Compared to Christ, there’s no match. —Nicole Catala
This is a tough question. I feel that on one hand, it’s such a relief to see this question posed, and I want to dive right in. On the other hand, I’m somewhat afraid to indulge the part of me that wants to lay it all out. I suppose one of the costliest things has been that of personal friendship. A pastor’s wife must maintain a certain brevity and reserve. You must be soft and vulnerable and allow women to find comfort and friendship in you, but it would never be fair for them to bear your loneliness or frustrations, and so there is forever a feeling of distance that can be hard on a woman’s heart. Perhaps these friendships can be forged in the timeline of long term attendance and maturity, but I would imagine that takes years to develop. —AnonymousContinue reading “Life as a Pastor’s Wife”
Did you think when you became a Christian you would be pastoring one day? Tell me about when you realized you were called to be a pastor /pastor’s wife?
Sophie Foley: I always believed I would marry a pastor. But then again, I’ve wanted to marry John since I was 12, and knew he was called to it.
Pastor John Foley: It was something that came to my mind but I wasn’t clear about. I had some other plans. I watched a world evangelism video of Greg and Lisa Mitchell in South Africa and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I responded to a call to preach. I still wasn’t sure but a man in the church told me if I wanted to I probably was. I felt
Pastor John and Sophie Foley and children, Malden, MA (Boston area)
moved that God could use my life to make an impact by preaching to people around the world. I thought most people felt like I did. I dedicated my life to becoming a pastor but it didn’t happen for another 8 years or so.
Sophie: We arrived in Malden, Massachusetts on June 2, 2017. We promptly began Bible studies in our home and soon moved to a hall nearby and began having Sunday morning services. My husband, Pastor John, met a group of young men almost immediately, who had been praying for a young pastor for a year. That same week we met a woman and her adult children, who had been praying for a young church as well. Within a few weeks, we had 20+ people attending. It was mind blowing. Truly, God had a people here, He just needed someone to come.
We remodeled and moved into our current building in May of this year and have had such favor with the community. This really has been a dream come true, to serve God here. It is right in the heart of the new downtown development and one block from the T station. We run anywhere from 20-60 people at any given time. —The Potter’s House, Malden MAhttps://www.pottershouseboston.com/
Pastor Kevin and Janet Foley, McMinnville Oregon
Janet Foley, (Pastor Kevin Foley’s wife & John Foley’s mother): My parents were faithful Methodists, very active in the church, my father teaching the adult class and my mother 3rd and 4th graders, me in the youth choir, etc.. But we never heard the term “born again,” and never heard that we must repent of our sin and truly invite Jesus Christ in to our hearts, which caused a lot of problems in our home!
My parent’s marriage was rocky. I got in huge fights with my dad where he accused me of things I never ever thought of doing. Just because I had incense in my room I was accused time and time again of drugs and lying. Finally I said to myself, if he thinks I’m so bad then…I’ll be bad!!! Where’s some dope? I became a rebellious pot smoking hippie chick at 13 years old. My 21 year old boyfriend turned me on to LSD—I didn’t want to do it, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I was intrigued with the music, yoga and philosophy my brothers brought home from college and the partying, flower children, and concerts of the time. Continue reading “The Call: Why Did You Become a Pastor? (Part 2 in a Series of Interviews with Pastors & Pastors Wives, 2018)”
Pastor Winslow, I interviewed you and your wife, Suzanne, as part of my series of interviews with Pastors and Pastor’s Wives for Pastor Appreciation Month two years ago.You were missionaries to Mexico for 27 years and pioneered and planted churches there. Can you please bring us up to date on the church in Mexico what you’re doing currently?
I dreaded the thought of setting up and conducting chemistry and biology lab experiments in my house for my homeschooled children. Science fascinates me, but it is not my forte. So I was thrilled to discover College Prep Science, founded by former college professor and homeschool dad, Greg Landry.
It was my honor to interview Greg, and I’m excited to introduce you to him and his academy in this article.
College Prep Science offers several live online science classes, as well as two day science lab intensives for 7th – 12th grade homeschooled students year round, and a variety of week long summer camps for 6th-12th graders.
Greg, what or who influenced you to pursue a degree in science?
I want to be sure of myself, but God wants me to be sure of Himself and find my security in Him. I’m not called to self-confidence but to God-fidence—His work equipping me for my calling in Him.
“I’ve failed you!” I say. “I know,” God says. “But I love you anyway.” “But I’m a mess, Lord! I fall so short.” “That’s my specialty—Let Me make you.”
My God is the re-maker, the overtaker. Our lack is a chance for God’s provision. He is the difference maker; He makes messes into miracles when we give ourselves to Him.Continue reading “God-fidence”
The sky darkened and I tensed, gripping the steering wheel harder as the rain began to fall. I’d done fine on the morning ride to drop my son off for an out of state science class. The route was no different now as I drove to pick him up, but I hate big highways and unfamiliar roads, and the inclement weather just added to my anxiety.
Nothing is wasted when we yield ourselves to Jesus. When life turns upside down, you can choose to become a casualty of calamity or cling to Christ and stand on His Word. Crisis is a chance to grow closer to Christ—to hand your quivering heart to Him who made it. He makes all things beautiful in His time. Knowing God and keeping this eternal perspective helps me navigate some of the mess and heartbreak of life. In the end He makes all things right.Continue reading “Prayers”
I love sunny days, so when the sun dipped behind the clouds the other day my mood fell.
“No, Lord,” I said, “make the sun come back out!”
“I Am the sunshine in your soul,” Jesus whispered to my heart.
Without the sun, plants lose color and don’t thrive. Time spent basking in the Son-shine nurtures soul seeds and makes miracles grow.
The power of words to destroy or heal and release destiny is amazing. I let dagger-like words stall me for 10 years in my Christian walk. I loved God and remained faithful to my church and family, but it was business as usual. I wasn’t looking for happy when I found joy—I had given up on both. Then… Click here to continue reading my guest post on Pearl Allard’s site, Look Up Sometimes.
I am honored to be featured as a guest on Pearl Allard’s site, Look Up Sometimes. I encourage you to read the other great guest posts in this series, How to Nourish Your Soul and be Happy in the Lord, as well as Pearl’s own inspiring articles.
Pearl and I met two years ago as members of The Jerry JenkinsWriters Guild. We joined the same private writing group formed within the guild, currently comprised of nine women with a passion for Jesus and to honor Him with our writing. Pearl is a precious sister in the Lord, a down to earth, gifted and anointed writer and speaker, “an imperfect Son-follower learning to enjoy the grace of Jesus and on mission to nurture others to enjoy it…to come along and glimpse and embrace God’s beautiful provisions for us”
It is freedom of religion, America, not freedom from religion. Remember our foundation.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Stand for our flag, the red, white and blue
The Bible is our foundation, tested and true
Remember the blood shed, our freedom to gain
Pray for God’s blessing on our great nation to rain
“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,” Acts 17:26 (NKJV)
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. —Thomas Jefferson
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
The Bible says, if any man thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. What it doesn’t specify is that you’re stupid if you don’t wear flip flops when cleaning the shower, which I always do. Except for when I didn’t so I slipped and went, “kaboom!” in the cleaner called Kaboom. And then my shoulder went ka-pop, and our bank account went kaput. Then I did the math. It’s actually cheaper to hire a maid to clean my entire house—Continue reading “Kaboom!”