Ministry

Being in ministry, living in ministry, breathing in ministry - this is my life and always has been! I am a Pastor's Kid turned Pastor's Wife, and will wear that as a badge only when necessary. However, I choose to wear it on my heart every day and in every way. I know that I am so much more than "just a Pastor's Wife" and I also know that I desire to be known for who I am and not for who my husband is or the job or title he has. 

(Side note: On being a Pastor's Wife - I love this role. I have never not loved this role. I know that God has uniquely gifted and called me to this role, not because of my husband but because of me. Leading the church ministry family life takes an extra bit of courage, grace and patience. It takes more than a bit of vulnerability and humility. It means extending who you are into others. It means your table and your heart are always full. It is a privilege to serve others this way, and it brings me one of my greatest joys in life!)

But ministry in general is what we are all about. Our family revolves around ministry in a number of ways.

Our Church: We love our church. We love THE church. We love that God has chosen the church as a model for his relationship with us. We love that God uses the church to make himself known in our communities and in our world. We love that God uses the church to make us deeper disciples of him, who in turn love to go out and share his love with those around us. We love that the church exists for the glory of God and the expansion of the gospel.

But we also know that church can be messy, it is certainly not perfect, and it can demand and pull and stretch us all. Being in ministry is something all Christ followers embark on, but working full time in ministry can add an extra layer of pressure. What I have come to experience in real life is the extra amount of grace that comes under that pressure. The blessings that abound are priceless and the joys countless. Our mission is to see others as Christ sees them and to love others as Christ loves them. 

Our Family: We also love our family! You can read more about us in the Motherhood page here on my blog. We are certainly not perfect and have had struggles and pain and shattered hopes and scattered joy. But we are who we are. Andrew and I believe that the best ministry we can give to our church is to parent well, to raise our boys to be men of God who seek to love and serve him. Our family is an integral part of our ministry. We have held tightly to the premise that it's not just Dad's job or it's not just Dad in ministry...we are a ministry family.

My Job: In my everyday paying job I am a teacher. I love my job and I have grown to see (and accept) it as my ministry - to love and serve both my students and my colleagues in my school setting. I teach in a Special Education classroom where each of my 10 students has his or her own needs that require my full attention every day. To have the privilege to love on these kids is one of the greatest privileges of my life. They bring me great joy! It took me a few too many years to realize that my ministry had shifted from "in" the church to "out" of the church, and that my teaching these kids was actually my ministry - my way of showing them Christ's love and maybe providing them with an unconditional love they don't usually get outside of their homes. My heart is full and I know that the classroom is exactly where I'm supposed to be, although it was where I never thought I ever would be. I didn't see it coming. I had never intended to end up here. But I am so thankful that God provided me with this avenue to use my gifts and talents - to be able to be Christ to the vulnerable in our society. This is my ministry. 

These ministries all take time. They take balance in life which we struggle to find each and every day. They take up our heart and they make up the heart beat of our family and our purpose in life. They are another reason I am blessed beyond belief.