Devotions for Ministry Wives: Encouragement from Those Who've Been There

by Zondervan, Barbara Hughes (Editor), Jill Briscoe (Foreword by)

Overview

The wife of a minister is made of the same stuff as any other woman, but her circumstances set her apart. If you’ve married into the ministry, you know the difficulty of balancing the demands of your church and your family, the stresses of clergy marriage, the pressure of unrealistic expectations, and the setbacks of ministry—and the joys. Other than Jesus himself, only a ministry wife really understands what it’s like to be a ministry wife. This devotional is written for you. In its pages, you’ll find not only wisdom and encouragement from God’s Word, but also the reassurance and solidarity of fellow ministry wives who are traveling the road with you and who know the territory. Kathy Chapell, Jeanne Hendricks, Barbara Hughes, Heather Olford, Jan Ortlund, Noël Piper, Sue Sailhamer, Paulette Washington, and many others share their experiences and their hearts in ninety daily reflections that begin with a Scripture verse and conclude with a prayer. Their insights are short, honest, intimate, and practical—and they always point you back to the One who is your ultimate source of help and guidance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310871965
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	12/21/2010
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	961 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Barbara Hughes has many years of experience as a pastor's wife. Married to Kent Hughes, pastor of College Church in Wheaten, Illinois, she is the author of Disciplines of a Godly Woman and co-author with her husband of Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome and Common Sense Parenting. She is the mother of four children.

Read an Excerpt

The Short End
Barbara Hughes
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save.
Isaiah 59:120
Short is something I understand. I'm short. My father was short, my mother is short, my siblings are short, and all my children---except for one---are short. We are well acquainted with the teasing that comes with being short---nicknames such as 'Shorty,' 'Pee-wee,' and 'Shrimp-boat,' and taunt-ing songs such as 'Short People Have No Reason to Live.' The message is clear: Short is defective. But of course, the teasing has all been in good fun and has given us many good laughs.
The very first verse I memorized as a child points to another 'short' that is far more serious in nature. 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23). Even the tallest person has inherited this 'short' gene and is seriously defective. No one laughs when they are called up short in some failure. For ministry wives this sinful defect can sometimes be embarrassingly public: a neglected responsibility, a harsh word, an ungrateful spirit. When the prophet Isaiah wrote the verse on which I base this devotion, he made a simple statement about the adequacy of our God: He is able to save.
Jeremiah 32:17 agrees: 'Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.'
Often when I am stretching for something just out of reach or when I've come up short, I am reminded of this wonderful truth.
Thank you, dear Lord, that your arm 'is not too short to save.' Forgive me when I fall short of your glory in thought and word and deed. Give me grace to grow in the stature that truly counts. Amen.
Even the tallest person has inherited this 'short' gene and is seriously defective.

Table of Contents

Foreword . . .15 Introduction 17 1. The Short End---Isaiah 59:1 . . .20 Barbara Hughes 2. Blind in a Blizzard---Isaiah 42:16 . . . .22 Noël Piper 3. The Sound of His Voice---John 10:4 .24 Joyce Webster 4. Revitalizing Your Marriage---Revelation 2:5 26 Dorothy Kelley Patterson 5. The Climb to the Top---Psalm 91:1–2 28 Kathy Chapell 6. I’m Ugly---Psalm 103:10–11 . .30 Jeanne Hendricks 7. Pity the Pastor’s Wife---Matthew 10:16 . . . .32 Sue Sailhamer 8. Our Pilgrim Walk---Romans 12:1 . . . .34 Mary Lou Whitlock 9. Eagles’ Wings---Exodus 19:4 . .36 Mary Kassian 10. So the Next Generation Would Know--- Psalm 78:4, 6 . . . .38 Jan Ortlund 11. The Family Call---2 Corinthians 5:18 40 Paulette Washington 12. Hospitality Begins at Home---1 Timothy 5:8 . . . .42 Mary K. Mohler 13. Discipline or Discouragement---Hebrews 12:11 . .44 Kathy Hicks 14. The Ministry of Hospitality---1 Peter 4:9 . . .46 Heather Olford 15. Contentment at Home or Away---1 Timothy 6:6 .48 Lisa Ryken 16. Listening Is Golden---Ecclesiastes 5:1 50 Barbara Hughes 17. Say It to God---Psalm 91:1–2 . .52 Noël Piper 18. The Sure Cure---1 Chronicles 16:34 .54 Joyce Webster 19. Moving Through---Isaiah 43:2 .56 Dorothy Kelley Patterson 20. Inner Sickness---James 3:12 . . .58 Kathy Chapell 21. Turn Signal---Psalm 31:15a . . .60 Jeanne Hendricks 22. Failure---Psalm 86:4–7 . .62 Sue Sailhamer 23. Pain and Joy---James 1:2 64 Mary Lou Whitlock 24. Build Your House---Proverbs 14:1 . . .66 Mary Kassian 25. Proved Genuine---1 Peter 1:7–8 . . . .68 Jan Ortlund 26. Commitment to Relationship---Ruth 1:16 .70 Paulette Washington 27. Redeem the Time---Ephesians 5:15–16 . . . .72 Mary K. Mohler 28. Appointment Time---Ecclesiastes 3:1 74 Kathy Hicks 29. Christ Is All---Colossians 1:18 .76 Heather Olford 30. Waiting on God---Psalm 27:14 78 Lisa Ryken 31. Upside Down---Matthew 5:44 .80 Barbara Hughes 32. Not Ready to Be Blessed---Isaiah 30:18 . . . .82 Noël Piper 33. Acquired Anxiety---1 Peter 5:7 84 Joyce Webster 34. Yet I Will Praise Him---Psalm 42:11 . .86 Dorothy Kelley Patterson 35. Locked Up---Hebrews 10:17–18 . . . .88 Kathy Chapell 36. Blind Alley---Psalm 3:5–6a . . .90 Jeanne Hendricks 37. Dream House---Psalm 127:1a .92 Sue Sailhamer 38. How Are Things at Church?--- Ephesians 1:1–2; Philippians 1:3–4 . .94 Mary Lou Whitlock 39. Little Things---Song of Songs 2:15–16a . . . .96 Mary Kassian 40. Protection against the Storms---Psalm 107:28–29 98 Jan Ortlund 41. Being Intentional---Ephesians 2:14 .100 Paulette Washington 42. A Heart That’s His---2 Chronicles 16:9a . .102 Mary K. Mohler 43. Ultimate Power Source---Galatians 5:22–23 . . . .104 Kathy Hicks 44. The Virtuous Woman---Proverbs 31:10 . . .106 Heather Olford 45. Bride of Christ---Song of Songs 5:10, 16 . .108 Lisa Ryken 46. Remember Him---Psalm 42:6 .110 Barbara Hughes 47. Wind Walker---Psalm 104:1, 3b–4a .112 Noël Piper 48. Make a Wish---Mark 10:51–52 . . . .114 Joyce Webster 49. The Divine Bookkeeper---Hebrews 6:10 . .116 Dorothy Kelley Patterson 50. Paddle and Pray---Philippians 4:13 .118 Kathy Chapell 51. Dark Corners---James 5:19–20 120 Jeanne Hendricks 52. God’s Good Work---Romans 8:28 . .122 Sue Sailhamer 53. Looking for Truth---1 Corinthians 13:4–8a . . . .124 Mary Lou Whitlock 54. Imitators---Ephesians 5:1–2 . .126 Mary Kassian 55. God’s Favor to Your Husband---Proverbs 18:22 .128 Jan Ortlund 56. The Power of Sincerity---John 15:15 130 Paulette Washington 57. Privileged Partners---Hebrews 12:15 132 Mary K. Mohler 58. A Work of Art---Ephesians 2:10 . . . .134 Kathy Hicks 59. Going for the Goal---Philippians 3:14 . . . .136 Heather Olford 60. Faithfulness---1 Corinthians 1:8–9 .138 Lisa Ryken 61. The Mind of Christ---1 Corinthians 2:16b 140 Barbara Hughes 62. Spring Song---Psalm 96:1 . . . .142 Noël Piper 63. A Better Home---Mark 12:4