Time Magazine on Pastors Wives
“Our teachings are clear, that it’s the pastor who’s called, not the wife. But in reality …” she
sighs, then chuckles. “I like to blame Katherine Luther, who ran a hospital and brewed beer and cared for people with the plague. She did everything. And a lot of congregations expect that.”- Lora Horn
I thought I would pass this article along for the fellow women in ministry that read my blog. I found it rather interesting reading the perspective of Time magazine, and was even a little shocked they would do a story such as this one.
A fellow blogger at withpurpose.com named Amy is a pastors wife that I tend to read up on every now and again. She has linked to the article that she herself is quoted in.
Happy reading, and if you have time drop by Amy’s site as well. You can find the article here.
Will the real Prodigal please stand up?
For some reason this parable has been on my heart lately. Really the whole lost and found and God seeking and rejoicing when He is glorified in one turning to Him in complete surrender of their lives.
I heard a preacher say this weekend that the fruit that is produced in the times of hardship when there is a death of a loved one or financial troubles or marital problems that is when our faith is tested and when it is more fruitful than ever.
So in light of that I have a confession. When hard times come I would love to say that you will always see me persevering and maybe even sometimes on the outside it would seem that way, but most of the times my fruit is trying to sprout and flourish and I hold back. I let fear, and uncertainty, and worrying overtake my thoughts and my actions. Do I pray, of course, but do I pray for God’s will, not necessarily, more of how I think the situation should be handled.
So back to the prodigal. He was a young man that left home and squandered everything for the things of the world. He left behind a loving family, the provision of his father, and the security of family to spend his time going where the wind took him. Now most of the time we preach this text with how he came back to his Father and there was a feast, and how so many christians leave the church for a while and God brings them back. Although both might be true, I don’t think that you can parallel this parable with the returning of Christians to their Father after a time of disobedience.
Previous to this text you have the woman who finds her lost coin and the shephard who leaves the 99 for the one sheep that is lost. Then you have the transition into the prodigal son. I dont think this is a picture of coming back to Christ as much as it is salvation. The words I have sinned in the greek is the word “hamartano” which means to miss the mark, or to miss and wonder from the path of unrighteousness and honour. The prodigal right here is repenting from breaking God’s law, what a beautiful pictures of salvation and the grace of God. Nothing from his own merit deserved anything but to die with the pigs that he ultimately was jealous of.
So as I struggle with a matter that I have absolutely no control over, as I hold back tears of what could happen and what ones road choosing could end up where they don’t want to be, God brings this picture of a dirty young man stinky breathe and matted hair, repenting and coming to the grace that is offered.
I have been the prodigal, I have been the lost sheep, and thats why I’m standing.
I Can Do Anything Better Than You
Do you ever feel like you are being stalked? Someone is watching you and studying your every move. They check up on you daily and are watching and researching what you do and what you like? On the flip side of that are you the ones that follows a particular person learning their likings and lifestyle?
I did an activity in this past weeks Charis Bible Study where I had teen magazines that the girls made collages out of. One group made what the world views and beauty and the other group made one for what God views as beauty.
Afterwards we talked about Ecclesiastes 2 and Psalm 139. I had read a statistic that said that over 70% of women/girls that flip through fashion magazines or gossip magazines are depressed by the time they have finished going through it.
I began to think a little bit more as to why we tend to compare so much with others. The girls even attested to comparing themselves to the beautiful models and feeling as if there was no way to be that skinny, big busted, and flawless, which in turn made them think lowly of themselves.
The comparison game seems to be one that is played often by many. You look at a persons lifestyle and it is a rush to become equal or better than that person. We try to esteem ourselves for the lack of who we are with the domination of being over someone else. We max out our credit cards, buy newer and better vehicles, try to look on the outside like our marriages are perfect, and try everything under the sun to physically look our best from trips to the beauty salon to taking all of our spare time into the gym trying to get the perfect body.
I can’t help but think of the Israelites as they were given everything and they were never content. I wonder how angry God gets with us because we fill our lives with junk because our friend, neighbor, enemy, or co-worker has something better. We are consuming our frail days with collecting nothing more than hay and stubble, but hey you are winning in the comparison war, for now. Congratulations!
