Okay, ministry wives.  This event is JUST FOR YOU!  Buckle down because I have what I hope is the most fun ‘get to know you’ game ever.   Let me tell you about it.

You know that I started the Woman Beside the Man feature for ministry wives a few months back before I accidentally on purpose destroyed my website.  Now that everything is back on track, I thought we would do a speed-friending of sorts (great idea, Mary Beth!) through the M2M Blogroll via an online scavenger hunt! 

Here’s how we will play:

1.  Below you will find a series of 15 questions.  Copy and paste them into a new post and answer each one.  NOTE:   Don’t stick to yes/no responses.  Feel free to elaborate on the answers.  Give us some good details so there will be more info to dig! 

2.  Prior to the actual hunt, you will publish your answers on your blog and then add that post link to the Mr. Linky provided ON THIS POST. 

3.  I will give you a couple of days to visit the girls who are playing along.  I will also be visiting during this time to compile a list of ‘treasures’ to scavenge. 

4.  I will create A QUESTIONS/ANSWERS POST where I will ask things such as, “Name a ministry wife who lives in a parsonage  and is addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper and Milk Duds.”   {Wait.  That’s me.  That answer doesn’t count.}  You will place your answers in the comments.  There may be more than one correct answer but each will be verified.  Also, comments will be hidden so those following behind you can’t scavenge off your hard work.  Not that anyone would do that.

5.  The first two people to correctly post the answers will win The Pioneer Woman’s new cookbook.    And no, The Pioneer Woman has no clue I even exist nor does she need my help in promoting her cookbook.  I just love sharing my favorite things and this is currently one of them that I have yet to order.  I’ll be getting mine when I get yours as a parting gift for myself. 

6.  I will place the button to this post in my sidebar so you can refer to it easily.   You are also welcome to grab the button for your own post.  I would give you code but since 1.  I don’t know how and 2. I’m too tired tonight to figure it out, I’ll have to ask you to right-click to save the image and then load it old school.  The deadline for adding your answers to Mr. Linky is Monday, November 9th.  The Scavenger Question/Answer post will open Wednesday, November 11th.  Answers will be accepted until 10 p.m. Thursday, November 12th.  Winners will be announced Friday, November 13th.  Sound like a plan?

7.  RULES:  There’s only one.  Since we are scavenging the M2M Blogroll your blog listing must be submitted by THIS FRIDAY if it does not already appear.  You can submit those through my contact pageby sending  your name, blog name, blog url, and husband’s area of ministry.  I’ll get all the updates done as they come in. 

So that’s it!  I hope ya’ll know I’m setting myself up here to look like an enormous doofus if no one signs up.  But it’s okay if you don’t want to play.  Never mind me as I crawl in the bed and suck my thumb for two or seven days.  

Without further hesitation, here are your questions…

The Treasures

1.  First Name.

2.  State and Country of Residence.

3.  Husband’s Ministry Title. 

4.  Length of time in Current Ministry Location. {IMPORTANT:  There are several of you who may not be in a current ‘official’ pastorate/ministry, etc.  That makes you no less a minister’s wife!  You play along, girlfriends, and let us pray for you!}

5.  Children?  If yes, give gender and ages.

6.  Number of unique  homes in which you’ve lived during your marriage. 

7.  Cook Sunday lunch or eat out?

8.  Typically on time for Sunday School or not?

9.  Favorite TV Show.

10.  Something you watch/like/do that you would never tell the church people. (Except now you just did…lol)

11.  Most annoying church-related pet peeve.

12.  One thing you need to throw away but can’t bring yourself to do it.

13.  The one food you can not live without.

14.  Parsonage or have your own home?

15.  Freak when the doorbell rings or always ready for a visitor?

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Once you’ve answered these questions, please sign Mr. Linky below with a direct link to your answers, not your home page.  Any home page links will be deleted.  Questions?  Leave them in the comments and I’ll respond there as well.   

P.S.  If y’all think this is as fun as I do, we’ll do a Civilian Version!

Hey Girls!

Please forgive my lack of posting WBTM for the last couple of weeks. I have no good excuse! I am excited to introduce you to sweet Tammie Fay whom I got to meet at Nashville’s Deeper Still back in ’07. Y’all give her a big welcome and be sure to visit her personal blog. I am enjoying these spotlights so much and I truly hope you are too. Now, let’s hear from Tammie Faye!

1. Please share your Real Name and Blog Name:

Name: Tammie Worsham Blog Name: TammieFay

2. In what area/areas of ministry do you serve alongside your husband? How long have you been in ministry?

I serve in Women’s Ministry and teach Adult Women’s Sunday School. 28 years

3. What is your favorite part of being a ministry wife?

Watching people “get it”! Being a part of that. Seeing them fall in love with God’s Word and develop a hunger and thirst for Him!

4. Describe your personal giftedness. How do you exercise that within the church?

I am a teacher. I walked too long in Biblical ignorance as a Christian. 11 years ago I began to pray Psalm 119 over my life. Being the gracious, merciful and truthful God that He is, He answered and my life has been transformed by His living Word. I do not mean to sound over dramatic when I say this, but it is true…I cannot live without it and what is even more amazing is that I don’t even want to try! I am awed by the revelation of Himself that God has left to us. There are too many women in our churches today who are as I was….it is my heart’s desire to see them develop a hunger and thirst for his Word and to know it! To that end, I teach, admonish and encourage through Sunday School, and Women’s Bible Study.

5. If you have children, what’s the most embarrassing PK thing they’ve ever done? If you do not have children, have you committed a blunder yourself that you can laugh about now?

We have 4 daughters, and it has always been important for us to be truthful in all things with our children. For that reason, we made the decision to be truthful about “Santa Clause” with our girls. They always knew their Christmas gifts came from us and of course, we always related the spiritual significance of that. We never wanted to leave an opportunity for any doubt to be placed in their minds about the existence of Jesus (my husband was devastated as a young child when he learned the truth about Santa). When my youngest, who is now 15, was in elementary school, she went about “enlightening” some friends on the playground about Santa. One of them was in our church….got a call that afternoon from her Mom….wanted me to know what my child had done….wanted to know why….wanted me to do something…..wanted my child to recant! I told her I was very sorry that my child had upset hers and then I started trying to explain where my child was coming from….I don’t think that’s what she wanted!

6. What is the single most important piece of advice you would like to offer other ministry wives?

This might fall on some differently than others, depending on the denomination you serve in, but hear me on this…..God is our security! In the denomination I serve, job security is about as “iffy” as a SEC College football coach’s. We might be tempted to think that our husband’s welfare…our family’s welfare, rests in the hands of fallible men. Our God is Sovereign….He IS in control!
“He is your constant source of security. He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom. He gives all this to those who fear Him.” Isaiah 33:6 (NET)

7. Do you have a question about ministry life you’d like answered by those who reading this spotlight?

When you have received criticism about your husband, do you always share with him what you have heard or do you keep it to yourself to shield him?

8. Where can we visit you on the web? (blog url)

His Word Is Life To Me/www.psalm119-5.blogspot.com

Seriously. Can someone please tell me if there is another PW in the world as adorable as Rachel Hinton? And look at that baby?! I love that she exudes joy in ministry and I can promise you – if we lived closer – I’d be hanging out with this darlin’ girl. :)

Y’all please take a minute to get to know Rachel and don’t forget to answer the questions she has for you! If you would like to be featured in Woman Beside the Man, simply send an email to womanbesidetheman@gmail.com and you will receive instructions on how to do so.

1. Please share your Real Name and Blog Name:

Laurie Adams @ WOMEN TAKING A STAND

2. In what area/areas of ministry do you serve alongside your husband? How long have you been in ministry?

We serve as Associate Pastors. Our area of ministry is centered around Christian Education, Visitation, Ministry Outreach, Senior Adult Ministry. We have been in full time ministry for 7 years and prior to that served as interim pastors filling in churches in our district for a year.

In addition to our Pastoral Ministry. I assist my husband when he conducts Christian Education Leaders Training all over the states for the national office of the Assemblies of God. In addition , we serve as the Christian Education Reps for our section in our state.

3. What is your favorite part of being a ministry wife?

Investing in others. Encouraging – especially women. Finding treasure within someone who doesn’t quite see it yet and help them to discover giftings they did not know they have.

4. Describe your personal giftedness. How do you exercise that within the church?

Encouragement, hospitality, Prayer, teaching

I lead a ladies bible study,
I write a weekly church prayer blog,
I invest in ladies of the church by sending out cards of encouragement every week and having lunch with at least one lady a week.
I am a behind the scene person and make a lot of the “small” details happen so my husband doesn’t have to worry about it. I am quite ocd about details.

5. If you have children, what’s the most embarrassing PK thing they’ve ever done? If you do not have children, have you committed a blunder yourself that you can laugh about now?

When filling in at a church, my daughter who was about four years old was in a stage of telling big tales … I mean BIG whoppers. While my husband and I took our place in the sanctuary ready to preach, my daughter went off to children’s church. Following the service, a lady greeted us with laughter and relayed the story of how she inquired of our daughter if she had any brothers or sisters. Our daughter told her that she had a sister but she had died. The lady said “Oh I am so sorry” “how old was she?” “16″ My daughter replied. The lady then asked my daughter what her sister died of, and our daughters response? – “She smoked too much”

Funny thing is – that church never asked us back again to preach!

{Lisa here…I’m rolling over this one! Poor, sister. Those cigarettes are bad news. lol}

6. What is the single most important piece of advice you would like to offer other ministry wives?

Family first over ministry.
Ministry is fun!
Don’t ask anything of anybody that you are not willing to do yourself.
Have a servants heart.
Just love the people … God will do the rest.

7. Do you have a question about ministry life you’d like answered by those who reading this spotlight?

If you could name one thing that you need from your Pastors wife…what would it be?

8. Where can we visit you on the web? (blog url)

http://womentakingastand.blogspot.com/
http://wmfirstassemblyofgodprays.blogspot.com/

1. Share your real name and blog name:

Shane at Heart Reflections

2. In what area/areas of ministry do you serve alongside your husband?

I serve with my hubby in worship – as I am a praise team leader. I also started a women’s ministry approx 5 years ago. You can read more details about my journey into women’s ministry here:

http://heartreflections.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/how-it-all-began

How long have you been in ministry? I grew up in the church loving music. So, music started way back when. But as I stated above it’s been about 5 years being really active.

3. What is your favorite part of being a ministry wife?

My favorite part of being married to my preacher-man is the first-hand experience of God’s work in others lives. Often, the life is my own. My hubby, Marc, really was the first one to introduce me into a relationship with Christ. Growing up in the church it was just a piece of my life, Jesus wasn’t ingrained into every part of me. So, watching our church grow into a deeper relationship with Christ is amazing.

4. Describe your personal giftedness. How do you exercise that within the church?

Do I have to? Can’t I write about my weaknesses? Well, actually that might be my gift. Let’s see here… I believe God has gifted me with a sense of being REAL. This gift came wrapped up in an ugly package of postpartum depression. Through this journey (and my ongoing battle with depression) God revealed the beauty of humility and vulnerability. It takes one woman to share her story to reach other’s hearts. Once the doors open, suddenly you find yourself in a community of believers who are real, honest, and understanding.

5. If you have children, what’s the most embarrassing PK thing they’ve ever done?

Where do I begin? My little one, in Kindergarten, loves telling people her Daddy is the Pastor. She goes to our church school. Everyone already knows who she is and who her Daddy is. But I think it’s so cute that she continues to let everyone know just who were Daddy is. Couldn’t we all be like this with our heavenly Father?

But, the MOST embarrassing probably comes from a sermon series my husband did a few years ago. The series was entitled Home Makeover: Church Edition (I think!). It was based upon our home’s need for reconstruction because our daughters FLOODED the house. Yep! They played slip n slide during their nap time. These ingenious girls (at age 3 & 5) let the water run full blast in the tiny sink upstairs. The water then flowed into the hallway, where they took clothes, towels, anything they could use to water down their runway. It was all fun and games into the ceiling in the lower level collapsed! True Story!

6. What is the single most important piece of advice you would like to offer other ministry wives?

Be yourself. If you don’t know who that is, spend time in God’s Word and have Him reveal it to you. Don’t rush into any commitments just because you think it’s the right thing to do. If people criticize you, let it roll off your shoulders. Remember the Beatitudes, Matthew 4:11-12: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

7. Do you have a question about ministry life you’d like answered by those who reading this spotlight?

How do you stay fresh in your relationship with Christ?

8. Where can we visit you on the web? (blog url)

http://www.heartreflections.wordpress.com/ and www.ShanesHeart.com

Finally, it’s here! I told you a couple of weeks ago how much I wanted to begin a feature for ministry wives to properly introduce themselves. Our Married to the Ministry Blogroll has grown tremendously and so I think it is important to have a better way to get to know one another.

The way we are going to do this is through a spotlight called, “The Woman Beside the Man”. We all hear about the woman behind the man but even though much of what we do is behind the scenes, I know our husbands (and we!) consider us a vital, equal part to their ministries. If Luke and I didn’t walk this thing side by side, we’d have given up long ago. I hope I’ve left no doubt that I LOVE serving God by being married to a pastor and I hope to encourage you to embrace this privilege as well.

So here’s the skinny: Fridays will now be WBTM Day. If you are interested in being spotlighted, please send an email with your request to womanbesidetheman@gmail.com. You will receive an auto-respond email with the interview questions and button code if you choose to use this to direct your readers here on the day you are featured.

Simply copy and paste the questions you receive into a document of your own, answer them, and send your responses back to me in the address provided in the introductory email. (Feel free to include a photo of yourself if you’d like!) Do not reply to the womanbesidetheman address because it is only set up to auto-respond. Also, once you send your request you should get an immediate response. If you do not, check your spam folder because my test emails have gone straight into mine.

Please note: You do not have to be on the M2M blogroll in order to participate but if you aren’t, please consider adding your listing. You can find instructions for doing so HERE.

So that’s it! Interviews will be posted on a first-come/first-served basis so let me hear from you soon.

I’m so happy!

P.S. My awesome buttons were created by Karen at Simply Amusing Blog Designs. She is fabulous!