I stood in the kitchen, watching the repairman duck his head into our broken dishwasher. How many times had it fallen apart now? Two? Three? Whatever the number, I was becoming a proficient hand washer of dirty dishes. The repairman eased back out of the washer’s cavern and pointed, his thick mustache twitching. “I got the sprayer piece repaired, but see here?” His finger outlined the rim of the large circle of metal resting in the bottom. “This is the heating element. That white build Read More
loneliness
When Silence Isn’t Golden
I’ve recently spent the past few weeks on voice rest. After finding a massive yeast infection and a cyst on my vocal chords, my doctor insisted on medicine and as little speaking as possible for three weeks. It was frustrating to say the least, but I learned several lessons I pray I won’t forget. Lesson #1: There are so many ways to communicate. I’ve always known this, but I never truly understood that 90% of communication can be passed along with body language, mouthing, facial Read More
Life in the Ministry Trenches: the Pastor’s Wife Part 2
by Tara Johnson Ministry is difficult and no one knows this better than the pastor’s wife. In Part 1, we looked at the God-given talents that make each pastor’s wife unique as well as some of the unrealistic and often damaging expectations that pastor’s wives have placed on their shoulders, whether by church members or themselves. To refresh, some of these expectations are: Their children should be perfect. They know what to do and say in every situation. They feel comfortable leading a class or Read More