A Wife's Call to Her Husband's Ministry

I am at the age most people begin looking at retirement. Imagine the surprise I felt when my husband came to me and said he knew God was calling him into full-time ministry! We had been through a very rough church split and were driving almost an hour to attend a church we believed God called us to be a part of. Changing careers was not on my agenda. I have somewhat of a career working in the public school system and was extremely happy with where I was working. I promised my husband I would pray through it with him and seek God’s direction. He began doing seminary classes and preparing for a new life’s calling. Between my jobs at private and public schools and volunteer church work I have 20+ years experience of working in youth ministry Honestly, I was really surprised at how God worked in our lives and placed us where we are. When my husband was called to be the Student Ministries Pastor at the church we’d been attending it meant moving. A precious individual in our church offered for us to stay with him while we looked for a place to live in Gonzales. The plan was for me to stay in our home except for Sunday and Wednesday nights since they are the specific times of ministry. I clearly remember (a few weeks into this new life) one evening, as I was walking, I felt this deep longing in my heart to be where my husband was and to be with the people God had called us to minister to. Yes you understood correctly, I said us. I almost felt jealous that he was there full-time. Although I wasn’t the paid staff member I knew it was just as much my calling to be involved in the ministry we are a part of. So the next day I loaded up my car and went to our temporary home full-time. It took a few months but God provided a nice house in a great area for us to live in. As tiring as it gets at times driving back and forth to my job, rushing to get home in time for whatever ministry we are a part of that evening, it is exhilarating and so satisfying knowing we are right where God wants us to be, doing what He has called us to do. I know most people would think that we are a little on the “old side” to be working with youth, even the kids tease us sometimes, but I believe at the time He placed us here they needed our laid back personalities to ease them through the changes they were going through. It has been an incredible journey seeing all the wonderful changes God is making not only in our students, but us as well. I fully trust and believe Him when He assures me, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” And trust me it is only by HIS strength that I can keep up the non-stop schedule. To see my husband’s heart break over a situation that a student is going through or the joy that bubbles out of his heart and explodes into the room when he sees a student “get it” or sees them grow in an area we’d been praying for them to change in is just amazing. But then, why wouldn’t it be when we serve such an incredible and amazing God. I can’t tell you that students know and comprehend how much God loves them but I do know if they can understand and comprehend that the love my husband and I pour and pray over them is just a thimble full compared to what God has for them then we are heading in the right direction with them to understanding His love. I love our community and the direction the youth pastors/leaders are heading and know that being on God’s side we are going to make great strides in reaching the youth of our community for Him. I love being a minister’s wife and the privileges that come with it. Seeing God at work up close and personal in so many areas as well as being a part of a team that loves God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and want to encourage those of all ages that when we embrace that we are embracing the most incredible life one could have and be on a journey that never stops being exciting. Look out Gonzales, because God is on the move!!!