A few weeks ago, I was considering the question: What's one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?

A friend later (without knowing about this) sent me this website, Revive Our Hearts, which has lots of different documents like prayer guides, sermon outlines and thematic lists. I was particularly interested to see 31 Days of Praying for your Pastor. It is certainly something I can use to more purposefully and comprehensively pray for him.

I was pleased to see another list beside it though: 31 Days of Praying for Your Pastor's Wife. It is so easy to forget the phenomenal job that these women do; supporting their husband at home and in his work, raising their children - often more on their own due to all the evening and weekend meetings, opening their homes to the whole church, being constantly available to the congregation, sharing their husband with a whole church who constantly make demands on his time and energy along with all the expectations that the congregation will have on the wife's role in the church. It must be a lonely job some of the time, especially when fitting into a new congregation and not wishing to favour people. Ministers' wives (along with their children) are not supposed to have any spiritual crises, and when they do, their husband or father is their pastor.

As I shared on Tuesday, there are ministers' wives in the church whom I greatly admire and who have loved me as a daughter. I know that I would not be where I am now spiritually were it not for her example, love and encouragement. This was a very pertinent reminder to pray for these women in this difficult and wonderful situation.

Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you;
he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22