A letter to a young pastor’s wife
Merry Monday by Parris “Celebrating 43 years as pastors of Victory Church”
“God took one good look at me, and look what happened— I’m the most fortunate woman on earth! Luke 1:46
Today in the morning service I listened while my grand daughter and daughter in law sang these lyrics;
“All my life, I’ve been carried by grace
Don’t ask me how ’cause I can’t explain
It’s nothing short of a miracle I’m here
I’ve got some blessings that I don’t deserve
I’ve got some scars, but that’s how you learn
It’s nothing short of a miracle I’m here
I think it over and it doesn’t add up
I know it comes from above
I’ve got miracles on miracles
A million little miracles
Miracles on miracles
Count your miracles
One, two, three, four, I can’t even count ’em all
You held me steady so I wouldn’t give up
You opened doors that nobody could shut
I hope I never get over what You’ve done”
I was 21 years old when my husband took over the house church here in New Orleans. It would be different if I had a degree of some sort or even some musical talent or even clerical. Really the list could go on of what I couldn’t do nor was prepared to do. Maybe there is someone like me out there that find themselves dragging behind like a deer in headlights. Oh don’t get me wrong, I tried. I plunked the piano with my chord charts, attempted doing mail outs with some sort of artwork, watched my husband take the calls from women asking for help while I held my babies, and eventually hid away in children’s ministry to avoid everyone. Almost like I had a “knucklehead t-shirt on”. What made everything harder was that I felt so alone. Every pastor’s wife I met was beautiful, well dressed with plenty of talent. Im telling you they floated around.
To the young pastor’s wife or anyone that feels that ugly duck feeling, just hang on! Little did I realize that everyday miracles were happening in me and through me as I read my bible, and to be honest just showed up. Six years later I would have an encounter “at the kitchen sink” that became the game changer. Jesus showed up and implied “you have been called for such a time as this” or you will need to just move over and keep crawfishing with all the other crawfish. Million little miracles are here for you for me.
Matthew Henry said, “Those who see their need of Christ, and are desirous of righteousness and life in him, he fills with good things, with the best things; and they are abundantly satisfied with the blessings he gives. He will satisfy the desires of the poor in spirit who long for spiritual blessings, while the self-sufficient shall be sent empty away.”
McClaren said, “We magnify God when we take into our vision some fragment more of the complete circle of His essential greatness. The intended effect of all His dealings is that we should think more nobly-that is, more worthily-of Him. The fuller knowledge of His friendly greatness leads to joy in Him which makes the spirit bound as in a dance-for such is the meaning of the word ‘rejoice’-and which yet is calm and deep.”
My vision changed at the kitchen sink that day. He fills us with good things yes a million good things!