My Whole Heart / Mrs Vicky Mutchler

Mrs Vicky Mutchler

Pastor's Wife

Grandview Baptist Church

Beavercreek, OR

 

 

My WHOLE HEART!

February is a month of “hearts”, Valentines and LOVE quotes. Who doesn’t love all the red and pink hearts?! The heart reminds of us ….LOVE!

In your life a HEART is vital! And yet many seem to exist without one! No LOVE, COMPASSION or CONCERN. How strange it is to even meet those that do not even LOVE themselves!

* As a pastor’s wife….with YOUR WHOLE HEART….. PRAISE!

Psalms 9:1b  I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy          marvellous works.

We have so much to praise the Lord for. To appreciate, to be grateful...to give thanks!

* As a pastor’s wife….with YOUR WHOLE HEART….. LOVE!

Mark 12:33  And to love him (God) with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Love GOD.

Love others.  Our children. Your church… your ministry!

Love yourself! (love covers a multitude of sins...even with yourself!)

* As a pastor’s wife….with YOUR WHOLE HEART….. SEEK GOD!

Psalms 119:10  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Spend time with God. Sounds easy enough….but even as a pastor’s with we can get so “BUSY” with the ministry that we forget about the relationship. Are you an acquaintance or a friend of God? Busyness does not equal holiness. Remember when Jesus said that “Mary had chosen that good part”?!

Keep your heart toward God... tender and teachable!

You are HIS CHILD! He LOVES you and wishes to LOVE and serve others through you!

 

 

Mrs. Vicky
Have a super day!

Pride / Mrs Chrissy Teis

 

Mrs Chrissy Teis

Pastor's Wife

Open Door Bible Baptist Church

Howell, NJ

 

 

 

Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

I was recently faced with a situation that required me to eat some "humble pie" I didn't want to, but I did and the taste wasn't good.  I never saw the situation coming and honestly had a hard time wrapping my mind around it, but there is was....staring me in the proverbial face.

I counseled with my pastor/husband and as is his gracious way with people he advised me to eat the pie and give it to the Lord.  Through this time I realized how prideful I had become.  When I think of the sin of pride I often equate it with boastful, loud people who constantly talk about themselves and their accomplishments, leaving the Lord out of it all.  I don't do that, or at least I try not to, but here is where pride has been revealed in my own life.  

I care deeply about what others think of me, and not just me, what you think of my husband, our church, & ministry.  This doesn't initially seem like a prideful thing but when it comes to where you care more about what others think then what the Lord says, then it is pride and it is sin.  In my situation I was more concerned about how this person had perceived me, then that I had offended someone.  I prayed about it and asked forgiveness and that burden was lifted.  We are by nature very selfish and prideful people, when we can see who we are, it helps us to rely on our Saviour.  I have asked the Lord to continue to shine a light on these areas of my life and to humble me in His way and not my own.  I want to encourage you to not let pride get in the way, it can sneak around in unsuspecting forms.

Food For Thought / Rebekah Tastet

 

Rebekah Tastet

Pastor's Wife

Sierra View Baptist Church

Reno, Nevada

 

It isn’t too often I come across a situation that sobers me. 

Recently, though, I did. 

 

The situation was one of a lady living alone – a mere seventy years old.  Perhaps seventy sounds ancient but the older I get, the younger it sounds. [Symbol]  Her health is not good but her mind still there.  She appeared to me as a person of much potential. 

 

There was one factor that makes her life a sad, depressing portrait to me.  She is an alcoholic.  For no other reason, she drank continuously.  Her coffee cup was filled with whiskey which never ran dry.   It is very clear she is addicted. 

 

I relayed my experience to my husband who in turn explained that was the story of his Papaw – his dad’s father.  His grandpa lived with them for a time and he constantly drank.  Was never without a drink.  His dad also an alcoholic. 

 

After returning home from her home, my mind couldn’t forget the whole scenario.  This woman lived in a gorgeous home – yet confined herself to her bedroom and her bottle.  How did she get to that point?  I don’t know the story of how her addiction came to be.  I do know that addictions always must begin somewhere. 

 

You get to that point by starting.  Taking that drink.  Sneaking a pill.  You just have to start – one time.  Maybe you were just a teenager. 

 

Then slowly, justification takes over.  You don’t need it – you just enjoy it.  I can make these decisions for myself.  It doesn’t hurt anyone. 

 

Ask my husband what alcohol did to his family – his mom left his dad.  Divorce – broken home. You never walk away from alcohol without consequences.   

 

What did I take away from this experience?  I mean, why even write about addictions?  This is a blog for predominately pastor’s wives and ladies in ministry.  Is it even relevant? 

 

To me – yes.  It reminds me that as a mom – there is always someone watching me.  The decisions I choose for myself are also decisions I am choosing for my kids.  If I choose alcohol, they are more likely to also choose alcohol.   

It also reminds me that there are those in our ministry and beyond that are watching me.  I am an example to many.  A liquid is not worth my marriage, my family or my ministry. 

And it reminds me that nothing good ever comes from alcohol.   

 

Just some food for thought from a pastor’s wife’s perspective.  God bless! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Becky Tinsley / Indian Hills Baptist Church

 

Becky Tinsley

Pastor's Wife

Indian Hills Baptist Church

Shreveport, LA

 

 

My name is Becky Tinsley "newer" Pastors wife of Indian Hills Baptist Church, Shreveport, Louisiana. My husband and I have truly enjoyed being the pastor of the church this past year and a half. We've been there for a total of 13 years. Being in this position has changed both Don and I for the better. But the changes that have taken place in us are the same thing the Bible talks about that God wants in all Christians not just pastors and pastors wives.

LOVE. One way to show compassion - when somebody is not there on a Sunday that's normally there send them a text message and just say,"hey I noticed you weren't there today! We missed your face friend! It's one thing to receive a message from your pastor of course he's going to notice that you weren't there but to receive it from others in the church would make me feel special....

VISITATION. Knock on new doors! You can make visits all day long and visit your bus kids and your Sunday school kids but if you want to help grow your church knock on a new street every Saturday. One thing I started telling people is that if Sunday mornings are hard for them because thats there one day off to sleep in then come on Sunday night or Wednesday night. We've had good church attendance on our Sunday night and Wednesday night crowds.

Be your church's DORCAS. Do special things for others all the time. Bake cookies for that older gentleman that may never get anything homemade. Slip a $20 bill in a birthday card for that woman that doesn't have much. Give your nicer clothes that your kids never wear to some of those bus kids that look like Raggedy Ann and Andy. Pay attention to people.

Be a WORKER. Teach your children to be workers. Let them help you clean up after a food and fellowship activity. Change the trash, run the vacuum cleaner, sweep the kitchen, clean the windows...nobody has to ask you to do any of those things! Help in the nursery and be faithful. You may not want to do it because you don't want to miss the church service but that same lady that works in it all the time would like to be in church too. Run people home and give others a break that do that every Sunday. If you know somebody lives out by you offer to take them home for once... 

IF YOU ARE THE PASTORS WIFE BE S.W.E.E.T.

You are the spirit of the church. Don't take things personally. People are people. Most people don't act with common sense. If you're lonely facebook is a great tool. Find a friend that maybe does not attend your church but another church.  Don't wait for people to invite you to things, you invite them to your house or out to eat! Also lastly don't put on some authority figure act. You're just a servant. Be sweet, these people are volunteers.. most of them anyways... not paid employees. Your not "above" anybody. Your merely a servant with a good attitude hopefully. 

     Stop focusing on the negative in your church. There's positive too!! Focus on that!! You will be much happier that way and your church needs you to be happy!!!!!!!

Goals? Ain't Nobody Got Time for That!! / Mrs Amanda Rasbeary

 

Mrs Amanda Rasbeary

Pastor's Wife

Lighthouse Baptist Church

Wylie, TX

 

Goals? Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That!

In casual conversation a while ago, I told someone that I was writing down my goals and she said “I don’t set goals because I am afraid I won’t meet them.” Since it was a casual conversation with a total stranger, I did not prod, yet I wondered why someone would let the fear of failure keep her from making plans for moving forward.

But then I asked myself, ‘Why do I continue to set goals even though there have been many times when I have failed to meet those goals? I have always been taught to set goals, but why do I really do it? Does it even work?’ So I have decided to answer my own questions and see if I could be a blessing to someone else as well as myself.

The reason that I set goals is that I believe it is biblical! The best reason of all is the belief that God will be pleased with my planning. Of course, Jesus said it best in Luke 14.

 

Luke 14:28-32 “ For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.”

 

It seems to me that Jesus is putting a whole lot of emphasis on being prepared. Didn’t he spend three and a half years training the disciples before sending them to evangelize the world?  If I’m going to be all God wants me to be, I have to be diligent to find and do His will- by setting goals.

 

Setting goals is more than just writing some of your ideals and dreams on a piece of paper. Good goal setting helps you to reach that ideal or dream by having a definite plan of action. Also, having to mentally reflect on your weak areas helps you to realize your shortcomings. If you honestly judge yourself, your self-righteousness will come down a notch or two, and you will become more open to change. Just the physical act of writing it down will help your goals feel real and attainable and give you something tangible to come back to if you feel yourself going a little off course. Goals also make you accountable to and dependent on God as you bring your plans to Him in prayer. There is nothing that will increase your faith more than setting a difficult goal, making and following a plan, and then watching God fill in the details.

Here are some practical ideas and helps to set your goals.

1. Aim for a goal in each area in your life. You have many roles: wife, mom, teacher, employee, employer, etc.

2. Be realistic! Hello! I am a 40 year old lady who has had 4 kids. I need to lose 25lbs but that isn’t going to happen in 2 weeks, or even 2 months!!!!

3. Make a plan to reach the goal. This may require some research. For example: the age-old problem of getting back in shape. What diet plan will you use? Will you exercise; if so, when and with whom? Who will hold you accountable? Oh, now we are getting personal!

4. Make the goal specific. Even give yourself a time frame. Not a broad, fortune cookie goal, like ‘I want to lose weight’, but ‘I want to lose 5 lbs or 5 inches and I want to do it by May. I will walk 3 times a week for 2 miles with my kids. I will cut out soft drinks and I will use this diet plan.’

5. When (not if!) your plans are messed up by either yourself or unforeseen problems like health problems, modify your goal but don’t give it up entirely. Don’t let the failed goals discourage you. Look at the goals you accomplished and reset the ones you failed at. The point was growth not perfection, right?

I want to live my life to please God and make a positive impact on this world. I believe the most efficient way to do this is to always be growing personally in every area of my life. I never want to be satisfied or to think I have arrived. So no matter how many goals I fail to meet I will keep trying again and again till one day I have victory. That may not be until I get to  heaven but at least I can stand before God and say I tried!

So come on, ladies- get out a pen and paper and start on your destination to a better you!