Many of you are long-time readers of Bubbling Brook and know that, besides managing this web site, I’m also “the pastor’s wife.” I’ve mentioned it many places on this site. It’s part of our story. Now we’re entering a new chapter in life and ministry.
Eight years ago, we packed all our belongings, moved to a new state, and assumed the pastorate of a beautiful – but hurting – church family. This church had experienced some significant struggles, including a devastating flood that resulted in the loss of their building.
My husband, who had spent several years as a builder as well as being a minister, was able to come here and not only pastor but also oversee the construction of a new building for the church.
During the building process for the church
Who knew that his previous building experience and Bible college education would work together so well one day? Apparently, God did 🙂 I love it when you can look back and see how He has perfectly orchestrated our life events.
My husband, along with several dedicated volunteers, installing the church steeple
We feel so grateful to be able to serve in this capacity. What an adventure these past eight years have been!
The New Chapter In Life
A few months ago, God called my husband and I into a time of personal reflection. We questioned if He wanted us to continue pastoring. It was a difficult consideration. Our heart was poured into our church and city when we first came here eight years ago, and we’d fallen in love with these precious people. We planned to stay here forever.
Over these past few months, we’ve experienced the stress of illnesses among extended family members, as well as increased responsibility at my husband’s secular job. If you didn’t know it, he was bi-vocational (working a full-time job outside of the church) since our church wasn’t ready to support a full-time pastor. He had also been traveling more for work, which means he was available less to our church.
All of this meant that we had limited time to spend together as a family, too. He was being spread too thin and it was starting to wear on us all.
We prayed, cried, and counseled about this decision. A handful of nights I even cried myself to sleep. There have been sleepless nights for both of us as we wrestled with this realization: we accomplished what God called us here to do, and now it’s time to step back. It’s been a challenging season, but we realized that we were no longer able to care for the church with the excellence that they deserve.
One of the most challenging parts of leadership is simply knowing when to leave and how to leave well.
While we are confident we are in the will of God, leaving is hard. We are human, and our hearts are hurting.
My husband, preaching in our church
What About Our Family?
You may ask about what’s next for our family; the truth is that we aren’t certain. God has asked us to trust Him during this time, and that is what we are endeavoring to do. We do feel prompted to carve out more time for rest and not make any big decisions for the next few months. We look forward to savoring some long weekends together as a family this summer.
I will continue posting new articles here on the blog, and I have several new budgeting printables scheduled to debut in the next couple weeks. They’re beautiful and I’m excited to share them with you! Be on the lookout for those to appear in my Bubbling Brook Shop. I’ll also send an email to my readers once they’re ready… if you aren’t on my Budgeting Tips email list, you can join here.
Do Hard Things
We’re continually learning how to obey the Lord, not because of what’s next or what we can see with our own eyes, but because He is faithful. We deprive ourselves of His best blessings when we demand that we see our future before we choose to follow Him.
If this is His plan for us in this season, then it’s also His plan for our church family that we love so very much. We can rest assured that He has everything under control and offers His perfect peace to both us and them.
We can’t be afraid to do hard things, right? Whether it’s church, or family, or simply managing our finances, when God is in it, we can trust Him. Even in the bittersweet moments, He guides our steps. He is the one writing our story, and He is the greatest author of all time.
“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…“ (Hebrews 12:1-2)
He writes the best stories. We can trust Him.
Whether this is a pause, or a pivot, or a nail-biting cliffhanger — only He knows.
Let’s keep reading and find out together.
My husband and I in front of the new church a couple of years ago
Next week I’ll be in Chicago at a blogging conference, so things might be quiet around here. If our paths happen to cross, be sure to pull me aside and say hello! I’d love to chat <3
With much love,
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will be praying for you – BE BLESSED!
Thank you, Andrea! Hugs!
May you be blessed beyond measure in your new chapter. I’m sure you will follow Gods will. Blessings upon your family??
Thank you!
Many blessings in your new journey, God is in control and guiding you and your family. I have a tear in my eyes because I can relate to you. My husband, my 2 kids and I just moved from California to Texas to plant a new church (hispanic one), from nothing, start it from zero and it’s been only 3 months since we moved and it is not easy but we trust on who called us, we are resting on His arms and praying for His guidance.
God bless you and thank you for sharing your heart with us 🙂
Sending a big hug your way, Patricia <3
I,too was a pastor’s wife for 27 long years. To me long means long on joy,long on work,long on sorrow but most of all,long on God. That life was exactly where I belonged at the time.
The fluidity of ministry is a living thing. When the Lord called my beloved to himself….I simply wondered where He would place me now that I was alone.
Fear not !
God has not left me bereft just alone. I learned to live on Stone soup years before (or rice and beans). I now live a life on another coast doing much of what I did before but the beautiful fluidity of God’s ministry never changed. Only locale and faces change.
Be anxious for nothing,dear one,our God will provide.
That is so beautiful, Gretson. Thank you. He is faithful!
I admire you for your transparency and willingness to move through this process with God. I can imagine there is a whirlwind of emotions and processing as you transition. It encourages us all to watch other people keep their eyes on Jesus as new things happen. Praying all the best for you!
Gretchen, we appreciate your prayers! He has never failed us yet <3
Oh how I can relate to your story. I, too, am a pastor’s wife, and we’ve faced many trying times during our 23 years of ministry in the same church. My husband is also bi-vocational, so it is very much a balancing act to juggle work and pastoring. His health has declined over the years, and we’ve cried out to the Lord to show us if there’s something else He wants us to do or somewhere else He wants us to be. As of yet, God’s answer seems to be, “Be faithful with what I’ve given you, and lean upon Me and trust Me.” So that’s what we’re trying to do. My heart goes out to you and your husband. May He show you step-by- step His plans for you. Rest in the Lord and be encouraged. God bless you.