By: Tessa McGilbra

The smell of freshly made popcorn hung in the air. It was family movie night. As we got ready to settle in, I couldn’t stop thinking about just one more thing I needed to do. If I just finish up this last task, then I could finally relax. It had been like this for a while. Balancing life as a wife, wearing mom and work hats, and being a pastor’s wife didn’t leave much time to spare. Between getting our son ready for senior year, planning ministry events, meeting work deadlines, and supporting women in the church, my to-do list seemed to have a life of its own. I had gotten so comfortable being in do mode that I didn’t realize I had slipped into the trap of busyness.

By: Dr. Bethel Webb

“You’re too loud.”
“You’re too quiet.”
“Why doesn’t your wife work?”
“Why does your wife work?”
“Your kids are so noisy—can’t you keep them in line?”
“Your kids are too quiet—are they okay?”

If you're a ministry wife, chances are you've heard contradictory comments like these more times than you can count. One moment, you’re too much. The next, not enough. It’s like trying to walk a tightrope in heels, during a storm, while juggling flaming opinions.

By Sarah Beth Sandel

I have always loved stories. 

I come from a long line of readers, storytellers, poets, and musicians who craft fables out of foibles, legends out of family adventures. Stories have shaped my worldview and my inner life. Some of my earliest memories include being curled up on the couch with my paperback Little House in the Big Woods or Anne of Green Gables, fully sinking into the delight and tragedy and triumph of the Ingalls family and that “red-headed snippet”, Anne Shirley. I am a firm believer that nearly every epic tale in book or film is ultimately derivative of the Greatest Story ever told: something made, something lost; something found, something redeemed, something renewed. 

By Dr. Bethel Webb

"I just want to be treated like a normal person," she said, her voice cracking just a little. “But when people see me, they either avoid me or start pouring out all their problems. I’m either invisible… or the church’s emotional dumpster.”

By Bethel B. Webb

The New Year often carries a sense of hope—a chance to hit the reset button, to reimagine and reboot life after the ups and downs of the past twelve months. For many, it’s a season of renewal and optimism.

By Bethel B. Webb

Many pastor’s wives have shared how overwhelming it feels when their husbands vent about ministry struggles. It’s tough to balance being a supportive spouse while safeguarding your own emotional and spiritual health. Here are six practical ways to establish and maintain healthy boundaries…

By Bethel B. Webb

In ministry, betrayal isn’t just a personal wound; it’s a spiritual assault. You pour your heart and soul into your work, investing in the spiritual well-being of others. When someone you’ve guided, counseled, or loved turns against you, it can feel like a rejection of your very calling.

By Bethel B. Webb

God designed us to be dependent on Him. Our limitations are not a consequence of the Fall, nor are they a design flaw. They're precisely what God intended. Our dependence on God creates intimacy with him which produces peace that passeth understanding. (Phil 4:7) Life is unpredictable, and we do not have all the information. This uncertainty is intentional, encouraging us to trust in His wisdom and guidance. 

By Bethel B. Webb

The focus on productivity can lead us to equate our purpose with our current role or responsibilities. But roles are not synonymous with purpose. The same way as role is not equal to identity or calling. A pastor's wife can find purpose beyond her husband's ministry. A stay-at-home mom's purpose extends beyond raising children. The purpose of the woman in ministry goes beyond the confines of what she must and must not do.

By Dr. Bethel B. Webb

Dealing with critical individuals can be challenging as constant criticism is exhausting. While it may be tempting to ignore or dismiss them, this approach often proves effective only temporarily. Whether you thrive in the midst of criticism or tend to avoid conflict, here are some steps you can take when faced with a critical person.

By Dr. Bethel B. Webb

Wherever you are in your prayer life, remember that God is pursuing you to have a conversation with Him. Prayer is a way to build a relationship with Him and thus feel closer to Him.

By Glenna Marshall

Our responsibilities in serving are important, but when we gather as a spiritual family to worship Christ, we’re there to worship him just like everyone else. Sundays are for our worship because church is for us, too.

By Glenna Marshall

Every mother knows what it's like to be given unsolicited advice on how she parents, but when your parenting decisions are seen, evaluated, and judged by an entire congregation, it can create an awkward setting for relationships within the church.

By Glenna Marshall

Jesus is not just the reason for the season, He is the reason we serve the local church. He is the reason we study and prepare, serve and love, show up and give the gift of our presence to our people. He is the reason we say “yes” to what He asks us to do. He is the reason we give our lives to make Him known. He is our reason and purpose for life!

By Glenna Marshall

There isn’t a script for when you answer the phone and hear that a loved one has suddenly passed away, that a wayward child has disappeared, that a marriage is on the rocks. Nevertheless, your church members will call you when life has gone off the rails because you (and/or your husband) represent wisdom and help as a member of the pastor’s family. While you may not feel up to the challenge, it’s a good thing for your church members to reach out to you!

By Liz Roy

As much as we might find comfort in the psalms of lament, we often don’t know how to practice lament. We don’t know the language of lament. It is tempting to limit lament to expressing our thoughts, feelings, and complaints to God and then asking Him to change our circumstances. We can be like the Israelites and stop short, grumbling our way to God…

By Glenna Marshall

If you’re struggling with resentment because of the demands ministry makes of your marriage, confess those feelings and areas of sin to the Lord. Seek to keep your heart soft before Him by trusting Him with the calling He has placed on your lives as a married couple in ministry. This isn’t easy, but leaning towards the Lord and the things He loves will always be the right answer.* 

By Glenna Marshall

I used my journal to chronicle what was happening in real time, and then I did the only thing I felt I had any power to do—I prayed for my husband. 

By Glenna Marshall

When it comes to rash words, we reap what we sow. There have been many times in my life as a pastor’s wife when I’ve wished I could stuff a rash response back into my mouth. It’s an ongoing struggle, to be frank. But I can’t unsay what I’ve spoken in angst. When I react immediately in a tenuous situation, it never serves me well in the long run. In fact, a rash reaction tends to make a bad situation worse. 

By Liz Roy

Ministry wife, take heart and know that God is growing you too. Maybe the lessons God has taught me will spur you on to think about what He has been teaching you through vocational ministry. And may the lessons learned for all of us not only settle in our minds as information, but may these lessons transform us to be more like our Savior as we journey together.