Pastors' Wives

Are you a ministry wife?

How are you doing?

Not your church or husband or family, but you. Your own soul and spirit. Your own relationship with the Lord. Are you experiencing great intimacy and growth? Do you just feel a need to celebrate God's faithfulness? Or are you feeling stagnation and nothingness? Are you simply physically, emotionally or spiritually exhausted? Maybe all three? Do you need to pour your aching heart out to a kind face? Or do you crave time alone to talk to your Lord? Are you hungry for His touch? Do you feel alone out there? When’s the last time you just had fun? Could your soul use a little tender loving care? Do you get worn out in your many hats?

Can you relate to any of these?:

	Life in the ministry is unique. You would love to be able to talk freely and openly with others who understand your life without having to watch every word or wonder what will be shared across the pews. You just want to laugh and have fun with women who are in the same boat.
	People are criticizing your husband because he doesn’t use the King James Version. Or he’s too traditional. Or too radical. Or too ______. It is so painful to hear everyone tear down your husband. Especially when you know how much he loves and serves these often ungrateful people.
	After following your husband's lead to sacrificially support the new building fund, you encounter nothing but apathy and resistance. Will this new building ever get built? You are choosing to trust God, but there are days…
	Depression hangs like a dark cloud over your life. You’re not supposed to feel like this. You can’t tell anyone. You decide to just suck it up and keep going.
	Your heart is breaking over your child who is hurting. Or rebelling. Or running away from the Lord.
	After leaving an assignment where you felt at home and involved, you and your husband have a new church. He is getting a feel for things and connecting with people, but you feel invisible. No one really talks to you. You cannot find friends in this town. You feel torn between God, the church, your husband and your own loneliness and unhappiness.
	Once again, your husband has been called out on church business just when he was finally going to take you and the kids to the zoo. Another family outing cancelled by the “higher calling” of the ministry. You feel angry, discouraged, conflicted, and somehow guilty as you look at the crestfallen faces of your children.
	You are sick and tired of the spoken and unspoken expectations placed on you by the congregation. This is a very traditional church, and you are not a traditional clergy wife. Why can’t they accept that?
	God has done amazing things in and through your church in the last year. You are married to a godly man who loves the Lord and has proper priorities and boundaries. You feel so blessed where you are in life and you just want to celebrate with others who share your passions for the Lord, marriage, family and church. You just want to celebrate!

“the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Ministry wives have unique pressures, stressors and often no safe and confidential sounding board. Psalm One Ministries provides encouragement, support and soul care through one-day gatherings and other meaningful connections.

We focus on three areas:

Refreshing the soul--finding ways to keep your spirit and personality encouraged and uplifted. Making sure that you are not dying the vine. Sometimes we nearly lose ourselves completely as we sacrifice for the ministry. This is a safe place to unload or just be with others who might understand what your life is like.

Reconnecting with God--truly enjoying Him and drawing on the Lord as your friend, source and healer—not as the One who takes up all your husband’s time. Sometimes we get God and church mixed up. And ministry can crowd out the true joy and power of our intimacy with Jesus.

Resourcing--connecting with contacts, articles other support in your needs and interests. I am in the Caregivers’ Forum, which ministers to those in ministry, and there may be resources that could be a lifesaver to you or someone you know.

If you are a pastor's wife..

No matter where life finds you, Psalm One Ministries would like to invite you to join us for a Day of Refreshing designed just for ministry wives. We gather a few times a year for a mini retreat aimed to feed your soul in a safe, beautiful place. We have time to talk about some of the issues you may be facing. You can share as little or as much as you want, and we will listen, laugh, cry, rejoice or commiserate with you. And you don’t have to do anything in this ministry but receive it!

	Questions?
	Are you a ministry wife who would enjoy a day away to be fed, encouraged and loved? (who wouldn't?)
	Know someone who might appreciate an invitation?
	Would you like to host a gathering for pastors’ wives in your city?
	Want to be on the pastors' wives invitation list?

Contact Linda Kline.

Psalm One Ministries

Oregonia, OH