Ministry Wife: You Are Loved
By Kellye Carmack
We all love October don’t we? There’s something about the changes in the weather and the colors that makes us nostalgic and renews our energy. “Pumpkin spice” has become a holiday season all its own as we fill our shopping carts with pumpkin flavored versions of all our staple items. We can’t wait to pull out our hoodies and long boots and sip hot drinks by a fire. We just love October.
For the pastor’s family, October can be an extra special (or extra hard) month. October is the month churches set aside to show appreciation for their pastor and his family. Hopefully, congregations are busy planning special gifts and events that will show the pastor’s family how much they are loved. Unfortunately, for many pastors, this month will come and go without so much as a word of encouragement. Perhaps you are a pastor’s wife and your church has either forgotten or neglected to care for your family this month. It’s not about expecting praise for your service, we all need words of encouragement and affirmation. Silence from the church, especially during pastor appreciation month, can communicate lies that you are not valuable, that you are not loved.
Have you been tempted to believe these lies about yourself?
Pastor’s wife, know today that you are deeply loved. The church’s lack of care for you is not an accurate reflection of God’s love for you. Your Heavenly Father loves you fiercely. He sees you, and He is pleased. His heart is warm with affection for you. He wants to give you good gifts for your enjoyment. Your Heavenly Father has filled the pages of Scripture with words of encouragement to you. He hears your cries and His heart is moved. He sees your suffering and He wants to pick you up and comfort you. He does not forget the work you have done for His people. As a child of God, you are never overlooked or forgotten.
God’s love is greater than any person or church can show you. Even the most meaningful human gifts pale in comparison to what He has for you. Let me encourage you to take a few moments to rest in His love for you. Meditate on who He is as your Father and Creator. Ask Him to show you how much He loves you.
Then be still, listen, and be loved.
Kellye is the Women’s Ministry Director for Practical Shepherding Women’s Ministry. She has an undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies and a master’s degree in Biblical Counseling. She served as a missionary in Western Europe for two years helping to share the hope of Christ with women in difficult situations. While in seminary, she met her husband Craig who is an associate pastor at their church in Louisville, KY. She loves helping women discover the unique ways God has gifted them to serve the church.