Close to the heart

A blog title can define you as a person. If you are one of my readers you have noticed I changed my title. This is me...these two things define the greatest part of who I am. I wanted my title of my blog to be real and completely transparent. No doubting about what you are going to get from when you are reading on my page. I am hoping to get my page more organized and have topics under certain tabs so you are able to see what I have placed the topics under and click on them too see all the post under that topic. I would really love to turn this blog into a place where people can come and relate to me as a forgiven sinner, a wife, a homemaker, a homeschooling mother, and most of all just a real person with a real life. A real life with it's ups and downs. With real issues concerning marriage, child rearing, homeschooling, organizing and caring for your home, and most of all attempting to do this with christian integrity.

The Lord is using things in my life right now in such a way I feel the urge to share it. I hope that in sharing it it is a blessing to someone. My title A Preacher's Wife and a Homemaker was inspired of the Lord. God really laid it heavy on my heart the other day that even though my husband has not been yet called to pastor a church, he is a preacher. My husband has known for years that he is called to preach and has been given much opportunity to do so but has not been yet called to a church. Currently our church is without a "pastor". My husband has been filling the pulpit a lot since last February and along side of that he is in search for the man that God has called to be the pastor of our current church. My husband is filling the roll of the pulpit committee chairman and we know that is the reason the Lord still has us at our church.

The past year has been a huge growth period for myself. I could go on and on and tell you of much that I have learned but the one thing I can say without a shadow of a doubt I have learned is to not be eager to be a "pastor's wife". If I could only paint a picture to tell you how eager I have been knowing he has been called to be a pastor and that we were still stuck here! Haha or that is how it felt! I was always so ready to get out of here for anything...for college...just about anything that was somewhat exciting I was ready to go. Sign me up just get me on with this whole ministry thing already. LOL I was the furthest thing from ready for the ministry. My eagerness should have been the first sign of it. It wasn't until my husband was placed into the opportunity of full time ministry. I say opportunity because it was unexpected and a little unorganized in the way it came about. As I said before my husband was called to be the chairman of the pulpit committee well while he was called on to do that he was also asked by the pulpit committee to fill the roles that an interim pastor would do. So my husband took that on also and it has been a great way for the Lord to prepare us for our futures in the ministry. I know my husband has learned things and I also had my fair share of learning experiences.

Lesson #1 Don't be eager it's a lot of responsibility
Lesson#2 Trust in the Lord's timing and provision
Lesson #3 Pick your battles and keep a quiet tongue
Lesson# 4 Continue to be real with yourself and the people around you (even if you are the pastor's wife you are still human with faults and all; and no your children do not have to be perfect)
Lesson #5 Don't dwell on the people at church that try to break your spirit and yes there will be a few probably the ones you least expect. Go read Psalms and remember how God fought the battles for David many times.
Lesson#6 Don't share worries with your husband go to the Lord. He has enough to handle and doesn't need any distractions from doing God's perfect will. God will be faithful to you in this!
Lesson# 7 Ask for prayer from others outside of the church and take comfort in their fellowship.
Lesson # 8 Cling to the Word of God and allow Him to minister to you in all aspects of life be willing to forsake all and take things that come your way in faith.
Lesson# 9 Pray very fervently for your husband.
Lesson # 10 Pray for the church and love the people.

The last three of these are the most important. Without the Lord any ministry is impossible but with the Lord it is bearable and you can even find much joy in it seeing the Lord's faithfulness along the way!  This list will continue to grow throughout the years and I will continue to be thankful to the Lord for His patience with me and His guidance along the way!

I hope you are as excited about the future of this blog and the ministry that lies before us.

GOD BLESS

Chelsie