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		By Her Side-Softcover Chapter 1 -PW or POW? "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings...Isaiah 52:7 She looked adoringly at the young, slender intern in the pulpit. As he enunciated very clearly the four main points in his carefully crafted sermon, the young ministerial wife hung on his every word. Her preacher-husband expounded the Word, while constant prayers shot heavenward from the heart of this young wife. That preacher is my husband, she reminded herself. Little did she realize that many others would be continually restating that sobering fact to her. And I am that preacher's wife, she mused. Dear God, please help me. Many a young pastoral wife begins her career with great expectations and lofty ideals. She wants to be the best pastor's wife (PW) she could be. Often she has either received no training, or her preparation is minimal. She enters the field of work as a frightened rookie with no one to whom she'd dare confess her fears. She feels trapped, somewhat like a prisoner of war (POW). Will she ever be able to escape from the enemies criticism, inadequacy, insensitivity, the fish-bowl existence, the demands of the congregation? Soon, even more frightening elements wrap their cloak of apprehension around her. Will she survive? The early years of marriage find the pastoral couple busily trying to adjust to several roles. They are husband and wife, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Pastor. They are struggling with the demands of the new responsibilities they have assumed. Who are they, really? Do they know who they are? The husband knows that he is the pastor. He treats this as his Number One assignment. The roles of husband and father tend to get faint recognition somewhere along the way and then become threateningly fuzzy. Some members of his congregation dote on their pastor, regarding him as a fountain of wisdom. The community recognizes him as a leader, and he basks in some of the privileges that come with the territory. What happens to the wife at this time? She feels almost dizzy with trying to meet expectations. Is her taste in clothes just right? How does she compare with her predecessors?Are her hospitality skills earning her a passing grade? How well can she answer the theological questions posed to her on the telephone by a Bible enthusiast? If she has children, is she doing an excellent job of polishing their halos? What about the assignments at church? Is she multi-talented and dedicated? According to the dictionary of the pastorate, multi-talented means having the ability to fill all the offices that are too demanding for the church members. A dedicated pastor's wife is one who attends all meetings and substitutes for all delinquent persons who do not meet their obligations. During this turmoil of body and spirit, the pastoral wife feels overwhelmed. Where is her pastor/husband at this time? He may be absent on many and varied assignments. If he is at home, he may be suffering from fatigue because of an unbelievable schedule. He also needs to spend several hours in sermon preparation. One must honestly accept that the life of a pastor is extremely busy, and the savage demands of the parish make it difficult for him to find time, even for himself. It is not that the husband does not care about his family. Of course he loves them, and he himself is also struggling to get his life in order. No doubt he longs to be able to give the normal support of husband and father. However, his professional commitments absorb his time and energies. His wife is very dear to him, but he fails to notice her efforts to keep abreast of her responsibilities. She is struggling with her balancing act, and it seems to be a solo performance. Now the perfect environment for bitterness and pain is gradually being created. Know how sublime a thing it is to suffer and be strong. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow About The Author Gloria Trotman, has been a pastor's wife for thirty-four years and is the Women's and Children's Ministries Director, as well as Shepherdess Coordinator of the Caribbean Union Conference, with headquarters located in Trinidad, West Indies. She is married to Pastor Jansen Trotman, President of the Caribbean Union. The Trotmans have four children and three grandchildren. Gloria and her husband are kept busy conducting family seminars and seminars for pastoral couples in the Caribbean, the UK and the USA.		Quantity: Price: 6.95

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