Rachel Calvert has some suggestions
The situation of pastors’ wives, even within Perspectives,is very varied, and I feel as though whatever I say, I’m almost bound to offend someone by making generalisations that don’t fit every particular case.So, if you’re a pastor’s wife reading this, please forgive me!
· For the British couples currently involved in church leadership or church planting with Perspectives, the decision to move to France was most often a joint vocation. Those wives are often (but not always) involved full-time in gospel ministry alongside their husbands.
· The majority (but not all) of our French counterparts are in paid employment outside the church. In many cases this is a choice, indeed a calling. However, sometimes those women are also theologically trained and would prefer to be able to be involved in Word ministry full-time, but their husband’s stipend is too low to allow the family to get by without a second income.
Please pray that…
· whatever our particular circumstances and challenges, we’d cultivate gratefulness and make the most of the opportunities God is putting before us
· our love for God would grow and deepen, that we’d be prompt to confess our weakness and sin (both to God and to others)
· the gospel would be increasingly central in our own hearts and in all our relationships
· we’d love and support our husbands well – it’s possible to be a great source of strength and spiritual encouragement to them; it’s also all too easy to be a dead weight around their ankles
· we’d love the people in our teams and churches, that God would deliver us from cynicism and resentment, and would give us grace and courage to handle conflict and criticism well (particularly if the criticism is directed at our husbands)
· we wouldn’t give up but would persevere to the end of the race: “Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always” (Romans 12.11-12, TLB)
