Say "No."

Being a preacher’s wife is a true blessing. Not everyone gets to be a minister's wife, and not every minister gets a good wife. I have always wanted to be “something” in the church family. For a while, I thought I could be a nun. Then I realized we don’t have those in the church of Christ.

I knew I wanted to be somewhere in my life where I could focus on God’s Word and help others. So, the next best thing would be to marry someone who would help me get to heaven. I didn’t realize I would marry someone who would become a preacher after we were married for five years.

We dived in with all hands on deck, along with our three kids under three years of age. 17 years later, I am happy to say that, as a preacher’s wife, I have learned so much. We do live in a glass house, but I know now that it is okay. We can’t make humans happy, and God sees us all the time. I have to live my life for the Lord and help others learn grace and patience. I also have learned the word “NO.” I needed to find my talent, the path I could excel in for the Lord. I was great at many things and loved to be part of everything. But that hasn’t helped the church, my family, or me. I didn’t understand that until I got discouraged and finally saw what a wise preacher's wife once told me. The best thing to do as a preacher’s wife, to really help the church ladies grow, is to talk to the ladies one-on-one and encourage them to step up. Help find the talents of other ladies and show them with love and encouragement to help them step in and use their talent for the Lord. This was a blessing for me, the ladies, and our church family as a whole.

So, preacher’s wife, learn the word NO, know your talent, invite other ladies into your glass home, and encourage them to use their talent for the Lord. God is watching everyone. 

By Kristin Sampson, Florence, AL