Meet The Pastor's Wife

There are a few awful (and wholly unnecessary) weeks between Call Day (the day seminary students learn where their first pastoral job will be) and graduation day. And yes, the seminary students go to their regularly scheduled classes every day in between. Even on Call Day. Like, come on now. Everyone buzzes around campus and floods each other's phones with congratulations and inquiries about their call. Seminary students are on Zillow more often than they are paying attention

I wanted this so badly but I'm afraid that I'm hating it.

I'm convinced that there isn't a good way to transition from job to job as a pastor. I'll admit, my dad was a rarity. He was in the same call for almost 30 years. I never had to move as a pastor's kid. That's simply not the reality for most people. I mean, most people don't stay in any job that long, pastor or not. My husband just had his last day at his current call. We'll be moving to our new home in a week. I cannot express the stress he has had on his young shoulders. Of

“Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach…” 1 Timothy 3:2 This morning, I came across the news that an LCMS pastor in Missouri, not only a pastor, but a district president, was arrested and investigated by the FBI for child pornography production and abuse. Now, I normally keep my politics pretty close to my chest. In fact, I normally don’t care much for politics or anything of that natu

Fun fact: I'm a nationally certified barista. I’m no slacker. And no, seminary isn’t "free". Am I really flaky? A crappy employee? Nope. I was just a seminary wife. When my husband was studying at seminary (pastor school) post-college, I held a shiny new teaching degree and went hunting for my first full-time job. But here’s the thing: the standard seminary route has one of the most fragmented schooling schedules I’ve ever heard of, and no one wants to hire those of us along

I’m currently sitting at a coffee shop, nursing awful period cramps and a peppermint cold brew, on the heels of an ultrasound. Not for a baby. For infertility. And if one more person at my church says, “When’s the next one coming?!” I’m moving to Canada. It’s going to happen. I should get my passport renewed. Add to to-do list. Yes, I have two kids. Yes, I’m very, very thankful for them. Yes, secondary infertility still hurts like hell. Do not assume anything about anyone’s f

Any normal person in church (really, in any social situation) is going to have favorites. Including the pastor's wife.

My husband is my pastor. He's also my husband. The person who runs most of the goings-on of my church is my husband. The person who delivers most sermons I hear on Sundays is my husband. The person who heads up meetings that make major church decisions is my husband. The one leading most of the Bible studies I have attended lately is...you guessed it, my husband. Sometimes I get really frustrated with my church. I get mad about the way something is run, or how an event went,

Pastors and their families need some important boundaries with their church.

Rule number one: DO NOT ENGAGE. Hi, I’m Emily. I’m a pastor’s wife. Chances are that if you’re reading this, you’re about to be one, too. Welcome to the club. The first year after Call Day is a wild one. You’ll probably meet some lifelong friends and get to explore a new area, but this year is also critical to set up your entire life as a pastor’s family. (No pressure.) This first year can be make or break. Make bad habits now, and it’s really hard to reverse them. Don’t worr