Month: August 2018

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

The creator of all did so with purpose in mind. Purpose is the reason why something is done, created or exists. Everything in heaven and earth has a purpose. Purpose happens because it’s necessary. It is intentional. It’s what gives life meaning.  Purpose is expected to produce. It’s relevant and valuable. Purpose is designed to reach destiny. Purpose is for His glory.

People spend an exorbitant amount of time trying to figure out why they are here. We attend conferences, seminars, and even seek out life coaches to try and discover our purpose. Many of us, cry out to God for the answer to the purpose questions. For some,

it takes a while to hear and answer that voice that tells us the direction we should be headed. Others catch on a little quicker.

Make no mistake about it, we all have something that we are supposed to accomplish for God before we leave this earth. Since God knows the plans that He has for me, wouldn’t that mean there is a purpose for my life?

It grieves my spirit when individuals devalue someone else’s purpose; as if my purpose requires your validation.

Not!

They’ll say, “That’s really nice what you are doing, but…”

Excuse me, but my purpose is substantiated, authenticated, and validated by God!

Don’t allow anyone to diminish the call on your life. The world needs more people to stand up and walk in their purpose. When stepping out on faith and doing what God has commissioned you to do, it may be uncomfortable, challenging, and downright scary. People may not understand it, but keep moving forward. Your ministry is necessary. Its God ordained and God approved.

He encouraged Jeremiah in Chapter 1, don’t be afraid of a soul, because He is right there looking out for you. Just as God commissioned Jeremiah to the office of a prophet, He has commissioned you for a great work for His glory. Victory is imminent, and your reward shall be great.

Our purposes don’t compete with one another for the credit in the spotlight. They complement each other for kingdom fulfillment.

Gift’s come without repentance, but purpose comes with expected outcomes. Are you doing what God has called you to do? Or, are you diminishing your light to appease the people? Never apologize for purpose. It was planned to produce destiny.

 

“God didn’t call me to be the pastor. He called my husband!”

“I ain’t got to be bothered with those people!”

“If they don’t like me, then oh well!”

How many times have I heard those words? How many times did I say them myself? Oh, how wrong we are! As pastor’s wives, we are not just partners in marriage; we are partners in ministry. That partnership is not defined by the people, but by you and your spouse. God has uniquely and divinely paired the two of you together. Your gifts and purpose should complement the ministry vision that God has given to your husband. Vision is ever evolving and unfolding. We must catch the vision so that we can help it come to pass.

“And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18

God designed us to helpers not hindrances. Our attitudes, actions, and apathy can interfere with what God is trying to do through our husbands in ministry. When we operate in arrogance, pride, and selfish-ambition; we open the door for the enemy to walk right in and wreak havoc. The devil thrives in division. While we are walking around defending our offense, we are creating unnecessary pressure on our husband’s ministry. How?

Any husband that is worth his weight in manhood is by nature a protector. So, he will feel the need to defend his wife that is acting out of character of the Spirit of God. We have the power to influence the atmosphere of our ministries. As Leading Ladies, we should lead by example. Snooty and unapproachable or gracious and warmhearted, the choice is ours. Our lives are in the limelight. For some it is in the spotlight, especially if you are co-pastoring. Put your best self forward.

My husband has tried on several occasions to teach me to play the game of Chess. I don’t necessarily like to play, but I indulge him because he likes it. The first thing he taught me was the rules. He told me the names of the pieces, and what direction each could move on the board. The King is the most important piece, but he is also the weakest. However, the Queen is the most powerful. She can move in any direction. The primary objective in chess is to checkmate your opponents King. This means to render Him useless. So we must keep the King safe at all times. In order to do this, we must be purposeful and strategic in our moves.

Each Chess piece has value. Our attitudes, actions, and outlook towards ministry are all important. The enemy is trying to render the ministry of God useless. Let’s not play into his hands, and deliver over our king by carelessly losing our pieces. We have the ability to make ministry matter or messy. So, let’s check ourselves, and not deliver the enemy a checkmate.

 

 

 

I was sitting amid a group of some of the loveliest pastor’s wives on earth as we attended a luncheon in our honor. The women seated around the table had varying lengths of experience as leading ladies in ministry and varied in age. The atmosphere was set in peaceful elegance with a linen tablecloth and napkins, chair covers and sashes, beautiful floral centerpieces, and the most magnificent crystal chandelier hanging overhead. I mean the place simply shrouded you in its sanctuary and invited you to share your innermost thoughts and concerns. It helped that you were surrounded by those who share a commonality in this space of life. That you are not alone feeling.

As we discussed the challenges that we face as pastor ’s wives, the conversation went in an unexpected direction. Many times, we talk about the array of roles that we play as women married to men in ministry. More specifically, men leading in ministry, but very rarely do we see their side of the spectrum. As much as we have to put up with them, they have to put up with us.

What do I mean?

There is a thin line between our husband and our pastor.

Many times we are seeking God for our purpose. We want to know how we should navigate being a pastor’s wife and not lose ourselves in the process. As we are looking for signs of confirmation, we tend to look all around our Husband Pastor. We can receive a prophecy from a prophet. We can receive a word of confirmation or instruction from other men and women of the Gospel, but sometimes it is hard to receive a word from God through our own pastor.

We tend to forget that though he is our husband, he is also our pastor. It is challenging to remember that because we see their vulnerabilities. We see those things that grate on our nerves like him leaving a trail of dirty clothes in the floor for you to pick up or leaving the toilet seat up just so you can fall in or bringing that one dirty dish to the kitchen once you have it completely clean. Even the fact that he spends so much time doing the work of the ministry that you feel unnoticed or lonely. Surely God is not speaking to him about my purpose. That is reserved for those that he pastors.

Guess what?

We must reconcile our minds to the fact that our husbands are our pastors too.

My husband really blessed me when he helped me to see my limited view. Not to say that I enjoyed hearing it. He said, that part of a pastor’s responsibility is to help parishioners’ discover their God-given purpose. Also, help them to identify their spiritual gifts. In doing so, it may feel a bit uncomfortable. It will move them outside of their comfort zones. Still, he has to nurture the gifts and lead them to fulfill their purpose. Because the bottom line is to be effective contributors to God’s Kingdom.

Easy enough. Right? I thought so too.

Then, he reminded me of all of the times that

I somewhat dismissed what he’d said as a pastor because I was looking at him through the eyes of a wife.

Ouch! That hurt.

Without even realizing it, sometimes we cannot hear God in the spirit because we are looking in the natural. We find ourselves second-guessing the validity or authenticity of what is being said. Oh, that’s my husband, he’s supposed to encourage me. Oh, he just wants to add something else to my already long list of things to do in a day.

No, ma’am!

Our divine destiny is connected to our spiritual covering. That would be our Husband Pastor. As wives, we have the submission to our husband’s part down pat. Now let’s work on the part of being submissive to our pastor. This can’t help but be a win-win relationship. We have the best of both worlds – an anointed, god-fearing Pastor and a loving caring husband.

Learn to hear God through your Husband Pastor.

Oh! About that thin line…

We should tread lightly because God just might be saying something we need to hear.