Seminary Wives In Fellowship & Training

2012-01-30T08:24:00.004-05:00

We would like to welcome Gail Park this Tuesday evening. Gail will wrap up our series on "Sacred Marriage". Gail is the wife of Pat Park, the Pastor of Wawasee Heights Baptist Church. They have been married over 28 years I believe. Gail has agreed to answer our questions concerning how she has kept their marriage sacred over the years.
I hope you all will be as excited in her visit as I am.

2012-01-09T19:55:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year Seminary Wives!

We have finished putting together a whole new concept for meetings this semester. If you'll check out the calendar you will see that we will have two classes on the same topic. We've done this so one of our own can teach us on their favorite subject than we are having a Pastors wife come in as our guest speaker to tie together what we've just learned with their own experiences of life in the church.

We will still be meeting at 6:30pm Tuesdays

at Winona Lake Grace Breathern Church on

Kings Highway

We hope to see you there.

Christmas Party

2011-12-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

What a great time we had at the SWIFT Christmas party hosted by the Gills. Kathy did a fantastic job with all the food and the house and table looked super. I can't say enough about Jeff's hosting skills. He definitely has the touch that makes everyone feel welcome. I don't know how Jeff isn't 300 pounds with Kathy's cooking skills! Thanks so much you two for a wonderful evening. And praises go out to Sarah for all the wonderful game prises and thanks for coming gifts.

2011-11-18T08:42:00.000-05:00

Christmas Party and
Dinner
Saturday-December 11th
5:00pm
Husbands and wives are both invited to join us at Dr.
Jeff and Kathy Gills house
for a wonderful Turkey dinner with all the
trimmings.
There will be child care provided along
with a meal for them also.
Contact Sarah Myers at seminarywives@grace.edu by
Dec. 2nd
with your reservations and any other questions you
may have.
We look forward to seeing you
there.

Garthering tonight!

2011-10-25T12:03:00.000-04:00

Don't forget tonight we will be discussing Chapters 14-16 if "Respectable Sins' with Danielle Carlton as our discussion leader. Deb McQueen is bringing lemon poppy seed bread with some unusal lime dip! We'll start at 6:30. See you there.

Events

2011-09-13T08:04:00.000-04:00

September 13th we will be meeting in the prayer room at the Winona Lake Grace Breathen Church on Kings Highway at 6:30pm. Lite refreshments and child care will be provided. We will be going over your study questions for chapter 4, 5 & 6. See you there.

Book Study for 2011-12 "Respectable Sins"

2011-08-26T12:48:00.000-04:00

Sisters, my prayer is that we may discover together the encouragement and hope that is ours in Jesus Christ and bring honor to His name as we face up to the "Respectable Sins" we find in the pages of our book study this fall.
Danielle Carlton and Deb McQueen plan to present this study to you through out the next several weeks. There will be summaries posted here on line each week for those of you not able to attend our weekly gathering at WLGBC. They will be sending out emails with the study materials so even those who live at a distance call work through these pages with us.
It is our hope that talking together about these "Respectable Sins" will help us to face up to the truth when it comes to these sins in our own lives. Please plan to join us.

If you would like a book please email Sarah at seminarywives@grace.edu

Women's Minstry with Debbie Ohman

2011-03-31T16:02:00.000-04:00

Debbie Ohman shared with us some important information about being part of a women's ministry in a church that your husband is a pastor in.

Verses she shared:
Titus 2:3-5³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Galatians 6:2
Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Colossians 3:12-14
¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Why is women's ministry important?
The needed input from each other: women can just as easily destroy the church as they could be the life and heartbeat of the church.
They process information differently than men do.
Women need community.

Who are the women we minister to?
"Fringe" women- those who tend to be loners
Should start at 4-6 year old girls- every woman
Ask the question: Who are the women and are they being served?
Remember that you need to be ministered to as well: have a garbage can outside the church.

What exactly is it?
Teaching/study groups
Mentoring/discipling
Support-type groups: MOPS, divorced, widowed
Mission focus
Social times: pizza parties with the young girls

How do we start/run a women's ministry?
Three key questions to ask: What do you have time for? (Where are you at in your life?) What do you have a passion for? What are you skilled with (Spiritual gifts, personality types)

Evaluate from the outside whether or not the current ministry is working, why they are doing that ministry, and what they need in the ministry.

From there:

Look at what it takes to start the ministry.
Pray: Is this what You want? Is this for me?
Meet with the people in charge: pastor, current leaders, etc.
Develop solutions for needs before starting ministry

Running the ministry:

Make sure the right person is in the leadership role to avoid burn out.
Don't allow slander or gossip to ruin the ministry.
Deal with conflict directly.

Talk one-on-one first
Third party-someone that is truly neutral, if necessary
Agree to disagree
Work on forgiveness
Pray for the other person

4. Always be looking for a future leader.
You don't know where God is going to call you next. Start by asking "fringe" people to do small tasks. They might rise to be your future leaders.

Overall lesson for the night: Be expectant for what God is going to do.

Learning about Living as a Missionary

2011-03-31T15:12:00.000-04:00

Nancy Peugh:

Germany 1969-1989

Shared with us some of the realities about living in another country and shared some important family values to keep in mind no matter where you are in life.

Some of the hardest parts:
1. Learning the language- she even noted that she questioned whether God had provided the right husband, one that had been called into mission work, and really struggled learning a new language.
2. Leaving family- at that point worldwide communication was not what it is now, though it is still hard with time differences.
3. School system- Rough on the kids because they were American. She shared how it was hard to watch the kids being made fun of and even ridiculed because they were American.
4. Waiting for teammates- Nancy shared that they were alone for 7 years before their first teammates showed up in Germany. (Most likely not the case anymore)

Some positive things:
1. Knowing that you are prayed for- feeling the difference and hearing the stories shared about people praying for you. Great testament to the power of our God.
2. School system- kids were home for a lunch break everyday, which allowed for family meals together. She gives credit to that as a time to pour into her children who are still following Christ today.
3. Family building- Leaned a lot on each other and created a unique bond because they were the only ones they knew.

Questions answered:
Was it harder to adjust to Germany or back the the U.S.?
It was harder to mentally adjust back to the U.S. because you think of it as home, but things change more than you realize they will.

How did you adjust your attitude to the situation you were in?
I looked for things to be thankful for rather than dwelling on the things that I didn't like. I just reached out to others because they may need you more than you know. You just don't know how you will be able to touch others around you despite your situation. Just Pray. Know that time will pass by faster than you know.

How did you enjoy fellowship?
We spent a lot of time trying to make contact with the people around us. We also enjoyed a lot of time together and especially with the Lord.

If you did it over again, what things would you change?
Work on passing on our vision and develop the new leaders differently so they will continue your work. Would have been stubborn about getting them devoted and to see the vision for the ministry.

Emily Tellez

Born in Peru; Lived in Colombia until 18 years old

You will have to ask Emily for the story about how her parents ended up together as well as in a ministry in Colombia.

She shared some excellent advice for raising children (being a child) in a foreign country.

1. Build a healthy perspective of the culture that you live in as well as the culture that you are from in your kids. They will automatically know they culture they were raised in well, but they need to know where they came from too, so that when they return they can have a better image of it.
2. Families, especially parents, have a lot of responsibility to their kids, not just the ministry. Studies show that adult MK's tend to be depressed and have a low self-esteem when they arrive back in their home country. The culture is completely different, so it is the parent's responsibility to pour into their children and teach them about the culture they come from.
3. Remember that your children will most likely consider that country their home. Emily talked about how hard it was for her to adjust to living in the U.S. because she had only known Colombia. She also shared how her father didn't want her to take roles in the Colombian youth group because they needed to do it. She felt like it was her youth group too and wanted to take a part in it.
4. She was glad that her father truly believed that they were all called into the ministry. He stayed connected to his family and asked them for their thoughts because he felt like they were filled with wisdom as well.

What should parents do differently?
Just know that there is no saving your kids from the trauma of adjustment. Know that you are always save in God's will no matter where you are. Nancy added that it doesn't matter where you grow up there is always struggle. People won't always get along and you might not always be accepted.

Overall reminder from the night: God doesn't call the equipped--he equips the called.

2011-03-09T13:42:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Event!

Please check out our Events page to see the information on our Families in Ministries Panel coming up on Friday, April 1st, at 7:00 pm.

Books

2011-03-09T09:38:00.000-05:00

On the 8th of March Jessie and Kristen introduced us to some of their favorite books that related to motherhood and women's ministry. Here are some of the books that they mentioned:

*Creating the Mom's Group You've Been Looking For - Jill Savage

*Women Helping Women - (Ask Jessie for the author)

*Motherhood: The Guilt That Keeps on Giving - Julie Ann Barnhill

*Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This - Jenn Doucette

*Women and the Church - Lucy Mayberry-Foster

*The Mom I Want to Be - T. Suzanne Eller

*Spiritual Mothering - Susan Hunt

*Why Men Hate Going to Church - (Ask Jessie for the author)

If there were any books that you would like to add to this list e-mail me @ seminarywives@grace.edu

Pastor's Wife with Gail Park and Christine French

2011-03-09T07:50:00.000-05:00

On Feb. 22nd we had the privilege of hearing from Gail Park and Christine French. They came and shared with us about their experiences as pastor's wives. Here are some of the great bits of truth that they were able to share with us.

*Get organized - In your own routine and in your family. Ministry will NOT be routine and it will be an amazing gift to your husband and children if you are able to give your family stability in other areas.

*Plan ahead - Keep that front room clean, just in case someone drops in (which will happen a lot!). Put a meal in the crock pot for any guests that you could have after church on Sunday.

*Don't be a hypocrite - Make sure that you are spending time in devotions and that you are depending on God for leadership so that you can counsel others to do the same.

*Be able to say "no" - You will be asked to do things you are not gifted at or that you do not have the time for. That is okay. Raising your children and caring for your husband are ministries in and of themselves.

*Know where you stand - From abuse and divorce to depression know what your beliefs are so that you can adequately counsel or give information and advice.

*Don't complain - Never undermine your husband to others in the church, they look to him as a leader and teacher and need to be able to trust his abilities.

Schedule Change

2011-02-07T09:31:00.001-05:00

Last weeks SWIFT was canceled due to the nasty weather so we are going to reschedule the 'Pastors Wife' talk to Feb. 22nd. This will bump our coffee night to the 1st of March and will rearrange our book reviews a little bit, but it should all work out. So, we look forward to Nancy Peugh and Emily Tellez speaking to us this week about life in missions, Deb Ohman coming to talk to us about Women's Ministry on the 15th of Feb., and we will have Gail Park and Christine French coming on the 22nd.

~ Exciting Learning Opportunity ~

2011-01-18T19:56:00.000-05:00

We want to let you know of the on-going opportunity we have as seminary wives at Grace: we can take classes right alongside our husbands for free! If your husband is taking a class that you yourself would be interested in taking, all you need to do contact the professor and let them know you will be joining the class. If you need help finding childcare for your children during class time we are working on creating a network to fill this need. Please contact Sarah Myers if you are interested in helping to provide childcare for a mom taking a class or if you need childcare for a class you are interested in taking. (seminarywives@grace.edu)

2011--Welcome Back!

2011-01-17T09:48:00.000-05:00

Hello Ladies!
I hope everyone is ready for the new semester. I am excited to see all of you again and can't wait to hear what you all did over the holidays. For me it has been a refreshing time, being able to spend time with family and friends.

Our SWIFT start date is Jan. 25th, so make sure to mark that in your calendar! I am attaching a calendar for this semester that tells what we will be going over each study and when coffee nights are. I want to go into a little bit of detail on some of the events. The first three studies we will (hopefully) have a speaker that will come in and talk about that aspect of ministry - from preparing for it to what struggles they have had in it. Please come with a few questions that you would like answered about that ministry.

The second three studies will be book reviews. Last semester there were several women who said they would like to have someone recommend books to them and give them a brief summary of books that people had read before and thought were really worth while. Please let me know if there are any books that you would like to review for us! At the end of this study, on that coffee night, we will do a book exchange. Bring in any books that you would like to share with others and we will all borrow some good books from each other.

The last three nights will be topic studies that people showed interest in learning more about or how to do well.

Let me know if you have any questions! Again, I am looking forward to starting this new year with you.

Sarah Myers
SWIFT Coordinator
seminarywives@grace.edu

A Visit From Martha Peace

2010-09-21T13:56:00.000-04:00

Join us Wednesday, October 6 at 7 pm for a night with Martha Peace. Leading woman's speaker and experienced Nuthetic counselor, Martha will talk to us and area women in ministry about the causes and possible treatment for depression and anxiety. You don't want to miss the opportunity right here in our own backyard! For questions, you can contact Tonya at Grace Theological Seminary (574.372.5100) or via SWIFT's email: www.seminarywives@grace.edu

Community-- Something We All Need

2010-04-14T22:21:00.000-04:00

The Role of Spiritual Community in Personal Spiritual Formation

Reflections by Christy Morr, Ph.D.

Much of the emphasis in the spiritual formation movement focuses on personal disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, solitude and silence. While these are good activities to engage in, an overemphasis on individual activities may result in a devaluing of the role of community in spiritual growth. My experience of spiritual community was started in my biological family, developed in my youth group and refined through professors and church leaders who invested in me. While I intuitively knew that I needed relationships for spiritual growth, it was not until I took a class called Friendship and Community: Context for Spiritual Growth that I started to understand why relationships are so important. God created all humans in His relational image. Our interdependent nature is something we cannot avoid.

We cannot play at community development--it is essential to who we are and profound enough in its implications to keep us pursuing it until it climaxes in that great communal celebration of Lamb and Bride. It is not an optional choice for those more relational by nature. It is not possible to set it aside to pursue private gain and find the blessing of God upon us. The Old and New Testaments are filled with reminders of our connectedness to others and our fruitlessness without that awareness. Nor is it possible to grow up in Him by simply embracing the concept without allowing the reality of the needs and presence of others to cut across our lifestyles.1

This claim is quite startling if you really think about it. We cannot grow up in Christ alone. That means I need others, I am vulnerable, and at some level I am dependent on others. If the spirit of individualism and self-reliance runs as deeply in you as it does me, these are pretty terrifying thoughts. We fear rejection, betrayal, not living up to people’s expectations, and a whole host of other things that keep us from really connecting with others. “Yet if we wish to keep moving toward a full-orbed friendship with God, we must grow in our relationships with others within the body of Christ in order to stretch our emotional and social capacities for befriending the God who is love.” 2

While God is the source behind our spiritual transformation, He ordained His people to be a conduit of His life-giving power. So those who try to “go it alone” spiritually are short circuiting God’s design for spiritual growth. We wonder why God is not moving in our lives and releasing us from the clutches of our sinful patterns. We pray for victory over sin and find ourselves defeated in a vicious cycle. “As people are cut off from others and their souls are starved for connectedness, the need for love turns into an insatiable hunger for something . . . so if you are in the growth process yourself or responsible for the growth of others, see connectedness as the foundation of how people grow.”3 Spiritual community is a discipline we cannot afford to neglect.

1. J. A. Gorman, Community that is Christian (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), p. 16.

2. K. Issler, Wasting Time with God: A Christian Spirituality of Friendship with God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), p. 39.

3. H. Cloud and J. Townsend, How People Grow (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001), p. 124.

SCHOOL OF MINISTRY STUDIES EVENT

2010-04-05T22:09:00.000-04:00

PIZZA & A PANEL

A School Of Ministry Studies event with panelists:

Drs. Jeff Gill, Ken Bickel, Dr. Mark & Carol Soto,
and Dr. Rick & Judy Smith, pastor of Calvary Baptist in Oswego

Friday, April 16 -- 5:30 pm - 8 pm

Join us as we gather at Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church to discuss the topic of candidating. This is a School of Ministry Studies event meant to meet the needs of all those planning on entering the field of ministry in the future. We will cover questions such as:

• What in the world IS candidating?!?!?!
• How can I be best prepared and know what questions to ask?
• How do I negotiate my financial package?
• What types of expectations will be on my spouse?

Pizza will be served from 5:30 – 6:15 so come as you can. The panel will begin promptly at 6:30. Our panelists will speak to their area of expertise and then take as many questions as time allows. Other resources will be available that night for you to look at (i.e. ministry job related web-sites, tax material, pastoral retreat centers, magazines, etc.) so be sure to make plans to join us!

If you plan to join us for pizza please make sure you register NO LATER THAN Wednesday, April 14 by 5 pm by emailing the seminary office or seminarywives@grace.edu with number of guests. Childcare is available so please indicate number of children as well, if applicable. To help cover the costs of the evening there will be a donation box provided.

WELCOME BACK!

2010-01-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

We hope you all had a fabulous Christmas Season celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior with family and friends. The new year is upon us...and almost an entire month of it gone already! (I know, I know, don't push it, right?) Well, whether you are happily into the new year or have entered it with burdens or a reluctant spirit, we hope those in SWIFT will be able to encourage one another yet again as we begin to reconnect with each other or connect for the first time.

SWIFT is made up of a very diverse group of women. Some are seminary wives, some of seminary students, some are both. Some live in Winona Lake and many others live in lots of other places like Ft. Wayne, Indianappolis, or far away places like Colorado or even France! Wherever you are as a woman involved by marriage or directly taking classes, we want you to know we care about you and want to be able to serve you in whatever way you need. Please feel free to send prayer requests at any time to our email (seminarywives@grace.edu) and to email with any questions, concerns, or just to know what local doctors we might recommend! We are here to serve you!

We are also here to grow alongside you and to help train you for the ministries that may lay ahead. Many of us are currently in ministry or have been in the past, and it is from this experience that we seek to find Godly men and women to come and teach us more about the Lord and about ministry issues. This semester we hope to cover many relavent topics that will assist you now as well as in the future. We hope you will be able to join us along this journey in person, but should distance prevail, we hope you will check in with us from time to time and let us know what God is doing in YOUR life and ministry. We'd love to learn from the many experiences God has brought you through so please drop us a line and let us get to know you more.

Looking forward to another great semester, Ladies!

So Much To Report, So Little Time

2009-11-18T15:10:00.000-05:00

Ladies--

We have had a wonderful fall semester together! Many thanks to those that were able to participate in our evening sharing various Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions, crafts, and recipes. We had a great time making our Celebration Planners topped by our nicely stamped/scrapbooked fronts, and making our gift Blizzard Bites.

For anyone who missed this great opportunity please check out the website http://www.organizedchristmas.org/ for more tips and organizational forms.

An Excellent Wife

2009-11-15T14:49:00.000-05:00

I was reading a short story by Henry James the other day (it wasn’t even for the kids’ school it was just for fun!) and came across a description of a wife that caused me to ponder. In the midst of this odd story (it was after all Henry James) the narrator has just bumped into an old friend with his new wife. The narrator is appalled not only at the rapidity with which the man has remarried so soon after the death of his first wife, but also at the quality of woman whom he has chosen to marry so quickly. The following is his description of wife #1:
She was all cleverness and sympathy and charm; her house had been the very easiest in all the world, and her friendship the very firmest. Without accidents he had loved her, without accidents everyone had loved her; she had made the passions about her as regular as the moon makes the tides. She had been also, of course, far too good for her husband, but he never suspected it, and in nothing had she been more admirable than in the exquisite art with which she tried to keep everyone else (keeping Creston was no trouble) from finding it out.

Notwithstanding the 2nd line where the woman causes everyone around her to fall in love with her and the last part about her being too good for her husband, I found myself wondering how I’d measure up against her. The idea that really captured my imagination was how this woman had enhanced her husband’s perception of himself as well as his reputation among others.

It really brought to mind the description of a godly wife in Proverbs 31 with respect to not only her character and lifestyle, but the subsequent effect this has on others. Verse 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. ” Her character and actions as she is a “keeper at home” allow her husband to carry out his responsibilities without having to be worried about things in the household. The description of her very busy life that begins when “she rises while it is yet night” (I may be heading to bed in the wee hours of the night, but not rising at that time too often!) reveal a busy-ness that is directed with the concerns of her family. How much of my busy life is selfishly motivated, a result of procrastination or poor planning, or simply spent on entertainment or amusement? Do my actions, attitudes and words enhance and build up my husband’s reputation? Are my words revealing a heart of wisdom and kindness, my actions revealing strength and dignity? As I participate in a study of The Excellent Wife with my fellow seminary wives, I look forward to a continuation of the challenge of examining what it means to live the married life in a godly way.

written by Gail 09/30/09

Word of the Day: Self-Esteem

2009-09-28T20:48:00.000-04:00

Definition: noun. a realistic respect for or favorable impression of oneself; self-respect.
I googled self-respect just now. I got a lot of results. Self-esteem is a popular theme these days. So much so that, at least in some conservative circles, it has received some criticism. I had a friend tell me the other day that, as Christians, we should have "God-esteem," not "self-esteem." I understand her point. If our focus were on God instead of on ourselves, we wouldn't be worried about how we're perceived or accepted. Scripture is replete with verses regarding our focus. Colossian 3:2, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” is a prime example.
I’m not ready, however, to say that, as Christians, we should lose all sense of self-esteem. While I agree that our focus should be on God, our Creator and Sustainer, by acknowledging his work, we come to the place where we must take a look at ourselves. Ephesians 2:10 says that God created us, “in Christ Jesus, to do good works.” Romans 12:3 says, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” We find in Scripture that God has created each one of unique, and has given us gifts with which to build up our brothers and sisters in Christ. My self-esteem, therefore, should be a “realistic respect” for the person God has made me, realizing that the value I have comes directly from God. When I understand and appreciate how God designed me, my natural inclination is to do what I was created to do, love and build up other people!
If my self-esteem is a selfish love that is focused on my own happiness, I would agree with my friend, better to do away with it. However, if I gain this “favored impression” of myself from knowing God’s Truth about me and making Christ the center of who I am, I can enjoy being me, loving others the way I was made to love, and building them up with the gifts and abilities God has given me. May your self-esteem radiate with an appreciation for who you are in Christ.

Who Am I?

2009-09-14T15:44:00.000-04:00

Who Am I?

Who am I at home?
Or who am I at work?
Who am I at church?
Who am I in ministry?
Who am I on Friday “girl’s night out”?
Who am I when I lay my head down to sleep?
Who am I in Christ?!?!

This is a question that could be answered in many different ways. Of course with any question, where you begin will determine where you end. Since this is such a broad topic, let me bring in the focus to the fundamental question we should all be asking ourselves as Christians, and that is, “Who am I in Christ?”

Dr. Neil Anderson has written so much on this topic, so I will let him lay it out for us. Carefully read over the following “Who I am in Christ” and be reminded, or amazed or filled with complete joy.

"Understanding your identity in Christ is absolutely essential to your success at living the victorious Christian life."

If you are a Christian, then what is below is true of you.

Who I Am In Christ

I am accepted...

John 1:12
I am God's child.

John 15:15
As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1
I have been justified.

1 Corinthians 6:17
I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.

1 Corinthians 12:27
I am a member of Christ's body.

Ephesians 1:3-8
I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.

Colossians 1:13-14
I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.

Colossians 2:9-10
I am complete in Christ.

Hebrews 4:14-16
I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.

I am secure...

Romans 8:1-2
I am free from condemnation.

Romans 8:28
I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.

Romans 8:31-39
I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.

Colossians 3:1-4
I am hidden with Christ in God.

Philippians 1:6
I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.

Philippians 3:20
I am a citizen of heaven.

2 Timothy 1:7
I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.

1 John 5:18
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

I am significant...

John 15:5
I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.

John 15:16
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.

1 Corinthians 3:16
I am God's temple.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21
I am a minister of reconciliation for God.

Ephesians 2:6
I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.

Ephesians 2:10
I am God's workmanship.

Ephesians 3:12
I may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

(From Victory Over the Darkness , by Dr. Neile Anderson)

"The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity.” (Neil Anderson)

Isn’t this amazing?!!! Thank You Lord!

As I have been studying “identity” in my weekly Bible Study, one simple yet profound fact has really stood out to me: “I was worth saving.” When you start to unpack what this meant to God, he actually planned for and let his only Son be sacrificed for ME! That is a stunning reality. As I have been meditating on how precious I am to Jesus, it gives me value and worth and it requires me to look at others the way Jesus looks at them too—worth saving…and even worth dying for!

So whether you are a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, a co-worker…you fill in the blank…where each of us ought to begin is who we are in Christ. It must be the starting point from which we derive our identity as we wear the many hats as women. May the Scriptures affirm who we are in Christ and charge us to consider others the way Christ values each and every person He has also created in His image.

Pastor's Wife... Who me?

2009-08-28T11:18:00.000-04:00

"Pastor’s wife…” what do those words mean? What images do they conjure up? A woman with her hair in a bun and long skirt? A woman behind a piano playing skillfully? A overly passive, quiet woman? Perhaps your imagine is one of a beautifully strong woman who loves the Lord passionately, who exudes compassion and grace. Whatever images pop up, somewhere along the line we’ve responded either negatively or positively towards them.

I grew up in a pastor’s home. I never knew life without Dad at some sort of meeting; board meeting, counseling session, wedding rehearsal, funeral… oh, the many meetings! On Sunday mornings Mom was usually playing the piano or teaching a class and we often shared our Sunday meal with others around the table. My mom tells me of the early days of their ministry (when my siblings and I were all 4 and under) when they lived in the parsonage which also served as the pastor’s study, the nursery, a Sunday school classroom—oh, and did I mention it also contained the church office and mimeograph machine!? Every Sunday mom had to have all three of us dressed and the house cleaned by 8:30 am so everything would be in its rightful place for when the church members would tromps through our home. I don’t remember that (thankfully!) and when I have that imagine in mind I most certainly respond negatively. But when I think of the many days I rode my bike to the church just to drop in on Dad for a few minutes, having Dad as my soccer coach, having Dad pick me up after school, playing (or many times working) with Dad on his day off, the many “gifts” of unusual activities we were able to do because someone in the church knew this person or that and wanted to let our family experience various things (like the airplane ride that picked us up right in the field across from our house!), I readily sign my own family up.

But you may have a very different story. You may have married your husband thinking he was going into the business world with all the offerings of financial security complete with bonuses and weeks of vacation. You may have never graced the doors of a church until you were saved in college and you’re completely unfamiliar with what you believe the role of a pastor’s wife should be. You may have observed a pastor’s wife who kept her distance from the church and even a larger distance from her husband and you think, “is that who I’m resigned to be?”... and all this talk about being a pastor’s wife has you full of fear and anxiety. If you were really honest, and we can be here, you may even question whether or not your husband is hearing God’s voice correctly.

So now what? God has you headed, or already in, full-time vocational ministry and you’re wondering what you are doing there. There are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way now that I’ve been a pastor’s wife myself for over 7 years and I wanted to pass those on to you. Hopefully they will encourage you. (These Truths are still working themselves into me.)

1) God is Sovereign. Not only is this a great theological word, it is Truth. He knows best in every situation—even when we can’t see it. He chose your husband to carry out His purposes here on earth and by doing that, as you are one flesh with your husband, He chose you, too! (And God even knew what He was doing when He planned that out!)

2) God is Sufficient. He is all we need and He tells us in Him we have everything we need. (2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.")

3) God gives the Strength. When we truly abide in Him (John 15) by spending time in His Word, meditating on His Truth, he promises to give us His perfect strength. (Is. 40:31, “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.)

4) We are to respond in Faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God...” As that chapter continues it lists many small steps of obedience that in and of themselves may not have been of any great significance, but over time resulted in men and women being listed in the Hall of Faith! If we are children of God we will desire to please God. Walking in obedient faith, one step at a time, is one outflow of that faith. This may mean minute-by-minute taking thoughts of doubt “captive” or wrestling with our struggles of contentment or any number of other seemingly small steps of obedience.

I don’t know where you are right now, but I know I’ve begun to go back to “the basics.” The basics are always where we need to turn when we begin to feel turned about and confused about our purpose—or God’s purposes. Nothing can be a substitute for reading His Word. Only His Word will be 100% accurate, 100% of the time. Through reading His Word we begin to get our minds clear enough to hear the Holy Spirit that is so oft quenched by our everyday living.

Let me end with portions from my current memory passage taken from Isaiah 55. I hope these words of God will wash over you like a replenishing summer rain.

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money…Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live… Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD… for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, …so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

THE RESULT!?!

“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace…Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree…This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."

Grow in the Grace of God,

~Kristen

Favorite Links

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SWIFT
(Seminary Wives in Fellowship & Training)

Grace Theological Seminary

Contact

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We'd love to hear from you!
seminarywives@grace.edu

Our Purpose

2009-08-26T21:23:00.000-04:00

We created this pilot blog to bring ministry wives together. Whether you are in training for, full time vocational or lay ministry, we desire to connect with you. We hope you will find a safe environment for encouragement, frank discussion, and maybe even a few laughs. Ultimately, we want to glorify God, using His Word as our foundation for Truth.

About Us

2009-08-26T21:18:00.000-04:00

Kristen
Kristen and Jason were married on January 12, 2002. They since have been joined by four beautiful children. Growing up in a pastor's home, Kristen said those infamous words, "I will never marry a pastor," but in her heart of hearts she always knew she would. After marrying, Jason and Kristen spent 5 years in youth ministry in Wisconsin and then returned to seminary for Jason to complete his MDiv in Pastoral Studies. Kristen graduated from Grace with a BA in Music, which she uses everyday as she sings along with her children to the A to Z Bible Verses songs! She hopes to someday return to her interests in traveling and song-writing.

Emily
Emily hails from... many places. She and her husband Carlos were missionaries in Honduras before coming to Grace. Carlos is on the home stretch to receive his MDiv in Intercultural Studies, and Emily is forever indebted to his sacrifice of working full time and studying part time, as she has been able to finish up her BA, have two beautiful babies and move forward in graduate studies. Carlos and Emily aren't sure where God is leading them next, but they have tremendously appreciated all that they have learned and experienced at Grace, and are confident that, just as God brought them to Indiana, he will lead them to their next destination and ministry.

Jenny
Jenny and Jarrod were married on June 3rd, 2006. They have one child, Jada-born on April 4, 2009. While Jarrod finishes up his Seminary degree at Grace (MDiv Intercultural/Exegetical), Jenny is working full time at a community mental health center. Prior to meeting Jarrod, she graduated from Grace Theological Seminary (MASM Intercultural) and was a missionary in Africa. She also enjoys being a full time mom...as well as a good cup of strong coffee and great conversation with wonderful friends.

A New Year-- A New Name

2009-08-19T15:19:00.000-04:00

Formerly known as, “GTS Wives Fellowship & Training”, we decided it might be best to toss the mouth full and give everyone a little more “user friendly” name. SWIFT, an acronym for Seminary Wives In Fellowship & Training, still exists primarily to assist seminary wives during the days of “seminary life” and to help prepare them for future ministry alongside their husbands. We also seek to provide an avenue of encouragement for the non-residential seminary wife by utilizing events and the internet as a means of communication and support. Our five main areas of ministry to you while your husband is in seminary are offering weekly Bible studies, spending time in prayer together, presenting educational and leadership opportunities, and by providing a childcare network for you to attend classes with your husband so you can be trained to the extent that fits your personal situation. We pray you will find a place among us allowing us to minister to you so that you may in turn minister well to those around you.

Stay tuned for periodical updates and the addition of our

2009-2010 school-year calendar of events!

Wives Welcome Luncheon

2008-07-29T11:53:00.000-04:00

SAVE THE DATE!

We invite you to join us for our Welcome Luncheon to kick-off the new year together.

When
Friday, September 5th 11:30 - 1pm
Where
Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church
1200 Kings Hwy

Come and enjoy a delightful lunch in the company of new and old friends alike. We will have the pleasure of hearing from several area pastor’s wives, Grace faculty and faculty wives, and from the Wives Fellowship & Training Steering Committee. This welcome luncheon is specifically designed to give seminary wives a chance to meet one another and find out more about our community and what the seminary wives organization has planned for this year. Childcare will be available so make sure to register both you and any children (include ages) that might attend. (Lunch will be served to the children as well so please note any foods your child is allergic to.) For further information and to register, please contact Kristen Humiston at seminarywives@grace.edu or by phone at 574-269-1531.

Burgers-N-Bruises

2008-05-12T13:35:00.000-04:00

Burgers and bruises? you ask. Yes. I’d say that was the theme of our recent cook-out held at Rick and Jamie Hartley’s. We had a great turn out of almost 50 people despite the pending bad weather. We enjoyed several hours of good fellowship and food and got to know students and families that we didn’t have the privilege of knowing prior. After about an hour of meeting, Rick cut his finger while using the grill and had to be taken to the hospital! We are happy to report he is healing with 4 stitches and should be able to return to basic use of this thumb after a few weeks. If we do this again, we certainly hope to avoid a repeat of that! For me, the most enjoyable part of the evening was meeting people I had never been able to meet before. I hope everyone enjoyed this aspect and came away refreshed to have interacted with brothers and sisters in Christ.

Building Community

2008-04-14T12:08:00.000-04:00

This was the theme of our April 10th meeting. We began the night enjoying great hot drinks from Tree of Life and catching up with each other. We enjoyed the company of two new members and got to know one another by answering Dr. Morr's (Christy) opening quesiton: Where would you like to spend a dream vacation this summer?

We all had our different locations, but the main theme was really who we'd like to spend the vacation with and not so much the "where". This really fit our topic of community as we began discussing the necessary elements for true community to be built. Let me share a few quotes Christy gave us by Larry Crabb found in his book originally titled, "Safest Place on Earth".

"A central tast of community is to create a place that is safe enough for the walls to be torn down, safe enough for each of us to own and reveal our brokwnness" (p.11).

True community is "a gathering of people who experience a kind of togetherness that only the Holy Spirit makes possible, who move in good directions--and want to-- because the Spirit is at work" (p.22).

The next quote explains exactly what we as the seminary wives at Grace desire to see happen within our own community:

"When member of a spiritual community reach a sacred place of vulnerablitiy and authenticity, something is released. Something good begins to happen. An appetite for holy things is stirred. For just a moment, the longing to know God becomes intense, stronger than all other passions, worth whatever price must be paid for it. Spritual togetherness...creates movement: Togetherness in Christ encourages movement toward Christ" (p.22).

For those that missed our meeting: we missed you! We hope we can slowly build our community and in doing so, build each other in Christ, encouraging one another "all the more as the day quickly approaches". Thanks to all those that were able to come and a special thanks to Dr. Christy Morr for sharing her heart with us!

Dr. Christy Morr to Speak at Seminary Wives Club on 4/10/2008

2008-03-31T10:45:00.000-04:00

Kristin Humiston the coordinator of the Grace Seminary Wives club has announced that Dr. Christy Morr will be speaking at their next meeting on April 10, 2008, 7:00 p.m. at the Tree of Life Cafe on King's Highway. For more details please watch their homepage:

http://gts.grace.edu/wives

A news feed service is available at the following link:

http://gts.grace.edu/wives/atom.xml

GTS Wives Fellowship and Training

2008-03-31T10:35:00.000-04:00

Congrats, Gail Park!

Congratulations go out to Gail Park for her submissions that led to the chosen name you see above. We appreciate her entries. Go and enjoy a cappuccino on us!

Mark Your Calendars~

Our next gathering will be Thursday, April 10^th at 7:00pm, place TBA soon. Come and find out more about our plans for seminars and other fall events as well as just to enjoy time together. We will hear from Dr. Christy Morr as she speaks to us on the topic of building a true spiritual community.

Request from the Men~

We've had some of our husbands requesting a couples or family get-together in the beginning of May to celebrate the end of the year. We'll send more information on that as we have it.

Welcome Packet Project~

Becca Hayes has graciously agreed to help spearhead this project. She needs all of our help, though. This packet will be received by in-coming seminary students (families and singles) when they arrive. We want it to contain any information you think people new to the area would enjoy having. If you have any good ideas to be added to a packet, please take the initiative to collect this information and bring it to our April gathering. Information could include items such as:

* community events * local 2^nd hand/consign. shops

* specialty shops * library info.

* restaurant/hotels that offer "Gracie" discounts

* Moms groups * childcare info.

Summer Events~

A few cook-outs are in the works to be held at the Winona Lake Park & Pavilion over the summer months. We're thinking about possibly planning some other type of events so if you have any other ideas and would like to pass them on, feel free to contact one of the coordinators listed below.

Hope to see you April, 10^TH! An RSVP would be appreciated to help in our planning but you are welcome to just show up, too!

On Behalf of GTS Wives Fellowship & Training ~

Kristen Humiston

269-1531

mom2iek@gmail.com