The Secret Life of a Pastor’s Wife A behind the scenes look at the daily grind, poignant self-reflection, raw truths, and humorous somewhat embarrassing stories….
When I was a little girl, I always knew I would be a pastor’s wife one day and I would imagine what the life of a pastor’s wife was like. In my mind, she floated on a glory cloud around her home listening to hymns, looking perfect with every hair in place, always dressed in the latest fashion and her home was decorated for each season with everything in order. This secret life of the pastor’s wife was so glorious and sacred – she had nutritious and hot meals waiting for her anointed husband when he walked through the door in the afternoon and she spent her afternoons with her children playing with them in the perfectly manicured backyard. She shared her sermon ideas with her husband, even typed them for him and he would preach the Word that she had inspired him with because they were a team. Ahhhh – what a life – I couldn’t wait to grow up and be a pastor’s wife!
Fast forward and hit pause. Eighteen years in and let me tell you – this secret life of a pastor’s wife looks a little different than the distorted delusional fairy tale of that sweet innocent sheltered girl. This pastor’s wife wore an oversized t-shirt and slippers to serve canned tomato soup and grilled cheese to her exhausted husband last night after Wednesday night Bible Study, to which she was late because of work. This pastor’s wife is exhausted – mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically! There are no glory clouds floating in our home but the floor was covered in cotton from the German Shepherd destroying a toy after bedtime. The backyard is not manicured, but has tower of Amazon boxes waiting to be burned, piles of dog poop acting as an obstacle course, a rusted BBQ grill, a broken down truck, and fake plants at the front door because real ones can't seem to stay alive. Welcome to the secret life of this pastor’s wife!
Whether you are a saint, a sinner, or a pastor’s wife yourself, I invite you to sit back and enjoy this collection of true stories that have unfolded along my 18 year journey. I have pulled back the curtain to reveal that we all wrestle with the same issues, pastor’s wives just struggle in a glass house. Writing this blog, I decided to clean the windows just in case there was an obstructed view! My hope is that you will be entertained, validated, encouraged and challenged.
Names have been changed to protect the innocent bystanders along the way. Except for my husband and children – their names rename original – the glass house cannot protect those who live inside it.