We are beyond thankful!! At this point, all of our adoption expenses are paid (that we know of) and we just need to raise the est $10,000 it will cost us to go to Peru. We are praying for the Lord to show us how to go about doing that. I am about to revamp my "Aprons for Adoption", and see what other ideas we can come up with! We know God is faithful to provide!