I just want to ask you ladies to say a prayer for my PW. She is going through a very tough time and her husband is having to step in and find people to take some of her responsibilities as she has been in the bed for three days about to have a break down with her nerves. He is so very concerned for her. I did not know this and called her and offered to teach her college and career class. SHe sounded so relieved and now I know why. I had no clue but I know God did. She is also over the entire youth group but they are undergoing a change and better distribution of labor in that department. She is just exhausted and its playing with her nerves. The final straw came while they were on a youth retreat just this past weekend. Her oldest son (college age 21) got in her face and screamed at her and put his hand over her mouth in front of the whole group. It was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. It has the whole youth group mad at him because they saw how it upset her. SHe came home and went to bed and thats where she's been. I only know because Barak is pastors helper and he told him so they can make some decisions on who needs to take what. SO just pray for her. She is the best PW I have ever seen and her kind nature, not wanting to tell anyone no is costing her and Pastor is taking her away this weekend for some R&R and just pray God will show them BOTH they need a better distribution of labor. And pray for our small group ministry as that will help pastor alot. I will have more to share on that later. But I will say this, Barak is going to be going two weekends a month under pastors reecommendation to churches and teaching staff on Saturday nights about staff and pastors working together and it is going to be great. Pastors are already booking dates. So we are excited. One class will be devoted to small group training and the sunday am service will be evangelistic so he will get to preach too. Exciting! Between priorities , church and busines we are busy as well.
Keep us in prayer. We are praying for you all too.
I'm so happy for you about the situation with you and Barak and how things are coming along for you in ministry and life. THAT'S SO GREAT! I have thought of you often, by the way. And...I want to buy another shirt! (BTW ladies, Cassandra does a great job with her embroidering business, and she made me an absolutely WONDERFUL "Pastoring Partners" sweatshirt. It says: PARTNER: It's who I am, it's what I do!!!" I have gotten so many comments on it -- all very positive. I want to order another one of a different color, so I'll e-mail you about it.
Anyhoo, about your SPW. Wowee. I'm sorry to hear all of that. But thank God it seems perhaps things have been nipped in the bud in time by her going to bed for a few days and her dh taking her away? She has stopped short of a total breakdown, right? I hope so. Along with that, I want to say.....
Cassandra - I just want to say how wonderful it is that you care so much about your SPW and that you have offered to help her in such a way. I was very touched in reading your post. I realized how much care and concern you have for her.
God be praised for your willingness to stand in the gap for your SPW. The Bible teaches us that God will give his beloved rest... Sometimes we take it on our own and sometimes he makes us take it... That's why the 23rd Psalm that we love to quote tells us that because God is such a good shepherd that he MAKES me to lie down... Not that He allows me, because sometimes I don't have enough sense to lie down when I am tired, because I am under some illusion that it is the devil making me tired... NO, IT IS MY BODY SCREAMING OUT FOR REST!!!
Know that I am at this moment lifting up prayers for you and your pastor's wife, especially for her relationship with her son. I know what it is like for your child to be an "embarassment" to you when you are in the midst of ministering to other peoples children... My daughter has recently been taking me through many nights of hard labor in the spirit. Nevertheless I glory not in affliction, rather I give God the glory out of my affliction!
Be uniquely blessed and help your pastor by undergirding his wife, because please know that your pastor's home being in disarray and discontent will trouble his spirit and make him weary... I will continue to be in prayer for the entire congregation that they will not be critical but be crutches - a support that you can lean on in order to take a stand.
Oh gosh, Flow, after my last post (about preaching with the threat of death) I feel convicted now that I read your last post! I probably SHOULD have laid down and rested. I know, I know.
I agree with you...these kinds of things can be so difficult. We do need to seriously pray that the congregation would be crutches and not criticizers. It is so difficult to parent teenagers while in the ministry. I know, I have two of them in my house. It can be a real embarrassment at times, when they just go through natural phases that everybody else's kids go through, yet they are definitely more visible though you hate that fact!
I am blessed to have people who really understand. But still I can get really under pressure (my own pressure) sometimes. One of my sons was running the spotlight for one of our productions this past Christmas. While in a rehearsal, I was standing in the choir and he came up and asked me something and got really smart alek. So I said, "with that kind of attitude, you're off the spotlight. Leave the sanctuary!" I said it quietly but he was really upset with me, and I with him. He left and I just sat in my seat in the choir really miffed. The lady next to me who is one of my dearest friends and supporters here leaned over, put her arm around me and said, "We just had something like that in our house this morning...and believe me PD, we're all going through it, so just realize it's nothing odd...you are just going through what all of us are going through, yet you are the pastors." (They have teenagers too.) I am really blessed to be in a place where people understand that kind of stuff and blessed that we are able to be a support for one another. But I realize some don't have it so good and quite frankly I faced that in my past before we came to this church. It's very difficult when not only do you not have crutches but it seems like the people have taken a pair of crutches and beaten you with them while you are dealing with this kind of stuff.
I am praying for Cassandra's PW, but also for you, Flow. I know you have been under pressure. And quite frankly, the devil loves to put this on you because you are such an eagle and he wants to slow you down and how better to do it than to attack that which is most precious to you? Your home. We've all been there, and wel'l be there again in some way shape and form.
My prayers are with all of you reading this. I am so thankful for the love & support we have in one another.
I just want to ask you ladies to say a prayer for my PW. She is going through a very tough time and her husband is having to step in and find people to take some of her responsibilities as she has been in the bed for three days about to have a break down with her nerves. He is so very concerned for her. I did not know this and called her and offered to teach her college and career class. SHe sounded so relieved and now I know why. I had no clue but I know God did. She is also over the entire youth group but they are undergoing a change and better distribution of labor in that department. She is just exhausted and its playing with her nerves. The final straw came while they were on a youth retreat just this past weekend. Her oldest son (college age 21) got in her face and screamed at her and put his hand over her mouth in front of the whole group. It was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. It has the whole youth group mad at him because they saw how it upset her. SHe came home and went to bed and thats where she's been. I only know because Barak is pastors helper and he told him so they can make some decisions on who needs to take what. SO just pray for her. She is the best PW I have ever seen and her kind nature, not wanting to tell anyone no is costing her and Pastor is taking her away this weekend for some R&R and just pray God will show them BOTH they need a better distribution of labor. And pray for our small group ministry as that will help pastor alot. I will have more to share on that later. But I will say this, Barak is going to be going two weekends a month under pastors reecommendation to churches and teaching staff on Saturday nights about staff and pastors working together and it is going to be great. Pastors are already booking dates. So we are excited. One class will be devoted to small group training and the sunday am service will be evangelistic so he will get to preach too. Exciting! Between priorities , church and busines we are busy as well.
