All about me :)

Well we have been thru A LOT!!! Life has not always been easy in ministry but wow i'm so glad we fought for it!!!

Long Story in a nut shell kinda a time frame have you.

I was working for the Assemblies of God summer camps in Indiana and met my husband thru the Summer Youth Camp. He was leading worship at the summer camp.

Prior to that i was working full time as a nurse and going to school in New Orleans to get my degree in Urban Church Planting.

Ben (dh) met July of 01 and we were married in May of 02. August of 02 Baby #1 comes along. At this time we were driving two hours every Wednesday and Sunday helping with a church plant.(dh was helping prior to us meeting). I became way to sick and there were no open doors for us to move so we found a position in south Georgia.

We moved there in October of 02. HORRIBLE HELL...unraveled .Once there we were told we were not aloud to have friends because people in the congregation would loose respect for you. We were in small small mayberry town. I mean really little. So newly married, no friends, abused by horrible leaders and about to have a baby....sigh... MISERABLE. Anyways, no one ever thru me a shower i had nothing for the baby my family was all out of state and my husbands were two hours away. March of 03 Madalynne Noelle graced us with her presence but not before my parents called and told me after 22 years of marriage they were getting a divorce. It sent my blood pressure thru the sky and i had to be induced. NICE.

A week later the pastor went to my husband and basically said not sure this is working out. Mind you he was working like 75 hours a week as the secretary, video guy, music dude and basically the only other paid staff member. We lived in the parsonage so we had 1 week to get out. That was with just having a baby, parents who were in the middle of getting a divorce and having third degree tears when i delivered....

So we moved to Indiana leaving everything in storage in Georgia and lived with my mother for a month. We found a church in Greenwood Indiana. It seemed like a good fit....um NOT. We moved there in May. My first mothers day and My first wedding anniversary was spent moving. Glamourous!!! We get there to this church to find out that the senior pastors where using my husband for his music/reputation and political ladder climbing in the district... There were very ummm shall we say religious and showed not much love. I had a million list of rules that i had to follow what i was allowed and not allowed to wear. Where i could sit where i could nurse ect....

Needless to say I went into Postpartum depression. Early 20's no friends, new mom and HATING my marriage.

We decided we had to get out of there even though it was going to be another quick move. We interviewed at several places and found the place we are currently at. We visited on Dec 1 of 2003. The place was amazing!!!

We felt loved the minute we got to our hotel room. The pastors were real people. However i was so depressed and broken i had nothing in me to make a decision. So i put it on my husband. We interviewed back and forth for a few months until we decided Michigan was going to be the new home for us. We moved Feb 1 of 04. It will be 6 years this upcoming Feb.

The last 5 + years at our current church has been a place of healing, a place of freedom, and place to become us!!! We had 2 other children while we were here. Connor Benjamin came in 05 and Ellianna Rejoyce came in 08. The pastors wife is one of my best friends. She was in the delivery room with me for my last two births. she walked me thru a miscarriage, thru post partum depression and marriage hell. We have seen what real ministry is. The current church is very outreach minded but also has a core of small groups. We have seen the church grow from 500 to about 1500 currently. WE have struggled thru the horrible Michigan economy and we have made the greatest friends. I have found my comfort in speaking in front of people and using my mess as my message. My marriage is now strong and my family is healthy and whole!

We have known for two years were we are going and that god wants us to plant a church. We are so excited yet soooo sad to leave where we are!

We will be leaving Michigan November 2nd. I know God has way big things for us!

Pastors Wives have always captured my heart! I had an amazing mentor growing up and she was a true gem. I always wanted to be just like my youth pastors wife. I have seen every kind there is.

The kind that hate their husbands, the kind who hate the church, the kind who are involved in everything , the ones just trying to stay afloat, the big church the little... I have seen it all and boy there is alot to see. I have experienced the pure mean spirited women out there in ministry. I desire to see a place online and in real life where women in ministry can vent their frustrations, but not have an excuse to stay there. I want to speak life over them and pour into them not give them a reason to stay where they are at. I want to encourage women/ ladies to step up and step up. I can't wait to do a women's conf Just for pastors wives. I have gained so much experience where we currently are in loving and being like Jesus that i know someday a huge room is going to be filled with every kind of pw out there just getting loved on and filled up and excited about their calling!

I hope you now gain a better knowledge of where i've been and where we are going.

Tell me your story... girlfriendwithapurpose@gmail.com