Gayla's Magazine

A Letter to Young Pastors Wives

Dear Young Pastor's Wife,

Four little lessons that I have learned (the hard way)

I know you feel a bit overwhelmed at times, like you are in over  your head.  People can be hard to deal with.... filled with their own selfishness and have lots of opinions about you or your husband. Older people can be tough to deal with in the church, and you may feel intimidated by them. I will spare you the details of many a tear shed by pastor's wives over the 'saints' as they are called.  But here are 4 things to let sink in that pretty head of yours....    

1. God chose YOU to be married to HIS servant.  He had a reason and guided your destiny towards this.  You didn't pick this life for yourself.  God did.  Rest assured He knows what He is doing.

2. It's not about talent.  It's about trusting God to do what you cannot.  You don't have to know how to do it all.  God will lead you and take charge when we let Him.  

3. Remember it is God's church.... not the peoples, and not ours.  So it's not our place to manage everything that happens.  Let God stay in charge of His Church, and stay in your role. 

4. Remain the supportive wife to your husband... there are many who can do all sorts of things in the church, but only ONE person can take care of the Pastor - and that person is YOU. 

Hope this little note helps...

Your Peer, 

Dr Gayla 

 

Construction starts with DEstruction

I remember  a past home that we had, we couldn't move in until we had remodeled it.  To get the dream we had for that house we had to start back at the beginning and take walls, flooring and old fixtures out first.  Wow it was a very loooong hard project that seemed like it took forever!  I wished we could just have walked in and waved our hands and instantly it would be all better.  But that is not reality.  Building a dream begins with a raw idea.... then a plan.... then steps each day in the plan.... till finally you reach the goal and can say it's finished.  

Your life is just like this in the ministry.  It starts with a raw vision... a idea... a goal to reach that you 'see' inside.  Everyone wants the end  instantly.... and sometimes it seems like things happen fast, but most of the time it's not the truth.  It takes lots of time, lots of sacrifice, lots of ignoring the comments and criticisms of others, you just have to keep on working.... most of the time ministry is a lifetime work.  It's only later on down the road that you see the vision in fulfillment.

Take heart my friend it may not turn out  just exactly like your vision, but I can assure you it will end up being just right for your life.  God knows your frame and the work He has called you to.  Be patient,  stay at peace, just keep working.... one day your hard labor will be done and you will have the proper framework of the ministry God has designed for you all along.  

Everybody else can have an opinion about your work, but only YOU are called to do it.  So do your work like God wants you to do and forget the ideas of others.  They didn't call you and they can't complete your assignments.  Keep your head down and keep working.... every day that passes refinement and definition is happening to you. 

And one day.... you will hear the Father say,  "Well done my good and faithful servant... enter in to the joy of the Lord."  It will all be done and we will all be Home at last.  Stay strong and keep working!