Thankful for the Faithful

I'm thankful for the men in our church who've faithfully stood by my husband in a difficult ministry. I pray that God will enable them to continue to be faithful and strong as we're striving for church revitalization. Ern and I have been encouraged by reading the Nine Marks journal recently. Sometimes I think our situation is unique but more times it is nice to know others have faced and are facing similar challenges.

Being a pastor's wife is no picnic, as I knew coming into it as a pastor's kid, but found out in a new way when my husband and I were the ones in our parents' position (he was a pk too)! I believe I am my husband's helper which doesn't at all mean I'm the assistant pastor (even if I didn't have convictions against women serving as pastors). Of course, I want to have a ministry at the church, but I'm first and foremost my husband's wife and my kids' mom, and then secondarily, a kids' club teacher, substitute Sunday school  and junior church teacher, and hopefully generally an encouragement to our church family, particularly the ladies. They've also been an encouragement to me, most of all in simple ways, through a sweet spirit in the middle of trials, through what they share with me of what God is doing in their lives, through just--being there.
My family is my main ministry and as I'm homeschooling this year that responsibility seems particularly huge. Also, I've faced challenges with trying to figure out how to help when a kid learns differently from usual and is extremely active and easily distracted and when there are several close-in-age younger siblings around. Just as much of a problem is another child's attitude, though there's more external compliance.  It's hard to be patient and encouraging with my kids and not to give up on them but it's certainly what I want from others, and most of all, what I want from God.
There are believers all over the world, trying with the Spirit's help to serve God where He has put them. Each has different circumstances in which to put scriptural truth into action as they're convicted to do so. I'm thankful for this body of believers. I've been encouraged by those within smaller groups, small churches, I've become intimately acquainted with, functioning as a family, different ages, different races, sharing their lives together, works in progress, being strong for each other, and faithful, as God is at work in us.