PW Blog Round-Up, Link-up, & Speak-Up Vol. 2 #3: Tales from the Fishbowl

Earlier this week: "Those Few Sheep": Pastors' Wives in Small Churches
All this month: The Pastor's Wife Post (Link-up Time!)

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This is a special edition of our weekly pastor's wife blog round-up, welcoming guests from the 5 Minutes for Mom ultimate blog party. If this is your first time visiting, welcome! To everyone else, welcome back! (And yes, I can write a sentence without the word, "welcome!" but what's the fun in that? You might feel unwelcome!)

Quickly reviewing what this blog is all about -- Sometimes it's lonely being a pastor's wife. It can also be very lonely blogging about being a pastor's wife. You can feel like you're talking to air, and might even resonate with the chorus to an old Neil Diamond song (I Am, I Said).

If either of the above fits you, I invite you to pull up a chair, and I'll do the same. Because neither of us is alone, and we all need each other!

This blog offers resources and encouragement, as well as several ways to connect with other pastors' wives. We have a twitter list, a blog directory, a brand spanking new monthly link-up, and also a list of recently updated blogs over there. --------------------------------------------->

You're welcome to connect with us in as many ways as you'd like. It doesn't matter if you regularly blog about church or not. It's just a great way to meet other pastors' wives online. (For more information on the various ways to list your blog, please see this page.)

I also post a discussion topic on Mondays (this week's topic for pw's in small churches really struck a chord). On Fridays I do a blog round-up, like this one. And again, please don't miss our brand new monthly link-up!

Eventually, I'd also like to begin featuring interviews with other pastors' wives. Here are some other topics we'll be discussing in the future.

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So on to this week's blog round-up...

 Last week, I stumbled upon Pastor's Wife, Conversation Killer from Christine Hoover of Grace Covers Me. I shared it with some other pw friends of mine, and we had quite the laugh!

I also found some other fun topics about being a pastor's wife that I've listed below. (Many of them are older posts, but possibly new to you?) 

It's a Fishbowl Life, from Jill.

Meet the Pastors' Wives, from Teri Lynne Underwood

Busted by the Preacher Man a silly post I wrote a long time ago!

Being a Pastor's Wife, from Jennifer Faulk

If you've written a fun or informative post about being a pastor's wife, please share a link to that post in the comments. I'd love to read it. (I'm sure we all would!)

And if you don't have a story right now, that's okay, too. I'd love it if you just stopped in and said, "hello!" (Comments)

And finally, don't be a stranger! 

Dust off a bench and sit a while. Pick your favorite way(s) to connect and please come back to visit! We're also on facebook, pinterest, and google plus.

 (Oh, by the way, I'm Ramona. You can read more about me at my personal blog. In fact, here's my post from last year's blog party).

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PW Blog Round-Up, Link-Up, & Speak-Up Vol 2-#2: Holy Week

Note: I've kept the link-up script from last week, if you'd like to post anything else from March. Also, please comment with any Lent, Passover, Holy Week, or Easter Meditations that you've written or that have spoken to you! This is posted a day early because of the holiday.

Be sure to read :

God Shows Up Right in the Middle of the Ugly (earlier this week)

Holy Week Meditation that really reached out and grabbed me this week, from Stefanie Brown:

"When they were finally tired of mocking him... When they were finally tired..." (read more...)

and

Praying for My Church before Easter, by Sandra Peoples

(also Praying for Boldness & Praying for the Pastors)

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Repost From Last Year: 

Holy Week Meditations from Teri Lynne Underwood:

A God Who Calls Me Friend

A God Who Prays For Me

A God Who Forgives Me

A God Who Catches Tears

A God Who Helps Us 

A God Who Understands Our Pain 

A God Who is Present Even in Silence

A God Who IS 

Please remember to visit and comment on the blogs of your sister PW's, especially if you participate in the link-up! I know they'll appreciate connecting with you and would love to hear your encouragement.
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PW Blog Roundup & Link-Up, Plus Speak Out: Churches Losing our Youth

(comments)

The re-launching continues! I don't know if I'll do this the same every week, but in addition to linking up your favorite post of the week, I'd love to hear comments back from you regarding young people leaving the church.

Jen Hatmaker posted an article recently about how a conference un-invited her to speak. While, I don't necessarily agree with every single thought she expressed, her post was well-written and just reached out and grabbed me this week for two reasons:

One: Why are we majoring in molehills when the mountains are slipping through our fingers? In her case, it was partly because of a joke about alcohol. But, that's not the only molehill around.

I understand the need for solid Bible scholarship, and I'm a bit of a Bible nerd myself. But, I see people debating and dissecting minutiae, tearing others down over it, and I'm broken for us that we're distracted from what really matters. (God, please forgive me for every single time I've done this myself.)

I feel like we're too busy keeping the house in order that we're not sitting at the feet of Jesus, nor following Him into our broken worlds, nor even engaging the brokenness right there in our own midst. We wound and then we bleed as our young people leave.

I fear that we turn so many people away when we turn on each other. (Ann Voskamp has a beautiful post about that, if you have time to click over.)

But, that's only part of why I'm broken. It goes much deeper and hurts right there in the middle of my heart.

I'm broken because it's MY son in danger of being lost, and I'm grieved to my core over it. Before, it was all just a sad statistic. But now that it's my statistic, I take it very personally.

I have some thoughts on that and the why's, but I'll leave that for another time. Let's just say that leaving a thriving church in a familiar culture and moving to a smaller church in need of revitalization has cost us in a way we did not foresee. For now, I'm praying and working on where to get him involved so that he's not lost altogether. I'd also like to hear back from you.

Sunday Women put a thoughtful post up this week on helping youth find a place to serve in church. (A real place, not just filling grunt work roles.) I think that's part of it. No doubt our churches need to help our teens identify their gifts and learn to minister in their sweet spots.

But what else?

Some more food for thought:

I went searching the web for an article I found several years ago and finally found it:

Almost Christian

In the process, I also found this:

Sticky Faith

As you have time this week or weekend, please read and ponder. Our link up this week is not limited to this topic, but if you blog about young people leaving the church or successes your church has had in slowing the flow, please let me know in the comments as well.

Now, in case I've confused you with too many words, please link up your favorite post(s) from this month. Since it's been a while and we're still a pretty small community, feel free to link up a few. And if you have something to say about young people leaving the church, please speak out in the comments --> (comments). 

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Blog Round-up & Link-Up: PW Directory, Church Predators, Encouragment, Copyright, etc.

I will soon be starting a seasonal directory of pastors' wives who are currently blogging. The problem with blog lists is that they easily get out of date. Many people who start blogging do not continue. Others may move their blogs to another domain. I myself took a break for a couple of years and have also renamed my blog.

My solution to keeping our directory up-to-date is to start from scratch each season, and allow those who are still currently blogging to re-list. Also, if you find yourself last on the list -- it's only for a season. Our directory will be hosted on this page.

I'll be launching this sometime next week, and if you read this blog, you have early warning. You can link up your home/main page or your about me page. Subscribe or Follow so you don't miss out.

On to the blogs...

Welcome:
I'm pleased to welcome two new blogs to our little community. Jada has been blogging at Food, Fun, Family for quite some time. I always look forward to reading what she's written, and am so glad she's joined in. Also, new to our fold is Melissa at Laughing through Life -- she's just getting started blogging, and I'm sure would appreciate a warm welcome.

Encouragement for those who feel insignificant:
If you find yourself in a situation and you're not sure what God is doing, then you really need to read Surprised by Redemption by Shelly Miller. In ministry, you may never know this side of heaven the impact you're having on people or their children, but Shelly's story gives you a beautiful glimpse.

What Churches Should Know About Sex Offenders:
Did you know that many sex offenders specifically target churches? Probably. But this recent post from The Resurgence details that along with other facts and figures and why they're uniquely important to churches. A must read!

Copyright Tips:
Another must-read for bloggers. Have you ever posted a line from a song? Just one little line? You may be in violation of the law and not even realize it. Edie Melson explains copyright basics for bloggers in Part 1 and Part 2 of her Copyright 101 Series.

PW Blogs:
I didn't really cover pw blogs this time, but if you'd like to link up your favorite post(s) of the last month, I'll include a link-up at the bottom of this post. (I'll be linking up Redemption in the Church Kitchen myself.) Feel free to include an image from your post or your profile photo.

NOTE: This is just for your favorite post(s). Our directory will launch next week. Please make sure you link up to a specific post on your blog for this link-up. If you want your blog added to our blogroll stream over there ------------->
leave a comment here. Thanks!

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Brief PW Blog Round-Up: Holy Week Meditations

Do you ever struggle with how to feel in the days leading up to Easter? I do.

I find myself at Good Friday every year, and I never know what to do with it. Should I be somber? Should I be thankful? Should I speak in hushed tones to show reverence?

This year, I'm dumping the shoulds. I'll be reflecting on TerilynneU's Holy Week Meditations instead. Well done, Teri! Here they are:

A God Who Calls Me Friend

A God Who Prays For Me

A God Who Forgives Me

A God Who Catches Tears

A God Who Helps Us 

A God Who Understands Our Pain 

A God Who is Present Even in Silence

A God Who IS 

I'll update this list with any more posts in the series. Have a blessed Holiday!

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PW Not-So-Weekly Blog Round-Up

It's Spring in pw blog-land and new things are popping up. I'm catching up after illness and surgery myself, so this round-up will cover a little more territory than usual. But first, I'd quickly like to share some special offers I think you'll appreciate...

Renee Swopes' new book, A Confident Heart: How to Stop Doubting Yourself and Find Security in Christ is available for a great limited-time price, just $2.99 on Kindle or Nook, and $ 2.39 at CBD . You may recognize Renee from the The Proverbs 31 Ministries Radio Program.

 And better yet, the companion journal (The 7-Day Doubt Diet) is currently free! Find it at CBD,  Nook, and Kindle as well.

Now on to the blogs...

Welcome!
We've added 3 new members to our blogging community. Please welcome Kelley at The Big Long Wait, Shanda Oakley at A Pause on the Path, and Kathy at Christian Book Mom.

New!
I've started a list of linkies you might like to consider. These can be helpful when you want to write. They're also a great way to connect with other bloggers.

*I've also got a directory idea in the works, so please stay tuned!*

Saving Money!

Cindy has put together a great list of money-saving ideas.

A Great Cause!
This past Thursday was World Water Day, and I highlighted my favorite water ministry.

Caught in Creativity!
Heather at Catalyst Wife has begun having pinterest dates with friends. Check out her burlap carrots! This also got my wheels to turning -- a pinterest gathering as a ministry platform that could springboard into something deeper? Food for thought!

You'll also want to admire the cute cupcakes from the daughters of our Masked Sparrow.  "One thing I am learning recently is that children need to achieve something regularly," she writes.

Enjoying Spring!
Yours truly is trying to re-create spring as seen by a certain little girl a long time ago in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, while Tanya has been enjoying her azaleas, grapefruit tree blossoms, and fresh-from-the-tree lemonade. 

Stay Inspired!
Atypical Pastor's Wife reminds us that we are the Lord's knitting project.

If you don't follow Ann Voskamp, you really should! She has an Easter garden idea that is simply wonderful -- with pictures and instructions on how to do it yourself.

Pray Hard!
And finally, we've got some pastors' wives in need of prayer. Jill over at Our Cozy Casa and crew have felt God's leadership to move on from their current church, but their next step is not yet evident. My prayers are with you, Jill, and I hope our community will rally around them in prayer as well.

Sunday Wife's family is dealing with tragic illness in their extended family -- pancreatic cancer. Please pray for them as I know the ups and downs are taking their toll.

Let's lift these ladies and their families up...

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Virtual PW Conference, Giveaway, & Laura Hilton Week on PW Blogs

It's a busy week, so the pw blog round-up will be short and sweet:

Tonight at 8:00 p.m. (central time), Leading & Loving It will continue a series of free online video conferences for pastors' wives. You can find more information here. If you can't tune in this evening, they will be re-airing tomorrow (Feb. 14) at 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. This is the 3rd week of a 4-week virtual conference. They also plan to archive previous conferences on their website.

Sivje is giving away a sewing book and some cute sewing supplies to celebrate her recent blogaversary. But hurry, the deadline to enter is Valentine's Day.


Cindy Loven will be celebrating Laura Hilton week on her book review blog beginning March 5th. There will be "Lots of fun, giveaways, and reviews," according to Cindy, as well as announcement regarding a new series.

I spent a lot of time over the weekend revamping this site into a more professional look. I think I'm finally done. At least for now! Have a great week everyone. :-)

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Purpose, Time, & The Positives of Ministry Top Weekly PW Blogs (Plus Poll Update)

We all balance our busy church life with the family at home, but so far only one pastor's wife in our group works to ensure that her church runs "as smooth as Southern-churned butter." Good to know! ;-)

TLC's upcoming show about preacher wives tops our recent news. Beth is blogging about the reality (?) of it and others have indicated they will, too.

You can view preliminary results from our riveting, "highly-scientific" poll on the real reality of pastors' wives here.

On to the other blogs...

Encouragement
Topping the list of words that spoke to me last week, I really enjoyed Cyndi's take on Bonds or Bondage. She reflects on Paul's imprisonment and how he used unpleasant circumstances to fulfill his calling in life.

Time Management
Terilynne just finished up a great series on time management. I couldn't pick only one. My two favorites were 24 Hours Is Never Enough, in which she challenges us to examine the root of our problem with time; and 4 Truths about Time, where she wraps it up with some great insights.

About Ministry
Think the life of a pastor's wife is destined to be a negative experience? Take a look at Pam Terrell's post about all the good things that happen in ministry. Pam thinks she's an outlier, but I'm not so sure. I think sometimes we hear too much about the unusual challenges of a pastor's family and it overwhelms us. We need to be reminded of the blessings, too.

About Women
Not necessarily about ministry, but Pam also has a great post about being a woman that I think all moms of girls will appreciate. Read about the positive things her parents did to help her develop a healthy view of herself. She also found a great cartoon illustrating a girl's world as viewed by the Disney princesses.

Critiques
Topping the reviews this past week, Nikki takes a look at Kinderbach online piano lessons for children, and two pw's examine The Jerk Magnet, by Melody Carlson. Read Cindy's review here and Suzanne's review here.

Other Neat Things
Each Saturday evening, Deidra at jumping tandem hosts a new Sunday post. Several people join her each week in posting a beautiful picture and a simple word of scripture to meditate upon. What a great way to encourage each other as we're preparing to worship!

And finally, pwnmom (PW and Mom) uses her blog to post about crafty and creative things that she either makes or finds online.Today I found an oldie but a goodie on her blog featuring a great idea for little children and church. Visit pwnmom to find out more about this cute little mini coloring tote:

original source: {lbg studio}

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Weekly Recap: PW Blogs You Don't Want to Miss

It's been a fun week from my end of the world. I have designed, re-designed, and tweaked the colors of this blog; then re-designed and tweaked some more. First, too pink. Then, too brown. I've finally settled on a color scheme I can live with. I hope you like it, too!

I'm so happy to see those of you who have linked up. I appreciate your support as I get this started. Thank you for not leaving me flailing and twisting in the wind. Talking to air is quite lonely!

So on to the blogs...

Each week, I'd like to highlight posts that catch my eye. Words that speak to me, in case you missed out on them speaking to you.

As I was adding blogs to our feed, I took some time to look over them and page through recent posts.

Some of our bloggers use their space mainly for book reviews. One of them is Tracy! (Yes, Tracy, with an exclamation point!) While technically not written this past week, I enjoyed reading Tracy!'s review of The Names of God Bible.

I was so intrigued, that I headed over to CBD (Christian Book Distributors) and viewed their video glimpses for a closer look inside. As I write, I have one ear pealed for the delivery driver who is scheduled to drop that book off on my door step any minute now. Thanks Tracy! I can't wait to get started.

Teri Lynne Underwood is doing a parenting series on her blog right now. Today's post about teaching our children to pray is a must-read. It's short and to-the-point. You'll be instantly challenged and equipped to do better for your children.

Pam has an insightful post about encouraging those around you, called, Giving Away Chips. It has lots of application not only to ministry, but just in how you treat the people around you.

Near and dear to my heart, are posts having to do with parenting special needs children. Tara's post about How Autism Has Changed The Way We Celebrate gives you a look inside her very atypical life. I know, Tara; I've been there. Thank you for being a voice and helping others to understand what they couldn't possibly imagine otherwise.

Denie has a beautiful poem about flying through life. And finally, Carrie at She Thinks to Much gives a tribute to moms and chocolate pudding kisses in her post, Because I'm the Mom, that's why!

It's been a busy week. I know you're busy, too. You're in the midst of a blog redesign, or in the middle of moving your blog to a new platform. Some of you are traveling. Others, like Suzanne, are discovering the beautiful, time-devouring world of Pinterest.

*I hope that those last few sentences didn't sound too much like the gossip column of the small-town newspaper. (Oh, the stories I could tell, haha!)*

Gossip paragraph aside, I appreciate your stopping by in amongst your busy-ness to help the pastor's wife who is moving across the country. And I appreciate your support as I get this blog thing going.

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