Becoming a preacher’s wife can happen in a myriad of ways. My journey there was not particularly extraordinary. When I was 9 or 10 years old I wrote a paragraph for a school assignment, in which I described what I thought my life would be like in 20 years. I wrote that I wanted to marry a missionary and have 3 or 4 children.
I grew up as a preacher’s kid and so I could not imagine life any other way. Being part of a “preacher’s family” was what I knew and I was comfortable there. Like most families in our congregation, my parents struggled to make ends meet, yet we never lacked for things we really needed (1 Tim. 6:8). There were so many blessings our family enjoyed because of my Dad being a preacher. Being a preacher’s kid also had its challenges, but I’ll save that for another day.
Fast forward a few years, when I married my best friend, George Jensen. I wanted this verse read during our wedding ceremony “…whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge…” (Ruth 1:16). I knew I would follow him, but where, I knew not. Before we were married, George attended an evening Bible school for a couple of years and he preached occasionally, filling in when needed at different congregations in the area. He worked full time as an electrician, but he began to struggle with the time required for his secular job versus the time he needed and wanted to devote to the increasing number of sermons he was preparing.
About seven months after we married, George decided to attend the East Tennessee School of Preaching and Missions. We raised the needed support, moved to Tennessee two months later, to begin school in February of 1986. No longer was I a “preacher’s kid”, but I had become a preacher’s wife.
Perhaps your husband was already a preacher when you met him, and so you knew you were marrying a preacher. Maybe you were married already and somewhere down the road your husband made the decision that he wanted to turn his sights towards preaching full-time. Regardless of the circumstances, it is very important that you be at peace with it. If not, life will be miserable for both you and your husband.
When each of us made the decision to marry, hopefully we understood that we were agreeing to be a help-meet. That is a Bible truth that applies to each wife, regardless of my husband’s occupation. If our husband’s passion is to preach the gospel, then we ought to want to help him be the most effective worker for the Lord.
The life of a preacher’s family is not always easy. Sometimes it’s difficult – very difficult. But as a preacher’s wife, my goal has been to be an asset to him, rather than a liability. I want him to be better because of me, rather than in spite of me. Being a help-meet to my husband is what I do, because I want to serve my Lord and my husband. I can’t think of anything that I’d rather do!
How did you become a preacher’s wife? I’d love to hear your story!
