Being a parson’s (pastor’s) wife is a blessing.  My joy comes from being able to stand alongside a man who:

• Loves God and has given his life to teach and preach God’s Word.
• Shares Truth to bring change to troubled hearts.
• Sacrifices his time gladly to run to help those in need.
• Obeys God’s principles in his private world, just as in the platform God has given him.
• Sees his ministry as 24/7
• Makes his wife his first ministry.

Then there are blessings of the ministry itself – 

• Seeing a lost person come to Christ!
• Seeing hard hearts softened by the Word of God.
• Watching the Church come together for the cause of Christ.
• Laboring with the saints.
• Watching God answer prayers that we have prayed corporately.
• Seeing the church grow and flourish.
• Worshiping and praising God together.
• Fellowshiping with the church.
• Close relationships built because of our bond in Christ.

I could literally write on and on, but I want to hit on one other area of blessings – it’s the Grace blessings that we get to clip so very often.  It’s those blessings that we feel undeserving of, and certainly aren’t looking for.

One of them happened this past Sunday.  Our church celebrated its 61st anniversary, and during the dinner that followed (another blessing of the church!), my husband and I were honored, as were our daughter and son-in-law (our youth pastor).  It was just because of their appreciation for our service at Boones Creek.  The church wheeled in a huge basket for each family that was wrapped almost too beautifully to rip apart!

However, we loaded it into our car, took it out to our back porch and spent the next hour opening cellophane bags containing cards, gift cards and precious gifts.  These were not collective from the whole church, but from individuals.  How each addition to that basket touched our hearts!  Hand written notes of appreciation and thanks, home-baked bread,  jam, maple syrup, treats of all sorts, gift cards to favorite restaurants, stores, and coffee shops…all things our church family knew we would love.  We literally wept with gratitude for their kindness.

The fact that everyone added their contribution made it so special to us.  It was like a personal visit with each one, and our hearts were humbled to be thought of so lovingly and generously.

Being in the ministry also brings many heartaches, and I would be remiss to pretend that every day is full of blessings, but I am also so thankful for God’s timing.  When our hearts could be overcome with the burdens and cares of the sheep under the parson’s care, Our Shepherd steps in and shepherds us.  He reminds us that we are not alone, and that we will One day stand before Him to receive the full reward of our work and labor for Him here.  Oh, it will truly be “worth it all!” Without the hardships, the blessings would not be nearly as precious.  So, I’m thankful for the hard times, and I will choose to learn from them, but not focus on them.  I will look into the precious face of Christ and thank Him for putting it into the hearts of our church to be a blessing at the perfect time to this parson and his wife!

Let me end with two notes:

1. I want to say thank you to my dear church family for your love and encouragement to us this past weekend.  God used you to spur us on, and to remind us of the family that we are when we are unified around the Person of Christ!  Thank you from the bottom of our overflowing hearts.
2. If you are a parson’s wife, put your eyes onto the blessings of ministry and off of the troubles.  When we focus on the hardships, the difficult days and people, we will want to quit.  Look to Christ and remember the last time He shepherded you, just like your parson is caring for your flock.  Christ is there.  He hasn’t forgotten you.  Look at the Letter He left to tell you so.  Jeremiah 31:3 Hebrews 6:10

So very blessed,